So! Enthusiastic response to the Disney trip idea. VERY enthusiastic response. Kind of like "Damn, I'm surprised no one's done this already" enthusiastic response.
Awesome.
And so, that leaves…details. Soooooo many details. This is why I was planning this for 2015 or 2016; giving all of us plenty of time to save money and plan.
Planning Options
• Tabbie does everything. Basically I'd be the travel agent. I do the hotel reservations, park tickets, etc. You pick it all up when you arrive at the hotel (everything is linked at Disney, let's face it: they make planning a vacation easy). This would involve everyone splitting lodging, which is great for saving money, though walking around the villa naked is probably out (sorry, guys). This also involves you trusting me with a large chunk of money, and although I think I'm pretty trustworthy, I know there are very few folks who I'd let play around with that much of my cash.
(I could also call in dining reservations, plan Fast Passes, etc. I'm VERY willing to take on the role of travel agent, because planning trips makes me squee. Airfare, though, would probably be up to you, though once you get to the Orlando airport, Disney has ways of getting you to their park.)
• Tabbie does some of the things, you do the rest. I'm pretty sure I can reserve lodging and NOT link it to the tickets; I think it's more difficult but it's still possible. This would get rid of the option of the meal plan, though; meal plans can only happen if every person rooming together wants to do it. Same goes for linking the tickets to the room.
• Tabbie sets a date, you do everything else. Basically, we figure out a set of dates that works for everyone and all plan on being in Orlando around that time, but we all room at different hotels and nothing is linked and everyone runs their own vacation. We could plan a big supper together or something similar, but it would mostly be a "Hey, you're at Disney? I'm at Disney too!"
Possible Dates
As mentioned previously, this is a WHILE out. I was originally thinking 2016, in the fall for the Food & Wine Festival. We could also do the Spring, but basically I'm focusing on the off-season and completely avoiding summer/other school vacation times. The enthusiastic response makes me think I could plan for 2015, though y'all have to remember: it's going to be a fair amount of money. We are talking at least $1200 (probably, if you want a price for the full vacation, closer to $2000, with airfare, souvenirs, etc.), and let's face it: prices at Disney change (and increase) with the seasons. Different resorts (Animal Kingdom Lodge, for instance, would kick the lodging price up to $700/person) cost more money. I'd still love to do the treehouses, but with the number of folks interested I'd need multiples (we'll need multiple rooms no matter where we go with the interest; even Animal Kingdom's 3-room villas have a max occupancy of 12), so that's gonna involve emailing and asking if I can reserve that many at once :) I can do it, happily, but it does involve getting a more definite date set.
(Also of note: the treehouses are a bit off the beaten path, down by Downtown Disney. It makes transportation take a bit more time, but considering this is a vacation where we are trying to relax, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. But deciding where we stay is, unless we go with option 3 of planning listed above, going to be something we have to do well in advance!)
SO! If you are genuinely interested in doing something like this, knowing the rough dates and price point, please leave me your email and I will start a mailing list. I think I have most emails of the folks who responses with interest, but getting a definite list is a good thing. I DO need responses from folks on both these posts and those emails, because if we want this to happen — even with the planning set a ways out — knowing you are genuinely interested and able will make all the difference.
ALSO let it be known that though I am setting this possible trip at Disney, because I freakin' love Disney World, I am not afraid to do something like this elsewhere. And, I am REALLY GOOD at planning and getting details done. Any suggestions for destinations are welcome! We could rent cabins at this place in Pennsylvania that is one of the best parks for star-gazing in the United States! We could go to Sedona, Arizona, and go hiking! There's the ENTIRE STATE of California! We could go peach-picking in Georgia, or have a crab boil in Maryland! There are MANY options, folks, and I am happy to share them all with you :) I just figured Disney was a great option because, well, it's a vacation that's already ready to go, you just have to get there.
(I do kinda want to call whatever this ends up as "The Un-convention," and I may keep that title because it amuses me.)
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