Cinq-0 avec Monsieur Mouse - enfin terminé!!

[Ware Bears]

I never did get around to writing a pre-trip report so here's a little background ..... this trip just sort of developed, as trips have a habit of doing! We were supposed to be having a break from Disney holidays for a few years, we weren't meant to be doing anything even remotely Disney-like until 2013 when we're planning on setting sail on another Disney cruise to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary ..... even though it was getting harder and harder to resist the enthusiasm of my fellow DISers and I reckoned I'd crack and want to go back next year for the 20th celebrations.

Last spring we'd been watching Over the Rainbow on BBC where viewers could vote for their choice to play Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical The Wizard of Oz. This has always been one of my favourite films and I was delighted when my first choice, Danielle Hope, was voted the winner. My DH was away with work so true to form 'while the cat's away the mice will play' and the minute tickets were released for sale I was booking them courtesy of his credit card! I booked them for Saturday May 28th as not only was it the start of half-term it was also our 23rd wedding anniversary.

The intention was to spend a couple of days in London but we all know what happens to good intentions .....

Remember I'd said we were having a break from Disney for a while? Last year our summer holiday was a week in London and whilst we had all enjoyed it we'd all found we'd missed Disney. This coming summer our holiday, again a non-Disney one, is booked for Rome although I have discovered that there is a fantastic Disney Store there and do intend to visit it alongside the Colosseum and the Vatican. So when DH asked what I wanted to do to celebrate my 50th birthday which was two days after The Wizard of Oz show I really didn't have a clue. He had chosen to celebrate his 50th two years ago on a Disney cruise although because of work and school it had had to take place 10 months later. At first I suggested we spend an extra day in London and go out for a nice meal there but the more I thought about it the fact that my 50th was falling on a school holiday seemed too much a gift-horse to look in the mouth and there was a little glimmer of hope starting to shine through that maybe I could celebrate it at Disney! Much of our holiday planning is done whilst walking our dogs through the forest on a Sunday so it was soon all systems go, especially once eldest DD Samantha got involved and before I knew it DH thought it was all his idea and that he's the best husband ever well, of course he is!

So it was eventually decided we'd have two nights in London followed by two in DLP - only a flying visit but as middle DD Danielle would be in the middle of her GCSEs we didn't want her to be away from her revision for too long trying very hard to be good parents here. We booked two nights in a hotel in London then booked the Eurostar for Sunday morning. I watched flights every day and the minute they were released I booked Flybe flights home for Tuesday night and was very pleased to get them for €16 each. We've always stayed at the Explorers before with annual passes but we decided it would be better to stay in a Disney hotel this time so that we had closer proximity to the parks. The Explorers had an offer on their website of 55% discount on their suites on a fully cancellable rate so we booked this to fall back on and waited for Disney to bring an offer out. The winter brochure was released with an across the board offer of 30% discount and after about 5 minutes of humming and hahhing of whether to wait for a potential 40% offer we'd caved and decided to book and thank goodness as a better offer didn't materialise. We'd originally decided to book the New York but then my lovely DH said we might as well treat ourselves and stay at the Disneyland Hotel! I was truly on cloud 9 and needed very little persuasion! We then decided we'd keep it a surprise from the girls and let them carry on thinking we were staying at the New York which wasn't difficult as it's only Samantha who really involves herself in any holiday planning and with her being away at university I didn't have to worry too much about letting anything slip.

This is us on Christmas Day on our last Disney holiday

and celebrating DH's 50th on the Disney Wonder.

 

[Ms Poppins]

I've been wondering if you'd start a tr soon - recently read your WDW Cruise tr and it was fab.

Funny how Disney just pulls you back eh?

 

[Mum to Belle]

What beautiful family photos!!

Sounds like your DH is indeed a wonderful husband, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate your birthday!!

Looking forward to the rest...

 

[A Small World]

Brilliant start Elaine - cant wait to hear more

So please dont make us wait a year to read it

 

[Kazzabelle]

Aww sounds absolutly amazing Elaine, I can not wait to hear more.

I love the Way you let DH feel it was his idea, that sounds like something I would do lol

 

[TheTizardFamily:0)]

Such a beautiful family!

 

[loladelorean]

I love this trip already
What a lovely family, and great DH-manipulation tactics there.
I always remember a quote from the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", the mum says: "the man may be the head of the house, but the woman is the neck and she can turn the head any way she likes".....
And of course you couldn't go so long without a Disney fix, how could you be so silly as to believe that

 

[jothp]

Looking forward to hearing more We are thinking we might have a break from Disney after next year. Maybe we will have to rethink that

 

[Nightmaremum1]

Looking forward to reading your TR Elaine, don't keep us in suspense for too long!

I can't believe how grown up your girls are now, doesn't time fly! We're planning a return trip to WDW in 2015 to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary and DD's 21st assuming she still wants to holiday then with mum and dad but I don't see that being a problem! DH would really like to tag on a Disney Cruise but I'm not sure although it does look wonderful from your other TR.

How was the show in London? Hope your DD's GCSE's are going well, my DD sat hers last year and is now at college.

 

[kizzabel]

Sounds like a fantastic way to celebrate your birthday. Cant wait to read all about it

 

[Ware Bears]

Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments.

Friday May 27th 2011

I had to work today so made sure we were pretty much packed before I went in. Bryan had finished the previous day so he and Samantha (who had come home from uni the night before) took the dogs to their kennels. By late afternoon I was home from work, Danielle and Francesca were back from school (poor Danielle had taken two GCSEs today), we'd got changed, gone through the checklist yet again I am never going to live down forgetting the cruise tickets on our last holiday and were ready waiting for our taxi.

We were taking the Greyhound to London, it's a great way to travel as it's very comfortable, very convenient and very CHEAP if you book early enough, tickets go on sale for as little as £1!

We had a pleasant and uneventful journey and arrived at Victoria coach station shortly after 9pm, about 40 minutes late due to traffic. We crossed the road to take the tube to Kings Cross where we'd booked two nights at the California Hotel. I'd continually checked for for Travelodge and Premier Inn deals but to no avail which was hardly surprising since not only was it Bank Holiday weekend but London was also full of Man United and Barcelona supporters ready for the match the next evening. So we stuck with our original choice of a family room at the California.

I wasn't expecting too much but the room was spacious enough for all of us and most importantly it was clean. It's a pretty basic hotel but the staff were friendly and helpful, there was a decent size safe, free wifi, and a complimentary breakfast. I'd have no hesitation staying here again the night before catching the Eurostar.

We were all hungry so popped up the road to good old McDonalds then it was back to the hotel for hopefully a good night's sleep.

 

[tennisfan]

Brilliant start Elaine - cant wait to hear more

So please dont make us wait a year to read it

I was going to to say the same. Look forward to the rest of it Elaine

 

[Ware Bears]

My goal is to get this finished in the next two weeks.

Saturday May 28th 2011

Got woken very early, about 5am, by the rumbling of trains -guess this is the downside of staying so close to the station!

Then horror of horrors Danielle had forgotten to pack her make-up bag, she could even remember leaving it on her bed so why did I get the blame for not packing it? I had planned on going to the National Portrait Gallery but lets get our priorities right, what teenager would choose that over new makeup? So after breakfast the first stop had to be Boots so she could stock up, luckily the items she wanted were all on 3 for 2 offers so there was a silver lining, and the gallery will have to wait for another day. We popped into the new Disney Store on Oxford Street which was really nicely designed, browsed through the other shops, stopping for a milkshake at McDonalds, then headed back to the hotel to change before our reservation at the Rain Forest Cafe. We had a really nice meal, and even better we had 15% discount courtesy of a facebook offer. I can't remember what the others had as I only take food photos at Disney much to my daughters' relief but I had calamari, followed by chilli con carne, then a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake, and a couple of frozen strawberry daiquiris mmmmmm

When we left here, the nearest tube entrances were closed due to the football crowds so we walked up to the Palladium, it only took about 25 minutes.

The Wizard of Oz was absolutely fantastic I'd already bought the CD so I knew the new songs written for this show and I loved, loved, loved every minute. Afterwards everyone was congregating at the front for Danielle Hope (Dorothy) and Michael Crawford (The Wizard) so I thought why not join them and got both their autographs and photos. I've always been a huge fan of Michael as Frank Spencer please don't let me be the only one old enough to have watched Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em so was especially pleased he'd been playing The Wizard.

Trust my husband to get his thumb and finger in the way!!

We don't usually celebrate our wedding anniversary apart from exchanging cards and having a takeaway so today has been a lovely treat.

We made our way back to the hotel, the girls were a bit peckish so we stopped to buy them crisps, chocolate and coke at one of the station shops and then packed up as much as we could in readiness for the morning!

 

[Ware Bears]

Sunday May 29th 2011

Had a really good night's sleep and was up bright and early by 6am. Didn't fancy a big breakfast today so just popped into the breakfast room for some tea and toast then we were on our way around 8:30am. It took less than 5 minutes to walk to St Pancras International and on the way I couldn't resist taking a photo of Platform 9 3/4!!

The Eurostar left on time and before we knew it we were entering the tunnel and it was time for breakfast.

It's such a shame that they no longer serve the hot breakfast but never mind, it was pleasant enough although I hate cold croissants, if only it had been a warm one.

The journey passed uneventfully and before we knew it we were there. I love going by Eurostar, it's so civilised compared to flying and takes you straight there!

Once out of the station the girls started to head off to the New York as that's where they really believed we were staying. Being the mean mother that I am I'd have let them walk all the way there but Bryan is a much kinder parent than me!! Hmmm, unsurprisingly they weren't too disappointed about the change of hotel.

I always take a photo of the Disneyland Hotel as we enter Fantasia Gardens but this time I was so excited about staying there that I forgot so the photo below is from our Halloween trip in 2007.

The reception was very busy with lots of people checking-in but the CMs were very efficient and dealt with everyone very quickly. Our rooms were ready for us so we headed straight up there.

Bryan had emailed previously to request either adjoining or nearby rooms and we were lucky and were given interconnecting rooms.

 

[A Small World]

Brilliant surprise about the hotel for the girls Elaine - What was their reaction?
Well done for keeping it from them.

 

[Ms Poppins]

Yaaay, you're at the Disney bit!!

I always take a picture of the DLH too. I can't walk past it, it's the same with the castle

 

[kizzabel]

Great TR, looking forward to more opcorn:

 

[tinkertaylor05]

I'm loving this, I might steal your style for next year i have to take dd to see Wizard of Oz

Your girls are beautiful by the way x

 

[tennisfan]

I do remember watching Some Mother do 'Ave 'Em Glad you enjoyed the show & a bonus of meeting the leads

My friend's husband is a manager for Eurostar & she get a certain amount of tickets to travel free, even she says the First class bit isn't worth it now you don't get a hot meal, they have apparently lost custom from doing it & still charging the same but it doesn't look like it will be back anytime soon.

I think the same of Club Class on Eurotunnel, its so not worth the extra they charge (but I don't mind it when my uncle arranges it so we can use it for a discounted price)

My mum would have done the same as you with letting your DD's walk to a different hotel

I look forward to the rest

 

[Ware Bears]

Thanks for reading!!

Sorry if I bore you with all the photos but as this may be the only time we ever stay here I wanted to savour every moment!!

We were on the third floor of the east wing and the rooms were every bit as lovely in real life as they'd looked online.

Oh, how I'd love some tiles like this in my bathroom!

This was the view from our rooms

and I loved being able to see Big Thunder Mountain in the distance.