If you remember repeating this as a child, you’ll also remember that it finished “Three to get ready, and Four to go”. Shortly, my hubby and I are going to Walt Disney World with our daughter Pam, and our daughter Mary and her family. Here’s how I’ve applied this little ditty to our upcoming trip.
One for the Money – First we decided which days to spend at WDW, and booked our trip with our favorite MFL agent, Linda Norton. Once that was done, we needed to figure out how to save money to pay for the trip. We started putting loose change in our “jug” bank, and to date (with less than a week to go) we have over $100.00. These funds, combined with our Disney rewards, will go a long way to covering our tips. I’m a pin trader, so I searched out some good values on eBay where I was able to get pins for about $1 each. Free dining helped us save some money, too. And each pay, we tucked a little extra aside into our vacation fund. Mary kept checking the price on our flights, and as they decreased, she was able to get us credits for what we had overpaid. Hubby and I now have almost enough to purchase flights for our next scheduled visit in March to see the Flower and Garden Show. Throughout this past year, we purchased Disney gift cards at a local supermarket, which earned us discounts on gasoline. And so, we have these gift cards to use for our spending money and saved a little on fuel in the process. So we’ve saved our money in several different ways.
Two for the Show – We looked at our favorite parks, and everyone in the group made a list of have-to-see’s, want-to-see’s, and have-no- interests. Then everyone decided where they would like to eat. We try to accommodate everyone’s favorite eating spots. Mary, who is our unofficial tour guide, put all these lists together and worked diligently to formulate touring plans for each park on days that were alleged to be less crowded. After the parks were decided, we discussed our food choices. We had elected to upgrade to deluxe dining. And, at our 180-day window, Mary worked her magic with our reservations. Some have changed since that day, but we’re all very satisfied with the final results. We made plans to see Fantasmic and booked a dinner package since we hadn’t seen it on the last trip. And of course, we had to plan on seeing Illuminations. Attending the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was a definite must, and on the recommendation of Agent Linda, we have booked the Wishes Dessert Party. And finally, the “show” is set.
Three to get Ready – We all sat down together and decided who wanted to wear what tee shirts for each park. Mary printed off the transfers, and she, Pam and I worked on completing the tee shirts. We’ve gone over our check lists, and made last minute purchases. I have finished making neck coolers for everyone, and am working on trick-or-treat bags for MNSSHP. I have designed and printed envelopes for Mousekeeping tips. We have all received our document packs, and have put everything in a safe place. Those needing to request time off work have done so, and gotten approval. We have determined which rides and shows are most handicapped-friendly, since I will be in an ECV and my grandson is in a wheelchair. I’ve pulled out the quilt blocks that I didn’t get signed on the last trip in the hopes that maybe this trip I’ll get those elusive autographs.
And we have all decided that we will be packing our suitcases this weekend. Oh yes, we’ve been getting ready.
And Four to Go – And now we are just 6 days from our trip. The excitement just keeps building. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and I can’t wait to see all the fall decorations. The pictures I’ve seen are really stunning, but I’ll bet they don’t compare to seeing them in person. And, I’m really looking to the parade and the Headless Horseman So in less than a week, we will board our flight for Orlando. We’ll take the Magical Express to our respective resorts, check in, and meet at Hollywood Studios. And, it’s not four, but seven that are ready to go.
What a fun blog post, Linda! I can’t wait for your report when you return! We are having your favorite agent work up a price for a trip we will take there at the end of January…can’t wait as we’ve not been there for MANY years now (even before Animal Kingdom opened).