Florida flowers and Caribbean cruising LIVE TRIP REPORT COMPLETED 3/8 - Page 19 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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What I still can't work is why it will be crazy busy - I know it's marathon weekend, but it's not a holiday weekend, is it? I think President's Day is this coming Monday, rather than the next weekend? Is it a spring break thing?
Next weekend is the end of Massachusetts school vacation week, and the start of New Hampshire school vacation week (and I'm sure other states as well both weeks). So I'm sure that may be part of what is contributing to the crowd levels.
I'm really excited about the new gardens that will be part of the F&GF this year, especially the Shakespearean and Health gardens. I'm thinking of all the photo opportunities, too, with some of the topiaries and gardens illuminated at night. I love Chip and Dale who finally will have topiaries in their honor. that your new American phone works without a glitch.
So I've spent a good portion of the day reading all of this and I'm so glad I did as I've missed reading your reports. I just hope I can keep up!
What a wonderful trip you have planned!
Next weekend is the end of Massachusetts school vacation week, and the start of New Hampshire school vacation week (and I'm sure other states as well both weeks). So I'm sure that may be part of what is contributing to the crowd levels.
I'm really excited about the new gardens that will be part of the F&GF this year, especially the Shakespearean and Health gardens. I'm thinking of all the photo opportunities, too, with some of the topiaries and gardens illuminated at night. I love Chip and Dale who finally will have topiaries in their honor.
We think alike - I can't wait to enjoy the photo opportunities the new stuff will present!
So I've spent a good portion of the day reading all of this and I'm so glad I did as I've missed reading your reports. I just hope I can keep up!
What a wonderful trip you have planned!
Pre-trip report – part fifteen: that’s a bit disappointing…
Saturday 31 January
I did check on the Virgin Atlantic website this morning and the details for the films for February aren’t up yet. I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow morning then….
The American cell phone is now on charge, having been put together, and my goodness, that’s quite a challenge with the battery, SIM card and other mini SIM card (I don’t know what else to call it?) for the photos on the phone. Thank goodness I have a Samsung Galaxy for my British phone, so pretty much know my way around this one.
I’ve also started the packing… sort of! I’ve gone through the first aid kit to see what’s missing, and the bits that we need are now on the grocery order for this week, so it should be fully equipped again fairly shortly. I have teabags set aside, along with washing tablets, and I’ve already got some clothes ready to go. My short socks are ready to pack, and I’m narrowing down my tops to take, as I seem to have a lot of summer ones. The fact that they’ve been a pile since the autumn has helped, as I’ve been able to reject any that are creased, as I guess they won’t travel that well!
I also asked a few questions on the PassPorter message boards with things I’d thought of. Firstly, when we’re at Universal, we might want/have time to visit one or more of the Universal resorts, but I have no idea if non-guests can get access or not, so I figured the best thing was to just ask. Someone’s bound to know.
The other thing that hopefully someone can help me with is what to do with our UK power strip, as we’ll need it while we’re in WDW. I know they’re not allowed on board the cruise ships, which is fine. Last summer, we “smuggled” it on board, I suspect because we boarded in Venice, and people probably weren’t searching too hard for those sort of things.
However, I’m guessing it will be very different at Port Canaveral. I don’t know whether you can just hand it over there, and have it returned at the end of the cruise, or whether I could leave it at Bay Lake Tower and ask for it to be delivered to Animal Kingdom Lodge, so it’s waiting when we get back there. I’ve put both options out there, and I’ll see what feedback I get on each.
I then went online and did some research, just to check that our favourite stores (Bath and Body Works, Wal-Mart/Super Target, Reebok etc.) were still in the locations they had been previously, and that none had closed, or additional ones opened. Well, what a pleasant surprise I got! I found that the Orlando Premium Outlets just a few minutes away from Universal Orlando is home to a Bath and Body Works, Reebok, Disney Character Premiere and even North Face, so I think we’ll be spending some time there during our trip. Interestingly, when I checked out Wal-Mart and Target, I discovered that Wal-Mart is still open 24 hours, but Target is now closed between generally midnight and 8:00am. Wow! That’s even less than our supermarkets open over here, as nearly all of them are 24 hour, except on Sundays, when legally they can only open for six hours.
Sunday 1 February
Well, today I can finally say “we’re going to Disney this month!” and we’re into the teens in our countdown! I guess subliminally, my mind must have known that, because when I woke up, I was having a Disney dream, rather than a nightmare (what a pleasant change! ), where we were just heading to Be Our Guest for dinner when I woke up. Such a nice start to the day!
Virgin do have their movies up for February, and I have to say I’m a bit disappointed. Given that Gone Girl was listed as “coming soon”, I had assumed this meant it would appear in February, but In fact every movie listed as “coming soon” in January is still down as “coming soon” now. I’ve got two I do want to watch, which are the Equalizer and the Hundred Foot Journey, so that’ll keep me busy for some of the journey. Bear in mind that it’s a nine and a half hour flight and you can watch movies for probably at least eight and a half hours, so we usually get through about three movies. As for the third, well there’s nothing that immediately jumps out and grabs me for the moment. I did look at the TV listings and there are quite a few good dramas that we’ve watched that I don’t mind seeing again, but it’s just frustrating, as usually it’s just the first episode they play, which obviously leaves you wanting more…
As far as my dilemma over the power strip goes, I think I have an answer now, and my goodness, it couldn’t have been simpler. Hazel said that they’d be leaving theirs in the boot (trunk) of their car. Ok, we could do that too, as we’ll be parking the car during our cruise! Sorted… However, at least now I also know that you can leave items with a WDW resort and they will transfer it to another one, which is good to know.
I also decided today to just go ahead and start the pre-trip report. I wasn’t going to start it until tomorrow or the day after, but I figure I seem to have a lot to say right now :whitlse: so I might as well get it up and running…
I’ve also had a look at the temperatures for while we’re gone, and have added it into the spreadsheet for our trip. Just like the last time I looked a couple of weeks ago, it’s still fairly consistent – high 60s or low 70s for our whole time in Florida and a bit hotter on the cruise, more like high 70s. There’s very little rain forecast, so all in all, it looks very nice.
Monday 2 February
I had a message waiting for me from Sheri (skateycat) this morning, which explained that her Facebook account had been hacked and she’d had to set up a new one. Anyway, her message said that she was looking forward to seeing us, and I have to admit I was like I don’t remember making any plans to meet, although we’d be happy to, so I gave her our new cell phone number, so that at least we can get in touch with each other…
Before I started work, I called the optician’s, as I’d realised that I didn’t have enough contact lenses to see me through this vacation. How embarrassed was I when they said to me “we sent you a text to say that your lenses were in”. Oh well, at least I know they’re ready!
I also called our doctor’s surgery to request a copy of the doctor’s letter that I’ve been taking to Disney ever since I developed my chronic fatigue. It explains that I can’t stand for long periods of time, because I feel more comfortable having that with me, as to me, mine is truly a hidden disability. To look at me, you’d (hopefully!) have no idea that I had any issue with my stamina, but I do. I tend to find that the Cast Members glance at the letter, and that’s it, and I was thinking about not bothering this time around, but I was reading someone’s trip report (Lisa (lfredsbo) I think ) and she said that they ran into issues getting Guest Assistance Card for her husband. After that, I decided I would pay to get another copy of the letter.
I was a bit surprised when they asked about the letter being handwritten, as since I developed my chronic fatigue more than five years ago, I’ve never once had a handwritten letter from the doctor’s. They’re always typed up, and fortunately the letter was on the system. I was told it could take up to two weeks to do which I felt like saying “seriously, just to print a letter out and get the doctor to sign it?” but when I mentioned that I had an afternoon off next Wednesday, they told me to call in the morning and see if it’s ready. Fingers crossed it is. As I say, it shouldn’t take that long to do.
When we got home, Sheri had messaged me to say that she and Cindy (cindybelle) would be in WDW from 19-23 February. Sheri’s running the 10k, which is on the Saturday morning, so sadly she isn’t one of those that we’ll be cheering on on the Sunday morning. Mind you, that did get me thinking… what road closures, if any, are they going to have in place that day? We’ll be up early and heading to Bay Lake Tower, as Magic Kingdom opens at 7:00am that day. Oh boy, I guess I’d better do some checking on that…
I love coming home to read all the comments on the trip report, as they’re so helpful. in particular to Marci (disney4us2) who was saying how much she thinks we’ll enjoy Kennedy Space Center. I really appreciate her insight, given she’s seen the shuttle at the California Science Center. It’s good to know that they’re both going to be completely different experiences, and the fact that you can get to see inside is a real added bonus I wasn’t expecting!
Ok, so I just did a check on the arrangements for the 10k and it’s fine – it’s all centred on Epcot. I think I probably did check this before, but I just forgot. Phew – crisis averted!
Simple answers are always the hardest to find - just keep the power strip in the car! That's very much something that wouldn't occur to me either!
Bummer about the movies on the plane. I remember that loooong flight and how very helpful the movies were!
Hoping the decent weather forecast holds for you. It sure will be quite cold in the few days prior to your arrival, so I'm hoping that it warms up for you!
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Simple answers are always the hardest to find - just keep the power strip in the car! That's very much something that wouldn't occur to me either!
Thanks - that did make me feel better!
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Bummer about the movies on the plane. I remember that loooong flight and how very helpful the movies were!
Hoping the decent weather forecast holds for you. It sure will be quite cold in the few days prior to your arrival, so I'm hoping that it warms up for you!
It definitely does look cold on Wednesday and especially Thursday. I'm glad we're not arriving until Friday.
It sounds like you have perfect weather in store!!. Sorry about the movies, but I have to tell you, I hated Gone Girl! BLECH! It was disturbing!
Good to know, but a friend at work really liked it and she's a real movie fan (like goes every week) and she's also warned me about the gory bits where I'll need to look away...
All Caught up! We both only have about 5 days left till we leave. We just got another blizzard in these here parts! Honestly, there are no words to even describe what this has been like. to say I am more than ready (not literally) to touch down in the Sunshine State is a total understatement! I have not packed - but plan to later on today. The crowd levels for all the park days I have planned seem to be good choices. I hope I recognize you in line at some point! Safe travels
All Caught up! We both only have about 5 days left till we leave.
So we do!
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We just got another blizzard in these here parts! Honestly, there are no words to even describe what this has been like. to say I am more than ready (not literally) to touch down in the Sunshine State is a total understatement!
I've just been looking at some of the photos from various friends in New England - it's just insane the amount of snow you guys are getting right now!
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I have not packed - but plan to later on today. The crowd levels for all the park days I have planned seem to be good choices. I hope I recognize you in line at some point! Safe travels
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I love Chip and Dale who finally will have topiaries in their honor. 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
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the details for the films for February aren’t up yet. I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow morning then…. 
I’ve put both options out there, and I’ll see what feedback I get on each. 
That’s even less than our supermarkets open over here, as nearly all of them are 24 hour, except on Sundays, when legally they can only open for six hours. 
Ok, we could do that too, as we’ll be parking the car during our cruise! Sorted… 
I don’t remember making any plans to meet, although we’d be happy to, so I gave her our new cell phone number, so that at least we can get in touch with each other… 
Oh well, at least I know they’re ready! 
in particular to Marci (disney4us2) who was saying how much she thinks we’ll enjoy Kennedy Space Center. I really appreciate her insight, given she’s seen the shuttle at the California Science Center. It’s good to know that they’re both going to be completely different experiences, and the fact that you can get to see inside is a real added bonus I wasn’t expecting! 
That's very much something that wouldn't occur to me either! 
I'm glad we're not arriving until Friday. 
DLinNH
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