mandymouse
Bahama Mama Time !!
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2003
- Messages
- 72,440
Castmembers
Mandy (me)
, Hubby (Paul) 
, DD1 (Kerry 16) 
and DD2 (Becky 14)
Now this is our 13th visit to WDW, and we do tend to choose the busiest times of the year to come, but this time we have decided to do things differently. We knew it was going to be busy, but we didn't want to get caught up with the Christmas crowds or get up at silly times in the morning to get to EMH's at 7am. No this time we were going to do the rides we wanted, not feel that we've got to do everything, and as for the girls, they wanted to go shopping, shopping and more shopping. Once thing I find after all our visits, is that I don't have to be on rides to be enjoying myself - I just love being there, soaking up the atmosphere - and this is what we did ...
Sunday 16th December 07
Hubby and I woke up around 8am at the Novotel Hotel at Birmingham Airport after a great night out with Natalie and her hubby at the Jasper Carrott Rock with Laughter show.
After breakfast we headed home to finish packing and to do on-line check-in with Virgin.
We left Nuneaton around 4.30pm and thankfully the M6 was quiet and we arrived at the Travelodge at Manchester Airport around 6pm.
We checked in and went to the Trafford Centre for dinner. We had a lovely Chinese meal there (our night before holiday tradition), then got back to the hotel around 9pm to settle down and watch Michael Parkinson with David Beckham on.
Unusually, I slept really well, as normally Im too excited to sleep
Monday 17th December 07
Kerrys mobile phone alarm went off at 6.30am and we were up and out and meeting our Meet & Greet at 7.30am. Minutes later we handed over the keys to our car and we went to the Bag drop off as we had already checked in on-line the day before.
We had brekkie at the airport (Paul full English and Sausage baps for the rest of us), and it really felt like no time before we started boarding. The lounge seemed really quiet and we were all boarded by 10.15am and we pulled away at 10.25am exactly on time.
The pilot announced that the flight was avoiding some Atlantic storms so would be heading right up to Greenland and over Canada and more inland in the US. We were worried that this would add a lot more time to our flight, but he assured us that the flight would only take 8 ¾ hours.
Me and the girls were seated in a row of 3 and Paul sat on the aisle seat in front next to two other people. As soon as the seat belt sign went off, the two people in front jumped up, along with a lot of other people (I promise I was wearing de-oderant
) and left. I didnt realise till a bit later that the plane was half empty and everyone had spread out. So I sat with Paul in a row of three and the girls did the same.
The flight was uneventful. I read, and Paul watched the Bourne Ultimatum a couple of times and Transformers.
We landed at 2.30pm and went swiftly through Passport Control, baggage pick-up, drop off again and final pick-up. By 4pm we were heading down the 528 in our hire car to WDW.
We were booked into the All Star Sports. We hadnt stopped here for a few years (as wed been staying at the Pop Century) and the rooms looked liked they had been done up recently. We had a room right by the Goofy pool (great location).
We had our first meal of Chicken Strips (yay !!) and then we took off for the Florida Mall. The girls had been given lots of $$ for Christmas and it was burning a hole in their pockets. They did some serious damage in PacSun and Delias and Paul got a few things from the Billabong store.
We called in at Wal-Mart on the way home, for our usual supplies of Oreos, Mountain Dew, water, cookies and Lays chips.
I think we collapsed in bed between 9 & 10pm.
Tuesday 18th December 07
We were all up around 7am as it was EMHs at Epcot. We got ready, and as we were on holiday I had a skirt and top on, and the others had shorts and t-shirts on (we also had jackets on), but as we left the room we realised that it was only 4C and it was blooming cold.
There was no way that we were changing cos WE'RE ON HOLIDAY !!
We were really surprised at how quiet it was at Epcot. We got to the rope drop about 7.55am and when it dropped we were first on Test Track. Well what were we thinking ?? we were really enjoying it inside, but once we got outside it was blooming freezing
Next I needed a good laugh, so it was time for Mission:Space to see Gary Sinises very dodgy haircut . Then we got a FP for Soarin and it was only 20 minutes away, so we had breakfast in the Land and then we rode Soarin.
After Soarin we had a wander around MouseGear and then we left for Festival Bay where the girls parted with more $$, followed by a quick visit to the Premium Outlets.
Thankfully it had warmed up nicely, so we went back to the ASSp and Paul and I lay by the pool.
This afternoon we were having our mini DIS meet at the Rose & Crown in Epcot. Kerry decided to stay at the room with the internet (as she was missing her best friend), so the rest of us got the bus over to Epcot.
We arrived at the R&C, grabbed a quick drinky-poo and met up with Claire (& kids), Ian & Jules and Amy (& hubby & kids). We had a lovely chat (and several more drinky-poos) and it was great to meet such lovely DISers. Honestly I couldve stayed there all evening listening to what everyone had done and what their plans were, but luckily for some, they had tickets to MVMCP, so had to head off.
BTW Claire & Amy, you have got lovely kids, they were so good and patient while we chatted.
After our meet, we all went our separate ways, and we went to Japan for a very nice curry and we stopped for a wine in Germany.
We got the bus back to the ASSp and Paul & I popped down to the food court for a very strong Captain Mai Tai cocktail and shared an individual pizza
Wednesday 19th December 07
We were up around 7.30am and out by 8.30am for normal opening hours at MGM Studios.
We rode RockNRollerCoaster, had breakfast of cookies, danishes, muffins and fruit at Starring Rolls and then we rode Tower of Terror.
We left after a while (as we were coming back tonight) and we went up to the Mall at Millenia, where I bought some Yankee Candles bits and pieces for next Christmas with my Christmas money and the girls bought more t-shirts from PacSun.
After Mall at Millenia we went back to the ASSp and sat out in the gorgeous sunshine for an hour or so.
After our sunbathe, we went to DownTown Disney where I bought a Crimbo Mickey toy, a Pirate t-shirt and a bangle (Ive got a photo at the end of my reports of some of the things I have bought).
We dropped Kerry back at the ASSp (as the internet was calling again) and the rest of us went back to MGM Studios. We rode Tower of Terror in the dark (brilliant) and we went to see the Osborne Lights, which were lovely.
After MGM, we popped to Target and Wal-Mart, so I could get a Christmas tree, and when we got back we started to pack for the Cruise tomorrow.
Next installment Disney Wonder
Mandy (me)
, Hubby (Paul) , DD1 (Kerry 16) and DD2 (Becky 14) Now this is our 13th visit to WDW, and we do tend to choose the busiest times of the year to come, but this time we have decided to do things differently. We knew it was going to be busy, but we didn't want to get caught up with the Christmas crowds or get up at silly times in the morning to get to EMH's at 7am. No this time we were going to do the rides we wanted, not feel that we've got to do everything, and as for the girls, they wanted to go shopping, shopping and more shopping. Once thing I find after all our visits, is that I don't have to be on rides to be enjoying myself - I just love being there, soaking up the atmosphere - and this is what we did ...
Sunday 16th December 07
Hubby and I woke up around 8am at the Novotel Hotel at Birmingham Airport after a great night out with Natalie and her hubby at the Jasper Carrott Rock with Laughter show.
After breakfast we headed home to finish packing and to do on-line check-in with Virgin.
We left Nuneaton around 4.30pm and thankfully the M6 was quiet and we arrived at the Travelodge at Manchester Airport around 6pm.
We checked in and went to the Trafford Centre for dinner. We had a lovely Chinese meal there (our night before holiday tradition), then got back to the hotel around 9pm to settle down and watch Michael Parkinson with David Beckham on.
Unusually, I slept really well, as normally Im too excited to sleep
Monday 17th December 07
Kerrys mobile phone alarm went off at 6.30am and we were up and out and meeting our Meet & Greet at 7.30am. Minutes later we handed over the keys to our car and we went to the Bag drop off as we had already checked in on-line the day before.
We had brekkie at the airport (Paul full English and Sausage baps for the rest of us), and it really felt like no time before we started boarding. The lounge seemed really quiet and we were all boarded by 10.15am and we pulled away at 10.25am exactly on time.
The pilot announced that the flight was avoiding some Atlantic storms so would be heading right up to Greenland and over Canada and more inland in the US. We were worried that this would add a lot more time to our flight, but he assured us that the flight would only take 8 ¾ hours.
Me and the girls were seated in a row of 3 and Paul sat on the aisle seat in front next to two other people. As soon as the seat belt sign went off, the two people in front jumped up, along with a lot of other people (I promise I was wearing de-oderant
) and left. I didnt realise till a bit later that the plane was half empty and everyone had spread out. So I sat with Paul in a row of three and the girls did the same.The flight was uneventful. I read, and Paul watched the Bourne Ultimatum a couple of times and Transformers.
We landed at 2.30pm and went swiftly through Passport Control, baggage pick-up, drop off again and final pick-up. By 4pm we were heading down the 528 in our hire car to WDW.
We were booked into the All Star Sports. We hadnt stopped here for a few years (as wed been staying at the Pop Century) and the rooms looked liked they had been done up recently. We had a room right by the Goofy pool (great location).
We had our first meal of Chicken Strips (yay !!) and then we took off for the Florida Mall. The girls had been given lots of $$ for Christmas and it was burning a hole in their pockets. They did some serious damage in PacSun and Delias and Paul got a few things from the Billabong store.
We called in at Wal-Mart on the way home, for our usual supplies of Oreos, Mountain Dew, water, cookies and Lays chips.
I think we collapsed in bed between 9 & 10pm.
Tuesday 18th December 07
We were all up around 7am as it was EMHs at Epcot. We got ready, and as we were on holiday I had a skirt and top on, and the others had shorts and t-shirts on (we also had jackets on), but as we left the room we realised that it was only 4C and it was blooming cold.
There was no way that we were changing cos WE'RE ON HOLIDAY !!
We were really surprised at how quiet it was at Epcot. We got to the rope drop about 7.55am and when it dropped we were first on Test Track. Well what were we thinking ?? we were really enjoying it inside, but once we got outside it was blooming freezing
Next I needed a good laugh, so it was time for Mission:Space to see Gary Sinises very dodgy haircut
. Then we got a FP for Soarin and it was only 20 minutes away, so we had breakfast in the Land and then we rode Soarin.After Soarin we had a wander around MouseGear and then we left for Festival Bay where the girls parted with more $$, followed by a quick visit to the Premium Outlets.
Thankfully it had warmed up nicely, so we went back to the ASSp and Paul and I lay by the pool.
This afternoon we were having our mini DIS meet at the Rose & Crown in Epcot. Kerry decided to stay at the room with the internet (as she was missing her best friend), so the rest of us got the bus over to Epcot.
We arrived at the R&C, grabbed a quick drinky-poo and met up with Claire (& kids), Ian & Jules and Amy (& hubby & kids). We had a lovely chat (and several more drinky-poos) and it was great to meet such lovely DISers. Honestly I couldve stayed there all evening listening to what everyone had done and what their plans were, but luckily for some, they had tickets to MVMCP, so had to head off.
BTW Claire & Amy, you have got lovely kids, they were so good and patient while we chatted.
After our meet, we all went our separate ways, and we went to Japan for a very nice curry and we stopped for a wine in Germany.
We got the bus back to the ASSp and Paul & I popped down to the food court for a very strong Captain Mai Tai cocktail and shared an individual pizza
Wednesday 19th December 07
We were up around 7.30am and out by 8.30am for normal opening hours at MGM Studios.
We rode RockNRollerCoaster, had breakfast of cookies, danishes, muffins and fruit at Starring Rolls and then we rode Tower of Terror.
We left after a while (as we were coming back tonight) and we went up to the Mall at Millenia, where I bought some Yankee Candles bits and pieces for next Christmas with my Christmas money and the girls bought more t-shirts from PacSun.
After Mall at Millenia we went back to the ASSp and sat out in the gorgeous sunshine for an hour or so.
After our sunbathe, we went to DownTown Disney where I bought a Crimbo Mickey toy, a Pirate t-shirt and a bangle (Ive got a photo at the end of my reports of some of the things I have bought).
We dropped Kerry back at the ASSp (as the internet was calling again) and the rest of us went back to MGM Studios. We rode Tower of Terror in the dark (brilliant) and we went to see the Osborne Lights, which were lovely.
After MGM, we popped to Target and Wal-Mart, so I could get a Christmas tree, and when we got back we started to pack for the Cruise tomorrow.
Next installment Disney Wonder
I thoght i might have to wait till wednesday for your trippie !!
Sophie wants to do more shopping so we're spending less time in the parks...
