I want in on the action... Pre trip report

[Zeebs]

Well the title says it really, I want in on the action, I have been reading a few of these pre-trip reports and thought I might try one myself. Hey and if no body reads it then I can call it a fancy way of doing my itinerary.

Cast

Kirsten (thats me) 34 only remember this as I have recently had a birthday, I am a New Zealander, living in the UK. Well that is what happens when you marry a brit eh? (Yes I love New Zealand and would one day like to return but I also love the UK)
Doug - Hubby 45
Cullen - number 1 son, not because he is my favourite or anything just because he was the first born. He is 2
Seth - number 2 son, currently 6.5 months
Avril - Mother in law, one of the good ones, yes some people do have good mother in laws. late 60s.
Cliff - Father in law - Early 70's

Picture of the boys

Doug, I and Cullen on our trip to Disneyland

No good photos of Grandma and Pa at the moment might get some at a family party at the end of the month.

How come we are going to WDW....

Me: Doug you know how we weren't suppose to be having a holiday this year because we are going home to NZ in 2009.

Doug: Hmmmmm yessssss,

Me: well we have a whole lot of airmiles that are going to expire and won't get us to New Zealand can we use them to go to WDW.

Doug: What!!!!!!!!!

Me: Well would be a shame to waste them, I promise I will do it all on a budget and Julia has offered their place for free if we want to do a second week elsewhere in Florida.

And that is how it all started.

1 week 21 October 2008 to 28 October 2008 staying at Windsor Hills and then heading south for our second week to my friends condo in Palm City.

Me: Why don't we ask your Mum and Dad to come that would make it cheaper... (me thinking secretly and they can look after the grandkids while we have a night out and ride splash mountain, they live in Scotland so don't get to see the kids lots)

First I had to work out if it was cheaper to stay onsite in two rooms with dining plan or offsite. Offsite won hands down on this one for us. The other good thing with this was the kids got their own room. We decided to book the condo at Windsor Hills, for a lot of reasons but this bedroom for the kids helped sway us also.

Right'o as the mother of two small children one of which still wakes in the middle of the blasted night to get a feed I am off to bed. I shall hope to add some more information tomorrow.

Kirsten

 

[Tammy Stringer]

What gorgeous little boys you have.

Sounds like you are going to have a wonderful trip - and the boys are going to love that room in the villa

Tammy

 

[natalielongstaff]

That is a great room can't wait to hear more !

 

[irongirlof12]

your boys are too darn cute

love the plan so far, and the bedroom looks amazing.

 

[jjk]

great start,looking forward to reading more. That Bedroom is Brilliant

 

[Minniespal]

Fantastic photos ~ Looking forward to reading more.

 

[mamaboogie]

I want to stay in that room!

And I agree - your little boys are soooooo cute!

I look forward to hearing more!

 

[Snowy-girls]

Oh 2 little cuites you have there .That room looks great i would love to sleep in there.x.

 

[Zeebs]

Thanks very much for reading along and the comments about the cuteness of my boys. They are pretty cute MOST OF THE TIME, you know kids they have their moments. Although they have Doug and I as parents to put up so considering that fact they do pretty well. Here is a picture of him a couple of weeks ago when he fell asleep with his ice-cream. He wasn't giving that ice-cream up and being great parents we just laughed and took a few photos before putting him in bath and sending him to bed.

Kirsten

 

[Zeebs]

20 Oct - Kids and I, leave home, drive around M25 to Epsom. Doug leave work catch train to Epsom.

Because we are flying out of Gatwick we thought we might go and visit relatives the night before who have nicely offered to put us up. They live 20 mins from Gatwick so that will make the trip to the airport hopefully much faster and less stressful than from our own home.

Our flights,

As mentioned in my previous post we had airmiles, through Singapore Air, from our numerous flights home to NZ, pretty much once a year since 2003 had piled up a few points. Because they are part of the Star Alliance we could get reward flights with Virgin..... what a hassle trying to sort it out.

I need 40,000 then I talk to someone else and need 50,000 (which I don't have) look it all up on the internet and it says 40,000 ring back yay they can book it for 40,000. Great I will look at the dates and ring back to book.

Me: I would like to book flight from London Gatwick to Orlando MCO.
Him: Sorry you don't have enough points.....
Me: pardon I have 40,000 thats all I need
Him: no you need 50,000 to fly with Lufthansa.
Me: why can't I go with Virgin,
Him: Virgin don't fly from Heathrow..........
Me: I would like to book flight from London Gatwick to Orlando MCO (feeling of dejevu here)

OK so finally got flights booked for myself, Doug and Cullen.

We added Seth on a few months later, not without issues I might add and having to speak to 3 different staff, because according to the first one he couldn't be booked on the flight as there was no adult to add him to and as he wasn't getting a seat he had to be linked up. Huh?? His ticket however, cost £179.00 suppose the need to pay for the amazing training they give their staff some how don't they

We might if there is availability when we get to the airport upgrade ourselves to PE. (anyone have an idea aprox this might cost)

In laws are flying out of Manchester. They didn't have any issues booking, but then they were paying for their tickets.

They get in to Orlando a couple of hours before us. If our flight is arriving on time they will wait for us at the airport if not (and it seems there might be a slim chance of it not.. ) they will catch a cab to Windsor Hills.

I had been telling Cullen that we would go a plane to see Mickey Mouse so he is very excited about that now every plane he sees he says "Mummy, Daddy, Cullen, Seth, Mickey Mouse"

I am hoping to try out one of the new child seats that Virgin have to for him as he is a wee bit of a wriggler, we have been practising staying still and he is very good in the car. He also likes TV so I am sure he will be quite happy to sit and watch it for quite some time.

When we took him to NZ when he was 10 months he pretty much breastfed the WHOLE way, it is a very long time to have ones 's out but he was pretty quiet so that was good.

We had thought we would try and get a skycot for Seth but he is a bit of a chubby bubby and I don't think he will fit.

OK that is me done in for another night. Seth woke up twice for a feed last night, and I wonder why he is chubby.

Here is a wee picture of Cullen at Disneyland talking to Dale

Kirsten

 

[jockey]

Lovely pics, can't wait to hear more

 

[tony64]

Hi Kirsten
Lovin' your pre trippie.

That bedroom looks great, i wonder if I can get DW to do our bedroom like it.

 

[Pinky166]

Lovely start to your pre trippie. Your boys look very cute....love the ice cream pic.

 

[mandymouse]

Great start to your trip report. Love your pics That bedroom looks great

 

[nannav]

we are arriving in florida on 21 oct too I wanted to be there for my birthday we are staying at formosa gardens we are also taking my grandson who will be 1 yr old on the 26 oct we will be meeting family there who live in usa and family who live locally

 

[Zeebs]

we are arriving in florida on 21 oct too I wanted to be there for my birthday we are staying at formosa gardens we are also taking my grandson who will be 1 yr old on the 26 oct we will be meeting family there who live in usa and family who live locally

Well might see you around then Hope you have a happy birthday. We orginally planned to go in April for my birthday but glad we changed it for October.

Great start to your trip report. Love your pics That bedroom looks great

Thank you, hopefully you will enjoy the rest of it.

Lovely start to your pre trippie. Your boys look very cute....love the ice cream pic.

Thanks, he loves ice-cream. Calls it eee iiimmm (like teatime without the tea) too me a long time to figure out that is what he was saying, kept trying to give him his tea but nope that wasn't what he wanted.

Hi Kirsten
Lovin' your pre trippie.

That bedroom looks great, i wonder if I can get DW to do our bedroom like it.

Thanks very much glad you like it. Do the room for her as a surprise.....

Lovely pics, can't wait to hear more

Thankyou another update coming up..

Kirsten

 

[Zeebs]

Well after what I suspect will be a very very very very long flight. We will arrive at MCO. I have booked a car through usrentacar/dollar a dodge caravan, with a bit of luck. Do you know that thing has 13 cup holders!!! Even the baby gets two. We have to fit 4 adults and two children in carseats in it should be big enough. Luckily we pack pretty light (4 outfits each one on, one in the wash, 2 spare, packed socks to jocks in little zip lock bags, you know you really get some good tips on these boards, will see if this is one of them.) I don't suspect there will be much room for bags when we get all the people in. On the advice of Disboards I have joined Dollar Express, so hopefully that will save some time off picking up the car. Then we are off to Windsor Hills.

This is the condo we have rented. www.rent-windsorhills.com We are in the lakeside one, they have since updated the kids bedroom with the Mickey and Tinkerbell room as per my first post. The people I have been dealing with have been really nice and so helpful. I plan to spend my evenings, with a glass of wine, sat on the balcolny looking out over the lake and see if I can find some alligators. I picked a condo so we could be near the community pool. I know people rave about having a pool attached but with two little kids I just thought it would be a bit much hassle. At least this way they can't see it and pester me every two minutes to get in it.

I am trying to decide if I should stop at the supermarket on the way to the condo or to get a delivery of groceries from Garden Grocer, I like wandering around supermarkets, but I suspect after a long flight hubby and the kids WILL NOT. Also if we go to the supermarket I am sure we will over purchase, like a recent trip to a cottage in France. So if I buy on line before we go I should be able to restrict my urges to buy all the exciting new stuff I see.

Then off to bed a big day tomorrow, you know I never sleep as well as I do after getting off a very long flight. When ever we fly to New Zealand we always spend the first couple of nights with a friend in Auckland before flying home to Mum and Dads in the South Island, well their spare bed, is a rubbish thing with the oddest slates and if you move around too much the slates move and then eventually fall out, meaning you end up on the floor. OK now we are not the smartest tools in the shed as we always forget about it until the second night. The first night we sleep like the dead obviously don't move at all bed stays in one piece. The second night we move and end up on the floor at some point in the evening. This is when we remember and put something underneth it to fix it.

Here is another wee picture of Cullen at Disneyland, just cause I can't think of any other pictures to put in right now.

Kirsten

 

[wicket2005]

Your kids look super cute and will think all the characters are the real thing.

 

[Lizzybear]

Sounds like a fun trip you have planned, I can't wait to take kids to WDW some day Your boys are soo adorable too

 

[Zeebs]

Your kids look super cute and will think all the characters are the real thing.

Thank you, I think so too most of the time. Cullen didn't love the characters the when we went to Disneyland but he didn't hate them either he just kinda treated them like he saw them every day. I think he will love them this time, well heres hoping anyway.

Sounds like a fun trip you have planned, I can't wait to take kids to WDW some day Your boys are soo adorable too

You will get there one day, and it will be fab.

Kirsten