It’s been a long time coming! - Pre trip report

[FeFe]

Wasn’t really sure that I’d manage to keep up with a trip report but always wanted to do one so here goes! Hopefully won’t be abandoned halfway through 🙈

So who are we?
I’m Fiona, mum of the group. Turn 48 on our first full day there. Love planning and planes and airports and can often be found sitting at the airport watching the planes coming in and out.

Rachael is my daughter, 28 this year 🙈 how can that be when I’m only 21!
More like a best friend and equally often to be found up to mischief! Hysterically funny and never boring to be around.

Daniel is my big boy 🥰 He’ll be 18 just before we go and we have the biggest party planned. Think wedding without the bride! Dan loves to wear a suit, I mean absolutely loves to wear a suit. He’s so handsome (can’t believe I made him really!) and starting to come out of his shell. Finding glimpses of this mischievous streak that seem to run through our family, more and more as he is becoming more confident. Third Dan black belt in Taekwon Do and super fit.

Lorna, 26 and Rachael’s partner, is a florida virgin! She’s so excited she could burst and it’s adding to our excitement too just thinking about how mind blown 🤯 she’s going to be.

Chris is Rach pal and will turn 30 on our 2nd full day there! Another virgin and super excited!
(don’t have a pic yet!)

Jim is my partner, will also be 48 before we go. We have a situation (was a dafty when he was young!) with him where he needs to get a visa which previously could take about 6 months. His previous visa ran out during lockdown and his appt is for next week. We had given up thinking he could come but have since been reading forums and these are coming back in 3/4 weeks! He might just make it 🙈 we’ve got 7 weeks between visa appt and leaving so fingers crossed he’ll make it. We need him to come as he’s up super early and checks the pool and gets the hot tub on! And I think I’d miss him if he doesn’t make it, however there is Chris Martin! See day 4 😍

So that’s us all. We used to have mum with us but she’s 85 and can’t manage such a busy holiday now.

For me and my 2, it’s our 8th time, Jims 4th and the 2 virgins 😂.

This trip was supposed to be Oct 20, then June 2021 and now June 2022! Thanks Covid 🦠

We are heading over to our favourite place for 20 nights, 4 of us leaving from Edinburgh (should’ve been Glasgow but virgin deserted us) flying economy. Drove out to Edinburgh last week to watch it leave ☺️, it was cancelled 😞 sorry if I jinxed anyone on that flight 😬.
Chris is flying BA from London and Jim isn’t booked yet 😬

We’re staying at a dibb villa in High Grove. This will be the 3rd time we’ve stayed in this villa and absolutely love it. The owners are fabulous and constantly upgrade the villa. On previous trips we’ve stayed at summer bay resort just round the corner so picked this villa originally due to the location and knowing our way about. Can’t see us going anywhere else now really 🥰

We’ve got a couple of nights booked in the hard rock hotel, mainly for the frozé (and I don’t even like wine!) at the pool, but the express passes are an added bonus! After checking obsessively every day, we managed to get annual pass holder rates that saved us £300 from what we’d reserved with travel republic so happy with that.

We bought annual passes for universal for the 2021 trip, we love universal, but have since bought our Disney tickets as we couldn’t not take Lorna and Chris to the most magical place on earth! Currently waiting on them being delivered, were supposed to be here yesterday but Royal Mail 😡

We have booked the travel lodge next to Edinburgh airport for the night before we leave.
Due to virgin moving, we got free long stay parking, however, I have booked the multi storey parking as I’ve read the long stay is quite a distance away and really don’t want to have to walk that distance at 6am especially as it will probably be raining! It is Scotland afterall!

Having been to Edinburgh airport before and not much to do, I’ve also booked the aspire lounge. As Dan will be 18 it will be his first time to have a alcoholic beverage at the airport, his last however coz he still can’t drink in the US of A!

We aren’t normally super planners but due to disney needing park days booked, we’ve had to make a rough plan, subject to change though

Day 1
Arrive in at MCO at approx 2.30pm 🤞🏻
Pick up car, booked standard SUV but now need it for 6 😬 (asked virgin for upgrade price, £2000) so hoping for 6 seater SUV
Head to Heron Villa, Walmart for a shop and then relax!

Day 2
It’s my birthday so I get to choose what we do.
I’m thinking a pool morning as well be up super early then a quick trip to Disney springs for Lorna and Chris first taste of Disney. Always wanted to try wine bar George so have a 1pm reservation so a quick bite to eat. Have a wonder around then head to Mall at millennia for Cheesecake Factory dinner. It’s become tradition that we go there for birthday dinners 🥳
After this, the plan is to head to universal after 6 to activate our annual passes so the next parking is free and a wee wonder around the parks/city walk. We’ll probably be shattered by then so home for an early ish night

Day 3
Chris 30th birthday 🥳
He wants to do Magic Kingdom that day and that’s what we’d have suggested. Not going into too much detail in case he reads this 😉

Day 4
This is a first for us! Rachs friend knows Coldplays manager and is getting us guest tickets for their gig in Tampa. I love Chris Martin and have a life size cut out of him. If Jim doesn’t come, I might not come home 😜
Plan is to have breakfast then drive out to tampa in the morning/early afternoon. Gig in the evening. Never been to a gig over there so very excited about this. Planning on driving home afterwards so hope is not too terrible a journey 😬

Day 5
Planning on a lazy morning today, chilling by the pool. Then head to Disney Spring for some shopping and a 6pm dinner reservation for House of Blues! This was Dans favourite meal last time we’re were there.

Day 6
We’re thinking this would be our 2nd Disney park day, going to Animal Kingdom early on and staying till late afternoon.
Dinner would possibly be Longhorns. Although after a day of looking at the lovely animals………..😬

Can you tell the plannings getting a bit sketchy now? 🙈

Day 7
Another first for us would be IHOP for breakfast? Never done this before as we’ve got a dennys local to us.
Then a afternoon/evening at Epcot would like a reservation for Space 220 lounge but that’s looking unlikely

Day 8
On of our favourite places for today! Celebration and the Celebration town tavern for lunch. Love the vibe here and can spend hours just soaking it all in! Old town Kissimmee and the car show for the evening. We all really enjoy this and hope Lorna and Chris love the smell of the fuel too 😂

Day 9
Up and out early today and check in to the Hard Rock Hotel! Express passes in hand we’re heading for the studios today

Day 10
Early entry to the parks and IOA today

Day 11
Early entry again and doing a mop up of our favourite rides in both parks

Day 12
Planning Hollywood Studios today and would love a sci fi dining reservation today but need to wait to see if we can get one

Day 13
Planning a shopping day today with a wee magic kingdom reservation just in case

Day 14
Reservation for Animal Kingdom and dinner somewhere at Rolling Oaks for dinner (we’ve a few places we want to go to, fords garage, millers ale house, rock and brews)

Day 15
Shopping and Icon park

Day 16
Back to universal studios? With dinner at city walk

The last 4 days are pretty much wide open for us to decide where and what we want to do so will update them as we go!

So that’s that! First pre trip! Well done if you’ve managed to get to this point 😆 maybe that’s why I don’t do trip reports as I tend to waffle 😬

55 days to go! Ticket’s arrived 🥳

Thanks for reading along! Any comments, ideas, suggestions are very welcome!

[frabbit]

Exciting times ahead! Finally getting some fun in the sun ☀️

[Orlandoguy]

Not long t9 wait, looks like a packed trip - look forward t9 reqd8ng your trip reports

[FeFe]

Originally Posted by Orlandoguy

Not long t9 wait, looks like a packed trip - look forward t9 reqd8ng your trip reports

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We’ve always been go with the flow kind of folk but Disney have forced our hand a wee bit! 🤷🏻

Looks like you’re off a bit before us so have a great time 😊

[Hagrid]

Looks like a great trip planned, IHOP for breakfast is a brilliant idea, we love it. The sirloin tips and eggs is an absolute must 😀👍

[4holibobs]

Hello my fellow June buddy!

So lovely to see you have taken the plunge… I can already tell your trip report is going to be a huge success!

What a fabulous trip you have planned… really hope you can sort the visa for Chris… but OMG… day 4! What a treat for you all!

We have some of the same places planned, so I’ll look out for you.

Can’t wait to read more 😊

[sotagals]

Wedding without the bride ...love it!

Hope you all make it and that we get to know how your newbies like it.

[katebush95]

Love this, sounds really similar to our plan for November with 2 weeks in a villa and 2 nights at HRH! We also love Celebration and an IHOP breakfast 🥞 😍 Good luck with the visa 🤞

[FeFe]

Originally Posted by 4holibobs

Hello my fellow June buddy!

So lovely to see you have taken the plunge… I can already tell your trip report is going to be a huge success!

What a fabulous trip you have planned… really hope you can sort the visa for Chris… but OMG… day 4! What a treat for you all!

We have some of the same places planned, so I’ll look out for you.

Can’t wait to read more 😊

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Thanks! You helped me decide to do it lol
I’m so excited for the Coldplay gig 😆

x

[FeFe]

Originally Posted by Hagrid

Looks like a great trip planned, IHOP for breakfast is a brilliant idea, we love it. The sirloin tips and eggs is an absolute must 😀👍

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Duly noted! thanks for reading 🥰