Topic: Booked...FINALLY! May 19-26 at Saratoga

[zackiedawg]

I finally locked in my booking for my upcoming conference in Orlando.  I prefer to have my Disney access, so when the conference comes through Orlando, I am the rebel who doesn't stay at the hotel like all the other advisors.  Everyone just stays in the Marriott World Center which is where our conference is, but I'd rather hit the daily conference, and then at the end of the day, get out and head back to a Disney resort, where I can kick back and relax away from all things business, and let Disney transportation take me around where I want to go.  I booked my DVC at Saratoga (the only one available at this short notice), just a studio...it's just a mile or two to the Marriott each day.  The conference will be from Monday through Thursday evening...mostly morning to early evening...some of the nights of the conference there will be company events or sponsor/vendor dinner offers, so there won't likely be a lot of Disney time on those nights - Monday our company has booked Harry Potter land for our special event/welcome night, and Thursday night is our gala closing concert/party...Tuesday and Wednesday I can glom onto a vendor for a free meal if I feel like it, or just leave and head over to one of the parks for the night.

I'm headed up the Saturday morning before the conference, mostly because I can squeeze in the last two days of the Flower & Garden festival (ends on the 20th) - I could have chosen the weekend before or the weekend after, but I haven't been to the F&G in a while and that took priority.

Since the conference's final gala night usually ends in early morning debauchery, there's no expectation of actually getting back to the office Friday morning for work, so that day is off - we'll all be staying Thu night and likely wouldn't make it back to town any earlier than 2pm if we tried.  So I also decided to extend my stay for the extra night of Friday, so I can enjoy one last full day in the parks, and then checkout Saturday morning and head home for a nice relaxing 3 day weekend of Memorial Day.

So that's the plan.  The only unknown factor at this point is whether my grandmother will still be with us...if she is still fighting up until I go, and she passes while I'm there, I'd have to cut the trip short and head back.  That's been the big unknown hanging over the family for the past 5-6 months, which has kept us all from planning any vacations or trips...I do need the CE credits from the conference and so this is the only trip of any sort I can plan on.  She's a tough old depression-era lady, and has fought this waaaay beyond anyone's expectations - doctors told us she had 2-4 weeks...6 months ago!  It's all down to when SHE'S ready to go, because she's gonna do it on her terms, cancer be darned.

[Scottwdw]

I will overlap with you from the 24-26.

[zackiedawg]

Maybe we can try a meetup on the 25th - Cooleo also will be checking in that day.  I'm free that whole day as well (though I'll be sleeping in a bit as I'm sure I'll be up very late Thu night for the conference closeout party and concert).

[zackiedawg]

Leaving tomorrow for the parks.  Looking forward to it!  Hoping for some light morning/early afternoon rain tomorrow - just enough to keep the lovebugs down to a minimum for the drive up - my car usually ends up looking like a 3-year-old eating his first Mickey Ear Ice Cream bar...clean everywhere else, but a face full of messiness.

[Coo1eo]

Justin - I'll be checking in about Noon on Friday the 25th & then planning to head over to EPCOT. Maybe we can meet up for an evening of Illuminations Photography Session. Maybe Scott can join us too. PM me with some contact info if you would like to get together for this. I will reply with my contact info.