PTR - From Boring Britain to Fabulous Florida! 21 Nights of family fun!

[emmamc252]

wave: Firstly HELLO!!!! and thanks for taking the time to read my PTR! I am so excited about our upcoming trip to Florida and cannot wait to share my excitement with all of you!
I LOVE reading all of your trip reports and cannot say how helpful I have found them when planning our own holidays! So whilst I want to do my TR to chronicle our time together on this holiday, I also want to do it in the hope that my experiences may help others to create magical memories for themselves!! SO

I PROMISE that I will complete my TR, it may take a while but I will get there! HAVE FAITH IN ME PLEASE!!! I intend to document each day of our trip, what we did, best and worst bits, what we may have done differently etc. AND of course the FOOD! WE LOVE eating together when on holiday, at home too many meals are rushed and thrown together for convenience! We LOVE getting the opportunity to sit down and relx over our meals, real quality family time! ​

So thats my intentions, but maybe I am getting ahead of myself! WHO AM I??? Well, I will do our introduction in the next post!!

Introducing
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45521955&postcount=2:
The Plan
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45532211&postcount=3

 

[emmamc252]

This is me (Emma) with DD Milly! She's turning 1 in 9 days!!! have no idea when she got so big! I'm 26 and work as a teacher (not an English teacher before anyone points out my spelling issues!) I started at my school 5 years ago and now work as head of year and predominantly manage and teach a cohort of students with severe behavioural difficulties. I LOVE my job even though it gets a bit wild at times! That's part of the fun!

She's my first and for now my only little one! I am completely in love with her and just adore everything about her! I have to say a lot of my "research" has been about disney world with a 12-13 month old so I am hoping that my TR will be useful to others who are travelling with little ones! This is actually Milly's 2nd trip to WDW! We went for 2 weeks in November last year so she was 3 1/2-4 months old. We were unsure about wether she would be ok but she was fine and as it was novemeber the weather etc was lovely for her!
I'm Emma! I'm the WDW freak of the family! What I love about Disney is the way it allows family's to get the most of time together. DH and I both work full time, I do additional exam marking and he works rediculously long hours. When we do have time off we want to make the most of it and we feel that Disney world allows us to do this!
The next character in our little trip is DH, Chris.

He is a WONDERFUL husband who I appreciate more than I can say! He works so hard and is an amazing Daddy to our little girl! he loves WDW but he isn't in to all the planning and geeky stuff like me! But then I wouldn't want anyone else to do it! I LOVE IT!!!!
DH is particually excited about going this year because.................
The next 2 characters in our little story, My sister Sarah and her boyfriend Ant

So why is DH excited by this? Well because Ant is DH’s best friend!!!

So DH gets to go on a holiday with Me, his little girl and his best mate! He is made up!!! In fairness they are both looking forward to WWOHP the most, but we are going to have such a blast on this trip!
My Best friend is and always will be my sister!

I couldn’t live without her! She has been training to be a teacher over the last couple of years so this is her 1st holiday in 2 and a half years! She loves Disney world too but again cant really be bothered with the planning side!!! More for me!!!

Second to last but perhaps the most important character of all is my nephew Ashton!

Ash came with us last year but my sister wasn’t able to come with us then so it will be lovely for him to have his mummy there again this year!!! He is counting down the days and can’t wait to go on holiday with all his favourite people!!!
The highlight of last year for him was Pirates league experience!!!

He spent the whole day running up to other little pirates and saying “en guard!” and then play-sword fighting with them!! He was as happy as I have ever seen him! He is doing it again this year and is most excited for it!

Last but by NO means leat is my MUMMY.This is a pic of her with Ashton and Milly.

She spends all day every day caring for my dad who is very unwell and has been for many years now.Its the hardest job that I can think of and no one, and I do mean no-one deserves their holidays like my mum!! My half-brother is coming to look after him whilst we are away. Please don’t think that we don’t adore my dad, we do! But he now needs a LOT of care and the medication that he is on can have a detrimental effect on his personality, it is a difficult situation. My Mum is a very strong and amazing woman and I have nothing but respect for her and other carers out there! Uncelebrated hero’s in my opinion!

Anyway, my mum is definitely the other Disney addict in the family! We email each other every day with something Disney related, whether planning our next trip or looking at what we might do for the 1 after that, new rides, new restaurants, reviews, everything! It’s a real shared passion and gives us something to focus on when times are difficult for her! There’s always something we can plan!

So that’s us! I hope you will get to know us all a little better through this report!
Up Next “THE PLAN!!!!"

 

[emmamc252]

So, you already know that we have 21 nights, now I get to tell you what we plan to do with it!

In General
We avoid EMH. We get up around 7-7;30 so we wouldn't be ready for the Morning ones, we tend to get to the parks for rope drop.
We DO however go to EMH in the evenings at MK sometimes. However as these tend to be so busy now its more just for a wander and do a couple of rides with the novelty of it being 11pm! We don't find that the parks are quieter during EMH, infact we think they are bussier so this is a genereal rule for us!

We eat breakfast in the room so we don't waste time once we are in the parks, we like to get the more popular rides done 1st to avoid the bussier times of the day.

My mum would basically stay in the parks from open-close if we'd let her!! my sister and her family will probably stay all day some days whilst DH and I prefer to do the park in the morning and then spend a few hours at the resort, pool etc, in the afternoon before getting ready for dinner/evening plans!
We all love "midnight swims" so these are a frequent occurance for our trips but we don't plan these! if we have the energy we will do it! Obviosuly DD would not be up at this time so I would imagine I will have to watch from the sides but I still love the relaxe atmosphere of the pools at night!


Our Itinerary
8th-14th Aug
Holiday Inn maingate Universal 2 Bedrom suite.
we are staying here as it is next door to the hardrock hotel and from the reviews we think we will likely be able to walk to universal studios. it has also been refurbed recently so looks good! We used to go to the Homewood suites on American way but last time we went the busses to US/IOA were a NIGHTMARE! took HOURS to get there, missed rope drop etc so we spent a fortune on taxis and thought the accomodation was dated now so we want to try somewhere new!

14th-25th Aug
Animal kingdom Lodge Jambo House 2 bed standard view villa. We will be on the regular dining plan during this stay.We LOVE AKL! We own DVC at Saratoga springs which we do like but we just think this resort is AMAZING! so relaxing, the kids love the animals, the restaurants are top notch! just a top class resort to us! We stayed in Kidani last year and were not as impressed we liked the pool and the play area for kids but the lack of a quick service restaurant and/or proper shop was a problem in the mornings and we just didn't think the hotel itself had the same feel. Would ALWAYS pick Jambo over Kidani!

Then.....
Sarah, Ant and Ashton have to go home!

unfortunately they couldn't make the 21nights work so they are leaving us at this point. We will be sad to see them go but sure we will have had a great time!

so, DH, myself, Milly and my Mum will be stayin at
25th-29th Aug studio Lake View at Bay lake Tower. We will be on the Deluxe Dining Plan during this stay.we have ALWAYS wanted to stay here but as we travel in a bigger family unit most of the time its just too expensive on points. So we are taking the opportunity to stay here whilst its only for a few nights and we can manage with a studio!
It was my decision to go for the DxDP for these nights. I really wanted to do a couple of character meals with DD but the economy of this on the regular dining plan just didn't make sense. Dh and I also really enjoy NICE food so we would LOVE to try some SIGNATURES that we haven't been to! Mum is happy to do anything and LOVES her food so she was very happy with my proposal.

So thats where we are staying,
We have 1 week park to park universal studios passes,
Seaworld 2 day passes
disney 14 day park hopper with water parks (think this is a UK only ticket)
We bought direct from the parks just for the added piece of mind, I never trust he internet 100%!
We have also done the advanced purchase of Disney photopass.

Ant is a " nervous flyer" so they were adamant they needed to fly direct from manchester to Orlando international. I gave them my airmiles so they were able to book a miles+money flight with virgin atlantic costing £760 pp, I think ashton was about £100 less, plus 2000airmiles per person.
We are flying with united via philadelphia and we paid £660pp. Milly cost £66.
Have never flown united but went indirect with delta previosly and for the £300 saving plus the ability to go for 4 extra nights this was definately the option we wanted.

Day to day plan​

8th,
arrival day, meal at TGI fridays in hotel (get supermarket stop with the taxi we booked so we will only arrive about 8pm)

9thIOA
Dinner at Hooters (no idea WHY the boys wanted to go here???? but they saw there was one on the same road as our hotel and that was it, we HAD to go apparently!!!

10thSeaworld
Dinner at City walk
11th US
dinner at citywalk
12th lazy morning
seaworld staying for night shows

13thUS/IOA
Citywalk meal14th (changeover day)
pack up
IOA, supermarket shopping trip
Taxi to AKL late afternoon
Dinner BOMA
15thMK
Teppan Edo 7;10 ADR / watch illuminations fireworks

16thAK
DTD evening, dinner at RFC 8pm ADR

17thDHS
Ohana 8;20pm ADR (possibly go to late night MK after)

18thlazy(ish) morning
Breakfast Chef Mickeys 10;45 ADR
MK in the day time.
Mum, sarah, ashton and Ant doing fantasmic (counter service dinner)
DH, me and DD having a resort night, Jiko dinner 8pmADR (DD prob asleep in her pushchair)

19thEpcot
Dinner WCC 7;40 ADR (MK late night after if anyone wants to go)

20th
Blizzard Beach
late afernoon go to DTD, boys doing Disneyquest
Earl of sandwich tea and maybe an ice cream at Ghiradellis (oop)

21stAK
Sarah and Ant date night to California grill (9;20ADR but still looking for an earlier one )
everyone else having a resort night, some fun in the pool and dinner at Sanaa 7pm ADR (one of our fave restaurants on or last trip!!!

22ndMK
Ashton doing the PIRATES LEAGUE at 10;40
DH and I date night going to San angel inn 7pm and hopefully catch the fireworks.have a tequila at cava de tequila!!!
eveyone else DTD and planet hollywood (their choice, certainly not mine!)

23rdEpcot
dinner GFC 6;40
MK to watch wishes and MSEP

24thDHS
Ant,sarah, ashton and mum going to H+V for breakfast 10;20.
Dh and I probably have a lazy morning and meet them there.
DTD evening, T-rex
25thAK
sarah, ant and ashton have to go home after the park (magical express picking up about 3;30)
DH, me DD and Mum go to BLT ot check in!!!!!
Cocktails at TOTWLDinner Citricos 8pm

26thDHS
Lunch Brown Derby 1;25 ADR
Dinner Chefs de france Epcot 8pm

27thEpcot
Akerhaus lunch 12;15 (PRINCESSES!!!!)
FFC dinner 7;55 ADR

28thMK
lunch at Kona or if we have had enough of the parks we will go to DTD and have lunch at Raglan RdDinner california grill 7;20/9;25 ADR's (need to pick but depends if we have a late lunch at DTD or regular lunch at Kona!!!)

29thpack up
Breakfast Ohana's 10;20am
Magic express will come to take us to the airport around 12;30.

 

[emmamc252]

Our school finished for the year yesterday! So glad to have some time to relax! The last month has been crazy!!
18 sleeps til Disney but now my days will be filled with time spent with DD so really my holiday has begun!
We saw some valued colleagues leaving for the second year running due to budget cuts and redundancies which is never easy and I admire their commitment to our students that despite the poor way they have been treated they remain professional and here for our kids!
Staff nights out are too crazy but a great way to blow off some steam! Tired now so off to bed!! It is 6:22am after all!
I don't drink alcohol when I go out by the way, if you were wondering why my spelling is relatively coherent. I'm saving myself for a couple of Disney cocktails!!!

 

[BearcatsFan]

Hello!

Your plans look great - I've enjoyed reading so far. Can't wait for more details! Your baby girl is simply adorable ... just adorable!

 

[Alysa]

What a fun PT - the pictures are all great, your daughter and your nephew are adorable, nice photo with their Gran. It sounds like you have a wonderful time planned! Looking forward to hearing more!

 

[emmamc252]

So, it was DD's 1st birthday on friday (27th) party planned, so excited, BUT the universe had other plans.......

YEP you saw it! CHICKEN POX!!!!
My nephew had it over 2 weeks ago so we thought she might get it, but then she didn't, then the day before her birthday we noticed a few appearing!!! by midday of her birthday she was covered, had a fever and was feeling very sorry for herself!
She seems to have a really bad dose! we think she has roughly 300 spots! She has been REALLY upset, crying and shrieking with the discomfort, its been VERY difficult for DH and I aswell as our poorly little one! I just hate seeing her like this, it breaks my heart!!

She is still very poorly, covered in camomile lotion and currently (finally) asleep after having barely slet in 48 hours!

SO what does this mean for our holiday??
Well after reading TONNES of info on line I think its going to be very touch and go but I think she may have just got them in the nick of time!

The info I have found basically says that you can fly once you are no longer contagious. Chicken pox stop being contagious "6 days after the last spot appears" or basically when they are all "crusted over"
She majorly broke out yesterday and the day before, she does have some new ones today but not as many and some of the originals are already drying out. From what I have read she should stop developing new ones tomorrow or the day after at the latest. she could be unlucky but we will have to wait and see! We have 9 nights and then would fly on the 10th day from now so we should be ok.
I phoned our GP immediately to get it noted that she had them so that they would be able to certify how long she had had them and therefor validate the lack of contagiousness! The GP said we need to bring her in on monday next week (not tomorrow) and he will check her over to see if they are all crusted over (which he said they should be by then) and hopefully should b ablet give us a "fit to fly" note incase anyone questions us, basically just stating that she is out of the contagious period.
DD has a lot on her face so I am sure we will be questioned but hopefully this kind of documentation should help.
THANKFULLY we do have annual travel insurance so if there is a problem we should be able to fly out ASAP at no additional charge to us, but like I said, hopefully she got them just in the nick of time and we will be able to travel!

It has certainly been an appallingly difficult week and certainly not what we had planned to be doing in the run up to our holiday!

Obviously getting DD to feel better is our number 1 priority right now, but I hope you guys will keep your fingers crossed for us that the spots stop coming! She's so tiny! enough is enough!!!
I had planned to write about my mom, (post to follow) and her madness next but unfortunately I guessed this update was necessary!!!

 

[mommys3]

Joining in We will be dining at Akershus on the 27th as well,but for breakfast! Your little girls is adorable...sorry to hear about the chicken pox!

 

[emmamc252]

Thanks mommys3!! She is really suffering! Never really experienced a baby with chicken pox before and don't remember having it as I was very young too! Can't understand why we in the uk don't vaccinate against it!!
I am really looking forward to akerhaus!
We are thinking we might use that day as an "un-birthday" for dd to make up for the rather rubbish actual birthday she has ended up with!!!
9 more sleeps (hopefully!!!!)

 

[tangled up]

Hiya Emma, great PTR

You have a lovely family, and cannot wait to hear all about your holiday on your return.

3 weeks is wonderful, and you will have so much more time to do everything.

Sorry to hear your little one is suffering with the chicken pox, it is so terrible for them xx

 

[mommys3]

Never really experienced a baby with chicken pox before and don't remember having it as I was very young too! Can't understand why we in the uk don't vaccinate against it!!

I had no clue that the UK does not vaccinate against chicken pox I have 4 kids and none of them have never had it (but they have had their chicken pox shot). Hopefully your little girl will be feeling well by the time of your vacation so you can all celebrate

 

[emmamc252]

My mum is a real "goody two shoes,"
she has literally never done anything "naughty" in her life!
I'm not sure if its a mid-life crisis or just a moment of madness but.......

YEP that is what you think it is,
here's a bit of a better shot!

So let me go back a few steps.
My mum had always HATED tattoos but I always liked them. I had my first 2 done years ago and she didn't like them very much. I decided about 4 years ago to get my nan's favorite flower, a bird of paradise, on my foot in remembrance of her. My Mum found this quite touching and so agreed to come with me when I got it done.
Since then she doesn't mind them as much as I think she understands that they mean more than just a drawing most of the time.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I got my 4th, a poem in tribute to DD. As this was just script I went to a local tattoo studio but was reallly happy with the results. So somehow my mum got it in her head that as she had to quote her,

"never done anything rebellious in her life,"​

she decided she would "shock" everyone by getting a tattoo and then "surprising" us all with it on holiday.
Well that was her original plan, then she told me, then she told my sister and then she told everyone else!? She can't keep a secret for longer than 2 minutes!!!
So as she had told us all anyway, we all came up with the design together. As I said earlier my Mum is a carer for my Dad which is often very difficult for her. Her holidays in Florida with us are some of the happiest and certainly the most carefree that she has. Again as I have said, she loves my dad to bits but its still very difficult for her most of the time!
So she wanted to represent disney as that is her "happy place" and then the stars are for her family, me, my sister, my daughter, my nephew and the top one is for my Nan.
I actually really like the tattoo as it really does represent my mums love of her family and how disney brings us together!
so that's how my mum has gone mad! If you see a small woman looking "rebellious" sporting this tattoo whilst in WDW do come and say hi!!!!

 

[CatNipRules]

Joining in on your PTR.

Your daughter is such a cutie pie!! I feel bad that she has the chicken pox though. It's miserable. I had it when I was three and have never forgotten it!!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will be able to fly!


Carers are a special bunch! My FIL was sick last year and he had his difficult moments. It takes a special person to help out. I'm glad that she has someone to care for him while she goes on vacation with you!!

Love the tattoo!! I got my first tattoo when I was 38. DH says that it was my mid-life crisis. LOL!!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[PrinceGinge]

Looks like a fantastic holiday you've planned there! Wish I was going with you! Oh wait......

 

[emmamc252]

The alarm is about to go off, the suitcases are packed, the tickets are printed, the plan is as good as its going to get and I FINALLY finished the last of our family t-shirts! (wait for the pics in my TR! Made up with them as my first proper go!!
So we are off!! Goodbye Britain!! See you in 3 weeks!!!