My PTR... 5 Years away from the (American) Mouse! Back already :(

[disneyhockeymad]

So I posted this on the normal PTR board and then located the UK TR board so decided to recipricate my PTR here as well... I'm a lurker on the UK boards normally (I have no idea why!) so I'm breaking the mould to post this!

Forgive the amount of posts and the most likely back dating of them, I'm literally going to copy and paste them from the other board!! hahaha

Feel free to leave comments and such. Be nice to hear a UK-ers ideas!!!

 

[disneyhockeymad]

So I guess I had better introduce my family...
This is me, I'm Laura, love anything Disney and I'm more or less known for it by all my friends. I'm always going on about Disney to my parents, especially now we're so so close (2 months and counting!) although I think my family are starting to get sick of it. Otherwise I'm in my last year of school and I'm off to university next year which is slightly scary but also very exciting!

This is my dad, he's pretty much in love with his job (I did work experience with him, I fell asleep I was so bored, but I guess whatever makes him happy!) I reckon he's quite excited about Disney, he likes to pretend he's not but I know he is! He doesn't mind listening to me go on and on about planning but won't do anything to help me!

This is my mum, she likes Disney to an extent but doesn't see why I get so excited before the trip, she's more the one for turning up and taking it as it comes, I know she's looking forward to it, but she isn't showing it right now!

And finally this is my younger brother, he's at that age where liking Disney isn't cool, but I know he likes it really. He pretends not to get excited when I daily tell him how many days we have left until we go to WDW, or what new rides they've put in since we last went and such, but I know he's excited, I can see it in his eyes!

Right so that's my family, I'll fill you in on the background. We first went to WDW in April 2001 and then again in 2003, we haven't really had the time since then, what with the numerous exams to revise for and take and the fact that living in England makes it so so so much harder to go to WDW. We visit Paris regularly though so I get my Disney fix... think I'd go insane without it!

We were given the choice to go on holiday anywhere we wanted this year, so obviously, and naturally, we chose WDW... how could we not! See it's most likely going to be our last family holiday in a way because, as I've already said, I'm going to uni next year so most of my summers and holidays will be spent working and what not!

Right that's all the boring stuff over and done with, now on to the goodies!

We booked the trip last september (maybe?!) and I've been excited ever since! We're staying offsite, as always, I'm kind of gutted because I would love to stay onsite but Dad says that he didnt want to be around Disney 24/7, I think he's mad, so we are staying offsite. We stay on site at DLP so I guess I can't complain too much. My calender on my wall, of course Disney, well Winnie the Pooh to be exact, has all the days until Disney on it counting down, and at the moment I'm on 72, so although it seems like a long way off for me this is so so exciting, I've missed the magic so much!

Don't get me wrong DLP is amazing, but it just doesnt have that same magic that WDW has, (I think it might be something to do with all the French and European's and the fact I can't understand a word they're saying!) It's just not the same when you have no idea what's going on around you and you can't share in the magic that's been created by the other families, and for me that is all part of the experience... like when you see the joy on a little kid's face when he runs up to Mickey for the first time, or when someone views the castle for the first time. It's just magic. Disney magic.
Don't worry I'm not the soppy type. Just partial to a little emotion, every now and again, especially when Disney is involved!

Anyways... so we booked Disney. I was more than excited of course, although as mum reminded me I have my A Levels the month before, the ones that will decide whether or not I get into uni so they're my big hurdle beforehand, but Disney is my reward for all the effort I will/am putting in to passing these which makes Disney even more excitable! Even my 18th is before Disney and I'm still more excited about Disney, I would say it's mad. But it's me!

Right so there's the background... 5 years of WDW longing all crammed into one family, a daughters who's too over excited for her own good, mum's words not mine, and a family who are pretending not to be as excited as they are...
Will I ever convince them that being excited is good? Will my brother finally give in to me and dance around the house to Disney songs in a slightly hyper, if not a little scary, joy? Stay tuned and all will be revealed!!!

 

[disneyhockeymad]

Things kind of quietened down between September and January (until I was bave enough to explore the other DISboards and not just the VMK one!). I began looking at pictures and memories, and of course the trip reports, that everyone had left, and bingo, just like that I was excited again! As if by magic, Disney magic, my mum got her guide to WDW and Florida that she has ordered from Amazon so I promptly picked it up and began to read, the whole way through. Needless to say my mum didn’t see it very much at all for the next week, I made copious notes and sticky noted everything, my mum still thinks I'm weird but I don't care. I'm excited, and that's perfectly fine with me!

We went shopping for clothes couple of months back, so as we didn’t have to do it when I was in the middle of my exams and so it wouldn’t interfere with my revision. (I’m actually starting to really panic about my exams now; they’re just over a three away and the mean so much!) I studied American politics this year and its comparison to British politics so with the election going on it hasn’t been too hard to revise that subject, plus it’s meant that America is constantly in my head, which has meant that my thoughts are constantly tripping back to WDW which in a way is good but really isn’t when I should be revising! Still any reminder is a good reminder. Especially when shopping is involved.

We hit the biggest shopping centre we have near us, it’s a bit manic sometimes but if you go at the right time you get to all the shops, bit like Disney and the rides! Why does everything come back to Disney, I swear this isn’t good for me! So I think I did ok with my buys… I bought these shoes to wear around Disney, the first pair are my shoes that I will literally live in because they are so comfortable and the other pair I’m planning on wearing out and in the evenings… (sorry the pictures are a bit large!)

I bought these amazing shorts, I love the lime green pair, reckon I’ll stick out like a sore thumb but that’s never a bad thing, plus lime green is the Dis colour

This skirt was a bargain and was possibly my favourite buy, it’s so comfortable and really thin so I wont be too hot in the July heat… maybe this is a good time to confess I’ve never actually been to WDW in June/July (we’re going end of June to mid way through July) but as Dis has kept me fairly up to date with what to expect so all is good

 

[disneyhockeymad]

Time for the next instalment… exciting stuff today, OUR DISNEY TICKETS CAME!
I jumped up and down so much when I saw them! In short it means that 1. My dad has got off his backside and ordered them and 2. Our trip is getting so much closer; we’re so close to the 2 month mark!!
They arrived in this cute little package thing, handy so we can have all the tickets together in one place (most likely my dad’s pocket!), but also just cute to know that the thing I have been waiting practically a year for is contained in that little pouch… well theoretically it’s not WDW itself but it is none the less my key to get into WDW so therefore it is! (made sense in my head!)
This is where the magic starts…

Amazing isn’t it!! I love it! These are the tickets in their full glory, each with a different picture and phrase on them, I swear Disney must have handpicked these, they represent my family so well...

Sorry some of these pictures are so blurred, my camera was having an off day, and now mum has put them somewhere 'safe' which I can't locate to save my life so I can't take new pictures!!!

This is mine :

All of the tickets say Walt Disney World then have a phrase underneath... mine says "where glass slippers always fit"

My brothers:

"where everyone screams a the sight of a mouse"

My mum (who loves the 7 dwarfs so much!):

"Where everyone is happy no matter what their name is"

My Dad's:

"where dreams come true"

They brought a tear to my eye, so like our characters, I think I just became 4 again! (I've always been that age really!!)

We also ordered flexitickets for Universal, IOA, Seaworld, Busch and Aquatica (which I must say I'm quite excited to try out!) They're a quite nice orange colour but nowhere near as nice, and as personalised, as the Disney ones. Still Disney has the magic, some how the others just dont!

Ooooh almost forgot, they can with this amazing little booklet, which includes all the park maps and information on busiet days, new rides, food and parades etc, which is amazing for someone like me who is completely planning obsessed!! I've already read it through about five times!!

off to bed now... (it's 01:12 right now!) I've been revising all day, it's sucked muchly because we've actually had sun and heat, and that is such a novelty at the moment so I should be lapping it up, but instead I had to stay inside laiden in books, subtley disney themed though I must say... challenge, spot the number of disney items!...

however I did get given an Ice Bun (the icing melted!!) from Sainsburys by my mum though so all is good!

night!

 

[disneyhockeymad]

I promised I was going to talk about my hotel, seeing as it's off site, so here I go, I've never been here so a lot of this is going to be assuming and borrowing pictures from the website!

Ok so the hotel is called the LBV Resort and Spa, and quite frankly it looks pretty cool. It's just been built so it'll be all new and such and it looks quite exciting! According to the website we're on the Antigua floor, we're getting a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 'condominium suite' (I don't even understand what that means!!) but all I know is that we're getting a kitchen (as if we'll even use it!), a plasma TV, a private balcony (ooooh, fingers crossed it's facing towards disney!) and wait for it.... drum roll...... a whirl pool spa! I'm so looking forward to that, so so good to unwind at the end of a day missioning it around, mum and I have already said we'll be spending ALOT of time in there after we come home! (dad and my brother aren't too keen but then we told them about the plasma TV, suddenly they weren't too bothered!) It has a spa too, so hopefully if it's not too expensive that's another thing mum and I will be hitting
This is the outside... It's sooo tall! I hope I dont fall off!

So this is indoors, looks cool, doesnt have that Disney feeling to it, but then it's not a disney hotel so i guess it wont, still we'll only be sleeping so it'll do!

This is apparently my parents bed, my brother and I get 2 single beds (I was hoping for 2 double beds but no such luck!) still looks comfy!!!

The LBV factory stores are literally right behind the hotel too, so lots and lots of shopping, especially seeing as I can get £1 to $2 at the moment, so everything will be more or less half price! WOOHOO! I'm already planning all the things I want to buy, we always go there when we go to WDW so I know more or less what's sold!

So I think that's me for this 'episode'. It's never as good as I wanted it, but I figure not many people are reading it so it's all good really! If you are reading it let me know you are!!!

Byeeeee

 

[disneyhockeymad]

So hey! My 18th was 2 fridays ago (9th) and now I'm a fully fledged adult, which is slightly scary!
I got some amazing disney themed things for my birthday, one of my favourites is sat beside me, my brother got it for me, it's a cute little Eeyore with a key which has 18 on it!
Here's a picture...

My best friend cross stitched me this amazing tinkerbell as well, I don't have a picture of it right now but I will be tomorrow hopefully! It's beautiful and nearly made me cry, she put so much effort into it!

I also got some really nice messages from people, not to mention from places I never expected...

hahaha. So impersonal yet so funny!

Thanks Dis!!! Always the place to rely on to deliver some pixie dust when you need it!


So I spent the whole of my birthday after school looking at WDW things and planning what we were gonna do whilst we were there and got myself very very excited!! We arrive on the 28th June, which is the last weekend to the starwars weekend which I'm very happy about because I've always wanted to go for this and now I get a chance (even if it is for the last day!) I also found out that there is an Eagles tribute band playing at Epcot on the sunday and my dad loves the Eagles so I'm guessing we're gonna go to that!!
So here's my preliminary plan:

Saturday: Arrive, after a 7 hour flight, and check in at hotel, unpack and go to Down Town Disney. Sleep!

Sunday: Star Wars weekend at DHS then Epcot in the evening

Monday: Epcot

Tuesday: A water park.. maybe BB

Wednesday: US

Thursday: AK (we plan to breakfast a Tusker House this day, if my dad gets round to ringing!)

Friday: MK (I've heard the 4th July is amazing at MK, and being British we really want to 'experience' the 4th July, but I'm thinking it'll be a very VERY early start!)

Saturday: HS

Sunday: AK

Monday: Water park.. maybe TL

Tuesday: Sea World

Wednesday: undecided... most likely MK but I'm not sure

Thursday: IoA

Friday: Last day Pack and hit Epcot or maybe MK again. Board plane and go home

That's only a very very rough plan and I'm pretty sure after the first few days we wont even stick to it. We're also going to Quest at some point during the 2 weeks because my brother and I love it but we're not sure when yet.

I think that's about all for today, I need to sleep now because I have school again tomorrow, but I finish for good on thursday so I'm excited about that!! Hopefully I'll update soon because I don't have any exams until June now so all is good!

 

[CustardTart]

Great start and Laura! Whereabouts in Kent are you? Would that biggest shopping centre be Bluewater by any chance..?

Happy 18th birthday BTW...

 

[natalielongstaff]

Fantastic trippie, thanks for posting it here as well

 

[irongirlof12]

Happy 18th birthday. I love the sandals amd shorts. your resort looks great. nice to be soooo close to the shops

 

[disneyhockeymad]

Great start and Laura! Whereabouts in Kent are you? Would that biggest shopping centre be Bluewater by any chance..?

Happy 18th birthday BTW...

Thanks!! I'm from Maidstone, we just got the radio1 Big Weekend which was cool! And yer... Bluewater is the big shopping centre, I just love that place!!!

Fantastic trippie, thanks for posting it here as well

Hey! Thankyou! I don't know why I didn't think about posting it here before, it only crossed my mind last night, glad I did though

Happy 18th birthday. I love the sandals amd shorts. your resort looks great. nice to be soooo close to the shops

Thankyou!! Being close to the shops is such a bonus, but I think my dad is dreading it already, he's already talking about taking another bag just to fit all the stuff I buy in!!!

 

[Booknut]

Happy 18th!!! Great report so far, love love love those sandals!!!

LBV looks very nice, don't worry too much that it's not 'Disney' themed...after a few days of shopping in Orlando and buying stuff at Disney the place will look even more Disney than a Disney hotel!!!

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Hi & Welcome.
Happy Birthday The PTR is looking great

 

[arieljasmine]

Hi Laura

Thanks for coming out of lurkdom and sharing your report with us. Your trip sounds so exciting and I will look forward to hearing more about it. Good luck with your exams.

Laur's

 

[stephensmum]

Hi Laura, thanks for sharing, looking forward to your trip report.

 

[jns]

Happy 18th Birthday

 

[Pinky166]

Welcome and a belated Happy 18th!

Great start to your PTR....can't wait to read more.

 

[KayleeUK]

Great start

Happy Belated Birthday!!

Stick around the UK Boards

 

[mark&sue]

thanks for your pre trip report. We are hoping to go back exactly two years after you. After my daughter's exams at the end of June so very interested to see how the weather and the crowds are.

have the best time.


susan

 

[disneyhockeymad]

WOW! so many replies... I'm starting to like it here!!
to my PTR everyone!!!

Hi Laura, thanks for sharing, looking forward to your trip report.

Hi Laura

Thanks for coming out of lurkdom and sharing your report with us. Your trip sounds so exciting and I will look forward to hearing more about it. Good luck with your exams.

Laur's

Thankyou Hopefully I'll be able to write a bit more in my PTR at some point, when I have more news but for now it seems to be revision, revision, revision!!!

Hi & Welcome.
Happy Birthday The PTR is looking great

Thankyou

Happy 18th!!! Great report so far, love love love those sandals!!!

LBV looks very nice, don't worry too much that it's not 'Disney' themed...after a few days of shopping in Orlando and buying stuff at Disney the place will look even more Disney than a Disney hotel!!!

totally agree!! Honestly can't wait to spend my birthday money (the stuff that should really go towards uni but ah well!!!)

Welcome and a belated Happy 18th!

Great start to your PTR....can't wait to read more.

Thankyou!!

Great start

Happy Belated Birthday!!

Stick around the UK Boards

I will indeed stick around the UK boards, I can't believe I never really looked until now!! Didn't know what I was missing!!!

Happy 18th Birthday

Thanks!! I had a fantastic one!!!

thanks for your pre trip report. We are hoping to go back exactly two years after you. After my daughter's exams at the end of June so very interested to see how the weather and the crowds are.

have the best time.


susan

You're welcome, hopefully I'll be able to wrote some more between now and the end of June! I'll be sure to tell you all about the crowds and such when I come back, but I'm sure just like I'm thinking, you'll enjoy it whatever the crowds/weather because after all... it's Disney!!!

Hopefully I'll be able to update soon, I have my fingers crossed for tomorrow evening, so watch this space!!!

 

[suzycute]

Hi Laura - what a great pre trip report. Will be looking out for your trip report when you return. Happy belated 18th birthday!!!!! You made me smile - my daughter is an (academic) year older than you and loves Disney the way you do too - the thing that keeps her going is her trip to DLP with her DBF this year and her trip to SSR with me in 2009.

Best of luck with your exams - which uni do you hope to go to and what are you hoping to study?