My 2022 & 2023 Travel Bucket List

1. Halloween at Disneyland

2. Christmas at Disneyland

3. Salem & Boston

4. Iceland

I have both a short and long term travel goal list that I’m always trying to tackle. However, with Covid restrictions and current war, I don’t see myself going anywhere in Europe or Asia any time soon. It makes me sad because I would have loved to have experienced the 30th celebrations at Disneyland Paris or to even BE in Paris to see the sparkling Eiffel Tower. To visit London and all its pretty in pink cafés full of delectable desserts. To eat a bountiful of pasta in Italy and take awe-inspiring photos in front of the coliseum. To hunt down every monumental place in Japan in search of our savior, Godzilla. Alas, those adventures may have to wait but it doesn’t mean I can’t still enjoy a homeland destination that usually involves a Disney park.

I think I’m sick of Disney World right now LOL. I was full of TOO much ambition trying to show Danny the world last year. My plan was to take it easy this year, and arrange just ONE more Disney trip after my Birthday. I’ve been wanting to go back to Disneyland in California ever since last Halloween season due to my intense fomo and my disappointment in Disney World’s Boo Bash After Hours event. I would love to spend a week just soaking it in. I missed the Oogie Boogie Bash, and lucky for me, all of the nighttime spectaculars are coming back! I’m hoping to catch them all - fireworks in Disneyland, World of Color and Fantasmic! I still have yet to see Fantasmic in Disney World, despite the amount of times I’ve been to Hollywood Studios in recent years. I’m also praying to the almighty Mouse that the Main Street Electrical Parade runs through September and October this year. I much prefer the nighttime parades. What’s even more exciting is this will be a brand new adventure for Danny! He hasn’t experienced any of this, and so, it will fulfill my need to be Danny’s Aladdin. LOL.

I already have outfits planned out in my head too. I bought Danny a cute Woody button down to match my new crop top and leggings set for Buzz Lightyear, which I’m happy to have finally found on Esty. Funny enough, I also did a test run of my Woody bound, cowboy boots and all, to his Mom’s 60th birthday bash because it was a country western theme. My Woody bound was the only thing that resembled country LOL. Danny has both a Spirit Jersey and a button down to wear for Buzz Lightyear because, again, I’m a psycho who wants to match with him. Furthermore, I’m excited to do more Star Wars bounds. I have both Kaylo Ren and Princess Leia in mind, even though I might have to cut it down to only one Galaxy’s Edge bound this trip. I still have my Spider-Man dress to show off in Avengers Campus, and hopefully have a cute pretty in pink moment for a potential photoshoot in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. There’s also cute Halloween outfits to take into consideration as my Mickey pumpkin bag has finally arrived many, many months later. The shipping delays have been wild due to Covid.

I’m not quite sure if we’ll make it to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights because it is rather far from Disneyland, where I prefer to stay for the week. There are several factors at play: both of us do not drive (lol), the traffic in LA is horrendous, and an Uber will be rather expensive. One of these days I’ll take Danny, but it might have to be at Orlando, where it would be easier for us to travel to. Visiting Universal also depends on the the types of mazes they are offering that Halloween season, otherwise it’s not worth the cost to shell out front of the line tickets. If you do not pay for front of the line tickets, you’ll never be able to complete each maze as popular mazes can have wait times of up to three hours. Big draws in past years for me were Rob Zombie’s House of 1,000 Corpses, Halloween, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and any horror icons of the 80’s slashers.

One of my biggest travel goals is to finally make it to Iceland. I’m manifesting this trip into existence for 2023. Iceland is farther away from the chaos ensuing in this world, thus I feel safer traveling there. I’m both excited and terrified to organize a trip like this, since the planning process will be more challenging. This is mainly because I’ve grown accustomed to only planning Disney trips, which have become fairly easy to me. I need a new mountain to climb, and challenge my planning skills further. I was also derailed by the fact that I need a new wardrobe specifically for this trip, because I do not own weather resistant or waterproof clothing for hiking. I don’t even have an appropriate winter coat for New York lol. Another issue is I’ll need hiking boots. Hiking boots are so ugly. Danny told me that’s the least of my problems, and that I’ll have to invest in only a few things. He probably thinks I’m being dramatic, which I am as I yell “you don’t care” across the room at him. I googled “pink hiking boots” and now, I feel slightly better. Hopefully, by this time, I have a camera to take more high quality photos while I’m there. Danny and I have a go-pro, so that will definitely come in handy for a trip like this.

Currently, I only have a trip booked to Philly this summer. I wanted to see Rob Zombie in concert to live out my nostalgic teen years spent listening to nu-metal, but he was playing at PNC in Jersey. I hate going to this venue because it’s so expensive and much harder to travel to. Lo and behold, the tour makes a stop in Camden, which is right across the Delaware river from Philly… on a Friday! I don’t know how, but I always get super lucky with all my favorite bands playing on weekends. I figured I could go to the concert on Friday, and spend a Saturday exploring Philly again. The Waterfront Music Pavilion is right next to the Adventure Aquarium too, where they have the Hippo exhibit. It seemed more logical to me to turn this into a weekend adventure than have fomo over missing this tour. I’m still struggling with when and how I should plan a trip to Salem. I feel like you have to be The Mayor of Halloween Town and start planning the minute spooky season ends. Also, the Boston/Salem area is a lot further than Philly is from New York… to be determined.

I’m praying I stick to my original plans, and not run back to Disney World at the very first sight of dream lights on Cinderella’s Castle... only time will tell.