The week that school ends, it’s normal for someone to imagine and create all these plans to make the summer even better than the one before it. The question is whether or not said person would actually follow through with the plans and live a life governed by a carpe diem philosophy. Most of the time, and this is based on my own experiences, a person plans too much and ends up with a lot of regret; who honestly has all the time and energy to do everything on the summer bucket list? No, things always get in the way of the ultimate summer- a job, lack of funds, laziness. So, if the whole summer is a bust, what should you do?

Obviously spend at least the last week of summer vacation doing something completely awesome to make up for all of it!

Yes, that’s right! I’m totally guilty of forgetting all the plans I made the month before school ended, but I plan to make up for this entire summer of work with the last week before I go back to my educational prison. And what is it I plan to do? Well…

I’m going to Orlando for an entire week with one of the best people on this big, blue planet! Here I come Disney World, Universal Studios and a much needed massage!

I’ve been planning the last month for this week trip and so far, it’s super expensive. At first, I was hesitant about spending so much money on a trip, money I honestly should be saving for emergencies or my college tuition, but eventually I got over it, and I’m super excited to be doing something awesome with someone who lives so far away from me on an average day.

So what are my plans exactly? I’m glad you asked, because I want to share it with you. Without further ado, I give you how to plan the ultimate week trip to Orlando.

1. If you don't have one, rent a car.

This is what’s super important. Since I don’t own a car of my own at the moment, I need to rent a car to pick up my Northern Irish friend from the airport and to be able to drive anywhere we want for the whole week. It's important to take not only rental fees in consideration when doing this part. Many people forget that if you rent a car, you must also pay for the gas and parking fees that follow. This can range to any amount as it depends on how far you're driving, what kind of car you get, and where you'er going. Disney and Universal now charge $20 for parking for non-members. So, for five days of parks, that's $100 for parking.

If you must rent a car, definitely visit the Hertz website. I find this one great because it's affordable, and they rent out to young adults as young as twenty years old. Just be warned, the price for being an impressionable little person under the age of 25 is about an extra $27 per day. But hey! I made it where they can pick up my car from the college when I’m done using it. For free! So that's a plus.

2. Get a place to stay.

Yes, you read that right. We’re staying in a condo with two bedrooms (at least I think so) and a kitchen so we can cook our own meals. It’s going to be like having our own apartment for a good week. The reason why doing this is better than an average hotel room is because the price of eating out in Orlando is ridiculous. It's cheaper to buy you're own food and cook it. If you're completely decided on staying in Disney itself, there's actually a guide for helping you find the best hotel for you here. By staying in a hotel in Disney, there are some benefits like bus transport to all the parks, no parking fees, and a close proximity. But, it's up to you!

3. Go to Disney and give each desired park its own day.

We plan on going to Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios). Each park will be given its own magical day, and I’m looking forward to it! I think it has been years since I last went to Disney properly. Keep in mind that a day in Disney is not cheap. Oh no. I'm spending at least $211 for a three-day ticket alone. And that's with me being a Florida resident! Sorry guys, I tried to find a loop hole, but there isn't one. And don't forget the food! You're looking at spending an extra $100 per day with souvenirs and food on that list.

4. Ride the Hogwarts Express in Universal!

I love Universal. It can be considered my favorite park ever. The best part of Universal is definitely the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Like, come on! It’s so great! I can’t wait to experience everything again. Don’t even get me started on the rides. Universal is also expensive, maybe even more so, with tickets costing $202 for two days (again, for Florida residents). This does include the park hopper feature, however, which will allow you to ride the Hogwarts Express. If you're good without it, you might be spending about $40 less or more. You can't skip out on Universal though. I mean, come on.

And the best part…

5. Get a massage.

I need one, and I can’t wait till I can get one. I can use the downtime and relaxation, and that’s what it’ll be as long as I leave the price tag for this trip to worry about afterwards. A massage in the general area of Kissimmee (which is pretty darn close to Orlando), is roughly $110 for an hour and a half. Not bad right? To me, it sounds a bit extreme, but hey! This is meant to be a vacation, and I'm going to make the most of it. So, you should too.

I’m excited about everything and the planning is just as fun. It builds up the excitement. I’m stoked about it, about everything. Yeah, it looks like I'll be spending around one thousand dollars for this trip, but I haven't had one in so long and I think I deserve it. The best part is, if you have more than one other person going with you, costs are split.

What do you think of this plan? Do you have any of your own? Let me know! I could use some other ideas for the future.