Lori74
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2015
It all started with a new airline arriving at our airport. Frontier announced they were coming back to Grand Rapids with prices starting at $34 for one way tickets. I hadn't started X-mas shopping for my husband yet. The last trip him (Jeremy) and I (Lori) took alone was before the Minions were born. "Light Bulllbbb"...
I bought the tickets and paid for specific seats ($173), but I took a gamble and did not pay for any bags what so ever, I thought we can rough it and use a personal item each. Yikes! We'll see if we make it. Next I searched for an onsite hotel that was reasonably priced. I knew the biggest expense would be park tickets so I had to cut corners other ways. I couldn't find anything less than $400 for a room at Cabana Bay. I researched other hotels. I was trying to avoid renting a car, so I looked at partner hotels and thought maybe we could walk or shuttle. Thanks to the Disboards I found a website that helps bid on hotels. I took another gamble and bid on a hotel I was hoping was the Doubletree at the entrance to Universal. The stars lined up and I got it for $169 for 2 nights!
Ok, now I just wait for X-mas to surprise him... only 4 months, no problem. My husband rarely watches a commercial, or even lets one exist in my house. Channel is changed immediately. On the rare occasion he drops the ball on this, and a Universal, or Royal Caribbean, or Disney commercial comes on I hear, 'stupid universal...or stupid royal Caribbean...stupid Disney'. Like they are taunting him... oh its so hard not to laugh out loud!
Christmas morning...The tree is lit, the fake fireplace is roaring on the tv, kids are opening presents. We always wait until the kids are done so we don't miss anything. I'm about to burst. A little worried the kids will be upset they aren't going when they find out, but hopefully in their x-mas haze they won't be bothered. Finally its time. Our turn. He starts opening his package I got for him on Etsy that has an acceptance letter from Hogwarts with the dates we are going and the Marauder's Map and a little wand. Just to be sure he understood, I put a card in there that laid out our plans. He read it, sets it to the side and just watches me open things. My mind starts going...ok have I ever done this in the 17 years we've been together, um no, isn't that good that I'm still capable of surprise? He loves Harry Potter, loves Orlando... ok maybe just tired? Well my balloon is deflated, but hey, I still get to go to Orlando! The rest of the day was typical, cleaned up, snacked, watched movies, napped and he got stared at a lot. I waited, and waited, I didn't want to bring it up, I didn't want to cry on X-mas.
2 weeks later....(please say that in SpongeBob speak if you know the lingo!) He says, 'where are we staying?' me-'Doubletree across from Universal' him-'what airline are we flying?' me-'Frontier' him-'out of Detroit?' me-'no they are coming to GR and I got an amazing price!' I saw him perk up, oh man, this is why the silence, he doesn't realize I didn't spend a fortune on this trip. Ok I'm excited again. Him-'do we have a car?' me-'no, I thought we could Uber.' I knew this probably wouldn't fly, he's old school and likes his freedom. Him-'thank you!' me-'my pleasure!'
A few weeks later we look at cars and find a Mustang for $84. Maybe we're youngish enough to pull it off. Now we wait....there is no grumbling when a Universal commercial pops up and the kids are not mad we're going without them. Wow! Now my only concern is, can I fit my clothes and toiletries in a personal bag for the flight. Oh and I'm of course going to need to bring a gift home for the kids. Can it be done? Stay tuned....
I bought the tickets and paid for specific seats ($173), but I took a gamble and did not pay for any bags what so ever, I thought we can rough it and use a personal item each. Yikes! We'll see if we make it. Next I searched for an onsite hotel that was reasonably priced. I knew the biggest expense would be park tickets so I had to cut corners other ways. I couldn't find anything less than $400 for a room at Cabana Bay. I researched other hotels. I was trying to avoid renting a car, so I looked at partner hotels and thought maybe we could walk or shuttle. Thanks to the Disboards I found a website that helps bid on hotels. I took another gamble and bid on a hotel I was hoping was the Doubletree at the entrance to Universal. The stars lined up and I got it for $169 for 2 nights!
Ok, now I just wait for X-mas to surprise him... only 4 months, no problem. My husband rarely watches a commercial, or even lets one exist in my house. Channel is changed immediately. On the rare occasion he drops the ball on this, and a Universal, or Royal Caribbean, or Disney commercial comes on I hear, 'stupid universal...or stupid royal Caribbean...stupid Disney'. Like they are taunting him... oh its so hard not to laugh out loud!
Christmas morning...The tree is lit, the fake fireplace is roaring on the tv, kids are opening presents. We always wait until the kids are done so we don't miss anything. I'm about to burst. A little worried the kids will be upset they aren't going when they find out, but hopefully in their x-mas haze they won't be bothered. Finally its time. Our turn. He starts opening his package I got for him on Etsy that has an acceptance letter from Hogwarts with the dates we are going and the Marauder's Map and a little wand. Just to be sure he understood, I put a card in there that laid out our plans. He read it, sets it to the side and just watches me open things. My mind starts going...ok have I ever done this in the 17 years we've been together, um no, isn't that good that I'm still capable of surprise? He loves Harry Potter, loves Orlando... ok maybe just tired? Well my balloon is deflated, but hey, I still get to go to Orlando! The rest of the day was typical, cleaned up, snacked, watched movies, napped and he got stared at a lot. I waited, and waited, I didn't want to bring it up, I didn't want to cry on X-mas.
2 weeks later....(please say that in SpongeBob speak if you know the lingo!) He says, 'where are we staying?' me-'Doubletree across from Universal' him-'what airline are we flying?' me-'Frontier' him-'out of Detroit?' me-'no they are coming to GR and I got an amazing price!' I saw him perk up, oh man, this is why the silence, he doesn't realize I didn't spend a fortune on this trip. Ok I'm excited again. Him-'do we have a car?' me-'no, I thought we could Uber.' I knew this probably wouldn't fly, he's old school and likes his freedom. Him-'thank you!' me-'my pleasure!'
A few weeks later we look at cars and find a Mustang for $84. Maybe we're youngish enough to pull it off. Now we wait....there is no grumbling when a Universal commercial pops up and the kids are not mad we're going without them. Wow! Now my only concern is, can I fit my clothes and toiletries in a personal bag for the flight. Oh and I'm of course going to need to bring a gift home for the kids. Can it be done? Stay tuned....