Just putting down a marker for a trip report really. Going to take me a while to sort photos and stuff out, but if I write an outline, it'll keep me reminded. Going to keep it in one thread I think.
Booked Sep/Nov last year, 1 bed at OKW, Virgin direct flights, free dining.
4 of us, me (39 YO child ), DW (similar age ), DS1 (10) DS2 (9). All booked as Disney adults to get 4 adult dining plans.
Me and DW had last been in 1997, so it had been a while!
We're fairly obsessive planners - read Unofficial Guide cover to cover, had spreadsheets galore. We'd done 12 of 14 nights ADRs at 6 months (two for 2 credits each). Pretty much planned the first week, then it was fairly open after that. Preordered MNSSHP, La Nouba, Photopass+.
Fri 19/10 Left Nottingham around 9pm, stayed at Travelodge Knutsford services. Last minute decision, I was fine about driving over on the Saturday morning, but DW was paranoid about missing plane. £30 for family room and free parking, booked 1 day in advance though!
Sat 20/10 MAN->MCO Virgin. A330-300, new entertainment system made the time fly, watched Madagascar 3, MIB 3, something else I now can't remember. Played 2 player battleships with DS2. Fairly easy immigration, bags, customs. Shuttle bus to Sixt site (5 mins). Not got E-class that I'd booked . Offered Merc GLK, but not until the day after. Couldn't argue much as I wasn't sure what they were, as they're not yet sold in UK. Offered Camaro for a day. Would have loved a go, but didn't think boot would be big enough. Took brand new Hyundai Sonata instead. Got to resort quite easily, 1 toll of $1. No queue for check in. We'd had grand plans of negotiating location, etc, but in the end took what we were given, which was 2721. Turned out to be absolutely brilliant; really good location for central amenities, with reasonable view if a little tree-obscured out the back.
Took boat to DTD, had a wander, used our first QS credits at Pollo Campero, which was ok. Kids and DW are all fairly fussy eaters, I'm the total opposite of fussy! Picked up Photopass+ next to Team Mickey. They set the ride photo bit to expire on 4/11 when I said I had a full 2 weeks, so that was good, as I wasn't sure when the 14 day restriction would start. Rather than walk back to boat (pleasure island pier) we thought we'd take the bus at the Marketplace end, which was definitely a mistake. At 9pm it took about 40 minutes to get out the bus park! Got back eventually and all crashed out.
Sunday 21/10. Woke up at 4am, never really got back to sleep. Kids did a little better. Bought a box of mini cookies in the OKW shop for breakfast (healthy!). Got bus to MK, was an easy journey. There for 8.30, watched opening ceremony. Did our "MK Touring Plan Day 1". This was basically tomorrowland and Adventureland. All absolutely loved Space Mountain. Did everything else in Tomorrowland. Enjoyed Buzz Lightyear, Stitch was very meh. CoP was cheesy funny. Great view from Astro Orbiter.
Ate lunch at Cosmic Ray's which I thought was actually pretty good - very efficient service there, which turned out to be not always true! And nice and cool inside on what was turning into a very hot day. The usual burgers and hot dogs, plus some deserts we really could have lived without, but Have Dining Plan, Will Eat.
Did some of adventureland - Swiss tree, which was a bit meh, Jungle cruise was fun, had a funny guide, Pirates was good - seems to have changed quite a bit in the last 15 years!
Was flaked by then (about 2.30pm) so got bus back to OKW. Which ended up a 45 minute wait! Last thing we wanted. Vowed to give up on Disney transport after that and the DTD bus the night before! Great afternoon swim in the pool.
Car swap saga started - this was really the only painful part of the whole trip. Sixt communication appaling, but ended up meeting their delivery driver in my wet swim trunks in the resort lobby! GLK was nice mini-SUV with inbuilt satnav, which was very useful. Could have been a bit bigger for boot space, but fine really.
Early ADR at Olivia's, was really nice there, nice food, good service. Both had the steak, which was excellent. Kids just had chicken of some variety (common theme for next 14 days!).
Wow, ok, this was going to be an outline. 1.5 days done! Will have to continue later!
Booked Sep/Nov last year, 1 bed at OKW, Virgin direct flights, free dining.
4 of us, me (39 YO child ), DW (similar age ), DS1 (10) DS2 (9). All booked as Disney adults to get 4 adult dining plans.
Me and DW had last been in 1997, so it had been a while!
We're fairly obsessive planners - read Unofficial Guide cover to cover, had spreadsheets galore. We'd done 12 of 14 nights ADRs at 6 months (two for 2 credits each). Pretty much planned the first week, then it was fairly open after that. Preordered MNSSHP, La Nouba, Photopass+.
Fri 19/10 Left Nottingham around 9pm, stayed at Travelodge Knutsford services. Last minute decision, I was fine about driving over on the Saturday morning, but DW was paranoid about missing plane. £30 for family room and free parking, booked 1 day in advance though!
Sat 20/10 MAN->MCO Virgin. A330-300, new entertainment system made the time fly, watched Madagascar 3, MIB 3, something else I now can't remember. Played 2 player battleships with DS2. Fairly easy immigration, bags, customs. Shuttle bus to Sixt site (5 mins). Not got E-class that I'd booked . Offered Merc GLK, but not until the day after. Couldn't argue much as I wasn't sure what they were, as they're not yet sold in UK. Offered Camaro for a day. Would have loved a go, but didn't think boot would be big enough. Took brand new Hyundai Sonata instead. Got to resort quite easily, 1 toll of $1. No queue for check in. We'd had grand plans of negotiating location, etc, but in the end took what we were given, which was 2721. Turned out to be absolutely brilliant; really good location for central amenities, with reasonable view if a little tree-obscured out the back.
Took boat to DTD, had a wander, used our first QS credits at Pollo Campero, which was ok. Kids and DW are all fairly fussy eaters, I'm the total opposite of fussy! Picked up Photopass+ next to Team Mickey. They set the ride photo bit to expire on 4/11 when I said I had a full 2 weeks, so that was good, as I wasn't sure when the 14 day restriction would start. Rather than walk back to boat (pleasure island pier) we thought we'd take the bus at the Marketplace end, which was definitely a mistake. At 9pm it took about 40 minutes to get out the bus park! Got back eventually and all crashed out.
Sunday 21/10. Woke up at 4am, never really got back to sleep. Kids did a little better. Bought a box of mini cookies in the OKW shop for breakfast (healthy!). Got bus to MK, was an easy journey. There for 8.30, watched opening ceremony. Did our "MK Touring Plan Day 1". This was basically tomorrowland and Adventureland. All absolutely loved Space Mountain. Did everything else in Tomorrowland. Enjoyed Buzz Lightyear, Stitch was very meh. CoP was cheesy funny. Great view from Astro Orbiter.
Ate lunch at Cosmic Ray's which I thought was actually pretty good - very efficient service there, which turned out to be not always true! And nice and cool inside on what was turning into a very hot day. The usual burgers and hot dogs, plus some deserts we really could have lived without, but Have Dining Plan, Will Eat.
Did some of adventureland - Swiss tree, which was a bit meh, Jungle cruise was fun, had a funny guide, Pirates was good - seems to have changed quite a bit in the last 15 years!
Was flaked by then (about 2.30pm) so got bus back to OKW. Which ended up a 45 minute wait! Last thing we wanted. Vowed to give up on Disney transport after that and the DTD bus the night before! Great afternoon swim in the pool.
Car swap saga started - this was really the only painful part of the whole trip. Sixt communication appaling, but ended up meeting their delivery driver in my wet swim trunks in the resort lobby! GLK was nice mini-SUV with inbuilt satnav, which was very useful. Could have been a bit bigger for boot space, but fine really.
Early ADR at Olivia's, was really nice there, nice food, good service. Both had the steak, which was excellent. Kids just had chicken of some variety (common theme for next 14 days!).
Wow, ok, this was going to be an outline. 1.5 days done! Will have to continue later!