If one wanted to just maybe book a birthday trip for oneself and present it to her husband later, would one make room only reservations at more than one hotel or multiple package reservations? ($200 x2-3 vs whole cost of hotel stays x2-3)
DH just told me the other night that we don’t do enough fun things together soooo. I’m really just doing what he said we should do, right? (I mean. He wants to go to a Violent Fems/Flogging Molly concert but this is almost the same thing, right?)
Thinking about February, 3 nights 2-3 days in the parks with hoppers. Wednesday arrival Saturday departure.
Unless you are AP I would do a package as it’s less up-front cost to you. This will allow you to make park ressies right away. Both situations are easily cancelled, though, and fully refundable until 30 days for package or 5 days for room.
I’m going to get it all worked out first. It’s also on the credit card I manage. And I know how to juggle all. The. Things. So that shouldn’t be too hard to lay groundwork for before I reveal options to him.
GDT is not much more across 3 days.
We stayed CSR summer 2019 and loved it. I like the dining/bar options there since we didn’t actually take advantage of them with the kids in tow.
My DH doesn’t mind surprises and destests planning so theoretically he’d be a great candidate for this sort of thing. He’s also in the been there done that club as far as Disney is concerned, so . . .
We have a family member that was not amused (wildly understated) at their surprise Disney trip.
But other family members - not planners and avid WDW fans - that loved being surprised.
If you’ve got the financial covered, you’re basically down to would he miss the planning.
He wouldn’t miss the planning, but it’s too big of an expense to undertake without his blessing. I could spring a trip to a nearby city/town on him probably without upset, but not Disney.
The real problem I’m having right now is scope creep. My birthday is the Friday of a holiday weekend this year. I was considering doing Saturday/departure day park time, but it looks like 9-10s all around while our (what I thought would be evening) arrival day has 2-5s predicted.
Take an extra day off work, arrive earlier, for an afternoon / evening of low crowds OR get in a rope drop to mid afternoon on a crowded departure day?
Agree. Love WDW. Have always loved surprises. UNTIL … I got a surprise at WDW. Think about whether HE wants it, or if YOU want it for HIM.
There’s a difference. And if YOU just want it for yourself - go SOLO. LOL!
AND I finally found the right moment to tell DH that I booked a birthday trip to Disney.
I feel like a master at waiting for the right moment. First I mentioned how two years ago today we were loading up the van for our family Disney trip. He said, “We need to go back!”
Me: But not with the kids.
Him: Oh yeah!
Me: What would you want to do?
Him: A day to do all of the Star Wars stuff…a day at Animal Kingdom…and, I don’t really feel like we’d need to go to Magic Kingdom. I wish there was an inexpensive ticket for late nights at Epcot.
Me: I mean, that’s kind of what a park hopper allows.
Him: Oh, yeah! There is so much good food there.
Me: Maybe we should plan a trip on my birthday!
Him: Yeah, maybe we can try to do that.
Me: So I should probably go ahead and just book something.
Him: Hmmm, Okay, yeah you probably should go ahead and do it.
Me: So what if I told you that I already did go ahead and make some reservations?
Him: (realization dawning) You totally did! You did already book something for you. I can see you sitting there, “Happy birthday to me!” Hahaha.
there has been more than one vacation where I book the room for an extra day or two on either end in anticipation of flights coming out later on, figuring I would cancel nights one way or the other. Then it just makes more sense to go those days also because the flights are cheaper. That’s how my quick weekend trips last 6 days
That’s so awesome!! That whole conversation could have happened at my house. Love it!!
Flights booked. I’m beginning to feel like this is really going to happen!
And thanks to @shawthorne44 we have PhotoPass share set up already.
We arrive 11 am mid-week with a crowd level 3 (overall) and fly out Saturday at 7 pm on a crowd level 10 day. As I was mulling over which day I want to reserve that third park day, I made a FOURTH park reservation. Turns out I can do that, I’m guessing because I have two separate packages currently linked with 3 day park hoppers.
So, I’ve been stalling on planning because of all of the unknowns, but I’m off to my spreadsheets now so I can lay out the options in front of DH. Because he doesn’t like my mulling over choices and prefers laid out plans and prices in front of his nose.
Right now we have both Pop and GD packages with 3 day park hopers. I think if we do 3 days in the parks we’ll just stay at Pop, but if we do GD I’ll only do 2 days in the parks as to enjoy more resort time, enjoying those restaurants/bars/pool time.
Such a hard call on on a short trip!
I’m also now pondering looking for a room only, buying other tickets to link, and then seeing if I can find a last minute hotel bargain. Seems a bit unlikely since we are butting up against Presidents’ Day weekend.
.
Now do I just see what he says? Or quietly pay it off and surprise him?
wow!