The Land, Sea and Wedding Trip - October 2015 Pre-Trip *Updated 26th Sept - 2 Weeks To Go Update*

[Lisa29]

UPDATED 9TH OCTOBER

I know it is very early to start this pre-trip report , however, this new trip is a year earlier than we had first thought it would be so I am very excited! Plus, we are now at under 400(!) days so here goes……

It wasn’t too long ago that I finished my previous trip report, Five Little Ones Take the Adults, from September/October 2013 for anyone who has a spare several hours and wants to read!

I will start with the main cast:

This is my husband Phil and I



Phil is 33 and this will be his sixth trip. I should probably list Phil as a guest star as he is the designated photographer for the trip and like last year, I imagine he will only appear in a handful of photos!

I am Lisa, just turned 33, and this will be my eighth trip. I love Orlando and LOVE the planning involved! I am so excited for all the planning that will be needed for this trip!

Our two girls, Madison and Kaley



(Taken at Crystal Palace last year.)







(Taken a couple of weeks ago on Madison's first day in year 1 and Kaley's first day at pre-school.)

Madison (the older of the two) is nearly 6 and this will be her fourth trip. She is a girly girl who loves Disney, dancing, reading and playing outside. She isn’t keen on fireworks and is rather timid shall we say, about going on the majority of rides!

Kaley, our youngest, is nearly 3 and this will be her second trip. She has just started pre-school and ballet and loves both! She loves playing with toys and teddies, and everything these days is about being a ‘big girl’.

A photo of the four of us taken at Universal Orlando last year



The rest of the cast for this trip are:

My Mum and Dad, Lorraine and Mick



They both love Disney and started all of our love for Orlando with our first trip in 2000. They now work hard all year to be able to go every year since buying DVC on our Christmas trip back in 2008. They are heading back in October and are taking in Vero Beach and a 7 night cruise on the Disney Fantasy. I have lost count of the number of times they have been now!

My brother Ryan, sister-in-law Bethany and my niece Piper



This was taken on our trip last year so Piper has changed rather a lot since then! Here is a picture of her with Kaley, taken a few weeks ago



This will be their second trip here as a family but they have also visited before Piper came along.

My sister Danielle and her fiancé Dave



This was taken at Disney Land Paris earlier this summer. They have visited Disney World, Disney Land and Disney Land Paris and I have lost count of the number of their trips too!

The final three members of this trip are Dave’s parents and brother. I haven’t asked if they would like to be included in this report so will leave them out for now.

The title of the trip hopefully gives a little glimpse of what this trip will be about!

Next up, how this trip came about and version one of our plans!

[Lisa29]

Links for those who just want to read updates

1. How the trip came about and version one of our plans
2. Our plans, version two (a change?!)
3. Our plans, version three (is this the last change?!)
4. Family updates (including babies, birthdays and other holidays!)
5. Shh, it's a secret! (a small detail I had forgotten to mention)
6. Update (well, kind of!)
7. Accommodation update (no, not more changes!)
8. Flight update (flights booked? Check!)
9. Pre-booking seats (seats booked? Check!)
10. Update (quick update before holiday updates)
11. My Disney Experience (linked!)
12. Airport parking (booked)
13. Memory Maker (also booked)
14. Christmas and the Reveal! Post 1 and Post 2 (the link to the reveal video is in post 2)
15. Car Hire, ESTA's, Airport Hotel and Flight update (all booked and sorted)
16. Cruise Booking (all the details of our cruise booking)
17. Ticket and Money Update (tickets purchased and some money exchanged)
18. Table Service Choices (our current restaurants of choice)
19. Random Updates (some holiday and non-holiday updates)
20. New pre-trip report (my sister Danielle has started her Wedding pre-trip report)
21. ADR Day (how our ADR day went)
22. ADR Day round two (how our second ADR day went)
23. Clothes shopping (because I haven't shared enough shopping purchases yet!)
24. Passporter (my new books)
25. Holiday Crafts (something ticked off the to-do list)
26. Assorted Update (more shopping, payments and a teaser!)
27. The New Countdown Chart and a Trailer (including the reason for both)
28. Another Assorted Update (more $s purchased, some craft items and an ADR addition)
29. Update (books, shopping and parking)
30. Crafty Update (mousekeeping envelopes and autograph books)
31. A Small Update (which ends up being mostly shopping related!)
32. Another Craft Update (the start of my Mickey's Grand Welcome, version 2)
33. Pre Fast Pass Update (small, assorted update before FP day)
34. Fast Pass and Cruise OLCI Update (how did we get on?)
35. Shopping and Craft Update (yes another one!)
36. Daily Plans Part 1 (first week of what we will be doing)
37. Daily Plans Part 2 (the rest of our plans plus a couple of minor updates)
38. Two Weeks To Go Update (an assortment of things that have been accomplished)
39. Madison and Kaley's Birthday (and a holiday update)
40. Two days to go (bit of a pointless update really!)

[Lisa29]

How the trip came about

We were supposed to be going back in 2016. Such a long time from the last trip ending to then so we were all a bit down on this. And then this happened





Dan and Dave got engaged at Disney Land Paris in June!

Dan knew that when she got married she wanted it to be in Orlando but the plan was still 2016. She was over at our house one weekend after they got back and we were talking about it and we were saying how we really wished we were going next year as we would be able to book accommodation and she could get the Wedding Day booked.

Well, my husband, who always says that we should pay more on our mortgage or use our money for something other than Orlando (weird, I know!) and was adamant that 2016 was still an IF we go rather than my we ARE going, turns around and says, “let’s go next year then!”

Dan and I couldn’t believe it! We both just kept saying, “really? You’re saying we should really go next year”! He said yes, if we thought we could make it work financially (it was us that had said we couldn’t go back before 2016) then we should go next year instead.

We started talking about it and were sure the others would be ok with it and decided that yes, 2015 it was now going to be!

Soon after, Dan and Dave brought us all around our Save the Date cards



And we planned to meet at Mum and Dad’s at the weekend to talk about what we were going to do!

So, onto version one of our plans that have since changed a few times since we first booked:

Basic Plans, Version One


The When

Flying on Sunday 11 October and landing back on Friday 30 October. The airline will depend on the prices when they are released.

The Where

After all getting together, we decided to book a two-bed villa at Old Key West for us, Mum and Dad, and Ryan, Bethany and Piper for the first 12 nights. Dan and Dave will stay in a studio using Mum and Dad’s DVC points and Dave’s family have a one-bed villa booked at OKW.



(Taken from google.)

The next 3 nights will be spent on the Disney Dream, yay! I am so excited for this and have wanted to do a Disney cruise in so long. We have all booked this. I booked ours through Dreams Unlimited Travel and will talk about this more a little later.



(Thanks again to google.)

The last 3 nights are still to be booked but for the four of us will be at Cabana Bay at Universal.



(Google again.)

The Wedding

Dan has the Wedding ceremony and photographer booked so far. I am hoping she will do a trip report for this but I will hopefully be putting some of the details on here when she is ready to share!

At this point, all we have booked are the 12 nights at OKW, the cruise and Dan has the Wedding ceremony booked, as we can’t book anything else until closer to a year out……….

……………………….And then we all got an email which meant these plans had to be changed!

Which will lead me onto version two of our plans, coming soon!

[DiddyDan]

YAY you've started!

Oh my gosh I am so excited lol! Even though I know everything I love reading along lol!

And yes I'm pretty sure I will be doing a pre-trip for the wedding x

[Lisa29]

Originally Posted by DiddyDan

YAY you've started!

Oh my gosh I am so excited lol! Even though I know everything I love reading along lol!

And yes I'm pretty sure I will be doing a pre-trip for the wedding x

See more...

I know, I decided it was finally time!

Yay, I really want you to do a pre-trip for the Wedding part!xx

[Disney_Diva]

Hey so glad you are doing a pre trip report.
I loved reading all about your last trip!
Xx

[Antigua08]

Really enjoyed your trip report so looking forward to following a long with the pre trippie. Plans sound great so far

[sarahewoods]

Hi there Lisa, not read your other report, but going to. Thank you for sharing this one.

Looking forward to more xx

[Lisa29]

Originally Posted by Disney_Diva

Hey so glad you are doing a pre trip report.
I loved reading all about your last trip!
Xx

See more...

Thank you very much! x

Originally Posted by Antigua08

Really enjoyed your trip report so looking forward to following a long with the pre trippie. Plans sound great so far

See more...

Thank you very much! Will have to post the second version of our plans soon!

Originally Posted by sarahewoods

Hi there Lisa, not read your other report, but going to. Thank you for sharing this one.

Looking forward to more xx

See more...

Thank you so much! Hope you like my previous report. x

[collybird]

SO glad you've started. So very jealous of the cruise, we'd love to do one.

The girls are so grown up. Madison's hair is SO much longer and SO much darker. Kaley's looking like such a big girl.

What made you opt for OKW over SSR this time?