Why won't you just leave?

As long as your DS11 seems happy enough it’s probably ok for him to be in his room a lot. I was a kid like that and I remember being angry at my parents for constantly trying to get me to go do things with others–I’m a pretty extreme introvert, and my extroverted mom didn’t understand. In my DS11’s case I think it’s more about waking up early and then sleeping in the afternoon, but I’m not really sure. For both of them I think if it goes on too long that wouldn’t be good…but, with unprecedented times, it’s hard to know if something goes on too long. My dr is just an email away so if I think I need her advice for him we can get it easily. Of my kids this is the one who reads the news and understands what’s going on, so there’s that.

I’ve overwhelmed — but also weirdly reassured — that so many other people are feeling the same. I genuinely hadn’t got the impression that they were. I’m most grateful for all the kind comments and other contributions to this thread.

It’s difficult to make plans right now, because hotels are still closed. They appear to be taking bookings, but it seems premature to make them. And one thing I’ve learned through bitter experience in the last few months is not to make non-refundable bookings.

Actually, to be fair, it’s only Virgin Atlantic who haven’t played nicely. Everyone else has refunded promptly and without argument.

That being said, I’ve spent some happy hours this evening with my spreadsheets. I do so love them. I find them very comforting.

I realised that my losses to Virgin are not as great as I thought. It turns out that a surprisingly big proportion of an airline ticket is taxes and these are refundable, even on non-refundable tickets.

I had June and October flights booked, each for two people (let’s not go there). If I take no flights at all, I’ll get around $2,000 back in taxes. I thought I’d get a quarter of that.

The June flights were cancelled, but I rashly agreed to a flight credit for my ticket, which is valid to the end of September 2022. I guess I might use it, so all is not lost. The other ticket I’ll get the taxes back.

I may fly in October and use my ticket. Either way I’ll get the taxes back on the other October ticket. And on mine, too, if I don’t fly. (And if the world goes nuts again and the flights are cancelled, I’ll get the whole lot back, of course. I’m not falling for the flight credit trick again.)

My point is, the flights issue is not as big of a financial disaster as I thought. Worst-case scenario is a smaller loss than I thought (still a lot, but a lot less). And I’ve got more money coming back than I thought.

Working all that out has kept me busy tonight. I’ve enjoyed it (crazy, huh?) and it’s made me feel a bit better.

I still had two naps today. But I’m just kinda accepting it now.

This, too, will pass.

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…from your lips…

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That shouldn’t stop you. Make plans. If you have to change…err perfect them, then ok.

You probably shouldn’t. You know as well as anybody your plans will need to be changed at least 2 dozen times.

This. Make sure they are refundable.

I agree. I decided to start to plan my my very future trip. Maybe next year, most likely 2022.

But I can assume when I do return things will be pretty normal. And it’s fun to think about again!

When my son was making his airline reservations for August, he found a flight that was about $200. But then he wondered if he should make it refundable. He changed it to refundable…and the price jumped up to over $1000! For the same ticket. Needless to say, he changed it back to non-refundable.

It is crazy the kind of game airlines are playing to ensure they get your money and don’t have to give it back.

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Yes!! That’s why I bought non refundable too. At the time we thought, no way we wouldn’t go really. Well then pandemic and Disney
closed. But now my non refundable did get a travel voucher. Looks like most airlines are atleast giving that lately.

But agree the price difference was not worth it.

If that’s the case then it isn’t worth it. You should just eat the $200 if something comes up. But at least the airlines are giving vouchers, which is worth something. Maybe not the same as cash, but it’s better than an $800 increase for the same price.

I am feeling down today b/c I had booked a lot of concerts and plays etc. (local DC) right before the pandemic happened, and the last one got cancelled today. It was for Oct so I thought it might happen, but I guess the tour was maybe starting earlier than that and all got scrapped. Oh well. But now there is nothing on the calendar at all except dr appts. I do have a cruise booked for a year from now ($100 refundable deposit, I’d say 50% chance or less I go…but it’s the same one I was supposed to be on right now and I wanted the possibility of it happening next year). But there’s nothing to do for that trip except wait. All this to say, the idea of thinking about a 2022 trip to WDW / UO is beginning to look like a fun thing to plan…hmmm…we definitely need to spend more time at UO than we did last Nov, with only 1.5 days to test and see if we liked it. We liked it. Everyone talking about 2022 trips or beyond is giving me ideas. :slight_smile:

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The flaw in that plan — for me, anyway — is that we don’t have have a clue what the rules will be by then. ADRs? FPPs? Who knows?

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This.
DD and her DH retired and discovered they were just frittering away their days. Fat, dumb and unhappy.

So they started with 3 things they each wanted to get done the next day. And have developed different habits. Feeling better about their days now.

Maybe a list is nothing more than clean out the junk drawer, or find out what’s really under DS’s bed.

Or maybe play Scrabble with the kids.

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With my sons’ college classes put online and my husband working from home the past three months, we’ve gotten a tremendous number of our spring and summer property projects completed but it has still been such an adjustment with periods of frustration and depression. I am beyond ready for normalcy. In Idaho, things are pretty close but we haven’t been able to return to church yet which hurts my heart.

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That’s why this site thrives on speculation!

I think you need to stick around so you will know the exact moment you can start to plan and execute your next trip. Got to stay up on the details.

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just saw the amazon truck drive by my house…
sigh…
i don’t have anything coming until tomorrow.

It’s not a flaw to me b/c we’ve only been to WDW 3 times, each for a week. There is so much we haven’t been able to do yet, and things we couldn’t return without doing again. Just making a list of those could take days…hmmmm…and a list for each specific person’s interests too…there are 5 of us…

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As a therapist, l think I love your therapist!:wink:

I also use Disney as a coping mechanism. It helps helps me have something to look forward to as well as (sorry if this sounds too psycho-babble-ish) helps to heal my inner child. I was forced to be very adultish from a very young age and didn’t get a lot of time to be a “kid” and by going to Disney I feel like I am repairing that. It has been hard to not have that outlet and I too have been experiencing various levels of depression.

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I’ve hidden this from you all very cleverly, but my inner child is as bitter and angry as hell. He likes it when I take him to WDW. It soothes him.

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Your inner child has every right to be bitter and mad as hell! That said, I am glad that you and your inner child have found a way to soothe. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Those of us with angry and bitter inner children recognize yours. :slight_smile:

That is said with love.

Disney is my coping mechanism as well. I’m trying to find a new one and it sucks.

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inner child or not… being in Disney makes my heart sing, planning and anticipating a trip to the property makes my soul soar… Be happy and find your skipping place :heart:

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