The Mouse, a Run and a Cruise - October/ November 2019 - updated 2/7/19

[Campinggirl]

The Introductions

Hi there, I'm Rachel (too old to own up to my age). I'm the proud owner of Simon,the hubby, and 2 kids aged 12 and 9.

This will be our second trip to WDW as a family, our first trip was in August 2016.

I am the chief holiday organiser and a fan of Disney since a childhood trip to WDW, many moons ago. When I am not thinking about Disney World I am thinking of Disney Land Paris, I have been there already this year! . I have, naturally, passed on my love of Disney to my children. My bucket list is a Disney Cruise , more on that later, and to visit all of the global Disney Parks (shhhh don't tell Simon or our 15 year marriage might actuallycome to an abrupt end!)

In addition to Disney I love fine food, travelling generally (we wen't to Canada last year), wine and dogs.

I don't like , or at least am not so keen on, running, lazy rivers or the Tower of Terror!

Yes, that is me at the front in the ears! Apologies for the photo quality, I wasn't actually going to buy that monstrosity!


Simon is not a natural Disney fan but he is learning the ropes and, in addition to our trip to WDW, has endured several trips with me to DLP over the years. Sometimes he even sends me there on my own with the kids which is a perfect compromise!

He likes fine food , fine wines, travelling what he calls the 'real world' - the World Showcase at Epcot doesn't count but can be tolerated due to the presence of fine food and alcoholic beverages! , he also likes Running (more on that later) , rollercoasters and watching me in distress riding a lazy river!

He is not so keen on the 'Disney bubble' but has learnt to tolerate it for me! - it must be love! He also doesn't like shopping or sunbathing!

Here is a photo of a Simon in his 'more natural habitat', on a beach on Vancouver Island in Canada. And look he smiles!

Next up there is Joseph aka the Grinch (owing to the fact he is almost a teenage - in fact he will be when we go on holiday - the joys).

He also loves Disney although he is now becoming too cool for the characters . He loves rollercoasters, Fortnight , apparently most things American , horse riding and cricket.

He doesn't like being teased by the Ugly Sisters at 1900 Park Fare or Universal (particularly the simulator rides)

Again apologies for the quality I've lost the original (or maybe the Grinch has removed it? )

Finally here is Phoebe (9) aka Our Little Princess (excuse the sarcasm) !

This picture was taken 3 years ago! She wouldn't be seen dead in a princess dress now and likes skateboarding, Brooklyn 99, Campervans, the Tower of Terror, fast rollercoasters, horse riding and Pluto!

In fact she is well trained in the 'Disney Way' and has ambitions to go on the DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAMME, that's my girl!

She doesn't like dresses (or skirts for that matter) , birds, eating meat, or boy bands.


Anyway that's us!

Next up the PLAN aka as how did I convince my husband to book / pay for ANOTHER DISNEY HOLIDAY!

[Kat11]

Great start! Following along.

Kat

[Campinggirl]

Originally Posted by Kat11

Great start! Following along.

Kat

See more...

Thanks for reading Kat!



I'm about to sit down with a glass of wine to update!

[Campinggirl]

The Plan

As I mentioned yesterday this is also known is 'how did I convince my hubby to book yet another Disney Holiday!

Well of course in keeping with 99.99999% of returners from Orlando the plan has been in the making since we landed at Heathrow Airport in August 2016.

I have, in fact, been trying to convince Simon since then that a return trip is 'exactly what we all need'.

On our first trip 'the Grinch' was quite anxious,(sadly to the point that he didn't really make the most of the experience and really struggled with the flight) and he, and 'the Princess', have subsequently both been diagnosed with ASD which explains their quirks/ general awesomeness! This in fact has been helpful in the general Disneyness of Life as Simon is fully aware that our kids love Disney and that in general it is a good thing to go there! Phew!

Last year we tested the water with a transatlantic flight to Vancouver which went off with out a hitch (with the aid of special assistance!) so now the world is our oyster or perhaps the mouse is our cheese?

The next step was convincing Simon to return to Florida over the 'real world' and here, my friends, came in my Cunning Plan! The observant of you will have noticed that Simon likes wining and dining and running so what better than to have a trip to the World for the Wine and Dine Festival and the Run Disney Events !

I got my dusty running shoes out and declared that it was good time I started running again and I would 'quite like to run a half marathon'! The things I will do for Disney lol!

And that was how I convinced cynical Simon to return to WDW! I was so good at it we are booked for Run Disney in Paris in September for a 'practice run!, I have the pleasure of running the Paris half marathon on my 44th Birthday!

Now the fear/ reality of the situation has set in because I have to be in training to go on holiday . However , fear not, I have done this before (a half marathon that is) ! I ran the Great North Run 6 years ago! -think positive!

So here was the embryo of the plan the Castle to Chateaux challenge (the DLP and one Florida half marathon in a calendar year). The rest of the plan now needed to be hatched!

Next up - More Planning!

[Campinggirl]

More Planning

So it was around about February last year when we first started to talk about maybe doing these Run Disney Events so the next bit was trying to work out the dates and accommodation.

The problem with the Wine and Dine Run this year was that no one knew which weekend it would fall. Traditionally it falls the first weekend of November but with Halloween falling on the night when the Run Disney Expo is normally held caused some confusion with approximately a 50 /50 split in opinion whether it would fall the first weekend or whether Disney would decide to hold it the following weekend.

Accommodation

For accommodation I was erring towards a villa to start with but I'd really enjoyed the Disney Dining Plan in 2016 when we stayed at the Yacht Club so I started to keep an eye out on the free dining being offered in April.

When the dining plan was released there were very few rooms in moderates or deluxes released for October so I think it was around about June when I saw a Standard Room crop up at Animal Kingdom Lodge from 25 October - 8 November . I then took a punt and booked it with fingers crossed that Run Disney would fall the right weekend. And the gods were with us (I think) because when the dates were released the Run Disney Events fall on the correct weekend.

I am so excited to stay here. In 2016 we visited Saana in Kidani Village and had a lovely meal, but we have never been to Jambo House and I am VERY excited to see the lobby!

If anyone has any tips on standard rooms which have a partial savannah view then they'll be gratefully received ! Although I suspect I might do the Touring Plan's subscription as their service worked wonders on getting a fab room at the Yacht Club!

The Running

Now that the hotel was booked we had a few months without thinking about things much while waiting for the dates of the run to be confirmed.

In the meantime we booked a package to do the 3 race challenge at DLP (that means a 5k on Friday, a 10k on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday - which will be my birthday) , the kids are racing the 5k with us in Paris and will run the 10K in WDW. We plan to dress up!

Here is a photo of me the last time I ran a half marathon in 2011! That's even longer ago than I'd remembered and I haven't run a fat lot since, hence I have become quite fat!

and unfit!

I am not exaggerating when I say I'm starting again from scratch, think couch to 5 K. But I guess at least the running will help with the pre-holiday weight loss? Any tips on weight loss generally will be gratefully received!

The Flights

Well as it stands only me and the kids are going! Simon hasn't got flights yet! "What?" I hear you say, has his Disney Avoidance become so extreme that he is not going to join you? Well I hope not especially given that I've succumbed to running to get him there!

The story is as follows, the children are now educated at home mainly by me so, while we have the comparative luxury of being free from the constraints of school holidays, Simon's employer is not so forgiving.

This has led to me booking flights for an extended break and Simon will join us for at least 2 weeks.

I had been keeping an eye on flight prices for a while, my only stipulation was direct and in the end I opted for a fly-drive to Tampa from Heathrow. I have flown into Tampa before and it is a lot calmer than MCO. The kids and I got a comparative bargain as we were flexible on dates so we are flying the 22nd of October and returning on the 15 November .

Simon still hasn't booked his flights but we're thinking he will fly to MCO (probably indirect) and get the Magical Express to ALK and that he will return on the 15th of November with us. I suspect that he will therefore not be with us for the entire time at AKL which I suspect rather suits his personality!

Coming up Next - Other Plans AKA - What shall we do with all the free time in Florida?

[Campinggirl]

Other plans - AKA what to do with all the free time in Florida

Well I'm sat at home with a nasty virus so I've been doing a bit more planning as my head can't cope with much else! Any excuse!

The truth is I am starting TO PANIC a bit because I still don't have all of the plans in place. I don't even know what my ADR dates and fast pass dates are or even where we are going to spend some of the time! So perhaps if I set out what I do know so far it will concentrate my mind.

You might have noticed the mention of 'the cruise' in title to this pre-trip report so I'll start with that.

We were having the 'do we/ don't we do Universal Conversation and seeing as the Grinch was not overwhelmed by the idea of Universal - too many simulator rides! We began to think of alternatives and then I had a 'lightbulb moment'!

Seeing as we had a full week between Disney and the return flight, surely there must be time to fit in a Disney Cruise? We'd been watching Tim and Jen Tracker on You Tube on a Cruise and they look fantastic!

So off I went to research and there was a Very Merry Christmas 4 day Cruise on the Disney Dream setting off from Port Canaveral on Monday 11 November returning on the 15th in the morning leaving plenty of time to get back to Tampa for the return flight!

The next thing was to convince Simon!

Now Disney Cruises are NOT CHEAP and they are Disney which are 2 negatives however I am a Great and Experienced Negotiator, especially when it comes to all things Disney.

Arguments in favour -

1. It is not too much more expensive than Universal when you factor in tickets, accommodation and food costs.
2. We want to try a cruise having never been on one before and a 4 night cruise is the perfect length to see if we like it or not.
3. There is a 5k run on Castaway Cay.

Much to my surprise and delight Simon agreed almost immediately and we are now booked!

The kids are so excited about the waterslide!

We have booked a family stateroom with balcony view!

So now we only have to decide what to do with the 3 nights prior to Disney, I can't decide whether to stay in the Tampa/ Clearwater area or go to Orlando earlier for shopping/ Idrive attractions? Does anyone have any suggestions?

We also have 3 nights between Disney and the Cruise, I know I want to do Kennedy Space Centre but I am undecided whether to go to St Augustine or Cocoa Beach for the other nights!

Decisions decisions.

Right I'm going to sit down now and try to plan Disney a bit, I'll be back later, hopefully with a more detailed plan...

To Do List -

Estas - I know!
Work out ADR/ FP dates
Set up My Disney Experience and the equivalent for the cruise
MNSSHP?
Plan/ book hotels accommodation for dates not decided.


Mmmm plenty to be getting on with.

[Kat11]

Another fab update. My ADR day is 25th April and we check in on the 22nd of October, so yours must be 28th April? Double check with the ADR checker on here. You are brave with all that running planned! I'm not a big fan of excercise myself 😂

Kat

[tinkerbell15]

We are at AKL 23rd October until 10th Nov, I hadn’t realised the adr date was sneaking up.

[Campinggirl]

Originally Posted by Kat11

Another fab update. My ADR day is 25th April and we check in on the 22nd of October, so yours must be 28th April? Double check with the ADR checker on here. You are brave with all that running planned! I'm not a big fan of excercise myself 😂

Kat

See more...

Thanks Kat - I'll do that!

Re the running - either brave or stupid... I'll let you know later !

[Campinggirl]

Originally Posted by tinkerbell15

We are at AKL 23rd October until 10th Nov, I hadn’t realised the adr date was sneaking up.

See more...

I think it is 3 weeks for us, am going to check!

Exciting we will be at AKL at the same time, have you stayed there before?