Edinburgh to Orlando - our 18 day trip! We are here!!!!!!

[ScotsMinnie]

As this is my first ever ever ever pretrip report - or trip report of any kind! - you may near to bear with me and hopefully I'll get the hang of it soon!

So who are we????

I am 32 and live in Stirlingshire in Scotland. I have been a Disney fanatic since birth I think and always loved the sense of make believe and wonder which the films and stories give you. I have been to WDW many times and DL once (and DLRP once on a conference and it is officially the worst place. Does not even start to compare with WDW and I will never be back.)

DH is 33 and was not a Disney fan until I made him go just after we got married and now he loves it. i don't think he totally "gets" it but he loves going on holiday (vacation!) here.

DD6 loves all things Disney. This will be her 3rd trip to WDW and she is exceptionally excited about this upcoming trip.

DD2 had her birthday yesterday and does not yet know what a holiday is!!!! Evenso she is very excited about her "oidays" and loves everything about aurora.

Mum and Dad are also having 2 weeks at WDW - they are leaving 4 days before us so we will have about 10 days with them. Mum is as Disney daft as me and is always the one wiping tears away during the opening ceremony (I hide mine behind sunglasses!). Dad is going to spend time with the girls - he is not too bothered about Disney at all. But it is rule of the trip - you must be excited so he is doing his best!
Both Mum and Dad dote on my girls so we are going to have a lot of fun experiencing it all together.


Our travel plans are as follows.

Mum and dad leave on Friday June 6th and fly Edinburgh to London Gatwick and then on to Orlando.
We leave Edinburgh for London Gatwick on Monday 9th June - stay overnight then fly to Orlando on the 10th.
Mum and dad leave on Friday 20th June and we leave on the 27th June - both Orlando to London Gatwick and then up to Edinburgh.

We will be staying offsite at a villa owned by my Aunt in Sunset lakes. It is a lovely villa and gives us the freedom and convenience we need when we are away.


For our family we have bought a 21 day ticket for WDW which gives us unlimited access for 21 days to all parks and water parks for DH and DD6. DD2 does not need a ticket and I have bought an annual pass to save money on the car parking and to get the discounts at the World of Disney store. This is a good saving for us.
We also have tickets for SeaWorld and a one day 2 park pass for Universal.


So it is going to be a busy 18 days and we plan to fill them up. We are not really ones for lazing by the pool - there is far too much to see!

I'll probably need another holiday when I get home!!!

Will post in a bit with our rough plans and also our ADRs.

Thanks
Lx

 

[jmskinner]

The fact you are coming from Scotland got my attention. Plus, I would love to get to stay as long as you are. Ok, so in two months I will be living an hour away, I guess I can't complain.

Looking forward to more!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Hi! If I lived an hour form Disney my family would never see me!!! It would be dangerous. Very Jealous!!!!!
Lx

 

[ScotsMinnie]

So what are we going to do with our 18 days (well less when you take out the travelling!)?????

We are staying offsite so will not have the Free Dining Plan. Although form reading reports on here it sounds like the way to go. We have booked some meals and other treats for our stay though - how could you not?

The day before we arrive is Dad's birthday! They are going to go to Epcot as Mum is doing the Land tour. After that they plan to watch the Beatles tribute band (big fans) and then they have an ADR at the Rose and Crown for dinner and hopefully to watch illuminations.

We have also booked breakfast at Chef Mickeys - i love the fact you can eat worms in dirt and donuts for breakfast. Also the napkin twirling is great fun (i'm a big kid at heart!!!).

We have the Cinderellas Gala feast booked for Mum and Dads last night. Went to this last time and we loved the food. It was great for DD6 as she loved Cinderella. Unfortunately I got a UTI and ended up in agony through the meal whilst I waited for the antibiotics to kick in.

DD6 is doing the Alice in Wonderland Tea Party at the Grand Floridian and also the Pirate adventure from the GF also.

We have made 8am bookings for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at the Castle so it will be great to go in early. Might get some good photos. Then we are having breakfast with Cinderella! DD6 is really looking forward to her make over and I am sure DD2 might get a sprinkle of fairy dust if we ask extra specially nice.

Our last night we are doing the Crystal Palace for dinner which we haven't done before.

But the biggest treat is that Mum and Dad are going to babysit one night and we have booked the California Grill. A kid free night!!! Hope the food is as good as people say it is.


So that is all that is planned. We will eat other meals inside the parks but we will play that by ear.

The only thing still to book is a Segway Tour for my Dads birthday/Fathers Day! he likes gadgets so I think he will love this. I could book it for the actual day but DD6 is dying to see him on it and I definitely want to take many photos!!!!!


I have to say that 18 days does sound a lot but we have saved for 3 years for this trip and not been anywhere else in the meantime. It will be the trip of a lifetime for us and the girls and we all really can't wait! There is something about WDW and actually the people we meet there that does make it so special. Us Scots always get a warm welcome in the States which is maybe why lots of us come.

 

[jmskinner]

I'm still here. Any other planning done?

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Well 2 weeks tonight we will be in London and on our way to Orlando!!!

We are almost organised (I think!). Our kiddies passports have arrived so all our documents are here at last. We have a bit more shopping to do before we pack the cases - trainers (sneakers) for DD2 and odd tops for me. we have not been anywhere hot for 3 years so summer wardrobe is a bit lacking!

I have booked my Mum and Dad in to Boma on the Saturday night before we arrive and they are really looking forward to it. Think my Mum is more looking forward to have a nosey round the Animal Kingdom Lodge!

The keys to the villa and the welcome pack have also arrived and now it is starting to feel like it is really happening. 3 years is a long time to plan a holiday and I am so used to it being far away that is doesn't seem possible that we will there there in 2 weeks.


But before i go I have a trip to Dublin to enjoy. i am off there with my friend to see Westlife play their 10th Anniversary concert in a stadium in Dubin, Ireland.

We have followed the band for years (about 10!!!) and always do 4 or 5 dates on their tour - Scotland, England and sometimes Ireland. They do a great show and its a real celebration this year.

Basically a real girls weekend! I don't think Westlife are known too well in the US. Their song Flying Without Wings was used by one of the winners of American Idol - the one who beat Clay Aiken I think. They have been managed under Simon Cowells label. Basically 4 irish lads (used to be 5) who sing like angels! (I am biased!!!)

Here they are in Glasgow this year (for any hot blooded women subscribing to this thread!!).

Maybe I should add some piccies from our last holiday to get me in the mood??? Obviously DD6 was 3 at the time and DD2 was not around!

DH and DD6

Me and DD6

DD6 in the Epcot fountains

Lx

 

[jmskinner]

An update! Love your pics. I'll have to check out Westlife. We will be house hunting when you arrive in Fl.

 

[ScotsMinnie]

I would love to live in Florida. Guess we will have to be happy with visiting once in a while. I have travelled quite a bit in the States though and there are so many areas that I love. You are spoiled for choice.

Is the schooling good? My DD is in a lovely school so I would not like to move for a while but I think it is harder to find a good secondary school round where we are. They are all so big and bursting with kids. Unless you pay of course which is out of our league.

Good luck with finding somewhere. I'm sure you will be spoiled for choice!
Lx

 

[nts4wdw]

You will be getting there just before we leave. You have some lovely plans! Hope you have a magical time!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

You will be getting there just before we leave. You have some lovely plans! Hope you have a magical time!

Thank you!!! and I hope you have a lovely holiday aswell.

This is the most plans we have put in place for a trip so i hope it works well and doesn't feel overplanned! I still want us to have the freedom to decide what we want to do as we go rather than have days mapped out. Fingers crossed!

Lx

 

[nts4wdw]

Thank you!!! and I hope you have a lovely holiday aswell.

This is the most plans we have put in place for a trip so i hope it works well and doesn't feel overplanned! I still want us to have the freedom to decide what we want to do as we go rather than have days mapped out. Fingers crossed!

Lx

We've been planning that way to the last couple of trips. It made me nervous at first, because I didn't want to miss anything, but now it so much more relaxed!
18 days is like a dream! But when you have to come all that way, I guess you have to make it worth it!!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

OK so it was all going way too swimmingly wasn't it???

My Dad informed me today that as he was filling in some details for their flight online he has noticed he only has 3 months left before his passport expires! In order to gain access to the US on the Visa Waiver Program you need to have 6 months left at least!

So he is going to have to take a day off work next week and go tot the passport office to get it renewed! (typical of his organisational skills!)

But at least he noticed before they got to the airport!!! Mum would have done him an injury!!!

On other matters I am off to book my Dad a Segway tour for his birthday/fathers day and also organise a fishing trip for DH and Dad with a company they found on the internet called EZCatch which looks good.


A girls work is never done!!!!!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

We've been planning that way to the last couple of trips. It made me nervous at first, because I didn't want to miss anything, but now it so much more relaxed!
18 days is like a dream! But when you have to come all that way, I guess you have to make it worth it!!

18 days is a real treat but it is a far distance to come and it always takes us a while to recover from the time change at the beginning.

I think because we have longer we have the luxury of not having to cram things into a few days so we can please ourselves as we go.

The downside is though that we can't go as often. I an envious of those on here who visit 2 or 3 times a year!

Lx

 

[nts4wdw]

You must be getting excited! Your trip is coming up fast!!

Glad you caught the passport thing!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Passport drama over! He has 92 days left as of the day he leaves and you must have at least 90! Close thing but worked out well in the end.

I have had an exhausting weekend. My friend and I flew to Dublin in Ireland to see our favourite band play in a 85,000 capacity stadium. It was their 10th anniversary celebration and it was out of this world. We had Golden Circle tickets at the front so had an amazing view and the lads were as fabulous as ever. I am totally wrecked today though after flying home and suffering the after effects of a good few glasses of wine before during and after! No Guinness for us this time though!

Anyway one week today we will be in London preparing the fly out to the states. My DH is away with work for the next 3 days so all of the pre-holiday jobs are falling to me. Got so much to do to get the house sorted and bags packed. Especially since the weekend is to be so busy.

Saturday the girls are getting their hair cut, then DD6 is at a party, then we are off to my brothers for a BBQ for his 30th. Sunday we have quite a distance to travel for a christening of a friends baby.

I am starting to wonder if we will ever get organised!

The thought of the MK next Wednesday is the only thing stopping me form going to bed right now and getting a well deserved sleep!

DD2 fell asleep today standing up leaning against the sofa. I didn't realise that was even possible!

 

[jmskinner]

DD2 fell asleep today standing up leaning against the sofa. I didn't realise that was even possible!

Hope you got a picture.

Funny, we stress so much about our vacations and then they fly by!

 

[macheath]

Hi!
Your title pulled me in! Which is my favorite place in the world- Disney or Scotland??? That would be a very tough choice. (DH and I went to Scotland in 2002- loved it!)
How exciting your trip is almost here! Can't wait to hear all about it. Good luck with the packing
Heather

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Hope you got a picture.

Funny, we stress so much about our vacations and then they fly by!

What Mum would be able to resist taking that photo!!!! Here it is (sorry its so small!)...............

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Hi!
Your title pulled me in! Which is my favorite place in the world- Disney or Scotland??? That would be a very tough choice. (DH and I went to Scotland in 2002- loved it!)
How exciting your trip is almost here! Can't wait to hear all about it. Good luck with the packing
Heather

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed Scotland so much. It is a lovely place but the weather is pretty bad!!!! I am in dire need of a bit of warm sunshine!

Lx

 

[jmskinner]

What Mum would be able to resist taking that photo!!!! Here it is (sorry its so small!)...............

That is soooo cute!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed Scotland so much. It is a lovely place but the weather is pretty bad!!!! I am in dire need of a bit of warm sunshine!

Lx

Ok, see I'm a freak because I actually like rainy days. Where am I moving to, sunny Florida.