It's a Jolly Holiday with Sugarglider TR: Update: MAJOR PIXIE DUST SPILLAGE !!

[Sugarglider]

Most definitely - fit both in!

And there is a Pandora shop in the Florida Mall...at least there was in 2010.

But inquiring minds wanna know....this trip is solo, right? Why are you pointing out that there is space for up to 5 people at OKW? Is this an invitation for us to come and gatecrash???

Hmmm ... I think that I may unfortunately end up in the Pandora shop in Mall at Millenia - such a shame to have so schlep out there.

On the room front - well - DANG YES!

There is a boring starting point - the point of the blog is to try to encourage my Zonta colleagues to go to Conference in Orlando in 2014. So I am trying to show them options and that it might seem expensive but they can share a space.

And also because - frankly - travelling solo is dang expensive - and if I can rent out that sofa bed I will! Geez - I'm been offering a cheap bed and because I am on free dining - that too! then all they have to do is come up with an airfare.

But nooooooo.... they want to have holidays with their husbands and assorted loved ones.

Oh well - by 2014 there will be a crowd of us and I bet we use every space available

 

[Sugarglider]

Sounds like a fabulous trip!

It turns out we're not only at the same V&A and Wishes events, but also the same Aqua Seas, jet ski tour, and probably parasailing right after you. Awesome!

We're ending our trip with the Poly platinum plan, but like you, we're starting at the Royal Pacific (then on to Dolphin, ending at Poly). My husband is doing Halloween Horror Nights, but he's on his own for that one.

We also have a day scheduled at Winter Park. We want to see the Morse museum (with all the Tiffany glass), the canal tour, and do a little shopping on Park. Thanks for the heads up about the Wine Room! It looks great.

Oh Kungaloosh I almost forgot you

Hey everyone - I've got a platnium partner to run the good race with!

 

[Sugarglider]

Several months ago we had some chat about ESTA and the new fee.

went onto the ESTA site and used their "check your status" feature. Fortunately my application from May 2010 is still valid until 2012 - so i don't have to do anything - no fee - nothing. YAY!

Slight change in plans for MNSSHP travel to and from RPR. been fighting the urge to book a 30% off monorail resort room on that night cause that would waste the room at RPR (but it's a BAAAARGAAAIIINNN) so I compromised by booking a town car service to drive me back and forth via the Contemporary. That way I don't have to battle the MNSSHP crowds trying to get to the car park when the monorail stops operating early and I don't have to try driving at 12:30am.

 

[Sugarglider]

New post on blog re: a conference speaker on volunteering - and undervalued resource.

I did manage to get Disney references in though!
Also Clarke and Dawes for our NZ friends

 

[Sugarglider]

Oh - I have my own soap opera!

apparently there is a water filtration problem in The Seas aquarium and DiveQuest, Dolphins and Aqua tours have been progressively cancelled on a week by week basis since September.

DISers are reporting being cancelled in the first week of November now.

I have my tours booked for 1 November and when I phone Disney (the IPO and WDW Tours) deny cancelling any November tours and that my date is scheduled to go ahead.

All tours cancelled out to 31 October now! It's literally at the wire - one extra day is all it takes to wipe me out.

I have my own little drama - this must increase the value I get out of my Disney holidays!

But the DISers are adamant - the tours will be cancelled and I will be sitting around doing NOTHING on my butt for a whole day.

 

[Sugarglider]

UPDATE: After poking the Poly IPO 3 times and insisting they contact The Seas directly and check, the came back to me and confirmed my suspicions - All Seas Aquarium tours are cancelled until 8 November at earliest.

They apologised for not contacting me (I still hold my belief that Disney will not contact an Australian anyway - "Australian? No yellow ME tags for you!") and through request they got me on the Backstage Magic tour for that day. Which is OK - not a dolphin but I was happy to get that tour as replacement.

I hope that bus isn't full of grumpy displaced snorklers!

BTW: have you noticed little ghost Mickey? almost at the end - I leave on Friday!! Woo for me!!

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Great news that you now know what you are doing better to know now i say.
Maybe you will get to do the dolphins next trip!

 

[Mum from oz]

Thats a shame about the dolphin swim, but at least you were able to schedule something else in. Not long now!!

 

[Sugarglider]

Great news that you now know what you are doing better to know now i say.
Maybe you will get to do the dolphins next trip!

Thats a shame about the dolphin swim, but at least you were able to schedule something else in. Not long now!!

Thanks Ladies - yeah - will have to go back - maybe next time i'll just go to Discovery Cove instead

LAST DAY AT WORK

DH has planned an Aussie celebration meal for dinner tonight - roast lamb and pavlova! Stone the crows!
(BTW: how good is he? cooks dinner and stays at home to feed the cat rather than come to WDW. No way I am giving out my address!)

 

[Sugarglider]

new blog post on Mrs Banks showing progress of my costume for MNSSHP

 

[shushh]

Hehehe, love the costume! Very impressed at everyone who made/is making the effort to dress up. Some of the costumes we saw were phenomenal!

 

[Sugarglider]

This is it! My last sleep! I jet off tomorrow morning! (are there enough exclamation marks?!)
ten months of planning and waiting and chatting and booking and saving - it is finally here - YAY! (good ol' dancing banana)

Everyone has been posting the most great looking trip reports and having a wonderful time. I hope I get some your good luck and I can give a good trip report too.

Thank you to so many who have provided hints and tips, and share those hidden extras that make a trip really work. My trip is better for your experiences.

I'll post most of my stuff on the blog - although I will change it's structure to be trip reports rather than themes.

See ya from Orlando!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Good luck!!!!!!!

 

[Sugarglider]

Here iam in the restaurant havg bfast and drppong in

the flight over was very smooth. fortunately scored a business class seat and stretch out. i feel a bit like Seinfeld: I can't fly coach. i won't go back.

Am in a standard room at rpr and it is lovely. very large and comfy.
Did harry potter land yesterday and that was clearly the premier draw of the park. doing US today.

Went shopping at the mall at millenia. well... that's a bit spevial and i am somewhat poorer. will go backam having technical difficulties and can't blog yet. hopefully resolved tomorrow. am saving photos - incl food porn - for you! according to TMobile as a foreigner under the US anti terrorism law i might wanting to conract other terrorists so i have had internet access restrictions on my acvount barring facebook and blogs and aussie sites. i think that is lifted now - but i had to go in and prove myself. that's how i got to the mall
am typing this on my phone which isn't the best but will get going soon.
Thanks for well wishes. and i hope that qantas stuff works out for others.

 

[australiankaren]

hey
looking forward to reading the blog when its up and running........

 

[Sugarglider]

Halloween party wsd pretty cool. spent my time gatting photos, candy and watching the events. lovely parade
wearing my sorceror mickey outfit was great. was the only one i saw!
Magic bit was when i met mickey at the town hall. i was the last person in a small group. when mickey saw me he went nuts! andso did the photographer. i was there for 20 mins! we did "protected the hat from donald trying to steal it"; the what are all the sorcereror apprentice gestures; lots of general posing. lots of body language with mickey trying to talk to me. he and minnie signed my hat and gloves. then mickey told me to wear the costume over at hollywood studios cause thats how he dresses there. so now Must do that.
I have no idea how many pics the photopass chick got. will have a look in a couple of days.
It is this type of magic only Disney can do

 

[alicia1506]

awwww, your pixie dust moment made me smile -- that is so awesome!!! so glad you're having a great time... we will be at RPR at universal in a few weeks, although our trip officially starts on sunday (single digit dance for me )

hope you enjoy the rest of your trip & your 'terrorist internet ban' is lifted

 

[WAMUMOF4]

sounds like your having a great time glad you arrived safely

 

[Mum from oz]

That is awesome. Sound Like you are having a wonderful time. Cant wait to see pics!