** Live TR ** 3 Years of Planning & it’s finally here! Our first trip to the world :)

[Holstar]

Hello!

I cannot believe after so so long that we’re finally here!

A little intro, our party is made up of me (Hollie, 25), my wonderful better half Ben and our three nieces – Daisy (16), Jasmine (13) and Chloe (10). This is our first trip to WDW, we had planned to go last year, but circumstances with work and my degree forced us to postpone – I was more than a tad upset! But, here we are!





(Daisy gets a little bit excited...)

We opted to get the train to Manchester, as it’s a good three hour drive back home and Ben wasn’t sure he’d want to drive after the flight back. We left home around 5pm, and got to our hotel in Manchester about 10pm, and it’s now 4:30 and I’m wide awake!

There was a bit of a mix up with our rooms, and rather than two rooms, we only have one… so we’re a bit crammed in like sardines! But the girls are loving it



I'm so excited guys! I’m genuinely concerned that I might explode… It just doesn’t feel real yet though. Does anyone else feel that? When you’ve been planning it for so long, it hasn’t quite sunk in? I think it will when we’re checked in and sat on the plane with a glass of champagne!

We’re at Old Key West from the 22nd of August until the 2nd of September, and then a lovely villa close to Disney until the 10th of September

Bring on 11am!

xxx

 

[tinkerpea]

Have an amazing time!!
Nothing like the excitement when you have been planning for so long,
Especially when you have bumps in the Rd when planning.

Love the pics looking forward to seeing more and reading your report x

 

[scoobydooby]

Yah you'll soon be off! What lucky children having an aunt who will take them to Disney Can't wait to hear about OKW. I've been to WDW many times but never even visited there and we will be starting there next summer.

 

[Holstar]

Just boarding now

The girls are beyond excited, pretty much bouncing around the gate! Even the grumpy 16 year old is excited!

Will update from the other side of the pond

Xxx

 

[Cyrano]

I remember our first trip to WDW as after many visits to Disneyland Paris and a couple of years of planning.

Have a wonderful time.

I bet you scored aunts of the year points with your nieces.

 

[pampat]

Deep breaths Hollie. I'm pretty sure you won't explode, but I hope you carry on having a great time.

Pam

 

[NatalieMT]

Have a fantastic trip! Can't wait to hear more about it!

 

[Holstar]

We got to the airport super early, just over three hours before our flight but the queue was huge! We got through security very quickly though, and boarded the plane last (we were right at the front!)… These pretty much sum up how we felt this morning!





We landed about half an hour early and quite literally walked straight through immigration – the guy was so lovely! Our bags were some of the first off, and as I’d checked in online with Alamo we just went straight to the car park to pick our car – I’ll put some pictures up later, but it’s huuuuge!

I’d checked in online at Old Key West in advance – and both of our requests were honored – near Turtle Pond (we’re in 42 which is quite literally right next to the Turtle Pond swimming pool!) and on the top floor ☺

I can’t even begin to express how amazing and utterly HUGE the two bedroom villas at OKW are, I will put some pictures up later (the girls are sleeping at the mo!) but it’s absolutely amazing!

Whilst we unpacked it was raining quite heavily, but it finished just as we got everything away – so we went to the pool! It was such an amazing way to finish off the day… and the girls weren’t the slightest bit tired, even though it was approaching 1am UK time.







You can’t really tell, but the sunset was stunning from the pool! A real, “we’re actually here” moment and some tears later, we got out, had a quick shower and got some food.



And, we headed to bed about 10pm… the girls were out before I could blink, and I was shattered!

I’m about to go get ready for Magic Kingdom today (I thought I was excited yesterday boarding our flight… it was nothing to how I’m feeling right now!), I’ve only cried three times since take off, which I think is a massive success, but I can already feel myself getting a little weepy at the thought of seeing the castle!

This is much longer than I thought it would be… I’ll try and cut down in future, but in short, this surpasses anything I ever thought or hoped it would be.

Much love and once again, thanks for all of the help you guys have been!

Hollie, Ben and the girls xxxxxx

 

[SilentK]

Yay another live trip report, loving that there's so many at the moment.

Sounds like a great start to the trip apart from the airport hotel

 

[catherine]

Sounds like your trip has got of to a great start. Hope the rest of it is magical. We love OKW especially the Turtle Pond area, in fact we stayed in 42 last year!

 

[Portugal1000]

Glad I am not the only one who cries in Disney managed it twice yesterday, at frozen singalong and frozen fireworks!! Have a great time, will be reading along.

 

[flortlebap]

Aww, I can tell from all your posts how excited you all are, it's so sweet!

It's lovely to see someone who really appreciates WDW - makes a nice change from all the negativity on some of the boards

Hope MK is a blast!

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

If you've already cried three times I bet you cried buckets at MK rope drop show, it's a killer ;-)

 

[queendisney]

So pleased its living up to everything you expected it to be. I have been many times and still cry!

Loving the excitement in all your photo's and posts and don't think you are going on for too long, you're not. The more the better.

 

[stephensmum]

Happy hols, We will be in Disney from 27/8 and will look out for you. So glad it's what you've been dreamiing of/

 

[scoobydooby]

I'm enjoying how much you're enjoying it Keep having fun. I'm excited about a one bed villa at Old Key West next year. Think I might have wet myself over a two bed lol!!!!!!

 

[Holstar]

Today was AMAZING! I cried… a lot! I cried at the opening ceremony, I cried walking down Main Street, I cried outside of the castle… I even cried on Big Thunder Mountain. I was a mess!

We headed down to MK really early and got to the entrance around 8:05am… It was really nice to chat to the cast members and get progressively more and more excited!



After opening ceremony, we were right behind the rope right up to the castle, where we ducked to the side to take a few pictures.



After loads of pictures by the castle, we headed over to Big Thunder Mountain, rode that a couple of times (it was less than a 10 minute wait until at least 10:30am) and did Splash (AMAZING!).




We took a wander over the Pirates, and then the Haunted Mansion… doing It’s A Small World on the way over to Space Mountain… which was amazing! By the time we’d done Space Mountain, it was maybe 12:30, the girls had completely adjusted time wise, but the heat was getting too much.



We found an Elsa dress! Which makes me so so so happy – and we have one ecstatic ten year old! She’s not a girly girl at all, and pretty much dislikes princesses, but she adores Elsa, so it was so nice to see that massive smile on her face.

We took a drinks break, got something cold and ice filled, and took a ride on the people mover (gave us the opportunity to top up on suncream!) and then did the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and Stitches Great Escape!, which were both a welcomed relief from the heat.

We had lunch at the Crystal Palace, which was just an amazing way to kick start the holiday. Like the grown up that I am, I adore Eeyore, so I was possibly the happiest person in the world yesterday. Here I am trying to hug Eeyore to death.



The girls LOVED it. I was worried that they were getting too old – but they adored meeting the characters, who were all so so so good with them. Autograph books were signed, characters hugged and kissed and we were full of so much food we could pop.







We walked back up Main Street during the parade, popped into a few stores to look at clothes and jewelry, and made our way to The Chapeau where we bought our hats.



By about 4pm when we were leaving MK, the heat was just too much for the girls – Daisy very much enjoyed the storm.



We popped into Walmart on our way back to OKW (thanks for the directions guys!) to pick up some essentials and then made our way back home, got changed and spent maybe four hours at the main OKW pool, just splashing around, playing on the slide etc. It was bliss!

As we’d had lunch in the park, we had dinner at the resort again – just a counter service meal, but it was great.

By about 10pm, the girls were completely pooped (so were we!) so we headed to bed. Where I cried again. It was such an amazing day!

I still can’t believe we’re here..... and I will put up photos of the villa soon! I need to stop writing this at 6am when the girls are fast asleep!

Today, we’re off to Epcot!

xxxx

 

[Holstar]

I'm enjoying how much you're enjoying it Keep having fun. I'm excited about a one bed villa at Old Key West next year. Think I might have wet myself over a two bed lol!!!!!!

They are amazing! I can't even express how good they are... I was sort of half expecting it to be big, as it's a two bedroom, but I thought it would still be relatively small. But it's so huge!

I love that we can relax in our bedroom, or on the balcony, or the living room, or in the spa bath.. and the girls could be somewhere totally different, doing their own thing. It gives us plenty of space. Plus, the location is so perfect. We're literally next to the Turtle Pond pool!

I'll put up photos when we get home this afternoon!

 

[winniepie81]

Loving your trip report....making me tear up a bit reading it!! Lovely to see how excited everyone is!!! Glad it's got off to a great start and looking forward to hearing more x x

 

[pampat]

I'm crying reading your trippie! I so remember my first time in MK. Sooooo long ago now, but every time I walk down Main Street, the sight of the castle brings a tear to my eye. You write with great passion, Hollie, I'm enjoying reading along.

Pam