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Old 27 Mar 09, 05:27 PM  
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#1
Bigkitty266
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Join Date: Aug 08
'The Simpsons Disney Dream' Pre trippy !

After reading so many Pre trip reports (one of the funniest being mkingdon’s) I have finally decided to try and put one together of my own.

So here goes…….

INTRODUCTION

Catherine (Me) age 37 … Compulsive Organiser/planner, shopper & list maker, Laid back, loves wine and chocolate, Hates fast rides (as I believe your stomach should be were it is, and not in your throat) but loves all things Disney.

Bryn (Husband) age 37 (debatable) .. Main money earner and a real stress head, Loves fast cars, Motorbikes and fast rides, hates Disney princess’s (apart from jasmine who he has the hots for lol).

Lewis (Son) age 18 .. Just grown out of the “Kevin” stage and is now quite laid back, loves fast rides, waterparks and sealife.




Stephanie aka Steph (daughter 1) age 14 (going on 21) … Split personalitity teenager, sugar and spice one minute, then turns
into something from “The exorcist” the next. Loves fast rides, All things Disney, Burgers and shopping.



Hollie (daughter 2) age 10 .. Slowly morphing into daughter 1 .. Loves all things Disney especially Eeyore, Piglet and Hannah Montana also loves animals and wildlife. Hates big rides (which is good for me as I have an excuse to sit them out).



So that is us !


BACKGROUND

We (or should I say I) have wanted to go to Florida for as long as we(I) can remember, but it has never been possible due to the usual MONEY thing. We had the children at a young age so at times it has been a struggle and then as the years went on the bigger the mortgage (que for violins)… We have been together for 19 years but only married in 2005 on the lovely island of Cyprus, everything was perfect and we had a blast and it may be very hard to TOP that holiday……

Anyway since 2005 it has been on our minds to go to Florida mainly
to do it before the children got to old. But then we decided that Bryn
should work for himself (he is a joiner/builder) so after much consideration he went for it and up to now it is the best thing
(touch wood) he has ever done, but it was another set back to the
Florida Trip. So last year June 08 we got talking (one booze fuelled eve) and decided to start looking at prices and looking to book.



(I was quite a bit thinner when i got married )



AND SO THE ‘FUN’ BEGINS !

FLIGHTS

After deciding we didn’t want the kind of flight that stops off anywhere on route, we opted for Virgin so everyday sometimes up to
6 or 7 times a day ( remember I said I was a compulsive planner) I checked the virgin website prices and easter seemed to be out of the question as the flights were, well lets say a little to ‘EXPENSIVE’ ! so I then settled on 12th or 13th April as they seemed to come down some what .but even then, for 2 months they just seemed to go UP and UP almost reaching £600 each at one point so yet again the florida trip seem to be fading even before it started Then 29th August it happened… I popped on for another little check and there it was ! £391 each ! So guess what i did ? ?
? ?
? ? ?

BOOKED THERE AND THEN !
And so that was it we were going ! 13th April for 2 weeks !


VILLA
Now up to this point I had still not come across this wonderful site, so was hunting and hunting for a villa suitable for us all.. After quite a lot of emails to villas owners I finally found oneI liked the look of and booked … 4 Bedrooms 2 bathrooms @ The Manors Westridge.
So another thing to tick off my list (s) …….





THE DIBB
A few days later I came across this wonderful and extremely informative site, were I seem to have been sat ever since, well that’s
what my husband thinks although he is grateful it has kept me quiet for the past few months…


TICKETS

After reading several threads and getting together prices I decided to go with Virgin again might have had something to do with the little white lie I told them about ticket prices I had seen somewhere else though), ‘Twas a Dibbers tip actually’ lol….

So 13th December 08 .a phone call later I had booked..

5 x 14 day ultimate Disney tickets
5 x Universal 2 day (plus bonus day) tickets
5 x Discovery cove ultimate tickets with
swim. (This is a complete surprise to Hollie she thinks we are not going but really wants to, she has even asked Bryn to sell his motorbike so she can swim with Dolphins)

Its funny how such a quick phone call can hammer your visa card so much lol…

As Christmas was fast approaching I then have to turn my compulsive organising/planning to the Christmas thing and so more list writing…..


2009

So with 100’s and 100’s of hours Dibbing under my belt ,I then decided
to book car hire and booked a 7 seater 4x4 SUV with usrentacar ,
this is were Bryn starts to get interested and now cant wait to get out there and drive, me (and the children) on the other hand are NOT looking forward to this experience and are all fighting for the back seat as no one wants to be Co-Pilot ! , due to us having a near death experience in Spain were Bryn then proceded to get out the car and start waving his arms around at a very angry Spainish woman and ‘BOY’ was she scary (even though it was Bryns fault as he was on the wrong side of the road) mean while the kids had all slid down there seats in sheer embarrassment …..


Thanks to Jo (jojovontrapp), we then get a fantastic countdown calendar, this then makes Hollie really excited as she can now see, and realise how long we have to go, but then on the other hand sends Bryn into Stress overload ! as he can now see how long to go (or should I say Not long to go) !

Since then I have drawn up a plan of attack, (itinary) and hopfully it is all do-able.

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=268988


I have bought new clothes, suitcases,wrote lists, booked travel insurance, filled in ESTA online forms, filled in API online forms, more lists, write to girls schools to get permission for time off (that wasn’t easy), photocopied documents to leave with mother while we are away, booked ADRS, Booked Serengeti Safari, another list, changed some money when the rate was $1.75 and $1.50 but since then it has just dropped and dropped, so now watching it everyday for that miracle to happen.

CONCLUSION…
Apart from the fact I waffle to much ……

We are going and only 16 more days to go……. Cant wait !

Look out Mickey (and Jasmine) here we come !

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Edited at 05:40 PM.
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Old 27 Mar 09, 06:20 PM  
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voddygirl
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You look like a fun family i bet you`ll all have a ball... not long to go now
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Old 27 Mar 09, 09:26 PM  
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col2501
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Enjoyed your pre trip report! Hope you have a fab time! Not long now! Will soon be doing your SDD!
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Old 27 Mar 09, 10:24 PM  
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joandwayne
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Enjoyed reading your pretrip report. What a beautiful family! I bet you are mega excited about your holiday. You will have the best time - it is just amazing. Never been to discovery cove so will be interested to hear how you get on there.

Look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
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Old 27 Mar 09, 10:33 PM  
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ope you have a fantastic time - I'm sure you will.
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Old 27 Mar 09, 10:38 PM  
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FAB pre-trippie hun - can't wait to hear what you really think of Florida... I bet by the time I go you'll have booked your return "Once in a lifetime" trip

Sarah x
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Old 27 Mar 09, 10:49 PM  
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Really enjoyed your pre trippie. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.
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Old 28 Mar 09, 05:20 PM  
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Bigkitty266
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And now to make things even more exciting this arrived this morning...


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Old 30 Mar 09, 10:39 AM  
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margyloveswdw
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Not long to go...

Great pre-trippie - have a fab trip
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Old 30 Mar 09, 10:48 AM  
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Loved your pre-trip. Look forward to the next installment. Might even see you there.18 days to go for me.
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