Trip report from a trip report virgin!

[babbymint]

Hello all
Sitting here waiting to leave for the airport, all bags packed, paperwork sorted, so thought I might do my first ever trip report!

We are Babbymint (50 something!) known as Babs, a secondary school teacher. Mr Babbymint known as Chas, (54) a retired squaddie now self-employed gardener, and the two teenage babbymint boys, Freddie (17) half way through A levels and Tom (16) just finished GCSEs. Tom has had lots of health issues, we nearly lost him a few years ago, but he is ok now, but I am very protective over him. Freddie suffers from a lot of teenage angst - he doesn't really want to come if truth be told, I'm hoping he will enjoy it. Thus this will be our last family holiday as a unit of 4 - so I want to savour every moment!

This trip was originally for 2020 (but without NY) and is the third reschedule (xmas 2020, summer 2021).

We always do DIY - we don't have a massive income so I'm always looking to budget wherever possible - I will try to add any spends as I go - we are not a fussy family and I will generally spend a lot of time planning, booking and rebooking to get the best value. As we haven't been away for a while, I have splurged a little on this trip, but not too much. We've been to Orlando a few times, and Chas and I have been to New York separately in the past. We added in NY as it wasn't that much more to fly there first and then get the internal.

Our itinerary
New York - 4 nights - cant wait we have a 2 bed suite - more details later

Anna Maria Island - 4 nights - VRBO booked

Disney Coronado Springs - 5 nights - paid for mostly using Tesco rewards and Hotels.com

Villa - 8 nights - booked through Airbnb

Royal Pacific Club level - 3 nights - splashed out as I don't have to buy tickets for Universal as we upgraded to a seasonal pass in 2019 and its been frozen, so saved over a grand.

Flying today from Gatwick, fingers crossed it goes without a hitch - so far we have managed to dodge the train strikes too!
Catch up later...

[cornishfrogboy]

Great itinerary and am really looking forward to your updates.

I was rather nervous when doing my first trip report in 2018, given that I am most certainly no Academic or Literary giant.. but was relieved to find fellow DIBBERS very supportive as I found my way forward and developed my own ‘style’ of trip reporting.
I now enjoy compiling my ‘trippies’ and they have become an intrinsic part of our vacation routine.. I do my ‘trippie’ in the evenings, whilst Mandie does her scrapbook.

[jolou]

Sounds amazing!

[Twinklestar1]

Have a fantastic holiday- look forward to hearing about it !

[mick]

Sounds like a good holiday looking forward to reading along

Joan

[Rac20]

Hope you have an amazing time.
It’s hot, hot, hot in New York.

Check out the kayaking on the Hudson if you get chance. My teens loved it. In fact, it was the highlight of our trip. And best of all, it’s free.

[Goldia]

I hope you all have a brilliant time. I'm looking forward to following along. We're not far behind you, we fly Wednesday!

[joanna23]

Have a fantastic time!

[ClaireNJ]

Looking forward to this
Have a fantastic time 😎
X

[babbymint]

Thanks all, well it’s 430 here and I’m awake but no one else is!
Flight was uneventful - bag drop at Gatwick took quite a while as did the queue to get onto the departure lounge.
But Tom felt queasy the whole way and refused to eat or drink anything for the whole way and really worried me.
We landed on time but then spent an hour taxiing to the docking port and was towed in by a tractor the last bit. Then the queue for immigration was about an hour and twenty. Normally I wouldn’t care as at least we were there but as Tom had now not eaten/drunk a thing for twelve hours I had visions of him passing out!
Got a yellow cab into Manhattan which is a flat fare of $52 and came to $63 at arrival? It took around 35 minutes. So after landing at 6pm us time we walked through our hotel door at 945. We had arrived!

OMG - this was what I had been so excited about - the view from my bed…

We are staying in a 2 bed suite at the UN millennium plaza Hilton in east midtown Manhattan. I booked it months ago when we added on NY to our trip and got it for under $800 for four nights - now around $900 per night.
2 beds, 2 baths and a living area, views over Manhattan one side and over the Hudson the other. I’d already checked in online and had a digital key so could go straight to the room.
The boys however didnt want to share a bed so we called down for some extra sheets and blankets and made up the couches - Tom now sparko on it

Chas and I nipped out and grabbed the first thing we found just round the corner - 2 Philly steak rolls and two bacon burgers which were enormous- $40 with a can of drink too.

So off to bed we went , more later - we have New York City passes to make use of - thanks for reading.