Perplexing conundrum — now featuring trip report 🤩

Walt Disney World
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Regular readers will know that I’m done with Orlando. It was a surprisingly easy decision to make. I even deleted all my subscriptions to Instagram and YouTube channels and I haven’t missed them at all.

But something has happened. Following a whiny complaint I sent to Virgin, I’m now the lucky recipient of a decent chunk of air miles.

Now, Virgin flies to a number of destinations around the world. And they have partner airlines.

But I started wondering about, you know, booking a cheeky trip to Orlando.

It’s not just the free miles. As I’ve mentioned before, I have Gold status with Virgin. I’ll never get it again. It’s because of the four (!) trips I made last year. But it runs out at the end of July. It gives me fast-track check-in and security. It gives me swanky departure and arrivals lounge access. It’s nice.

And I currently have a Premier AP pass for UOR. It runs out in October. I won’t renew it. It was a one-off that made sense for my December trip last year when there were four of us using the discount benefits.

So, you know, as I said: I’ve been wondering. This thread is partly to help me figure out my own thoughts: but yours are welcome, too.

First and foremost, this trip has to be cheap. I’ve made a settlement with myself about vacation spending over the next few years. I don’t want to break that.

So this trip (if it becomes a trip) would be very different from previous ones. No ADRs. No TS meals. I don’t need any of that. Just me time. You know who is unlikely to be there, so it’d very much be a solo trip.

It would be that trip I’ve talked about before. Where I explore all the resorts. And DS. Where it’s all about the theming rather than the rides. I’ll use my MB+ to play that dumb game at SWGE, and make all the 50th statues make a noise (is that still a thing?)

Do I sound like an addict who’s about to fall off the wagon?

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What kind of free miles are we talking? Can you get to DL?

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Can I copy and paste your letter to them please??? :crossed_fingers:t2::crossed_fingers:t2::crossed_fingers:t2::crossed_fingers:t2:

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Yes, yes you do. You’ve got your AP and free flight, but you’re already talking about going to WDW.

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How could You not go? Free flight, AP for Universal… is it booked yet? What’s holding you back?

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Not so much free as half-price.

It’s a long way to go just for UOR. And I don’t think I could make UOR last a week.

Trip expenses add up. Even if you do it on the cheap.

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I may have played the dead mother card. Do you have one of those?

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How long are the miles good for? (We’ve lost travel funds a couple of times because of expiration dates.)

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18 months — so clearly I should not spend them now. But — oh! — my Gold privileges and my AP . . .

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18 months is good – gives you a moment to decide. I know you’d miss out on Gold Privileges, but any interest in Universal during the fall season? Or waiting until 2024 to space out your trips? Or telling the Dino queen to get her guest room ready on the west coast? Just helping you think things through.

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All sensible thoughts.

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I want to encourage a trip – but the one you want, not one just because it’s “discounted.”

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I’m hoping I go cold on the plan, like I have done with the DCL plan, though Paul seems all excited about that now.

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Also, if I do go to Orlando this year, I’ll be bullied off the forums for it. As much as anything I don’t want to go now just to spite you people.

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Well, for him it’s closer to a free trip, which I wouldn’t turn down.

We love your reports and most of the teasing comes from your – for lack of a better term – fan base. Not one of them would pass on a chance to go to Orlando.

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I’m sure the miles can be used for destinations other than Orlando.

You seemed to be enticed by your precious thought of more travel closer to home. Unpopular opinion here, but I vote not going to Orlando.

You do you. If you do go, I will happily support you and cling to your trip report.

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Yes, but I don’t want people to say “we knew you weren’t serious when you said you were done with Orlando”.

I honestly, really was. I had moved on. I thought Virgin was going to give me cash. But they gave me vouchers. And it’s awoken thoughts that had been put to bed.

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It’s clear you are/were clearly serious. But for the miles, you wouldn’t be considering it. My bet is within 48h you won’t be interested in Orlando – at least not for the next 6 months.

As for the “told you so” crowd, I don’t take them nearly as seriously as you do. My first instinct would be to block them, my second to call them out, and, barring that, I would try to ignore them. It reminds me of the saying: those who mind don’t matter, those who matter don’t mind.

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I say do it. I like the idea of a nice relaxing trip to just soak up the theming and ambiance. Sort of a last hurrah and appreciation sort of thing.

Pay no attention to those of us that might harass you. You have no one to impress around here anyway.

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I am weirdly sensitive. Like to the point it annoys me.

Example: I just posted something on the daily thread about something that’s happened over the past couple of days. In brief, I’m in dispute with a buyer on eBay. It has really upset me. Like, lost sleep upset me. Like, I have a physical reaction to the upset it has caused. Yet it’s relatively trivial.

I guess it’s that PTSD fright / flight response that I believe is common in victims of childhood unpleasantness. I’m hypersensitive to perceived attack.

As I’ve joked / admitted here: I can dish it out, but I can’t take it.

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