useakiss
Am I there yet?
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2017
I've only ever been to WDW as a child on family trips (1979 and 1986). I've always wanted to go back as an adult but life and luck just never seemed to work out and I always ended up using my PTO and money traveling home to see family rather than going on a real vacation. However, I've been promising myself a real trip somewhere this year. I'd even finally gotten around to renewing my Passport, so I was ready to go anywhere.
I was feeling pretty low over Christmas this year because it's the second anniversary of my Dad's death and I was missing him terribly. What helped lift my spirits a bit was watching the elaborately planned Disney vacation that a couple of friends were enjoying as it played out that week on my Facebook feed--they were doing the serious foodie tour, everything from crazy tropical drinks in exotic lounges to high tea at the Grand Floridian, from Boma and Flying Fish to the full multi-course experience at Victoria & Albert's! I lived vicariously through what they were doing, and it revived a lot of my fond memories of our family trips to the Magic Kingdom, and how much my Dad enjoyed it (one of the few times I ever saw him really relax and have fun). We didn't have to budget to do any of those high end things back then, with the exception of splurging at Le Cellier (my Mom STILL talks about how much they loved that place, particularly the salmon).
Right at the same time was when we all got the news of Carrie Fisher's heart attack and subsequent death. Being both a life-long Star Wars fan and a Han/Leia fanfic writer, this hit me very hard. Her age also struck me because I'm turning 50 this year. It really drove home the point that time is short, that unless I make it happen myself, I'll keep putting these vacations off until it's too late.
I put out a call to my friends to see if anyone wanted to join me in a trip to Disney World this year, but had little hope anyone would take me up on it--those who might have been interested either already had plans or just returned from trips, or couldn't afford it. Faced with going alone, I nearly let that defeat me because WDW always struck me as something you do with others. That's when many of those friends corrected me and said that they'd done solo trips and had a blast BECAUSE of that freedom.
I'm not adverse to doing things alone. I've always been very independent (too independent if you ask my Mom ). Plus, I spent my last year of college living abroad in Germany and got very used to traveling around Europe on my own. In fact, I'd come to appreciate that same freedom of stopping anywhere and exploring something historic without worrying about whether a companion was having fun or arguing over what to do next. The only thing I didn't like was that being alone meant ending my evenings early for safety reasons.
So long story short, I've decided to do it--for myself, for my Dad. I'm going on a solo trip to Disney World! Not only that, but I'm going to do it properly,including staying at the PO-French Quarter (the Polynesian is on my Bucket List, but I have to be realistic), something we never did on those family trips. I'm doing the table service meals and the water parks, too! I'm planning a 9-day trip (7 solid days) where I can take my time, explore and enjoy the details, ride or skip what I want, and rest when I want. And because the Kingdom is about as safe as any place can be, I'll even enjoy the night life as an adult, something I couldn't do 30 years ago.
This trip is my present to myself for 50 years of life and love and loss. I'm going to treat myself and not feel guilty about it.
I was feeling pretty low over Christmas this year because it's the second anniversary of my Dad's death and I was missing him terribly. What helped lift my spirits a bit was watching the elaborately planned Disney vacation that a couple of friends were enjoying as it played out that week on my Facebook feed--they were doing the serious foodie tour, everything from crazy tropical drinks in exotic lounges to high tea at the Grand Floridian, from Boma and Flying Fish to the full multi-course experience at Victoria & Albert's! I lived vicariously through what they were doing, and it revived a lot of my fond memories of our family trips to the Magic Kingdom, and how much my Dad enjoyed it (one of the few times I ever saw him really relax and have fun). We didn't have to budget to do any of those high end things back then, with the exception of splurging at Le Cellier (my Mom STILL talks about how much they loved that place, particularly the salmon).
Right at the same time was when we all got the news of Carrie Fisher's heart attack and subsequent death. Being both a life-long Star Wars fan and a Han/Leia fanfic writer, this hit me very hard. Her age also struck me because I'm turning 50 this year. It really drove home the point that time is short, that unless I make it happen myself, I'll keep putting these vacations off until it's too late.
I put out a call to my friends to see if anyone wanted to join me in a trip to Disney World this year, but had little hope anyone would take me up on it--those who might have been interested either already had plans or just returned from trips, or couldn't afford it. Faced with going alone, I nearly let that defeat me because WDW always struck me as something you do with others. That's when many of those friends corrected me and said that they'd done solo trips and had a blast BECAUSE of that freedom.
I'm not adverse to doing things alone. I've always been very independent (too independent if you ask my Mom ). Plus, I spent my last year of college living abroad in Germany and got very used to traveling around Europe on my own. In fact, I'd come to appreciate that same freedom of stopping anywhere and exploring something historic without worrying about whether a companion was having fun or arguing over what to do next. The only thing I didn't like was that being alone meant ending my evenings early for safety reasons.
So long story short, I've decided to do it--for myself, for my Dad. I'm going on a solo trip to Disney World! Not only that, but I'm going to do it properly,including staying at the PO-French Quarter (the Polynesian is on my Bucket List, but I have to be realistic), something we never did on those family trips. I'm doing the table service meals and the water parks, too! I'm planning a 9-day trip (7 solid days) where I can take my time, explore and enjoy the details, ride or skip what I want, and rest when I want. And because the Kingdom is about as safe as any place can be, I'll even enjoy the night life as an adult, something I couldn't do 30 years ago.
This trip is my present to myself for 50 years of life and love and loss. I'm going to treat myself and not feel guilty about it.
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