WDW 2008, just us and the weans - NOW WITH PICS!!!

[jmskinner]

Oh no, Di and Grumpy I'm so sorry. Can't imagine telling the kids, but so you have been able to rebook. I didn't get an email on your post about the cancellation, but got one where someone else was sending their sympathies and was like . Well, you will be there during Food and Wine Festival now. Have to get you a nice bottle to drink to make up for it. Since moving here, all I have heard is that October is when the weather turns really nice here, so you should have fantastic weather. It is still really hot and humid at the moment. Got to look at the bright side. Hey, hurricane season should be over also!!!

Keep us updated. If I had any ADR's scheduled, I would give them to you!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Oh no, I'm so sorry that you aren't able to go...you were so close! But that's great you got to rebook right away.

I am worried something like this might happen to us since the airline we are supposed to be taking has been going through a lot of changes. I just hope they make it until December...

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Grumpy here

To everyone who has posted I send a really heartfelt appreciation. Its been an utterly horrible day and I am still spinning from the fact that 12 hours ago we had a holiday, then no holiday and now finally a holiday. Indeed I may wake up tomorrow and think wait its just like Bobby in Dallas................all a dream/nightmare!! Diane has re-booked pretty much most of what we had originally but sadly CRT has bitten the dust and naturally we will miss MNSSHP...........so thats a bit of a downer but then again at least we will get to Disney this year, am sure there are many other folk in the UK that wont due to XL.

Jasmine will just have to wait a wee bit longer for me

cheers folk

 

[Alysa]

CRT has bitten the dust and naturally we will miss MNSSHP

Just one more reason to go again! Not that you needed any!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

SOOOOOOO Funny-My DH had something to say about Jasmine too-LOL
Great TR so far. I'm getting caught up now

Hi Mom2Lindsey,
Thanks for coming over, but I assume you've not yet reached the last few posts on our PTR! It doesn't end well - so far!
Hopefully it should improve, I just feel a bit shell shocked - i feel as if this is all just a horrible dream and I'll wake up soon!

Di x

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

I'm so happy that you were able to book a new trip!!

 

[jmskinner]

Someone else just posted in another thread how they are caught up in this mess also. There was also an article about all of these people stranded in Orlando that can't get back home. This is really bad, again glad you got to rebook. Keep trying for that CRT, who knows, maybe someone will have to cancel.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Grumpy here

We both woke up at 6am this morning, for a few seconds everything felt normal then our brains started sending those 'somethings wrong' signals and slowly we remembered the 'drama' of yesterday. I still keep telling myself its only a holiday and yes we are actually going now but oh dear lord I could do without trying to book a holiday from scratch in 1 day.

Di is still orbiting the earth and has that thousand yard stare of someone who is not quite aware of reality.

 

[PISCESANGEL]

Grumpy here

We both woke up at 6am this morning, for a few seconds everything felt normal then our brains started sending those 'somethings wrong' signals and slowly we remembered the 'drama' of yesterday. I still keep telling myself its only a holiday and yes we are actually going now but oh dear lord I could do without trying to book a holiday from scratch in 1 day.

Di is still orbiting the earth and has that thousand yard stare of someone who is not quite aware of reality.

Oh, what a bad feeling when reality sets in and it wasn't at all what you planned for! I just read all about the drama you have faced in the last couple of days and I just wanted to let you know I am thinking about all of you and I truly hope it works out even better for you somehow.

Yes, Princess Jasmine will wait - hope this will tide you over!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Hi Everyone,
Thought I'd bring you all up to date!
Held it together yesterday, then sort of lost it last night and this morning (mainly because i hadn't slept at all!)
Grumpy got up this morning at 7.30 to find me on the laptop freaking out about how we were going to get to Gatwick and how we can hire a car over there.
Feeling a bit more chilled now - DH calmed me down and helped me see sense!
We're planning on driving down to London through the night to arrive at Gatwick Airport about 8ish. Hoping to transfer our Airport parking voucher from Glasgow to Gatwick and pay the difference. Hopefully the company will be sympathetic!
Have also found a good deal with Alamo to hire a wee car over there, good that we found out you can collect and drop off from your hotel, as our new holiday package has airport transfers!
I know we could use disney transport but DH is really keen to have a car so we don't have to hang around waiting for buses all the time (he has no patience for things like that!)
Feel that after all we've been through its not too much to ask!
So relieved we're still going, but don't think I'll relax until we check into POP! If Virgin get into financial problems I'm fully expecting Sir Richard to sell Necker Island to bail them out, at the very least!
I'm trying not to get too excited this time as i don't think I could bear to be as disappointed as I was yesterday
Thanks again for all your support!
it did help a lot.
Di x

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Oh, what a bad feeling when reality sets in and it wasn't at all what you planned for! I just read all about the drama you have faced in the last couple of days and I just wanted to let you know I am thinking about all of you and I truly hope it works out even better for you somehow.

Yes, Princess Jasmine will wait - hope this will tide you over!

Hi PISCESANGEL,
That certainly put a smile back on DHs face
Thanks
Di x

 

[missj1975]

Hi Di, I am so sorry to hear about your troubles but I am glad you are able to get it worked out. Maybe you will get to see the Christmas decorations. I think they start putting them up in November.

Were you able to get a refund on your MNSSHP tickets? I was worried for you when I read that because I have heard Disney doesn't refund party tickets. Hopefully they will be understanding in your situation.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Hi Di, I am so sorry to hear about your troubles but I am glad you are able to get it worked out. Maybe you will get to see the Christmas decorations. I think they start putting them up in November.

Were you able to get a refund on your MNSSHP tickets? I was worried for you when I read that because I have heard Disney doesn't refund party tickets. Hopefully they will be understanding in your situation.

Hi there,
disney don't refund, but as I paid for them with credit card I will get a refund through that. Just have to wait until tomorrow to phone Visa as they are closed at the weekend!
Di x

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Aye Carumba!!!

Just been on the Virgin website looking at prices. Now bear in mind that we re-booked on Friday in the aftermath of the XL collapse, checking today the same holiday is now only available as premium, slightly fancier seats on the plane,and is now £1000 dearer and that is without the price of tickets being included AND the DDP.................although bless them they are throwing in a return flight, wow such generosity Am sooooooo glad we just went ahead and booked on Friday, had we delayed at all then there is no way we could afford to have gone this year, hell maybe even next year if more companies go to the wall and competition decreases.

Will phone the travel agent tomorrow to see if we can upgrade to a moderate as we really were looking forward to POFQ, even though POP is great, but it just depends on cost.................. who knows what it'll be by this time tomorrow

Lets hope Elaine our travel agent can work her magic.

Failing that we may just call Disney and see if its something we can do direct through them.

 

[Chelley00]

Hi there,
disney don't refund, but as I paid for them with credit card I will get a refund through that. Just have to wait until tomorrow to phone Visa as they are closed at the weekend!
Di x

Sorry to butt in, but try and call Disney. They refunded DS's ticket when he couldn't go with us due to a school commitment. I just had to mail the ticket to them, and they refunded my money back very quickly.


I'm so sorry about your trip! How awful to be so close. But you will now be there the same week we are going. It's a lovely time of year to go.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Hi Chelley

Grumpy here and thanks for posting. Di has just called Disney here in the UK and then was transferred to the US, we got a refund no problem, think they have realised the scale of the problem for UK holidaymakers now and are being more considerate, which is much appreciated, lets face it we will now spend this money in Disney since we are coming over in November

 

[Chelley00]

I'm glad you got the refund!

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Yay! I am so happy to hear that you were able to rebook so soon!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

OK, here we go: the new updated itinery!
Got most of what we booked originally, though no luck getting CRT again! Don't know whether it's worthwhile keeping on trying or not? Tell me what you think at the end...I'd appreciate any comments.
Also couldn't get Le Cellier, O'hana or LTT still!

FRIDAY 31st - Travelling, arrive Orlando International at approx 6.30pm. As car hire is not included with this new package DH wants to hire a car. We do have bus transfers from the airport so we don't need to worry about getting to and from the hotel. Found a good deal on Alamo, just for a wee economy model, which we can collect from the Car Care Centre in WDW. DH wants to try and collect it just after we arrive. Does anyone know how late you can collect them, assuming we may not get to the hotel until about 9ish?

SAT 1st - Magic Kingdom. 5.15pm ADR at WCC.

SUN 2nd - 9.45 Breakfast ADR at Cape May Cafe. Plan to go to Typhoon Lagoon and then go to Epcot for 6.35 pm ADR at Biergarten. DH can't wait - I'm driving that night as he is planning to have a few 'man size' beers!

MON 3rd - DHS. 7.10 pm ADR at Sci-Fi. Also hope to catch Fantasmic - will need to check show times.

TUES 4th - Epcot. 7.15 pm ADR at Garden Grill.

WED 5th - AK. 12.00 Lunch ADR at Yak & Yeti.

THURS 6th - Universal Studios. Will grab something for dinner on I-Drive.

FRI 7th - MK. 4.30 BBB for DD. Then 8.05pm ADR at 1900 PF (thought this would work well instead of CRT, as she's still seeing Cinderella).

SAT 8th - Shopping/Mini Golf. Then Epcot for 6.00 ADR at Rest Marrakesh.

SUN 9th - 9.40 Breakfast ADR at 1900 PF. Blizzard Beach. 5.45pm ADR at Boma.

MON 10th - Islands of Adventure. Again dinner on I-drive.

TUES 11th -10.05 Breakfast at Tusker House with Donald, stay on in AK. Onto Epcot for 7.50 ADR at Akershus.

WED 12th - DHS. Then Epcot for 8.10pm ADR at Coral Reef.

THURS 13th - MK for last full day. Plan to catch Spectro Magic at 7, Wishes at 8, then 8.50 ADR at Chef Mickeys. We will probably need to watch the fireworks from near the end of Main St, so we can make it to Contemporary in plenty of time.

So, that's it. It's not exactly the same as what we had before but I think we've got a great selection. If we did get an ADR for CRT rebooked I think I would probably cancel dinner at 1900 PF and breakfast at Tusker House (though could I do that to The Donald? )
I'm pretty pleased with all the booking, considering it was (fairly) short notice trying to get them. Some of the dinner times are later than I would have liked, but again, availability was limited.
And Beggars can't be choosers!

DH did the mousekeeping envelopes today, and they look really cool! I hope we get some towel animals - we never got any last trip!

I'm glad you got the refund!

Hi Chelley! They were really pleasant and understanding about it, the agent said they'd had loads of people from the UK cancelling who'd been affected by XL.

Yay! I am so happy to hear that you were able to rebook so soon!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Sophia, Hope you're having a great time on your holiday! Can't wait to hear about it!
Di x

 

[jmskinner]

Looks like a great plan. Who knows we might see you. Just found out my DH will be in DC for the month of October so I figure me and my boy will head to WDW. What else do we have to do?