Returning to the Magic for birthday fun -

[~Fisharefriends~]

Ok so here we go in at the deep end. Ive decided to creat a pre-trip report to give me somewhere to voice ideas and plans for out upcoming trip to wdw.

so firstly the cast:

Me: Kirstie 26 full time mum part time midwife both jobs i love.

Dh: Rob 31 works in the IT industry.

Ds1: Joseph known as JJ age 3 will turn 4 on holiday

Ds2: Logan will be 17mths when we go away.


This will be my 5th trip to disney, both dh;s and ds1's 3rd trip and Logans 2nd!!!!! The last trip was nov 2007 again away for ds1's birthday, he will start to think that seeing mickey for your birthday is the only way to celebrate

We have booked to go away 10th Nov till 25th Nov flying out of Gatwick with virgin and staying at the swan hotel.We have already paid to have an extra seat for Logan rather than having him on our laps and prebooked our seats on the filghts there and back! (how is that for organised)

Last year was the first time we stayed on resort at the CBR and even though we really liked it there, decided as we could afford it to try something different!


So thats the introduction, have already brought my unofficial guide which i have been studying harder than i did for my degree and having indepth discussions with dh about which ADR's etc we would like to book and what exaclty we are going to do on JJ's birthday this year to top last year.

thats should do for now!!!

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

hoping this works, this is us, taken last year at the magic kingdom, just looking at there photos makes me all excited about going again!

my two boys

DH and I enjoying epcot!!

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

Our confirmation invoice came today so it is all official I dont know what it is but i just like having that piece of paper.

have been working out a rough guide to what we will be doing each day but very subject to chnage once clander and EMH's come out. also looked through all the restuarants and there menus to plans ADR's (do i sound obsessive yet??!!)

so ADR's, crystal Palace for breakfast : did this last year on ds's birthday and it was fantastic, both boys loved the interaction with the characters, so definatly a must do again food was also great and really filled us up for the day.

Logan meeting Pooh!

Biergarten Dinner: Never done this but we a big fans of german culture (dh german beer) and think it will be a great experience.

Coral Reef Lunch: Ds1 is obsessed by fish so much he asked father christmas for fish not toys (and didint get disappointed) Planning on getting the personlised menus down and hopeully the diver wishing JJ happy birthday.

Hollywood and Vine Breakfast: There is not a day that playhouse disney is not watched in this house. We are lucky in the UK (or some may say unlucky) in that we have a dedicated playhouse disney channel running 24 hours!! so i know JJ will just love this as last ear most of our time at DHS was spent queing to meet all the playhouse characters.

???? 50's Prime time : not convinced yet on this one have read a real mixture of reviews and not sure how much the boys will really get of it.

Tonys restaurant (lunch): love the film as does JJ and the food looks nice.

Rainforest Cafe (AK): usually go to the one at DTD but thought we would go here instead, JJ loves it here and alwasy finsishes what he eats and doesnt get bored. I know a lot of people find it expensive for what is it but it works for us.

Jilkos Dinner: one of Dh's must do, he just really like the look of this.

Shulas Steak House (know this doesnt really come under ADRS): Planning on getting a babysitter this night and just having a nice meal for 2 without being two far away if needed.

Ohanas Dinner: Everything i have read about this looks great and so does the food.

the rest of the time we are looking at either counter service or eating off site (to save a few dollars)


So daily planner bsically just by going throught UG also trying to factor in going back to the hotel most days for a nap:

Mon: 24th, depart LGW@11:15 arrive @ 15:40 pick up hire car hopefully get to swan b dinner time (do you know how long it takes to get through immigration!!)

Tues 11th: Magic Kingdom lunch at tonys head back to hotel and recover from jetlag!

Wed 12th: DHS

Thurs 13th: Epcot lunch coral reef with diver

Fri 14th :: DS1's 4th birthday Plan on crystal palce for breakfast, MK till lunchtime then back to hotel for a swim and chill out then dinner maybe at dhs followed by fantasmic ???

Sat 15th I will say it quietly sea world!

Sun 16th AK

Mn 17th: Back to epcot

Tues 18th Magic Kingdom

Wed 19th: Aquatica Have to go and see this

Thurs 20th think epcot in the morning the hoping that tonight we be the MVMCP

Fri 21st: Ak in the mornign then back the hotel for swimming and a chilled afternoon/evening, babysitter for the boys so me and dh can have a romantic dinner for two

Sat 22nd: either EP/MK

Sun 23rd : DHS??? DTD

Mon 24th Check in at DTD at 8.30am maybe spend the morning in one of the parks before going to the airport to depart @ 18:05

Tues 25th Arrive back in the UK at 06:55

either planning on getting an AP with DDE (as we are planning to be back in may 2009) or the 14day ultimate ticket (Only avavilable in the UK) both will give us parkhopping options. just have to work out the costs of both and go from there.


would love for people to give there opinions. so any lurkers out there please say hi, its beginning to echo on here

 

[JoBird]

HI!!!!!!

Just wanted to say I'm in and looking forward to reading all of your plans!

Jo

 

[Bama mom to 3]

Hey Kristie. When you posted on the Nov. Thread about having started your pre-trip report I knew I had to come check it out. Can't wiat to read more about your plans.

BTW, I love that photo of you and your DH...so romantic!

 

[KayleeUK]

Hi Kirstie

Great to put a face to the name Will be looking out for you as our dates cross over

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

HI!!!!!!

Just wanted to say I'm in and looking forward to reading all of your plans!

Jo

Thanks for dropping in

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

Hey Kristie. When you posted on the Nov. Thread about having started your pre-trip report I knew I had to come check it out. Can't wiat to read more about your plans.

BTW, I love that photo of you and your DH...so romantic!

yah figured out how to multi quote! thanks for saying hi, hoping i dont bore you all with my obssesive planning!!.

I love that picture too out of the 700 + photos from that trip its probably my fav.

Hi Kirstie

Great to put a face to the name Will be looking out for you as our dates cross over

Dont think you can miss us!!!! I will be the slightly harrassed one trying to keep two toddlers going in the same direction

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

well its taken a while to get back to update but life has thrown a few curveballs at us the last week. Started with dh's car going in for a rountine service and ended up having £600.00 (X by 1.95 to get dollars) wort of work just to get it roadworthy and still needs another £600 minimum done to fully fix it So know we are thinking of getting rid of the car now before the rest of the work is essential plus it also needs taxing next month que another £200. so im now having to research buying a car! Thankfully we are savers so had the money to pay for the repairs so far and it hasnt needed to come out of the holiday fund, also means being a bit stricter on the budget for a while to get some more money saved for emergencies. No more shopping trips for me!!


The end of the week was meant to be something nice (which is was) filming a porperty programme for the BBC Yes we are going ot be one of those couples on TO Buy or not to Buy!!!

Had a great time but came back to an message from DH's parents to say his nan is severly ill in hospital and unlikely to last till Easter

Trying to figure out when we can get down there as they live over 3 hours away and i have to work all this weekend, so far earleist we can go is easter weekend and by then it may be too late.

Dh is a bit quiet, as this is his last living Grandparent and keeps wanting to talk about disney to have something nice to think about and look forward too.So thats is what i have done, he even got me a lovely little notepad from work to keep all my planning together and has been throwing his idea into the pot about things he wants to try and do this year.

So life isnt a disney movie (which could be a blessing have you heard me sing ) but having a disney vacation booked sure brings a smile to your face when you otherwise want to cry.

 

[KayleeUK]

WOW we are going to see you on the telly

Sorry to hear about your DH Nan

to you and your family.

 

[jordanyosh]

Sorry to hear about Nan.....

You are one lucky family to be going for 2 weeks......!!!!!!

Prime Time--I would probably skip it if you think the humor would be lost on the kids. My "niece", Erin, was a bit scared of our server because the server kept "yelling" at us...

Jiko is a great restaurant. In my book, one of the 3 best restaurants on WDw property.

You will LOVE the location of the Swan resort. Just a short boat ride away from either Epcot or DHS or you could even walk to Epcot.....Can't beat that..especially with 2 small ones.

Your kids are so cute.

When are you thinking of going in May 09? I think we're going then as well.....

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

Sorry to hear about Nan.....

You are one lucky family to be going for 2 weeks......!!!!!!

Prime Time--I would probably skip it if you think the humor would be lost on the kids. My "niece", Erin, was a bit scared of our server because the server kept "yelling" at us...

Jiko is a great restaurant. In my book, one of the 3 best restaurants on WDw property.

You will LOVE the location of the Swan resort. Just a short boat ride away from either Epcot or DHS or you could even walk to Epcot.....Can't beat that..especially with 2 small ones.

Your kids are so cute.

When are you thinking of going in May 09? I think we're going then as well.....

Thanks for stopping by and saying Hi, good to get your opinion on prime time and Jilkos, thinking now on maybe heading back to the hotel to eat when we go to DHS as is seems to be the weakest park in terms of food.

We are looking at going away last week of May beginning of June, being away for ds2 2nd birthday again for two weeks, both my parents and dhs are asking to come along so may rent a house off property to fit us all in. Plus it would make things cheaper.

We went with them in May 2006 and had a great time only thing i would do differently this time is rent our own car, neither set of parents are the type to get there for rope drop!

from left to right: ds1, dh, FIL, Mum, Dad, MIL

I just love this picture so thought i might as well include it:

Thanks also Kaylee for the hugs for Dh's nan, she is on a pallative care ward now, she is painfree and comfortable which is all we can ask for. Please keep her in your prayers.

 

[jordanyosh]

since you're in the epcot resort area, Flying Fish Cafe and Spoodles are pretty good--both at the Boardwalk.

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

do you want to know the big disadvantage in planning a trip 8 months in advance, there is just too much time to change things, and with a dh who cant sit still for more than 5 minutes it can lead to constant "how about we do this instead" or "HMM not so sure about this now" "ive looked in that book of yours and i would really like to try this"

So what does this mean, well Jilkos is now out (even though it was dh who chose here in the first place), as he feels that is wont be toddler friendly and as we are already planning on one dinner without the boys at shulas we wouldnt want to do it a second time. maybe somehting to do on another trip .

so this is what we have:

Tonys on our first full day for lunch

Coral Reef for lunch day before ds1's birthday.

Biergarten night before we leave normally eat at rose and crown our last nigth but last yr the meal was awful.

Shulas our adult only meal.

Crystal Palace for breakfast on Ds'1's birthday, had such a great time here last yr.

Hollywood and Vine fantasmic dinner package

Plaza Restaurant on MVMCP

Rainforest cafe at AK probably th enight we was planning on doing Jilkos (what a step down!) as we will be in the AK that day anyway.

Whispering Canyon; Dh has decide he wants to try the skillet and the bottomless milkshakes and who am i to say no!!

alos going ot do the character breakfast at the swan one day, the rest of our meals will be c/s or off site unless dh makes some more changes, cant wait till may so they are booked!!!

So what else do you do to pass the time?? well our 2008 planning dvd has arrived so we have spent an evening watching that and im sure it will get watched a few more times in the ocming months. I have also finished my photo album from our nov 2007 trip which has come out great. my grandad has also put all our video onto dvd for me, some great memories on there

And there is also shopping yes i am a girl and i love shopping, we went into town yesterday and i got some great shoes, they are skechers Mary Jane, hpe the link works, they are a bit like a croc but much more stylish, mine are also all white not with a coloured strap but cant find a picture like that

http://catalog.skechers.com/s-1234567/displayProductList/G/21/0/false/newest/22752.shtml

also got a few little summer outfits but held back as going to wait till the
sales, another perk to going on your summer holiday in nov, you get all your summer stuff half price

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Cool pre-trip report. I like the pic of you & DH. I was just thinking that my DH & I don't take alot of pics of us w/o the girls, but we should. Maybe I should do a pre-trip report also. I've been trying to do a trip report since 2005 and haven't yet. Doing a pre-trip may ensure that I come back and do a trip report. Great Idea!

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

Cool pre-trip report. I like the pic of you & DH. I was just thinking that my DH & I don't take alot of pics of us w/o the girls, but we should. Maybe I should do a pre-trip report also. I've been trying to do a trip report since 2005 and haven't yet. Doing a pre-trip may ensure that I come back and do a trip report. Great Idea!

Hello, thanks for coming and saying hi and reading my ramblings. Yes you should do a pretrip report is a great place to write ideas down. I would read it!

 

[KayleeUK]

I know what you mean about changing ADR's Only a month to jiggle and then I will be making mine

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

I know what you mean about changing ADR's Only a month to jiggle and then I will be making mine

I Have stopped looking at them now self imposed ban!! will get back to them next month just before i have to make them.

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

As disney is as planned as can be for 7months out i thought i would give you a family history with pictures.

Rob (dh) and i met just over 7 yrs ago, when i moved to the village he lived in to go do my midwifery degree, at the time we were both in relationships so started as friends but thing s soon changed and within 6 months we were living together!!

we are both massively into travel and exploring new places. We would have so much more money for more things but we have to have at least one foreign holiday a yr as well as breaks within the UK and if we could go away more we could. One good things about living in the UK we do get could holiday allowences!!

So that first yr just before Christmas we went to the Gambia in Africa. Such a fantastic place but sadly no pictures as didnt own a digital camera at the time and dont have a scanner to put some in!!

Carrying on with the travellling theme the next yr we went to Margerita Veneuzela, wow it was hot, we even took a plan trip over angel falls and went trekking through the jungle to look at others, another very beautiful country.

The next yr I finished my degree and also turned 21 so that called for a big trip, which is what we did, all around the world in 4 wks taking in HOng Kong, australia, New Zealand, fiji, LA, Las Vegas and eneding in New York. We were exhausted by the time we got home but it truly was a trip of a lifetime.

Me in sydney. we managed to get tickets for the openeing ceremony of the 2003 rugby world cup( which england ended up winning!!!)

Taken at the top of the skytower in Auckland

The veiw down the strip, we stayed at the Monte carlo which has since had a major fire.

2 months later we took a cheap skiing trip to Austria and it was a good thing we did as a month later i found out i was pregnant with our first son, so holidays went out of the window for a while as we had to move to a bigger house etc etc.

to be continued ......

 

[KayleeUK]

Great pictures