The Wonderful World of WDW 2013 - Trip preview & report

[CatLeah1917]

Today myself, DH, DMinL, DSinL and DBinL begin double digit dancing.

In this thread I intend to celebrate my love of Disney because after this trip we won't be going for a while...
I will talk a little bit about our plans over the 99 days and then will do a full trip report, including dining (big part of our WDW experience and to pay homage to another Disney fan who writes dining reviews that I LOVE reading) - if nothing else re-living it means it is not quite over!

So I will start the story at the beginning (a very good place to start)...

Having heard good friends and my Husband and in-laws talk about their experiences of Disney, I jokingly said to my DH "... you know you have to take me before we have children, so I can check it out...".
In 2009, my DH took me to WDW for my 30th Birthday! He arranged the time off with my boss and called some Disney experts to make sure it was a wise move.
On the morning of my 30th Birthday I was presented with a box. Inside the box was a Mickey and WDW planning DVD, so I thought we were stepping up plans - I didn't see the tickets!!! I'm not sure I was able to say thank you for a lonnnnggggg time.
This began an appreciation (obsession) with the wonderful world of Disney, which I have since discovered may have started earlier than I thought (details to be revealed).

Coming up... An introduction to the travel party!

 

[wiigirl]

In for you TR!

 

[CatLeah1917]

Thanks wiigirl! Hope you like it xxx (just in case, I end all posts with 3 kisses [xxx])

 

[mamaboogie]

Oh I am so looking forward to this!

 

[CatLeah1917]

Thanks Mamaboogie! xxx

 

[CatLeah1917]

So to introduce myself...

My name is Cat. I am 35 in September (2nd) and live in North west England with my husband and two cats Mojo and Cleo. Since February I have been working part-time and studying a bookkeeping course to help me change working industry.
I have become a Disneyac slowly over the past 3 years - since my first trip, but there is evidence in my childhood that the interest was started by my parents before then.
I have discovered a ViewMaster with images from Disney Land and one or two films and that isn't all...

THE TRAVEL PARTY

DH, who I have been married to for almost 5 years, first went to WDW with his Mum and Sister in 1999. He works in computers and after working away from home for way too long, we moved to live together Mon - Sun, instead of Sat & Sun. He indulges every inch of my obsession.

DMinL last visited in 1999 and has always want to go back! So this year her wish comes true... Isn't that what Disney is for!?!??
She is retired and has a zest for life that is infectious.

DSinL and DBinL have been married for 1 1/2 years and live about 1 hour 30 minutes away from us in a different county. They have a dog called Poppy. DSinL last went to WDW in 1999 but DBinL is a first-timer!!! And I can't wait to see what he makes of it and the Universal parks we will be visiting.
DSinL is a nurse at an Intensive Care Unit and DBinL works in the motor car industry.

We are staying in a two bedroom villa at Old Key West. Friends have stayed there and so we know that it is a nice resort and well positioned.
Anyone have any must see or do hints for the resort itself?

We are taking advantage of the Disney Dining Plan, which was a must for my husband and I, having used it last year and enjoyed the amazing array of fantastic eateries on offer in WDW.
In the UK we also get the opportunity to book 'optimum' viewing for Wishes and Illuminations, which we missed out on last year, so we need to make sure we book it in good time this year!

Coming up... Our plans!

 

[EpicKevin]

Hello,

I'm Cat's DH.

Nice to meet you all...

So - from my point of view here's my additions to Cat's posts already...

We've always loved Disney in our house. The first film I remember seeing at the Cinema was The Little Mermaid. I also saw a re-release of The Jungle Book in the cinema as a "young 'un".

My Mam took my sister and I to Disney World in 1999. We stayed on I-Drive and visited the major Orlando parks that were open at the time. (To give some idea... it was not too long after Animal Kingdom opened and just before Aerosmith Rock n Roller Coaster and Islands of Adventure opened.

We had a great time, but we hadn't done any planning so we just "felt our way". Which was great, there was no problem with that... but as you're all gonna find out... Cat likes to plan!

So we'd always said that we wanted to go back... and in September, as Cat says, we are all going back, this time (14.5 years later) with spouses!

In the meantime, as above, I took Cat for her 30th Birthday. Cat had not only never been to DisneyWorld (or any Disney park) but she'd never been to the US.

We did this trip staying on i-drive. We had a great time and stayed very close to a Grace Barra Ju Jitsu school - which for me was really cool!

We had a great time on the trip, visited the 4 main Disney Parks (and DTD incl DQ), the 2 Universal parks and SeaWorld. (No water parks). We also did La Nouba... which was phenomenal!

But this is where the Disney obsession started... I don't want to steal too much thunder here so I'll let Cat detail the obsession more!

Then last year we had what we believed would be the last trip to Disney for a long time... Again - I'll let Cat detail it but sufficed to say: we were a little more prepared and "Disney-wise".
What I will say is that last year, we got to go watch a PPV at TNA Wrestling at The Impact Zone at US. It was awesome. Something ticked off "the bucket list" there.

And yes - this year, we decided that a family trip would happen. So here we are...

And with that... I'll pass you back to the pretty one...