tracey1302
Planning Florida 2014!
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2011
We went to Florida last May, but I thought I'd post my pre trip report and then my trip report!!
Hello to all!
This is the first time I've written a pre-trip report (and will obviously also be writing a trip report!) which seems strange to me somehow. My family has been going to Florida for as long as I can remember, and for my sister and I, our next trip will be our 10th visit to the magic. But this one is special... we're staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort, and we've treated ourselves to the DDP. It seemed like such a good deal. We've booked direct with Disney, and are flying with VA direct into Orlando.
Allow me to introduce myself and my family
Me - Tracey - 24 - The biggest Disney nut in the family. I've been a Disney princess ever since birth, and literally live and breathe the company and the films. I'm a CM (Cast Member) and have been since last October, and it's a job that I would do for free I love it so much. I'm regularly to be found singing Disney songs around my flat (I drive my poor boyfriend insane, I'm pretty sure!) do my cleaning to my 'Best of Disney' CD. I love planning trips to Florida, and one of my favourite pasttimes is doing trip plans for first timers (friends or friends of family). I'm also studying for my PhD in Communications. I'm studying the role of Disney's animation in US WW2 propaganda. After slaving away studying for my BA and MA in History, I decided to dedicate the rest of my life in academia to something that would combine my two passions - Disney and History. I've been responsible for most of the planning on this holiday, including the itinerary, ADRs, and flights. My favourite character is Tinkerbell (yes, she's underneath my name on my CM badge) and my favourite Disney film is 'Beauty and the Beast.'
My big sister, Katie - 27 - The second biggest Disney nut in our family. My sister is a wine taster, best not tell you for which company :d: so pretty much has the nicest job on the planet. Like me, she is crazy about Disney. When we share the car going into Leeds City Centre, we're often to be found listening to the 'Best of Disney' CD. The other commuters must think we're mad. Among our favourite songs to sing together in the car....'Beautiful Briny Sea' from Bedknobs and Broomsticks, 'Just Around the Riverbend' from Pocahontas and 'You Can Fly' from Peter Pan. Mainly because we know the script to the beginning bit.... Katie loves food and drink, and I know it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that on this holiday, she's looking forward to that more than anything! Her favourite film is also 'Beauty and the Beast', favourite character is Belle.
Mum, Karen (51) Step Dad, Martin (46) and little bro Oliver (OB) who is 11.
All crazy about Disney, but perhaps not as crazy as me and my sister. Mum works all hours in a job that she really doesn't like, so holidays are ever more precious to her than most. She's very close to me and my sister, so we do tend to get quite foolish and giddy when all three of us girls get together. We've been on numerous shopping trips together for this holiday, and have outfit plans for what we're planning to wear each day.
Her favourite character and film match my sister's exactly. We love that film!
Martin is a joiner, very happy go lucky, pretty Disney as far as men go. He's only just started getting excited for the holiday (whereas I've been excited ever since we booked it.) He has his moments. When we booked, he started singing 'LALALALALAL America, I wanna be in America...' etc . You get the gist. His favourite film is 'The Lion King', favourite character is Tigger.
OB is... well, what a young man. OB, unlike most 11 year olds is very mature, very articulate, and very clever. He's madly into football and plays for about 3 teams, he's massively into films, so he's going to love Universal and Hollywood Studios even more this time!! He never moans or groans, and has the appetite of a fully grown man. Thank goodness he'll be eating off the adult menus. He likes fillet steak, seabass, and all sorts of other luxury cuisine!! No chicken nuggets and chips for him!! His favourite character is Jack Sparrow, favourite film is POTC3!!
This trip is special because it's the first trip to Florida we are doing with just the 5 of us. On previous holidays, we've always gone with another family, who we are very close friends with, including mine and Katie's best childhood friends. But in the past two years, they've both got married, my best friend is now expecting with her first child, and the life cycle of holidays we've shared together has finally come to its end. While we're all sad that this chapter has come to its conclusion, we all had itchy feet to go back to Florida, and so, after some responsible browsing from myself, booked.
This holiday constitutes something of a personal achievement for me, as I've paid for it all myself. I finished my MA 2 years ago, and took a gap year working temp jobs and saving every last penny I could afford for the trip, or for the possibility of the trip and my tuition fees. Oh how I wish that postgraduate life was as free and easy as some people think it is. It's not. It's a struggle, and I have never worked as hard in my life. My Disney job is very demanding, sometimes starting shifts at 5am to cover delivery, and then have to put in a full day's work at University. It's exhausting. And after 4 years in this country slogging my guts out, I have never been more ready for a holiday. We, as a family, had a really tough time before Christmas, as Martin lost his Dad, and we lost a close family friend, but it just reaffirmed to us all that life is too short. We love Florida, we love the feelings and emotions that seap through you the whole time you're there. I could well up thinking about THE feeling you get when the pilot announces that you've arrived into Orlando International Airport. For me, Orlando and WDW feels like home. I ache to return to the smells of Main Street USA, sweet popcorn and sunshine, and to feel the Florida heat on my shoulder (because let's face it, we don't get any summer here!!) and to feel that electric buzz when you hear the music in the Epcot entranceway. THAT is why I love WDW.
I'm brimming with excitement, and I confess that I'm practically packed.
I'll be updating again the day before we go, as we've lots planned that day, and then a full trip report will be posted on my return. For now, I'll leave you with our itinerary!!
Thursday 19th May
Arrive and unpack.
Tea by the pool at CBR
Friday 20th May
Magic Kingdom
Tea at Raglan Road DTD
Saturday 21st May
Pool day
Tea at Bahama Breeze LBV
Sunday 22nd May
Epcot
Tea at Tutto Italia, Illuminations fireworks
Monday 23rd May
Typhoon Lagoon
Tea at Narcoossee's
Tuesday 24th May
Universal Studios
Tea at HRC
Wednesday 25th May
Mum, Martin and OB to go to Seaworld
Katie and I to Epcot to do 'drinks around the world'
Tea at Citricos
Thursday 26th May
MGM (ahem, sorry Disney's Hollywood Studios)
Tea at Hollywood Brown Derby
Friday 27th May
Pool day
Tea at Chefs de France, Epcot
Saturday 28th May
Animal Kingdom character breakfast
Tea at Mama Melrose, MGM and Fantasmic
Sunday 29th May
Blizzard Beach
Tea at Planet Hollywood
Monday 30th May
Islands of Adventure
Tea at Mama Dellas, Portofino Bay
Tuesday 31st May
Pool day
Tea at Hollywood Brown Derby
Wednesday 1st June
Favourite rides dash (we all go to do our favourite rides and reconvene later!!) :d:
Tea at Citricos, Wishes and Spectromagic.
Hello to all!
This is the first time I've written a pre-trip report (and will obviously also be writing a trip report!) which seems strange to me somehow. My family has been going to Florida for as long as I can remember, and for my sister and I, our next trip will be our 10th visit to the magic. But this one is special... we're staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort, and we've treated ourselves to the DDP. It seemed like such a good deal. We've booked direct with Disney, and are flying with VA direct into Orlando.
Allow me to introduce myself and my family
Me - Tracey - 24 - The biggest Disney nut in the family. I've been a Disney princess ever since birth, and literally live and breathe the company and the films. I'm a CM (Cast Member) and have been since last October, and it's a job that I would do for free I love it so much. I'm regularly to be found singing Disney songs around my flat (I drive my poor boyfriend insane, I'm pretty sure!) do my cleaning to my 'Best of Disney' CD. I love planning trips to Florida, and one of my favourite pasttimes is doing trip plans for first timers (friends or friends of family). I'm also studying for my PhD in Communications. I'm studying the role of Disney's animation in US WW2 propaganda. After slaving away studying for my BA and MA in History, I decided to dedicate the rest of my life in academia to something that would combine my two passions - Disney and History. I've been responsible for most of the planning on this holiday, including the itinerary, ADRs, and flights. My favourite character is Tinkerbell (yes, she's underneath my name on my CM badge) and my favourite Disney film is 'Beauty and the Beast.'
My big sister, Katie - 27 - The second biggest Disney nut in our family. My sister is a wine taster, best not tell you for which company :d: so pretty much has the nicest job on the planet. Like me, she is crazy about Disney. When we share the car going into Leeds City Centre, we're often to be found listening to the 'Best of Disney' CD. The other commuters must think we're mad. Among our favourite songs to sing together in the car....'Beautiful Briny Sea' from Bedknobs and Broomsticks, 'Just Around the Riverbend' from Pocahontas and 'You Can Fly' from Peter Pan. Mainly because we know the script to the beginning bit.... Katie loves food and drink, and I know it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that on this holiday, she's looking forward to that more than anything! Her favourite film is also 'Beauty and the Beast', favourite character is Belle.
Mum, Karen (51) Step Dad, Martin (46) and little bro Oliver (OB) who is 11.
All crazy about Disney, but perhaps not as crazy as me and my sister. Mum works all hours in a job that she really doesn't like, so holidays are ever more precious to her than most. She's very close to me and my sister, so we do tend to get quite foolish and giddy when all three of us girls get together. We've been on numerous shopping trips together for this holiday, and have outfit plans for what we're planning to wear each day.
Her favourite character and film match my sister's exactly. We love that film!Martin is a joiner, very happy go lucky, pretty Disney as far as men go. He's only just started getting excited for the holiday (whereas I've been excited ever since we booked it.) He has his moments. When we booked, he started singing 'LALALALALAL America, I wanna be in America...' etc . You get the gist. His favourite film is 'The Lion King', favourite character is Tigger.
OB is... well, what a young man. OB, unlike most 11 year olds is very mature, very articulate, and very clever. He's madly into football and plays for about 3 teams, he's massively into films, so he's going to love Universal and Hollywood Studios even more this time!! He never moans or groans, and has the appetite of a fully grown man. Thank goodness he'll be eating off the adult menus. He likes fillet steak, seabass, and all sorts of other luxury cuisine!! No chicken nuggets and chips for him!! His favourite character is Jack Sparrow, favourite film is POTC3!!
This trip is special because it's the first trip to Florida we are doing with just the 5 of us. On previous holidays, we've always gone with another family, who we are very close friends with, including mine and Katie's best childhood friends. But in the past two years, they've both got married, my best friend is now expecting with her first child, and the life cycle of holidays we've shared together has finally come to its end. While we're all sad that this chapter has come to its conclusion, we all had itchy feet to go back to Florida, and so, after some responsible browsing from myself, booked.
This holiday constitutes something of a personal achievement for me, as I've paid for it all myself. I finished my MA 2 years ago, and took a gap year working temp jobs and saving every last penny I could afford for the trip, or for the possibility of the trip and my tuition fees. Oh how I wish that postgraduate life was as free and easy as some people think it is. It's not. It's a struggle, and I have never worked as hard in my life. My Disney job is very demanding, sometimes starting shifts at 5am to cover delivery, and then have to put in a full day's work at University. It's exhausting. And after 4 years in this country slogging my guts out, I have never been more ready for a holiday. We, as a family, had a really tough time before Christmas, as Martin lost his Dad, and we lost a close family friend, but it just reaffirmed to us all that life is too short. We love Florida, we love the feelings and emotions that seap through you the whole time you're there. I could well up thinking about THE feeling you get when the pilot announces that you've arrived into Orlando International Airport. For me, Orlando and WDW feels like home. I ache to return to the smells of Main Street USA, sweet popcorn and sunshine, and to feel the Florida heat on my shoulder (because let's face it, we don't get any summer here!!) and to feel that electric buzz when you hear the music in the Epcot entranceway. THAT is why I love WDW.
I'm brimming with excitement, and I confess that I'm practically packed.
I'll be updating again the day before we go, as we've lots planned that day, and then a full trip report will be posted on my return. For now, I'll leave you with our itinerary!!
Thursday 19th May
Arrive and unpack.
Tea by the pool at CBR
Friday 20th May
Magic Kingdom
Tea at Raglan Road DTD
Saturday 21st May
Pool day
Tea at Bahama Breeze LBV
Sunday 22nd May
Epcot
Tea at Tutto Italia, Illuminations fireworks
Monday 23rd May
Typhoon Lagoon
Tea at Narcoossee's
Tuesday 24th May
Universal Studios
Tea at HRC
Wednesday 25th May
Mum, Martin and OB to go to Seaworld
Katie and I to Epcot to do 'drinks around the world'
Tea at Citricos
Thursday 26th May
MGM (ahem, sorry Disney's Hollywood Studios)
Tea at Hollywood Brown Derby
Friday 27th May
Pool day
Tea at Chefs de France, Epcot
Saturday 28th May
Animal Kingdom character breakfast
Tea at Mama Melrose, MGM and Fantasmic
Sunday 29th May
Blizzard Beach
Tea at Planet Hollywood
Monday 30th May
Islands of Adventure
Tea at Mama Dellas, Portofino Bay
Tuesday 31st May
Pool day
Tea at Hollywood Brown Derby
Wednesday 1st June
Favourite rides dash (we all go to do our favourite rides and reconvene later!!) :d:
Tea at Citricos, Wishes and Spectromagic.
