The Freeman Not So Scary October Trip - Thread One Complete!
About This Page:

Annabel · 09-10-2005, 07:09 AM

Adventurers:

Annabel - 32, 7th trip, Chief Planner, hates flying

but loves Dramamine

Andy - 35, 5th trip, Chief Rollercoaster Rider, loves everything - if he was any more laid back, he’d be lying down

Dates: 1st - 15th October

Flying with First Choice, on their new planes and new Star Class Premium cabin. What can I say, we like our luxury - especially when we have to endure a 9 hour flight out and an 8 hour flight back. Staying at Pop Century, just for a change

Introduction:

This story begins a long time ago (but not in a galaxy far, far away). Back to Easter 2004. Our last trip to the World had been in January and the flights with Travel City Direct had not exactly been successful (delayed for nearly 4 hours flying out due to electrical faults, then delayed a day and a half coming home due to more electrical faults). I think this is the reason why I’m such a nervous flyer now - I was fine up to that point, although still very slightly nervous if turbulence hit. On arrival at Gatwick, I swore to andy I was never flying again. Nu-uh, no way!

My “never flying again” threat lasted about 2 months after arriving back. Reading one of the boards I frequent, I came across a post from a member saying she’d found a great deal to Florida. It sounded too good to pass up so I went to the First Choice website to investigate. I found a great deal staying offsite at the Quality Inn International on International Drive. We stayed there during our first trip together in March 2003 to celebrate our birthdays. We didn’t mind staying there so we decided to stay again. Apparently it’s really gone downhill since then but we’ll come to that in a bit.

I batted my eyelashes at DH when he came home from work and showed him the deal I’d found. He was all for it so he rang First Choice to book it all. We were told that they were bringing in new planes which would be totally upgraded which sounded great. Two weeks at the QII and flying regular class would cost us £972 - not each but for the pair of us - a bargain! Of course in between booking this holiday and going on it, I managed to squeeze in a solo trip and we went twice together

Fast forward to May 2005. I’m nosing around the First Choice website at flights and put our dates in. The holiday is a lot more expensive I’m pleased to note

I also noted that they had some first class seats available. Hmm…..a plan forms in my mind. I asked Andy to ring them to find out how much it would cost us to upgrade. Andy made the call and it would only cost £300 for the pair of us to upgrade which was an amazing price

With other airlines you can pay that per person each way! Andy booked the upgrade and they sent us a new invoice. I also book tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as we both really enjoyed going last year

A PS was made for the Liberty Tree Tavern too

We spent that evening talking and we hit upon where we are staying. We both love staying onsite and staying on International Drive has lost its appeal. We surf travel websites reading reviews of the hotel and we are far from happy with what we read. There are reports of cockroaches, messy rooms in bad condition etc ,which puts me off staying there even more. Again, DH rang First Choice to find out if it would be cheaper to just pay for the flight rather than a holiday. Yeah right - it’s £400 MORE if we drop the hotel and just pay for the flights

How silly can you get?? I then work out that it’s still cheaper to keep our upgraded flights rather than look for others so we decide to get a quote from Dreams Unlimited for our 2 week stay - choosing Pop Century of course! I know you’re all so surprised

We get our quote and it’s good, very good - we just have to wait for the annual pass rates to materialise. Later on when the rates come out, we’re told that it is cheaper to keep our existing reservation as there are no rates for after October 4th and we arrive on the 1st. At the time I am writing this, we are waiting for the next lot of rates that will start on October 5th so see if we can add them to our reservation to make it even cheaper.

I started keeping an eye on the Disboards for any cruises which may be offered during our stay. I find an Illuminations Cruise being offered and put my name down, hoping I’m not too late....I’m the last one to apply and the 2 spots are mine if I want them - wahoooo

I send off $58 for our places and the money arrives ok. We will be going on our first fireworks cruise on October 4th

I’m really excited, especially as we missed out going last year and we had to go home early.

Coming up next: more plans and our final(ish) itinerary

beths3 · 09-10-2005, 07:35 AM

Yeah!! Another Annabel trip.

Beth

karmic · 09-10-2005, 08:19 AM

Great start, Annabel!

**Colexis Mom** · 09-10-2005, 08:59 AM

Great start Annabel

TroianRae · 09-10-2005, 09:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah!! Another Annabel trip.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly my thoughts!!!

SuperKate · 09-10-2005, 11:20 AM

You are cracking me up....keep it coming!

clio · 09-10-2005, 12:24 PM

Great start, Annabel
Liz

lauren-roxy · 09-10-2005, 12:24 PM

Great start Annabel, can't wait to read all about your trip!!

buzzspal2 · 09-10-2005, 01:38 PM

Annabel,
Are there going to be any Passporters on your cruise? You will have a BLAST. You know we want to hear all the details

debsta922 · 09-10-2005, 02:26 PM

Yay another Annabel report... I think I may have to go to Chili's tonight and celebrate!!!

DawnDenise · 09-10-2005, 02:56 PM

Great start Annabel!! Can't wait to read all about it!!

mac · 09-10-2005, 04:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
 Staying at Pop Century, just for a change

[/ QUOTE ]

Have a great trip Annabel, I can't wait to hear all about it when you return!

mestitch · 09-10-2005, 04:20 PM

Sounds like a good start!! Can't wait to hear all about it!!

Annabel · 09-10-2005, 06:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Are there going to be any Passporters on your cruise?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not that I'm aware - I've only been in contact with the lady who booked the cruise, I don't know who else will be there.

Annabel · 09-10-2005, 06:53 PM

Time is flying by so I continue to make our plans, while waiting for the October park hours and Extra Magic Hours to come out. One evening, Andy and I are chatting about our upcoming trip and he tells me he wants to spend more time on Disney property this time as there is still so much we haven’t done - fine by me

We’ve got 1 maybe 2 visits to Islands of Adventure planned so Andy can get his Hulk fix and I can get my Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges fix. We will only be doing a little shopping for Christmas presents and will wait until April 2006 when we go with my Mum and her DH to do a lot more shopping. Obviously we will visit Chilis and pay a visit or two to Olive Garden. For a change, DH actually told me to book some Priority Seatings

Pardon??

Normally he doesn’t like me booking too many because he hates being tied down. This trip is to be different he says with more time on Disney property, yay

I’m not about to argue with that

I start looking at AllEarsNet for menus and make some notes. DH turns down ‘Ohanas which leaves me feeling a little disappointed as I really fancy trying it

I never got to ‘Ohanas in July but never mind, maybe another time. I gave DH a few choices for an on-site breakfast and he chose Trail’s End. I send all my PS requirements to our agent and she sorts them all out for us. Our PS’s (I can’t get used to calling them ADRs) are as follows:

Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic Package
Liberty Tree Tavern on the night of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Boma - dinner
Afternoon tea at Garden View Lounge, Grand Floridian
Le Cellier - lunch
50’s Prime Time Café - lunch
Trail’s End - breakfast

A nice mixture there I’m sure you’ll agree

We may even end up with more

Other places we intend to dine include Beaches and Cream and eating our way around the world during the Food & Wine Festival. We intend to visit the parks for most of the Extra Magic Hours too. We still haven’t seen any of the daytime parades - this will definitely be rectified during this trip

Andy has never seen Spectromagic either

In the last week I have requested another PS. After reading Joy’s report about Kirk’s birthday surprise, I loved the sound of breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. I read the menu out to DH and he loved the sound of it so I booked it

Unfortunately I couldn’t get an early PS but we’ve got one for 10.20. I’m really looking forward to it.

We will be having a planning night with Mum and her DH Jez on our return for our April/May 2006 trip. It will have been over 16 years since my Mum visited the World and nearly 11 years for Jez. I am so excited about it, I think we’re going to have an amazing holiday with them. For our planning night, I will be purchasing some things for goodie bags. At the moment, my list includes Disney Dollars, embroidered ears, a pin, something from Pop Century, a signed postcard from characters saying can’t wait to see you and possibly a character t-shirt. I’ve got lots of programmes for us to watch including some Travel Channel specials and the Top 7 Must Sees with Kryssa, plus the UK and USA planning DVDs. It’s going to be a fabulous night. I’ve put together a binder for them, full of park maps, menus, Passporter information etc etc - I can't think of anything else to add to the binder or the goodie bags so will post a thread in the planning forum in case any of you lovely people have any ideas

Coming up: our itinerary in full