19 Fun-Filled Days in May (pre to trippie) Creations & Pics!!!

[seobaina]

Hi all

Well, this is my third trippie and my second pre-trippie so you'd think I'd be getting the hang of things huh? Well, I'm not sure about that but I have become addicted to the whole trippie experience.

One thing I should warn you about...I like photos. I take lots of photos! *stands up* My name is Helen and I'm a photoholic!!! So when this eventually gets to the trippie part, you should be able to expect LOADS! I also like to creat things for the trip, so again between now and the trip you should see lots of creations from invites, to autograph books, to...well, anything I can think of really. lol

For anyone interested, here's my trippie for my 2008 holiday (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2121204) and the pre-trippie to trippie for the one this last May (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2376504) - I'm still finishing that one as I start this one.

As of today I have just under 180 days to go *whoooohoooo* . We're going next April/May, staying in three locations, hoping to eat in a ton of places, plan to visit everywhere, will be celebrating three birthdays and hope to have LOTS OF FUN!! I hope you'll come along with me and share the excitement of my crazy little disney planning obsession.

Right, as they say, let's get this show on the road!



1) Introducing the Cast - Post 2
2) The Basic Details (hotel, etc) - Post 3
3) The planned timetable - Post 4
4) Success on some dining - Post 6
5) Creating begins (Licenses, certificates) - Post 10
6) Test Track Driving Licenses - Post 11
7) Epcot Passports - Post 12
8) Autograph Book Pages (new design) - Post 14
9) Ticket update - Post 21
10) Autograph Page Missing Characters - Post 27
11) Meal & Event Invitations (Incudes New Designs) - Post 284
12) Welcome Letters for others (new design) - Post 29
13) Hogwarts Express Train Ticket - Post 30
14) WWOHP Wanted Posters - Post 31
15) Wanted Poster blanks & Bay Lake Tower invite - Post 34
16) Back from Flu - recap time - Post 38
17) Tickets, Cameras & Supplies - Post 39
18) Finished Invites, Certificates & Passports - Post 40
19) TOT Hotel Key Card - Post 41
20) Inside & Back Autograph Book Covers - Post 42
21) Front Cover Design for Autograph Books - Post 43
22) Finishing the Autograph Books Post 44




More to come

 

[seobaina]

Ok, so there are three of us on this trip.

The first two...

On the left, as you look at it, is my best friend, Karen. We've been best friends pretty much from the day we met at University back in 1996. Karen is 34 and will be 35 about three weeks weeks before we go. She works in finance and is a big disney fan - something her man tolerates very well . Karen has been to WDW twice before and both times with me. We went together as part of a group of six in 2006 (with her partner and three other friends) and then as just the two of us in 2008 (when this photo was taken). Karen's favourites are Tigger and Mulan.

On the right is me, Helen. Like Karen I'm also 34 and English and also like her I'll be 35 before we go (in my case just 5 days before). I currently have three jobs - I teach 'audio postproduction' for film at University one term a year, I have my own small production company (which we're trying to build up) and I work for the mouse! Yep, the mouse! And yep, I think in some ways it gives me a unique view of the 'World' and my expectations are often high because of it.

I've been a cm on and off since 1993, working part time while I did my degree and two masters. I used to be part of the management team but I don't have time anymore so I'm a regular cm. I LOVE Disney and am proud to work for them. I'm actually a Disney Ambassador and I've come 2nd two years running (by 1 point each time *sigh*) in the cm countrywide trivia competition. So yep, I'm a disney nut! However, I find you guys on here still teach me new things all the time.

I've been to WDW five times before and my fave is Pocahontas, although I have a soft spot for Mickey and Pluto and...well, everyone really LOL.

The third member of our posse is Graham, who was one of the friends on the 2006 trip.

Graham is currently changing jobs but the hobby he'd like to become a job is costume work for the theatre. He actually made the costumes Karen and I are wearing here at the Pirate & Princess Party.

Graham is going to be 40 in a few days so this trip is kinda his belated birthday trip. None of us could get time off in November, hence the reason we're going next April/May instead. Graham is a classic disney fan and his fave is eeyore. He's been to WDW just once before, in 2006, but the three of us also took a trip together to DLRP in 2007.

So, that's the gang!

 

[seobaina]

The flights are booked *happy dance* so we're due to fly with Virgin from Manchester to MCO around lunchtime on 29th April 2011 and then return home on the evening of 17th May 2011 (arrive home 18th May).

We've hired a car (£398) for the entire trip with two drivers. I'm actually expecting to do most, if not all, of the driving for the trip but I didn't want any 'Helen fell over and hurt her leg' type disasters on the trip , so Karen will be registered on it too.

We're actually gonna be staying in three locations. For the first 9 nights we have rented a villa (http://www.orlandovillas.com/villas/175.aspx). Then we're moving in to a single room at Port Orleans French Quarter. We shared a room together at DLRP (where rooms are much smaller) so we figure we can squish in. The room is actually booked til the 17th (at the moment) but I planned a surprise for the others.

We have always wanted to stay at the Beach Club hotel but it has always been out of our price range - still is on this trip (I checked). However, thanks to info on the forums I found out about DVC point renting and priced it up. I then found a kind soul on the forums who has rented enough points to me, at a price I could afford, for three nights. They've booked it, so we are now staying at the Beach Club Villas in a deluxe Studio for the last three nights (14th to 17th). I'm paying for the upgrade and I surprised the others...they are very excited! As am I!

Things I've Done

Flights Booked
Villa Booked (deposit paid)
Hotel Booked (deposit paid)
Car Booked (deposit paid)
DVC Booking Made (and paid)
ESTA (Karen's & Mine)
Plan Discussed & Draw Up
La Nouba Tickets Booked
Major Research Done



Things To Do

ADR Bookings (From Next Week)
Tour Booking
Pirates League Booking
Fantasmic! Dining Plan Booking
Tickets for WDW
Tickets for Sea World Parks
Tickets for Universal Studios Parks
Remainder of Accomodation Payments
Remainder of Car Payment
Autograph Books and Other Goodies
Travel to Airport
Cat Sitting for the one day (29th)
Things I've forgotten about​

So that's the basic details.

 

[seobaina]

We wanted to leave Disney as much as possible for when we're in Disney so that we get the real 'spirit' of it all. This is what we'd all like to have happen *fingers crossed*


Friday 29th April - Flight. We figured we'd not plan anything for this day as we have to collect the car, find the villa, buy food, etc

Saturday 30th April - Universal Studios. We'll prob buy the express pass as it's a Saturday & we only want to spend a day here.

Sunday 1st May - Islands of Adventure. Predominantly we're going for Harry Potter as Karen & I don't like big scary rides. Graham does though, so he'll be doing that.

Monday 2nd May - Aquatica and a Chill Out Day

Tuesday 3rd May - Busch Gardens. We'd like to pop in to Tampa Mall on the way back just to see the new Imagination Store. I've seen a UK one and love it so I want the others to see one.

Wednesday 4th May - Sea World. Hopefully the Polynesian Diner Show.

Thursday 5th May - Chill Out Day. Trip to the Mall. Dinner out and the Cirque Du Soleil 9pm.

Friday 6th May - Chill Out Day. We're gonna do book shops, chill out at the villa. We'd like to go to Point Orlando in the evening and maybe try Johnny Rockets and catch a movie.

Saturday 7th May - EPCOT. Segway Tour in the morning, Marrakech for dinner, early evening (leave before Illuminations).

Sunday 8th May - Location Change to POR. Then Animal Kingdom and a chill out evening.

Monday 9th May - Magic Kingdom. We're like to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table and then watch MS Electrical Parade and Wishes. The park has EMH til 2am, so we'll stay late.

Tuesday 10th May - Late start. Blizzard Beach for a while then Mini Golf (Fantasia Gardens). Dinner at California Grill to watch Wishes again.

Wednesday 11th May - Animal Kingdom all day. Dinner at Boma.

Thursday 12th May - Hollywood Studios. Hopefully the Fantasmic! Dinner Package at Hollywood & Vine.

Friday 13th May - EPCOT all day. Stay for Illuminations.

Saturday 14th May - Location change to BCV. Chill out at location then go to Downtown Disney and Disney Quest.

Sunday 15th May - Magic Kingdom all day. Pirates League in the morning and Chef Mickeys in the evening. Park open to midnight if we want it.

Monday 16th May - Hollywood Studios. Lunch at Sci-Fi possibly. Maybe Flying Fish in the evening with a movie on the beach at BCV.

Tuesday 17th May - Last day. Breakfast at Captain's Grille then whatever we wanna do til about 4pm(ish) when we need to head for the airport.



So, whatcha think?

 

[seobaina]

Ok, so I've been having a play with some Autograph book ideas. I've done two versions of the same sort of thing - one with a big character, one without. Whatcha think?

 

[seobaina]

Ok, can I do a happy dance?

I called Disney Dining last night and I've managed to book nearly everything.

I'd already managed to book Cirque Du Soleil for 9pm on the 5th. But now I've also booked the following...

Segway 'Around the World' Tour
Restaurant Marrakesh
Cinderella's Royal Table
California Grill
Boma
Chef Mickey's
Pirates League
Captain's Grille

All at approximately the times we want

The only things I couldn't book were the Fantasmic package and Paradiso 37 - apparently neither of them were available to book yet, partly because of the system work going on. So fingers crossed I'll get them too.

 

[madbutsexy]

if I had a tinker bell for every time I dream - I would be flying to Disney right now..shucks, come on brain, dream, dream dream

 

[moniqueelaine]

I am in...Can't wait...sounds like you guys are going to have a ball... I have only been to WDW once in 2009..We are going back in 2012 and we are going to do a cruise....I really enjoy these TR they help to keep the Disney spirit in me, even though it is so far off for us......

 

[seobaina]

Aww, welcome aboard. Excuse the pause of a few days but the mouse has got me working LOTS over here with the Christmas rush so I'm not getting much time to get online. Will try to post an update in the next couple of days. x

 

[seobaina]

Ok, now the holiday season has passed by I have time to concentrate on my holiday *happy dance*. Btw, Happy New Year everyone!!

It is now less than 4 months til the trip *whooohoooo* so I'm starting all the creative bits.

The first I'm uploading properly are the licenses and certificates. I should stress that while I have done work on them, these are ALL adapted from the creative work of other designers *bows done to the disney creative bods out there on the forums*. A lot are from here: http://www.4shared.com/dir/18428241/4b39460d/sharing.html

Anyway, first up is a Jedi Knight Official Card - I'll double it over and then laminate it into a card - I'll take photos when they're done.




Then an Expedition Everest certificate. I've done this ride once but Karen has never done it and (currently) says she wants too this trip.



Karen and I are doing the Pirates League Adventure So I figured I'd do certificates, etc for that too.



And the ID card (again to be folded over)

 

[seobaina]

I liked the idea of doing the drivers licenses for test track but I wanted a backing too. So I adapted one of the front DISigns

Then I created the fronts.

 

[seobaina]

Next were the Epcot passports. I love DoNatalie's designs but I also wanted to do something slightly different. So I've adapted her work (and other DISers) to come up with the following:

Cover



Belongs too and Map



Mexico



Norway



China



Germany



Italy



USA



Japan



Morocco



France



UK



Canada



Passport Page



Optional Kim Possible Page

 

[seobaina]

*whooo hoooo* I finally got my butt into gear and I've booked the Sea World Luau for the day we wanted

 

[seobaina]

Ok, these ones are actually my creation. It's my first attempt at my own autograph book so please be nice.

LOTS of characters. The Walt ones are the 'generic' ones.

 

[seobaina]

And some more...

 

[seobaina]

and finally...

 

[seobaina]

I'm using the picture ones for my autograph books but I figured I'd post the alternative version for anyone who is interested.

 

[seobaina]

 

[seobaina]

 

[seobaina]

And finally some alternative pictures.