Our "Grand" Portofino" Trip of a Lifetime -August 2010 (TR Link added)

[Sweet Pea UK]

I love the Yeti toys!! I am hoping to get one when we go.

I think next trip will be better. The air has been cleared and I think they appreciate that in order to see and do as much as possible you have to plan things before you go! They have already said that they want to follow a schedule so fingers crossed.

I made the paperchain by printing designs that I found on the Creative Design Board onto A4 paper and then cutting them all our and just using pritt stick to make them circular.

The Designs are by Bababear 50 and she had loads of different ones, Christmas, Halloween, July 4th etc etc, I used used lots of the plain ones. They were so simple to print out as they were sized to A4. We had great fun doing it.

I remember seeing a picture of your paperclip one - I might do one like that at work!!

 

[klacey1]

Great updates!! That night in London sounds lovely-- I LOVE London!
I love the top you wore on your birthday-- so pretty.
Yay for another trip in the works-- DBF and I are definitely going the last week of August in 2011, too! Our trip this year is more for IOA/US, so we aren't staying at Disney. Next year will be all about Disney-- unless I can get DBF to fall in love with US this year! He's not a coaster fan, so he's never really wanted to go.

 

[BippityBoo]

HI! Subbing You have such an adorable family!! I love cupcakes too so, thanks for all of the cupcake pictures Your countdown calendar came out awesome!! I have never made one before..hoping to do so for my December trip! Can't wait to read more about your plans

 

[Charlefours]

Hey Sara,

Missed the last few updates. I can understand about life getting crazy, happens to me all the time too!

Love all the pictures you posted. I would love to visit London/England in general someday.

for booking another trip. We have a second trip possibly in the works too. Looking forward to counting down the rest of your days with you!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

HI! Subbing You have such an adorable family!! I love cupcakes too so, thanks for all of the cupcake pictures Your countdown calendar came out awesome!! I have never made one before..hoping to do so for my December trip! Can't wait to read more about your plans

I seem to have gone cupcake crazy the last couple of years!!! I can't wait to see some at Disney. I have already found a nice cupcake place we can go to in St Augustine - so at least I will have something to do while DH, DM and DF play golf!!!

I was really pleased with the countdown calendar - it is getting shorter!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Hey Sara,

Missed the last few updates. I can understand about life getting crazy, happens to me all the time too!

Love all the pictures you posted. I would love to visit London/England in general someday.

for booking another trip. We have a second trip possibly in the works too. Looking forward to counting down the rest of your days with you!!

Hi - Thanks for stopping by - I've been really slack updating again. I have Amber off school for a week at the moment - it is half term here in the UK. She then goes back for about 7 weeks and then it will be the start of the summer holiday which is about 6 weeks long. Amber will be getting 7 this year though as we will be at Disney when the schools start back in September

You would love England - we have so much history here. We always find it amusing when we come to the US as your history is so much newer. My parents were in Savannah a few years back and went on a tour and were shown the oldest house in the town - my parents house that they live in was only a few years newer!!! We don't have very good weather here - although saying that it has been very warm and sunny today. Just never seems to last for long

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Great updates!! That night in London sounds lovely-- I LOVE London!
I love the top you wore on your birthday-- so pretty.
Yay for another trip in the works-- DBF and I are definitely going the last week of August in 2011, too! Our trip this year is more for IOA/US, so we aren't staying at Disney. Next year will be all about Disney-- unless I can get DBF to fall in love with US this year! He's not a coaster fan, so he's never really wanted to go.

Hey Kylie. Our night in London was great. We are planning on going again in October but seeing "Oliver" next time.

I liked my birthday top too - I expect that will be coming on holiday with me!!

I know - its so exciting about the second trip. I must be honest though I got a bit engrossed in the planning of it as we had to book it etc when I suddenly thought I needed to put it out of my mind for the moment as we have our fantastic holiday this year to look forward to!

Have you been reading up about WWoHP - it looks so amazing - I can't wait to go on the Forbidden Journey. I can't believe we are going to be there the same time this year and the same time next year!!

 

[klacey1]

Hey Kylie. Our night in London was great. We are planning on going again in October but seeing "Oliver" next time.

I liked my birthday top too - I expect that will be coming on holiday with me!!

I know - its so exciting about the second trip. I must be honest though I got a bit engrossed in the planning of it as we had to book it etc when I suddenly thought I needed to put it out of my mind for the moment as we have our fantastic holiday this year to look forward to!

Have you been reading up about WWoHP - it looks so amazing - I can't wait to go on the Forbidden Journey. I can't believe we are going to be there the same time this year and the same time next year!!

I know what you mean about getting wrapped up in a second trip!! Even I admit sometimes I overplan.
It IS funny--- we just always go in August! It's just our favorite time to go. As much as I want to go on a Christmas trip, we love being in NY too much for that time of the year. We like to shop here/be close to our family. We never find August too hot or anything-- it's perfect for us. Crowd levels are always manageable, too, especially at Universal.
I have been reading about WWoHP-- I'm sooo excited for the Forbidden Journey. We'll have my iPhone, so I don't really mind if I have to wait hours on line. If it's anything like Spiderman (which I heard it will be, except better), it's going to be amazing. I heard to experience the whole ride is almost 20 minutes-- that's so crazy to me!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Thought I would join the PTR of a fellow Norfolk girl! You have a GREAT trip planned!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

I know what you mean about getting wrapped up in a second trip!! Even I admit sometimes I overplan.
It IS funny--- we just always go in August! It's just our favorite time to go. As much as I want to go on a Christmas trip, we love being in NY too much for that time of the year. We like to shop here/be close to our family. We never find August too hot or anything-- it's perfect for us. Crowd levels are always manageable, too, especially at Universal.
I have been reading about WWoHP-- I'm sooo excited for the Forbidden Journey. We'll have my iPhone, so I don't really mind if I have to wait hours on line. If it's anything like Spiderman (which I heard it will be, except better), it's going to be amazing. I heard to experience the whole ride is almost 20 minutes-- that's so crazy to me!

So Kylie, is the weather usually OK in August. I'm expecting it to be hot and wet, I'm just really concerned we will get constant rain??

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Thought I would join the PTR of a fellow Norfolk girl! You have a GREAT trip planned!

Hi fellow Norfolk girl!!! Glad to have you reading along!! I think my job is moving to Norwich soon!!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Well ... I must be improving, its less than a month since I last updated!!!

Again, its been another busy month. We are slowly tearing the chains off our paper chains. We keep forgetting and then you have to peel about 5 days off - its coming round so quickly!

I've been buying Amber lots of clothes - I keep thinking I will wait for sales but then get panicky that I won't get everything I want so I've bought them!!!

This last weekend we went to Alton Towers, it is probably the biggest theme park we have in the UK. It was a surprise trip for DH's Dad who is 65 today! 10 of us went altogether, there was us 3, his Mum and Dad, his older brother and nephew (the one who came to Disney with us the last time) and his younger brother and his wife and his 95 year old Gran! I was a bit apprehensive as you can imagine. Whenever his family are all together it usually results in a huge fall out.

I couldn't have been more wrong! We all got on like a house on fire and had a fantastic time. The weather was good and I was also successful in breaking in my Orlando shoes - a pair of pietra fit flops. They were so comfy!

Here are a few photos from our weekend.

The Alton Towers Hotel where we stayed.

Amber and Sam (who incidentely got on great!) on the Sonic Spinball ride

Oblivion!!! Alton Towers had this prior to Busch Gardens getting Sheikra!! I went on it - I was so brave - I'm never brave!!

Amber eating a pancake - everywhere we go she has a pancake!!

Amber pushing Gran in the wheelchair! She is 95 - has never sat in a wheelchair ever but we thought it would be easier for her as it can be hilly at Alton Towers and we knew we would need to get places quickly. She is the most amazing old person I have ever met! She never moans and is as fit as a fiddle! She even went on a couple of rides!!

This is me and DMIL

And Jonathan and his older brother!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

We are off shopping this weekend to Westfield in London. I haven't been there before but think it is now one of the Country's biggest Malls. I am quite excited and planning on lots of holiday purchases!

I starting to jog last week, as well as the gym and then what with all the walking at the weekend and the gym again yesterday, my poor knee is suffering today. It has given me a chance though to catch up on other PTR's etc so its not so bad after all!!!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Hi fellow Norfolk girl!!! Glad to have you reading along!! I think my job is moving to Norwich soon!!!

Well if you bring your chocolate making skills with you then please hurry!!!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Well if you bring your chocolate making skills with you then please hurry!!!!

Afraid Not. It will be for my boring "day" job! Hoping that I can give it up and make chocolates all the time

 

[klacey1]

Great pictures!! Sounds like you guys really had fun-- that hotel looks gorgeous, too! How sweet of Amber to push her great-nan She must be a very sweet little girl

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Great pictures!! Sounds like you guys really had fun-- that hotel looks gorgeous, too! How sweet of Amber to push her great-nan She must be a very sweet little girl

Thanks Kylie. She is very sweet.

The hotel was nice - you can really see how they are trying to get like Disney and making it more of a resort instead of just a theme park. The adjoining hotel "Splash Landings" had an indoor water park which we went in which was also a lot of fun.

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

I have spent the last couple of days trying to sort out Ambers birthday celebrations. It has been no easy feet and I'm not done yet!

Amber wanted to go to Discovery Cove again on her birthday so we had booked this with Virgin at the time of booking the holiday. When DH and I went there for his birthday in 2003 I had booked an add-on package where a dolphin bought him up a messaged bouy and we got an underwater camera, t-shirt, DVD and photo as well as this most amazing cake later on in the afternoon. We talked about the cake for months.

When we realised that we would be there for Ambers birthday we thought straight away that we could book that same package - not just for the cake of course

A few weeks ago I emailed Discovery Cove as I couldn't find a package that included cake I was advised by the Special Occasions Co-Ordinator that if I booked a package with a Cabana (more expense!!!) then they would organise a cake for me and bring it to us in the cabana! Simple???

Well when I came to phone the booking through on Tuesday the lady had great difficulty in finding a cake, she advised me that they no longer provide this service. I did day that I had been given special permission and she eventually found the cake on the system - it was an additional $15. There system then went down so I had to leave it to her to book and then email me with confirmation. She was a very helpful assistant but when I received the confirmation email there was no mention of the cake??? I emailed them back and was told that I needed to ring Seaworld to get them to add the cake on??? I did this yesterday and fingers crossed it is now all sorted.

Today, I set myself the task of sorting the cake I want Amber to get at Chef Mickey's when we go for her Birthday tea. I have been reading the Cake thread for a while so knew my options. However, when I rang Private Dining at the Contemporary I got somebody who more or less said I couldn't have anything more than a standard cake with an edible transfer on the top. I ended up ordering this but it wasn't what I wanted. I put my concerns on the cake thread and somebody very kindly assisted me with getting in touch with the chef at the CR. I have emailed him and hopefully will get a positive response. I'm hoping for a cake with Thumper and Miss Bunny on.

Fingers Crossed!!!!!!!!

Oh .. And I also bought a superlight suitcase today!!

 

[disneybarbie]

Fingers crossed for you on the birthday cake plans!

Nice to see your pics of Alton Towers!
DF and I went there as part of a mini break last October (his footie team, Port Vale, plays in Staffordshire so we combined a match with a weekend away!)
I enjoyed the park as now I'm 'brave' and go on rollercoasters! we really liked wandering around the gardens too... did you go on Hex? I thought it was so unusual!


Closer and closer to your holiday now!

Emma x

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Fingers crossed for you on the birthday cake plans!

Nice to see your pics of Alton Towers!
DF and I went there as part of a mini break last October (his footie team, Port Vale, plays in Staffordshire so we combined a match with a weekend away!)
I enjoyed the park as now I'm 'brave' and go on rollercoasters! we really liked wandering around the gardens too... did you go on Hex? I thought it was so unusual!


Closer and closer to your holiday now!

Emma x

Nice that you both got an enjoyable weekend out of it! We didn't get a chance to go on Hex. We did the new Thi3teen which I liked. My favourite was Oblivion! I don't know how I got myself on it!!

How are the wedding plans coming along?? You have got New York first!!