Planing a day of fun

I decided last month I would surprise Jon and take him up to Downtown Disney for his birthday August 12. Well given some surplus money from budgeting well, I am now looking into going to Disneyland for a day or two. Yes Disneyland even though I said I wouldn't dare go up there until next year. I feel it needs to be done this year.

As much as I have been doting on Rocky I completely forgot about accomodating him if we go for more than a day. Okay, initial budget was about $1000. IF I go for the SoCal cheaper price it is only in a 3 day package at $83/day and you have to reserve which days you want to go. Okay then maybe two days now and one day during the holidays. Then I really had to ask Jon about it because he does have issues with crowds and such. His first comment was, 'what about the little guy?' (rocky). Oh crap. Can't have any of the neighbors feed him, he would likely bolt for the door (or maybe not, he's been getting a bit more mellow). I asked Amber but she would only be able to do it on a weekend, well that's not happening then maybe Ava/Logan, nope she's in NM until the 23rd. Wait... Motel 6 allows pets! Yes! There's a motel within walking distance from CA Adventure and one of the back parking lots. They take pets AND pets stay free! We did this before when we were looking for a place.

Okay working logistics, it is height of summer, hotel rates are much higher than other times of year but even so the room would cost $89/night with a queen bed, non-smoking and that was with my expedia discount. Now... that is only for one night. Expanding out to three to have two nights at the park.. it jumped up to a total of $303 and I was budgeting $200. Sigh. Damn. The issue is check in time is after 3pm and check out is before 11 am. So we can't drive up and spend the day at the park with Rocky in the car. We would have to pay for two or three nights, drive up and check in. Hang out in the room and get food and plan what we want to do. Wake up early enough to hit the park at 'rope drop' and do the park all day. Go back to the room spend the night and check out the next morning to drive home. So that's the initial plan and budgeting about $1000 + a little.

Now I have a Credit Karma account and have been seeing all these 'recommendations' for credit cards to help build credit. My score just jumped up 131 points when I bought my car without a loan. I have been resisting greatly because I just finished off two that I had before and am still working on the third. But.. if I get a secured card again that will give me about $150 to use, pay off and use etc. to help build up my credit again. And help pay for some things on our trip. Not a lot of money but that's food for a few days and that makes a difference.  So I did it. Looked at all the options on APR and yearly fees and all that and found one that wasn't a major company but had good to excellent odds of approving me without checking my credit score. They called me up and wanted a few more details to verify I was who I am because you know, credit card fraud. So it sounded like I was initially approved they just had to verify it was me. I will have that card in 7-10 days just in time for our trip.

This trip is really important in my mind. We wanted to go last year when I had the extra money but... 2020 was a. no go for a lot of things. I had another chunk of money this month but that went to getting a car and still had some money left over. So it's just feeling like we really need to go to Disneyland NOW.  

I pay rent this coming Monday, transfer some for paying storage on the 10th, all the other utilities dribble in and are covered already with some money Jon gives me from his EDD payments. We get paid alternating weeks so it works out well.

So that's our next big adventure. The stipulations they have for visiting is proper ID, your reservation matching the day you're visiting, attesting or proving you are vaccinated and a proper mask to wear in the park. They're now requiring masks be worn inside all buildings and most rides. Not sure which rides are going to be open but the experience of going there just the two of us is all I am really wanting. 

Oh and two words: Galaxy's Edge. 'Nuf said.