A Very British Trip Report - Oct 2006 - Day 18 & Summary

[Kevin Stringer]

DAY 18 – FRIDAY 3rd NOVEMBER 2006 & SUMMARY

Whos’ going:

Me, Kev – Husband, father, friend and all round good egg.
Wife, Tam – she hates to be called ‘the wife’ so I left the ‘the’ off. Make sense?
India, nearly 16, eldest daughter.
Georgia, now 13, youngest daughter.
Deb & Matt – good friends
Susan – another good friend, joining us for part 2 of the holiday.

We get up around 7.45am and attempt to fit everything into the available luggage space. Even though we have bought a couple of additional hold alls, it’s still very tight due to a healthy dose of shopping and lots of presents from Susan.

We have decided to use Virgin’s Downtown Disney check-in and attempt to get the car out of valet parking. Unfortunately the battery is dead and they have to start it with jump leads. This means we don’t reach the check-in until 10.15am and the queue is huge. Luckily the old silver flying club membership comes to the rescue and we can use Upper Class/Premium Economy check-in, which has no queue.

Thankfully the car starts and we drive a couple of hundred yards to the AMC cinema where we are going to watch A Nightmare Before Christmas 3D. I think this is a great movie, but the 3D effects are not spectacular. Having said that, it is easy on the eyes, sometimes I find 3D films difficult to watch. The audio in the cinema is excellent and certainly enhances the experience. Susan enjoys it very much as she is a fan of Danny Elfman who wrote the music and provides some of the voices. Deb and Matt are the only ones that haven’t seen it before and Deb says she preferred The Corpse Bride.

We are off to the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs for lunch. Well, we would be except the car won’t start again. Luckily a Disney security van is passing and they are very happy to start us with jump leads.
Over at Saratoga we enjoy a nice meal where me, Tam and the girls finish off the dining portion of our holiday with sirloin steal for all, which is very good. Mine seems to be the smallest steak of the four and I ask Georgia if she is going to eat all hers. Matt insists I put this in my trip report as he reckons I’ll sulk if she doesn’t leave me some steak. I do, she does, so I don’t.

We talk to Deb and Matt about their potential DVC purchase. Deb would like to buy, but has left the decision to Matt. As she says, it is a lot of money, not like buying a pair of shoes. I have to point out to her that some of the shoes she has bought on this holiday are probably more expensive than the DVC!
We are now running a book on whether they will buy or not. It’s currently at not to buy 2-1on, to buy 11-8.

Back at the car the flippin’ thing won’t start again. Matt seeks assistance for us and another security team is despatched, I’ve been very impressed with the ladies and gentlemen of the Disney security service as they have been incredibly helpful and friendly.

It’s time to say goodbye to Deb and Matt as they are off for 2 nights at the Rosen Shingle Creek. There are hugs and farewell’s all round. I’m sure I see a tear in Matt’s eye, although he would probably claim that these are tears of joy.
It’s sad to see them drive off, but as we are getting together next weekend for a holiday de-brief and are going to Dublin the week after to see Bruce Springsteen, it will not be a long parting.
Tam breaks any maudlin feelings by chasing their car down the road waving and blowing kisses.

The remaining persons now drive over to Epcot via a run to the Animal Kingdom to try and get some charge into the battery.
We arrive at the Rose and Crown just after 4.00pm where there is another DIS Meet in progress arranged by Florida Sun (Sue). Now I must admit that this is the worst DIS Meet I have ever been to. Perhaps I should explain fast before I get a rude e-mail from an irate Welsh lady (Sue). How can you enjoy a DIS Meet when you cannot drink and you have to leave all these happy holidaymakers to get on a plane and fly home? It just ain’t right, I’m telling you.

I enjoy chatting to John (Night-train) and Vernon for a while, sorry I didn’t get around to meet everyone properly.

We say farewell and walk back through Epcot where we just have time to pop into watch Oh Canada, as Tam has wanted to do this all holiday. The film here is getting very dated, but now has a sort of nostalgic feel to it.

Exiting Epcot, it’s now time to say goodbye to Susan as she is off to the Wilderness Lodge for 2 nights. There’s just too many farewell’s on this last day for my liking.
Back at the car we all cross our fingers and hope it starts. It turns over slowly and at first I don’t think it’s going to catch, but at last it bursts into life and we’re off on our journey home.
The rest is the same as ever, although I shouldn’t complain too much as it goes very smoothly with no delays or hold ups.

SUMMARY

So what was good and what was bad?

Weather – Some really lovely days and nights. It was very hot at times, but I love the humid Florida nights where you walk out from an air conditioned building to be hit by the heat.

Villa v DVC – Deb and Matt much prefer staying in villa whereas the Stringers usually enjoy the on-site experience, so it was really interesting to see how we enjoyed doing the opposite to what we normally do.
We all loved staying at Reunion. It’s a fantastic place and the Rock Weekend was just the icing on the cake. My only problem is having to drive if you want to go out in the evening, as this means no drinking.
Of course, you have the advantage of more space, your own pool and games room and much less hustle and bustle.
Is one superior to the other? No, and why should it be? I am just very grateful that I got to enjoy both wonderful experiences and hope I will do so many more times in the future. I hope Deb and Matt enjoyed their week at the Boardwalk as much as we enjoyed our time in Reunion.

Golf – One of the advantages of going with other people is that you get to try things you wouldn’t normally try. Matt enjoys golf, so I gave it a go as well. It was a huge amount of fun and we will doubtless be hacking around together again soon.

Food – As always in Florida you get a huge range of dining experiences, from the humble burger to plush sit down restaurants. One thing that is a constant is the excellent standard of service.
Victoria and Albert’s was just amazing. We will undoubtedly be returning here.

Deb and Matt – I have read reports from many people who have been on holiday with friends and would never go again. Perhaps we are strange, but I can’t think of a single instance of friction between us for the whole holiday. They have to cope with our children as well as us, so they may think differently!
As I said before, we did things for the first time on this holiday and they did too, that’s one of the joys of travelling with friends, you try new things.
They don’t hinder our holiday at all, they enhance it. The Debster and The Mattster are just cool people, ok?
Oh yes, and they took the plunge and joined the DVC. Welcome home.

Susan – It was lovely to meet up with Susan again. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating – I have never met anyone so generous and kind as Susan, she never has a cruel word to say about anyone. (With the exception of certain politicians!).
Susan, you may care to note that this is the third time we have travelled across the Atlantic to see you. It’s about time you sorted out a flight across to our side of the pond, don’t you think? I can arrange very reasonable bed and breakfast rates with Tam.

Food and Wine Festival – It gets bigger and better every year. My only regret is that we didn’t spend more time doing some of the free wine tastings and food demonstrations. We had such a good time snacking and drinking from the booths.

And the bad?

Georgia says she didn’t enjoy the record low temperatures we endured on a couple of nights.
The car not starting on the last day was a pain.
Being bitten at the villa. Probably our own fault for lack of insect repellent.
The girls didn’t enjoy going off and doing things on their own as much as we thought they would. Tam and I thought they would jump at the chance of a bit of independence, but they much preferred to be with us.
And the worst thing of all – flying home while the rest of our friends remained behind in Florida.

So, what’s next on the holiday horizon?
Flights have already been booked for next August. This is the only part of the trip that is set at the moment. We fly into New York and out of Orlando. The plan at the moment is to go for 3 weeks – 4 nights in New York, 4 nights in the mountains of North Carolina, 5 nights at Hilton Head, 2 nights at Universal Florida, 6 nights at Reunion.
Deb and Matt will hopefully be joining us at Hilton Head onwards.

Thanks to you all for reading and for the comments and feedback, I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
See you soon.

Kev

 

[Ellester]

Another successful holiday! Loved your report. Your daughters are so lovely. When I see Georgia, I have visions of what my oldest will look like in 5 or so years. My dh already has a big stick to beat off the suitors, I'm sure you have one as well! Only 9 months till your next trip, let the planning begin! We made our first visit to DVC Hilton Head this fall and it was wonderful. We have also just moved out of North Carolina, so I can attest that the montains are beautiful (but much different than the Rockies).

 

[kitcat1]

Kev,

What an excellent report from start to finish. Its interesting and informative to look at someone else' trip for ideas for your own. As its our first time we are super excited about it and reading all the reports only makes it worse or should I say better. I really enjoyed the humour and the fab photo's. I thought your idea of carrying your journal with you and finding a quiet spot to make notes a good one. Thanks for all your hard work.

Cath

 

[Cass]

I was surprised your girls didn't like getting away on their own for a bit, my DD12 always likes to 'ditch us' for a few hours of freedom. I think it is sweet that they like to be with their parents though

Thanks again for the great trip report, you people know how to have a good time.

 

[tinawv]

Thank you Kevin for sharing your vacation with us. I have really enjoyed reading your trip report. Your traveling with friends gave me some hope for a future vacation we are planning with my mother, brother and his wife, and sister and her husband. We tried this in 2003, and it was a total disaster. We thought we had to be together 24/7, and needless to say this caused problems. What I have learned from your trip report is that you don't have to be together 24/7, and should do some things separately from each other.

Looking forward to August 2007. Take care.

 

[Disney_1984]

? i only see one day here, day 18? u made a different thread for each day?...

 

[Kevin Stringer]

? i only see one day here, day 18? u made a different thread for each day?...

I certainly did 1984. This is the way I always post my reports and have done for 6 years. Nothing wrong with putting them all in one post, I just prefer it this way.

Kev

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Kevin, excellent report as always. I read most of your previous reports as well.

Looking forward to next years report, stay happy and healthy until then!

 

[noodleknitter]

Thank you for your report. I always enjoy your reports! Looking forward to next years!

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you Kevin. I'm looking forward to your August report. I always love reading your reports.

 

[Bee]

Kev,

It was a pleasure reading everyday! Looking forward to next year!
Have a great year and Happy Holidays!!

 

[UKDEB]

Before the trip, Kev and I concurred on several occasions that, whilst we were each looking forward to experiencing "one another's" holidays, neither of us was expecting to change our points of view. There was never any doubt that being at the BoardWalk during the IF&WF would be fantastic and that definitely lived up to expectations. I suppose the big difference this split stay made to us was that, rather than mixing things up as we normally would, we almost had two separate holidays. For example, much as we both love it, we wouldn't normally shop on 3 consecutive days! And our Disney touring was a departure from our normal routine that first week knowing that we would be doing little else during the second.

I said all along that, ideally I would be doing things the other way around and, now I think about it, I haven't changed my feelings about that. Our second week onsite was very full on with little down time and a week at the villa afterwards would have been lovely. I'm being very pedantic, though, as I wouldn't change anything about this particular trip. Had we done it differently, we might not have had some of the many magical moments. There were so many that I don't really know where to start:

The concerts at Reunion. Both were fantastic, but I enjoyed the second evening more. During the week or so in the run-up to the trip, I'd started to feel that having two consecutive evenings taken over by these concerts might prove to be a nuisance. Had Matt and I been there on our own, we may well have talked ourselves out of going, but I'm so glad we had the Stringer voice of reasoning to spur us on ("Don't be stupid, woman"). Since arriving home, we've seen the official video of the weekend which has brought back some happy memories. It's very good, too - apart from a couple of crazy women in the front row. Why anyone would show themselves up like that, I've no idea.

The Adventurers' Club. The Stringers had been threatening to drag us along here for years. They're all so enthusiastic about the place that there was a real danger of it being a disappointment. However, I managed to keep an open mind and my expectations in check. No amount of explication can begin to describe this unique experience. This may sound strange, but in hindsight I enjoyed it much better than I thought I did at the time and I can't wait to go back. I'm convinced I'll enjoy it even more now that I 'get it'.

The golf. I always enjoy accompanying Matt around golf courses in Orlando. It's great fun to drive the cart in the Florida sun and have beer (and food if you want it) delivered to you. The Reunion courses, in particular, are quite spectacular. Tam and I had only intended to join the boys for a few holes, but, even though it was quite chilly, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we stayed for the entire round. The girls weren't too impressed at the prospect of being left alone at the villa for the best part of five hours, but there was not a murmour from them when we eventually returned. They really are two of the most charming young ladies you could hope to meet. I suppose you have to give the parents some credit.

Jellyrolls. A place I've wanted to visit for as long as I can remember. You really do need to be staying in the Epcot Resorts area to do this justice, IMHO. I love a good sing-a-long and I can't imagine ever tiring of this place (well, except at 2am, when I did tire of it and had to take myself off to bed. Anyone who knows me will be impressed - that's at least four hours after my normal 'crash' time).

Victoria & Albert's. I love eating out and there are many places in Orlando I really enjoy (so many that I have trouble deciding which to choose each trip), but this place really is head and shoulders above the rest. IMHO, there is a romanticised view of the WDW restaurants and there are a lot which fall far short of the hype, but V&A's truly deserves its reputation.

Our girly day at Downtown Disney. Matt is very tolerant of my desire to visit every shop on WDW property hug: ), but I'm always conscious that he's more than a bit bored. It was lovely to have an indulgent day with like-minded individuals. I think we spent 2 hours (it may have been more) in the World of Disney store alone.

Narcoossee's. Again, a visit has long been on my 'to do' list, even though it gets mixed reviews. It was one of those evenings which just conspired to come together in a magical way. I can't quite put my finger on why that was and it's not something you can plan for or necessarily re-create (and neither should you try).

Halloween. I enjoyed all our trips to Epcot - it's my favourite park, the one where I feel most at one with the world, and I adore the IF&WF, but (as I mentioned on the Day 15 thread) our evening here for Halloween will be an enduring memory. Perfect.

Most of all, though, I have simply enjoyed being with wonderful friends. Kev and Tam both have a wicked sense of humour and there's never a dull moment. The nightly pool playing at the villa certainly elicited plenty of laughs. As I've mentioned many times before, India and Georgia are delightful, good-natured girls and a credit to Kev and Tam. It was wonderful, too, to meet Susan at last and, once again, to have reason to thank the internet, and the DIS in particular, for bringing such a fabulous person into our lives. Let me tell you, should you ever have the urge to spend a week with a complete stranger, Susan's your girl. She's the ultimate companion - intelligent, interesting, kind-hearted and fun. Last, but not least, my lovely husband, Matt. Apparently I give him a hard time. Well, if I do, it's only because he deserves it!

Kev - I know I speak for many people here in thanking you for the usual round of witty and engaging Trip Reports. We've got more reason than most to thank you, though, because they provide a permanent record of another wonderful holiday spent in the company of wonderful friends. Sycophantic interlude over.

 

[UKDEB]

Thank you Kevin for sharing your vacation with us. I have really enjoyed reading your trip report. Your traveling with friends gave me some hope for a future vacation we are planning with my mother, brother and his wife, and sister and her husband. We tried this in 2003, and it was a total disaster. We thought we had to be together 24/7, and needless to say this caused problems. What I have learned from your trip report is that you don't have to be together 24/7, and should do some things separately from each other

That's another of the great things about travelling with the Stringers - none of us feels offended if we don't always want to do the same thing and, consequently, every moment we do spend together is fun. Inevitably, compromises do have to be made when travelling in a group, but, if you make the mistake of thinking you can't ever split up and do your own thing, it's easy for eveyone to think they're compromising on everything.

 

[Kevin Stringer]

That's another of the great things about travelling with the Stringers - none of us feels offended if we don't always want to do the same thing

Hang on. Me and Matt wanted to go back to Hooters and we were both offended by the lack of enthusiasm from the ladies.

Kev

 

[IDoBelieveinFairies!]

I must say,, I am a fan of yours,,, keep coming back to read more

Daughters & my Mom will be going for this coming Christmas, while husband deployed . We all have enjoyed reading yours

 

[judi]

I enjoyed your trip report and all the pictures that went with it. Thank You!!

 

[travelin' tigger]

I just wanted to say thanks to you, Kev, for posting another one of your fantastic trip reports. You have great friends and family, and there is nothing more wonderful in this life than being able to experience the magic of Disney (and Jellyrolls) with them!!!