She’s There for 12 Months! – Trip 1 – Pre Trip - Unlike Nothing You've Ever Read

[Holdensccs]

Another Florida holiday beckons, our ‘once in a lifetime’ trips to Florida started over 20 years ago and they’re getting more frequent not less!
Our next trip isn't many days away, so here’s my attempt at a pre-trip report….

Cast:
Me – Shawn – fifty something.
DW – Clare – also fifty something.

Background:

The reason for this trip (and the next two) is that our Disney obsessed DD is following her dreams, after a very lengthy and stressful application process, she was successful in being accepted onto the Walt Disney World Cultural Representative Program (CRP). 12 whole months working in the British pavilion in Epcot on food service.

She goes out on the 28th of April.

DW quite rightly suggested (insisted) that we visit her in Florida as often as we can during this time. To be fair, I’m quite willing to make this sacrifice, so we’ve now 3 trips planned over the next 12 months, 2 of which are already booked.

So we’re going on the 28th of May for our first visit, 9 nights with British Airways from Glasgow (via Gatwick) which we’ve done before a couple of times, staying at the Ramada Gateway on Hwy192.

Not entirely sure about this hotel, it gets very average reviews, but it was so cheap (£466 each!) and when we booked we only had to pay a £150 deposit. So a 9 night Florida holiday for £932, we’d have paid that for a week in Tenerife. Also DD is staying at Vista Way which is not too far away.

I had to get a new passport, which only took a week, and we’ve both got new ESTAs.

I had wanted to splash out and get a Mustang convertible for this trip, but we decided that extra spends whilst there were a priority, so after some searching for car hire, BA came out cheapest (Avis) a full size (group e) for the duration cost us £208 all in.

Spending money will be a mixture of prepaid FairFX some cash and I will have a Santander Zero mastercard, which has no foreign transaction fees. I got the latter as I get paid whilst in Florida, so it will defer the costs until we get home.

At the time of writing DD (Ceara – 24) has moved out of her city centre flat and back in with us, she’s also temporarily unemployed having finished her job last Friday. She is just a little bit excited, thank goodness it’s only 3 days until she leaves!

As far as plans and itineries go, well, we’ll be ‘doing’ Disney again for the first time in 10 years? DD will be able to get us a couple of (parkhopping) days at WDW of her allowance.

We’ve not got a lot of time so, we decided to also get Seaworld and Busch Gardens annual passes, as well as one for DD as an early birthday present.

We will miss Universal this time around, but the plan is to get Universal Annual passes when we visit in December.
So a couple of Disney days, a couple of Seaworld days, a trip down to Busch Gardens, quite fancy Kennedy Space Center as we’ve never been there. Maybe an airboat trip, there will of course be shopping!

I can’t not visit Old Town for the cruise and maybe we’ll get to see Celebration at last?
There will be food aplenty, amongst others, we’ll be eating at Teak Neighbourhood Grill,

Mannys,

Logans Roadhouse,

Culvers

and Millers Ale House.

Although we’ve a car, we’ll also be making use of Uber so that the designated driver (that’s me) can have a cocktail or three with dinner. Not every night you understand, I’m not a lush!

I’m going to try to use the Dibb app to post “live” reports each day, after I’ve got the hang of it. We will see how that goes…

Next visit after this is also with BA and the Ramada Gateway for 9 Nights on the 13th of December, though we’ll be flying via Philadelphia for a bit of variety. My work schedule dictates that our 2019 visit should be starting on or around the 1st of March, that’s not booked yet but we WILL be going.

I should also talk about our DS (Scott – 18) Though he is our favourite male child, he wont be coming with us on any of these trips. He is a cadet marine engineer in the merchant navy, currently at college, but he goes away for his first sea voyage (four months) just after we return from Florida in June. Then he’s moving into student accommodation in Glasgow, when he gets back from sea, for his last few months at college.

Next year we will have a seriously empty nest!

[Goldia]

Congratulations to your DD, I hope she enjoys her time as a cast member. I agree it would be rude if you didn't make the effort to visit her out there as often as possible! I hope you have a brilliant time.

[yellowrose78]

What an amazing opportunity for both your kids. Looking forward to reading more

[Neep]

Ooh - exciting! Looking forward to updates

[Holdensccs]

DD is there now, which is a relief.
She was 2 hours almost waiting for a bag, that got lost between the second bag drop and the main terminal

Once it was reunited with its proper owner she/we were able to relax a bit.
Her first day was Dapper Day, she's made her own dress from scratch (with ears to match)
Here's a few photos:

This last one I love, She's in her happy place living the dream!

Last night we video chatted with her as she was at the pool before getting ready for dinner (isn't technology wonderful?) we tried not to be too jealous

Tomorrow (well today I suppose) she is moving from POR to her Disney accommodations for the next 12 months at Vista Way.
No doubt WalMart will be getting her custom later too.

That's all for my mini update... byeee

[jengibbo]

I was a cast member from 1998-99 and it was probably one of the best years of my life. Obviously this was before mobile phones and FaceTime so I couldn’t speak to my parents everyday. I made lifelong friendships and had an amazing adventure.

[disneyme]

Lovely photos of your DD- hope she has a brilliant year

[Goldia]

What a great dress, how clever to make it herself. Some lovely photos.

[sheluk]

Ooh what a lucky girl and lucky you getting to visit her there.

Hope her training goes well & fab update! Great idea about the uber and cocktails - I wouldn’t judge for it being every night!

[caitlinsmummy]

Wow, well done to your DD. Looks like she is settling in well already! Her costume looks amazing and she is just beautiful, no wonder your so proud! Hopefully we may see her on our trip in Oct/Nov as we plan to visit R&C. Looking forward to more updates x