Pre Trip Part 2 - Nearly Time to Go!

[FloridaDave]

Well, my previous pre-trip was submitted a few months back when I was off work following a back operation - decided not to update that further because I had been waffling a fair bit. The link to it is HERE - be warned, there are quite a few pictures.

Anyway - realised today (24th June) that its 50 days till we are off on our way, we are all getting very excited.

Who is going

Me (Dave) - 37, IT Server Specialist. Quite a boring job but just about pays the bills and for our holidays with all the overtime and on-call that I do. I am also very camera shy so its a miracle there was a picture of me at all (Im the one crouching down, in case there was any doubt)


Lindsay - 31 (32 on Holiday), part time mid-day supervisor, bar 'associate' and hopefully soon when a job comes up thats not already allocated before its advertised, a teaching assistant. Lindsay is just a big kid really, and despite what people would presume the main reason we keep going back to Disney, not our 8 year old.


Emily - 8 (going on 80), the brains of the operation. Going to be trying to persuade her onto some of the less tame rides this year. We managed to get her onto Big Thunder Mountain and were at the front and she loved it. Im wondering if I can get her onto The Hulk


And our Friends, who are first timers (strangely don't have pics to put up of them).

Steve - 37. I've known Steve for 21 years now - only feels like yesterday when we met at college. Steve has technically been to Florida before because he departed from Miami on a cruise for his honeymoon. Steve split up from his wife around a year ago and is now living with Sarah. Steve is an Administration Manager for a Security Company - the title doesn't cover what he does though, the man is a workaholic and this is the first lengthy holiday since his honeymoon he has taken.

Sarah - 34. We have only known Sarah for a while but she is lovely and very fun. She is unbelievable excited and giddy about the holiday - I have a feeling she will be buying a zillion pairs of shoes when we are over there as she is a little obsessed. This will be Sarah's first trip to America - and funnily enough she had it in her head that they will need about £9,000 spending money just for her and Steve . Sarah is a manager for William Hill.


So, with 50 days to go at the time of writing this, what's covered and what's still to do?

Flights - these were booked and paid for earlier this year. Flying with American Airlines indirect, MAN - JFK - MCO out on 13th August, and back MCO - ORD - MAN on 31st August

Villa - this was booked and deposit paid last July. Paid the balance last week so thats all sorted now. We are staying in Sunset Lakes in a 4 bed villa. Looks lovely - using the same guy as used previously, he bought this villa at the beginning of last year and did it up so looks new.

Car Hire - We have hired a 7 seater minivan which should be plenty big enough to get us to and from the airport with our bags in comfort. The balance of this was paid for. We have also hired a convertible Mustang for a week towards the end of the holiday as we will be off doing our own thing - really looking forward to that. The balance of that will come out next Friday.

ESTA's - We did ours and Steve and Sarah did theirs a few weeks ago so all is goon on that front.

Park Tickets - We have all already bought 14 day Disney Ultimate, 14 Day Universal, 14 Day Seaworld, Busch Gardens, Aquatica tickets.

Airport Transfer - Still need to organise this. Steve and Sarah live quite close to Manchester Airport so can get a lift there but we will need to organise something. Bumped into a guy I have used previously in the gym the other day so will likely give him a ring and arrange that.

Money - We still all need to organise this. Pity the exchange rate has been pretty poor lately but them's the breaks. We already had a few $'s left from our 2010 trip and bought some more a while back so have just over $600 in cash. Planning on getting the remainder next month some time - probably mostly in Travellers Cheques. Still not decided on an amount to take yet but its not going to be a massive amount because we are staying in a villa and past trips have taught us where we can save money. Think for the 3 of us we will be taking between $2500 and $3000 and an empty credit card - I fully expect we won't spend all the money though if past trips are to go by. I think Steve and Sarah will be taking about $2,000 or so with them and a credit card (not the £9,000 Sarah thought they would need).

Suitcase - We still need to buy a new suitcase as our other big case got damaged beyond further use on our last trip. We do have one big case, and one big foldable case that will go inside one of the cases on the way out for use coming back when we have more things to bring home. I did buy 2 cabin cases on the Tesco Suitcase deal that will take a lot of stuff and are the right dimensions. Good thing with American Airlines is the weight restriction for cabin luggage as far as I can tell is 23Kg - so long as you can get it up into the overhead bin and its not oversize you are OK. The biggest case on the Tesco Suitcase deal is 24" which I don't think is big enough really, which is a pity as they are great cases.

Cameras - Im waiting on a £100 voucher to arrive from work for 10 years service which I am going to use towards a new camera. I was thinking of getting a bridge camera but still not decided yet if I am going to or not, do I really want to be taking a big camera around with me. On previous trips I have taken my normal digital camera (which is getting on a bit now and a bit bulky) and a lot of the time our video camera. The advantage of a good quality bridge camera is I will be able to take 1080p video so will just need to take the one out with us. The disadvantage is the one I want is very expensive - not sure I can justify the cost as we are about to start getting a lot of work done on our house to get it in shape to put on the market to move. I also want to get a tough waterproof camera for Emily to use too - want to hopefully be spending under £50 on this so hoping one comes up on eBay daily deals lol

Dining Reservations - Its Lindsays 32nd Birthday when we are away and she loves the 50's Prime Time Diner in Hollywood Studios, so booked a table for us all that day. The other thing we have booked (and paid for) is the Wishes Dessert Party at Magic Kingdom - really looking forward to that.


So - think that just about covers it. We are pretty much organised on most things and the majority of the trip cost is now spent with just really the travel money to sort out - which is a nice feeling knowing I am not bankrupt (yet).

[Guest]

All sounds fab and that you have most things sorted Hope the time flys for you, and the holiday will be here in no time x

[FloridaDave]

We're hoping so - 7 weeks today and we will be on our way. Doesn't seem that long ago we had just dropped under 100 days and now we are under 50.

[FloridaDave]

Glad so many people are reading my report's and not bothering to comment. Really makes the effort all worthwhile (apologies to those who have actually responded).

[FloridaDave]

Guess my little post above didnt do the trick - thought it may stir up some kind of influx of comments

Anyhoo - 48 days to go (wohooo).

[Guest]

I'm sure people are reading, they just don't always comment! Keep the updates coming and people will soon find your pre trippie

[Milner]

Great read Dave (just come across your pre trip report).

[thepricefamily]

Enjoyed your pre-trippy! Hope Lindsay has a great birthday - I'll be there for my 40th in February. Seems much more exciting to have it at Disney than at home!

[FloridaDave]

I don't have the fortune to have my birthday at a time of year we can go on holiday which is a shame as it would be so cool to have it there - but we certainly enjoy Lindsay's that day and make a fuss of her. Since 2008 she has only spent one of her birthdays in England and that was last year as we went away early August for my sisters wedding - her 30th in Disney was great so pretty sure your 40th will be amazing.

[thepricefamily]

You should have an 'Un-Birthday'! We did that last time as my son had his 6th birthday and it was our 15th anniversary, so DD had an 'Un-Birthday' where she chose what we did for the day!