Over the Hill and Sailing Away March 2017 Pre-Trip Report

[closeder]

Hello and welcome to my 2017 pre-trip report. After much deliberation I have decided to attempt my third trip report which I will attempt to update as live as possible throughout our holiday. I thoroughly enjoy reading trip reports on the Dibb hearing about everyone else's lovely holidays and picking up lots of hints and tips and I have to admit I have just read through both my previous reports and love having that record to look back on. My main intention on writing a live report last year was to keep my my Mum and Dad up to date on our daily holiday progress and they really enjoyed finding out quickly what we were getting up to so I've decided to commit to doing another one mostly for for them but also for our own benefit to look back on, hopefully a few others will enjoy reading along too.

So who are we?

Well there is me, Hazel, aged 40! I celebrated this big birthday in January and have had a lot of fun so far with several weekend trips away and being thoroughly spoiled by family and friends. Last year I managed to convince my husband Derek that we should really have two trips to Florida in the one year as it's no fun having a birthday in January as you can't go anywhere then, with there being no school holidays, and we should build up to my big birthday by celebrating in 2016 with two Florida holidays. We all had a brilliant time which I think helped me talk him into us doing a big Flordia holiday this year hee hee. I love to plan, love Disney, love shopping, love eating, love Florida, love The Dibb

My supportive hubby Derek aged 44, likes to complain that we spend too much money on holidays but then rolls his eyes and lets me book the next one. He really does love our Florida holidays though and is usually happy to go along with my plans.
Our DS Murray aged 11, still a football daft Man City fan who loves playing football for his team but also Fifa on his xbox, watching gaming videos on you tube, is a huge Star Wars and Lego fan and after finishing reading the full Harry Potter series is now onto Lord of the Rings. He also has a bit of an unhealthy obsession with the Pokemon app so I'm sure there will be some hunting going on in Florida
Our DD Katie aged 9, same Pokemon obsession as her brother, loves swimming and gymnastics and loves to read, she is on the second last Harry Potter book in preparation for Universal, although that won't be featuring in this trip (so far)

Here they are with Talking Mickey, certainly me favourite character meet from last year, I hope we can meet him again.

We are travelling with BA on a route we have used a few times to Florida flying out on 25th March from Edinburgh to Gatwick and then on to Orlando International. We will be hiring a car and driving to this place.

So happy to staying again on the Boardwalk and in Disney's Beach Club. We absolutely loved staying at the Yacht Club last year but this time when I was looking to book there were only really expensive room types available at the Yacht club but still plenty standard rooms left at the Beach club so we have ended up there, I would be happy with either one as the resort is lovely and such an amazing location for our family as we really do love Epcot.

We will be here for six nights on the free dining plan offer, I have some of our family favourite ADRs booked plus two newbies.

Park and Dinner plans are:
Sunday early dinner at Biergarten after taking advantage of early magic hours at Hollywood Studios then moving on to Epcot.
Monday Captains Grille after a day at Magic Kingdom, we have an early entry BOG breakfast booked for this day too
Tuesday Teppan Eddo after a day at Epcot, we have an early entry Garden Grill booked for this day(new for us), hoping to dash to Soarin before the queue builds and fast passed Test Track
Wednesday California Grill (new for us) after a day at Hollywood Studios
Thursday Last night meal at Yachtsman after a second day at Magic Kingdom

We upgraded Katie's ticket to adult to get the adult credits but will pay out of pocket for some of the kids meals so we have more credits to allow the two signatures. I very nearly changed California Grill to Hoop de Doo but I've decided to keep California grill after much deliberation and reading GopherLass's most recent trip report.

We really enjoyed using the dining plan last holiday and we are all looking forward to some more snacks at Starbucks for breakfast and going to some of our favourites for QS lunches. I can't get a BOG lunch although I keep trying every day, bit sad about that as we really enjoyed it last year.

Never mind.

I've had a request from the kids to do the Albatross cruise again which leaves from the boat dock at the hotel so I am considering booking this, it would be quite nice for Derek and I to have two hours of peace at the resort. I am also considering the Magic kingdom treasure hunt or the Marceline to the Magic tour for our second week. I did the Keys to the Kingdom tour last year and the kids loved hearing about it all, if anyone has done the treasure hunt or Marceline tour opinions would be welcome.

Already as I am writing this up I know I will be sad to move on after the six nights, however there is something exciting planned after this.

A three night cruise on the Disney Dream! I am beyond excited for this, never in my wildest dream did I think we would be able to do this, but once we had priced up a few nights at the Hard Rock Hotel and the Universal tickets , I started comparing prices with a cruise and although the cruise worked out a little more expensive, meals are included and it is something we've always wanted to do so the cruise won. It will be such a special treat, especially after years of wistfully gazing at the models of the boats in many a disney hotel lobby and picking up the leaflets knowing we couldn't really afford it. We are all crossing our fingers that Derek doesn't get sea sick, he's not good on Ferrys etc. but we have never been on a cruise ship so hoping he will be okay, I will be feeding him drugs and hoping for the best, but thought the three nights would be enough incase he does become ill.

We have booked a room with an extended outside veranda, hoping we will get some lovely weather so we can enjoy sitting out there and that I have managed to get the right side of the boat for some views.

I've joined a Fish Extender group on Facebook and Katie and I have been getting our gifts organised. It's been lots of fun so far, I'm really please with our efforts although all of our group seem to be American and I'm not sure our things will live up to their expectations, hopefully they will appreciate that we are flying long haul with limited baggage allowance! We have arranged a variety of things for each of the people on the list but in particular Katie has made key rings and little bottles for collecting some Castaway Cay sand as a memento and I know I would be happy to receive them so fingers crossed. Here's a couple of pictures.

We are also part of a magnet exchange, here are the ones I've bought for the other cabins, thought we should have a Scottish theme.

I've been pouring over trip reports here on the Dibb for tips about the cruise, any help gratefully appreciated. Our plans are to spend the day on the boat when at Nassau but get off at Castaway Cay. It will be over in the blink of an eye so we want to experience as much of the boat as possible. I'm so looking forward to the shows and the meals, kids are looking forward to the clubs and the Aquaduck, Derek is just hoping for s smooth sailing, he's doesn't quite get the whole fish extender thing but I just keep telling him it's just a bit of fun. Oh and decorating the door with magnets, Katie and I have been working on that too and he just thinks we are mad. Not done with these yet so no pictures of those.

Once we are back on dry land we will be heading to the lovely villa that we have stayed in for quite few trips now. A home from home it will be great to have a bigger space to spread out after four of us in one cabin.

Don't seem to have any photos of the villa so here are the kids in front of the garage, just to show it exists?

We have a further 9 nights in the villa so the plan will be to relax a bit, make more visits to the Disney parks, shopping and eating at our favourite offsite restaurants. Bahama Breeze, Longhorns, Buffalo Wild Wings, Red Lobster, Friday's, Bonefish are definite on the list but I have no set plans for these nine days yet, all the fastpasses are booked for our first six days so I'm going to get on with the rest of the fast pass planning this week. We still have our Legoland annual passes which expire the day after we get back from the cruise, no expectations that we will be in any fit state to go but you never know!

So I think that's about it for now, 32 days to go until we are there and our cruise countdown looks like this.

I couldn't think of a witty name for the report but since we are cruising and it's my 40th birthday treat the title "Over the Hill and Sailing Away" seemed to fit. I am committed to doing the report live but as happened the last twice, the start is easy as you get up so early, as the holiday goes on you are getting up later and fitting in more activities so it becomes harder to do the typing, so it will be "liveish". Also not sure about the wifi on the boat so may need to catch up after we get off. Do forgive the spelling mistakes too as predictive text on the iPad is interesting at times and it takes loads of time to write without doing more than a cursory proof read! Finally I am not a great photographer, it's just bog standard iPhone photos so the Grandparents can see the kids having a great time.

Okay disclaimer over, see you on 25th March if you still want to read more!

[app]

New Photo Added by closeder - 21 Feb 17 9:14 PM.

[Stardust5]

What a super way to celebrate your 40th! I look forward to reading your daily updates once you get there, it is a great way for grandparents to see what you are up to. The cruise looks fabulous, I love all the little things you have made and the Scottie dog magnets are lovely. I bet your countdown goes really quick!

[Loopylooloo]

I am so pleased to see that you have another trip booked! And a cruise too! How exciting, I will be following

[HEMANCLOFTY]

Fantastic pre trippie and really great plans - I'd say that I can't wait to follow along with your days, but that means we'll be back from ours 😪

[closeder]

Originally Posted by Stardust5

What a super way to celebrate your 40th! I look forward to reading your daily updates once you get there, it is a great way for grandparents to see what you are up to. The cruise looks fabulous, I love all the little things you have made and the Scottie dog magnets are lovely. I bet your countdown goes really quick!

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Thanks, I hope everyone likes their gifts and magnets, the time is passing quickly right enough!

Originally Posted by Loopylooloo

I am so pleased to see that you have another trip booked! And a cruise too! How exciting, I will be following

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So exciting, looks like you will get there just before us!

Originally Posted by HEMANCLOFTY

Fantastic pre trippie and really great plans - I'd say that I can't wait to follow along with your days, but that means we'll be back from ours 😪

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I'd love to have your countdown, I must go read your trip report now, have a lovely time.

[HEMANCLOFTY]

Originally Posted by closeder

Thanks, I hope everyone likes their gifts and magnets, the time is passing quickly right enough!



So exciting, looks like you will get there just before us!



I'd love to have your countdown, I must go read your trip report now, have a lovely time.

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Thanks - we are super excited

[debidee]

Fab pre-trippie - I did a live report on our cruise which you can find under my signature - feel free to ask any questions! You will LOVE IT! Debs xx

[Mental Minnie]

Looking forward to this. I remember reading your report last year 'Taking the grandparents this time'. I hadn't long joined the dibb and it got me so excited for our trip this year and homesick for Disney.
Have an amazing time and enjoy your cruise. Be sure to post all those lovely food photos again because I will be just starting to plan our ADR's. Enjoy.

[closeder]

Originally Posted by debidee

Fab pre-trippie - I did a live report on our cruise which you can find under my signature - feel free to ask any questions! You will LOVE IT! Debs xx

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Oh yes it's been read and read again lol, love your reports, I got lots of tips thank you!