It's A Small World ~ Pre Trip Report

ariel2007

Newbie Disser
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
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... Or Our Year of A Million Dreams... and A Million Holidays

Hey everyone :wave2:, I decided to start my new pre-trippie here, I hope no-one minds. I hope some of my old friends will be joining me here and that some new ones will join us along the way... everyones welcome, but be warned it may be long :banana:. Anyway lets get on with the show...

It All Started With A Dream... And Then A Holiday... And Then Another Dream... Or Two... Or Three...

Well after the conclusion of our Magical WDW Adventure which was yet another holiday of a lifetime, the post Disney blues set in again, Big time, and I mean Big time with a capital B. Every time I turned the TV on there was yet another advert for Disney World or Orlando and everywhere I looked in our house was yet another reminder of my favorite place on earth, and the place I knew I wouldn’t be back to for a while :sad1: . After this years trip to Disney World we knew we wouldn’t be able to go back until at least 2010, but how on earth could we survive with no WDW adventure to plan and look forward to, and what holiday could possibly fill the huge void not going to Disney had left in both of us...

...Well our solution came in the form of not one holiday but 6, yes you read it right, 6 holidays to plan and enjoy over the next year. Now not all these holidays are definite, only two are actually booked at the moment, but we are pretty sure that soon enough they will all be booked and we can get on with the all important planning, so fingers crossed.
And I thought that since sharing my plans with everyone on my Magical WDW Adventure (my trip report which is in working progress is here if you want to read ... go on, you know you wanna) was both fun and helpful and that it really helped pass the time leading up to our great adventure that I would write a pre-trippie (or series of pre-trippies) to share with whoever wants to read :goodvibes .


Well before I tell you any more about our ideas and plans I will introduce the cast who will appear at various points throughout this pre-trippie.

The Cast:

First off there is Me and my boyfriend Nick, who will be planning and participating in all of the trips.
I am 23, a typical girly-girl who loves the usual girly related things – shopping, clothes, and jewellery, anything pink, sparkly and pretty.

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And Nick is 24, loves typical boy things – cars, Top Gear, anything gadgetty, computer games and most sport – both playing and watching, especially Cricket, Rugby and golf.

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Nick and I met on our first day at university nearly 5 years ago and have been together ever since and during that time have done some amazing things together. We have so much in common, we love the same things, share a lot of the same passions and have the same dreams and aspirations in life. From the moment we met we were completely comfortable with each other and have great fun planning our future.

Despite having a lot in common we have quite opposite personalities, I am a bit of a worrier, very particular and organised (Nick swears I have OCD but I find nothing wrong with colour-coding my wardrobe and having specific places for my DVD’s) as opposed to Nick who is so laid-back and takes everything as it comes…if it ever does. We therefore balance each other out perfectly which means we live, work and play together without killing each other in the process. It is also great because it means I get to make most of the decisions…like where we go on holiday :thumbsup2 !!

Our two main passions are Disney and traveling. We absolutely love to travel and have visited some amazing places together including Thailand and Cuba and plan to visit many, many more. We love reading about the countries, planning the trips and experiencing the culture, the countryside and especially the food and drink. We both especially love the US and would love to travel all around and visit all the different States. Its just so diverse and everything seems so interesting, we LOVE it. And with Disney being our other main passion we have been to WDW and Disneyland Paris several times and plan to go many, many more times in the future.

Here is a few pictures of us:


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And heres some from our recent Magical WDW Adventure:

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Oh and we both love Starbucks too:
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Next up is Mum, Dad and Sophie

I'll start with Mum as she is head of the household. She will be 50 is August and I think she looks damn good for her age - ever since she had Sophie she just seems to get younger and younger.
She is an amazing Mum, she is so loving and caring and has always puts us kids first, but she is also a great friend and great fun to hang out with.
She loves Disney and was the one who introduced me and my sisters to it. She has had major Disney depression ever since our last trip, she also loves the US despite initially being skeptical about going there, so much so she wants to spend all our holidays there. She loves great food, going to see great shows and visiting great places. She likes to help plan our trips but leaves all the major decisions to me.

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Dad is 49, he will be 50 next July. He is actually only Sophie's real Dad but has been with Mum for 16 years and has been more than a dad to Kate (my older sister) and I and I absolutely love him to pieces. He is slightly crazy, but in a good way, and is so much fun to be around.
He works every waking minute to be able to pay for our amazing trips and nothing is ever too much for him. He loves Disney and is always talking about moving to America, he loves everything about the country and can’t wait to go back. He is really laid back and leaves all the decisions to Mum and I - might be something to do with living in a house full of women for 16 years.

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Heres a few pictures of them:
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Sophie - my baby sister, she is actually 12 (nearly) but will always be my baby. We are really close and I miss her so much when were not together. I love to spoil her and she is an angel child who deserves to be spoiled so it works out well. She is a lovely child, she is very well mannered and polite, she is kind-hearted and has lots of friends as a result, she tries hard at everything she does although sometimes finds things hard and grows into a more beautiful young lady every day.
She loves her family and is a Mummys girl, Daddys girl, Grandad's girl but most importantly My girl. She is quite young for her age and doesn't want to grow up, something not that common in children her age, meaning she still has that lovely innocence children have.
Her main passion is animals, from the day she was born she has had an obsession with all animals, initially she wanted to be an animal when she grew up but after figuring it wasn't really possible she decided she wants to either be a killer-whale trainer or be like Rosie Trevanion in Wild at Heart. She loves our holidays especially Disney and is happy-go-lucky with any plans we make, as long as it involves lots of pool time.

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Mum, Dad, Sophie, Nick and I have spent several holidays together, including a whole month at WDW, and we all get along really well. We all love going on holiday, we all love Disney and the States and we all love being together. We like doing the same things which works really well, we like to pack a lot in and really make the most of all our time, we love to visit nice restaurants, see local sights, shows, theme parks, countryside and much more. We are all really looking forward to our upcoming trips, we are sure they will be a lot of fun.

Heres some photo's of our last holiday to WDW altogether in 2006:
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And finally Grandma and Grandad

All my Mum’s family are really close and this centers around having the loveliest, most loving and caring Grandparents ever. My grandparents have always played a major role in our lives, when I was younger we (my Mum, sisters and I) used to stay at their house every weekend, something Sophie and Mum still do and every holiday we had as children was spent with them. We are always at their house having one of my Grandma’s lovely meals, watching Sophie and Grandad put on another one of their dance shows, going for a nice family walk, picnic or visit to the beach, or having a lovely family holiday in France or Cornwall.
They are both pretty laid back, both quite with the times and a lot of fun. They like to travel too, my Grandad loves France and hopes to soon get a house there that he work on and can do up. I hope he does soon, it would be a lot of fun.

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And this is all of us from France last year (minus Dad whose taking the picture):

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Oh and there is one more member of the cast. He has a real sense of adventure, loves traveling the world and has come with us on all our trips...and of course will be joining us on the ones we are planning. It's the one and only traveling Pig... It's Piggles. Here he is on some of his worldly adventures:

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Relaxing in the Bahama's

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Playing Poker in France

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Eating at Annettes Diner, Disneyland Paris

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His favorite place...Ohana

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Waiting to ride Splash Mountain


Holiday Planning... The What, When, Who, Why?

Now I have introduced the cast I will introduce our holiday plans as they are at the moment:

1.
WHEN: 23rd August – 2nd September 2008 – 9 nights
WHERE: The Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
WHO: Nick and Me; Mum, Dad and Sophie
WHY: To celebrate Mum’s 50th birthday
CURRENT STATUS: The holiday is booked and pretty much planned, attraction tickets yet to be booked


2.
WHEN: 31st October – 4th November 2008 – 4 nights
WHERE: Disneyland Paris
WHO: Nick and Me; Mum, Dad and Sophie
WHY: For Halloween and to celebrate Nick and My 5 year dating anniversary
CURRENT STATUS: The holiday is booked, some aspects yet to be booked and planned


3.
WHEN: Beginning of January 2009, dates to include 11th January – probably for 7 nights
WHERE: Las Vegas
WHO: Nick and Me
WHY: To celebrates Nick’s 25th birthday
CURRENT STATUS: In the mid planning stages


4.
WHEN: End of April, beginning of May 2009 – 2 weeks
WHERE: Mexico
WHO: Nick and Me
WHY: For a nice relaxing holiday with a bit of culture and a lot of pampering
CURRENT STATUS: In the late planning stages


5.
WHEN: July 21st – 27th 2009 (approximate dates) – 4 nights
WHERE: New York
WHO: Nick and Me; Mum, Dad and Sophie
WHY: To celebrate Dad’s 50th birthday
CURRENT STATUS: In the late planning stages


6.
WHEN: Late August 2009 – 2 weeks
WHERE: France and other European countries
WHO: Nick and Me; Mum, Dad and Sophie; Grandma and Grandad
WHY: For a family holiday
CURRENT STATUS: In the early planning stages




Plan, plan and plan some more... you can never plan too much, or can you?

As you can tell with all these amazing holiday ideas we have a lot of planning to do, which is another of my greatest passions (well as long as it involves something exciting like a brilliant holiday). I have already started a planning journal which will be used to document any hotels, attractions, restaurants we want to visit and also keep record of any confirmations. As you can see its got a slight Disney touch

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I also plan to get lots of travel books to help with my planning, I love reading them they always give me new ideas and tips.

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The trouble is I start to plan, get lots of good ideas, then find more good ideas, and then more and more and more. Our 2 week holiday soon becomes 3 weeks, then 23 nights, then 24 and our ‘value’ accommodation is no longer in the value range, nor the car or the flights or anything else for that matter. See thats the trouble with planning, there is always so much more to see and do and you have to stop somewhere, the trouble with me is working out just where :confused: !


So there we have it, the foundations for my pre-trippie are set and now it is time for the real fun and planning to begin... please come and join me :grouphug:
 
OMIGOSH !!!!!! FIRST !!!!!! :cool1: :banana:

After reading your other reports, I didn't think there was a whole lotta stuff left to do on vacations. Whew...


I am soooooooooooo in on this!!!


BTW..how did customs go??? :lmao:
 
I think I get to be first to comment on your new PTR! :cheer2: Nope... Cathy beat me. Oh well.. SECOND!

Sounds like so much fun! I am so envious of how much traveling you get to do. :worship:

Wonderful to see pictures of your whole family... why is it that your other sister never gets to travel with you?
 

Woohoo, I'm fourth!:cool1: I'm glad you started this & hope it helps pass the time till your next trip.popcorn::
 
OMIGOSH !!!!!! FIRST !!!!!! :cool1: :banana:

After reading your other reports, I didn't think there was a whole lotta stuff left to do on vacations. Whew...


I am soooooooooooo in on this!!!


BTW..how did customs go??? :lmao:

Yes I'm so glad your all here, hopefully its going to be lots of fun. And CONGRATULATIONS for being first :cheer2:

Customs went fine, I always worry they will pull us over but never have. Fingers crossed they never will either, we would be there forever :sad2:


I think I get to be first to comment on your new PTR! :cheer2: Nope... Cathy beat me. Oh well.. SECOND!

Sounds like so much fun! I am so envious of how much traveling you get to do. :worship:

Wonderful to see pictures of your whole family... why is it that your other sister never gets to travel with you?

Yes Second :cheer2:

My older sister is kind of different to us, she doesn't really like the same things and never had any money to spend on anything like holidays as she prefers to go out all the time. You will understand a little more in my next post :thumbsup2

YAY!! I am third! I am so glad you are starting a new PTR!! Love all of the pictures! :cool1:

Yes Third :cheer2:

Thanks and glad you are here, next post up in a minute.
 
Cowboys, Chicken and Country Music

The When, Where, Who, Why?
WHEN: 23rd August – 2nd September 2008 – 9 nights
WHERE: The Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
WHO: Nick and Me; Mum, Dad and Sophie
WHY: To celebrate Mum’s 50th birthday


How It All Began...
We decided some time ago we would go away for Mum's birthday this year as it was her big 50 and we wanted to celebrate it in style. Our first plan, Plan A, was to go to New York as we have all always wanted to go there and there seems like so much to do. We looked at all sorts of packages, New York and Barbados, New York and Boston... but when we priced it up it didn't seem to be comparatively cheaper than WDW which we all love and missed so badly.

So we looked into going to WDW, and it happened to be during the free ddp period, which pretty much sold it to us... WDW and free dining, what more could we want? And that formed Plan B. Well that dream soon came to an end when my older sister announced that if we went to WDW she wouldn't be coming as, I quote, "It's not my thing"... how can it not be "her thing"... how can we even be related, I really wonder :confused: ?
So it was back to Plan A, New York, but my sister could only afford to do New York alone, so that now became Plan C. Confused? I was. Well Plan C was formed in January and this is when the real planning began. I brought guide books, spent hours on the internet looking at hotels, restaurants and attractions, reading trip reports and reviews and making plans and lists of what were going to do and see. We kept going to book it but something always came up... but by Easter we had pretty much decided that when Mum, Dad and Sophie came to stay with Nick and I it would finally get booked. Well that dream came to an end too, when yet again my sister announced that she wouldn't be coming with us for various reasons... to say we were all pretty mad was an understatement, first she had ruined our dream of going to WDW and then she let us all down again. Well the planning carried on without her and to be honest it was a lot easier :furious: . Mum, Dad, Sophie, Nick and I all get along really well, we don't argue, we like to do the same things, like to eat at the same places, everyone has fun and everyone stay happy. My sister on the other hand is always arguing with people, hates to do tourist things like theme parks and mini-golf, hates eating anywhere 'touristy' as she calls it, and now to make things even more difficult has become a vegetarian. Oh and she is lazy. So it was kind of a blessing, it was just annoying she didn't say sooner. So our planning continued, but we still couldn't find the perfect deal, the right hotel and flights without an extortionate price tag. I began looking at other options, Cuba, Thailand, Egypt, but everything I mentioned Mum said 'No' too... and it was her birthday after all.

That was until I suggested Dollywood. I had read a trip report a while ago about someone who had been to the mountains in America and it sounded like so much fun, and then I had seen several things about Dollywood and it looked great. So I had looked into it a while ago, and we decided we may go there next year for Dad's 50th. Well we were sitting round the lounge at the beginning of July, it was Nick and my last evening at Mum and Dad's and I looked at Dollywood again. Suddenly I was getting all sorts of information about cabins and attractions and restaurants and it all seemed so appealing and so much cheaper than New York. So I checked out the flights and they seemed really reasonable... the only problem was is there was no direct flights to Knoxville which is the nearest airport to Dollywood, and being scared of flying Mum really didn't want to do an in-direct flight. So we looked at flying in to Atlanta and driving to Dollywood, sort of a mini road trip... Well Mum, Dad and Sophie were pretty much instantly sold, as were Nick and I. That evening I booked the flights...and that was it, our next adventure was decided, and it was going to be a great one.



The Planning
Once the flights were booked the real planning could begin. The only problem was we couldn't find any guide books on the area so the internet became our only planning tool, luckily there seemed to be a lot of information available.

Our main priorities to begin were to find a cabin and to plan a route for our mini road trip.
Planning the route was pretty easy. We decided that since we didn't get in to Atlanta until 4.30pm that we didn't want to drive directly to Pigeon Forge, which is where Dollywood is, so needed somewhere en-route to stop for the night. Lots of people recommended stopping in Chattanooga and so I looked in to it. Sure enough there seemed to be lots to do and see and it was pretty much midway between Atlanta and Pigeon Forge. So that was the first part of our trip sorted.
The idea was to then spend the rest of our time in Pigeon Forge and then stop in Atlanta for one night on the way back. Well we did some research into Atlanta and there seemed to be so much to see and do, so we decided to spend a few nights there at the end of our trip.
We were looking for somewhere to stop on the journey from Pigeon Forge back to Atlanta but no-where seemed to stand out. I was also having trouble trying to chose between 2 different things to do in Chattanooga on the way, so to make things easier we thought we would just stop there again on the journey back.

Our next job was to find a cabin, and this job was going to be between Nick and I as we wanted to surprise the others when we got there. The original site I had found had some nice looking cabins at really cheap prices. But then a few people recommended a few other companies to look at and this is where the headache began. I pretty much narrowed it down to two companies... and then to one. But then the trouble was choosing a cabin from an endless amount of beautiful ones all with something special about them. There was one lovely one with a huge outdoor pool but with 9 bedrooms and room for 18 it seemed maybe a bit OTT. It came down to 3 in the end, one had an indoor pool but no view, one had a cinema room and a ok view and the last one had the most beautiful view and 4 gorgeous bedrooms. We then ruled out the one with the pool as although it was really nice it was much more expensive and the view wasn't great, and I knew that is what Mum would appreciate. Nick and I tossed back and forward between the two, he would think one and I would think the other and then we would both change our mind so eventually I emailed the company and asked for more information. By the time we got a reply we both kind of favored the same one and sure enough the woman who got back to us recommended the same one as it was newer and had better facilities, so we booked it then, and are so excited. I think the others expect a small one floor cabin, quite old fashioned, not the stunning one we have booked, I can't wait to see their reaction :thumbsup2

After that the planning was pretty much down to looking at local attractions and restaurants, little did we know how much there is to see and do in this area from the beautiful mountains for walks, car tours, horse riding and rafting, to Dollywood, mini-golf, Ripleys, shopping outlets and a million restaurants... theres so much to do and so little time, this is why our holiday went from 6 to 9 nights and I still don't think it will be nearly enough :upsidedow



Our Mini Road Trip

Saturday 23rd August:
Fly into Atlanta.
Drive to Chattanooga, stay overnight.

Sunday 24th - Friday 29th:

Stay in a cabin in Pigeon Forge for 5 nights

Friday 29th - Monday 1st:
Drive to Atlanta, stopping in Chattanooga en-route
Stay in Atlanta for 3 nights

Monday 1st September:
Fly home :cry:


Up Next: Our Daily Plans and lots of pictures
 
Hey Ariel,

I am defiantly on board; I have enjoyed your Disney World trip report a lot. I live about an hour and a half away from Pigeon Forge, so if you need any questions answered or any info, I have been there a million times so I may be able to help.

I can't wait to read about all of your trips!
 
Oh I'm so excited to follow your trips. I'm so jealous of all of the fun you get to have over the next year. I want to be able to go on as many vacations as you guys! Your sister is not so smart. But, my brother is the same way. He's not so adventurous either. He doesn't like to travel either. Which is weird because my dad was in the Air Force for over 20 years and we traveled all the time. It's funny how different people in the same family can be so different. I look forward to hearing about all of your planning. And your Dollywood trip is coming up soon.
 
Your plans look great!! Sorry about your sister, but it will be her loss.

How nice to surprise your family with really nice 'digs' Can't wait to see pics.

I was at Pigeon Forge once for a few hours. All I remember is the shopping, shopping, shopping. Not that you are interested in THAT :lmao:
 
Hey Ariel,

I am defiantly on board; I have enjoyed your Disney World trip report a lot. I live about an hour and a half away from Pigeon Forge, so if you need any questions answered or any info, I have been there a million times so I may be able to help.

I can't wait to read about all of your trips!

Thanks glad you are enjoying my Disney trippie, I will probably post another day tomorrow as I'm at work in a bit but sadly its nearly the end. I'm just glad I have another report to keep me going else I don't know what I would do ;)

Oh that is so cool you live near that area... are the mountains as beautiful as they look? I can't think of many questions right now but am sure I will think of some. One thing I don't understand so much you may be able to clear up for me though. I know Pigeon Forge is a 'dry' town, so they don't sell alcohol, but is it ok for people to drink it in their own homes or accommodation. And I have read that Gatlinburg is not dry and sells alcohol but I read somewhere else that Seveir county is all dry and as far I can understand from the map Gatlinburg is in Sevier country. And Walmart in Seveirville (sorry for the spelling), do they sell alcohol? Sorry were not alcoholics or anything it's just quite a new concept to us and we don't want to do anything wrong.. and my parents like a nice beer in the evening too.

Oh actually I have thought of a few more things... we have read about the auto routes you can do through the mountains, have you ever done any and is there any you particularly recommend? We have read that some go to Cherokee in NC, is this far to get too as we would love to go to another state, even if its only briefly to say we've been there. We also plan to do a little walking but then my Mum is scared about the bears, have you ever encountered any bears and is it safe to walk around?

Thanks, bet you wish you never asked now :thumbsup2

Oh I'm so excited to follow your trips. I'm so jealous of all of the fun you get to have over the next year. I want to be able to go on as many vacations as you guys! Your sister is not so smart. But, my brother is the same way. He's not so adventurous either. He doesn't like to travel either. Which is weird because my dad was in the Air Force for over 20 years and we traveled all the time. It's funny how different people in the same family can be so different. I look forward to hearing about all of your planning. And your Dollywood trip is coming up soon.

Thank you :hug:

Yes my sister is strange. She did come to France with us all last year but most days stayed in the villa whilst we all went to the beach. And when she did come with us she just caused arguments, so its easier when she doesn't come. She did go to Barcelona with a friend recently but it was a case of £20 flights, staying in whatever youth hostels they could get at the time, partying all night and sleeping on the beach... not my idea of a good holiday, but like you said, everyone is different :confused3
 
There is a trip report area, you know.

Yes for Disney trip reports... and this isn't Disney

Your plans look great!! Sorry about your sister, but it will be her loss.

How nice to surprise your family with really nice 'digs' Can't wait to see pics.

I was at Pigeon Forge once for a few hours. All I remember is the shopping, shopping, shopping. Not that you are interested in THAT :lmao:

Thanks so much.

Hopefully the cabin will be really nice, I'm so excited to see it for real. I especially can't wait to see the view.

I have heard that there is lots of shopping outlets there. Its funny because my Mum always says she doesn't want to spend her holiday shopping, but then says "Is there any malls there?" ... I don't get it :confused3
 
Cowboys, Chicken and Country Music

Daily Plans

This is the detailed version of our plans. As this is not Disney and I know not everyone is familiar with the area or the places I talk about I have included some information, and some pictures too.

And so it begins...
Mum, Dad and Sophie will be coming to stay at ours on Thursday night so this night will probably be spent checking and rechecking all tickets and confirmations, finalizing any packing and then relaxing with a Chinese and bottle of wine.


Friday 22nd:

Travel to Gatwick Airport. Park car at long term parking.
Stay at the Hilton for the night.
Tea at frankie and Benny's
This has become a tradition for us to eat at Frankie and Benny's before our American adventures

A picture from our last visit:

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Saturday 23rd:
Breakfast at the Hilton
Bit of duty free shopping before our flight

12.20pm: Flight to Atlanta, Georgia with BA
16.35pm: Arrive in Atlanta

Drive to Chattanooga, Tennessee (about 2 1/2 hrs drive)
Check in to Read House (Sheraton)
The Sheraton Read House Hotel Chattanooga combines the ambiance of yesterday with the amenities of today. Nestled in the heart of downtown Chattanooga, our hotel is ideally situated for business, weekend getaways, or a vacation in one of Tennessee's most historic cities. We are on the Chattanooga free Electric Shuttle route and just blocks away from the Tennessee Aquarium, restaurants, shopping, and other exciting attractions.
Oh and they have a Starbuck's too.


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Tea at Big River Grille and Brewing Works

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Sunday 24th:

Breakfast in hotel
Sophie will probably want to use the pool

12pm: Southern Belle lunch cruise
This is a surprise for Mum, Paula and Sophie


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1.30-2pm: Drive to Pigeon Forge (2 1/2 hrs drive)
Go to cabin office to collect keys, check out cabin

Some cabin pictures:
The lounge:

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Kitchen:
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Dining Area:
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Game room:
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Bedroom 1:
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Bedroom 2:
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Bedroom 3:
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Bedroom 4:
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And outside:
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Drive to The Old Mill, check out the shops in Old Mill Square and have dinner at Old Mill Restaurant

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Monday 25th:
DOLLYWOOD (10am-6pm)

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Lunch at Miss Lilian's Chicken House
Miss Lillian, one of Dollywood's most colorful characters, invites you to join her in Craftsman's Valley at her All-You-Care-To-Eat buffet restaurant. The selection includes southern fried chicken, country fried steak, or pulled ham. Don't miss the sensational side dishes, featuring mashed potatoes with peppered white gravy, green beans, seasoned vegetable blend and brown sugar cinnamon apples. A variety of delicious salads and desserts will complete your meal. Be on the lookout for Miss Lillian's fresh-from-the-oven baked biscuits, because she's liable to toss one in your direction! Miss Lillian also serves up a rousing song or two, making this one of the most entertaining meals at Dollywood.

After Dollywood go to Walmart for some supplies (probably the usual ice-cream, crisps, chocolate, beer, Starbucks frappes and Diet coke)

BBQ at our cabin

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Tuesday 26th:

MUM'S 50th BIRTHDAY

Breakfast in the cabin

Gatlinburg Helicopter ride
This is truly a great ride. You will soar up to around 4000 feet and cover all the local towns and into the edge of the Smokies. The ride has headsets provided so our pilots can tell you a little more about our towns. A camera is a must on this flight.

Auto tour into the Smokies with picnic lunch

6pm: Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede
I'm so glad we'll get a chance to go here. We really loved the one in Orlando and planned to go back next time we went but then it closed. And its a bit of a bonus as its a new show.


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Back to the cabin for a mini party with drinks and nibbles

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Wednesday 27th:

DOLLYWOOD
We were initially going to do the park in one day after reading reports about it being a one-day park but considering we were going to Pigeon Forge for Dollywood and considering we want to see and do everything there and take our time we have decided to have 2 days there.

Breakfast at Aunt Grannys All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet
On days when Dollywood opens at 10 a.m., head straight to Aunt Granny’s for the All-You-Care-To-Eat breakfast buffet, served until 11 a.m. and featuring a selection of items--bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, red bliss potato casserole, grits, French toast sticks, assorted fruits and cereals. All served with unlimited beverages.

Afternoon / Early evening spent checking out Gatlinburg attractions - Ripleys Haunted House, Ripleys Davy Crockett Mini-golf, Ober Gatlinburg, Hard Rock Cafe for cocktails

Ober Gatlinburg Ariel Tramway:
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Tea at Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant


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Thursday 28th:
Breakfast at Golden Corral

SMOKY MOUNTAINS
Morning: White water rafting and tubing

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Afternoon: Auto tours, hiking

Tea ???


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Friday 29th:

Leave the cabin and drive to Chattanooga (2 1/2hrs drive)

Visit Rock City
Rock City is 1700 feet above sea level, with a 100-foot waterfall that cascades down the mountain, and the famous Swing-A-Long bridge that spans nearly 200 feet. This self guided tour along the brow of Lookout Mountain gives visiters a birds eye view from hith atop Lookout Mountain.

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Drive to Atlanta (2 1/2hrs drive), check in to Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter
We chose this hotel as most of the good hotels in the city center were full and the ones that were left had high prices for average rooms and amenities. This hotel had good amenities (Mum wanted a pool for Sophie), is close to Perimeter Mall which has some good dining options and was a lot better price.

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Visit Perimeter Mall
Tea at The Cheesecake Factory (a surprise for Mum who loves it and doesn't know there is one there)


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Saturday 30th:

Sophie and I are going to Georgia Aquarium, we have a Behind The Scene's Tour booked at 12pm (It was a surprise for her birthday)

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Mum, Dad and Nick are doing a City Segway Tour
A fabulous way to see Atlanta! Highlights include: The World of Coke, The State Capitol, Olympic Torch and Turner Field, Historic Sweet Auburn Neighborhood and MLK Center, The CNN Center, Centennial Olympic Park and more!

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1.30pm: Meet at Hard Rock Cafe for lunch
Visit World Of Coca Cola
The World of Coca-Cola is a permanent exhibition featuring the history of The Coca-Cola Company and its well-known advertising as well as a host of entertainment areas and attractions.

Tea at Magianno's Little Italy


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Sunday 31st:

Drive to Stone Mountain Park for the day
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Stone Mountain Park is a green oasis where families and friends can enjoy the outdoors together. The five square mile park is Georgia’s most visited attraction. Home to the world’s largest piece of exposed granite, Stone Mountain Park offers a variety of attractions, entertainment and recreation.

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Dinner and tea in the park
9.30pm: Lazer Show


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Monday 1st:

Lunch at the Sun Dial Restaurant

The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View is Atlanta's only tri-level dining complex featuring a revolving upscale restaurant, a rotating cocktail lounge and an observatory View Level offering a breathtaking 360-degree panorama of the magnificent Atlanta skyline.

Check out of hotel, drop car off at airport, check in for flight.

18.35pm: Flight to London Gatwick
 
GIRRRRRLLLLL, you know how to plan !!!:thumbsup2 :worship:

that cabin looks fabulous!!
 
I'll be going through the Smokey Mountains Labor Day weekend. Thanks for all your info you are posting here. Remember at Dollywood, a lot of Dolly's kinfolk work there.

Tell your mom not to be worried about the bears, they are more afraid of you and they are only looking for food.

Edit: I can't read the yellow.
 
Hey sister, I'm having a hard time reading your yellow printing. Your cabin is magnificent!! It's BEAUTIFUL!!! Cant't believe the view you have. gorgeous! You have great plans made and it sounds like you'll have a great time.
 
it is hard to read the yellow, but if you drag your cursor over it to :thumbsup2 highlight it, you can read it perfectly. thats what i do
 












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