On Disney

I realize I’ve not really shared our Disney ‘plans’, and that’s because, well, we’re not really sure of them ourselves.  First of all, this next trip is and will always be primarily about the convention.  And that’s how we want it.

For example–my husband has to be there over 24 hours early to begin his meetings, and on the first official day of the convention, his day begins at 8am–the convention itself does not begin sessions until 2:30 in the afternoon.  However, because of this, he is done with his ‘duties’ by noon on Saturday, even though the convention runs through Sunday afternoon.  Which should mean that we could either come home early and get all of our weekend stuff done before the work week begins, or we could have spent an afternoon in a park having fun together.  But we’re not.  Why?  The Middle Level Mosaic, a session that I enjoyed so much last year I’m literally choosing it over The Happiest Place on Earth, goes from 2:30 until around 6pm on Saturday night–and I’m going.  And, hopefully, I’m dragging my husband along with me!

But that does not mean that we have to entirely forsake said Happiest Place–though originally we had planned to do just that.  It seemed to me, at first, that even a brief visit to one of the parks would be disastrous–after all, we’ve all heard about my aversions to lines and crowds.  But then I started to research–ah if only I didn’t ever research, how different my life would be (I recently got rid of my Facebook–perhaps I should go on a Google fast as well!) and, well, the parks kind of look like fun.  I have to admit, I got a little bit kid-like and jump-up-and-down excited about the idea of doing all of the typical Disney things– the teacups and It’s a Small World and The Haunted Mansion.  Additionally, I’ve always always always wanted to go to Epcot.  It seems like my kind of place–a theme park for nerds.

And despite how very exhausted I know we will be from all of the convention-ing, there are some opportunities to work park time into our schedule.  For example, we made Epcot a priority and manged to fit it in.  Fortunately for us, the gods smiled down upon that plan (I think the gods like nerds!)  It turned out that the one night we have free to use the convention special ‘after 4pm’ tickets–Friday night–is also an ‘Extra Magic Hour’ night at Epcot.  So even though we won’t get there until around 5pm, we can stay until midnight.  Which is great.  We’ll be able check out the World Showcase, have dinner (I have reservations at the Biergarten) and then catch the fireworks show, which is supposed to be great.  Additionally, when the park finally does close and we make our exhausted way back to our hotel, we don’t even have to wait for transportation, as the resort we are staying at is right next door!

It is entirely possible that we should stop at that, and be happy we get to go to Epcot.  But circumstances gave us a second opportunity, in the form of flight times.

You see, the only direct flights from our local airport into Orlando take place around dinner time.  My husband has to be at a 7:00 meeting on the first day we arrive–that’s his first duty.  So we couldn’t possibly leave that Wednesday and have him make his meeting…which means we’re leaving the night before, immediately after work.  This also means that we have that entire morning and afternoon to check out another park…or two.

The original plan for that day was to visit the magic kingdom and the magic kingdom only.  We figured we’d be plenty amused by that park from 9am until 5pm, when he will have to leave to get ready for his meeting (though I won’t have to leave!)  But then I talked to a bunch of people and did some research on crowd levels that day (which are insanely low, as it is a random Wednesday in November, when kids are all in school) and now we’re contemplating doing a park hopper day and trying to fit in Animal Kingdom.  My husband really wants to go on the safari ride, and who am I to tell him no?  If not for him and his awesome job, we’d not be going to this convention (and I’d not be going to the exhibit hall where all of the YA books are, or the middle level mosaic, where all the YA authors are).  So now we’re contemplating fitting two parks into that one day.

Clearly I should be stopped.

But I cannot be stopped.  Because, you see, there’s not that much difference between the price of a one day park hopper pass and a two day park hopper pass (can you say ‘snowball effect’?)–I think the difference is something like $40, which in travel terms is mere pennies (we’ve spent more than that on two drinks at the pool in Vegas).  So technically I COULD get a two day pass for myself (even though I’d not be ‘hopping’ on the second day) and spend the morning at Hollywood Studios on Thursday.  I have to be back at the convention center by 2:00 for the pre-convention sessions, but that still gives me at least five hours in Hollywood Studios–and how much time does one person really need?  I read about the single rider lines, and I’ve wanted to go on the Studio Backlot Tour ever since I was a kid when the park opened (and was called MGM) and they aired clips of it on the Disney Channel.  That and that alone is worth the extra $40.

Ahh, those geniuses at the Ministry of Disney World Ticket Pricing.  You’ve got me just where you want me!

I probably should not do this–particularly because I like sleep a lot, and there’s a really cool pool complex at our resort that I want to have at least a half hour to check out at some point during the convention.

To be fair (I say that a lot, don’t I?), I probably will not do this, but it is important to note that I am thinking about it.  Behold the power of Disney–it makes me forget (or, rather, purposefully ignore) all of the lessons I learned in Europe about ‘squeezing too much in’.  But oh well–if I try it, that should at least make for some interesting blog posts.  And that’s why I started traveling in the first place–to have something to write about.  Even if that something is bad, and that writing could better be described as ‘bitching on my keyboard’!

And, no matter what, come 2:00 that Saturday, I will be in line for the most important ‘ride’ of the week–The Middle Level Mosaic.  Have I mentioned how much I love that session?  That and that alone is worth the cost and time associated with the convention.  It is the Studio Backlot Tour of the NCTE Convention!

Man…I’m really a huge nerd…