Yes 3 weeks to go today
... and you know what that means, time for Part Two of my Disney World reminiscing. Last week I remembered all the great things we did and all the magical memories of my second trip in 2005. Well Part One may have been my first ever trip to Disney World, Part two was my second holiday to WDW but Mum, Dad and Sophie's first, therefore the most memorable and has some of my most magical memories ever. Part three however was Nick's first trip and was the first 'planned' WDW holiday, therefore we did more, ate more and made a lot more magical memories. So here is Part Three...
WHEN: July 18th August 15th 2006 4 weeks
WHO: Me (20 21 on hols), Mum, Dad, Sophie (9 10 on hols), Nick (22)
WHERE: Port Orleans Riverside, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Newport Beach Hotel (Miami)
The Back Story:
As soon as we were home from our last trip Disney depression set in, so we got lots of brochures and every time we were together all we could talk about
was when we were going, where we were going to stay, what were we going to do. Within a few months we decided our exact plans and finally got our dream trip booked 2 weeks at Port Orleans Riverside, 1 week at Animal Kingdom Lodge and our final week in Miami. Then it was time to start the real planning.
The Planning:
Well previously our only planning aid had been the WDW planning DVD and The Brits Guide. This time however, was going to be different, we wanted to go all out. So I started reading Disney forums and learning about all the extra things to do, tips, menus, all the useful things that make our holidays extra special. I told Mum about everything I had learnt and we discussed ADRs and other restaurants we wanted to visit as well as ideas of what to do in Miami. At 180 days out we booked our ADRs, it felt great knowing we would be eating in some great places. We also purchased tickets for Discovery Cove (on my Birthday) with 2 weeks for Seaworld and Busch Gardens, Dine With Shamu, 3 week Ultimate Disney tickets, 2 week Universal tickets, Pirates Dinner Show, Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, and Cirque du Soleil wow thats a lot of tickets. Well other than spending hours daily relooking at menus, re-reading the Brit Guides and re-reading forums, all our planning was pretty much done.
Pre Trip Run Up:
The run up to our holiday was a pretty busy time for Nick and I. We had finished uni officially at the beginning of June so spent the next few weeks working our backsides off for our holiday spends. At the same time we began to pack up all our furniture and clothes as we were moving from Cardiff to Essex. The first week of July we moved up to Essex, we literally just had to dump most of our stuff in our new house as we only had a few days and had to visit Nicks family before we went on holiday. We then had to drive back to Cardiff on the Monday and it was completely non-stop from there. On Tuesday we went out for a meal and then to a club to celebrate my birthday with my best friend from Uni and her husband. On Wednesday we had a full day of fun with our best mates from work, lunch at TGIs, boating on the lake, cinema to watch POTC 2, Hard Rock for cocktails and then off for a lovely meal. Thursday my Mum and Kate (my older sister) came up and we had a bbq and finished packing up the last few bits in our house. Friday was my graduation so it was a long day. The ceremony was very long, it was great to go up and get my certificate but it was a lot of sitting around. After we went to TGIs for lunch (again... Mum and Kate had never been before, can you believe it) and went home to get ready. We had booked Nick and my favourite Chinese restaurant for the evening and had a lovely meal. After we went and met my best friend and her family in a club and had a great time. The next day we were up early to drive to Mums in Devon... in a very packed car. On Sunday we finished our final packing for the holiday, I had had to be so organised to keep a case with my holiday stuff separate from all our other stuff when moving. Sunday night we had our traditional pre-trip Chinese and finally got to chill out a little.
Finally Monday morning arrived, now I always think of the day before we fly as the first day of the holiday as we always drive up to Gatwick and stay the night before. So after Dad had done his final job we did our final checks and drove to the airport. After lots of travelling we finally arrived at the airport where we did Twilight check-in and then headed off to Frankie and Bennys for a lovely tea. It was then back to the hotel and to bed ready for tomorrow.
Outside Frankie and Benny's
Our airport hotel
Again I will only do a brief summary of each day and of course include some pictures for you all, if there is anything more anyone would like to know please feel free to ask.
The Trip
Day 1
We were up early and to the airport early for breakfast. We had time to do lots of shopping and then it was time for our flight. It was our first flight with Virgin and quite a good trip and soon we were setting down on Florida tarmac... yes we were home again. We were then off in our 8 seater van to Port Orleans Riverside... fast forward 30 minutes and we arrive under those magical Disney gates, I take a minute to remind everyone we are actually here again... or in Nicks case for the first time. We arrive at POR, go to check in, um why is check in taking so long? The girl at check in looks very worried as she tells us that she cant find our reservation. Her manager comes over to help and informs us our travel company has
CANCELLED our dream holiday. What... how can it be cancelled, we booked through a TA not because we wanted to spend extra money for exactly the same trip for the hell of it, but because we wanted to have the security that everything would be booked correctly. So you can understand we were pretty upset that the moment we had been dreaming of and working our backsides off for 18 months had been ruined
. The Disney lady was really helpful and got straight on the phone to our travel company and tried to find us another room. Well neither worked... POR was fully booked and our travel company could offer no explanation or help at this point, great. It was at this point we imagined ourselves having to find some cockroach motel in the suburbs of North Carolina to stay in for $500 a night, after all it was peak season. The nice Disney lady told us she could get us a room in POFQ and then move us to POR when one came available... big thumbs up to Disney for their help, who knows what we would have done without them (cockroach motel anyone?). So off to POFQ we went, checked in and collapsed into our room. We decided we were not going to let this ruin our dream holiday so pulled ourselves together and went to POR for our ADR at Boatwrights. After a lovely tea we crashed straight into bed after a very long and tiring day.
Port Orleans French Quarter a.k.a the wrong hotel
Day 2 Downtown Disney
We were up early and raring to go on our first proper day in Orlando. We were off to Downtown Disney for our travel company welcome meeting... and boy did we have some questions for them starting with How The Hell Could They Cancel Our Holiday? The reply we got was about as informative as the person on the phone the night before, he thought it was quite funny and told us that POFQ was really good too, but lucky us we got a free Hard Rock voucher (as does everyone who goes to those we-will-try-and sell-you-any-tickets-we-can-meetings). Well now I dont want to ruin the rest of this mini-trippie by keep talking about our stupid Travel company, they did that enough to our holiday, but after the meeting they put us on to a woman in head office. She took over our case and for the rest of our 4 week holiday she kept ringing us and making us ring her in order to get answers. Of course this was extremely disruptive to our holiday, but we tried to ignore it as much as we could and get on enjoying ourselves.
After the meeting we did some shopping at DTD and then hired a boat from the marina. After a lovely sail up past Old Key West and up to POR and POFQ on a beautiful day we stopped for a delicious lunch at Rainforest Cafe.
Back to the hotel for a swim and then out to
Walmart for some shopping.
Tea from POFQ food court then bed.
Dad shopping
Outside Rainforest Cafe
Our boat trip:
Day 3 Islands of Adventure
Our first official theme park day, and Nicks first Florida theme park and more importantly his first Ponderosa.
Off to Islands of Adventure where we had a great day despite the large South American tour groups. And I finally got to ride Bilge Rat Barges which was great.
We had an early meal at Hard Rock, very good, and then back to finish off at IOA.
We did some shopping in City Walk then headed back for a swim before bed.
Day 4 Magic Kingdom
Today I was so excited, it was our first Disney day and we were starting at the park of dreams. And of course this was Nicks first ever Disney park, so it was extra special.
We started our first Disney day on a high with breakfast at 1900 Park Fayre, we were very impressed with both the food and character interaction, it was a great surprise for Sophie. And Nick loved his first character meal. We had a look around the Grand Floridian, the resort was simply beautiful. It was so great to be in it after remembering seeing it on my first trip and dreaming about staying there but thinking only rich people could ever go in it... now we were here, it was everything I thought it would be. Now I just need to stay there, well maybe next time hey.
Onto Magic Kingdom via the ferry so we could get that magical entrance to the park. We had a great day and got all the rides done. We had a break mid-afternoon so we could move to POR, and we were finally at the resort we were suppose to be at all along.
We had a swim and then back to MK for EMHs. We had tea from Cosmic Rays, did some rides and then home for bed after a very long day.
Catching the ferry to MK
Breakfast at 1900 Park Fayre:
Sophie and her idol - she was in awe of Alice all day, all holiday in fact
It was great to have all of those little things to make the scrap books more fun to look at.
, I hate responsibility 
. Its quite funny you asking your aussie friend... its so easy to forget the slight differences between countries that otherwise seem quite similar 
. For Easter I planned their presents way in advance, my friend went to New York in January and I got her to pick some pens, postcards, keyrings and chocolate, I also visited a candy shop in London that sells American candy to stock up. I had planned to make some gift bags up to put the things in, I really wanted red, white and blue bags but couldn't find them anywhere, after searching for ages I found some red ones with stars on and decorated them with blue ribbon and bows, red, white and blue tissue paper and there names in silver letters. I also made them each a ticket for a New York City sunset cruise - I say made because we have not yet booked the holiday so I don't want to book the actual tickets until thats done. I also printed off some envelopes with the American flag and stars on to put them in. Here is the results:
)? Or as a childr what have you brought/would buy your Mum on a special birthday... please give me some ideas and advice 
.
You had such a good attitude about it, I'm glad it didn't ruin the vacation. It's great that you can come to the US for such a long time. 
