Pre trip report "Finally WDW!!" (UPDATE post 5, need help with ADRS!!)

[alebisi]

Hello uk and european fellows! I'm Alessandra (23 years old) and I'm from Italy, I've been planning a trip to WDW for the longest time (since 2008) and for some reason I could never manage to actually book the trip! But finally a week ago I booked a 2 week stay at POP century with my boyfriend. We'll be staying the last week of september through the first of october (YAY for free dining and food and wine festival).
I'm a Disney fan since birth, my parents actually honeymoon there in 1984!! My first time was in Nov 1995 and was 5 years old, since then we have returned numerous times, we lived in southamerica for 10 years so WDW was near. Unfortunately our last trip was in Christmas 2004, we stayed at the contemporary (MY DREAM HOTEL) and never have returned since then .
In 2009 I went to Disneyland Paris with my mother, it was nice, but it wasn't the same!!
So finally after I graduated from college at the end of February I decided this year I had to go! So I book a vacation package last week
My DBF (he'll be 24 by the time we go to WDW) has never been to WDW or any Disney parks, and he's not that exicted but I think he'll love it, we'll be doing US and IoA and also Halloween horror nights (he's a horror movie fan, I want him to get exicted too!). This will also be his first time crossing to the other pond!
We'll be travelling from Venice to London and stay at Gatwick Sofitel (any tips) for a night (we arrive to London at midnight), and travelling the next day to Orlando in British Airways (any of you have travelled how's the entertaiment onboard???). We still have to book the flights!
Hope you all join onboard, and if you have any tips or suggestion please comment, I'd be happy to read them!
Tomorrow will arrive my unofficial guide to WDW 2012

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Looking forward to hearing your plans
xxx

 

[martinacris]

Ciao ALessandra !!

It's GREAT to know that you have booked with BA and will hav Free Dining. Did you book through the UK WEbsite ?

I was just wondering, where in South America did you live for 10 yrs ? I am originally from Caracas, Venezuela but have been living in Grado for the past 15 years ! Did you go to an American school ? YOur English is very good !

I have not flown BA for a long time so I can't comment on the entertainment but you can be sure that it is much better than Alitalia !!

Can't wait to read more about your PTR!

A presto !

Martina

 

[alebisi]

Looking forward to hearing your plans
xxx

Thanks, it would be interesting to compare our trips! I'll update it as soon as I get those ADRS figure it out!

Ciao ALessandra !!

It's GREAT to know that you have booked with BA and will hav Free Dining. Did you book through the UK WEbsite ?

I was just wondering, where in South America did you live for 10 yrs ? I am originally from Caracas, Venezuela but have been living in Grado for the past 15 years ! Did you go to an American school ? YOur English is very good !

I have not flown BA for a long time so I can't comment on the entertainment but you can be sure that it is much better than Alitalia !!

Can't wait to read more about your PTR!

A presto !

Martina

Ciao Martina! I booked through the Italian website of british airways, wasn't hard at all!
I lived 5 years in Ecuador and 5 years in Perù (which I fall in love, since I'm half peruvian), we have so much in common! I've studied in UK schools in southamerica where some courses were only in english (like Geography, History) but I've certanly loosed a little bit since I've returner to Italy, but thank you so much for the compliment it means a lot to me!
I KNOW ABOUT ALITALIA, I think I haven't travelled in Italy since the 90's I avoid them like the plague!!!!! I took once an airplane from britishairways in '97 but I was too little to remember! But I've read som good stuff here in the boards.
I'll update my pre trip report as soon as I figure out some ADRS, haven't been in wdw since DEC 2004 (and by that time I didn't planned our trips and certanly WDW has changed a lot in the last 8 years!!). I'll need some help!

When where you there? Where you with your family or as a couple? I'm going with my boyfriend which isn't that convinced that WDW can be great for couples and adults too!

 

[alebisi]

Okay guys now I absolutely need your help! I'm trying to figure out ADRS, but in less than a week I can make them and even though I'm doing lots of research, I'd like your suggestions (not only for Table service, also counter service). As some of you know my DBF is not very "fond" to Disney (YET) but he is a foodie and we are on the Dining plan for 14 nights. I'd like to avoid dining with characters as my BF is not interrested in character interaction.
Here are some restaurants will be absolutely eating at:
Coral Reef: I have heard good and bad, but the experience is amazing as DBF is into fish and life sea, also in eating seafood.
We LOVE sushi so I thought something in the Japan pavilion would be great or at Kona Caffé as I'd like him to discover the PR.
I was thinking that California Grill will be also great but it's 2 table services!
Do you have any suggestions on Animal Kingdom?? Or Hollywood Studios (I was looking for the Fantasmic Plan)?
We'll try to avoid Italian food as we are Italians and would like to experiment other kinds of food.

 

[martinacris]

Ciao Alessandra !

I knew you must have gone to an English speaking school. The way you write and some of your expressions are said by someone who has been ins en English speaking environment..( like..."the other side of the pond" I have not heard htat expression in ages ! ) I too went to an English Speaking school in Caracas, not the UK but the American School. Before coming to ITaly I worked on board cruise ships...for 4 years....Costa Crociere.

By the way do you also speak Spanish ?

I was just wondering if you booked the Disney Hotel and Dining from the UK website ?

My husband and I went in 1999 ( alone) and had a wonderful time ! And I had not even known about the DIS then...then we went again with our daughters in Dec.2008 and stayed in the Grand Floridian for 5 nights and then rented a house for 2 weeks.
Believe me...your DB will have a WONDERFUL TIME !! There is something MAGICAL about Disney...so as soon as he will be in Orlando ...being this his first time to the USA...I am sure he will LOVE it !

Regarding the ADR...I am trying to think where we ate...but being with the girls who were 6 and 8 at that time..we did many Character meals !

Did you get you Unofficial Guide yet ? I have it and I LOVE it ! Between that and then reading some of the other member's treip reports..I am sure you will be able to come down with a list.

I will look back at my photos and try and recall where we ate...believe me the last kind of food we wanted was Italian !!

Don't forget to buy MEDICAL INSURANCE !!

I can imagine your DB may not be as excited as you...belive me..my DH did not care at all about WDW...but when we got there he enjoyed every moment.

If I were to give you a piece of advice is to arrive at the parks EARLY !!! That will make the difference !

Remember to pack as few things as possible...I am sure you will go shopping there and you would not want to have to pay excess baggage !

Buon fine settimana !

Martina

 

[alebisi]

Ciao Alessandra !

I knew you must have gone to an English speaking school. The way you write and some of your expressions are said by someone who has been ins en English speaking environment..( like..."the other side of the pond" I have not heard htat expression in ages ! ) I too went to an English Speaking school in Caracas, not the UK but the American School. Before coming to ITaly I worked on board cruise ships...for 4 years....Costa Crociere.

By the way do you also speak Spanish ?

I was just wondering if you booked the Disney Hotel and Dining from the UK website ?

My husband and I went in 1999 ( alone) and had a wonderful time ! And I had not even known about the DIS then...then we went again with our daughters in Dec.2008 and stayed in the Grand Floridian for 5 nights and then rented a house for 2 weeks.
Believe me...your DB will have a WONDERFUL TIME !! There is something MAGICAL about Disney...so as soon as he will be in Orlando ...being this his first time to the USA...I am sure he will LOVE it !

Regarding the ADR...I am trying to think where we ate...but being with the girls who were 6 and 8 at that time..we did many Character meals !

Did you get you Unofficial Guide yet ? I have it and I LOVE it ! Between that and then reading some of the other member's treip reports..I am sure you will be able to come down with a list.

I will look back at my photos and try and recall where we ate...believe me the last kind of food we wanted was Italian !!

Don't forget to buy MEDICAL INSURANCE !!

I can imagine your DB may not be as excited as you...belive me..my DH did not care at all about WDW...but when we got there he enjoyed every moment.

If I were to give you a piece of advice is to arrive at the parks EARLY !!! That will make the difference !

Remember to pack as few things as possible...I am sure you will go shopping there and you would not want to have to pay excess baggage !

Buon fine settimana !

Martina

Hey! Yes I do speak spanish at home, spanish had become my first language (even though I learn before Italian), when I was 7 we moved to South America and I learnt spanish in a heartbeat! Since then I speak spanish when in my house and with my parents (even though my dad IS ITALIAN) LOL .

I booked through a disney travel agent (which cost me none as they book through the Disney site). I really recommend them specialy if you are not living in the USA, they also make your ADRS reservation! Any authorized vaction Disney planner is fast and great and you have a variety to choose from. For the airlines tickets I reasearched for a long time through websites to see the best airfares, I bought mine at britishairways (the italian site).

Yes!I got the unofficial guide to WDW, but believe me it's a bit overwhelming 800 pages, I thought I knew WDW but after reading only 100 pages I realized I have yet learn lots of stuff!

My the way where did you go for the travel insurance?? My dad works at Generali so maybe I'll ask him, but if you have any other tip I'll gladly read it!

Yes I'll do LOTS OF SHOPPING, I'll start with online shopping a week before my trip so I can get some stuff to my hotel. We don't have our lincenses yet, but DB said that if he could get it before the trip he'll drive to the malls. If not we'll have to limit to one or max two days of shopping.