Gryffindor's on tour, May 2016

[Excitedx4]

Ok so here we go my first pre- trip report and first attempt at uploading pictures

First of all the title, our surname is Griffin and I am a massive HP fan so my son said we can be called the Gryffindor's

The cast;

Danielle (me 29), chief planner and organiser lover of everything orlando parks related and food, hater of clothes shopping



Dave (hubby 40), main earner, provider and funder of our floriday. Doesn't organise or plan a thing he is so laid back he is practically horizontal



Evan (DS1 10 will be 11), loves all rides will try anything he is tall enough for, once did 6 times on ToT in a day! Pizza fanatic.



Jacob (DS2 4 will be 5), also a daredevil like his big bro and will be able to do loads more this time, just reached the magical 40". Is a peanut butter sandwich fiend




So the plan so far...

We originally booked a dibb villa for 2 weeks, the last 2 weeks of May 2016, this was booked a few months ago, deposit paid. Fast forward to the end of April and Disney release their free dining plan, I look longingly for a few days and wish we had done a split stay. I email my lovely villa owner and she says it is fine to change the dates of the villa from 2 weeks to 1 and not lose half the deposit (the lovely pussycat doll).

I take the plunge and decide to look more into Disney hotels, after a discussion with Dave we decide on a moderate resort with qsdp. Then totally stuck between Caribbean beach resort or Coronado springs, I get videos up on YouTube and let the kids decide, the pirate pool swayed them and so Caribbean beach resort here we come. Going to upgrade to ddp for an extra £287.

So we have booked so far CBR 18-25 May and Daydream believer villa booked 25may-1june.

We have also booked our 14 day Disney passes.

We are just now waiting for flights to be released, looking at hopefully flying on 17th May e and staying in cheap motel when we arrive and then head to CBR early morning on the 18th.

We will be hiring a car same as last time, a 7 seater minivan as our son is a wheelchair user we need the extra boot space, especially when we have the cases.

This is the best picture I have of all 4 of us together in Disney 2013!




This is currently in progress and is being updated please bare with me...

[Excitedx4]

So as far as this year is concerned, we are off to Tenerife for a week in June, all inclusive chilled out lay by the pool holiday, actually really looking forward to it. Then is August we are off to New Quay in wales for a week to a haven site, mainly to break the holidays up and the kids love a bit of haven.

Meanwhile it is just a case of waiting for the flights to be released 11 months before and finding a decent price, fingers crossed. Keeping me on edge 😳

To keep myself occupied I am researching restaurants and menus and deciding places where we will all enjoy (why are my kids so fussy) and reading trip reports on here!

[Guest]

yay another 2016 pre trippie

your plans look fab, im so jealous your staying onsite, with 7 of us, there is limited hotels we can stay at

looking forward to reading more x

[Excitedx4]

Ok so today we have officially upgraded from QSDP to DDP. It has cost us £91 per adult and £14 per child. As Evan will be 11 he is classed as an adult so it has cost us £287. So planning on a major diet with all this extra food now on offer. In fact I am starting with a personal trainer next week!

So for the time being I am looking at the dining trip reports and deciding on places where we want to eat. Our ADR date isn't until November so I am sure things will change but I have a few definites that I want, these include, crystal palace for breakfast, whispering canyon cafe for dinner, either rainforest cafe or T. Rex at dtd, plus tutto Italia in Epcot, so that gives us 3 more TS ADR's to think about.

[Excitedx4]

Ok major update FLIGHTS ARE BOOKED!

A few things have been changed and readjusted but basically we have our flights booked. I asked a few companies for quotes for flydrives as we are not with the 11 month period and received a decent quote from Florida master direct with virgin man-mco at £2346 ummed amd arred over it and decided to book the following day. I rang up to be told that the flights leaving 17/5 have increased by over £400 erm no thanks I will leave it. Florida masters come back to me with an offer, I we go 2 days earlier 15/5 making our trip 18 instead of 16 nights they will throw in 2 nights free accommodation in Kissimmee! But one factor is we have to book car hire with them, with upgrading and full insurance it comes out at just over £600 for. 7 seater minivan, not too unreasonable.
So after tooing and froing between Florida masters and the husband for him to check dates at work, we have booked!

So instead of flying out 17/5 staying in a cheap hotel on I drive for 1 night before checking into Disney CBR on 18/5 we are now flying out 15/5 staying in a free hotel for 2 nights, having rang Disney and brought our booking forward a day free of charge we check in here on 17/5 for 7 nights, moved villa a day forward for 7 nights and then that leaves us with 2 nights at the end of the holiday to go to stay on the coast.

Plans now look like this;

15/5 fly out man-mco virgin 11am, stay in Kissimmee
16/5 chill out, adjust to Florida Kissimmee stay
17/5 check in CBR with ddp for 7 nights
24/5 check out CBR check in to villa for 7 nights
31/5 (Memorial Day head to the coast for 2 nights chill out)
2/6 fly home virgin direct mco-man 20.25

Seems to all be falling into place, but my god do I have a headache from all of this today!

[Excitedx4]

Ok so today I have sent off for mine and DS2 passports to be renewed, once these come back it will be esta time! (Fingers crossed they are all approved)

After that I think I will feel a bit in limbo as our 180 day mark will not be until 19th November. I suppose it will consist of looking at places to dine and general planning.

Just a quick update

[Pussycat Doll]

Didn't realise you were doing a Trippie Danielle! Lovely to 'meet' you properly! Pussycat

[Excitedx4]

I am going try, I made a half hearted attempt and only completed a couple of days last time and after rereading them I wished I had kept the, up for the memories but hey oh this time I will. 😄

[DisneyMadMummy]

Brilliant plans. Don't you love it when you just HAVE to add a few days onto your holiday?! 😁

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your plans!

[loola30]

Hooray - another 2016 pre-trippie! Look forward to reading