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Old 6 Jun 18, 11:58 PM  
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bigshaz
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Talking Aug 18 Pretrippie – No chaps in uniform this time please Mercedes!

Disney steps None yet! 0 miles


306 days since we last flew to Florida and I have just finished the trip report! You can find it HERE – it will explain the title of this one and give you a giggle.

But this is about our 2018 holiday, two weeks pure Disney. Quick introductions there’s me on the left , Mum and DPF: Disney Planning Freak – people are scared to mention Disney in case I whip out a folder and an excel workbook and go on and on for several hours – and I can! But I like helping people


Steve, DH, Grumpy but loveable cyclist. Enjoys an ice cream sandwich or two. Puts up with my Disney addiction and quietly enjoys it himself.


Morgan DD1, self declared Geek, loves Disney, Harry Potter, and complex mathematical problems! Currently sitting GCSE’s.


Millie DD2, rollercoaster junkie. Came back from Disney last year and asked for Merlin Annual pass for her birthday – Alton Towers is visited almost weekly , in the last 7 months (bear in mind Alton Towers has been closed for most of them!) she has ridden Smiler 86 times. There is an app called coaster count which Millie and Steve are using to capture what they ride. Disney rides are obviously much better and they will try to beat their 13 Expedition Everest rides this year I’m sure.


So if you have read my last trip report you’ll know we had the holiday of a lifetime last year – it was absolutely amazing and the best three weeks ever we have spent together as a family. So with a week of being home Steve and I had decided we would go back this year. I just needed to find flights at sub £500 each. Many checks on BAs website and eventually on 14th September 2017 we booked with British Airways to fly into Tampa from Gatwick with a car for £2300. We are doing very late in the summer holidays so we can be there for MNSSHP and Food and Wine hopefully. Disney next and we decided on POFQ this time, we had liked it when we visited MinnieMrsA and her husband last year and Steve and Morgan had worked out that the buses were much quieter to there from the parks late at night. 2 weeks all Disney no Universal this time – we will make up for that next visit.

Now the wait and trying to keep it quiet. I am so rubbish at the secret bit. We made it as far as 8th October – a huge 3 weeks and 3 days!

In the end Steve relented and we decided to put up a big clue and see if they spotted it. As I was still writing my trip report -that took a while! We had some flipchart paper on the wall in the lounge with our outline schedule over three weeks and the list of the key things we had ticked off like flights, hotels, tickets etc. We found some equally as bashed paper and replaced it with this years plan using exactly the same colours and format. And sat and waited. Morgan came downstairs to chat to us and as she was talking to me her eyes kept wandering to the wall, after what seemed an age she stopped talking looked at it and said “What is this?” within seconds she had shouted Millie down and hugs were dished out all round. Then normal moody teenagers resumed

So since then what have we done

Millie had her braces off – a beautiful smile

Added up what it really costs last year – gulp. It’s not on the same scale this year for sure.
Book parking at Gatwick – check
Book hotel at Gatwick so we can leave the house clean and travel the day before - like Peter Kays mum
Did a bit more trip report
Bought replacement shelving and storage boxes from Ikea- they were a god send last year
Asked for big suitcase for Xmas from parents – no messing this year. 4 large suitcases
Bought 2018 Unofficial Guides
Extended subscription to Touring Plans – who am I kidding I’d done that before we had even gone in 2017
Got a dog !
Booked dog in at boarders as house sitters only do cats
Booked house sitters
Booked seats on the plane
Did a bit more trip report
Took a cheeky week in Fuerteventura to beat the February blues – used the break to read the Unofficial Guide whilst the kids swam.
Booked ADR's from poolside= I learnt last year that Millie will be OOP for some of the restaurants – in fact she will probably just have a side of fries in some places and then chicken nuggets as we come out from a QS so we can do more this time.
Bought ponchos from Ebay
Helped colleague book a 2 week holiday for her and family to POR- must convince her to do a trip report
Booked tickets for MNSSHP – ouch!
Created two planning spreadsheets one for us and one for them lol
Booked Cabana for Blizzard Beach
Plaza Desserts Party on 22nd August. Yummy
More trip report done
Asked BA how much to upgrade seats – good news: first class is only £20 more than premium economy equivalent each but we’ve booked cattle class and the upgrade to premium economy is £1200 each - suck it up folks


So we ended up with:

Travel Day
Land at Tampa
Drive to POFQ via Walmart and then Sassagoula Float works before bed

Day 1
Hitting Hollywood Studios in the day to see Toy Story Land and Star Wars rides
and Mama Melrose for a late lunch followed by the Evening at Epcot which is open until 11pm if we can make it!

Day 2
Animal Kingdom with late lunch at Yak & Yeti then Magic Kingdom for the evening including the Plaza desert party - MK is open until 11pm – again if we can make it!


Day 3
Rest day as we do it - Blizzard Beach , a no brainer here and a cabana has been booked again.
We loved it last year. Tea, as us northerners say, in Epcot at La Hacienda San Angel and some fast passes squeezed in for the evening.

Day 4
For once I have set the morning for Pool time – it’s unlikely that will stay the plan – it’ll be a quick visit to somewhere I’m sure. In three weeks last year we never once made the pool at POR!
Then late lunch at 2pm at Jungle Skipper Canteen and the rest of the day/night in Magic Kingdom for MNSHHP with Cosmic Rays QS for tea.


Day 5
Epcot with a late lunch at Teppan Edo for Morgan and Via Napoli for Millie and an argument about which of Steve and I go to which I’m sure.
Then Disney Springs in the evening for Chef Art Smiths

Day 6
Animal Kingdom again (the Expedition Everest count will be high by then I’m sure)
and Whispering Canyon in the evening – I do hope they haven’t dumbed down the antics too much.

Day 7
Hollywood Studios
with Bongos Cuban Café in DS for tea and a look around the shops whilst listening to three types of music at the same time!

Day 8
Magic Kingdom
and then swapping to Animal Kingdom ( for more EE) and an early tea at Rainforest Café

Day 9
Epcot followed by early tea at the wonderful Citricos
and then a quick monorail jump round to Magic Kingdom which is open until 11.

Day 10
Animal Kingdom and then off to Epcot – Food and Wine – now I had to make a change to the plan here – we were due to go to the Food & Wine the day before until I mentioned who was singing at the Eat to the Beat tonight- Tiffany – Steve is of that age to remember her very well so we’re off on day 12 instead so tonight will be dinner ( a northerner being posh) at Sanaa, looking forward to the bread basket

Day 11
Early morning hours at Magic Kingdom with a 10am BOG breakfast booked.
Then off to Disney Springs if I can get a booking for House of Blues – I gave up last year and then managed to get one much closer to the time. If not I’ve booked an early table at Splitsville and we’ll book bowling or it’s a sneaky visit to the Food & Wine

Day 12
Hollywood Studios and Prime Time café
followed by Epcot for Food and Wine and the delights of Tiffany!

Day 13

Shopping day unless we have filled the cases already and saving the best till last Yachtsman for dinner at 8pm
followed by a walk around the Boardwalk

Day 14
Morning visit to Magic Kingdom to ride Splash mountain one more time and one last Cinnamon bun and Le Fou’s brew
and then we are on our way back to Tampa. Dependant on the ride count of Expedition Everest then the EMH at Animal Kingdom may come into play somehow too.

We will eat lots of Mickey Pretzels

Give stupid names for our Starbucks

Watch fireworks from the People Mover

Remember those who aren't able to come back this year with us

Remember photographs of previous visits

and hopefully not have to speak to Mercedes this year

Then back to Tampa and home, until the next time!

So there’s the plan – I’ll keep updating as we go. I can't wait - looking forward to seeing the chipmunks at Epcot again

Update: Day 60 yipeee, fast pass day - usual panic by logging on too early but the time soon came round and not showing what our favourite rides are honest

Expedition Everest x 4 (Millie will set a new personal best this year)
FOP x 3
Splash Mountain x 3
Star Tours x3
TOT x3
Slinky Dog x 2
Spaceship Earth x 2
Mission Space x 2
Tomorrowland Speedway x 2
Haunted Mansion x 2
BTM x2


and lots of singles
- very happy to have Slinky dog and FOP

Now for Touring plans to do its magic - and be reoptimised, and reoptimised, and reoptimised over the next few weeks - eight to be precise Eight weeks on Sunday - eeek!

I'll be getting the case and the clothes rack out this weekend to start putting some clothes on - again I want to avoid the last minute "but I have no shorts mum/wifey" by giving them chance to find that out sooner rather than later. Millie needs crocs, need to work out which footwear im taking, and the diet is under way (again ) Low carb for another 8 weeks, 9lb down so far and tons to go.

I cut my sponge in half last week and put the fairy liquid on it to take with us and one half to give to my colleague as she goes 2 days before us. Every small thing is a step closer! The GCSEs are over , prom has happened ( and no of course she didn't wear the dress lol) so countdown in full swing

Update July 2018
well it seems to be going much faster this time!
Clothes shopping and new sketchers for almost everyone so they can be worn in before we go, 8 lots of compeed bought and some moleskin.

MNSSHP outfits almost completed and the Touring plans are in full force - I expect I'll have them completed in the next 2 weeks.

New pen for trip reports notes is getting a lot of use

Diet going well, 2 stone lighter that at the beginning of the year and still time to lose some more. Just need the dollar rate to go up a bit please

Index is HERE
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Edited at 08:59 PM.
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Old 7 Jun 18, 01:39 AM  
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joanna23
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Love your pre-trippie and all the family excitement. Looking forward to the report.
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Old 7 Jun 18, 07:15 AM  
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Disneycraft
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Loving this report ,you seem like a right laugh we’re there the same time as you i’ve Not read your previous trippies so no idea what or who Mercedes is . When i’ve Got time i’ll Read your past report .who am I kidding i’ll Read It in a minute
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Old 8 Jun 18, 01:00 PM  
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Jessika
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Loved your last report looking forward to this years.
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Old 8 Jun 18, 01:04 PM  
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bigshaz
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booked again yippee
 
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Originally Posted by Disneycraft View Post
Loving this report ,you seem like a right laugh we’re there the same time as you i’ve Not read your previous trippies so no idea what or who Mercedes is . When i’ve Got time i’ll Read your past report .who am I kidding i’ll Read It in a minute
Mercedes - well when you have a cup of tea sit and read day day 9 from the last trip report - shortcut HERE. it'll make you giggle.

Wave if you see us - I'm hoping iti'll be a little quieter in those last few weeks of August
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Old 8 Jun 18, 06:55 PM  
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Ahhh glad we showed you the delights of POFQ now! Gutted we won't be there this year too 😔 but it will be an amazing holiday!
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Old 8 Jun 18, 10:28 PM  
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mouselover22
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Love your pre-trippie. What date are you flying out?

I must admit i haven't read your 2017 trip report yet but i will rectify that soon.

Love the sound of your plans. I am very drawn to the French Quarter and would love to do a split on site stay here one year. I love the quintessential look of the resort and i am dying to try those beignets!

Happy planning
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Old 4 Jul 18, 05:26 PM  
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Mercedes!

Really looking forward to reading this years report!
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Old 4 Jul 18, 05:34 PM  
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Cool trippie, we may have to pop over to FQ from Riverside and see what all the fuss is about!

Nearly time!
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Old 5 Jul 18, 07:12 PM  
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Oh fab! I loved your trip report from this summer. I hope you get another big pot of cheese balls!

Have an absolutely fab time. I can't wait to read all about it.
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