I DINK Alone! - Pre-Trip Report
I DINK Alone – Pre-Trip Report
The Cast: If you hadn’t already divined from the title – me!
Dates: September 20th – 24th – Just 4 days in the parks, but I intend to make the most of them
The Widget on my phone says “10 Days to Go!!!”
Resort: Wilderness Lodge
DW and I bought our first annual passes on our February 2013 trip (If you really want some background, see my last trip report - Dinking 'Round the World - Day 5). When we bought the APs I originally assumed we would use them just 2 times, our February trip and a Xmas trip in early December of 2013 so we could experience WDW for the first time during the holidays. Between the two 5 day/4 night trips the AP’s made sense. Plus there is always a possibility of an extra 5% or so discount on the accommodations. That was the original idea anyway. However, from the moment I purchased those things they started burning a big mouse ears shaped hole in my pocket. I think many like to plan or at least think about their next trip while they are in the parks, but I never really have. I’d rather just enjoy the trip and have fun planning the next trip at some random future date, you know, whenever you get the Disney itch. Buying an AP kind of changes that. There was a bounceback offer in the welcome packet we received and the whole month of September was on sale and it was calling my name. (“Evan, this is your inner-child speaking. Reserve noooooooow!!!!) I called and asked and the prices at CSR and WL were both good and within my budget. Then I went on my IPad and checked out airfare. To my surprise Alaska Airlines was offering the red-eye I was familiar with on several dates in September for $109.60 one way. Seriously, this was a smoking deal! I used miles to book a first class one-way going there for half the usual cost (25,000 miles) and I bought a return for just $109.60. (I looked at booking the same ticket two weeks later and the price had risen to $239.00!) So anyway, the trip was so cheap that I had an easy time justifying it to my DW. Furthermore I decided to book a January 3 night trip too. Again under $440 out-the-door for return tickets for 2 from Seattle to Orlando! Smoking deal, right? So I “had” to do it. So my 2 trips have ballooned to 4! Whoopie!
Yeah, the “D” in DINK does indeed stand for “Double”. So, why am I leaving DW (the “D” in DINK, without whom I would SINK) to suffer the usual days at home when she could be immersed in the Magic? There are plenty of answers to this question. First and foremost I wanted to, just once, do WDW totally my way. Just like all of the solo trip and the “we left the kids at home” threads say, I will be free to go where I want without regard to what anyone else wants, hedonism at its finest ladies and gentlemen (and the rest of you too). Secondly, DW usually goes to see her brother, sister-in-law and our darling nieces and nephew by herself once a year. Typically I’d do a “guys” trip, a triathlon, bike ride or ski trip, all things she has no interest in beyond being with me and my friends. By so doing we keep things in balance, sort of a quid pro quo. This year I said “Heck with the bike ride! I’m going to Disney World!” Thirdly, as I already mentioned, I doubt I’ll ever do another trip to WDW as inexpensively as this one. I already have the AP and a TIW card, the bounceback rate I got was really good and I got super-cheap airfare. Fourthly, I want to avoid the crowds and DW would rather avoid the possibility of hurricanes. If she were coming along she’d say “Do we have to go in September?!” Fifthly, I’m going to try US and IoA for the first time. DW has no desire to ride The Mummy, Hulk, Dragon Challenge, Dr. Doom, Rip Ride, etc. She’s now a fan of RnR at DHS and for that I’m grateful, but if I managed to talk her into, say, The Hulk, I’m thinkin’ she’d relapse or implode or somethin’; that would be uncool. Having her wait while I rode those rides in the September heat and humidity would definitely be uncool (pun intended). Lastly, in any Disney relationship there is often a Disney fanatic and one who cannot approach the zeal of the true fan in the relationship. This “Disney by association” (a.k.a. DW, DH, DD, DS or in my case wifelett) partner/hanger-on can range from enthusiastic guest eager to experience the magic to apathetic enabler with a good divorce attorney on speed-dial. DW has moved from the middle of the spectrum to the more enthusiastic side. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of the mouse, WDW and central Florida have a lot to offer, especially when compared to a lot of the country in the winter time. We live in Seattle. Guess what, it’s raining! Go figure. She’s really come to enjoy the whole experience and has finally started to do some of the thrillier rides in the parks. So, I’m going 4 times in a 12 month period, but I really didn’t want to make her go 4 times. I’m a bit worried about burnout for myself. I think 3 times for her will be more than adequate and hopefully I’ll get to the stuff on my trip I can’t bring myself to drag her to do when we go together. I really want our December trip to be about the holiday decorations and atmosphere. If I get the “must do all of the rides!!!” attitude out of my system now maybe we’ll have a much more relaxing low-key holiday experience in December.
As far as food and AP’s go this trip will be a little different. I have made no ADR’s. Zero! I’m going to eat at the bar ala Scar.
Now whenever I go to WDW I either order some groceries or bring along some breakfast items and snacks. We usually eat breakfast on the patio in the room and I plan to do this again. This will give me at least one healthy meal per day and save a whole bunch of time trying to make it to rope drops. Since I’m an Alaskan Airline MVP I am allowed to check 2 bags for no extra charge. I’ll be checking a “feed bag” this time, but there won’t be much in it, just a bit of fruit, cereal bars, bottled water, a pint of hooch, a bottle of mixer and 1 bag of chips, pretzels or nuts.
I’m a guy. From wakeup to out the door takes about 20 minutes, and that includes a fair amount of general bumbling around; I’ll shower etc., eat a banana and walk out the door. My hair is like one inch long, 2 at the longest. I don’t need to flat iron it. The humidity will not wreak havoc on my coif nor will I spend valuable time lamenting this fact. I plan to sleep as late as I can then get up and go. Savvy?
For the trip I have made my usual ****-retentive color-coded spreadsheet. (****? LOL John & co.!) I won’t share it with you here, how would I, but here’s more than you need/want to know:
Saturday - @ MCO at 5:45am
DHS in AM – Tune-In for Lunch – Epcot PM – Rose & Crown Dinner - Illuminations
Sunday
MK AM – Casey’s or Pecos for Lunch – MK PM – Territory Lounge Dinner – Wishes
Monday
1st trip to IOA and US – Return for dinner @ CA Grill
Tuesday – Fly out of MCO @ 6:55pm
Checkout – AK – Pool or Epcot – ME to MCO
By anyone’s standards, not a whole lot of WDW here, just 2 ½ days at Disney and a full day at Universal Orlando. This is mostly to do with not wanting to spend too much time vacationing on my own without DW and having a small business where when I leave there really isn’t anyone to take up the slack. Instead of doing longer 7-9 day trips we usually do long weekend trips so we aren’t away from the business and the pets at home for too long. The AP really helps with this; while the regular park tickets get cheaper by the day the longer you stay this is not the case with the AP.
As I mention in the schedule I’m going to give Universal a try this trip. Granted, I’m only going for a day. I don’t imagine I will see it all, but I think during the slow time of year and on one of the slower days of the week I should be able to experience a lot of stuff. I already have my tickets and I have sprung for the Express Pass to get me that one line skip on each ride. I might hit the single rider queued rides twice if I feel like it. I briefly thought about the Unlimited Express one-day ticket, but that just seemed overkill. I want to try a little of a lot of things so I’ll not spend the extra $60 or so.
Sure, I have a schedule, but I realize it is subject to change. I’m there in the heart of hurricane season after all. Also, it may be so darn hot I’ll opt for some extra pool or nap time, but that’ll be fine. Hopefully there won’t be any major things going on and I’ll do more or less what I’ve planned each day: lots of rides in the mornings, lunch, 2-3 hours of pool/nap time, short lines and shows in the evening and off to bed once I’m suitably exhausted and magiced up.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and will come back for I DINK Alone Day 1-4.
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Thread: I DINK Alone! - Pre-Trip Report
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Originally Posted by Scar
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