PTR - Seaworld, DCL, WDW in October 2014

[dabecs]

We are in the new house! Still surrounded by boxes and the furniture we ordered from Freedom doesn't arrive till end of July/early August (16 week delivery! Crazy town!) but now I am feeling the weight of a trip only 3 months away!

The lovely house sitters we had last trip were luckily coming to Melbourne again this year which was going to make things very easy (and worry free!) but they have now had to cancel due to health issues leaving us sitter-less! Only tonight have I had time to search the Aussie House Sitter website and send out a few emails to potential house sitters. I hope we are as lucky this time as we were last time..

At this point I am so glad we are not going anywhere that needs a tonne of research - after the busy year we have had I am looking for relaxation! I haven't even looked at port excursions for our cruise, would it be wrong to just plan on enjoying the ship?

I did get a free international shipping code from Lands End so I bought my girls some cute and comfy summer dresses, I went through the clothes I have already bought them and I think (besides the obligatory costumes I'll have shipped to the hotel) they are ready to go. Me on the other hand - not so much

 

[PrincessInOz]

We are in the new house! Still surrounded by boxes and the furniture we ordered from Freedom doesn't arrive till end of July/early August (16 week delivery! Crazy town!) but now I am feeling the weight of a trip only 3 months away!

The lovely house sitters we had last trip were luckily coming to Melbourne again this year which was going to make things very easy (and worry free!) but they have now had to cancel due to health issues leaving us sitter-less! Only tonight have I had time to search the Aussie House Sitter website and send out a few emails to potential house sitters. I hope we are as lucky this time as we were last time..

At this point I am so glad we are not going anywhere that needs a tonne of research - after the busy year we have had I am looking for relaxation! I haven't even looked at port excursions for our cruise, would it be wrong to just plan on enjoying the ship?

I did get a free international shipping code from Lands End so I bought my girls some cute and comfy summer dresses, I went through the clothes I have already bought them and I think (besides the obligatory costumes I'll have shipped to the hotel) they are ready to go. Me on the other hand - not so much

YAY for the new house. Hope you're enjoying it all.


Sorry about the house-sitters. Hope you find someone lovely.

And your holiday sounds like it's going to be a very relaxing holiday.

 

[FireflyFi]

We are in the new house! Still surrounded by boxes and the furniture we ordered from Freedom doesn't arrive till end of July/early August (16 week delivery! Crazy town!) but now I am feeling the weight of a trip only 3 months away!

The lovely house sitters we had last trip were luckily coming to Melbourne again this year which was going to make things very easy (and worry free!) but they have now had to cancel due to health issues leaving us sitter-less! Only tonight have I had time to search the Aussie House Sitter website and send out a few emails to potential house sitters. I hope we are as lucky this time as we were last time..

At this point I am so glad we are not going anywhere that needs a tonne of research - after the busy year we have had I am looking for relaxation! I haven't even looked at port excursions for our cruise, would it be wrong to just plan on enjoying the ship?

I did get a free international shipping code from Lands End so I bought my girls some cute and comfy summer dresses, I went through the clothes I have already bought them and I think (besides the obligatory costumes I'll have shipped to the hotel) they are ready to go. Me on the other hand - not so much

Oh man, I feel your pain on the housesitter front. I had just about locked in one for my trip, and she emailed just an hour ago saying she's been offered a job overseas.

I'm also using Aussie Housesitters - hey, maybe we should make some kind of combo deal, as it looks my trip starts the day after yours!

 

[zanzibar138]

Congrats on getting installed in the new house That's a crazy delivery time for Ikea We've always just picked up stuff there so I had no idea.

We have a house sitter that we use, but we pay her a small amount per day. For me it's worth it, because she came recommended by a friend, and and now us and the dogs know her. She's also a local, so unless she's got other commitments, she's pretty much always available.

Good luck with yours! I'm sure you'll find someone great

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Congrats on the house. Moving is exciting, but also extremely stressful. It's great that that hurdle is now behind you.

 

[dabecs]

Thanks everyone

Looks like I have found new house sitters which is a weight off my mind. They are already in Melbourne so we will meet them in the next few weeks.

The furniture is from Freedom, we actually went to Ikea yesterday and came home with a trailer load of boxes Spent late into the night and all of today building everything. It's starting to feel ours now

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thanks everyone

Looks like I have found new house sitters which is a weight off my mind. They are already in Melbourne so we will meet them in the next few weeks.

The furniture is from Freedom, we actually went to Ikea yesterday and came home with a trailer load of boxes Spent late into the night and all of today building everything. It's starting to feel ours now

Good news about the house sitters. Hope you like them in 3D.

 

[zanzibar138]

Glad you've found some new house sitters. It's always a relief!

 

[minniemumma]

I decided rather than several threads asking questions and trying to keep track of my plans I would write my first pretrip report! So the details so far... After returning from our 'Once in a lifetime' trip to WDW in December 2012 it only took a week before I was secretly planning our return In fact I might have started on the plane ride home! On our trip in 2012 (link to the blog trip report I wrote is in my signature) we spent 16 nights in WDW at Saratoga Springs before flying to Washington DC for 4 nights then Amtraking up to NYC for 7 nights. My parents joined us for our trip and we all traveled well together, spending almost all of our WDW trip together but spending our days apart in Washington and NYC. So when we started planning this trip the question of my parents came up and we decided to ask them to join us again. They have decided to leave Melbourne about a week after us and they are planning on spending a week in San Francisco and surrounds (they are hoping to do a 4/5 day tour which touches on LV, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite if anyone can recommend one) and they will then fly to Orlando to meet us at WDW. My husband, myself and our two girls who will be 7 and 8 when we go (and have not idea this trip is even happening!) plan's look like this:

October 14th - leave Melbourne on a United flight, arrive in Orlando at 10pm. Flights booked and paid for!

October 15th - Renaissance hotel at Seaworld, spend the day enjoying the pool and getting into the time zone. Hotel boooked.

October 16th - visit Seaworld. Stay at the Renaissance hotel.

October 17th - visit Discovery Cove. booked. Stay at the Renaissance hotel.

October 18th - Shuttle/Limo (thinking a surpirse Limo would be pretty fun!)our way to Port Canaveral to board the Fantasy for our 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise. October 18th - 25th - DCL Fantasy. Cat 08A. Have not organised any excursions yet. Cruise is booked but not paid for in full

October 25th - shuttle our way to WDW. Check in to AoA. Hotel booked!

October 26th - spend the day shopping at DTD. Might go to MNSSHP. Stay at AoA

October 27th - check into 2 bedroom villa at Old Key West. My parents will arrive in the evening. This will be a total surprise to the girls! Hotel and park tickets etc booked but have not paid in full.

October 27 - November 12 - WDW. Have not decided which parks on which days or anything yet, but will update this post once I plan it We will also spend time at one of the water parks and spend a day at the outlets shopping!

Any comments/suggestions welcome, I am obviously still in the early planning stages with only a few things actually booked so I am sure there will be lots of changes over the next few months as I lock things in. I have to say I love this stage of the trip - planning the fun bits like accommodation and excursions. I would love to hear what you think of the plan so far

It looks like we will be in the World at the same time!!!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Getting ever closer!

 

[Tashinwdw]

Glad that you found house sitters, hope they are as good in person as on paper.
we have not booked shore excursions, just want to enjoy the ship and only spend a few hours out and about, but we are only on a 4 day cruise.

 

[dabecs]

Online cruise book in: done! Wow that ups the anti of how close the holiday is Only booked 1 shore excursion so far: the sky ride to paradise point at St Thomas. Hope we enjoy it!

Also just bought tickets to see The Lion King when it's Melbourne next year So excited to take the girls, last time it was here I was pregnant with my eldest who is now 8!

Meeting the House sitters on Thursday, hope it goes well.

We are staying at Seaworld (Renaissance) before our cruise and need to find transport to the port. I have an idea in my head that a limo would be fun but not is it's exorbitant. Does anyone have a recommendation? For a shuttle/town car or limo service. There are so many online I'm a bit overwhelmed!

Also thinking of sending hubby and my dad out to a shooting range one day - has anyone done that in Orlando? Obviously we want somewhere as close to WDW as possible with a great safe approach.

Sorry I have been a bit MIA lately, we finely feel settled in to the new house and life has fallen back into a routine

 

[zanzibar138]

Also thinking of sending hubby and my dad out to a shooting range one day - has anyone done that in Orlando? Obviously we want somewhere as close to WDW as possible with a great safe approach.

Just a quick reply about this. We're doing this in CA. I found it ridiculously difficult to find information on shooting ranges - contacted tourism agencies, gun clubs, NRA... no one was very helpful. I did find a couple of places, but they didn't hire guns. This is really something to look out for as most people in the US would bring their own gun. I was really ready to give up and told Dad he should try to find something else to do.

I was really lucky and had someone from the US pop over to my thread and suggest a place in CA for me. Dad made some enquiries and we can make it work.

Good luck with the rest of your plans

 

[dabecs]

Just a quick reply about this. We're doing this in CA. I found it ridiculously difficult to find information on shooting ranges - contacted tourism agencies, gun clubs, NRA... no one was very helpful. I did find a couple of places, but they didn't hire guns. This is really something to look out for as most people in the US would bring their own gun. I was really ready to give up and told Dad he should try to find something else to do. I was really lucky and had someone from the US pop over to my thread and suggest a place in CA for me. Dad made some enquiries and we can make it work. Good luck with the rest of your plans

Thanks Zanzibar I have found one or two places online in Orlando that seem to specialise in tourists so can hire guns but they still don't give a lot of info. I may need to email a few of them.

My dad is a target rifle shooter so has an Australian shooters licence but he and my husband would both like to fire pistols and semi-automatics which they can't do here. Mum, myself and the girls will enjoy a day by the pool while they go do their thing

 

[CJ2001]

We are in the new house! Still surrounded by boxes and the furniture we ordered from Freedom doesn't arrive till end of July/early August (16 week delivery! Crazy town!) but now I am feeling the weight of a trip only 3 months away!

The lovely house sitters we had last trip were luckily coming to Melbourne again this year which was going to make things very easy (and worry free!) but they have now had to cancel due to health issues leaving us sitter-less! Only tonight have I had time to search the Aussie House Sitter website and send out a few emails to potential house sitters. I hope we are as lucky this time as we were last time..

At this point I am so glad we are not going anywhere that needs a tonne of research - after the busy year we have had I am looking for relaxation! I haven't even looked at port excursions for our cruise, would it be wrong to just plan on enjoying the ship?

I did get a free international shipping code from Lands End so I bought my girls some cute and comfy summer dresses, I went through the clothes I have already bought them and I think (besides the obligatory costumes I'll have shipped to the hotel) they are ready to go. Me on the other hand - not so much

That is excellent news dabecs, so exciting

Bummer about the house sitters. We are having problems working out what to do with our dog. He is a nightmare and none of our family are game to have him at their house as he destroys everything. He sleeps inside so we cant have anyone just come over and feed him. My parents are going to Israel same time as we were going away but now it looks like they might have to cancel their trip due to everything that is going on, so they may end up coming and staying at our house as the dont want to have him at their house!

Hope you find someone to housesit

 

[CJ2001]

Just read the rest of your thread and saw you have found someone.

Hope the meeting goes well

 

[dabecs]

Just read the rest of your thread and saw you have found someone. Hope the meeting goes well

Thanks!

I hope you find someone to look after your dog - must make it harder when you have a dog that takes more work to look after. Our whippet is a big sook but fairly low maintenance.

 

[zanzibar138]

Must make it harder when you have a dog that takes more work to look after.

We have two very active dogs and we really struggle to find someone among our friends/family who is willing to have them. They are too much for most people, and the people who would be willing to have them only have tiny yards or insufficient fencing

It works out well having someone stay at our house though as we don't have to worry about the cats (of which we also have two)

 

[CJ2001]

Thanks!

I hope you find someone to look after your dog - must make it harder when you have a dog that takes more work to look after. Our whippet is a big sook but fairly low maintenance.

Thanks he still only a puppy, just turned 1 years old, golden retriever & he is so full of energy, he is insane!!

 

[CJ2001]

We have two very active dogs and we really struggle to find someone among our friends/family who is willing to have them. They are too much for most people, and the people who would be willing to have them only have tiny yards or insufficient fencing

It works out well having someone stay at our house though as we don't have to worry about the cats (of which we also have two)

Hoping we can get someone to stay at ours, it's less upheaval for them & probably cheaper than a kennel especially when u have more than 1 pet