Checklist - anything obvious i've forgotton!

[dixonsontour]

We go on Saturday 5th May - just booked this weekend.

Feeling like everything under control at the moment so just thought i'd share my to do list - if anyone spots anything obvious missing - please let me know.

(I'm normally a plan a year in advance type of person!)

Done

1. Booked with cosmos - flights and condo at bahama bay - e tickets

2. Booked hired car and platinum insurance with netflight (dollar)

3. Updated Esta/passports are in date

4. Done API

5. Booked meteor airport parking

6. Got some dollars today

7. Signed up for some restaurant coupons by email

8. Got legoland tickets - e ticket

9. Started packing

10. Made a couple of adr's (may cancel them) and a BBB appointment for DD


To Do

1. Sort disney tickets. Best deal seems to be a 3+1 free MYW with undercover tourist which we can pick up locally. Any better deals around?

2. Going to go to clearwater aquarium - DD wants to see Winter the dolphin (dolphin that inspired the film dolphin's tale with a prosthetic tail) - Anyone been?

3. How to tell DD aged 6? We were going to say we were going to the Trafford centre and instead go to airport and see when she realised. But we need to be at airport by 6am so it will be dark - think she may guess something is going on. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[stubb]

dont forget to sign up to the premium outlets,yankie candle,sweet tomatoes, earl of sandwich for your free sandwich and any other favourite places

 

[starrysky]

3. How to tell DD aged 6? We were going to say we were going to the Trafford centre and instead go to airport and see when she realised. But we need to be at airport by 6am so it will be dark - think she may guess something is going on. Any ideas?

Thanks

What about some sort of early doors sale on and you want be there early to get the best deal. DH did suggest that maybe saying her favourite singer (he suggested Justin Beiber) was going to be there at the centre and you need to be there early as its limited to xnumber of people but I thought that might be a bit cruel when she finds out its not.

Or you could just wake her up shouting we are off to disney world

 

[disneyangel]

do you have a path up to a gate.? you could sprinkle fairy dust (glitter ;-) ) up the pathway and have a cut out of Tinkerbell on the gate saying 'We're going to Disney !'

 

[dixonsontour]

Thanks for ideas.

Telling her we are going early for a sale may work. Sadly no gate but maybe could stick something on the inside of the front door.

Other option we have thought of is to give her an invite from Mickey to open.

She still doesn't know. Tonight she was asking to go to a playplace on Sunday. I said we'd go there or somewhere better. I then said where is better than the playplace and she immediately said Mickey's.

 

[dixonsontour]

dont forget to sign up to the premium outlets,yankie candle,sweet tomatoes, earl of sandwich for your free sandwich and any other favourite places

Have done our usual restaurants but had missed Earl so thans for the reminder.

 

[canadiankim]

Where did you email to get coupons for restaurants? We are 11 going in four weeks and anything we can save would be great

 

[dixonsontour]

dont forget to sign up to the premium outlets,yankie candle,sweet tomatoes, earl of sandwich for your free sandwich and any other favourite places

Where did you email to get coupons for restaurants? We are 11 going in four weeks and anything we can save would be great

If you join restaurant chain email clubs they often send coupons. Good ones if you are offsite are perkins, ihop, mimis cafe - often send a coupon for a free breakfast just for joining. Coldstone creamery does a free ice cream creation for joining.

Orlando sentinel has a freebie friday thread with links - got a free appertiser or dessert coupon at olive garden from that this week.

Restaurant.com - have used the Giordanos pizza one nr disney.

If you are shopping sign up with the malls - you usually get a coupon for a free voucher book.

orlandocoupons.com, iridetrolley.com,valpak.com are also worth a look.

If you have kids look into a kids eat free card.

 

[tinkerpea]

If you join restaurant chain email clubs they often send coupons. Good ones if you are offsite are perkins, ihop, mimis cafe - often send a coupon for a free breakfast just for joining. Coldstone creamery does a free ice cream creation for joining.

Orlando sentinel has a freebie friday thread with links - got a free appertiser or dessert coupon at olive garden from that this week.

Restaurant.com - have used the Giordanos pizza one nr disney.

If you are shopping sign up with the malls - you usually get a coupon for a free voucher book.

orlandocoupons.com, iridetrolley.com,valpak.com are also worth a look.

If you have kids look into a kids eat free card.

We are staying at International drive for around 5 days before we do Disney and was wondering about the kids eat free card! how do you get one? do you pay a one of price for it? we have only stayed on Disney now for such along time that ive forgotten about most other things

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

You could do what we did. Got sequins in the shape of Mickey from the Disney Store and sprinkled them down the stairs up to the suitcases, then woke DD and DS up saying there was something in the garden they needed to see, bleary eyed they got up and had the best surprise EVER

 

[jtlover]

Ok to surprise but how you going to explain the suitcases in the car

 

[joolz1910]

Have you got annual insurance?
Have you told your bank that you will be using your CC abroad?

Such an exciting few days! I would put the suitcases in the boot the night before and tell her when you get to the airport. The 'sale' excuse is a good one or you could pretend you were going to do a car boot sale, as they always start ridiculously early.

 

[dixonsontour]

We are staying at International drive for around 5 days before we do Disney and was wondering about the kids eat free card! how do you get one? do you pay a one of price for it? we have only stayed on Disney now for such along time that ive forgotten about most other things

I got given one last year. You sometimes get them free with tickets or can buy them from ticket sellers for about £10. They are also on ebay.

 

[dixonsontour]

You could do what we did. Got sequins in the shape of Mickey from the Disney Store and sprinkled them down the stairs up to the suitcases, then woke DD and DS up saying there was something in the garden they needed to see, bleary eyed they got up and had the best surprise EVER

like the idea of sparkles or sequins thanks

 

[dixonsontour]

Ok to surprise but how you going to explain the suitcases in the car

Luckily the car has a massive boot - going to load the car the night before when she is asleep.

 

[dixonsontour]

Have you got annual insurance?
Have you told your bank that you will be using your CC abroad?

Such an exciting few days! I would put the suitcases in the boot the night before and tell her when you get to the airport. The 'sale' excuse is a good one or you could pretend you were going to do a car boot sale, as they always start ridiculously early.

Thanks - yes insurance covers us from last time (have an annual policy)

DH needs to phone the band. He had a call from fraud dept yesterday as we changed a chunk of cash into dollars.

Just been speaking to DH - so many ideas how to surprise her.

 

[dixonsontour]

Just to update and say I think we are definitely just going to do two days at disney - MK and Epcot (flower&garden festival) plus legoland and clearwater aquaruim.

DH was thinking of 4 days disney but I want to do a more offsite trip. I'm concious we are just doing disney in October.

Managed to get my daughter a BBB reservation for Friday at DTD.

Also had a lovely email from the headteacher giving ok to DD having 4 days off school - saying I hope you have a lovely time and I assure you we will not say a word.

 

[stephensmum]

It's so exciting. I'm the planning ahead type, but I looked up your hol & wished I had the bottle. We are going in Aug, so wouldn't get time off work, but it's something I will definately look to doing next year (unless dh agrees to booking again).
What time will you have to wake her up? I'd do something in the house, so she can digest it. Will you be doing a live trippie? I enjoyed your last one. Have a great time.

 

[dixonsontour]

It's so exciting. I'm the planning ahead type, but I looked up your hol & wished I had the bottle. We are going in Aug, so wouldn't get time off work, but it's something I will definately look to doing next year (unless dh agrees to booking again).
What time will you have to wake her up? I'd do something in the house, so she can digest it. Will you be doing a live trippie? I enjoyed your last one. Have a great time.

TBH it is DH who has the bottle and me going we can't because of x or y. But it is all falling into place.

Similar deals were around last year - we almost booked. Definitely worth watching for may late deals.

We need to check in at 6.15am so will need to leave 4.45am ish. She can't tell the time properly but will realise it's night time. Definitely leaning towards telling her before we set off.

Will try and post a few updates and pics - we apparently have wifi at the condo.

 

[stephensmum]

TBH it is DH who has the bottle and me going we can't because of x or y. But it is all falling into place.

Similar deals were around last year - we almost booked. Definitely worth watching for may late deals.

We need to check in at 6.15am so will need to leave 4.45am ish. She can't tell the time properly but will realise it's night time. Definitely leaning towards telling her before we set off.

Will try and post a few updates and pics - we apparently have wifi at the condo.

I'm quite restricted as I work in Primary school & DS is at high school, but never say never (once I get an idea in my head, hmmm). I keep smiling to myself imagining her face, she'l be so surprised.