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Old 14 Jun 08, 09:44 PM  
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finns@disney
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The one with EVERYTING-pre-trip part one

Finns do Disney – The one with EVERYTING - 6th October-26th October 2008

I love reading all the trip reports that people do – being nosey and that! so I decided to do one for our trip. Now I am no J.K.Rowling and I warn you I’m not really that funny so if you get bored I apologize now. I also don’t know how to add photos yet but I will find out as I love trippie’s with photo’s. I’ll be devastated if I can’t add any to my trip report. Anyway here goes, I hope you enjoy.

The Cast
Me….Karen -37,38 on this trip
Dh….craig-34
Dd….kyla-9,10 on this trip

The background!
This trip is dh and mine 6th since 1997.
The previous times were: -
July 1997
Feb 1999 –wedding
Oct 2002
Nov 2004-with my parents
Nov/Dec 2006 –with his parents, db, dsil and 3 nephews-the Clampits for sure!

Florida was dh first ever holiday abroad, I aloud him to pick where he wanted to go as it was his first ever holiday abroad and even though I wasn’t keen at first we have been hooked ever since, so much so that when we got married in 1999 Florida was the only place we wanted to do it once we decided to get married abroad.
This will be our dd’s 5th visit since 1999 and she totally loves it all - even the coasters, the bigger the better.
Now when we got married the family came but we stayed in different hotels and did our own thing – honeymoon you know! Since then we have been with just my parents which went quite well and then the last time we went was Nov/Dec 2006 for the Christmas decorations with his parents db, dsil and 3 nephews which was an experience in itself. Looking back we had a laugh but with his db not realizing you HAVE to be at the parks first thing to see everything it was quite an ordeal.
Now that trip I declared before we departed would be our last for some time as I wanted a change but due to not seeing everything we wanted to with such a big group of us when we got back I really felt we had missed a lot of the parks so when the new brochures came out me and dh kept picking them up and looking through, then one weekend when dd was staying at grandparents we went to town to price up.
Now in all the time we have stayed we have never stayed at Disney itself so this was a priority for me and as I had changed jobs from part-time to full-time we could now afford to do it. Now even though I wanted to stay at Disney I also love international drive to stay on as everything is there and within reach for you seaworld, universal, the malls, restaurants, crazy golf etc, so we decided to do 2 weeks on idrive and the final week in Disney.
With this in mind we sat with the travel agent one Saturday in March 2007 and picked Villager Inn on I-drive (stayed there before, clean and basic) for 2 weeks and All Stars Movies for the 3rd week unfortunately the Movies was all booked up so we selected Pop Century - result we were in luck. We decide to go in October again as warmer than November and we wanted to do MNSSHP again and it was mine and dd’s birthday in October and as we were going for 3 weeks we could both celebrate in style.
So it was decided we would fly on Monday 6th October and return on Monday 27th October with Virgin from Manchester. We paid our deposit and left floating on air, can’t believe we are going for 3 weeks AND staying at Disney - result.

The secret!
Once booked over coffee me and dh decided to not tell dd we would keep it a surprise as we were flying the day before her 10th birthday. We decided we would just wake her up and take her to the airport and wrap her tickets up as a gift. So with this in mind planning and such became a military operation and nothing could be left out –terrible thing when kids can read! We decided also to only inform parents as not sounding mean but didn’t want db and dsil to book with us-actually that does sound mean but we didn’t care. So this became our secret the only people I could discuss this with became my poor friends at work who by now must be fed up to the back teeth with me going on about - it’s going to be a long 19mths!

9 months to go!
Christmas came and went and the secret was still ours – can’t believe I’ve not blurted it out to dsil as every time we talk Florida always comes up. I had months of planning going on already – I wanted birthday meals, to visit aquatica, jungala at Busch gardens, Disney crazy golf to do, bibbidi bobbidi boo to book for dd, MNSSHPthe list gets longer.
So first off the list was my birthday meal and as I love shamu there was only one place-dine with shamu at seaworld. In all the times we have been we have never done this and the last time we went the believe show was postponed as they had a new baby and none of the whales would do anything. So on the website I got and ordered meal for 3 on 20th October –result! With confirmation printed off and safely in my travel wallet I slept well that night.
The next day however dh informed me it was the day we were moving to Pop Century – oh well I said the meal is around about 4 o’clock from what I’ve read on the dibb (no time on confirmation) so we will pack and leave cases in hotel and go to Seaworld for what our daughter will believe to be our last day-such cruel parents! We will then have my birthday meal then we will leave the park and grab a taxi to take us to the “airport” and unfortunately end up at Disney –what a shame! Dh declared I had to change the date but I’ve stood my ground and I shall not be moved!

8 months to go!
Started our diets this month as can’t fit in my cut-off jeans that I wore last time we went. Doing Weight Watchers but without the cost. I have the books from years ago so just going to see how we do.. Dh decides to join the local gym – well the first time he went he nearly collapse when he got back it was so funny trying to watch him climb the stairs to reach the shower. Anyway far play to him he sticks to it and now he quite enjoys torturing himself everyday except the weekend (still need beer on a weekend diet or no diet) It’s even funnier when my friend calls and they are trying to outdo each other with what the best exercises are for flatter stomachs, quite bizarre in my opinion as you have probably guessed I detest exercise I come out in quite a rash and palpitations when I go near a gym so best I stay away for my own good

7 months to go!
We’ve come up with the bright idea of doing a loft conversion. So builder booked I’ve had to move all my precious Disney info to my parent’s house for safety. This has not been a bad idea really as the time as flown since we started, so my countdown is going very fast as I cannot get online to check everyday as the computer is shoved to the back of the junk room and it’s like climbing Mount Everest to reach it. Waiting patiently for the180 day mark to book ADR’s and also the Park Hours – the holy grail of planning….

6 months to go!
Yippee the park hours are showing – therefore nobody sees me on an evening until our itinerary is perfect – this pleases dh no end! I can also now plan all our ADR’s for the 180 day phone call.
Now being so organised I have already booked this date of from work months ago so my excitement is mounting. Dh had a go about wasting a full day off to book meals – no idea some people obviously. At this moment in time he doesn’t quite grasp the importance of the situation but he will given time when we just turn up for our delicious meals and get seated straight away. Then he will thank me for all my hard work.
So the day dawns and I wait patiently for noon, it finally arrives and I’m on the phone for the most important meal dd birthday meal. I try my hardest for Breakfast at the Castle but even though it is only 2mins past 12 it’s booked OMG! how can it be booked already- did I get my dates all wrong, not possible I decide it must be all the people staying at Disney already! I settle for Dinner at the Castle at 4.00pm on Tuesday 7th October – result! I quickly taken my res no and pay with dh’s card- he nearly has heart failure later when I tell him the cost but I remind him it will be priceless when she finds out she is going in the castle for her birthday meal, he reluctantly agrees then takes his card off me!
Because we are off-site the lady tells me I have to call back for the rest – no problem I say, have a nice day….
We now also have a problem regarding holiday clothes for dd, she is only 9 but in 10/11 clothes. I think she must have grown a foot already this year and I start to panic that I won’t be able to get the right size clothes for her to put away. Therefore she is going to have to try on all outfits bought for her to check for growing room, this will arouse suspicion as to why she can’t wear the clothes we are buying her.
So after a few days deliberation we decide to tell her- well you would have thought she had been told she had won a million pounds the way she went on, the countdown has now really begun but at least it is only 6 months of asking is it nearly time for Florida yet – not the 19months she (or we) would have had to endure if she had have known straight away.
I call back to book more ADR’s and bibbidi bobbidi boo for dd on our MNSSHP day, I get all that I request another result!

The Itinerary!
Mon 7th Oct - fly to the best place in the world
Tues 7th Oct - dd is 10 finally made double digits, Magic Kingdom all day, Dinner at Castle
Wed 8th Oct - Aquatica
Thurs 9th Oct – Busch Gardens
Fri 10th Oct – Seaworld
Sat 11th Oct – Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney for lunch, Epcot
Sun 12th Oct - Universal Studios
Mon 13th Oct – Animal Kingdom
Tue 14th Oct – Blizzard Beach, shopping at the Malls
Weds 15th Oct – Busch Gardens
Thurs 16th Oct - Islands of Adventure
Fri 17th Oct – Aquatica
Sat 18th Oct – Hollywood Studios
Sun 19th Oct – shopping
Mon 20th Oct – my birthday, Seaworld – Dine with Shamu, then move to Disney, Magic Kingdom for fireworks as EMH
Tues 21st Oct – Blizzard Beach, Fantasia Gardens miniature golf
Wed 22nd Oct – Animal Kingdom – breakfast at Tusker House 8.20am, EMH
Thurs 23rd Oct – pool, bibbidi bobbidi boo at DTD @ 1.00pm, whispering canyon café @5.05pm, MNSSHP at Magic Kingdom
Fri 24th Oct – Typhoon Lagoon, Epcot as EMH
Sat 25th Oct – O’hana breakfast @ 8.00am,Magic Kingdom
Sun 26th Oct – Chef Mickeys @ 8.10am, Winter Summerland miniature golf, Hollywood Studios as EMH
Mon 27th Oct – hometime – check in @ DTD boo hoo!

I have let go of some of my control in this part of the planning and done this itinerary with dd and so most of it was her say so and as she will be 10 I feel she will cope quite well with it. I will check all the times to make sure everything is okay with this itinerary sometime in September, but at this moment I feel pretty pleased with it. If anyone as any more suggestions please feel free to let me know.
We have never eaten at any of the places booked so we are looking forward to doing so. I have read and re-read reviews so I hope I have picked well or else I will be in big trouble. The only other one I would like to try is dinner at 1900 with Cinderella, but I don’t know if we can fit it in or just try to book when we get there – watch this space!

4 months to go!
Our diets have been going well dh as lost a stone and half and I’ve lost a stone too so quite pleased with ourselves. Amazed actually as not really good at this sort of thing but Florida beckons and we need to fit into holiday clothes as cannot afford new for us all after loft conversion. I think this decorating as helped too as we are busy on a night instead of sat in front of tv eating junk. Dh still at gym and I’ve also agreed to do a midnight walk for our local hospice, that’s the kind of exercise I can cope with – walking! I shall just think I am walking around Magic Kingdom and hopefully I will complete the 13 ½ miles in no time at all…
Dd has got quite a few outfits now – tried on and checked for growing room as today measured her feet and already a 3 ½ and 4’8” in height. My holiday clothes have grown too, just a few little vests to get then I’m all done. Dh wants to wait a couple more months to get his clothes as he will need new too as he is hoping to lose another stone before we go – I have warned him though that winter clothes appear in stores now from July so he needs to get a move on.
I have also purchased a lovely Maisie Moo duffle bag for all my clothes – actually it may fit all dd in too I didn’t realise how big it was I hope its not too big for the plane, not checked website for sizes of luggage yet…
I’ve still got loads to sort out dd needs a new passport, not sorted insurance out yet, MNSSHP tickets need to be ordered along with 21day Ultimate Disney tickets and Universal tickets – so much to do so little time but I always get there in the end.

Will try to update as the months pass till then thanks for reading hope i haven't bored you all too much.
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Old 14 Jun 08, 09:51 PM  
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great to see a new pre trip... lovely to follow the excitement!

we tooare staying at pop but as we arrive you leave for home!

hope you have a magical holiday x
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Old 14 Jun 08, 11:47 PM  
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Not boring at all i've enjoyed reading it
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Old 15 Jun 08, 09:52 AM  
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sounds great a good action packed 3 weeks
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Old 15 Jun 08, 10:04 AM  
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Great start, I really enjoyed reading it Are you pleased you told your DD or would you have rather waited till the day you went? Can't wait to follow the rest
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Old 15 Jun 08, 10:42 AM  
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finns@disney
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thanks everyone for your kind comments. i am glad we told her stephwa, i don't think i could have kept it till the actual day we went i get too excited plus its nice for her to be involved now she is older and knows what she wants to do...
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Old 15 Jun 08, 10:58 AM  
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Great start, reading all these reports will keep me going until may09
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Old 15 Jun 08, 12:22 PM  
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:)

Great stuff!



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Old 26 Sep 08, 12:34 PM  
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All sounds brill, not long now!
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Old 26 Sep 08, 12:52 PM  
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TrueBlue's Reviews
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Restaurant Reviews: 5
so far so good Karen Sounds like it's going to be a very busy holiday for you.

I'm sure you's will all have a great time, i'd love to go for 3 weeks. I'm really looking forward to you coming home now so I can read your trip report
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