Shh Its a secret! DH's turning 50! Pre Trip Report -July 2019

[jakesmum]

OK, so we have just returned from our second WDW trip which I didn't write a trip report about as 1) the first trip report kinda lost its legs (and then I lost all my notes) around day 8 and 2) it was our last complete family holiday as DS no longer lives with us and we also took my mum who has never been before, so I wanted to emerse myself in my family rather than be sticking a camera in their plate and writing notes for 2 weeks.

Now The reason I have decided to write a trip report this time is for various reasons!

1) it will only be me and DH this time, eldest is off doing his own thing, youngest is spending the time with her Gran (not that she knows yet).
2) Its only for a week so I figure I can do this AND complete it!
3) now this is the big one! DH doesn't know! and I am terrible for wanting to blab secrets to him! so I need somewhere I can talk about it without him seeing!

Soooo the story! Firstly the stars of this trip,

Me Chief planner, researcher, booker of all holidays, cars, trips, hotels, villas, suitcase packer and holder of all documentation etc. Very OCD about planning and stuff so this is going to be hard for me.


DH Driver, Luggage carrier, person who likes to moan about other drivers and 100% in the dark about what is going on

Reason for trip, DH is turning 50! we have literally just come back a month ago from our big family trip to celebrate my 40th and our DS's 18th so it only seemed fitting to arrange a little excursion for his big 5 0.

Flights: We are flying with BA, our other 2 trips were with TC so this will be a new experience, currently both ways are economy but am hopeful they might offer an upgrade at some point for the way home at not an extortionate amount of money (I can dream)

Villa: I was back and forth with this as its just the two of us, but we really like our own space and its a week of relaxation so I didn't really want to be holed up in a motel and all the hotels I liked the look of were coming up at more than the villas! So we have rented a villa from one of the lovely Dibbers on High Grove I think it is, it has a pool and a hot tub (that DH will looooove!) and loads of room for us to just hang about and do what we want.

When do we go: End of April 2020! DH's birthday is 10th April and he wont find out till then, I have a plan in my head to get the kids to give him different gifts to give him hints to what his present is but have yet to work that out

The plan: There is no plan! This is where my OCD is kicking off! I always have a plan! But nope, there will be no park tickets so no plans of what we will do, this is purely a week for doing things that DH loved to do or wanted to do on previous trips and we never got round too. I.E. He loves Disney Springs but we have never had the opportunity to walk round at our leisure and soak it all up its always been a rushed experience, so I intend to spend quite a few days/evenings there.
A trip to the Gun Shop (rolls eyes) now this is totally not my thing, but DH loves his pellet guns. We went this time but he did say he felt rushed to get in and get out because the rest of the family were waiting and our son was bored etc so we will be doing that.
Cheesecake Factory! DH loves (and I mean LOVES) cheesecake! and we have NEVER been!
The premium outlets: again, we have been but literally rushed in, gone to Disney Warehouse, shoe shops for the kids, adidas and left.
Logan's Roadhouse: we ate there the first time we went to WDW and DH has talked about the phillycheese steak sandwiches we had for over 2 years, we didn't go back this year so it is 100% on the dinner list!

That's all I have planned, if anyone has ideas of things they think are a must do, feel free to let me know as it would be nice to hand him some ideas of what he could do on 'his' special holiday i'm umming and ahhing about Kennedy space centre as we have never been, but Dh would have to drive so don't know if its a bit far to expect him to drive when we only have a week.


Anyway Thanks to anyone that reads along, i'll try to be interesting and take copious photos!

UPDATE: 15th November

[tory79]

You will LOVE the Cheesecake Factory! All the food is so good, not just the cheesecakes. We usually end up taking them home as we’re too full from our mains (and the bread!)
The drive to Kennedy really isn’t that bad and it’s a brilliant day out x

[jakesmum]

Originally Posted by tory79

You will LOVE the Cheesecake Factory! All the food is so good, not just the cheesecakes. We usually end up taking them home as we’re too full from our mains (and the bread!)
The drive to Kennedy really isn’t that bad and it’s a brilliant day out x

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I actually am one of those strange people who does not like cheesecake but DH would wrestle you to the ground for a slice, so i'm going to happily munch on something off the lunch menu and either watch DH eat his or we'll take it back to the villa for him to enjoy at his leisure . . plus i'm sure I could find something at Haagendaz or Cold Stone Creamery for me

Every thread I've read has said Kennedy is an amazing day, I think i'll have to start looking at prices! when its just 2 of us lots of things suddenly become affordable

[tory79]

They have got other desserts as well! Some amazing cakes and a really good brownie sundae thing. You just can’t go wrong there x

[Th1nkT1nk]

Wow that all sounds great and what a thoughtful idea your dh is very lucky... love the fact you’ll be ‘ticking off’ lots on his to-do list rather than just going to do the regular ‘stuff’

[juless77]

what about a day trip to crystal springs and a swim with the manatees we did this one February and it was lovely

[margyloveswdw]

Oooh, sounds like a fab trip!

I could NOT keep that secret from my DH!

[jakesmum]

Originally Posted by tory79

They have got other desserts as well! Some amazing cakes and a really good brownie sundae thing. You just can’t go wrong there x

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I am ALL over that brownie sundae thingy! I love chocolate brownies!

Originally Posted by Th1nkT1nk

Wow that all sounds great and what a thoughtful idea your dh is very lucky... love the fact you’ll be ‘ticking off’ lots on his to-do list rather than just going to do the regular ‘stuff’

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Its always hard when you go with kids as you tend to always do what they want to do and either rush through or not bother with your own stuff, plus both of our previous trips he has suffered through more than one visit to Jo-anns for me so its only fair that this is all about him

Originally Posted by juless77

what about a day trip to crystal springs and a swim with the manatees we did this one February and it was lovely

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Oooo i'll have to look that up! he's always been like a fish! He would love something like that! and totally different to anything we have done before! Thank you for the idea!

Originally Posted by margyloveswdw

Oooh, sounds like a fab trip!

I could NOT keep that secret from my DH!

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I'm not going to lie, its killing me, I don't know how many times I've had to stop myself starting a 'when we're in America' convo Our eldest and my mother are both in on the secret as I had to sort out my puppy sitter (eldest) and my preteen sitter (gran). It did start as a return to New York idea, but when I priced it up I could get a full week in florida for less than 5 days in NYC, easy decision

[jakesmum]

UPDATE:

Well we are 164 days away and my resolve is still going strong, not uttered a word to DH

I have told DD about the trip and after a bit of a wobbly bottom lip she is fine at staying with her Gran. Massaged the blow a bit with news of our family holiday to the canaries in August Also promised faithfully that we were NOT going to Disney or Universal without her!

Currently the kids and I are trying to think of obscure items we can give DH for his birthday that will hint toward his big present. So far we have handmade luggage tags, some travel bottles , am very tempted to wrap one of the hand luggage bags as a final present to open We want a couple of gifts to give him each as tbh we love to wind him up and it will drive him crazy not knowing what's going on

Once he's had all his clues, he'll get the tickets, villa voucher and car hire voucher to open

I will no doubt update again as we get closer and will really try to remember to take photos on the reveal day for the start of the trip report