bombhead444
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2008
- Messages
- 229
Welcome to our very first pre trip report. (Its a long one)
Tools required:
Finger (for scrolling of page)
Match sticks (for the condition known as Droop-us Eyelid-uss)
Imagination (If member of DIS then should have in abundance, if not seek nearest Disney nut)
Cast:
Me - Alastair 32 - Disney nut/ride lover/American food devourer.
DW Victoria (Not disclosed for reasons of my own personal safety) Extreme Disney nut/Ride enjoyer/Shopper extraordinaire.
General info:
Holiday company: Various, First choice Good prices, Virgin bit more expensive but more customer service, My Travel worst experience yet (not recommended on own experiences).
Tickets: www.onlineflorida.co.uk (pretty competitively priced, never had a problem.)
Expenses: Average $100 a day (based on two people), good for parking, food and drink in park and evening meal.
Hotels: We have always stayed in Kissimmee, pretty quiet, plenty of restaurants and shops and five to ten minute drive to the entrance of Disney World.
Well I suppose like many good story tellers I should start from the beginning.
Twas the night before Christmas .. Sorry wrong story.
We have to jump into the DeLorean and go back to November 1999, for our first ever trip to the wonderful world known as Walt Disney World. We was originally looking at Disneyland Resort Paris for our first holiday together as a couple but after I had done some digging around I actually found that for a measly couple of hundred pounds more, we could go to the expansive land of the United States of America and to the lovely state of Florida which just happened to contain the magical land of Disney for three whole weeks, Hurrah!
Now as this was the first trip, we were novices and did everything to the max, so much that we actually run out of money three days before the end of the holiday and had to sell our last three days worth of Disney tickets, not clever I know!!! This trip included a two day excursion to the Bahamas where we swam with (I say swam, stood in waste deep water and petted) two dolphins, Cocoon and Echo, the actual dolphins that appeared in the movie Cocoon, hence the names. This excursion also included the temp reaching 105 degrees and burning us to a crisp.
We also did the Medieval times dinner show which was excellent.
Such a great time was had that we vowed to return in the not so distant future.
Trip Duration: 3 weeks.
Booked with Virgin Holidays.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
The year is now 2001, I was returning to Florida without DW much to her disgust. My ex Stepfather, after hearing the wonderful tales of our first trip, offered to pay for my sister (18th birthday present), my mother and myself to go for two weeks as a surprise. Basically my sister had been fluttering her eyelids at said ex stepfather in the hope he would fund a trip to the land of Mickey & Co. Needlessly to say he succumbed.
Trip Duration: 2 weeks
Booked with Virgin Holidays.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
Fast forward to 2003, Both Myself & DW were returning to Florida for two weeks to visit Mickey and the gang. Before we were due to come out we had started planning for us to get married in the Bahamas with all the family in tow. Unfortunately as the planning processed started DWs father had a stroke and this put everything on hold. Six months later he had another and this time his short term memory and motor functions paid the price. It was then that DWs Mother suggested we marry in Florida as we were always raving about the state and we were heading out in June anyway. After some internet searching and various emails being sent, we had found a chapel in Eustis just north of the Disney Area and it was all booked and set.
On June 10th we flew out and June 17th 2003 we became man and wife.
This trip included a visit to Discovery Cove, which I enjoyed but I was under the impression the interaction was just the booking party, unfortunately it involved other people at the same time so petting and interaction was actually only about fifteen minutes worth, selfish sounding I know but at around $200 each I was expecting a bit more for my money. We also visited a friend of mine that was living in Tampa and checked out Busch Gardens while we down that way, DW was not that impressed with the park.
Trip Duration: 2 weeks.
Booked with My Travel. Yuk!!!!!!!
Howard Johnson Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
Its 2005 and Disney is too long out of our systems and we return for two weeks in November. We catch the start of the Christmas celebrations.
Trip Duration: 2 weeks.
Booked with First Choice.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
2006 we again return to see our pal Mickey. Upon landing I was greeted by a very nice lady in the car hire department, she tried to sell me a convertible upgrade but at over $600 for three weeks I was not biting, she then enquired if I was a member of the AA or RAC (Car Breakdown Companies) as this would get me a further discount off the $600 upgrade fee. I explained that though I did not belong to either club I did work for them in form of a contract garage (we attend if they cant), well holey smokes she offers the convertible for $350 instead. Now either that was a good staff discount or they were seriously overcharging in the first place to be able to knock that much off. Upon leaving the building to collect the car, DW who was waiting with the bags as youre not allowed to bring them into the car hire building noticed a Cheshire cat grin on my face and immediately knew what I had done. There in the Florida sun stood a Chrysler Sebring convertible, lovely. I must admit driving done the I4 in the sun with the roof down was a delight to which DW responded with the comment well never book a hard top again, I agreed.
This trip we ventured further than we ever had before, we drove to Miami. Being a driver in my profession, the four hour drive to Miami was the most relaxing I have ever experienced. $14 dollars in tolls later we were in south beach, Miami. A spot of shopping, a bite to eat and a nice afternoon stroll down ocean drive and south beach was worth the 4 hour drive.
We also caught a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral; we had tried before but it seems that an actual shuttle launch draws the crowds, strange I know! The launch was only a science rocket for the military but an awe inspiring sight none the less.
We also tried the Photopass card for the first time (I know, I know), we managed to get over 200 photos on it but that does mean your forever stopping to have your photo taken every five minutes but at approx 50 cents a picture, it was worth it.
Trip duration: 3 weeks
Booked with First Choice.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
Nearly there, 2007.
Well this year we return and have already booked the convertible to save disappointment at the airport, we have a shiny blue Chrysler Pt Cruiser (not my favourite model but never mind).
This years holiday was funded by me being made redundant and as I needed cheering up, what better place to go, you guessed it, Alaska. Nah only kidding, there was only one thing that would do the job and that was to see my mate Mickey.
Now I was not the only one to be made redundant, my work colleague and partner in crime was also laid off. Now his wife and DW are friends and DW had explained our plans and his wife was now on the same mental plane as DW, agreeing that this kind of trip and the money they were going get dont always come around, so the do it while you can attitude was adopted.
Now this was not one of DWs greatest ideas as tony, my partner in crime is not really a Disney fan. Needless to say the trip involved ushering them around, getting excited then getting disappointed when they did not seem excited at the same stuff as us. Luckily they had their own car and were quite happy to go off and do their own thing. They also were only out for two weeks compared to our three so we had a week to ourselves. But disappointingly we found when the fun is sucked out it is quite hard to get it back. Shame.
This trip included MNSSHP twice which was excellent, loads of treats. (Tip: buy a small something in park but ask for big bag, upon exiting the park, the CM on the turnstiles is pretty obliging in filling your bag with treats, we had 84 packets of Hersheys Kisses put in our bag. Yummy!! In fact, yep I still have a bag of very inedible looking lollipops in bottom draw of my computer desk.
Trip duration: 3 weeks.
Booked with First Choice.
Howard Johnson Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
2008. its nearly here.
Now after the fiasco of last year I vowed never to do Disney with anyone else ever again. Step forward my cousin Tabitha (DT) and her husband Steve (DS), youve been a few times, we want to go! When you going etc?
Now I decided as its my cousin, who I have grown up with maybe it wont be bad, she is a big Disney nut just like DW and DS is into pretty much the same as me so Im hoping it wont be a repeat of last years trials and tribulations.
This year we have the convertible booked, we have discovery cove booked and we are doing a balloon flight on the 17th November (hopefully) as its our 10 year anniversary.
We are doing MVMCP this year once on our own and then when DT and DS come out after our first week we will do it again with them. Having never done the MVMCP, DW is looking forward to the Cocoa and Marshmallows and cookies. Typical sugar rush expected. Joy!
We have also booked next years holiday, as DW wants to go out on this years trip knowing there is another one to look forward to when it is time to return home. This time we are going for the massive duration of 4 weeks. Come on!!!!!!
Trip duration: 3 weeks.
Howard Johnson Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
I will be taking my laptop out with me and internet availability permitting will do daily reports, at worst a full report on our return.
<a href='http://www.**************/'>
<img src='http://www.**************/id/1225947586.jpg'>
</a>
<a href='http://www.**************/'>
<img src='http://www.**************/id/1258001998.jpg'>
</a>
1999 - Quality Inn, Kissimmee.(21 Nights)
2003 - Howard Johnson, Kissimmee (14 Nights) (Married during our stay)
2005 - Quality Inn, Kissimmee. (14 Nights)
2006 - Quality Inn, Kissimmee. (21 Nights)
2007 - Howard johnson, Kissimmee. (21 Nights)
2008 - Howard johnson, Kissimmee. (21 Nights)
2009 - Howard Johnson, Kissimmee. (28 Nights)
Tools required:
Finger (for scrolling of page)
Match sticks (for the condition known as Droop-us Eyelid-uss)
Imagination (If member of DIS then should have in abundance, if not seek nearest Disney nut)
Cast:
Me - Alastair 32 - Disney nut/ride lover/American food devourer.
DW Victoria (Not disclosed for reasons of my own personal safety) Extreme Disney nut/Ride enjoyer/Shopper extraordinaire.
General info:
Holiday company: Various, First choice Good prices, Virgin bit more expensive but more customer service, My Travel worst experience yet (not recommended on own experiences).
Tickets: www.onlineflorida.co.uk (pretty competitively priced, never had a problem.)
Expenses: Average $100 a day (based on two people), good for parking, food and drink in park and evening meal.
Hotels: We have always stayed in Kissimmee, pretty quiet, plenty of restaurants and shops and five to ten minute drive to the entrance of Disney World.
Well I suppose like many good story tellers I should start from the beginning.
Twas the night before Christmas .. Sorry wrong story.
We have to jump into the DeLorean and go back to November 1999, for our first ever trip to the wonderful world known as Walt Disney World. We was originally looking at Disneyland Resort Paris for our first holiday together as a couple but after I had done some digging around I actually found that for a measly couple of hundred pounds more, we could go to the expansive land of the United States of America and to the lovely state of Florida which just happened to contain the magical land of Disney for three whole weeks, Hurrah!
Now as this was the first trip, we were novices and did everything to the max, so much that we actually run out of money three days before the end of the holiday and had to sell our last three days worth of Disney tickets, not clever I know!!! This trip included a two day excursion to the Bahamas where we swam with (I say swam, stood in waste deep water and petted) two dolphins, Cocoon and Echo, the actual dolphins that appeared in the movie Cocoon, hence the names. This excursion also included the temp reaching 105 degrees and burning us to a crisp.
We also did the Medieval times dinner show which was excellent.
Such a great time was had that we vowed to return in the not so distant future.
Trip Duration: 3 weeks.
Booked with Virgin Holidays.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
The year is now 2001, I was returning to Florida without DW much to her disgust. My ex Stepfather, after hearing the wonderful tales of our first trip, offered to pay for my sister (18th birthday present), my mother and myself to go for two weeks as a surprise. Basically my sister had been fluttering her eyelids at said ex stepfather in the hope he would fund a trip to the land of Mickey & Co. Needlessly to say he succumbed.
Trip Duration: 2 weeks
Booked with Virgin Holidays.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
Fast forward to 2003, Both Myself & DW were returning to Florida for two weeks to visit Mickey and the gang. Before we were due to come out we had started planning for us to get married in the Bahamas with all the family in tow. Unfortunately as the planning processed started DWs father had a stroke and this put everything on hold. Six months later he had another and this time his short term memory and motor functions paid the price. It was then that DWs Mother suggested we marry in Florida as we were always raving about the state and we were heading out in June anyway. After some internet searching and various emails being sent, we had found a chapel in Eustis just north of the Disney Area and it was all booked and set.
On June 10th we flew out and June 17th 2003 we became man and wife.
This trip included a visit to Discovery Cove, which I enjoyed but I was under the impression the interaction was just the booking party, unfortunately it involved other people at the same time so petting and interaction was actually only about fifteen minutes worth, selfish sounding I know but at around $200 each I was expecting a bit more for my money. We also visited a friend of mine that was living in Tampa and checked out Busch Gardens while we down that way, DW was not that impressed with the park.
Trip Duration: 2 weeks.
Booked with My Travel. Yuk!!!!!!!
Howard Johnson Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
Its 2005 and Disney is too long out of our systems and we return for two weeks in November. We catch the start of the Christmas celebrations.
Trip Duration: 2 weeks.
Booked with First Choice.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
2006 we again return to see our pal Mickey. Upon landing I was greeted by a very nice lady in the car hire department, she tried to sell me a convertible upgrade but at over $600 for three weeks I was not biting, she then enquired if I was a member of the AA or RAC (Car Breakdown Companies) as this would get me a further discount off the $600 upgrade fee. I explained that though I did not belong to either club I did work for them in form of a contract garage (we attend if they cant), well holey smokes she offers the convertible for $350 instead. Now either that was a good staff discount or they were seriously overcharging in the first place to be able to knock that much off. Upon leaving the building to collect the car, DW who was waiting with the bags as youre not allowed to bring them into the car hire building noticed a Cheshire cat grin on my face and immediately knew what I had done. There in the Florida sun stood a Chrysler Sebring convertible, lovely. I must admit driving done the I4 in the sun with the roof down was a delight to which DW responded with the comment well never book a hard top again, I agreed.
This trip we ventured further than we ever had before, we drove to Miami. Being a driver in my profession, the four hour drive to Miami was the most relaxing I have ever experienced. $14 dollars in tolls later we were in south beach, Miami. A spot of shopping, a bite to eat and a nice afternoon stroll down ocean drive and south beach was worth the 4 hour drive.
We also caught a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral; we had tried before but it seems that an actual shuttle launch draws the crowds, strange I know! The launch was only a science rocket for the military but an awe inspiring sight none the less.
We also tried the Photopass card for the first time (I know, I know), we managed to get over 200 photos on it but that does mean your forever stopping to have your photo taken every five minutes but at approx 50 cents a picture, it was worth it.
Trip duration: 3 weeks
Booked with First Choice.
Quality Inn Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
Nearly there, 2007.
Well this year we return and have already booked the convertible to save disappointment at the airport, we have a shiny blue Chrysler Pt Cruiser (not my favourite model but never mind).
This years holiday was funded by me being made redundant and as I needed cheering up, what better place to go, you guessed it, Alaska. Nah only kidding, there was only one thing that would do the job and that was to see my mate Mickey.
Now I was not the only one to be made redundant, my work colleague and partner in crime was also laid off. Now his wife and DW are friends and DW had explained our plans and his wife was now on the same mental plane as DW, agreeing that this kind of trip and the money they were going get dont always come around, so the do it while you can attitude was adopted.
Now this was not one of DWs greatest ideas as tony, my partner in crime is not really a Disney fan. Needless to say the trip involved ushering them around, getting excited then getting disappointed when they did not seem excited at the same stuff as us. Luckily they had their own car and were quite happy to go off and do their own thing. They also were only out for two weeks compared to our three so we had a week to ourselves. But disappointingly we found when the fun is sucked out it is quite hard to get it back. Shame.
This trip included MNSSHP twice which was excellent, loads of treats. (Tip: buy a small something in park but ask for big bag, upon exiting the park, the CM on the turnstiles is pretty obliging in filling your bag with treats, we had 84 packets of Hersheys Kisses put in our bag. Yummy!! In fact, yep I still have a bag of very inedible looking lollipops in bottom draw of my computer desk.
Trip duration: 3 weeks.
Booked with First Choice.
Howard Johnson Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
2008. its nearly here.
Now after the fiasco of last year I vowed never to do Disney with anyone else ever again. Step forward my cousin Tabitha (DT) and her husband Steve (DS), youve been a few times, we want to go! When you going etc?
Now I decided as its my cousin, who I have grown up with maybe it wont be bad, she is a big Disney nut just like DW and DS is into pretty much the same as me so Im hoping it wont be a repeat of last years trials and tribulations.
This year we have the convertible booked, we have discovery cove booked and we are doing a balloon flight on the 17th November (hopefully) as its our 10 year anniversary.
We are doing MVMCP this year once on our own and then when DT and DS come out after our first week we will do it again with them. Having never done the MVMCP, DW is looking forward to the Cocoa and Marshmallows and cookies. Typical sugar rush expected. Joy!
We have also booked next years holiday, as DW wants to go out on this years trip knowing there is another one to look forward to when it is time to return home. This time we are going for the massive duration of 4 weeks. Come on!!!!!!
Trip duration: 3 weeks.
Howard Johnson Maingate West, Highway 192, Kissimmee.
Hire car.
I will be taking my laptop out with me and internet availability permitting will do daily reports, at worst a full report on our return.
<a href='http://www.**************/'>
<img src='http://www.**************/id/1225947586.jpg'>
</a>
<a href='http://www.**************/'>
<img src='http://www.**************/id/1258001998.jpg'>
</a>
1999 - Quality Inn, Kissimmee.(21 Nights)
2003 - Howard Johnson, Kissimmee (14 Nights) (Married during our stay)
2005 - Quality Inn, Kissimmee. (14 Nights)
2006 - Quality Inn, Kissimmee. (21 Nights)
2007 - Howard johnson, Kissimmee. (21 Nights)
2008 - Howard johnson, Kissimmee. (21 Nights)
2009 - Howard Johnson, Kissimmee. (28 Nights)
The mini reports of your past trips were fab, just shows how every Florida trip is different 
