Are we there yet??? My September Pre Trip Report

[Laurafoster]

Well I’ve finally decided that I had better make a start on my Pre Trippie! Mostly because I’ve noticed several other UK Dissers who are going just before me started theirs months ago so im considerably behind!!

As of yet my TR is un-named! So I will have to thing about a name later!

Let me start off by introducing this years cast of characters –

Me – Laura, 22 years old. Addicted to the Disboards and planning our Disney trips! If im not planning things for our current trip I’m secretly checking out prices for next years trip.

DH – Gary, also 22. Refuses to admit that he is hooked on Disney but I do occasionally come home from work and find that one of our trip dvds is in the DVD player or that the latest Virgin Holidays brochure has been ordered. He claims its just the golf he looks forward too! Either way he is happy for me to book our trips to WDW without question!

My Mum – Alison 44 years old. Terrified of flying and ademently tells my dad that a Virgin Flight to Orlando is far more safe than a Monarch flight to Spain! Equally in love with Disney.

My Dad, Ian 43 years old. Acts the same way as DH and says he is not fussed on Disney. Although when we get there he is perfectly happy to walk around in his Grumpy vest! Also claims its “just for the golf”.

My Grandmother – Joan, 65 years old. First trip to WDW was in 2000 when my mum quite literally just booked her on the flight and told her she was going. Now she often complains about our trips to Disney…..complains that she can’t walk fast enough to do everything she wants to do, or that our trips are not long enough!!

My Grandfather – Alec, 74 years old. Unlike the rest of the men in our family fully admits he loves Disney, always has a huge smile on his face when we are there! Although he would be the first to complain if no golf was booked in!!


So that’s the cast of characters! The reason behind this trip (as if I need a reason to book a trip!! ) is that the last trip was a complete nightmare for my grandparents.

Our last trip was in December, for mine and Gary’s wedding at the Yacht Club. My grandparents stayed at the Dolphin with my Uncle, Aunt and their 2 kids aged 9 and 3. The whole trip was a nightmare for them (apart from the wedding related stuff ) because my Aunt is such high maintenance! The kids are the fussiest eaters ever! They are so bad that they will only eats Ham from Asda!! I mean come on, what 9 year old (or anyone for that matter) can taste the difference between ham from Asda or ham from Tescos? Anyway the long and short of it was that they spent their whole holiday looking after them and didn’t really get to enjoy themselves as much!

My parents, and DH and I did have a wonderful trip but we spent a lot of time doing things related to the wedding and so we missed out on doing some of the “normal” Disney stuff. So DH and I decided we deserved another trip to WDW! And with this argument I managed to persuade the rest of the clan!

I totally blame my Dad for my Disney obsession! He booked our first trip in 1998 when I was 13. At the time my parents had a brain damaged daughter who was not able to travel so we did a 10 night holiday. We actually did 7 nights in Disney and 3 nights at Marco Island on the south coast because naively we thought – 4 theme parks? We wont want any more than a week. Famous last words!! He sent our expectations high by booking us into the WDW Dolphin which was wonderful!! We had a fabulous holiday and from then on we were hooked!!

 

[mvazul]

Wow - am I first?!?!

Great start!! It sounds like you need another trip after the last. Weddings can be so stressful - no matter where they take place. It also sounds like you have a great group going. I'm sure all of you are going to have a wonderful time!

I look forward to reading more!!

BTW - I love the picture in your signature. Absolutely beautiful!

 

[Laurafoster]

Research and Booking the Trip!

So after the weeks of persuasion I finally got all the family to agree to go back this year. The first question was when to go? After looking at prices for different seasons and everyone’s holiday schedules we decided on September but we were not too bothered about what days in September.

Firstly I looked at several travel agents to see if there were any good deals with a package – but no one was even coming close to the price of booking direct so that idea was quickly scrapped!

We decided to look through Dreams Unlimited as we heard really good things about them before. We were ideally looking at the Boardwalk area as we love that in the evening and love being so close to Epcot and MGM. However as we were looking at the rack rate prices they were a bit too much for us at the time, and I couldn’t be sure of the discounts. So we looked at the Dolphin and got a great deal on 10 nights – most nights were $179 per night plus tax, and 2 nights were $199 plus tax. This was an AP deal – we didn’t have an AP yet but would be getting one later on in the planning! We asked DU to hold those nights for a short while.:

Now for our honeymoon we went on our first Disney Cruise and LOVED it!! So I managed to talk everyone round into doing a short cruise this time round! We managed to find a good deal for this through DU too!! We looked at the 3 night cruise on the 20th September. We managed to get a stateroom with a veranda for $1407, plus a room credit of $75! DU kept that on hold for us also.

We decided that it was a bit too much to get up so early for immigration on the Disney wonder at 6am and fly home that night! By the time we got back to the UK we would be exhausted! So we chose to spend a night at the Port Orleans and then fly home the next day, so we put a request in to hold the rooms at the Port Orleans too. This was still rack rate so $145 plus tax.

Accommodation and Cruise sorted it was time to look at the flights!! As we have been so many times we were members of Virgins Frequent Flyer Club, so we had plenty of miles to use for miles plus money fares! We looked at the dates and prices but there was no availability for the day we wanted to come home on the miles plus money fares – only on the standard fares which was almost an extra £100($200) more per person! There was availability for the miles plus money fares for the 26th September, meaning an extra 2 nights in Disney! It worked out cheaper to get the cheaper flights and stay 2 nights longer, than to get the full price flights and come home earlier – not that I really needed any extra persuasion!

Ok flights were now booked and paid for on credit card, I then contacted my DU agent and asked him to amend the Port Orleans reservation to 3 nights. I then paid the deposits for the Dolphin and the Cruise!!

For this trip I had got myself a nationwide credit card to pay for everything on as they don’t charge commission on foreign transactions so you get the bank exchange rate! More money for shopping


I was going to be booking and paying for everything and then my family would just give me what theirs came to – save the confusion for 3 couples trying to each pay separately!

So the Deposit for the Cruise was $400 per Stateroom. - £203
The Deposit for the Dolphin was $201 per room. - £101.50
Flights were £380 per person.

With everything now booked I finally felt like I was actually going!!!

Time to get a new ticker!!!

 

[White as Snow]

Great pre-TR so far! The Dolphin is SO great, isn't it? I love the location. Congrats on the Disney wedding and honeymoon.

Awaiting more planning details!

 

[Avivasmom]

What a great beginning....how cool that you are going with your whole family.

Now going to go check out your wedding report!

 

[wideeyes]

Hi, sounds like it will be a great trip

 

[natalielongstaff]

great trippie Laura

 

[Laurafoster]

Right where was I??........


Im weeks behind on this Pre Trip report now, thanks to my work blocking the DIS!!!!

So in my last instalment I had booked my flights, 10 Nights at the WDW Dolphin, a 3 Night Disney Cruise and 3 nights at the Port Orleans. Firstly the Annual Passholder rates came out for September so I called Dreams Unlimited who said he would get right on it and get my ressie amended to the AP rate…….didnt happen.

He emailed me back to say they only had the Caribbean Beach left, well my family are not huge fans of this resort so I said I would leave it. A few weeks later (actually I think it was only about a week or so later but it felt live forever!) a general public discount code came out. So another call to Dreams Unlimited ………and he said he would get back to me. A Day later I phoned again and he advised he had been unable to get the discount.

To be honest I felt a bit annoyed with this because it felt like he couldn’t really be bothered. So I had a look on the internet and found a special offer on Expedia which worked out the same price as the discount I could have received so I cancelled my Ressie with Dreams and rebooked.

I ended up saving about $125 per room so $375 for the 3 rooms which was worth the hassle! Fortunately Dreams still had the best prices for the Dolphin and the Cruise so I was still happy with them. In fact they emailed me to say that the rate had gone down on a few days of our stay which saved another $300 for our group.

A few days later we decided to get ourselves in the Disney spirit and watched one of our trip videos. Whilst we were watching this trip we decided that we would really love to have a balcony room at the Dolphin, it was an additional $400 per room to upgrade – Ouch!! But it was worth it to know we would have the room we wanted when we got there! And as we had saved so much it really didn’t cost us that much extra …..well that’s what I told DH anyway.

We have also made our ADR’s. We have decided not to do many this trip, I just cant eat that much food everyday. Anyway if I don’t spend loads on food, I have more money to book another trip! We did sill want some nice meals though, so we have booked –

Sept 11th – First Morning – Breakfast at Chef Mickeys. This is becoming quite a ritual for our family, I love that first morning feeling knowing I have the whole trip to go! I love eating at Chef Mickeys on the first morning as it really gets me into the Disney spirit after the long day of travelling the day before.

Sept 13th – Mickeys Backyard BBQ, I know there have been a lot of negative comments about this but I love it! I think its such a good atmosphere and everyone really enjoys themselves.

Sept 16th – Dinner at Ohana’s – we had our Wedding welcome dinner here and I loved it! The service was a little slow last time but we did have a table of 30 lol! We have a quite early ADR so we’re planning to go down to the beach and watch the fireworks.

Sept 19th – Dinner at Le Cellier – we ate here for the first time last year and thought it was great! Loved that Cheddar soup!!!

Sept 23rd – Coral Reef – my parents love this restaurant and we will be celebrating my mothers birthday and my grandparents 46th Wedding Anniversary on the same day so I have ordered the personalised menus and the diver to swim down with the banner as a surprise!

What else have I done? Oh yeah there was a special offer on for Universal Annual Passes - buy one year get one free, worked out about $202 including tax, and the ticket will be valid til September 2009! Another arguing point for persuading DH to go back next year too!

We have also booked the MNSSHP for the 14th September! Really looking forward to this!!

Im still trying to decide whether or not I should get a costume?

 

[Laurafoster]

Okay so ive been working on a rough itinery for our trip –

Monday 10th September – We fly out from London, arrive at Orlando Airport at around 3pm. Check in to the Hotel, unpack and head over to Epcot for a bite to eat at a counter service and watch Illuminations.

Tuesday 11th September – 10:20am Breakfast at Chef Mickeys. Then head over to the Magic Kingdom for a few hours. Chill out around the pool in the afternoon. Head over to Crossroads in the evening to play Pirates Cove golf (DH loves this one) eat at TGI Fridays or Red Lobster and pop over to the supermarket to pick up a few things.

Wednesday 12th September – Spend the day at Blizzard Beach, head back to the hotel to get changed before heading over to Disney Studios for the evening. Just planning on grabbing another counter service meal here and watch Fantasmic.

Thursday 13th September – Off to Animal Kingdom in the morning, have lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ (Another family fave!) and then go back to the hotel and relax by the pool for a couple of hours. This evening we are off to Mickeys Backyard BBQ.

Friday 14th September – Off to Typhoon Lagoon today for another chill out day. Head back to the hotel early afternoon to get showered and changed. If we get time we are going to pop over to Animal Kingdom to watch the parade. We are then going to go over the Magic Kingdom for Mickeys Not so scary Halloween party – we are just planning on grabbing something from Pecos Bill or Caseys corner this evening.

Saturday 15th September – Going to Disney Studios today, we want to see the parade at some point this holiday so we may stay till then and watch it. We are going to Epcot this evening – no ADR booked as we love the counter services in Epcot.

Sunday 16th September – Back to Epcot this morning to do all the rides and have a wander around the world showcase. Spend another afternoon chilling out around the pool. We have an ADR at Ohanas this evening, so we will probably head over a bit early and have a drink in the lounge first. After eating we may go over to Magic Kingdom or stay a while and watch the fireworks from the beach.

Monday 17th September – The guys are playing Golf at Magnolia at 10am so the Girls are going shopping!! Not sure what time they will be back so we have just planned to go to Downtown Disney that evening!

Tuesday 18th September – We are going to head over and do an Airboat ride at boggy creek this morning, before possibly heading to seaworld in the afternoon and evening. If we don’t go to seaworld there is a UK Dis meet at Epcot that I will be dragging DH along too!

Wednesday 19th September – No plans for today, so just doing whatever anyone wants to do. In the evening we are going to Epcot, we have an ADR at Le Cellier for 6:30. Watch Illuminations and head back to the hotel to pack.

Thursday 20th September – Have a late breakfast, check out of the hotel. Limo is then picking us up to take us to Port Canaveral for our 3 night Disney Cruise!!!
Friday 21st/Saturday 22nd September – Cruising!!

Sunday 23rd September – Leave the Disney Wonder and head back to WDW. Check in at the Port Orleans French quarter and head over to the Magic Kingdom! Its my mums birthday and my grandparents wedding anniversary today so we have made an ADR at the Coral Reef, we have booked the diver and personalised menus to celebrate!

Monday 24th September – We are going to go over to Universal today and do both Universal Studios and Islands of adventure! No meals booked here but there are loads of counter service places that we enjoy eating at!

Tuesday 25th September – Last full day in Disney! We have nothing planned today so its just a day to do anything that people missed etc. I would imagine that we would head over to Epcot that evening as its sort of a family tradition to do Epcot on the last night. Its always nice to watch Illuminations on that last evening!

Wednesday 26th September – Time to go home. We usually pack up and check out before heading over for a few last hours at the Magic Kingdom. Lovely long depressing flight home! Arrive back in sunny England the next morning.

Thursday 27th September – Time to book the next trip!!!

 

[hjd0411]

Thursday 27th September – Time to book the next trip!!!

That is so funny!!! I think I might be like that too, when I get back.

Great start - good to see you have a few "rest" days, too. That's what I plan. We also travel a looooong way to get to WDW, so I want to relax and take things easy for some of the days!

Look forward to hearing more....

 

[Laurafoster]

BTW - I love the picture in your signature. Absolutely beautiful!

Thanks Its one of my favourites!

That is so funny!!! I think I might be like that too, when I get back.

I absolutely believe that the best way of getting over Jet Lag is to book another trip