Just the Two of Us - Pre Trip Report

[DopeyforDonald]

Hi there!

So I haven't posted on the boards for a while and I've decided to come back as a whole new user (mainly decided by the fact that I lost access to the email address I used to use for the board, and forgot my password haha)

So I'll introduce myself.....I'm DopeyforDonald, you can feel free to just call my Dopey, I won't be insulted! I've been to Walt Disney World twice now and Disneyland Paris once, so while I'm nowhere near knowledgeable, I am starting to know my way around.

I'm a 23 year old female, still living at home but currently saving for my own place. Love all things Disney, girly and creative.

I usually holiday in Florida with my boyfriend and his family. Let's call my boyfriend Stitch (seeing as though that's one of the characters that resides at the end of his bed). He is as much of a Disney nut as me, but he has been to Florida many more times in the years before I knew him.

Stitch is 22 and still lives at home like me. He loves computers, gaming and football and anything Florida related.

Now lets start talking about the trip! This is a bit of a special trip as it will be our first trip across the pond just the two of us, as the title suggests. I'm a little nervous about going so far away and to such a big place without any 'adults' ha but I'm sure we'll be fine.

We just booked a few week ago but we're already itching to get planning!

Our dates are 28.10.14 - 06.11.14 staying for 9 nights in a Little Mermaid Room in the Art of Animation, we wanted to be fully immersed in Disney and to be honest that was as far as our price range would stretch. We considered staying in a moderate for 7 nights instead but we didn't want to give up 2 nights of our holiday just to stay in a different hotel, we don't plan on spending much time there anyway!

We're flying from Manchester because it's easier transport-wise for us, and land in Orlando International so we can make use of Magical express.

That's about all I have to tell you at the minute, but I'm hoping some of you will stop by to say hi, offer any advice you have for our first trip, or offer opinions about the Art of Animation.

I'll have plenty of questions to ask along the way to!

P.S. While I don't have chapters as such, I thought a few links might make it easier for people to follow along so:

1. M ~ I ~ C ~ K ~ E ~ Y....Why? Because it's our anniversary!

2. Annual Pass Holders? Yep that's us!

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

I'm so excited for you! This is a very similar trip to mine and Tom's 2 years ago, and so I shall be living through you and your updates and reports!

Are you planning to go offsite, or do you think you'll stay in Disney for the duration?

Love xx

 

[Tinks1984]

Sounds fun! And I'll be interested to see how you find AoA resort, as we're planning on staying there on our trip next year

 

[DopeyforDonald]

I'm so excited for you! This is a very similar trip to mine and Tom's 2 years ago, and so I shall be living through you and your updates and reports!

Are you planning to go offsite, or do you think you'll stay in Disney for the duration?

Love xx

I've been living through yours lately so it only seems fair! Lol

We're gonna spend a couple of days at universal/islands, Stitch wants to do Halloween horror nights so even though I'll be scared out my mind I'll be giving it a go! But most of our time will be spent at disney I think xx

Sounds fun! And I'll be interested to see how you find AoA resort, as we're planning on staying there on our trip next year

I'm so excited to stay at AoA! The little mermaid rooms look so pretty!

 

[Tinks1984]

I was wanting the Little Mermaid section, but it's quite a way out from the central hub on the map. So I think we'll head for Cars or Lion King

 

[DopeyforDonald]

I was wanting the Little Mermaid section, but it's quite a way out from the central hub on the map. So I think we'll head for Cars or Lion King

I have to admit that is the one thing that bothers us, being so far away, but we just couldn't justify the price increase for one of the sections when it's only the 2 of us.

I suppose with the amount of walking we will do in 10 days, a little extra won't hurt us! Haha

 

[DopeyforDonald]

I can't believe I forgot to tell you the main reason for our trip! We have been saving now for the past 18 months because we wanted to visit 'just us'. Do as we please, ride what we want when we want, eat where we want and not have to please anyone but ourselves.

But the main reason is because on October 31st we will have been together for 4 years, so it's an all out anniversary trip. Can we get anniversary badges if it's not a wedding anniversary?? I hope so because I want a badge!

We are basically saving as much as we can to splurge on this trip as the next time we can afford to go just us will probably be a honeymoon! ha

We are hoping to do All the Disney parks (with an extra little challenge that I'll leave you in suspense about for now.....) as well as doing Universal/Islands of adventure. We also want to do MNSSHP at Disney World and Halloween Horror Nights at Universal.

I say we want to do Halloween Horror Nights, I am sort of looking forward to it but I am a big wimp so will most likely spend the whole night scared...this is more Richard's thing than mine lol

We do have some must do's for the trip and I'm in the process of making my Disney bucket list so hopefully will cross a few things off that list (including the mystery challenge....) so I will share those with you at some point too!

I'll most likely do an update every Sunday as that's when I have the most spare time, and there is still plenty of time to do this PTR!

 

[darthtatty]

Just popped by to say hi...so erm Hi

I may be doing a semi solo trip in January 2015
I was considering staying at the AoA little mermaid section, I hadn't thought how far it is from the main section.
Seeing as its only me, seems daft to upgrade but will have to see when I book it.

Look forward to your updates

 

[DopeyforDonald]

Just popped by to say hi...so erm Hi

I may be doing a semi solo trip in January 2015
I was considering staying at the AoA little mermaid section, I hadn't thought how far it is from the main section.
Seeing as its only me, seems daft to upgrade but will have to see when I book it.

Look forward to your updates

Hi to you too

Ooh going solo very brave I have always loved the little mermaid film so staying in that section was always an easy decision for me, and as you say, sometimes an upgrade just seems a little silly. I suppose it depends on an individuals budget though, if we had more money we may have upgraded.

Thanks for dropping by

 

[tashasmum]

I wouldn't worry about the location of the Little Mermaid rooms. We stayed there last Oct and had read the stories of the rooms being sooo far away,especially after a day in the parks.I would say they are approx 5mins away from the food court, may take a couple mins longer depending on how fast you walk.Its a lovely resort and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

 

[wiigirl]

I was wanting the Little Mermaid section, but it's quite a way out from the central hub on the map. So I think we'll head for Cars or Lion King

 

[DopeyforDonald]

I wouldn't worry about the location of the Little Mermaid rooms. We stayed there last Oct and had read the stories of the rooms being sooo far away,especially after a day in the parks.I would say they are approx 5mins away from the food court, may take a couple mins longer depending on how fast you walk.Its a lovely resort and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

Thank you for putting my mind at ease! We don't mind a bit of walking but we are the kind of people who will be out for rope drop and stay out all day, so thought of a long walk at the end of the night wasn't very exciting haha

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Can we get anniversary badges if it's not a wedding anniversary?? I hope so because I want a badge!


We do have some must do's for the trip and I'm in the process of making my Disney bucket list so hopefully will cross a few things off that list (including the mystery challenge....) so I will share those with you at some point too!

We got "Happily Ever After" badges, because I wanted to celebrate our engagement (even though we got engaged in May and went to WDW in December haha!) So i'm sure you can

Can't wait to hear about your Disney Bucket List, sounds pretty awesome!

Steffi xx

 

[DopeyforDonald]

We got "Happily Ever After" badges, because I wanted to celebrate our engagement (even though we got engaged in May and went to WDW in December haha!) So i'm sure you can

Can't wait to hear about your Disney Bucket List, sounds pretty awesome!

Steffi xx

Oh good, I really want a badge! Lol

I've started looking at other people's bucket lists to work towards my own and it's making me realise just how much there is that I still haven't done at Disney World! Just means there's lots to look forward to on future trips!

Xx

 

[DopeyforDonald]

Time for some very exciting news!

As you may or may not know (I can't remember if I posted it in the introdcution haha) me and Stitch will be visiting the Sunshine State twice this year! We are not rich, believe me, just very good at budgeting and we have been saving for this October trip for the couple of years, we also stay offsite when we go with his parents which makes things a little more affordable.

So, anyway, when pricing up our options we worked out that it made more financial sense to buy Annual Passes for both Disney and Universal, than to buy 14 day tickets for summer, and tickets for October....so after a lot of umming and ahhing, we bit the bullet and did it!

After saving for about 12 months we finally had enough to order our WDW Annual Passes and they will be arriving on Tuesday! Or at least annual pass vouchers will....I'm not sure what's actually coming lol

But we are so excited to be Annual Pass Holders, it's one of the things that was on our 'Florida Bucket List' and to be able to cross another item off that list is amazing! Considering I only went to Florida for the first time in 2012, we have crossed so much off that list already!

Plus, it means we're another step closer to our holiday!