Carsland here we come - Update 23/10

[Melbourne5]

Hi all

In some breaking news the tax cheque arrived and like any good disboard'er I have spent it already!

So what you ask?

Well The Melbourne 5 are off to Cars land at DLR in 23 sleeps! The quickest ever organised overseas trip ever.

Flights , hotel, transfers, tickets booked.

Kids have no idea. DW is very happy too.

Details to come as my head stops spinning.

 

[Jaxxie]

WOW that is impressive organizing!!!

Have an awesome trip

 

[becpee]

You win!

 

[Tara2004]

Awesome. How long are you going for? Is it a disneyland only trip? I need details.


I wish I was you.

 

[OzCath]

Wow!! Great news. My tax cheque is being put away for a trip hopefully next April/May.

 

[dabecs]

Fantastic!

Our tax return was a negative this year

Can't wait to hear more about your plans - and my head would be spinning too!

 

[Andona]

Now that's the kind of impulse shopping that I would really like to indulge in!
Hope you have a fantastic trip.

Andona

 

[ExcitedSam]

WOW! I LIKE IT!!



My tax check is in the negative too luckily our trip is all paid for and we're not relying on it!

 

[LizfromOz]

I am in awe of you

That's amazing!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Wow Melbourne5, it must've been a very big tax cheque .

Amazing stuff.

Can't wait to hear more about all the gory details, you know how we Disers crave the details.

 

[Melbourne5]

My kids have been driving me nuts since they saw the 'today show' broadcast from DLR a while back. You would think that their 3 week immersion at WDW/NYC & Texas in Sept last year would have been enough but oh no ......lots of lofty little expectations.

So aligning the planets was easy....not since then. A decision to move back home, to Newcastle,(...go Knights!) from the city we love and called home for 6 years , Melbourne, coupled with a potential ,nice, tax refund and a bit of spare time saw me launch operation Carsland.

With the small matter of the tax refund put to bed 48 hours ago i was time to launch into overdrive and burn a bit of broadband usage.....

Here is the detail;

23/8 - VAus MEL-LAX
23/8 - transfer to Universal City Hilton Hotel ( Hollywood) for 3 nights
23-26/8

• Universal studios ( and ride the brand new Transformers attraction)
• Hollywood walk of fame
• Farmers markets /Grove Shopping
• Brea Tar Pits
• Santa Monica/Venice Beach

26/8 - transfer to Anaheim Hilton
26/8-1/9

• 2 days DLR
• 2 Days DCA ( and the carsland circus)
• a trip to the beach ( HUntington i think)
• a shop at South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa

1/9 - LAX-SYD-MEL VAus

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Wow that is certainly whirlwind but lots of fun stuff planned. Well done.

 

[Melbourne5]

Airfares
If you read my trip report from WDW you will know i am a pretty loyal qantas flyer but i have been Wooed by Sir Richard B.......

YOu see last year Virgin decided to offer status matches to qantas FF's. I therefore received a platinum membership and as i stopped flying around xmas time dropped to gold with qantas.

Coupled with the last minute nature of the trip, some excellent ( for such a late booking) V aus fares ($5900 for the 5 of us) we were booked.

Let the upgrade bingo seat game begin. My tactic of choice which has served me well ( econ to prem econ upgrades both ways the last 2 years to the USA) is now in place. that being choosing the bulkhead seats with baby capsules....those pesky airline folk just love bumping people who dont need them out for those that do and in return bumping for us has been closer to the pointy end of the plane 2 out of 3 years......we will dee how i go playing the Vaus bingo for the first time though.

Anyhow we are booked and i am happy ,despite the booking failing online twice and having to be manually done over the phone . Oh and did i mention i forget to tell the bank and they stopped payment as they though it may have been fraudulent ( i said to them well done but you could have rung me first to check....another phone call to vaus today to confirm all is good)

So the scene is set......time to have fun with the hotels.

 

[battymum]

I wish I could book a holiday that close! Sometimes we have too much time to over think things!
Sounds like you will have a blast!

 

[Melbourne5]

Transfers
NO troubles booking Primetime shuttles today for our transfers. Airport transfers done online. The hotel to hotel had to be booked over the phone. Have used this firm before and they provide good service and clean vans.

Hotels
Wanted to stay as onsite as possible for Universal studios for access to the park, citywalk and to a lesser extent not far to hollywood sites. I am a Hilton Diamond member and its very lucrative to stay at the hilton family properties for all the goodies they give you ( and in return the copious amount of money you spend). So a quick whip around of all the sites saw me book directly through hilton.com for 2 rooms. ( i had to swallow hard as i learnt they wouldnt book 5 to a room like almost all the anaheim hotels do...) but the trade off price wise is worth it for the location and diamond goodies ie: auto room upgrade, free breakfast, free wifi, free gym
So 3 nights it was to begin the holiday.

The anaheim choice was a bit harder as there are lots more properties to choose from. first preference was the DLR hotels ( we have stayed at GC before and loved it ) but boy do they know how to charge when there is no specials on. So it came down to offsite and Hilton came a calling. This time though booked via expedia around $100 a night cheaper than hilton.com and with all the goodies above. The only difference is no ff points on this one. no biggie though.

So the Melbourne 5 have somewhere to rest their weary , worn out, bodies of a night.

Time to get onto the park tickets to make it real

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Seriously jealous and highly impressed with such speedy org and clever tactics!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Congratulations! Sounds like a great trip and I'm looking forward to another Aussie TR already.

 

[ExcitedSam]

OMG! totatlly awesome, I would so love to do that next time, the 9month lead up has been horrendous!

You'll go almost 1 month before me so will be very interested in your Disneyland experinces,tips and advice!

 

[5ofus]

That is so amazing!!! I don't know how I'd be with so little time to plan and stress over the details!

Awesome

 

[JessNewbs]

Wow! Can't believe you have booked and organised so quickly! I am from Newcastle too!! Hope you guys have a wonderful time!!