How I Am Bouncing Back
This past January (2024), we planned an epic trip to Disney World and Universal Studios with our friends (review post coming soon). It was the reason why I decided to become a travel agent. When you book a trip at a Disney Resort (we stayed at Art of Animation), they often offer you a “bounceback” discount to come back. With the bounceback, you have to put the deposit on another WDW resort stay within 7 days of your last date of travel. If you do this, you get a discount on the resort; it varies by resort and date but can be up to 35%. Now, we only go to Disney, on average, once every four years. It is a lot of travel for us and very expensive, especially now that our daughter, who is 11, counts as an adult for ticket and meal purposes. So when I received the email for the bounceback offer, I literally laughed out loud, and thought “Oh my god. Like I can afford to go to Disney again any time soon!”
How the Bounceback Discount Works at a Disney Resort
Then as we were nearing the end of our stay, I got a reminder email about the bounceback. We were on a vacation HIGH! We were having a blast and experiencing some serious end-of-Disney-vacation depression. When we arrived home and looked at the email again, I remembered (even though I would like to forget) that I would be celebrating my 40th birthday in six months (ooph). All that is required is a $200 deposit until 30 days before the trip. So I asked my Disney-obsessed younger sister her thoughts, and she said, “Do it!” I always go to her to get the answer I want about Disney decisions. For a $200 deposit on a discounted room, why not? You can always cancel.
I booked the Caribbean Beach Resort, because I wanted to be on the Skyliner route and it looked like a fun resort (eventually realizing we stayed there on our honeymoon…oops!). I also wanted to have easy access to EPCOT, because EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom were my main focus. I was really interested in trying After Hours at a park, and it just so happens that the night before my birthday, Magic Kingdom has After Hours. So even though June in Florida is SUPER hot, I booked dates in the last week in June because I would be able to go to After Hours and be in Disney on my actual birthday.
The pool at the Caribbean Beach Resort
As time went on, I had trouble finding anyone who was able to go on this trip with me. I also learned some unfortunate news about my full-time job as a professor. Due to budget cuts and low enrollment at my institution, I would not be hired back next academic year. Knowing we would be on a tight budget and uncertain of what my professional and financial future looked like, I knew I would have to cancel. However, I couldn’t let go of my reservation quite yet. I was overwhelmed and sad about my job, and officially canceling the trip would just be another disappointment, and I wasn’t ready for that. (I am a mental health counselor…see how I processed that?)
The date of the trip was creeping closer and closer and I had to make a decision. I reached out to my friend who I had just traveled to Disney with to see if she would be able to/want to go with me for this grown-up Disney trip. She lives across the country, and we see each other once a year at most. But it is also her 40th birthday this summer, and we deserve to have some fun. She was able to make the trip work, and after a generous early birthday gift from my father to fund a good portion of my trip, I was able to keep the reservations, get a two-day park hopper, and reserve tickets for After Hours at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. In order to make both of the After Hours work and for my friend to be able to join, we had to change the dates slightly. This led to us doing a split stay, because CBR was not available on the first night of our stay. So, I get to experience a new hotel!
Adults-Only Disney Trip
I have not been on an adults-only Disney trip since my honeymoon in 2009 (it is also my 15th wedding anniversary this summer!). My husband and I would have loved to go on this trip together, but because of medical concerns with our kids and finances, we couldn’t make it work. So I am very much looking forward to hanging out with my bestie and enjoying Disney World on my birthday without having to worry about tired kids! Here is our brief itinerary (don’t worry, I will do a full recap when I return).
My honeymoon at Caribbean Beach Resort circa 2009 - long before the Skyliner!
Day 1: Arrive in the AM; stay at Coronado Springs Resort; Hollywood Studios After Hours
Day 2: EPCOT; Magic Kingdom After Hours; stay at Caribbean Beach Resort
Day 3: My birthday! Magic Kingdom; Animal Kingdom or back to EPCOT
Day 4: Cry because I turned 40 and I have to leave Disney and go home
I am looking forward to coming back with a plethora of information (and a LOT of pictures) about two resorts and the experience of After Hours at two different parks. I hope that this will bring in some new travel business for The Well Read Travel Planner and truly help me bounce back for my Very Merry 40th Unbirthday!
Coronado Springs Resort
Here is some more information about Bounceback Offers:
*Note: If you book your stay through a travel professional, that same travel professional must book your bounceback offer.
Interested in booking your next Disney Vacation? Contact me today!