First return since childhood, first PTR and several other firsts too! Who wants in?

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Ok folks... here goes!!

This is my first trip report of any kind, and am new to the DIS in the last month, having stumbled upon it the day after booking my trip. I wish I'd found it before I booked it mind...

Anyway, I'll use the first few posts of the report to introduce myself and my partner who I am travelling with and explain when, where and why we're going etc!

CAST

Me - Ryan

I'm 22 years old, but will be 23 by the time I travel. Born just outside Manchester, England in a little place called Oldham. I lived in Oldham until I turned 10 and then we moved south to Oxford, where I have been since. I like sports of all kind (playing and watching), photography, live events, Disney (more than I should for someone of my age and sex), animals and conservation. I like to travel and have done relatively extensively for someone still pretty young.

I'll try anything once and in the right mood try to be adventurous. Here's a before and after picture of the last time I did try to be adventurous mind!!

Anyway...more about me. I'm on the directors board at the local football (soccer) club, who are a semi-professional outfit in the 7th tier of English Football. My favourite Disney film is Lion King, and my top 5 characters in order are; 1. Baloo 2. Stitch 3. Timon (Sebastian is a close 4th).

I went to WDW for the first time when I was 11, and returned when I was 13, 14, 15 and 16. I have since been the the Disneyland Paris (more on that later in the trip report) the once, but this will the first time I have returned of my own accord and am more excited than you know!

Up next... My partner, US and Why, When and Where...

 

[carissanboys]

Welcome to the Dis Ryan!

Very cool pictures you have posted. I love an adventurous spirit!

Looking forward to hearing about your plans.

 

[jewels1916]

Hi Ryan! to the Dis! Glad to see you started your PTR! Can't wait to hear all about your plans!

I love animals and conservation too! So much to the fact that I work as a communications consultant for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Save the Polar Bears!! (itty bitty soap box )

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Welcome to the Dis Ryan!

Very cool pictures you have posted. I love an adventurous spirit!

Looking forward to hearing about your plans.

Welcome...come on in! Glad ot have a reader at least!!

Save the Polar Bears!

I love polar bears! And arctic foxes and orcas! Would love to visit the Arctiv Circle!

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Carrying on with the introductions...

HER

Felicity! My soulmate and better half. She's just turned 22 and was always a school year behind me, but pretty much the same age. She's fun loving and very easy to get along with. Bubbly and happy. Naive in the cutest of ways and will help anyone. She too like Disney and spoiling her is my favourite way to fuel my own guilty pleasure when it comes to Disney (collectibles, shows and such like). She likes to travel with me, going out with friends, watching films and crafting. Oh and cheese.... she loves cheese! I know one thing, and that's that I feel incredibly lucky to have her at my side!

She has only been to the World once, as part of a 2 family grand gathering and from talking to her, didnt nearly do it properly!!! I'm gonna show her Disney right! lol! Her favourite Disney film is The Little Mermaid and she loves Ariel, Tink, Flounder and pretty much anyone cute. You pick that up from her newly found pin trading obsession.

US

Well... we will celebrate our 7th anniversary the day after we arrive in Orlando this year. I was 16 and she was 15 when we got together. Childhood sweethearts! We're very happy together...best friends! We've travelled heaps in our time together... Cape Verde Islands, Kenya, Italy, Germany, France, Canary Islands, Turkey, Spain, Greece are but a few!

We just took the biggest step in our time together so far! At the end of September 2008, we plunged the savings we'd made together into bricks and mortar! We applied for a mortgage and are now paying for our own house! 2 bedroom home with gardens either end.

Anyway... more pictures to bore you with! A couple of us together! lol

The Trip
Well, having returned from a couple of trips to Africa last year around the time we bought our house, we decided that we wouldn't be able to afford a holiday in the coming 2009, but we'd start saving for a trip in 2010. Well, I already mentioned I like to spoil people right? lol. We were both saving well and had already gathered £600 (what $900?) in the 4 months since we said that and we'd had to negotiate Xmas! We were impressed. What she didn't know was, that *** I work shifts, some of my allotted time off collides with her working day, and where possible I was taking extra hours in that time and saving the money seperate. Well in the time we had saved that much...I by myself had saved enough for us to book the trip. And so I suprised her with a cheeky look at my bank balance. She was

And so we booked the trip!

September 4th 2009. 14nights in Orlando (staying off site on International Drive). We paid in full with the cash I had saved and at the same time bought a 14day unlimited hopper pass for WDW, A trip to Discover Cove & Sea World and our car hire for the fortnight.

The trip is gonna be kinda special. It'll be the first time we've been for years and the first time we've been together. It'll be our first time in the USA without parents and the first time we've hired a car to drive in a foreign country. We'll also be celebrating our 7th anniversary whilst there.

We did do Disneyland Paris for our 5th anniversary a couple years ago (another suprise on my part), but this will be different! Even so... I'll leave you with a heap of pics from that DLP trip...

We love characters! We did a Character Meal every day! lol

I remember Donald being real hard to come across in WDW! In my 4 trips I met him twice and both in the same place, over at mexico in Epcot! I'd never met him in his traditional gear! In Paris...he was everywhere!!

Well, I hope I haven't bored you too much so far! Any questions on us or our trip then ask away! I'll be updating more as things develop!

Ryan

 

[carissanboys]

You have a gorgeous woman by your side!

How wonderful that you two have been able to travel together so much even while you're so young. I think that's much more common in other countries - not so much here in the states. I LOVE to travel - it's my biggest passion. We lived in Australia for three years and absolutely loved it. Some day I WILL get to Europe.

14 days?? Awesome! We'll be going to Sea World for the first time on our upcoming trip (we went to the one in Australia, but not Orlando). I'm very jealous that you'll be going to Discovery Cove!

 

[Beka]

Welcome back to the States, and to WDW!! I'm super excited for you! Congrats on the house (my DH & I are recent home owners ourselves!). You lady is gorgeous, and I must say, I already like her because of her love for cheese. I've always said that I'll have Cheddar running in my veins one day! Can't wait to hear more about your trip!

BTW - I'm totally envoius of your travels! I went to Paris for 10 days, right after graduation in '97, & was immediately hooked. One day I'll make it back over! I also want to make it to England to see where my Dad's family is from.

 

[carissanboys]

Oh - and I meant to say that when you mentioned Felicity's love of cheese - it immediately made me picture Wallace & Gromit.

 

[jewels1916]

What a sweet couple the two of you make! And congrats on buying a house, that's a huge thing (and you can celebrate by going to WDW!)
I was in WDW the first week of September this year, and it's a great time to go. Kinda hot, but we didn't see any rain, and there were no crowds! You will both have a great time!

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Congrats on the house. You lady is gorgeous I also want to make it to England to see where my Dad's family is from.

Thanks and thanks! Where is your Dads family from in England? I've visited most places here...

Oh - and I meant to say that when you mentioned Felicity's love of cheese - it immediately made me picture Wallace & Gromit.

HAHA! Wensleydale Gromit? I don't know about modelling clay, but I do wonder if she's made of cheese sometimes, the amount she gets through! lol

What a sweet couple the two of you make! And congrats on buying a houseQUOTE]

Thank you! Makes a change for someone to compliment us as a couple and not just her individual beauty! lol

 

[carissanboys]

HAHA! Wensleydale Gromit? I don't know about modelling clay, but I do wonder if she's made of cheese sometimes, the amount she gets through! lol

I can just see the character Wallace holding up his fists and saying, "I love cheese!"

 

[DWGal210]

Great start so far! What a neat story you two have.

Looking forward to hearing more about your plans!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hi!! Just found your report and loooove all the traveling you have done! I think your girlfriend is just gorgeous!!!! We want to come to Europe so badly! But, we always end up at Disney world!! And, I might add, wandering around and around and around the UK at the World Showcase!! Ha!! I really want to go to England, but I need a personal travel planner!! Give us some hints!!! What's the best time to visit and where would be the best place for a family with 3 kids? Sorry to hijack your thread! Keep those plans coming!!!

 

[Beka]

Thanks and thanks! Where is your Dads family from in England? I've visited most places here...

Well, they came here in the 1600s. Looks like part of the family came from London. My maiden name is Whitledge, & I want to find out where they come from. I'm still working on that.

Where are you all staying for your trip? Or did you mention that already & I just missed it?

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

I dont wanna go off topic too early in this PTR, but I wanted to tell you guys!! I just booked another couple of non Disney trips to keep me occupied whilst I wait for eternity to get done and I get to go to WDW!

Anyhow, I like to hike and I love the outdoors, and so I have booked trips around that with a few like minded friends. Next month I'm heading to Snowdonia in Wales, UK to climb Snowdon (something I haven't yet done). And then, in May... I'm heading to the 'Lake District' which is in Cumbria, England. Its one of my favourite places in this country...so many nice walks. Great scenery and a few tough climbs to boot. I'm excited!

Here's a few pics of me from last years hiking trips! And one or 2 people that'll be coming with me.

Obviously, I'm the one on the right. This is an end of day shot, having been up a mountain all day...which is why we're still kitted out and looking tired!

Not so kitted out this time!

Hands up if you can see me?

Tough going...!

I'll be on topic next time I promise! Only so much you can type though, when the calendar isn't out for Sept yet, I can't make ADR's yet and pretty much done all I can at this stage!

Till next time...

 

[SunnieRN]

What a gorgeous couple you make!!! Congratulations on buying a house and working hard to surprise your sweetie!!!
Looking forward to more of your planning!!

 

[Beka]

I'll be on topic next time I promise! Only so much you can type though, when the calendar isn't out for Sept yet, I can't make ADR's yet and pretty much done all I can at this stage!

Till next time...

Meh, no point in being on topic! Just include pictures and it'll be entertaining enough.

Have you thought about where you want to eat?

I also didn't catch if you and Felicity are married? Any pets? Gotta include them as well!

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Have you thought about where you want to eat?

I also didn't catch if you and Felicity are married? Any pets? Gotta include them as well!

Well... eating. We're both foodies! I love to cook and we both just love to eat! lol. We're not staying on site like I say, so it wont all be Disney meals. We've had some early thoughts for sure. And we love character meals too...but nothing is really decided just yet.

No, we're not married and no pets either unfortunately. I love animals and we both grew up with animals, but its hard work looking after pets. We've not lived together long, and until we can guarantee that we could care for an animal the way it should be cared for, we wont be getting any pets.

However, Felicity's family own a brood ***** for Dogs For Disabled and so, we get a litter of labrador puppies every year! The next batch will be through before we go...so expect pics! I might even treat you to some of the last litter in the next day or 2!

 

[Beka]

Are you guys into wine? Look on the Travel Channel's website, for Samatha Brown's weekend get-aways. She did an episode on Orlando. There's a little neighborhood that has a store devoted to wine tasting. You load some $$ on a card, then grab a glass, and can taste away! It looks like a lot of fun.

I'm not sure if she mentioned any restaurants, though I'm sure she did.

The puppy pics should be a requirement, not an option.

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Are you guys into wine? Look on the Travel Channel's website, for Samatha Brown's weekend get-aways. She did an episode on Orlando. There's a little neighborhood that has a store devoted to wine tasting. You load some $$ on a card, then grab a glass, and can taste away! It looks like a lot of fun.

I'm not sure if she mentioned any restaurants, though I'm sure she did.

The puppy pics should be a requirement, not an option.

Wine... well I'll drink anything and she'll drink anything so long as its sweet! lol Not really into wine as such.

Don't worry, you'll get some puppy pics within a few days I promise!