just booked our first trip

[Claire Kate]

Hello everyone, can I first say how interesting this site is with some really good advice.

We are going to Orlando on the 10th July for two weeks and are staying in a villa in Kissimmee for the whole time.

There will be five of us me, DH, Alex 9, twins Thomas and Charlotte 6. The twins will actually be celebrating there 7th birthday on the 13th so that will hopefully be great fun.

As you can imagine I am so excited and can't wait to see the children when we get there.

Look forward to hearing from you as this my first time writing on the internet.

Claire

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Hi Claire - so pleased to welcome you to the Dis and to the great world of Disney.

I can believe how excited you are (do the children know?). We've just come back yesterday and the magic is still there. Next year we go to Fort Myers on the coast for 2-3 weeks and planning have already begun!!

My DD Katie (9) had a fantastic time and the week we were in Orlando met so many characters at both Disney and Universal - far more than normal. I'm sure ALL your boys will enjoy it - and so will you

Keep firing away any questions

 

[WDWfan uk]

Welcome Claire It's great to have you join us ! Do fire questions at us and any abbreviations etc that you don't understand, just tell us and we'd be happy to 'translate'!
Do you have a guide book as well to help you? Recommend "A Brit's Guide to Orlando and Walt Disney World" if not. We also have lots of info on our fixed info site at www.wdwinfo.com but we're always more than happy to answer your questions!
Your children are such a great age for enjoying the parks!

 

[kazzie]

Hi Claire,

Great to hear from you.You are going to have such a fantastic holiday next year,with so many months to plan it with us

We have 3 kids and stayed in a villa last year and this year,it will be wonderful for you

 

[Claire Kate]

Thanks for welcoming me. Its all a bit frightening at first because I'm not quite sure what to do but here goes.

Two questions

First one I have noticed that most users have a time bar under their name with how long they have to go before there next visist how do you do this?

Second question is to Kazzie what was your villa like and how did you book yours. I have just done ours through Trail Finders and won't know anything about it until two weeks approx before departure. All I know at the moment is that we have paid for an executive villa. I did think about doing it ourselves but I feel that as it is our first time it was the safer option doing it this way.

Oh also yes Shirley we have bought the bible as you call it and yes I have read it and read it ..... and yes I will be one of the first to buy 2003 when it comes out, and any others, just can't get enough of all the planning.

Look forward to hearing from you

Claire

 

[Janice]

Hello Claire

Nice to see you and Welcome to the Dis!

It'll be great to get to know you - and you are just gonna love Walt Disney World.

I have stayed in villa's in Kissimmee several times, booking independantly through friends and contacts and have never been disappointed yet. It's a great location for all that is on offer

Have you a hire car with your package?

Whereabouts in Suffolk are you - I've just moved here from Essex and love it?

 

[Claire Kate]

Hello Janice

We now live in Beccles on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. We are 30 mins from Norwich.

We also relocated here a year ago from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. We also like it here especially the children.

Where are you?


Claire

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hi Claire
The 'time bar' is a Countdown and for instructions to put a countdown clock in your signature, follow this link- any problems and the moderators of the Tech Support Board will help you out:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=285467

I know Beccles so well - or used to, on a more recent visit it had changed quite a lot since we used to go there.

 

[SpottyDog]

Hiya Claire, happy plannin.
First times are the most excitin aren't they?
Lookin forward to readin loads of questions and all the useful replies yer'll get. Nothing's too 'daft' or obvious - we've all been there. It's how we all learn.

We love Beccles, BTW (by the way)

 

[Janice]

Hi again Claire

I am near between Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds so still a way from where you are, but nice here innit? LOL

Its a bit on the quiet side for my Children, but then they are all grown up and moved to their own places now. They like to visit, but longer than a couple of days and they are itching to get back to where the 'action' is! (what action I dont know!) LOL

 

[Claire Kate]

Hello Janice

Yes I have now booked the car hire.

I found that booking online with Tesco.com you seemed to be able to get a futher 10% reduction on the price which meant the price would have been I think about £485 if you booked online at that time.

I also checked out Alamo with the discount from the Brit Guide which gave us a price of £550.00. However, they then offered me the Alamo special price which is a special they are supposed to be running at the moment which brought the price down to £534.00. At this point I told them that I would probably book with Tesco as it was cheeper, so hey presto my final price was booked at £470.00 if I paid for it now which we have done.

This price is based on 7seater with gold insurance so that both Stephen and I can drive.

The voucher has arrived today and seems ok.

Do you think this sounds ok and have I got everything covered.


Claire

 

[Janice]

Sounds like a good deal to me Claire, for a 7 seater - and I think you are wise to have the Gold Cover. We had a 7 seater from Alamo with Gold Cover for our Millennium trip - and I was so glad I was able to drive too as my husband wasnt too well and I was just glad I was able to help drive.

Have you got your Health Insurance sorted out yet?

That is something else that you can shop around for and get good deals

It might help you if you posted a new thread for different topics then you'll get masses of answers and nothing would get missed.

Have you thought about what tickets your going to be needing for all the parks?

 

[LFC Nut]

Hi Claire,

Just a quick welcome.

Be prepared, it doesn't matter how much you imagine or how much you read you will all be awe struck by what awaits you. No videos or books do the area justice. In our opinion there is nowhere better to holiday. Your gob will be well and truly smacked

 

[signtalker]

Claire, welcome to the boards, im in Norfolk approx 30 mins from Norwich so not far from you!.

Jules

 

[Disney owl]

Hi from Yorkshire & welcome to the boards.

We went to WDW for the first time last year & stayed in a villa. We didn't know anything about it until we got there but it was fine.

Actually it was wonderful twice as big as home !!!!!!!

A couple of things I took which might be of help
Toys for the pool - we found coming out of the parks after lunch & going back to the villa for a swim was ideal. Then going back to the parks after a couple of hours refreshed.

I also took Persil tablets & washed whiist I was there. our villa also had a tumble dryer , I think the majority have. It wasn't a chore as the machines did everything whilst we wer e out.



Sue

 

[Claire Kate]

Hi Sue

Thanks for the tip about the toys. I also had thought that we would also come back to the villa after lunch and have a swim and a sleep especially the children so that we were refreshed for the evening as my children are usually in bed by 8pm and asleep.
Also thought it would be better as it will be the hottest time of the day in July!!

Glad the villa was ok who did you book it with and how far was it from Disney.

Claire

 

[kazzie]

Hi Claire,

You must be so looking forward to your holiday

I booked my villa direct from the owner.As I knew which complex I wanted to be ( Windsor Palms)I did a search on the internet and quite a lot came up.As there were specific things I wanted my villa to have I booked it like that but the villas that are allocated when you arrive I've only heard good things about them,the executive ones have to be a very high standard