Sweet Pea UK
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2007
- Messages
- 963
Seeing as I have finally got round to finishing my TR from last year I thought I better be quick and get my PTR for this year started its less than 12 weeks until we go!!!
For those of you who have missed a treat!! Here is the link to my previous TR
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2557813
So on to 2011.
Cast:
Me (Sara) 36 (!!)Total Disney addict, complete and utter planner for everything I do and when it comes to holidays I am even more obsessive. My first Disney trip was to Anaheim in 1979 when I was 4. I can remember snippets and keep meaning to get my parents slides out to see if it jogs my memory any further. First trip to the world was April 1982. EPCOT had not long opened and my love affair with all things Disney became apparent. Looking back I obviously get my strict itinerarys (planned months in advance!) from my Dad. He had a strict plan of where we were going every day in those days it was Circus World, Seaworld, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT and I think we made a trip to Busch Gardens how things have changed. We then took a break for several years while my Dad tried to establish his business. My family makes all types of sugar confectionery but in particular lettered rock. From 1992 we went every couple of years staying in a mixture of hotels and complexes. I loved it every minute of it from the smell as you arrive at Orlando International to the feeling you get as you pick up the hire car and know you are truly on your way! Nothing however compares to the feeling I get as I enter the Magic Kingdom and look straight up Main Street that is truly my happy place!
DH Jonathan. My wonderful husband. Loves me more than words can say and puts up with my Disney addiction. Although he visited Orlando in 2001 for a golfing trip he had never been to Disney!!!!! We made our first trip together in November 2003 DD stayed home with DM and DF as she was only 2 and we felt too young to appreciate it. We had a wonderful time and Jonathan fell in love with the place. He warmed to the characters (something I didnt think would happen) loved the magic of the Magic Kingdom and the thrill of the other parks I had met my perfect match!!! He has visited three times more with me since.
DD Amber. The light of our life! Amber will celebrate her 10th birthday on our trip and went for the first time in 2005 and then again in 2007 and 2010. She is a true princess and the characters love her. She is so polite with them and tells every one a different story. She is being more of a help this time with the planning as she has more experience of what she wants to do.
DMIL Penny and DFIL - Martin. Came with us in 2007 which was their first Disney experience. It was not all perfect then but things have moved on hugely since then and we are all looking forward to spending the holiday together.
How this trip came about .
Well it was back in April 2010 and I was at work when I received an email on my phone to say that Disney were once again offering Free Dining in 2011. This was too great an opportunity to miss! I sent a text to Jonathan straight away along the lines of for the same price as a couple of weeks in Turkey (we were supposed to be having a budget holiday in 2011 as 2010 was so extravagant!!) we could have 2 weeks in Orlando. I told him we didnt need a car and I would be more than happy to stay at Pop Century or Coronado Springs. Jonathan was immediately keen (although this will be reputed when I nag him about saving !) although he said under no circumstances would be not have a car. I have to be honest I did agree. He did agree that there would be no need to go to Universal etc so that would save there. We would have a Disney pass and have a much more relaxing holiday !!?
I started to do a bit of research and found that Complete Orlando were offering 40% off at Saratoga Springs and Old Key West for Summer 2011. Bonus!! I looked into it and thought it looked lovely. It would be great to be so close to Downtown Disney. Now that Amber was getting older I did not feel the same urge to be as close to the Magic Kingdom.
Jonathan then suggested that we say to his Mum and Dad about going. My Mum and Dad would be joining us for part of the holiday in 2010 so it seemed only fair. I was a little hesitant after our last experience but fully excepted that we were all to blame the last time and that it would be totally different if we were to go again.
Jonathan phoned and suggested it and they were very keen. They said they would like to bring Sam our nephew again. I have to be honest I really wasnt sure about this. The last time it had been the tension between Amber and Sam that had caused all the problems. We HAD all moved on though and the children were older and did seem to get on much better.
Therefore we were all ready to book . ?? Not quite . Sams parents were hesitant in letting him go until we found out the exact dates and the date the children would be expected back at school. Unfortunately, we couldnt leave until 26th August when we were able to get time off work and the shop and the schools were due back on 5th September. We were happy to let Amber miss the first week but Sam was due to start High School and it would be awful for him to start late when friendships had been established. Sam also agreed that he would not want to start late.
We therefore all agreed we would have to go without him. I was actually really disappointed that he couldnt come which was heightened later in the year when Amber and Sam got together I think it would have really worked this time.
Anyway He couldnt come so we got on with the booking. I was originally going to book 2 Studio rooms but on further investigation preferred the look of the 2 bedroom villa. I double checked that we had 2 bathrooms!!!! And thought it would be much better as when Jonathan and his Dad played golf (which would be inevitable), in Studio rooms his Mum would have been left in the room on her own wondering if Amber and I were up and about. At least this way we would know when each other was up and ready and we also had a communal area we could relax in all together instead of each going back to our own room.
We finally booked in early May. I booked the flights and car hire with Virgin so I could get my 15% and it made sense to book the Universal Tickets with them to, to take advantage of the discount. Our relaxing holiday had of course been knocked on the head in favour of doing everything again with his Mum and Dad. It did of course end any talk of a cheap holiday as this was anything but reasonable. Youre only young once!!!
With Complete Orlando I booked the 2-Bedroom Villa at Saratoga Springs as well as 14 Day ultimate Disney passes which gave us 14 days free dining. Our travel dates were 25th August 2011 until 9th September.
Now we had to just forget about it as we still had that years holiday to enjoy!!!
We often talked about it with his Mum and Dad but when we were alone we obviously only talked about the holiday we still had to enjoy!
And enjoy it we did!! It was an amazing holiday. We loved every minute of it and often talked about the fact we hoped we had done the right thing by inviting his Mum and Dad along as we had really enjoyed spending some time just the 3 of us. We then realised how much it had meant to enjoy the last week with my Mum and Dad and that it would be lovely to share it with his Mum and Dad too.
One thing we did realise was that we loved being away for longer than 2 weeks. It had given us a little bit more time to relax. We suggested to his Mum and Dad that we add 2 nights on to the holiday and they agreed. I rang Virgin and changed the flights. Obviously they had gone up in the meantime so that was a bit of a price difference and I then rang Complete Orlando and changed the dates with them. Our free dining would be for 16 days but I did not upgrade the 14 day Disney tickets to 21 day tickets, I just said we would not go into a Disney park on the first or last day!
My Mum and Dad arrived back just after us and had enjoyed their selves so much and had looked upon our free dining with envy that they decided to book themselves in at Saratoga Springs in October 2011 for 10 nights. I have to say I am really sad that they cant enjoy the trip with us but it is still busy in the shop hopefully in August/September so they cant really get away. It will be nice for them to have a holiday going at their own speed for a change.
As we approached Christmas 2010 I had news from work that we would be re-locating to Norwich which is about a 35 minute drive away from our current office. This filled me with dread slightly as I didnt relish the thought of working that far away from Ambers school. I accepted that she was growing up though and that soon would not want me taking and collecting her. This news was shortly followed by the fact that the post I undertook of which there were 3 in the County would now be reducing to 1. Great!!! Anyway, I applied for the post and was successful so opted to go back to work full time!! Scary thought. But to be honest it was a huge difference financially and Im not sure how we would have ended up paying for the holiday if I had not done so.
The festivities of Christmas came and went with talk of the holiday and what obstacles were in the way i.e. Valentines, Easter, Birthdays etc etc.
I managed to book an Airport Travel service to take us to the airport and collect us after the holiday. I love this I hate having to watch Jonathan drive back in the early hours. I always try to stay awake as I think its only fair when he is driving but sometimes its so hard!!
I began the new job and travelling in January and the next few weeks passed in a blur. Although the Area Support Officer for Norfolk I was seconded out to assist in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire on certain days and the extra long hours and travel meant I had no time to think of holidays.
I suddenly realised in February that the date to book ADRs was fast approaching!! Jonathan was really good and helped me with an itinerary. His Mum and Dad had made it more than clear they were happy to go wherever we picked. I did give them my Disney Dining Guide and they suggested places they liked in 2007 but other than that were happy to eat anywhere.
With input from Amber we successfully booked all our ADRs and were lucky enough to secure meals at the California Grill, Ohana, Teppen Edo, Corel Reef, Crystal Palace to name but a few.
The next couple of months drifted on and the whole time we were noticing that Jonathans Dad was suffering with his hernia. We felt that he should really get it seen to prior to going as it could cause him grief on holiday. He agreed to go to the Doctors which is quite an achievement. The Doctor suggested that he have it operated on and said he hoped to get him in way before we went away in order to give him plenty of recuperation time.
He got his date 22nd May 2011 and in he went and had it operated on. He came out the same day and said he was so pleased he had had it done and was now looking forward to the holiday even more! Hmmmm famous last words!!! A few days later he began to get pain as he breathed so he went back to the Doctors who took a blood test. The test came back very quickly and he was informed his blood was in danger of clotting and he needed to go back on the Friday. So last Friday he want back to the Doctors for the test and also told him he had pain in his legs. He got sent straight to A&E where they discovered he had DVT with a clot in his calf. Nightmare!!!! Luckily they had managed to catch it very quickly so he was home the same day. He has worphorine to inject for 5 days and then tablets for about 3 months. We were on tenterhooks as to whether he would be able to fly but the Doctor said there would be no problem. Seeing as the balance of the holiday with Virgin is due in 12 days (Id paid mine!) I advised the in-laws to get the insurance sorted. I did this on Monday night and it was no problem. We listed all his symptoms etc and although the cost was higher he is fully insured and raring to go!!! It was a tense few days!
We then booked the Gatwick Hilton for the night before we fly and got a reasonable rate there with breakfast.
My friends then arrived back from Orlando and they had spent 2 weeks at SSR so I couldnt wait to hear all about it. They said it was amazing and the villa was huge! They did however show us pictures of the hire car they had had a Ford Explorer!! Jonathan, when he saw it, insisted we had one. I had to get in touch with Virgin and upgrade to a Full Size SUV. It cost a little bit more but it does look a beast! I doubt I will get the seat far enough forward to reach the pedals!!
That is basically where we are at the moment.
I have started to book the golf. I have allowed them 4 rounds!
I still have lots of things to sort so am looking forward to getting all this done over the next 11 weeks. Trouble is I am working 7 days a week between the day job and the shop. When I am there dipping chocolate, selling rock and making donuts I let myself drift away to Main Street and know that it will all be worth it.
For those of you who have missed a treat!! Here is the link to my previous TR
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2557813
So on to 2011.
Cast:
Me (Sara) 36 (!!)Total Disney addict, complete and utter planner for everything I do and when it comes to holidays I am even more obsessive. My first Disney trip was to Anaheim in 1979 when I was 4. I can remember snippets and keep meaning to get my parents slides out to see if it jogs my memory any further. First trip to the world was April 1982. EPCOT had not long opened and my love affair with all things Disney became apparent. Looking back I obviously get my strict itinerarys (planned months in advance!) from my Dad. He had a strict plan of where we were going every day in those days it was Circus World, Seaworld, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT and I think we made a trip to Busch Gardens how things have changed. We then took a break for several years while my Dad tried to establish his business. My family makes all types of sugar confectionery but in particular lettered rock. From 1992 we went every couple of years staying in a mixture of hotels and complexes. I loved it every minute of it from the smell as you arrive at Orlando International to the feeling you get as you pick up the hire car and know you are truly on your way! Nothing however compares to the feeling I get as I enter the Magic Kingdom and look straight up Main Street that is truly my happy place!
DH Jonathan. My wonderful husband. Loves me more than words can say and puts up with my Disney addiction. Although he visited Orlando in 2001 for a golfing trip he had never been to Disney!!!!! We made our first trip together in November 2003 DD stayed home with DM and DF as she was only 2 and we felt too young to appreciate it. We had a wonderful time and Jonathan fell in love with the place. He warmed to the characters (something I didnt think would happen) loved the magic of the Magic Kingdom and the thrill of the other parks I had met my perfect match!!! He has visited three times more with me since.
DD Amber. The light of our life! Amber will celebrate her 10th birthday on our trip and went for the first time in 2005 and then again in 2007 and 2010. She is a true princess and the characters love her. She is so polite with them and tells every one a different story. She is being more of a help this time with the planning as she has more experience of what she wants to do.
DMIL Penny and DFIL - Martin. Came with us in 2007 which was their first Disney experience. It was not all perfect then but things have moved on hugely since then and we are all looking forward to spending the holiday together.
How this trip came about .
Well it was back in April 2010 and I was at work when I received an email on my phone to say that Disney were once again offering Free Dining in 2011. This was too great an opportunity to miss! I sent a text to Jonathan straight away along the lines of for the same price as a couple of weeks in Turkey (we were supposed to be having a budget holiday in 2011 as 2010 was so extravagant!!) we could have 2 weeks in Orlando. I told him we didnt need a car and I would be more than happy to stay at Pop Century or Coronado Springs. Jonathan was immediately keen (although this will be reputed when I nag him about saving !) although he said under no circumstances would be not have a car. I have to be honest I did agree. He did agree that there would be no need to go to Universal etc so that would save there. We would have a Disney pass and have a much more relaxing holiday !!?
I started to do a bit of research and found that Complete Orlando were offering 40% off at Saratoga Springs and Old Key West for Summer 2011. Bonus!! I looked into it and thought it looked lovely. It would be great to be so close to Downtown Disney. Now that Amber was getting older I did not feel the same urge to be as close to the Magic Kingdom.
Jonathan then suggested that we say to his Mum and Dad about going. My Mum and Dad would be joining us for part of the holiday in 2010 so it seemed only fair. I was a little hesitant after our last experience but fully excepted that we were all to blame the last time and that it would be totally different if we were to go again.
Jonathan phoned and suggested it and they were very keen. They said they would like to bring Sam our nephew again. I have to be honest I really wasnt sure about this. The last time it had been the tension between Amber and Sam that had caused all the problems. We HAD all moved on though and the children were older and did seem to get on much better.
Therefore we were all ready to book . ?? Not quite . Sams parents were hesitant in letting him go until we found out the exact dates and the date the children would be expected back at school. Unfortunately, we couldnt leave until 26th August when we were able to get time off work and the shop and the schools were due back on 5th September. We were happy to let Amber miss the first week but Sam was due to start High School and it would be awful for him to start late when friendships had been established. Sam also agreed that he would not want to start late.
We therefore all agreed we would have to go without him. I was actually really disappointed that he couldnt come which was heightened later in the year when Amber and Sam got together I think it would have really worked this time.
Anyway He couldnt come so we got on with the booking. I was originally going to book 2 Studio rooms but on further investigation preferred the look of the 2 bedroom villa. I double checked that we had 2 bathrooms!!!! And thought it would be much better as when Jonathan and his Dad played golf (which would be inevitable), in Studio rooms his Mum would have been left in the room on her own wondering if Amber and I were up and about. At least this way we would know when each other was up and ready and we also had a communal area we could relax in all together instead of each going back to our own room.
We finally booked in early May. I booked the flights and car hire with Virgin so I could get my 15% and it made sense to book the Universal Tickets with them to, to take advantage of the discount. Our relaxing holiday had of course been knocked on the head in favour of doing everything again with his Mum and Dad. It did of course end any talk of a cheap holiday as this was anything but reasonable. Youre only young once!!!
With Complete Orlando I booked the 2-Bedroom Villa at Saratoga Springs as well as 14 Day ultimate Disney passes which gave us 14 days free dining. Our travel dates were 25th August 2011 until 9th September.
Now we had to just forget about it as we still had that years holiday to enjoy!!!
We often talked about it with his Mum and Dad but when we were alone we obviously only talked about the holiday we still had to enjoy!
And enjoy it we did!! It was an amazing holiday. We loved every minute of it and often talked about the fact we hoped we had done the right thing by inviting his Mum and Dad along as we had really enjoyed spending some time just the 3 of us. We then realised how much it had meant to enjoy the last week with my Mum and Dad and that it would be lovely to share it with his Mum and Dad too.
One thing we did realise was that we loved being away for longer than 2 weeks. It had given us a little bit more time to relax. We suggested to his Mum and Dad that we add 2 nights on to the holiday and they agreed. I rang Virgin and changed the flights. Obviously they had gone up in the meantime so that was a bit of a price difference and I then rang Complete Orlando and changed the dates with them. Our free dining would be for 16 days but I did not upgrade the 14 day Disney tickets to 21 day tickets, I just said we would not go into a Disney park on the first or last day!
My Mum and Dad arrived back just after us and had enjoyed their selves so much and had looked upon our free dining with envy that they decided to book themselves in at Saratoga Springs in October 2011 for 10 nights. I have to say I am really sad that they cant enjoy the trip with us but it is still busy in the shop hopefully in August/September so they cant really get away. It will be nice for them to have a holiday going at their own speed for a change.
As we approached Christmas 2010 I had news from work that we would be re-locating to Norwich which is about a 35 minute drive away from our current office. This filled me with dread slightly as I didnt relish the thought of working that far away from Ambers school. I accepted that she was growing up though and that soon would not want me taking and collecting her. This news was shortly followed by the fact that the post I undertook of which there were 3 in the County would now be reducing to 1. Great!!! Anyway, I applied for the post and was successful so opted to go back to work full time!! Scary thought. But to be honest it was a huge difference financially and Im not sure how we would have ended up paying for the holiday if I had not done so.
The festivities of Christmas came and went with talk of the holiday and what obstacles were in the way i.e. Valentines, Easter, Birthdays etc etc.
I managed to book an Airport Travel service to take us to the airport and collect us after the holiday. I love this I hate having to watch Jonathan drive back in the early hours. I always try to stay awake as I think its only fair when he is driving but sometimes its so hard!!
I began the new job and travelling in January and the next few weeks passed in a blur. Although the Area Support Officer for Norfolk I was seconded out to assist in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire on certain days and the extra long hours and travel meant I had no time to think of holidays.
I suddenly realised in February that the date to book ADRs was fast approaching!! Jonathan was really good and helped me with an itinerary. His Mum and Dad had made it more than clear they were happy to go wherever we picked. I did give them my Disney Dining Guide and they suggested places they liked in 2007 but other than that were happy to eat anywhere.
With input from Amber we successfully booked all our ADRs and were lucky enough to secure meals at the California Grill, Ohana, Teppen Edo, Corel Reef, Crystal Palace to name but a few.
The next couple of months drifted on and the whole time we were noticing that Jonathans Dad was suffering with his hernia. We felt that he should really get it seen to prior to going as it could cause him grief on holiday. He agreed to go to the Doctors which is quite an achievement. The Doctor suggested that he have it operated on and said he hoped to get him in way before we went away in order to give him plenty of recuperation time.
He got his date 22nd May 2011 and in he went and had it operated on. He came out the same day and said he was so pleased he had had it done and was now looking forward to the holiday even more! Hmmmm famous last words!!! A few days later he began to get pain as he breathed so he went back to the Doctors who took a blood test. The test came back very quickly and he was informed his blood was in danger of clotting and he needed to go back on the Friday. So last Friday he want back to the Doctors for the test and also told him he had pain in his legs. He got sent straight to A&E where they discovered he had DVT with a clot in his calf. Nightmare!!!! Luckily they had managed to catch it very quickly so he was home the same day. He has worphorine to inject for 5 days and then tablets for about 3 months. We were on tenterhooks as to whether he would be able to fly but the Doctor said there would be no problem. Seeing as the balance of the holiday with Virgin is due in 12 days (Id paid mine!) I advised the in-laws to get the insurance sorted. I did this on Monday night and it was no problem. We listed all his symptoms etc and although the cost was higher he is fully insured and raring to go!!! It was a tense few days!
We then booked the Gatwick Hilton for the night before we fly and got a reasonable rate there with breakfast.
My friends then arrived back from Orlando and they had spent 2 weeks at SSR so I couldnt wait to hear all about it. They said it was amazing and the villa was huge! They did however show us pictures of the hire car they had had a Ford Explorer!! Jonathan, when he saw it, insisted we had one. I had to get in touch with Virgin and upgrade to a Full Size SUV. It cost a little bit more but it does look a beast! I doubt I will get the seat far enough forward to reach the pedals!!
That is basically where we are at the moment.
I have started to book the golf. I have allowed them 4 rounds!
I still have lots of things to sort so am looking forward to getting all this done over the next 11 weeks. Trouble is I am working 7 days a week between the day job and the shop. When I am there dipping chocolate, selling rock and making donuts I let myself drift away to Main Street and know that it will all be worth it.
x
. I then told him that I was looking up the cost of flights!! We both got really excited when they had a flight (and a little annoyed that it was half the cost of what we had paid 12 months earlier!!)
!!!
!!
