Animal Kingdom Villa's 'May' we have this dance! May 2013

Paula Sedley-Burke

Proud to believe in Rainbows and Unicorns...
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
7,756
Jambo Everyone!

This is my first trip report so be gentle with me!

Let me introduce myself ..I am Paula and I am 42 female from the UK. I am travelling with DW (45) Jo. Jo and I have been together for 15 years and married (civil partner) for 7. We are soul mates :-)

We became DVC members in 2008 after becoming hooked on Disney after our first trip back in 1998. But it took us a few years to see sense! Never regretted it! Been back once a year ever since ( at least ) . Our home resort is SSR which we love but this May we are staying at AKV kidani Village for the first time. This is because we just adore the AKL and always wanted to try it and also because we are coming twice this year. This May ( this TR ) and then again in Sep/Oct for a Disney Cruise and Stay on The Dream and SSR. Did I hear you say GREEDY. That's right I feel the luckiest person alive!

So why twice visit Disney this year? Well first of all why not? It's fun right! But actually I have been very ill. I am medically retired now as I have very bad auto immune disease invading my joints, eyes, bowel, well just about everywhere. I have gone from working full time for a large software company to housebound in 5 years. This year has been very hard for me and my poor Jo who has been trying to do her job and care for me.
My parents and Jo see how much I respond to my Disney trips so have joined funds together to give us an extra trip in the hope it makes me better. I need to gain some weight so plenty of good American food and rest and sunshine! Plus my poor Jo needs a rest from her very stressful job as a Managing Director of a Data Centre company in London and the stress of my ill health and exhaustion of caring for me.

We are coming for 10 days from May 5th - May 15th 2013 and already we are packed! I am so excited!

I currently have treatment for my disease via infusion at a great London hospital and I am having an infusion on the Thursday ( May 2nd ) before we come so hopefully that should give me an extra boost. The rest is up to Disney Magic and pixie dust!

The reason we only have one ADR is that my health is very unpredictable. It's best to see how I am on the day and we like eating at Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Appbees etc as I have very specific dietary requirements with my chrons disease. If I feel well we eat in the restaurant if not Jo kindly gets us a take away and we have it in our studio!

Our biggest love is Earl Of Sandwich and we do everything we can to enjoy lunch there most days! They make the sandwiches to order and I can amend them to suit plus they are divine!

Here is our itinerary so far :

Saturday May 4th : Drop of dogs at pet sitters. Travel to Gatwick airport to stay over night at Airport. Don't sleep due to pure excitement!

Sunday May 5th: Fly Virgin Atlantic to Orlando. Our day has finally arrived! Arrive at Orlando at 17:30 and get the ME to AKV Kidani Village, staying in an accessible studio. Try to stay awake to adjust to time difference! Usually achievable with pure excitement!

Monday May 6th : Pick up rental car. Do some grocery shopping. Lunch at Earl Of Sandwich ( first one down many to go!) , Get a disabled permit from the Sheriffs office, Meet a friend we meet on Disney cruise last year. Dinner at Olive Garden maybe either take out or eat in.

Tuesday May 7th : Exchange paper PAP for plastic RFID passes in EPCOT ( just because we can! ) shall we get Minnie, Mickey, Donald or Pluto? No MagicBands yet! Maybe September! Can't wait! Get GAK card and go to Soaring! Earl of Sandwich. No dinner plans maybe Applebees! Take out or eat in.

Wednesday May 8th : Morning at AK and Expedition Everest if feeling up to it. Don't tell consultant lol! Oh my! A girl has to have some fun right! Maybe do a Safari. Oh look at those Hippos. Man I want that figure for the winter back home! More burgers needed! RainForest Cafe. Yum!

Thursday May 9th : MK! It's got to be? Have we really waited this long? Oh why I can smell Main Street. Wow look at the Castle it never fails to take my breath away. Space mountain? Sorry doctor lol. I know I said I wouldn't but look at me weeee..... Great Thunder Mountain? Fun is the best medicine doctor... weeee...Lunch at pesco bills. Make mine a double! Any room at Pirates League oh come on it will be fun! Afternoon by the pool. Why are those people staring. They never seen a disabled Pirate Princess before lol! Dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Take out or in. Maybe both!

Friday May 10th : DHS! TSM! Can I beat Jo? I doubt it she is really good! Well done love you really showed those soldiers with those dinner plates! That's it you let out all that anger you never show to the world! Hehehhe this is so much fun. Soak in atmosphere and afternoon by the pool. Dinner at Red Lobster. Take out or in.

Saturday May 11th : Typhoon Lagoon! Sit back and relax. DW loves the water! My drug leaves me with compromised immune system so not able to go into water but enjoy the rest and atmosphere and seeing pure glee on Jo Jo's face! Oh I shout...here comes another typhoon!!!!! Dinner at Olive Garden or Rain Forest Cafe maybe.

Sunday May 12th : Seaworld. Is Antarctica open yet? I just love Rock Hopper pengins! A soft opening maybe? Come on just a sneaky look! If not then wait till September when we are back and head for good old MK and enjoy new FantasyLand and the yummy leFou's brew! Saw this wonderful addition last November in the Preview. Was great. Is that MineTrain open yet? Dinner undecided. Spoilt for choice!

Monday May 13th : Shopping and rest. Visit outlet malls. How many Sketchers can one woman own? Is she going to break the world record? I can only wear trainers mostly do to inflammed feet so I decorate my feet with lovely sneakers! Dinner undecided. What we in the mood for?

Tuesday May 14th : Alas our last day has to be MK! ADR at Rain Forest Cafe in evening 6:15 :-) I just love this place. I hope well enough if not send Jo for Olive Garden take out! Look out of room at Animals and try to remember the magic I feel right now.

Wednesday May 15th : Boo hoo fly home. Downtown Disney check in then bit of last minute shopping in DTD before heading to airport. Trip over! Can the plane take off with all this glorious weight I have gained? I sure hope so! My doctors will be delighted! :cool1:

How much weight have I gained? Lots I hope! Has the Earl of Sandwich done me proud? Is Jo nice and rested after racing around after me, running a company and dealing with all my medical ups and downs? She is so exhausted poor love very often the carer is forgotten! Let's give her a pixie dust thank you. Without her I don't know what I would do. She truly is my saint, never moaning in the middle of the night, when she has to cut an important meeting short at work, when she misses out on social outings , family gatherings and seeing friends. She deserves the best time!

Stay tuned!

Here is us at SSR last October ( 2012 ) me on right Jo on left.

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Thanks for listening!

pirate:

Paula
 
Paula, great pre-trippy :)

Sounds like you and Jo are lucky to have each other. I hope you have a wonderful trip and plenty of Earl of Sandwich. In case you didn't already know (I only found out myself this morning) Earl of Sandwich offers a 10% discount to DVC members (15% if you have AA/AAA) :thumbsup2

May you come back a stone heavier, greatly rested and feeling much better for a dose of Disney.
 
Paula, great pre-trippy :)

Sounds like you and Jo are lucky to have each other. I hope you have a wonderful trip and plenty of Earl of Sandwich. In case you didn't already know (I only found out myself this morning) Earl of Sandwich offers a 10% discount to DVC members (15% if you have AA/AAA) :thumbsup2

May you come back a stone heavier, greatly rested and feeling much better for a dose of Disney.

Thank you so much! That is fab re 10% discount! Great tip thank you Wilma-bride ( great name! ) oh yes please re stone!

I still can't figure out how to post a picture! It says attach a file using the attachments box under the message box but I can't see one! Maybe a senior moment!
 
Have you got your photos uploaded to Photobucket (or a similar file sharing site)? If so, when you post a reply to the thread, it is the little icon that looks like a mountain next to the speech bubble. If you use Photobucket, you can also copy and past the image code directly from photobucket (underneath or next to the individual picture normally).

Would love to see some photos :)
 

Have you got your photos uploaded to Photobucket (or a similar file sharing site)? If so, when you post a reply to the thread, it is the little icon that looks like a mountain next to the speech bubble. If you use Photobucket, you can also copy and past the image code directly from photobucket (underneath or next to the individual picture normally).

Would love to see some photos :)

Oh no I haven't got a Photobucket. I will investigate! Thanks! Paula
 
16 days to go! How long can a person survive without sleep? Can a person die from sheer excitement?


How many shoes shall I bring? I have to work out a simple formula based on duration of vacation, how many I will buy from outlet mall in Orlando and just sheer panic at the last moment when for some odd reason I doubt that any store in America will sell a pair of sneakers lol.

Number of sneakers = days of vacation - number of sneakers purchased on vacation + panic at last moment - DW removing some complaining of luggage space
 
Number of sneakers = days of vacation - number of sneakers purchased on vacation + panic at last moment - DW removing some complaining of luggage space

:rotfl:

OMG, that is so funny. That is exactly how it goes in our house too (except substitute DW with DH).
 
:rotfl:

OMG, that is so funny. That is exactly how it goes in our house too (except substitute DW with DH).

Lol. Spouses all the same! I should have added to the end of my formula that because DW works and I don't that I then add them back when she is at work and the suitcases are packed ( DW likes to pack the bags weekend before ) . The police would call this a crime of opportunity lol..
 
Here is the packing so far! DW is so good at getting these in our cases. But is she that good? What will I have to remove? Not my 10,000 Disney caps I won't wear because I will buy a new one? :drive:


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14 days to go! Two weeks or what us Brits call a 'fortnight' and we will be on the plane somewhere across North America ( possibly Goose Bay ) depending on route on our way down to Orlando having made it across the Atlantic with Virgin Atlantic.

I will be trying to watch a movie but too excited so flicking between movies hoping for a Disney one.

DW will be sleeping after the smallest can of beer which has possibly made for somebody Hobbit sized. But fear not no driving for her on arrival the wonderful ME awaits!
 
12 days to go! Checked in online with Disney! Counted out the meds. Soon will be able to check the forecast in Orlando! Very excited!
 
Have a wonderful Holiday ! pixiedust:

Our trips overlap I will be in Disney May 5-11 at BLT. :cool1::cool1:

Can't Wait :hourglass
 
Have a wonderful Holiday ! pixiedust:

Our trips overlap I will be in Disney May 5-11 at BLT. :cool1::cool1:

Can't Wait :hourglass

Thank you kindly! Oh how wonderful re you going too! BLT looks fab! Have a great time. Have seen your pre trip report! Great! We might check out the top of the world lounge if it is still a perk for all DVC owners.
 
Update! 11 days to go! The job of getting out all the electrical devices and leads..


Clear the camera memory card! Oh my a picture from Christmas I promise to send to relatives....

Which leads are which? Which adapters work and which one's failed last year and why oh why did I bring them home?

Why did I not take the time to label everything!

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What have I forgotten? ipad charger? ......always bring too many UK to US adapters! Obsessed! Forget Ipad charger head for Apple store every year lol.

What do you always bring too much of and what do you always forget? Would love to hear!
 
10 days Window update ( not a service pack lol )

Wish Antarctica was going to be open in time looks like we will miss it! ( at Seaworld) want to see Rock Hopper penguins! )

Have to make do with being 'virtually there' lol

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Sadly this week I have been very ill and me and wasn't even sure if I was well enough to make the journey. But I am still keeping my eyes on the prize! I have to get to Kidani on Sunday it's all I have been hoping and praying for for the last 11 months. I think this once Disney will have to extend me some pixie dust to cover for my travel. Fingers crossed I can fly on Sunday.
 
I'm in! We're at AKL the same time, but Jambo.:-)
 












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