Surprise Trip to the Beach Club!

[MrsBC]

I thought I'd start to put our plans in some order, ready for this years holiday in October. There is usually only DH and myself when we stay onsite, but for this year our adult daughter decided to come with us, for a 'big' birthday which is while we're there. So there will be 3 of us this time - me (Sue), Russ and Helen. She has been to Orlando 3 times before, but always in offsite villas, and the last time was 5 years ago so she was hoping for an onsite experience.
Because there are 3 of us we decided against the Beach Club - always our first choice - as, even though we love her we don't want to be in one room together for 2 weeks!, and the BC villas weren't available to book when the free DDP offer was on, they were also more than we really wanted to pay just for 3 of us, so we chose a 1 bed villa at OKW directly with WDTC. Then last year while we were there, we visited OKW but weren't keen on what we saw, and knowing there were going to be renovations, we changed the booking to SSR still with the DDP and $200 Disney gift card, and were starting to look forward to being near Disney Springs.
Fast forward to December when our booking was due to be confirmed, and of course, along with lots of others, it wasn't!
7 long weeks of waiting and worrying later, and we found out that we have been moved to ''drumroll" - a 1 bed villa at the Beach Club Villas with WDTC paying the difference! Happy days and much cheering from DH and myself. A bit of pixie dust is always nice

We had booked PE flights from Manchester in January with VA - and got a shock at this years prices but took the plunge and used some miles to reduce it a bit, as I just wanted to see some certainty in our plans!

We also booked the Hilton at Manchester airport for the pre flight night, and included breakfast as we're on the lunchtime flight. We've stayed at a few of the hotels there, but not this one yet. We'll have a hire car to go to and from the airport, as DH works for a hire car company and it's cheaper for us to do this than paying to park our own car.

Universal tickets were bought in the January sale at £225 each, Universal has shot up in price since Volcano Bay opened, and does anyone else think it's about time they had decent tickets instead of the same boring card ones!

We booked a car with Alamo, which hasn't increased in price really since last year, and we used quidco for everything so are getting some cash back.

Finally we bought some dollars last week at 1.4 which I was happy with. If it goes up we still need some, so its a win win really.

Estas and passports are good to go. DDs travel insurance is sorted as she has some health problems, but it wasn't as expensive as she was expecting.
So now we're busy learning about the villas (as we've never even been to look at them despite seeing them each trip on the way to the bus stop), we're looking at menus and DD is checking out the BC which she's only been to once for Beaches and Cream, and seeing what's new since her last Orlando trip; it's getting exciting
Roll on April when we can make ADRs ...
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April update:
We have our list of ADRs etc that we think we'll try for in a weeks time including Beaches & Cream the night we arrive, Cali Grill dinner on DD birthday (for Hallowishes), Cali Grill brunch, BoG breakfast on our first morning, Amorette's Cake decorating experience and I'm hoping to book the HEA Dessert party as a surprise.
I've put a room request into Touring Plans so hopefully it will be successful, it's the first time I've done it this way so I was a bit uncertain.
I bagged a couple of things really cheaply in the Cath Kidston sale to take with me - I'm going to try NOT to buy any bags when we're there as I have far too many

I've been recommended Aldi sun lotion which was cheap as chips but it gets good reviews, so I've put a couple away.

As everyone knows - next years DDP offer came out and we've caved in and booked BC again (maybe for the last time, taking rising prices, future car park fees etc into account) together with a 4 night DCL cruise on the Dream in September '19

Fingers crossed for next week and the nerve racking ADR day ...
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Hooray! the ADRs are done and apart from Hollywood Brown Derby dinner (no dinner during our whole stay - hopefully a glitch) we got all we hoped for.
We've booked Cali Grill both dinner and brunch, Flying Fish, The Boathouse, Chefs de France, Boma breakfast, BoG breakfast, Beaches & Cream, Tutto Italia, Sci Fi Diner with another to choose.
We've also booked the Cake Decorating experience at Amorettes Bakery for me and DD, and the Plaza Dessert Party as the firework crowds were awful last year due to MK closing on so many nights for MNSSHP.
Let the tweaking begin 🤣

I ordered a Monorail magic band skin, neither of the other two wanted one, it will go well with the orange band I've chosen!

Now I'm trying to pull a rough itinerary together and there aren't enough days as DD would like to do extra bits because she's not been for 5 years - we're just used to bumbling around doing our own thing and stopping to drink cocktails. 😊
Nothing much more to do now until FP day!
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May update -
I've tweaked a few ADRs and managed to bag the Hollywood Brown Derby Fantasmic package and I've cancelled Sci Fi.

We have quite a few trips and things booked for over the summer, so I wanted to get everything for WDW sorted while I can concentrate on it. I still have a FP list to make, ready for The Day
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Still tweaking! The Boathouse is now The Edison , and I've been checking out how to book a Minnie van for after dinner at California Grill - if we decide not to go for a bus back.

Note to self - make a FP list!
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August -
I've just found out that Ale & Compass has restarted the 'old Captains Grille' type breakfast buffet! So I've booked it for 2 mornings as it's so handy being at the resort, and the menu looks great

We've also realised the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam starts at HS in our second week so we're looking forward to seeing that.

In fact we're looking forward to seeing ANY of the Christmas 'stuff', especially DD as she's not seen WDW at Christmas though she's been to DLP many times for the Christmas period.
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We're just home from our last holiday before WDW (71 days to go) and opened my savings pot, which we didn't think we'd put loads in, but there was nearly £700 in there, which is fab and went off the final balance
Still haven't made a FP plan!
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At last our FP plan is done, lets see what next week brings! 6 days to wait!

Last Tweak!
I've been reading some poor reviews of the food at The Edison, so in (hopefully) my last ADR tweak I've changed Flying Fish to that night, and as we want a casual last night at Disney Springs I've booked Planet Hollywood Observatory to try Guy Fieri's menu, and we can pop along and spend any spare credits in Ghirardelli's and Goofy's.

Well FP day started scarily as the whole MDE site and app went down until around 11.40am! I managed to get everything we wanted, there seemed to be lots of availability (even got a choice of times for FoP on day 3 of the holiday) - a mix of new or popular rides like FoP, Slinky Dog, 7DMT, Frozen, Soarin' etc, and then our old favourites - Pirates, Safari, HM, BTM, TT, TSM, Buzz, shows etc. I've left 4 days with no FP as we'll be at the Universals, malls and Disney Springs. I can add some later if we decide to pop into a park, but we're happy if we have one made for all our favourites and don't bother much with the app once we're out in the parks. So that's about it - planning done for this trip!
I'm probably going to book fast track security for Manchester just in case it's busy ... roll on the next 59 days
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6 weeks to go! DH has decided to drive down to the airport instead of getting a hire car from work, so we've booked the Meet and Greet T2 airport parking at a decent price, and got fast track for security as we fly on a Saturday this time and it's usually mad on Saturdays!

I really do thinks that's everything done now - apart from packing and last minute panicking.

Well I thought I'd finished! We've now booked the Caring for Giants backstage tour at AK which looks a great way to spend an hour or so.

Well, only 5 days to go now. The weather forecast looks ok, the packing is almost done, and Touring Plans has faxed our room request, so we can only cross our fingers and hope for good luck!
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Time to start planning next years

[dippiedawnie]

Wow result. What a fab outcome for you all. Enjoy 😀

[MrsBC]

Originally Posted by dippiedawnie

Wow result. What a fab outcome for you all. Enjoy 😀

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Thanks, luckily quite a few people ended up with good outcomes after the worry

[Goldia]

It sounds like it will be a fab trip. You had a bit of luck with the OKW to SSR to BCV room situation. Have fun thinking about your ADRs.

[DisneyDreamer81]

Sounds like an amazing trip! Absolute bonus that you've been moved to BC!

[MrsBC]

Originally Posted by Goldia

It sounds like it will be a fab trip. You had a bit of luck with the OKW to SSR to BCV room situation. Have fun thinking about your ADRs.

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Originally Posted by DisneyDreamer81

Sounds like an amazing trip! Absolute bonus that you've been moved to BC!

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Thanks ladies! If we could have chosen a villa anywhere on site it would have been BCV (if it had been available when we booked) - so a fab choice by Disney

[redspottyowl]

Ooh it’s getting closer! See you there! X

[caitlinsmummy]

Wow how lucky are you to be upgraded! I'm just a little jelous!

Loving the plans so far and we fly on the same day too!

I love the skin and can't wait to follow you trippie! X

[DisneyDaffodil]

Just found your pre-trip from the October social group thread. Will enjoy following along.

Seems to be lots of us celebrating birthdays there in October, hope they don't run out of birthday badges 😀

[MrsBC]

Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil

Just found your pre-trip from the October social group thread. Will enjoy following along.

Seems to be lots of us celebrating birthdays there in October, hope they don't run out of birthday badges 😀

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I usually do a pre trippie, then end up just doing some photo reports
DD hates fuss so she'll only wear her badge on the day I think, even though they'll give her it at check in!