September/October 2013 check in

[teddykins]

Welcome to the Disboards Lisa. It sounds like you have a great trip planned.

At first I was confused and couldn't tell whether you are cruising Carnival Cruise Line or Celebrity Cruise Line. But, after re-reading, I'm guessing you're doing a Carnival Cruise with celebrities on it? If so, how exciting! Who are the celebrities?

Thanks. Yes that's right Cruising with CCL, sorry! It's the Backstreet Boys - my friend and I are huge fans of theirs and I have been since I was 11, we usually just stick to their Australian tours every 2 years but this year is their 20th anniversary celebration and Kevin is now back in the group (he left in 06 to pursue family and broadway) so its going to be a great cruise. I know BSB aren't everybody's cup of tea but they're my favourite group/artist and have seen me through quite a lot of hardship in my life, they're music and voices are just magical to me so I am happy and excited to be on the boat especially since the boat is sold out so should be a fun time. I am way more excited for Disney though but only because I have seen and met BSB 14 times before and 0 for Mickey & friends lol.

Welcome Lisa, it sounds like you have planned a fun and exciting trip

Thank you, I wish it was October already the waiting is so hard!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Thanks. Yes that's right Cruising with CCL, sorry! It's the Backstreet Boys - my friend and I are huge fans of theirs and I have been since I was 11, we usually just stick to their Australian tours every 2 years but this year is their 20th anniversary celebration and Kevin is now back in the group (he left in 06 to pursue family and broadway) so its going to be a great cruise. I know BSB aren't everybody's cup of tea but they're my favourite group/artist and have seen me through quite a lot of hardship in my life, they're music and voices are just magical to me so I am happy and excited to be on the boat especially since the boat is sold out so should be a fun time. I am way more excited for Disney though but only because I have seen and met BSB 14 times before and 0 for Mickey & friends lol.

Thank you, I wish it was October already the waiting is so hard!

No need to apologise or justify your love of the BSB. It sounds like you are booked on something you are going to love.

 

[Andona]

yay for the trip -- and i have added you to the roll call

now.. off to plan some more myself my ticker is making me nervous!!

I know the feeling, Alicia! I said to DH last night that I only had 7 months to organize everything, not enough time! It sounds ridiculous I know

Andona

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[5ofus]

Booked my Vegas accommodation last night! Didn't realise I we paying for it too until it told me I had!!! Anothe thing marked off the list. Transfer in Vegas is next and then I'm almost ready to go. Apart from me, DH and DS3 needing new passports and our ESTAs of course. Just a minor detail!

 

[alicia1506]

I know the feeling, Alicia! I said to DH last night that I only had 7 months to organize everything, not enough time! It sounds ridiculous I know

Andona

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

i know, it's crazy. just over 7 months to get everything done...and this year is going by so quickly... i mean, it's mid feb already!!!

i have most of my trip organised,it's just the saving for and paying for all of it that is stressing me out. i know where we will be going, when, for how long, where we are staying, what we are doing etc.... it's just literally getting the money together (and losing the weight i want to lose) that will be the biggest challenge (made more so by the fact that i am a stress-eater )

we are all in this together though, which helps me on those dark days when i despair of pulling it all off

 

[Jade+3]

I am starting to think about ADR's as our booking window will open late March.

Car hire is also proving difficult. Cars/vans that hold 7 people do not have enough luggage space for 7 people. I did have this wild idea that I could put one suitcase inside the other, then put all the packing cubes out of the larger suitcase under the kids feet.

Congrats on your booking Andonna.

 

[cola]

OK, got plane booked (Sydney - WashingtonDC) and the Vegas-Syd legs, got accom paid for at Disney's Grand Californian, and WashingtonDC, New York, LA, Chicago all paid for with credit card points Seattle paid for, San Fran booked, Vegas all paid for. I've got 2 weeks I've got to figure out what to do yet, depending on internal flights it may be either back to Disneyland or WDW. I haven't done Disneyland and WDW in the one trip for a long time.

 

[Minniemum]

Hi everyone *waves* my name is Lisa,

My friend and I are flying in on the 23rd with a stop over in Miami for our Carnival Imagination cruise (which is going to oh so EPIC in itself) then head to Universal on the 28th, Disney on the 31st until the 4th, hoping to get tickets to Mickey's Halloween event as well! I am just full of beans and excitement for this trip, there's quite a few firsts for me; it's my first trip to the US, first trip to Disney, first trip to Universal, first Halloween experience, first cruise..first everything it seems lol! I was born with kidney failure and had been on Dialysis for almost 3 years and I never thought I'd get the chance to visit the US so it's been bitter sweet to plan this trip, now though I just wish it was October already because I am SO ready to board that A380!! Any way I'm sorry for the long post, I am happy to see there's an Aussie board here!

Welcome Lisa!

Congratulations on booking your first US trip. You are going to have a fantastic time with everything you've got planned. It's great you can travel given your past health issues. Best wishes.

Alicia, It's not a Disney trip but we do finally have some flights booked for September to bella Italia! I'd love to be added to the list if that's OK?

Dates are Sept 18 - October 8 A grand Tour of Italy....

Now I have to do another ticker

Andona

Yay! Your trip counts but only if you do one of your fabulous TRs hehehe!

 

[5ofus]

We are booked in to Grand Californian for our first night in Anaheim!!! Yay!

 

[shushh]

I am starting to think about ADR's as our booking window will open late March.

Car hire is also proving difficult. Cars/vans that hold 7 people do not have enough luggage space for 7 people. I did have this wild idea that I could put one suitcase inside the other, then put all the packing cubes out of the larger suitcase under the kids feet.

Congrats on your booking Andonna.

Jade I feel your pain. We ended up getting the Chevrolet suburban which fit all 7 of us and the suitcases fine. I was nervous because coming to LA our car was the much smaller Toyota Siena and we managed to squeeze everyone in! Alright so there were small carryons on laps et its Ok if just for a transfer say from airport to hotel but not too good if luggage has to in car for most of the time eg road trip

 

[areweindisneyyet]

We are booked in to Grand Californian for our first night in Anaheim!!! Yay!

Very exciting

 

[5ofus]

Does anybody know any information about the Limited Time Magic offerings in Sept/Oct? I know they are having the Villians/Friday the 13th thing on while we are there. I think I read it's a dance party?!?! Totally NOT our thing! It'll be fun if we are in the park until 1am, but I think that will be unlikely too...

 

[Jade+3]

Jade I feel your pain. We ended up getting the Chevrolet suburban which fit all 7 of us and the suitcases fine. I was nervous because coming to LA our car was the much smaller Toyota Siena and we managed to squeeze everyone in! Alright so there were small carryons on laps et its Ok if just for a transfer say from airport to hotel but not too good if luggage has to in car for most of the time eg road trip

I have been looking for a Suburban or Escalade at a reasonable price but no luck so far. Did find a 12 seater van though??

We have had a Sienna before, which I think was the same as the Caravan but a bench seat rather than the 2 captains chairs in the middle row. That is looking like the best option at this stage. If we have too much luggage, the IL's will have to take the bus to the airport.

Our first car will be a road trip - San Francisco to LA via Yosemite. That will be pre-shopping so hoping we will only have 3-4 suitcases. Cabin bags will be a bare minimum. Heres hoping the kids are happy watching TV on the plane as I am sick of lugging bags of toys that don't get played with.

 

[shushh]

I have been looking for a Suburban or Escalade at a reasonable price but no luck so far. Did find a 12 seater van though??

We have had a Sienna before, which I think was the same as the Caravan but a bench seat rather than the 2 captains chairs in the middle row. That is looking like the best option at this stage. If we have too much luggage, the IL's will have to take the bus to the airport.

Our first car will be a road trip - San Francisco to LA via Yosemite. That will be pre-shopping so hoping we will only have 3-4 suitcases. Cabin bags will be a bare minimum. Heres hoping the kids are happy watching TV on the plane as I am sick of lugging bags of toys that don't get played with.

We tried to look for a 12 seater van but for some reason it wasn't available?!? We could only get 15 seaters! In the end we went for the suburban for 4WD function as we were going off road for some parts and going through mountainous areas with good chance of snow.

 

[5ofus]

200 days until we leave!!!!

So far so good on the secret-keeping - for both secrets. If I can just keep my mouth shut for 200 more days it'll all be good. Should be easy - right?

 

[KiwiMouseGirl]

Not too much going on with our trip planning. I've planned as much as possible until we book. Im thinking that the Tropicanna Inn will be our best choice for accomodation, and I really like the fact that it is just across the road. it will be so conveniant being able to pop back to the hotel to get changed when it cools down and to not have to get up 15 munites earlier to allow for walking to the parks in the morning to get there for rope drop, which makes for an early morning start. But if we have to spread the butter a bit thinner, we will most likley go for the Best Western Plus Pavillions. My nan and myself stayed here on our trip in April. We loved the hotel! the staff were always more than helpful, the same with room service and maintanance. We found the little supperette right next door to be really handy for things like cereal, milk, juice, fizzy and snacks for while we were at the park. I would more than happily stay here again, the only thing that I hesitate about is the location. It is on West Katella and a solid 10-15 minute walk dependig on your pace. We found it fine to walk in the morning, but just meant that we had to wake up 15 mins earlier to account for the time it took to walk to the parks. Walking back to the hotel at night was pretty much not an option for our sore tired feet, so we caught the ART which had a stop right outside the hotel. .... I am torn! Do we stay somewhere close and more expensive, or futher away but cheaper. Decisions decisions. At the moment BWPP is only about $300 cheaper than the Tropicanna. Which to me isnt enough of a difference to constitute loosing the ease of access we would get at the Tropicanna. So we will see what deals the travel agent can do for us.

In the mean time we will make like Dory and just keep swimming, just keep swimming!
Or in our case, just keep saving, just keep saving!

Every day we get closer I get a little more excited! I'm already starting to mentally plan my scrapbook. ... Is that weird

 

[coco392]

we're in me, dw, ds and mum

sept 21-30th

pop century, or maybe a moderate if big discounts

hopefully free dining

taking the little bloke out of school for a week

also doing la, NYC and sfo

I have a ? of we make reservations now and they then offer deals is it right we just call and have them applied?

thanks

 

[5ofus]

we're in me, dw, ds and mum

sept 21-30th

pop century, or maybe a moderate if big discounts

hopefully free dining

taking the little bloke out of school for a week

also doing la, NYC and sfo

I have a ? of we make reservations now and they then offer deals is it right we just call and have them applied?

thanks

Welcome! How old is your little guy?

I think that that is right with the discounts. I know TAs can call and have discounts applied, so don't see why 'normal' people can't?

 

[5ofus]

Today I organised and paid for our travel insurance

And my boss verbally approved my leave. Hooray!

 

[Busy Busy]

Hi Coco, in October 2010 we booked WDW for September 2011. We just booked a normal room at Port Orleans Riverside, no park hoppers or water parks. By the time that we actually flew out of Australia, we had changed to the Wilderness Lodge, had added free dining and about a zillion ADR's, had park hoppers and the water park option - thankyou Disboards!!

We did all of the reservations ourselves on the internet and made our changes directly with Disney over the phone and the whole trip was perfect!! (AND free dining was fabulous - we will definitely miss not having it this time).

So, don't worry about changes - they actually helped to make the 11 months between booking and leaving bearable!!