Hello!
Welcome back to the joy and happiness that will be my pre trip report! Hopefully I will be better at keeping this report up to date than my last report.
We are Charlotte (Trip reporter,
planner, Disney obsessive), Stuart, (go with the Flo, eats anything and EVERYTHING and Still skinny, Disney convert), Caitlin 12 (Pre Teen, hormonal, adventurous adrenalin junkie, Disney lover) and James 9 (quiet, Minecraft lover)
Lets start this off...
As First Timers we stayed at Old Key West in October 2017, 1 night at all Star Music and 1 night Cabana Bay. We loved our holiday, evening planning whilst there that we would be returning in 2019. Once we got back, we slowly started saving but had a hiccup with then deciding on a house move instead and delaying the holiday - this happened 2 days before free dining started and lasted until early September. At this point we had been discussing whether to go on holiday or not... Eventually we decided that this would be the last proper holiday until Caitlin was 16 and GCSEs had finished, we could go on holiday 2019 and then move house the next 2 years then we would be able to go back to Florida in 2023 (
) But that would be special as Caitlin would be turning 16 and I would be turning 40!
So one Friday night Stuart told me in no uncertain terms to 'get it booked now' so I went for it and booked Port Orleans French Quarter for 19th August 2019 for 14 nights. Garden View rooms were the cheapest option- 2 weeks with tickets and QSDP.
A couple of weeks later when BA had a brilliant sale on (after spending every minute of every day in the weeks before looking at flights...) we booked our direct flights Gatwick to Orlando MCO for Sunday 18th August to Sunday 8th September, Landing on the Monday. It does mean the children will miss the first week of term, I have agonised over it(and will continue to over the coming months) but its booked.
ESTAs were completed before I paid for the flights... just in case!
I called Disney and moved our dates 1 day earlier so we are at Disney 18th August to 1st September - 14 nights. Then I booked Cabana Bay for 1st September to 8th September with travel republic and a £10 deposit.
Over the last few days we have been discussing the fact that we will be missing the TS meals, there are some that we really would like to do. Today I had a look on the Disney site and Old Key West is available for our dates and would be £500 more than we are currently paying for POFQ (and QSDP), if we upgraded our dining plan it would be £750 so cheaper to move... so I am hoping to call Disney tomorrow to see if they are able to move us and how much it will be...
Decisions decisions...
We had decided not to get the Disney Dining Plan this time as we struggled with eating so much food last time and missed out on snacks and some QS places that we wanted to eat in. We also wanted to be less restricted but the draw of the meals and fun... There are certain TS restaurants we definitely want to do again and some we want to try for the first time...
Cinderella's Royal Table - New
California Grill - New
Ohana - Return there
Garden Grill - Return there
Sanna- New
Mamma Melrose (Fantasmic package) - Return there
Sci Fi Diner- New
Yak and Yeti - Return there
Artist Point (Snow White)- New
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The same for QS restaurants -
Wolfgang Puck for Breakfast
Earl of Sandwich
Blaze Pizza
Satu'li Canteen - looks amazing
Flame Tree Barbeque
Also snacks...… so many snacks to try...
plus so much more...
In the planning stakes I have already bought all of Caitlin's tops, some of James' and began planning our days already...
It is also our 15th Anniversary (11th Wedding Anniversary) whilst we are there - part of the reason we are thinking of doing the DDP - it would be amazing to have dinner at California Grill and watch the fireworks on our anniversary (even with the children!)
Next things to book -
* Gatwick Hotel
* Parking/travel to hotel
* Cattery
* Universal Dining plan if on offer
* Universal Photo package
Next things to plan
* ADRs if we get the DDP
* Days in the park