PoppyAnna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2006
- Messages
- 7,138
I hadn't really planned to do a trip report, but I thought as I have sat at the laptop all day dotting the "i's" and crossing the "t's" on our up and coming trip it my help my slight lack of excitement 
to share it with ya'll.
The Cast :
Moi - Joanne 39 (40 like WDW this year). Stay at home Mummy/decorator/taxi driver/nurse/chef/housekeeper/gardener.......you know the story
Looking forward to the cruise.
DH - Richard 43 (just) Gave in to this trip last year but I think it could be a while after this one until he returns. Loves a good waterpark and is looking forward to his first Aquatica visit.
DD - Anna 8 (the day before we go). Sporty, fun loving, Harry Potter mad girl.
DD - Poppy 5 Sweet, thoughtful, loving little girl. Will Anna get her on ToT?
This trip was going to be a secret but Anna started asking what we were doing for a party for her birthday this year and TBH with all the costs associated with the holiday coupled with the fact that these birthday parties can run to hundreds we thought we'd better tell her that we really wouldn't have time for a party on either weekend close to her birthday as we were going to Florida, at first she didn't believe us, in fact that lasted for a whole day until I showed her the Cruise tickets. Now to the cruise, I booked the cruise without telling Richard so I decided to surprise him with it for christmas, I managed to pay for it all by myself and as somebody with little income, I was really pleased with myself! He won't look at anything online to do with the Dream or the destinations, he wants it to be a total surprise.
We are already in walking training, as a family we have been going out for very long walks at weekends to prepare. Poppy is my greatest worry in this respect, she isn't particularly good with adversity, so queues, heat and lots of walking are a bit of a concern.
After measuring the girls at the weekend it's apparent that it's going to be a trip that still divides us a little as far as rides are concerned. Anna has been on R n R at DLRP and wants to ride the Florida version. Poppy is gearing herself up for ToT - it's a family tradition! Anna can get on EE (which neither Richard or I have been on) so we're keen to ride. So we may still use baby swap on few rides. As far as I'm concerned in the ride department, I'm really looking forward to all of us going on Soarin and Splash Mountain together for the first time.
I would also like to squeeze a Boggy Creek airboat ride in if we can.
Oh my goodness, I'm three stone lighter now !!
Our last visit to WDW was October 2007, Poppy was still in nappies and we pushed two buggies around back then, not this time
We booked the flights for this trip back in the Summer of 2010, we got a great deal with Virgin M+M flights but this means we have to fly into Miami this time. This means departing from Heathrow, rather than Gatwick which is much closer to us.
We have tickets for both Universal parks, Aquatica, Busch, Seaworld and 14 day Disney Ultimates. Don't plan on visiting Seawold though, but you never know! As you'll see from our rough itinerary we are not over planning this trip. I have noted all EMH's in my phone and we will avoid those days like the plague. I think our MO will be up early, a park of choice, back for a chillout then back in for fireworks etc. This has worked well for us in the past and we're hoping it does again. We may break our golden rule of no parks at weekends the first weekend as it could be quieter than the closer to Easter we get. We also have a restaurants.com voucher for HOB, so that will feature somewhere too.
Tuesday 5th April - Straight from school we will depart for Heathrow for our stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, they will look after our car until we return.
Wednesday 6th April - Depart LHR at 1150am. Overnight at Holiday Inn Express Miami International.
Thursday 7th, Hopefully the girls rise early and we can get on the road
We have a 4 bed pool villa for 16 nights in Emerald Island in Kissimmee. Once unpacked I'll probably do a publix shop whilst the others get to play in the pool 
Friday 8th - WWOHP has to be the priority for today as it's probably our quietest day of the trip (in therory).
Sat 9th & Sun 10 ?? (0815 Sunday breakfast at Crystal Palace ADR)
Monday 11th April - Busch Gardens
Tuesday 12th - Dinner reservation at Teppan Edo & Illuminations.
Wednesday 13th ??
Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th - Disney Dream Cruise
17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st & 22nd ?? (Shuttle Endeavour is due to go up on the 19th, cocoa beach or Titusville here we come).
Sat 23rd - We checkout of the Villa and leave for Miami. 2 nights at Holiday Inn Miami Beach.
Sun 24th - Miami.
Monday 25th - Miami - Depart Miami 8.30pm.
Tuesday 26th - Arrive London, collect car, home.
Will we come home with more than a healthy Florida glow?
to share it with ya'll.The Cast :
Moi - Joanne 39 (40 like WDW this year). Stay at home Mummy/decorator/taxi driver/nurse/chef/housekeeper/gardener.......you know the story
Looking forward to the cruise.DH - Richard 43 (just) Gave in to this trip last year but I think it could be a while after this one until he returns. Loves a good waterpark and is looking forward to his first Aquatica visit.
DD - Anna 8 (the day before we go). Sporty, fun loving, Harry Potter mad girl. DD - Poppy 5 Sweet, thoughtful, loving little girl. Will Anna get her on ToT?This trip was going to be a secret but Anna started asking what we were doing for a party for her birthday this year and TBH with all the costs associated with the holiday coupled with the fact that these birthday parties can run to hundreds we thought we'd better tell her that we really wouldn't have time for a party on either weekend close to her birthday as we were going to Florida, at first she didn't believe us, in fact that lasted for a whole day until I showed her the Cruise tickets. Now to the cruise, I booked the cruise without telling Richard so I decided to surprise him with it for christmas, I managed to pay for it all by myself and as somebody with little income, I was really pleased with myself! He won't look at anything online to do with the Dream or the destinations, he wants it to be a total surprise.
We are already in walking training, as a family we have been going out for very long walks at weekends to prepare. Poppy is my greatest worry in this respect, she isn't particularly good with adversity, so queues, heat and lots of walking are a bit of a concern.
After measuring the girls at the weekend it's apparent that it's going to be a trip that still divides us a little as far as rides are concerned. Anna has been on R n R at DLRP and wants to ride the Florida version. Poppy is gearing herself up for ToT - it's a family tradition! Anna can get on EE (which neither Richard or I have been on) so we're keen to ride. So we may still use baby swap on few rides. As far as I'm concerned in the ride department, I'm really looking forward to all of us going on Soarin and Splash Mountain together for the first time.
I would also like to squeeze a Boggy Creek airboat ride in if we can.
Oh my goodness, I'm three stone lighter now !!
Our last visit to WDW was October 2007, Poppy was still in nappies and we pushed two buggies around back then, not this time
We booked the flights for this trip back in the Summer of 2010, we got a great deal with Virgin M+M flights but this means we have to fly into Miami this time. This means departing from Heathrow, rather than Gatwick which is much closer to us.
We have tickets for both Universal parks, Aquatica, Busch, Seaworld and 14 day Disney Ultimates. Don't plan on visiting Seawold though, but you never know! As you'll see from our rough itinerary we are not over planning this trip. I have noted all EMH's in my phone and we will avoid those days like the plague. I think our MO will be up early, a park of choice, back for a chillout then back in for fireworks etc. This has worked well for us in the past and we're hoping it does again. We may break our golden rule of no parks at weekends the first weekend as it could be quieter than the closer to Easter we get. We also have a restaurants.com voucher for HOB, so that will feature somewhere too.
Tuesday 5th April - Straight from school we will depart for Heathrow for our stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, they will look after our car until we return.
Wednesday 6th April - Depart LHR at 1150am. Overnight at Holiday Inn Express Miami International.
Thursday 7th, Hopefully the girls rise early and we can get on the road
We have a 4 bed pool villa for 16 nights in Emerald Island in Kissimmee. Once unpacked I'll probably do a publix shop whilst the others get to play in the pool Friday 8th - WWOHP has to be the priority for today as it's probably our quietest day of the trip (in therory).
Sat 9th & Sun 10 ?? (0815 Sunday breakfast at Crystal Palace ADR)
Monday 11th April - Busch Gardens
Tuesday 12th - Dinner reservation at Teppan Edo & Illuminations.
Wednesday 13th ??
Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th - Disney Dream Cruise
17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st & 22nd ?? (Shuttle Endeavour is due to go up on the 19th, cocoa beach or Titusville here we come).
Sat 23rd - We checkout of the Villa and leave for Miami. 2 nights at Holiday Inn Miami Beach.
Sun 24th - Miami.
Monday 25th - Miami - Depart Miami 8.30pm.
Tuesday 26th - Arrive London, collect car, home.
Will we come home with more than a healthy Florida glow?
