The Holiday With a Big Sprinkling of Pixie Dust - October 2018 - Pre-Trip Report *Updated 23/04*

[Gill247]

Hello all! I thought since we are now in 2018 and can say we are going to Orlando THIS YEAR (yaye! ) I would start my pre-trip report as I love reading these myself, and it will be a good place to record my planning.

Our family:

Hubby, Greig, will be turning 40 just before we go – a big birthday that needa a big holiday to celebrate. This will be his first time in Florida. He is a self-confessed geek and loves all things Star Wars, so is particularly excited for Hollywood Studios. Also very much looking forward to a day at Kennedy Space Centre and the water parks!

Daughter, Annabelle, will be 5 when we go, and it’s also her first WDW trip. She loved Disneyland Paris when we visited in 2015 and is very much a Disney girl. She loves all the films and princesses, with Moana and Rapunzel being her favourite. She is our world and although both Greig and I are beyond excited for this trip, it’s really all for her!

Myself, Gillian, 39 when we go. Chief planner, holiday booker and DIBB fan. I’ve been planning this holiday for the past few years and have spent many an evening on the DIBB reading reports / forums and watching TimTracker videos – my planning notebook is now bursting! I last visited Florida in 1988 when I was 9. I have very fond memories of this holiday as not long after this my parents split up, my Mum moved away and family holidays were with my Dad only (who still made them very special and memorable, just not the same). I’ve been lucky enough to visit Disneyland California and Disneyland Paris 4 times but have always wanted to return to WDW. I specifically remember Epcot as being a favourite so I’m most excited to visit this park again!

This is Us (Anyone else a big fan of that show - love it! )

[Gill247]

The plan;
When Disney released free DDP for 2018 dates the real excitement / planning commenced. Having read lots of reports I knew I wanted Saratoga Springs for its proximity to Disney Springs, with the added bonus of it being the cheapest Deluxe. So we were pleased to get a booking at SSR for October 2018 for 12 nights with free DDP, $200 gift card etc. 14 day Disney tickets were booked alongside this. Then there was nothing else I could do for 8 months until flights were released.

When flights were released in November I was incredibly busy at work and home and just didn’t get the time to sit down and look to book. It wasn’t until boxing day that I finally had time to myself to really research flight prices and routes. Living in Edinburgh we knew that direct wasn’t an option but wanted to make any connections as quick and easy as possible. By the next day I had narrowed our choices down and finally booked a flydrive with BA. So we fly out on the 11th October Edinburgh>Gatwick then Gatwick>MCO. We went with the earlier morning flight from Gatwick so a very early start for us. Luckily we live about 20 mins drive from Edinburgh airport so we will book a taxi to pick us up about 4am.

We are returning with Aer Lingus via Dublin so flight isn’t until 9pm on the 26th October, so will hopefully enjoy some last rides in MK in the morning and a leisurely lunch before heading to the airport – but let’s not talk about the holiday coming to an end too much yet!

As we booked a flydrive we have a Group E car hire included so hubby will need to navigate out of MCO (rather him than me! ). He has experience driving in the states and having spent many weeks working and driving around in San Diego he feels confident that it will be fine.

We have also booked Sapphire Falls over at Universal for our first 2 nights. I keep changing my mind about Universal. With DD being little, and neither my DH or I are Harry Potter fans, I just don’t know if it would be worth the ticket price. I think I like the idea of a relaxing day by the pool with some shopping – then up and check out early to get over to Disney!

We have also still to book 1 day passes to Kennedy Space Centre as this is No1 on DHs list and the only thing he has really asked for his trip. We don’t plan on visiting Seaworld or Discovery Cove.

Our original thinking was that we would only hire a car for 2 or 3 days half way through the trip so we could drive to Kennedy. However now we have the car the full 14 nights I can’t wait to check out the malls, outlets, Celebration and try some offsite restaurants. It’s also nice to have the choice of driving to the parks if we need to.

So everything was pretty much booked, until…….

[Gill247]

I had been keeping an eye on a thread on here for those that hadn’t received their booking confirmation for Saratoga Springs bookings in October / November. I had a bit of a panic doubting myself but when I checked sure enough we had received our confirmation just before Christmas – phew! A week later and I read that some others with confirmed bookings were now being moved. So I started checking my emails / MDE every few hours worried that could be us. Fast forward to Saturday morning and I received a voicemail from Disney asking them to return their call to discuss our booking.

Sooooo we have now been moved to Beach Club – to say we are ecstatic in an understatement!

Beach Club is the hotel I would look at longingly but never thought we could afford to stay there – it’s my dream hotel and I can’t believe we have been sprinkled with this magic luck by Disney!

So now we are re thinking our ADR plans, originally to spend lots of evening walking over to Disney Springs for dinner, this will likely change to more dinners in the Boardwalk / Epcot area and more evenings trying out the Food and Wine booths. Soo can’t wait!

So that’s it for now, I’ll likely update as ADR day approaches and when we confirm any other plans.

Toodles! x

Update 04/04/18 - https://DIBB.in/13162680

Update 23/04/18 - ADRs and Plans https://DIBB.in/13206440

[DreamsOfOrlando]

Wow beach club resort! Sounds like you will have a fab holiday! Excited to follow your TR x

[redspottyowl]

Yay Gill! Well done one the pre trip report! Am avidly awaiting your dining ADR plans!

[Nickyolive]

We fly out on the 9th Oct and got our phone call moving ours from okw to the beach club last Thursday 😃 We were at okw last year but visited the beach club a couple of time for diner and said that would be our dream resort if money wasn’t an option. To say we’re excited is an understatement! We too are planning our ADRS around the boardwalk area instead of Disney springs Happy planning

[Gill247]

Originally Posted by DreamsOfOrlando

Wow beach club resort! Sounds like you will have a fab holiday! Excited to follow your TR x

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Thank you! I love a TR so definitely going to try to do one myself!

[Gill247]

Originally Posted by redspottyowl

Yay Gill! Well done one the pre trip report! Am avidly awaiting your dining ADR plans!

See more...

Originally Posted by Nickyolive

We fly out on the 9th Oct and got our phone call moving ours from okw to the beach club last Thursday 😃 We were at okw last year but visited the beach club a couple of time for diner and said that would be our dream resort if money wasn’t an option. To say we’re excited is an understatement! We too are planning our ADRS around the boardwalk area instead of Disney springs Happy planning

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Thank you! It's so exciting isn't it! #beachandyachtclubpixiedust

[Mad Hatters]

What a fantastic upgrade getting to stay at beach club.

Plans sound great, and a fellow lover of Epcot lol.

[Goldia]

Love this is us! Plus I'm totally addicted to the Tim tracker. I hope you have fun planning your trip. It sounds like it's going to be fab!