| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 349.1 | Phase 1 - Acquire a Notebook & List Questions | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Fri Jun 25 1993 09:25 | 29 |
| When thinking about a trip to Orlando a lot of questions come into mind
and these questions must be carefully thought through before the actual
planning becomes more involved.
Find an empty notebook and make this your official planning notebook.
ALl gathered information should be placed in this notebook. Keep all
your trip planning info in one place.
Here are the questions I am faced with for my potential trip next year.
Most of these will be answered in future replies. The purpose here is
to mention that a list of questions is the FIRST thing you put in your
notebook.
Questions:
o When (what time of year) do I want to take my trip?
o How many days will I spend in Orlando?
o Will I drive or fly to Orlando?
o Will I stay on or off the property?
o How much can I afford to spend on this vacation?
o How will I pay for this vacation?
o Do I want to consider going with another family?
These are just some of the questions I am jotting down in my notebook.
Some questions lead to another level of questions. We will explore
these nested questions too.
Mike
|
| 349.2 | Pick Your Target Month | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Fri Jun 25 1993 09:42 | 28 |
| It's relatively easy for me to pick the time of year to go because it
ties in with many factors.
I have chosen July '94 as a potential trip month for the following
reasons:
- It's more than a year away which gives me plenty of time to
plan and save.
- July is a low coaching/sports month for my son and myself.
- Attractions are close to 100% during July.
- Park hours are at maximum offering me the most for my
admission dollar.
- Kids are out of school in the Summer which works well in
planning time away from home.
- We are guaranteed warm/hot weather which my family enjoys.
- Water activities more palatable in Summer.
- Fireworks and Parades are on EVERY night...no special
planning needed to see either.
- I love the parks at night.
- I like being at WDW on my birthday.
So that decision was easy for me to make. I now know that my target
month is July '94 and one of those days I'll be there is July 12th, my
birthday, I know have to build from there and figure out the length of
my stay.
Mike
|
| 349.3 | Next Step: How Long to Stay and Exact Dates | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Fri Jun 25 1993 10:00 | 39 |
| Okay, now I have a pretty good idea of when I want to go and now I have
to figure out how long I want to stay and the exact dates.
When figuring how long you want to stay keep in mind that cost becomes
a factor here...the longer you stay the more it will cost. Try to find
a comfort zone that allows you the right amount of time to do
everything you think you'd want to do while keeping in mind what type
of a budget you're working with for the trip.
For my trip I know that July 12 is one of the days we'll be there. I
like to include 2 weekends on trips so I need to pick 2 from Jul 9-10,
16-17, and 23-24.
If I pick the last two that would make the trip 15 days because I would
spend the first night on 11-Jul and the last on 24-Jul.
If I pick the first two it may interfere with baseball playoffs. It's a
tough call.
In thinking about how long I'd like to stay I'm comfortable with a
minimum of 10 days but like the idea of 2 weeks because it truly serves
as a "recharge" time. It's agreed that we'll shoot for 14 nights. Now
to pick the actual days.
Hmmm, I'd like to wake up on my birthday in WDW so that means the
latest I'd want to arrive is July 11th (assuming that we're driving
down). Staying 14 nights means the last night would be 24-Jul which is
a Sunday. Great! I get my birthday wish and my two weekends.
This is tentative of course based on cost.
Okay, now we are moving along. We know that our tentative plans are for
14 nights starting 11-Jul-1994 and ending on 25-Jul-1994. The next step
is to determine the cost of the stay. That requires a call to the CRO.
My next entry will talk about my call and my plans for where we may
spend our 14 nights/days (if we go).
Mike
|
| 349.4 | Time to Make Some Calls | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Mon Jun 28 1993 12:27 | 59 |
| I now need to get a better feel for a couple of things.
I know that the consensus from my family is to stay at the CBR so I
called the CRO (not 1-800-Mickey-1 but 407-W-DISNEY) and talked with
the rep on CBR prices.
She quoted me price ranges from as low as $85 to as high as $115. These
prices represent views and locations. Of course she couldn't guarantee
the prices. Also, these prices are before taxes.
I averaged out the two and came up with $100 + $10 tax and figured the
average price of a room in 1994 will cost about $110 tax included. To
play it safe I'll add $5.
Now I have a pretty good idea as to the expense of the room.
Hmmm, now I need to check up on my Annual Passports.
I dialed 407-W-DISNEY to talk with the AP people. I needed to know if I
can make a copy of the renewal form because we were short-shipped one.
After an apology I was told "certainly."
I was also told that I can renew within 30 days of my expiration date.
I mentioned that although I am planning to visit Orlando in '94 plans
may change and I may have to postpone my vacation. I asked if the
policy regarding the vouchers had changed.
They answer was that the same policy remains. I can renew my AP's and
hold on to the vouchers until I return...no time limit. Sounds good to
me. Before I send in my renewal info I'll call up one more time but it
looks like AP's are my best bet for 1994.
Price-wise my AP renewals will cost $172.80 apiece. Since we enter the
parks at least once every day will use the APs at least 14 (and
possibly 16) times so the cost per day will be between $11-13/day. This
sounds good to me.
Two things to keep in mind here:
o I got an estimate on the price of the room. Now I have to
determine exact dates. The next note talks about that. And
remember, I can always cancel if things don't work out. By
making reservations this early I can get the ball rolling and
even have a good shot at getting guaranteed rates.
o Admission expenses are a big ticket item. As discussed elsewhere
in this conference the break even number is 7-8 days. Once you
go beyond that number the AP way is the best way to go. If it
looks like we'll be visiting TL a lot we'll put some adders onto
the APs. Right now we don't have to worry about that. And like in
the previous point I won't lose $$$ on the APs because there is
no time limit on when they are to be redeemed.
Remember, all this is being done over 12 months ahead of the actual
trip. There's no need to rush and there's plenty of time to plan and
save.
Mike
|
| 349.5 | Dates are Set | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Mon Jun 28 1993 12:40 | 19 |
| I'm getting itchy about making reservations so after a family
discussion it was decided that we will leave a day or two after July
4, 1993.
The plan is to leave on July 6th or 7th and that we will make
reservations from July 11th to July 24th. That takes care of two
weekends and it also takes care of my personal desire to be there on my
birthday.
I'll sit on this for a week and then make the actual reservations
during the weekend.
*******
So a lot of decisions have been made. Granted it's easier to make these
decisions if you've been down there but it's still important to get a
handle on exactly what's best for you.
Mike
|
| 349.6 | Today: Put AP Renewal Package Together | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue Jun 29 1993 10:35 | 15 |
| On the agenda for today is to prepare my AP renewal package. This means
making photostats of the AP's, my MKC card, and filling out the renewal
forms.
It has also been decided that we will drive down. This means that I now
have to plan for this part of the trip too. Since I'll be driving I'll
make a little note in my planning notebook to be sure and renew my AAA
membership so I'm covered for 1994. Again, like reservations and APs
this money would not be wasted because I would most likely renew it
anyway...it's just that I now have more reason to renew.
My next note will discuss preliminary driving plans to and from
Orlando.
Mike
|
| 349.7 | Driving Plans | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Fri Jul 02 1993 10:35 | 165 |
| I have planned to drive down to Orlando for my 1994 trip.
There are pros and cons to driving down from New Hampshire.
I will list those that I can think of and then discuss
my reasons for driving down.
The purpose here is to help others who are going through this
decision-making process. Remember, you have to make your own
decision as to what's best for you. My purpose here is to raise
ideas to help you make that decision.
Arguments for driving down:
o It's much cheaper than flying down. I estimate that airfare
would have to be under $200 (round trip) to beat the cost of
driving down.
o Save on Rental. Hmmm I've got my own car so I don't need to
spend money renting a car....that's a couple of hundred right
there.
o It's educational. I think it's great for kids to experience
driving through different states....especially D.C. "Yes kids
that is the Potomac River."
o It's more comfortable. I feel more comfortable in my own car
than a seat on a plane.
o It offers me control and flexibility. I'm my own boss. I pick
the time I want to leave. I can drive as long and
as far as en route to my destination. If I see
something I want to visit along the way I can stop. It's also
easier to extend the vacation if I want to (don't have to
deal with airlines).
o It's more interesting. Previously made points lead me to
this conclusion. Stopping by at South of The Border is much
more interesting than watching clouds outside a plane window.
o Space. Heck I can take whatever I need as long as I can fit
it in the Van. I cannot carry the same amount of stuff on a
plane. Also, I can take more stuff home with me....and I
won't have the fear that my luggage will end up in
Apalachicola, Fla instead of Orlando.
o It extends the vacation. If you drive to and from WDW then
the vacation is still going on after you leave Fla. It doesn't
end until you arrive home.
Arguments against driving:
o Washington, D.C. I HATE driving through D.C.
o Wear and tear on the car. This is true but can you think of a
better way to do it?
o Car must be in tip top shape. It should always be in good
shape anyways...but it's just another thing to worry about.
o Need more vacation time. That's right. If the plan is to stay
two weeks in WDW then add another week for travel.
o Need to plan how far to drive and where to stop. For first
time drivers to Fla. this can be a hassle.
o Takes too long. It takes a minimum of 2 days to drive from NE
(1365 miles for me) to Orlando....takes about 3 hours to fly.
o It's too much work. Driving takes energy...especially driving
through D.C.
Well those are a few pros and cons to driving down. I've decided
to drive down for the following reasons:
o Savings. I figure I'll save over $1K by driving down because
I won't be paying for airfare or car rental.
o Flexibility. I like the idea of controlling when I want to
leave and how far I want to drive and so on. I usually leave
a day earlier than I need to and end up trying to get a one
day special down there.
o Bonding. I think driving down helps to strengthen the family
bond.
o Stretching the vacation. By driving down my vacation seems
more like 3 weeks instead of 2...it lasts longer.
Okay, now to plan the drive. Assuming I'm making reservations to
start on July 11th I'll need to leave no later than the 9th. If I
make reservations to begin on the 10th then I'll need to leave no
later than the 8th.
What the heck I'll make reservations to begin on the 10th and
leave on the 7th. Maybe I'll get lucky and get an AP special at
the Y&BC.
The plan is to get the heavy miles behind us ASAP. Our
destination is about 1365 miles away so the idea is to get half
the distance done in the first day. After that first day the
mileage for that second day can vary depending upon how anxious I
am to arrive in Orlando.
Here's the plan:
Day 1 - 650-750 miles
Day 2 - 450-550 miles (1100-1300)
Day 3 - 150-250 miles (we're there!)
These are estimates from previous trips. It's possible to make it
to Orlando within 36 hours (or sooner) but why kill yourself? Start off with
a lot of energy and get half the distance completed in the first
day. We usually cover 700 miles the first day.
The plan is to leave before Dawn and take a break every 2 hours.
The last two times we drove down we stopped overnight in Roanoke
Rapids, N.C. That seems like a good objective for Day 1. I may
try to reach Dillon, S.C. which is where South of The Border is
located. That would be pretty aggressive for Day 1.
The second day offers the opportunity to get to Orlando by
nightfall but we usually take it a bit easier the second day as
we want to be fresh when we arrive. That second day is usually
around 500 miles.
On our last trip we stayed overnight in Daytona which is just
over an hour from Orlando. Our trip before that saw us stay overnight in
Jacksonvile which was about 2� hours from Orlando. Since I am an
earlybird I could stay over in Jacksonville and make it to
Orlando before Noon....but then again I would like to get
Jacksonville behind me much like I prefer getting D.C. behind me
on Day 1.
We agree on at least reaching Jacksonville by the end of Day 2
and if possible, Daytona.
Okay so let's recap:
- The decision has been made to drive down and to give
ourselves about 3 days to get there.
- The trip is 1365 miles so Day 1 will be at least half or
700 miles, Day 2 will be at least 500 miles, and Day 3
will "mop up" the remaining miles.
- I will figure out the driving budget by estimating how
many miles the car gets per gallon and then figure how
many gallons for the round trip. I will then multiply
that number by what I think a gallon of gas will cost
next Summer. I will also estimate tolls.
- Hotels/motels along the way can have a wide range of
costs. We will budget for $50/night and will try and
hold to that.
- We will bring a cooler and food so we'll limit ourselves
to one restaurant meal a day.
Tentative driving plans have now been made. My next order of
business is to make use of Claude's vacation.com and add a line
that will prompt me to make a specific/detailed driving itinerary
by a certain date.
Hmmm, are there any other kickers I need to put in the
vacation.com? Let's talk about that next.
|
| 349.8 | Using Vacation.com | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Fri Jul 02 1993 10:55 | 48 |
| When planning a trip it's easy for a lot of things to fall through the
cracks. We all count down the days and using the vacation.com is very
helpful in reminding you to do certain things.
Here are some things you may want to put in your own vacation.dat
file to remind you of certain things:
- Enter date for renewing your APs
I sent my renewals in today. If I didn't I would have entered a "drop
dead" date for this task.
- Enter date for renewing your MKC card
You should always have an active card anyway.
- Enter date for making your room reservations
I like to make them 9-12 months ahead of time.
- Enter date for renewing your AAA membership (if driving)
AAA will send you renewal junk but you should add a reminder.
- Enter dates for room payments (to be discussed in a future reply)
This is new for me.
- Enter date for selling DEC stock (if it's to fund the vacation)
Many people partially or fully fund their vacations this way. GIve
yourself ample time to sell and cash in before your vacation.
- Enter dates to call and confirm reservations
Confirm several times between the time you make reservations and the
time you take off for WDW.
There are other tasks that will come to mind. Using the vacation.com
to remind you to do certain things by a certain day helps in the
overall planning process and keeps you from forgetting some important
tasks.
So edit your vacation.dat file now.
The next note will discuss paying for your on-the-property reservation.
Mike
|
| 349.9 | Room Expense | CUPMK::SCOPA | | Fri Jul 02 1993 12:09 | 34 |
| Everyone has their own way of dealing with the expense of a Disney
Trip. Let's count the ways:
- Make arrangements and pay in full at the time the reservations
are made (to a travel agency, etc.).
- Make payments between the time reservations are made and the
time the trip begins.
- Pay at the end of the trip.
One of the advantages in planning a WDW trip far in advance is the
amount of TIME you give yourself to SAVE. The more time you give
yourself the easier it is to save.
For this 1994 trip my plan is to get as many expenses taken care of way
before we leave. APs will be paid for...that's a large chunk of the vacation
budget...and then there's the room.
My plan is to have the room paid for before we even check-in. When I
make my reservations I'll find out what options are presently offerred
to do this and I'll pick what's best for me.
Another advantage to doing this is that with the room all paid for I
will have a bit more flexibility if I want to extend my stay.
Every thing is beginning to fall into place and the next big step is to
make the reservation. That means a call into the CRO over the next
few days.
The planning scheme for a trip 12 months away is not hectic 'cause
there's plenty of time to do all that's needed to do.
Mike
|
| 349.10 | Reservations are In | WREATH::SCOPA | | Thu Jul 08 1993 15:44 | 50 |
| Well I called the CRO today and talked with Bonnie.
I told Bonnie I'd like to make reservations for next July and she asked
me if I had stayed in WDW before.
I told her yes and where and she asked if I'd like to try somewhere
else. I told her that we prefer the CBR and I asked for a room in
Martinique. I added non-smoking, second floor, parking lot view to
my request.
"It's available" she said.
She told me the rate ($89) and gave me the whole schpeil about the
deposit and everything.
She asked if I had tickets (I figured the BOG offer was coming) and I
told her I had APs.
She gave me my reservation number and we were in business.
My plan this year is to have my room paid for before I check in and I
asked her as to the best way to do this other than plastic. She said I
can send in a check every once in a while and make sure I attach a note
explaining what the check is for. My plan is to send in payments every
6 weeks or so......pretty painless.
So with today's action the following has now occurred regarding this
12-month planner:
- A decision was made regarding when and where to stay.
- AP renewals were sent in.
- Reservations have been made.
July 1994 is a long way off and along the way there'll be other action
items that need to be handled.
Among these are:
- Making a "To Do" List for the time between now and the trip
- Deciding whether or not to do HDD
- Save, Save, Save
- Notify my boss of my plans for next July
- Save, Save, Save
- Look back on my previous trips for improving the trip
- Save, Save, Save
My next reply will discuss non-Disney activities we may consider and
what plans are needed to partake of these activities.
Mike
|
| 349.11 | Non-Disney Planning | WREATH::SCOPA | | Fri Jul 16 1993 11:55 | 60 |
| There is life after Disney and while down there you might as well take
advantage of the many Kissimmee/Orlando attractions.
While planning your vacation get a handle on how many days you'll
actually be doing the parks so you can be sure of your admission media
and also be aware of how much non-Disney time you'll have to do
off-site activities.
Noters can peruse this conference, the travel conference, and the
Florida conference for ideas as to what else could be of interest to
vacationeers in Orlando.
A good idea is to contact both the state of Florida's Vacation Bureau
and the Orlando/Kissimmee/St.Cloud people for visitor information. I
plan on sending away for an Orlando Magiccard for 1994. When it arrives
it will have a long list of places and activities where I can make use
of the offerred discounts.
There are also periodicals you can subscribe to for more info on
places and attractions to do and see on your vacation.
My current thoughts are that we will pass on Sea World (did it) and
Universal Studios (we may do it...10%...it just doesn't cut it with
us) this time around.
Under consideration is Busch Gardens. The kids have never seen it and
I haven't been there in almost 19 years so the family has decided to
put that on our list. That means I need to allocate one day for a trip
to Tampa as well as budget for admission and food for that day.
I will make a note of this in my planning notebook and look for
discounts between now and then.
Another sure bet is Ripley's Believe it Or Not. This attraction opened
in late 1992 (Fall) and we hope to visit this interesting attraction
next year. It's located on I-Drive.
Dinner shows are fun and we like Medival Times but we've thought about
trying either Arabian Nights or King Henry's Feast. We'll see.
As I determine which attractions we'll be visiting I'll be entering
this information in my planning notebook so I can note price and other
information.
In the case of something like Ripley's we may go to a park early, leave
around Noon and head towards Ripley's for an early afternoon visit.
I'm sure I'll be revisiting this discussion in months to come.
In summary you should do the following regarding non-Disney activities:
- Gather as much literature as you can for information on attractions.
- List the non-Disney attractions in order of preference incl. cost.
- Rough out a real general itinerary as to when you would do this
activity in the course of your time down there.
The next reply will discuss what to do when you get your onsite
reservation confirmation.
Mike
|
| 349.12 | Painless Payments | WREATH::SCOPA | | Fri Jul 16 1993 12:46 | 98 |
| When you get your reservation confirmation from WDW you should do the
following:
- Make sure that the Guest confirmation slip identifies the correct
Resort. You don't want to be paying GF rates for a CBR room
although you may like vice versa.
- Write down your reservation number someplace handy. You use this
number when you call the CRO for anything between now and your
trip.
- Verify arrival and departure dates.
- Verify number of guests.
- Make sure the rate is the same as quoted over the phone.
- Check on preferences you made (requested).
- Make sure your name, address, phone and other info is correct.
- Make sure you know when your deposit is due and send it in as soon
as you can.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Okay I've checked everything and all the information seems to be in
order. Now I need to get my deposit off but before I do this I need to
plan on how I will pay for my room over the next year so it's one less
expense I need to deal with while down there.
I'd like to make several payments between now and then and have each
payment equal the same amount. I don't want to tie myself into big
payments or too many payments so I try to find what's comfortable for me.
The trip is about 51 weeks away but I'd like to have the room paid for
before I leave for Florida. I'm shooting to have the room paid for
about one month before I go. That means I want to have it paid up in
47 weeks from now.
I decided to do the follwing:
- I will send in my one-night deposit amount.
- Over the remaing 46 weeks I will send in 5 installments.
Each installment will equal a 3-night payment.
- Each installment will be sent every 9 weeks. That's easy on
the wallet.
This is comfortable for me because it gives me just enough time in
between payments to save enough $$$ and also gives me little milestones
to check on other aspects of the planning process. Also, I don't want
to tie up a lot of money early on but don't mind having it build up as
I get closer to the actual trip.
Also, 5 seems to be a good number for me....there aren't too many
small payments and they aren't large payments.
I could pay it off now but I'd rather do it slowly.
I will enter this payment plan in my planning notebook and I will also
make entries in DECW$CALENDAR to remind me when a payment is due.
This payment schedule works well for me. You may want to do something
a bit different depending upon what's comfortable for you.
By spreading out the payments I will also receive a number of
statements periodically which I will keep in my notebook. I will
bring this "paper trail" with me on my trip. If I don't receive one
I'll be sure to call the CRO.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Making plans far in advance gives me the flexibility of doing the type
of payment plans I just described. I wouldn't have this luxury if I
planned the trip one, two, or three months ahead.
Also, the cost of the vacation becomes much more palatable when handling it
this way. How many times do we hear people complain about how expensive
it is to go to WDW.
These are the same people who don't even think twice about going out
and spending $5 a day for lunch. In an average year of 250 days that
means your spending $1250 or more for lunch. Writing a check for $1250
either at the beginning or end of the year seems outrageous....but $5
every day is acceptable.
Why not do the same for a Disney trip and stretch it out?
Yet another reason for planning way ahead.
My next reply will discuss in detail a bit more about your planning
notebook and how it can help you in your planning.
Mike
|
| 349.13 | Direct Deposit? | ASABET::KUMPEL | When in doubt...Delete it!!! | Mon Jul 19 1993 14:31 | 9 |
| re .12
Set up a direct deposit into a saving account. Real easy thru payroll.
This will ensure that you put aside some money each week. I find that
this is the only way I can managed to set money aside. Then just
send it in according to your schedule.
Bill
|
| 349.14 | SOund Familiar? | WREATH::SCOPA | | Mon Jul 19 1993 15:59 | 3 |
| Like a vacation club?
Mike
|
| 349.15 | Suggestions for that WDW Trip Notebook | WREATH::SCOPA | | Wed Jul 21 1993 13:49 | 86 |
| When planning a trip far in advance it's a good idea to keep important
information in a centrally located place. A small notebook can be very
helpful but it's important to arrange the information so that you can
make use of it if/when you have to.
Here are some suggestions regarding a trip planning notebook:
- Divide the notebook into several meaningful sections so that
information does not become cluttered. Sections should include
the following:
Log - This section should be used to record important trip
planning tasks like when you made reservations, when
you sent in your deposit, etc. It's good to keep
track of your activities. It's also helpful when you
run into a problem and you can say, "On such and such
I called...."
Data- One area should contain snapshot information regarding
the trip. This section will have arrival and departure
dates and times, flight numbers (if applicable),
reservation numbers, and other important information. You
can refer to this section when you need to seek out
certain information.
Budget - This section of the notebook should contain a breakdown
of the anticipated expenses for the trip. The cost of the
trip should be sorted by transportation, lodging,
admission, food/restaurants, souvenirs, and
miscellaneous.
Plug in the numbers as you get a feel for each area. It's
important to do this ASAP so you can figure how much you
need to save between now and your trip.
TripTik - This area is for those people driving to Fla. It is not
the TripTik you get from AAA but your own TripTik and it
serves a great purpose. This section should have the
following format:
Day Time Mileage Location Route Miles to Go Comments
Estimate how far and how fast you'll be going and make a
chart that will indicate how far you'll be at a certain
time on a certain day. Be realistic in your planning. Do
not cause yourself undue stress by overestimating your
plans. Figure on how many miles you'll be traveling on an
hourly basis, where you should be at a certain time and
other info. This breaks the trip into mini-trips and
keeps you on a steady track.
Checklists - Regardless of how you get there you need to make sure you
take care of certain tasks before leaving. Things like
buying film, putting the dog in the kennel, getting
Traveler's Cheques may pass you by unless you remember to
do them.
Select some milestone dates (one month before, one week
before) and jot down these tasks when you think of them
so when that milestone is reached your list is already
made out for you. Believe me it will prevent you from
forgetting a lot of last minute things.
WDW plans - How many times do you go there and end up forgetting to
go on that attraction or visit that special restaurant or
something else that you forget about until you return?
Take the time to think about your WDW priorities and
write them down. You may want to especially think about
what type of restaurants you'll be visiting so you can
budget accordingly.
- Maintain your notebook and visit it weekly to make sure you haven't
overlooked important you need to enter.
- Encourage the family to halp maintain the notebook. Family members
can either make entries themselves or write notes and have you
enter the information.
- Finally keep the notebook handy and be sure and take it with you
on your trip. It will have a lot of valuable information and you
don't want to leave that information on your coffee table while
you're walking up Main Street U.S.A. thinking, "Now what was it
that I wanted to do this time that I forgot to do last time?"
Mike
|
| 349.16 | Lunch Money | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue Jul 27 1993 12:32 | 47 |
| When planning this far ahead it's good to revisit all your trip info
once a week, check all the important stuff, and see if you've
overlooked anything so far.
Money is always a factor in planning a trip and I found that the best
way to budget for something like food is to sit down and estimate where
and how you'll be dining while you're in Orlando.
I think Jim Pappas has entered a note or two on restaurant prices. I
usually estimate dining prices (per person) to run something like the
following:
Breakfasts $5.00 - $ 7.50
Lunches $7.50 - $10.00
Dinners $10.00 - $15.00
If you sit down and say, "Well we definitely want to go to such and
such for lunch or dinner" then you can compile a list of places you'll
be eating and estimate your food budget.
To cut down on costs limit yourself to one large meal a day or
alternate your days with one day being a "small snack" day (sandwhiches
at The Golden Horseshoe) and the next day being a "sit down" day
(Tangaoroa in the morning and Alfredo's at 4 P.M.).
By alternating your days you will keep from adding to your waistline
and also keep from subtracting from your wallet.
Some people use formulas like "$40/adult/day and $20/child/day" to
determine their food budget. I think those figures are overestimations
because every day is different. You could use them if you like. It
never hurts to overestimate.
Also, if you're like a lot of us you tend to have breakfast in your
room if you can. This will save money AND time.
Well looks like I'll be jotting down some notes on where we'll be
eating next year.
I will estimate on the high end for every breakfast ($7.50), lunch
($10), and dinner ($15.00). To play it even safer I will throw in an
extra 20% to cover things like tips, Dole Whip, etc.
Once I have a good idea as to what my food budget will be I will
incorporate that in my "savings scheme" between now and then.
Mike
|
| 349.17 | 200 day Milestone Check | WREATH::SCOPA | | Fri Dec 17 1993 10:07 | 61 |
| Well gang it's been 5 months since I last entered anything in this
planning note.
At this point (under 200 days to go) I thought it best to check on a
few things.
1. AAA membership
This is a good investment as the Triptik, guidebooks, and discounts
usually more than pay for the membership fee. If you plan to drive I
strongly suggest you join AAA at least a month before your trip so you
have time to get your Triptik. I'll be renewing mine soon.
2. Funding
It's good to check your WDW funds from time to time. Have any
unexpected expenses popped up? DO you need to adjust your rate of
saving? It's good to keep tabs as you get closer and closer.
3. Trip Costs
Always, always recheck your figures on the expectant cost of the trip.
Things like TICKET POLICY may force you to make adjustments. Choose
your own frequency rate for revisiting your figures. If you plan a
year out every three months is good until you get under 100 days.
At that point every 3-4 weeks is a good timetable. Remember, you
don't want to wake up a week or two before the trip and say,
"Omigod, I really can't afford this trip!"
3. Trip Itinerary
If you jotted down a rough/general itinerary of how you expect the
trip to pan out you may want to review it again. Maybe something
has made you rethink certain aspects of the trip like "Gee I forgot
about visiting the Ripley place on I-Drive." or "I think we'll go to TL
more than just one day." Again, a general idea as to how you'll
spend your time is a good idea..don't overdo it with a rigid
schedule.
3. Action Items
Check your list of pre-vacation tasks you need to do. Check to see
if you have alloted enough time for these tasks. For instance, I
want to contact organizations down there to get information,
literature, coupons, etc. so once 1994 gets here I will start
compiling a list of these places and then come March I'll contact
them for this stuff. Other action items could include such things
as:
- Airfare tickets
- Admission tickets
- When to buy film/video tape
Don't leave everything for the last minute.
My next planning note entry will come in late January.
Mike
|
| 349.18 | Trip 6 Months Away? Then Read This Note! | WREATH::SCOPA | | Fri Feb 04 1994 11:02 | 131 |
| Well it's time to check in again.
The old vacation.com tells me that I'll be starting my vacation in
147 days or even better 5 MONTHS. This means I need to start paying
more attention to pre-vacation tasks. Let's look at a few.
Travel Concerns
Well I'm driving down so I need to be sure my AAA membership is
up to date. Yep. The only other concern is to make sure my vehicle is
in good enough shape to make the trip. That's ongoing.
If I were flying I'd be calling for airfare EVERY DAY until I secured
the best deal for my budget. Are you within 6 months of a trip? Maybe
you better start dialing.
Funding & Cost
I want to discuss this a bit because I took Jim Pappas' idea about
"overbooking" when I wasn't sure exactly when I was going or for how
long. I booked for so many days but I'm not sure at this point if I
will stay that long. I might pare it down depending upon my vacation
funds. Right now I'm standing pat with everything but I will watch this
closely over the next 6 months and adjust accordingly.
My point is this...if you are not sure when or how long you can stay
then overbook. For instance, make a reservation for maybe 14 days even
though you may only go for a week. When you know for sure when or how
long you can stay, adjust your reservation accordingly.
If you make your reservation well in advance you give yourself time to
save and time to rethink your plans. At certain "milestones" check your
funds and see if all plans are in synch. I'm sure we'd all love to
spend a month down there but time (work) and money get in the way.
Estimate what you expect to pay for transportation and put that aside.
That amount won't change...hopefully if it does...it will go down.
Now estimate what your daily costs would be. This would amount to room,
food, trinkets, and admission. If you have already purchased tix (SD
passes or APs) then this is behind you. Once you estimate how many days
you can afford again you can adjust your reservations. It's important
to keep in mind that you must finalize your reservations BEFORE you
purchase your airfare. Thus once you have found the ideal airfare, then
it's time to determine exactly how long you will stay. But remember,
when you plan well ahead of time think big.
Itinerary
I talked about this in my last note. I bring it up again because it
really is tied in with the planning. Why? Because time and $$$$ are
important factors. If, for instance, you add a few more restaurants
or let's say HDD to your itinerary you have to be sure you have the
necessary funding and time (time that may replace other planned
things).
Here's some examples, other than Space Mountain and maybe Dreamflight,
I wasn't planning on visiting TomorrowLand. The New Carousel of
Progress show may pull me there.
There may be a new restaurant on Sunset Blvd that we won't hear about
until some May vacation trip reports get entered in here.
I don't especially plan to see the Barbie show in EPCOT but if reports
are that this show is "Can't miss" then I may consider it.
Also, there are possibly several non-Disney but Orlando-Kissimmee
attractions that pop up between now and the time I leave.
Of course the way to get around all this is to loosely plan your
vacation (Day 1: TMK, Day 2: EC, Day 3: Sea World, Day 4: MGM, and
so on).
Some of you may not be concerend with this but I thought I'd mention
it.
Action Items
Ah yes the all important action items. Well here's the bigges one of
them all.........lists. That's right. With less than 6 months to go
you should make yourself several checklists that contain tasks you
need to do by a certain time.
I may have mentioned these before but it won't hurt to revisit them
again. Here are some action items you may want to consider for these
checklists:
Renew AAA Membership (if you're driving)
Secure airfare (by a certain date)
Finalize reservations (when is up to you)
Arrange for the house & pets care (remind neighbors/relatives)
Shop for clothes (if you need them)
Order TripTik (If you're driving....wait until you're under 30 days)
Send mail to Florida Bureau of Tourism (Discount coupons % cards)
Buy film/tape (it's not cheap down there)
Determine rental car needs (and who to rent the car from)
Get Traveler's Cheques (if you use them. Secure just before leaving)
Mow the lawn (don't laugh...I do this the day before I leave)
Unplug certain appliances (You won't need them while you're gone)
Prepay bills (if necessary...they may be due while you're gone)
Pack (some people like to do this several days before leaving)
These are just a few suggestions. Some of these action items need to be
done several hours, days, weeks, or even months before you leave. You
have to decide when you need to pay attention to them.
I plan on having several lists because it has worked so well for me in
the past. These lists are for:
3 months before leaving
1 month before leaving
2 weeks before leaving
1 week before leaving
3 days before leaving
2 days before leaving
24 hours before leaving
Night before leaving
1 hour before leaving the house
Sounds a bit overboard but why take a chance and forget something that
may ruin your vacation? All items on each list must be completed before
the next list needs attention. That means I may write down something on
my 3 months list that I need to attend to before I'm within one month
of leaving.
Oh yeah.....again. If you do take this route you may want to start
making lists within 6 months of your trip.
My next entry is probably going to come during the first week in April.
Mike
|
| 349.19 | This Winter is Making Me Do This | WREATH::SCOPA | | Fri Feb 11 1994 10:42 | 52 |
| This weather is really bogging me down so I'm stepping up my plans and
will be contacting the following Bureaus/Agencies via mail next week:
Kissimmee - St. Cloud Convention and Visitor Bureau
Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Central Florida Vacation Information Guide
I will write and tell these people of my plans to visit Florida this
Summer and will ask that they send me any information that would direct
me to all attractions operating at that time.
I may also word it like this...
"I am planning to visit your lovely Sunshine State again and would
appreciate any literature, guides, etc. you could send me that
contains information on all attractions available during the Summer
months."
Notice the word "again" which tells these people I'm a repeat visitor.
That tells them I had a great time in past visits and they may go a bit
further to send me extra stuff.
Also, I complimented their "lovely Sunshine State" using Florida's
nickname. That may be good for some extra discount coupons. Maybe not
but it can't hurt.
Finally I tell them exactly when I plan to be there. This is important
because I don't want to receive information and coupons that expire
when Spring expires. Many times they will print seasonal tourist info
and this way I'll be sure to get the Summer stuff.
What do I expect to get?
Well the last time I did this I received an Orlando Magic Card that was
different from the one I got at the PAC Center. My card came with a
small booklet that told me everything that was discounted with the
card.
I also received several different booklets and brochures that were
packed with information and discount coupons for attractions,
restaurants, and motels.
Finally, what better way to hype your excitement even more than
receiving this stuff and making you realize that your trip is getting
closer.
Thought I'd put this note in to hopefully remind others about doing
this type of stuff...especially if you plan to do sone non-Disney
activities.
Mike
|
| 349.20 | Planning ahead | PHDSRV::RICCIO | Respect All... Fear None! | Tue Feb 15 1994 11:02 | 28 |
|
Mike,
It's nice to see someone else who plans their WDW trips "years" in
advance. ;^)
We (Me, my wife and 3 kids, Mike 9, Geoff 5 and Alexa 2) will be
driving down this July. This will be our 5th trip in 6 years, but
the first time driving. We will leave on the 13th, arrive on the
15th. We purchased our 5 day Super Duper passes about 3 weeks ago.
They are resting comfortabley in our save deposit box.
We'll do the 7 night 8 day "thing" at Port Orleans. This will be our
first time at PO. We've stayed twice at CBR, so we thought we'd try
something new. After our 8 days at WDW, we'll drive to the gulf coast
(Bradenton) and spend a week with my parents, brother and his family
and sister and her family. It's a great way to relax after a hectic
week at WDW.
Before I go I want to thank whom ever it was that put the World Cup
schedule in the file. It was a big reason why we picked the 15th - 22nd
for our WDW trip. Hopefully all the "who-ha's" will have long left by
then. Of course, as always, a full trip report will come around the
second week of August.
150_days_and_counting! Phil...
|
| 349.21 | Aloha Isle: July 16th, 7 P.M. - Be there | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue Feb 15 1994 13:20 | 6 |
| Maybe we'll run into one another Phil. I'll be in Orlando from July
8th to July 26th preparing the Grandmother of all Trip Reports. Keep
your eyes on this note as I'll be driving down too and you may find some
of the information in here especially useful for your trip.
Mike
|
| 349.22 | "peeled" | PHDVAX::RICCIO | Respect All... Fear None! | Wed Feb 16 1994 10:35 | 7 |
|
I'll keep my eyes "peeled", and I'll stay in touch. Maybe will can
get together?
Phil...
|
| 349.23 | 3 Month Milestone - What Should You Do? | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue Mar 29 1994 17:00 | 101 |
| As you close in on 3 months before leaving on your trip you should
think about attending to a few things. Once you get under the 100
day mark time can pass by so quickly you may find yourself with little
time to do a lot of pre-trip tasks.
One of the first things we do is make a list of items we may need to
pick up before leaving. This activity is worthwhile regardless of whether
you drive or fly down. Length of stay and time of year may alter some
things.
A plus in listing these items 3 months before going gives you a chance
to look for bargains and get the most for your money.
Here are some ideas:
- A real comfortable backpack to take with you in the parks. We
need to replace ours with a more comfortable one. We store ponchos,
an umbrella, an extra video tape, and an extra battery for the
video camera in the backpack.
- Film. We start looking for bargains on film at this time. You DON'T
want to buy film down there. If you run out of film you must decide
to either pay through the nose or spend some time looking for
bargains. No thanks. We'll invest some time now into looking for
bargains and purchase film ahead of time in tax-free NH. Of course
if you run out of film and happen to be near Universal Studios,
stop by the K-Mart behind the rear entrance to US.
How much to take? That depends on a lot of things. Plan on a roll
of film for each new parade you haven't seen. We figure on two
rolls, 1 for Aladdin's Caravan and 1 for the other Mickey Parade.
1 roll should be reserved for Sunset Blvd. New attractions require
consideration too. Know your itinerary and plan accordingly. I
think a roll per day is the absolute minimum.
- Video tape. Same as film. Look for the bargains. When determining
how many tapes to bring I usually plan on 1.5 tapes per day. The
first time I brought a videocam on a trip I brought a tape for each
day and ended up buying a few more. My taping habits are such that
I now plan on having 1.5 tapes per day. I also jot down places and
things I want to tape to get an idea as to how much tape I need.
This time around they'll be several new parades plus I have plans
to tape SpectroMagic from a different angle. Also, even though I
have a lot of footage on "Fantasy In the Sky" I plan on taping from
a "Skyway to Fantasyland" Gondola. Another taping I have planned is to
keep an eye on the weather down there and to tape some footage of
the Twilight Zone of Terror with a stormy sky behind it. Florida
has given me some great footage of lightning storms and I plan on
capturing the Tower in the foreground with a lightning storm in the
background. Also, changes in attractions like The Hall of
Presidents, American Adventure, The Land Pavillion, and Carrousel
of Progress fall into my plans. Think ahead and prepare
accordingly. The idea here is to spend time up front so you can spend
your valuable Orlando time doing the things you want to do instead of
taking time to do things you can do now.
- Laundry, Personal Hygiene, etc. If you drive down and decide to do
laundry you may want to stick with something you like as far as
detergent. Look for travel size boxes. Things like toothpaste,
shampoo, deoderant, etc. in travel sizes can be found in places
like CVS.
- Clothes. Well how long will you be there? Start looking at what
you plan to wear and if you need a top to go with those polka dot
shorts. It's good to start thinking about this 3 months ahead of
time. It's not a bad idea to try some of these outfits in case they
are a bit tight. A 3 month timeframe gives you the option of
working off those extra pounds and inches (less expensive) or instead
buy some that fit. I opt for losing weight because I then don't
feel as guilty when I have that Dole Whip ;*).
- Shoes. If you don't have a comfortable pair of shoes for your trip
think about getting them now. Once you find them start breaking
them in gradually so they'll be real comfortable for the trip.
- Cameras. You may want to make sure they are working okay. Also,
make sure you plan to get fresh batteries for your cameras.
- I have already mentioned this in a previous note but I think it's
important to mention it again. Sometime from the 3 month mark to
the 1 month mark you should write to the tourist bureaus down there
and request tourist info. This may take anywhere from 2 weeks to a
month for this material to get to you so plan accordingly.
- If you haven't thought about car rental now's the time. Check the
car rental note in this conference and start to get an idea as to
who, what, and where you'll rent your vehicle. Hopefully this has
been done by this time.
- Finally, as always, go over your general trip itinerary, tentative
plans regarding meals, attractions, etc. and determine if your
funds will be adequate for your trip and adjust if need be.
All these suggestions can be found elsewhere in this conference so they
may appear quite familiar to many of you. As you close in on your trip
be sure to do all that is necessary to insure that you have the best
possible vacation.
My next note will discuss what to do at the 2-month mark.
Mike
|
| 349.24 | 2 Months to Go? Read This! | WREATH::SCOPA | | Fri May 06 1994 13:57 | 71 |
| When you are within 2 months of your trip you may want to start
focusing on some things which may have never crossed your mind.
- If you haven't had a dental checkup lately now's the time.
It's best to be safe than sorry and two months gives you
time to take care of any necessary dental work.
- If you wear glasses or contacts and haven't had your eyes
checked in a while you may want to consider this too. I do this
myself to insure that I see as clearly as possible when down
there.
- All those items (film,videos, sunscreen, backpack, clothing, etc.)
that you placed on those lists should be purchased now.
- Confirm your reservations again...doesn't hurt.
- If you're driving and have AAA circle a date on your calendar to
call AAA for the tripktik. This date should be within four weeks
of your trip to insure up-to-date information.
- I'd contact the tourist info people down in Orlando and
Kissimmee-St. Cloud area by now and ask for information. It
will take two to three weeks for this info to get to you...maybe
longer.
- The 3 month milestone talked about getting a good idea on the
car rental area.....this month SECURE your car rental. Get it
out of the way.
- If you haven't made your lists out...DO IT NOW! You know your
schedule, what you need to do....make your lists. Check 349.18
for suggestions on lists.
_ I've mentioned an itinerary as being a helpful planning tool.
It's at this point that you really should get pretty close to
your final itinerary. Know exactly what you want to see and
allocate time to see these sites/attractions. This includes
restaurants and dinner shows. Leave some free time to add to
your itinerary.
- With the itinerary set, money matters become much clearer
now. Transportation, hotel, admissions, and car rental costs
were set at least by the 3 month mark. The itinerary will
identify restaurants and help you determine food expenses.
Okay so two months before your vacation you should:
- Make appts. for dental and eye checkups if necessary.
- Begin purchasing vacation items.
- Confirm reservations.
- Make a date to call AAA for TripTik (if driving).
- Call/Write for Touris Info.
- Make car rental reservation (if necessary).
- Start making your lists.
- Firm up your itinerary.
- Check on funds.
I will be adding about 5 more notes to this topic.
On the first week in June I'll talk about the 1-month milestone.
On the second week in June I'll talk about the 2-week milestone.
On the third week in June I'll talk about the 1 week milestone.
On the fourth week in June I'll discuss the 3-day, 2-day, and
1-day milestones and any others that may help in planning a trip.
Mike_who_is_exactly_two_months_from_taking_off_for_Orlando
|
| 349.25 | | DELNI::DISMUKE | | Tue May 10 1994 14:01 | 5 |
| After reading the previous note (.24), I'm glad I'm spontaneous! I
would go nuts with such detail.
-sandy
|
| 349.26 | It's not for Everyone | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue May 10 1994 15:27 | 5 |
| Sandy,
I am a professional....do not try this at home.
;^)
|
| 349.27 | HAHA | DELNI::DISMUKE | | Wed May 11 1994 11:15 | 8 |
| Thanks for the chuckle! You certainly are - and might I add the only
one who could possibly do this file justice!!!!
Keep up the good work...you'll earn a special place on the second star
to the right...
-sandy
|
| 349.28 | 1 Month Milestone | WREATH::SCOPA | | Thu Jun 09 1994 13:02 | 98 |
| This entry discusses what you should be doing when within a month
of your WDW vacation.
- Okay so you've had your dental checkup and eye exam? Do you
have new glasses or contacts?
- Are you driving to Florida? Do you have AAA? Order your
triptik NOW. Triptik packages are received normally within 10
days after you've ordered them.
- Also, if you're driving...get the car tuned and checked out.
- Have you considered pre-paying a bit more of your vacation
bill (hotel room?) before you leave? Something to consider.
- If your trip is still a few weeks away plan one night or one
weekend to pick up the rest of the items you need for the
trip at that time. Things like film, sunscreen, walking
shoes, etc....DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.
- If you haven't contacted the tourist info people in Fla. and
you want some materials (Orlando Magiccard for instance) I'd
call them this month.
- Check your 1-month milestone list and attend to the tasks
still remaining.
- Check your other lists and be sure you haven't forgotten
anything.
- Your vacation party (person or persons going with you) should
meet and discuss the areas, attractions, and things everyone
wants to do down there. From this check with your preliminary
itinerary and see that all is covered.
- Funding should be all set by now...but keep checking so that
you have a handle on everything.
- Draw up a little schedule. This schedule should have your
vacation broken down into each day you'll be on your trip.
This schedule (or chart) should break down expected expenses
on a daily basis. Line items like food, souvenirs, admission,
etc. should be estimated for each day of your trip. Leave a
line below each estimated day to put your actual expenses for
the day. Make sure you have a Day Total and Trip Total column so
you can estimate about how much you expect to have spent
daily and for the trip on any day.
Keep in mind this is a suggestion. I did it on my last two
trips and at the end of each day I put in my entries and
after a few days I compared my estimated expenses with actual
expenses and was pleasantly surprised...the last half of the
trip was VERY ENJOYABLE.
- It's now time to remind certain people that you'll be gone/on
vacation in a month. People like:
- Local police (watch the house)
- Neighbors (watch the house)
- Relatives (watch the house)
- A.T & T. (reduce power - my teenagers won't be using the phone line
- Newspaper people
- Post Office
- Your boss
- Will there be any bills that need to be paid either or
during your vacation? Take note of these bills now and either pay
early or make arrangements for someone dependable to mail
payments in for you (you write out the checks, prepare the
envelopes, stamp it...they just mail it.)
- Here's something I also do at the one month period. I start
making labels for postcards I intend to send to certain people.
For instance, I'll have a label already made up for my
boss...I'll just slap in on the back of the postcard, write a
little message, put a stamp on it (buy your stamps BEFORE YOU
GO) and mail it off.
Let's review for this one month milestone:
- Ordered your new glasses/contacts (if applicable)?
- If driving, ordered your TRIPTIK?
- If driving, made an appointment for a tune-up?
- Could you do a little pre-payment on your trip?
- Have you picked up all the little items you need for the trip?
- Called the Florida Tourist Bureau?
- Check your 1-Month checklist?
- Review and if necessary revise other lists.
- Meet with vacation party to plan itinerary.
- Check funding.
- Draw up a schedule to track trip expenses.
- Notify/Remind people of your plans.
- Attend to bills to be payed during your absence.
- Make labels for postcards.
Next week I'll do a 3-week milestone.
Mike_who_is_under_one_month
|
| 349.29 | Three Weeks and Counting | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue Jun 14 1994 17:23 | 87 |
| This entry discusses what activities take place three weeks before
your trip.
- Take care of anything you were supposed to do last week and DO IT
THIS WEEK!
- If you are driving to Orlando and ordered your triptik from AAA
last week you should be getting it this week. As soon as you
receive your triptik sit down and study your route. YOu may want to
make out a chart like the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Time Target Actual Target Actual +/-
Location Location Miles Miles Mileage
7/6 5 AM Bolton, MA 50
Fill in the chart using your triptik. Be conservative with your
estimates as to how far you'll be traveling on an hourly basis.
During your drive mark down the actuals and compare with the
targets. This will help you plan your next trip. This is just a
suggestion.
- Check your lists. Do you have everything you need to bring with you
on your trip? Three weeks can fly by so make sure you use this week
to pick up anything outstanding left to pick up.
- How did the itinerary meeting with your vacation party go? Finish
up your final itinerary so you and your party will have a record of
where/what they want to go/do....otherwise you may forget.
- Review your schedule (mentioned in previous note). This is a handy
way to keep records of the cost of the trip.
- Begin organizing all important paper and put in a folder, notebook
or travel bag. This includes:
Airfare tickets Admission Passes Discount Passes Triptiks
Maps Guide Books Special Notes to Yourself
I usually put all this stuff in a special travel bag and keep it
with me en route to Orlando.
- Clothes. Haven't talked much about this. Start choosing those
pieces of clothing you intend to wear en route to your destination,
while there, and on your return. Hopefully you've already done
this and have possibly even shopped for some spanking new vacation
clothes.
Anyway, think about how many of this and how many of that and what
goes with this and what goes with that. You don't want to take too
much and you don't want to take too little. You also want
something light and comfortable...which leads to the next matter.
- Since you are going to a warm climate and since you'll be doing a
lot of walking you should have been doing something to prepare
yourself. Some people will exercise and start a walking program a
few weeks before going to Orlando.
Other people (like myself) will go beyond that and try to lose
those extra pounds because it's tough not to gain weight down
there. Either way you need to be aware of your own situation and
prepare accordingly.
Okay, let's review 3 weeks to go:
- Mop up any outstanding items you had marked down for the one
month milestone.
- Be on the lookout for your triptik (if driving). Once you get
it start studying it.
- Check your lists. Forget anything?
- Prepare final itinerary.
- Prepare a vacation bag/folder for all important papers.
- Start picking out clothes for the trip.
- Prepare yourself physically for the trip.
Next entry will discuss the two-week milestone.
|
| 349.30 | 2 Week Milestone | WREATH::SCOPA | | Wed Jun 22 1994 11:21 | 131 |
| Congratulations. You have reached the two-week milestone. There's no
turning back now.
As a matter of fact, because there is no turning back now, you better
take care of matters before it's too late.
So what is left to do? Try these on for size:
- Outstanding items.
Are there any tasks left over from your 1-month or 3-week
milestone? If so take care of them FIRST. Time is passing
real fast.
- Clothes.
This is the week you settle on your vacation wardrobe. That is,
you should know by now what your taking to wear on your trip.
Quantity may depend upon whether you do laundry (Yechh) during your
vacation. Anyway, settle on your wardrobe this week.
- Triptik
If you are driving and are using a triptik you should review it
this week and put together a chart similar to what I had suggested
in the previous entry. Again, this is a suggestion. I find it quite
handy.
Hint: Decide when you want to arrive in Orlando and work your way
back, allowing just 50 miles for every hour on the road. If you
prefer, enter rest periods too. If you do this I guarantee you'll
reach your destination in time.
Do this chart NOW!
- Lists
Time to check your lists. Check on things you need to bring, things
you need to get, things you need to take care of before you leave,
and so on. You can never overdo this part of the planning process.
- Notebook
If you are taking a special notebook, travel bag, briefcase, or
notebook (mentioned in the previous note) you should be adding
things like your triptik and stuff to it.
I have a Magic Kingdom Club travel bag and before my trip I usually
fill it with the following items:
- Maps (Especially of Orlando and WDW)
- Triptik
- Itinerary/To do list
- AAA Guide Books
- Birnbaum or any Disney type book
- Orlando Magiccard stuff (books, brochures)
- Passes and coupons
- A few pens
- Suitcase keys (I put mine on a small WDW keyring)
- My trip cost tracking chart (more on this later)
- My designated trip report notebook
You should have started compiling all these important items
last week.
- Vacation Spot
If you have an area of your house that is not being used much
(guest room, part of a bedroom) you may want to get out the
suitcases and air them out. If possible, you may even want to
start packing.
Anyway, if you have an area where you can put the suitcases out
and pack a few things here and there, you'll find it to be very
helpful.
- Photo/Tape List
Remember that itinerary you had put together? Use that itinerary
to start compiling a list of things you want to photograph or
videotape. This itinerary will act as a guideline. Otherwise you
may forget. The vacation juices should be starting to flow right
now so these should fly onto paper.
- Exercise
You should be into your exercise program to get you ready to walk
the many hours in the theme parks and to lose a few pounds (that you'll
put back when you toast me with a Dole Whip now and then).
Keep it up until the day you leave.
- Planning for the week before you leave.
Gee Mike, are you jumping the gun?
No, not really. I think it's important to know what's left so you
can plan accordingly. Remember, a week can fly by. Better to be safe
than sorry.
Anyway, here's a partial list of what you should be doing one week
before you leave:
- Clean the house (you'll feel better coming home to a clean house
- Secure Traveler's Cheques
- Visit the barber (optional I guess)
- Do a special laundry for the vacation wardrobe
- Pack
- Take care of any bills that need to be paid during your absence.
- Tell post office to hold mail.
- Stop newspaper delivery.
- Finalize any house/pet sitting arrangements.
- Buy stamps for postcards.
- Make labels for postcards (saves time).
- Secure timers for lights.
- Make your list for last minute tasks:
- Turn off water to house (optional)
- Leave second floor windows open a crack.
- Turn off some electricity.
Next week will be the last entry for this topic. That entry will
contain information that will cover the one week milestone and the
48 hour and 24 hour milestone.
Mike
|
| 349.31 | 1 week - Disneyitis begins to build | WREATH::SCOPA | | Tue Jun 28 1994 11:12 | 95 |
| This is your one-week milestone note. Wasn't it yesterday when you
first had the idea about planning this vacation? Wasn't it yesterday
when you called up and made your reservation? Wasn't it yesterday when
you read the two-week milestone note?
Time is flying and with one week to go you may notice a few
pre-vacation jitters. This is natural because your subconscious is
somehow telling you that you may be forgetting something. Yet how can
this be?
Well, NOW is the time to begin tying up loose ends.
Okay let's do this slowly:
- Outstanding items.
This has been mentioned in previous notes. Think back. Was there
anything you meant to do sooner but kept putting it off? It's critical
that you take care of this now because time is no longer on your side.
- Clothes
You should know by now what you are taking. If you intended to do a
special laundry do it now. Before you do the laundry check to make
sure you have exactly what you need as far as your vacation wardrobe.
How much to take? That's up to the individual. Some people subscribe
to the "3-piece" philosophy that says take two tops for every pair
of shorts. That way you have a "double outfit." Anyway, warm up the
washing machine...time to freshen up the clothes.
Once you have laundered your vacation clothes start packing them into the
suitcases.
Hint: As you pack your suitcase(s) maintain a list of everything you
pack. You can then review the list to make sure you haven't
forgotten anything.
- Mail and Newspapers
Make it a point this week to tell the Post Office and the Newspaper
people to hold mail/paper while you're gone. Don't wait until the
last minute tell them now. When you visit the Post Office buy stamps
for your postcards.
- Lists
Review your lists and determine if you need to add to them,
especially as you get closer to leaving. Make sure you know exactly
what you need to do up to the time you close the door and write this
down. Then when it's time to go check your list.
- Travel Bag
Start packing this now. Put all your books, guides, maps, tickets,
passes, notes, itinerary, notebooks, pens, pencils, etc in there NOW.
Also, make address labels for the postcards you'll send.
- Housecleaning
If you clean at least one room per day you should be able to leave
for your vacation with a nice clean house waiting for you on your
return.
Hint: Leave the bathroom(s) for the day/night before you leave.
- Traveler's Cheques
If you plan on using them you should get them this week. If possible
combine this with another task like "on the way to the Post Office
I will..."
Hint: AAA members get TCs free.
- Primping?
Do the kids need haircuts? Do it this week, first chance. Drop them
off on the way to the Post Office and AAA ;*)
- Bills, Bills, Bills
Go through your bills and pre-pay any that you can. If you need,
leave your bills w/payment with a relative or friend to mail on a
certain day while you are gone.
- Do you have timers for lights? Buy them this week.
Well, if you've been following this note accordingly then you should be
well prepared for your trip. The two-week milestone note said that this
note would cover the 1-week, 48-hour, and 24-hour milestone. I've
elected to put in separate notes for those two milestones. Look for
them this week.
Mike
|
| 349.32 | 48 Hours to Go | WREATH::SCOPA | | Wed Jun 29 1994 11:00 | 23 |
| Gee, leaving in 2 days huh?
Let's talk about some things you may want to consider doing today, NOT
TOMORROW. A lot of these should be looked at as optional.
- Mow the lawn (if it's the growing season)
- Are you driving to your destination? Prepare some tapes to listen to
while you're driving. Nothing soft and slow...something upbeat to
keep you alert behind the wheel.
- If you are driving, take steps to insure you don't get locked out of
your car. I sneak extra keys on the laces of my sneakers.
- Today is a good day to just sit down and go over all your lists,
double-check to see if you indeed have everything for your trip, and
tie-up any loose ends.
Okay, it looks like you're almost there.
Tomorrow the absolute last installment...the 24-hour milestone.
Mike
|
| 349.33 | It's Here! | WREATH::SCOPA | | Thu Jun 30 1994 17:43 | 31 |
| Condition - RED
Get up early and check your lists.
If you have forgotten to get something for your trip make your
dash to the mall early and don't be concerned about finding the
best price...YOU DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF TIME.
Pack early...if you haven't already.
Do a final check before going to bed. This final check should include:
- Clothes
- Toiletries
- Travel Bag Items
- Maps
- Passes
- Tickets
- Guidebooks
- Money (Traveler's Checks, Credit Cards, etc.)
- Miscellaneous 9Film, tape, cameras,etc.)
Also before you go to bed make a list of things you need to do before
you leave the house. For example..unplug this, tuen off that, set the
security timers to do this, etc.
Okay, you're ready to leave your troubles behind.
Have a great vacation.
Mike
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