Three Generations Do Disney...First Timers *Pre Trip Report* *Update 17/04/19*

[Disney_Mack]

Update No. 1

“Three Generations do Disney…First Timers”

Hello - this is my first ever pre trip report, I’ve read so many and they have all been a great read, this has given me the inspiration to do my own one.

So, here we go….

So, who are we?

There’s me, Marie, 37, organiser and planner who has become a little bit obsessed with the planning of this trip, this will be for all of us our first ever trip across the pond. I decided I was going to book Disney as soon as we came back from our Disneyland Paris trip in February, I loved it, absolutely loved it & couldn’t wait to message my good friends Rachael (RedRach1903) and Emma (redemma13) who are Disney Fanatics themselves to tell me everything I needed to know. I’m sure I’ve had a few eye rolls from them as I have been pretty constant. Soz guys.

I also have a holiday booked with my partner Martin at the end of September, we are off to Zante for a week just the two of us. We are both self employed and have been pretty busy so I decided that we needed a break, he agreed and a holiday was booked. We are also in the middle of an extension, well at the start of the extension, planning has been approved but are still waiting on the building warrant…it’s taking forever! We first started our planning in October 2017…it’s a very long process! Hopefully by the end of the year, myself and the kids will be in our new home.

There’s Susan, my mum & Cameron and Sophie’s Grandma, 56 – she is just happy to go with the flow and let me take charge of everything. My mum is due to get married (02/09/18), she is excited about this trip but understandably she has a lot more other things going on at the moment. She then jets off on her honeymoon to Mexico a few days later, so this trip hasn’t really got her full attention…..yet. But that will all change when she is home, full of the wedding blues…she’ll then have Disney to look forward to!

Next up, we have Cameron, a right cheeky but lovable boy, age 9 (will be 10 when travelling). Cameron has no idea that we are even going on this trip. I will be (I think) letting them know on their birthday in November, a big reveal of some sort will have to happen. Cameron has been to Disneyland Paris twice, once with their dad and most recently in February with myself and my Partner Martin. He loved all the big rides…so he will be in his element over there. We still have Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway on our Sky Planner as he loves it when they are on Rip Ride Rocket. His words are, I can’t wait to get on that if we ever go. Little do you know Cameron! Hehe! This has been a really hard secret to keep by the way!

Last but certainly not least, we have Sophie, age 9 - would do anything for anyone - excluding her brother... (will also be 10 when travelling). Yes they are twins. No history of twins in our family & boom at our three month scan, we were hit with the wonderful news that I had two babies in there! After crying, laughing and some more crying, I think it finally sunk in…I’m a liar – it took a good day or two to sink in, I kept on looking back at our scan and thinking, no way, no way! Haha! Like Cameron, Sophie has been to Disneyland Paris twice, once with their dad and with myself and my partner in February this year. She didn’t do any of the big rides when she was there with her dad but on our most recent trip, she was on everything – she loved it. I have a pair of adrenaline junkies. Again, she is keen for RRR and is also saving money in our Orlando fund…! Again, little do you know Sophie, all will be revealed in November.

You can tell from the introduction that I am no not with Cameron and Sophie’s Dad but we pretty much bring them up together, he has a new wife and a daughter Ellie who is 4 and the kids absolutely adore her. I think we do a good job considering, don’t get me wrong, we have our moments and I can’t see him far enough – but for the kids – we do good!

I have a lovely new partner, Martin, he is 39 but sadly Disney was not for him. He didn’t really get the magic when we were in DLP In February, but I guess it’s not everyone’s cup of tea (sigh). To be honest, it wasn’t mine either, until I went but OMG, I really love Donald Duck by the way.

Also, mums husband to be Gary wasn’t keen on Disney either but was happy for mum to come along with us.

So, that’s where my title has come from…not very imaginative but it will do.

This is a pic of the boys…Disney Party Poopers. Gary looks like a right creeper in this photo! Hahaha!

Flight & Accommodation

As soon as it was possible, I got quotes from different travel agents which included the Disney Dining, two came in with what I thought were great prices, a few texts back and forth to mum that she was happy with the costs etc, played the travel agents off one another and what do you know, Disney was booked with a small deposit. Wow, we are going to Disney. A quick text to mum just to confirm she was definitely sure she was good to go and she was….just as well Mother because Disney is booked! WOOHOOOOOO! Set up a countdown as you do, and we are now down into the 200+ days instead of the 365+ days. It’s flying in…

We booked through Ramsay Travel, the guy I was dealing with was lovely, so lovely that I can’t remember his name.

So…we fly out on the 11/05/19 direct from Glasgow, returning 25/05/19, staying at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort, Preferred Room.

We have the Quick Service Dining Plan & Disney Park tickets included.

Whilst still being in the Disney bubble and feeling the need to splash more cash, I had a look for Universal tickets too, Florida Tix were coming out better value so another deposit of £40.00 and we had our Universal 3 Park Explorer Tickets purchased. We got ‘I’m a big deal card’ included – not really sure if that will be of benefit to us but I’m sure I’ll look into that at some point.

We, well when I say we, I mean me, I decided that it would be beneficial that we should stay at one of the Universal Hotels that offer the express passes, we wouldn’t need to wait in the long queues…mum was keen. Mum then wasn’t so keen when I was showing her You Tube videos of the roller coasters…bless her. I’m sure Cameron and Sophie will do their upmost to try and persuade her on to them…watch this space!

I’m going to wait until nearer the time to book a hotel using my Tesco Clubcard points –or until the park hours get released so I can then do our itinerary.

Just a short while back, I was having a look at our flight seats and trying to decide where to book us, before I knew it, I was up in the bubble and have booked us seats up there, seats 79 and row 80, the very back row. I’ve read that it’s a bit more relaxing, I’m not sure if its an age thing but I seem to be a little bit more anxious when it comes to flying. I might have to rely on wine or get something from the Doctor.

Pre Travel Day

I am taking the kids out of school, not going to make any excuses for this, education is important – they will be in P6, they won’t be sitting any exams so I don’t think they will miss out on anything crucial that will determine their future. And the cost difference to go in school holidays is crazy!

They will however be in school the full day of Friday 10th May, I will be off work no doubt running around like a mad woman making sure that everything is done. Their Dad will want to spend some time with them after school understandably – I am taking them away for two weeks. It’s tough, they were on a two week cruise the first two weeks of the summer holidays and I found it really hard – that’s the longest we have ever been apart.

We have decided that the train is the best option so we will book nearer the time. I booked our hotel room the other night, got the Premier Inn Glasgow Airport for a great price of £88.48…family room. This included a two course meal with an alcoholic drink for myself and mum and the kids eat free…this also includes breakfast for us all. So hopefully a stress free stroll over to the airport in the morning.

Shopping

When that deposit was paid for the holiday, I went into Disney…zilla mode. I don’t know what it was, if it was excitement, panic or a mixture of both but I had the feeling that I needed to buy the kids holiday clothes and I needed to do it now…so I had a look on eBay – it’s great. I picked up some great bargains for them. (Couple below) I also got the Next sale when it was on and picked up some half price bargains for them, you can’t go wrong with Next. I also picked up some iron on transfers (which I haven’t done yet). I’m a stalker, I start reading peoples posts on the DIBB, then I start following them on Insta. One of Rachael’s friends, posted on her insta about the iron on transfers, they looked really good so I asked Rachael to ask her where she got them….and yeah I got them too. No shame.

If you have read this far, thank you. Next update I guess will be when the park times are released so I can organise our daily park visits & food stops…I want all the food

Marie xx

[pandanne]

A lovely start and the time will soon fly by. Great price from Premier Inn especially as that includes alcohol and breakfast. Enjoy the planning.

[clochette]

Planning is so exciting isn't it? We aren't going until next July and I am already in full shopping mode. They have some great Disney stuff in Primark for adults ( not sure about kids cos DD is 15 now). No doubt I will buy a load more next year, too.

Great start and looking forward to reading all about your plans. Oh and we are going without DH, too, as he doesn't really "get" Disney either.

[Redrach1903]

Love this! Never thought I’d see the day you’d be posting on the dibb

Can’t wait to help you plan and to stalk your insta constantly while you’re there haha!

Will be round before you know it and you HAVE to film the big reveal xx

[thefourDs]

Happy planning 😁

[Lisa_Lollipop]

Eeeek so exciting, your plans sound amazing! Cameron and Sophie will be so excited when they find out!

Our three visits have all been in May, such a fab time to go as gorgeous weather and not too crazy busy!

We stayed at Hard Rock Hotel for a night on our last trip for one night to get express passes and it was brilliant! We got so much done in those two days!

Excited to read more as your planning continues!

[Disney_Mack]

Originally Posted by pandanne

A lovely start and the time will soon fly by. Great price from Premier Inn especially as that includes alcohol and breakfast. Enjoy the planning.

See more...

Thank you so much! Enjoy our upcoming trip, I see you have a few days to go!

[Disney_Mack]

Originally Posted by clochette

Planning is so exciting isn't it? We aren't going until next July and I am already in full shopping mode. They have some great Disney stuff in Primark for adults ( not sure about kids cos DD is 15 now). No doubt I will buy a load more next year, too.

Great start and looking forward to reading all about your plans. Oh and we are going without DH, too, as he doesn't really "get" Disney either.

See more...

Thank you very much! It is very exciting - there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not checking something Disney out! haha!
Every time I am out, I always pick something up - more so for the kids though.

[Disney_Mack]

Originally Posted by Redrach1903

Love this! Never thought I’d see the day you’d be posting on the dibb

Can’t wait to help you plan and to stalk your insta constantly while you’re there haha!

Will be round before you know it and you HAVE to film the big reveal xx

See more...

Hehehehe! I was waiting for your seal of approval! Hope it wasn't boring for you. There will be a lot of photos on Insta - you know me!

Oh I plan on filming the reveal - I am really looking forward to their reaction, I think (for once) they will be speechless! xxxx

[Disney_Mack]

Originally Posted by Lisa_Lollipop

Eeeek so exciting, your plans sound amazing! Cameron and Sophie will be so excited when they find out!

Our three visits have all been in May, such a fab time to go as gorgeous weather and not too crazy busy!

We stayed at Hard Rock Hotel for a night on our last trip for one night to get express passes and it was brilliant! We got so much done in those two days!

Excited to read more as your planning continues!

See more...

Ahh Lisa, you are another Dibber I've been stalking...in a nice way.
They will be super excited, can't wait to reveal it to them.

Nice nice to hear, I want it to be nice and not so busy so looks like I have picked a good time.

I'm not bothered which hotel we stay at Universal, they all look amazing! Can't wait.

Not too long for your trip either? It's going to be magical! xx