Mince Pie In The Sky - A Hopeful Pre-trip Report

[jedijill]

The dress really is amazing! Worth the long wait.

Jill in CO

 

[Pinkocto]

Your FP+ plans sound great. I just wish they'd let you pick more than three things.

That certainly sounded like a stressful wait for the dress! It's beautiful

 

[dolphingirl47]

Your FP+ plans sound great. I just wish they'd let you pick more than three things.

That certainly sounded like a stressful wait for the dress! It's beautiful

I am actually a little scared of having three Fastpasses per day scheduled. I very rarely made the traditional Fastpass work and seeing all the slots black on white, I wonder if I will have time for anything else.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I have already shared a bit about Photopass + and the ride photos that are included in this. I have also mentioned that I have every intention to do every ride that is covered by this and have made my Fastpass + selections to include many of those rides. However, there was still a distinct possibility that I would chicken out at the 11th hour much the same way as I did with Sapce Mountain and California Screamin at Disneyland in May. Well, this risk has now been reduced to zero.

For years I have felt very passionately about a local charity in Orlando called Give Kids The World Village. They work with various Wish organizations like Make A Wish to enable children with life-threatening illnesses and their immediate families to come to Orlando for a holiday for a week. The big attractions provide free tickets, but the village itself still needs a lot of funds. While the families are staying there, everything is provided for them, which includes meals, accommodation and entertainment. Seeing which ride photos are included in Photopass + and seeing that this would provide photographic evidence, I decided to pledge to do all those rides and get my friends and colleagues to sponsor me. I have already reached 43% of my target with just over 4 weeks to go so now I am committed. I know that I have been incredibly lucky to be able to got to Walt Disney World so often and I am glad that I can give something back in a small way.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me. If all goes according to plan, I will do Expedition Everest, Rock’n’Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror and Dinosaur on 6th December; Test Track on 7th December and Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin on 10th December. I appreciate any good thoughts and prayers you can spare me on those days. As you can see from the photographic evidence from a previous attempt to do one of those rides, I will need every good thought you can spare.


47797830098

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Thats a really lovely idea! X

 

[Pinkocto]

A friend of mine was given a trip to WDW before she passed away. These trips really make a difference.

The little boy behind you looks so nonchalant

 

[dolphingirl47]

A friend of mine was given a trip to WDW before she passed away. These trips really make a difference.

The little boy behind you looks so nonchalant

The trips really make a real difference not just for the wish child, but for their whole family.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

Still to do

Book transfer from Orlando Airport to Hotel
Book hire car
Book cruise
Book dolphin interaction for Cozumel
Get jewellery for formal night
Make magnets
Print of confirmations and other documents
Do online check in for flight

Done

Booked Airport Hotel for night before flight
Booked flights
Booked seats for outbound flight
Booked hotel in Orlando
Booked Beach Club Villas for last night in Orlando
Made ADRs
Booked Animal Kingdom Lodge for night after DISApalooza
Got ticket for DISApalooza
Got dinner package for Candlelight Processional
Booked hotel in Miami
Ordered dress for formal night (received)
Ordered dress for Pirate night (received)
Ordered doorspotter (received)
Booked seats for return flight
Updated ESTA for me
Booked Disney's Magical Express for way back to airport
Booked Discovery Cove
Got ticket to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Pre-ordered Photopass+
Bought remaining dresses for dinner on cruise
Done online check in for Animal Kingdom Lodge
Customized Magic Bands
Done online check in for Beach Club Villas
Renewed Annual Pass
Ordered DISApalooza t shirt
Did new ESTA for Graham
Made Fastpass+ Selections
Got tiara for formal night
Booked transportation after DISApalooza
Got jewellery for Pirate night
Ordered US SIM card
Unlocked phone

 

[jedijill]

Good for you for raising money for GKTW! I sponsor them every year through a charity drive through my work...so happy I'm able to direct my funds directly to GKTW. It's a fantastic organization!

Jill in CO

 

[Pinkocto]

Oooohhhhhh, you got Pirate night jewelry? How did it turn out? Pictures?

You figured out the phone?

 

[dolphingirl47]

Good for you for raising money for GKTW! I sponsor them every year through a charity drive through my work...so happy I'm able to direct my funds directly to GKTW. It's a fantastic organization!

Jill in CO

They are a fantastic charity

Oooohhhhhh, you got Pirate night jewelry? How did it turn out? Pictures?

You figured out the phone?

Yes, I got a photo on Monday. It is a quick snapshot and somewhat grainy, but I like how it has turned out. Yesterday I got some photos for the formal night necklace and this has come out fantastic. I will do an update about the jewellery soon.

Yes, I got my phone unlocked and ordered a SIM card for T Mobile in the USA.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I made a tactical error this morning. I had told Graham that the Magic had to return to Miami early. At the time I thought they actually had cut the cruise short, but I have since learned that they were just picking up some supplies. I wish I had kept my mouth shut. Although the reports don't worry him any more than they do me and he would like to do the cruise, I was told in no uncertain terms that there was no way I will pay full price for the cruise. So rather than booking this by Thursday, we are back to the waiting game. Please keep the positive thoughts coming and your fingers crossed for me.

Corinna

 

[PJB71]

I made a tactical error this morning. I had told Graham that the Magic had to return to Miami early. At the time I thought they actually had cut the cruise short, but I have since learned that they were just picking up some supplies. I wish I had kept my mouth shut. Although the reports don't worry him any more than they do me and he would like to do the cruise, I was told in no uncertain terms that there was no way I will pay full price for the cruise. So rather than booking this by Thursday, we are back to the waiting game. Please keep the positive thoughts coming and your fingers crossed for me.

Corinna

Ohhhhhhh sending you lots of Corinna I really hope you get it booked ASAP

 

[Pinkocto]

There are so many categories still available, what is DCL doing?

That sounds very odd about them returning to Miami for supplies. I'm sorry you're back to the waiting game, that's so frustrating!

 

[franandaj]

I keep reading along and not commenting because it's stressing me out about you not having booked the cruise. I can't imagine how you are holding up!!!!!!!!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Ohhhhhhh sending you lots of Corinna I really hope you get it booked ASAP

Thanks, it is really appreciated.

There are so many categories still available, what is DCL doing?

That sounds very odd about them returning to Miami for supplies. I'm sorry you're back to the waiting game, that's so frustrating!

I know. Actually, I just checked now and the percentage available has actually gone up again.

There has been some suggestion that what they were collecting was spare parts for the air conditioning.

I keep reading along and not commenting because it's stressing me out about you not having booked the cruise. I can't imagine how you are holding up!!!!!!!!

I am actually surprisingly philosophical about this at this stage. I said it before and will say it again: There is no way they will fill the ship at full price. Good things do tend to come to those people who wait. I suppose a lot of the relaxed attitude at the moment has to do with the fact that I have been so crazy busy so I do not have much spare time to stress about stuff.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I have kind of lost count of how many times we have been to Florida, but we have not ventured out of the Orlando metropolitan area a great deal and have never gone south. We have visited the Space Coast with places like Cocoa Beach, Titusville and Merritt Island. We have been to Silver Springs in Ocala and we have been to Busch Gardens in Tampa a few times. So Miami is definitely uncharted territory for us.

We had originally considered taking the train from Orlando to Miami and back again. We both love the American trains. However, both in terms of price and time involved, this did not turn out to be a smart choice. So we decided to do two one-way car rentals instead. I am a little nervous about the prospect as I do suffer from motion sickness. Still, we have done a few road trips in the USA before and I was fine. We are also going to stop frequently, which will help, too.

I don't really know what to expect in terms of scenery. I know that essentially the whole trip is going through the Everglades. This is again uncharted territory. This is something that Graham has wanted to see for a long time. I was not quite so keen. I always thought that this is just one big swamp with a lot of alligators that freak me out and mosquitos that I am allergic to. I have now done a bit of research and this actually is a very diverse ecosystem. The quickest route is also supposed to be very boring, but Graham figured out a route via Tampa that looks quite interesting. We do have all day for the drive.




I still have not managed to find out what to expect in terms of wildlife other than what I mentioned before. I also still have no desire to spend an extended period of time there, but I will keep and open mind and the camera handy.

 

[Pinkocto]

I hope you're able to enjoy the FL scenery, it's quite unusual. Sometimes a lot of the same thing but still beautiful in its own way.

 

[dolphingirl47]

This will be our third trip to Grand Cayman. The first two times we did Disney excursions, but as this is a bonus cruise and we are trying to do this on as much of a budget as possible, we are going down the DIY route this time. Grand Cayman as a port is one of those that appeals to me less than others. It does have some endearing qualities though.

















On our first trip to Grand Cayman, we visited the turtle farm and Hell. Last year we visited the mangrove forest and Hell so I think we have the tourist attractions covered. On the way back from the excursion last year, we had a brief stop at Seven Mile Beach and we were both blown away by its beauty with its white sand and turquoise water. This is a public beach, but the stretch we visited was very clean and did not seem very crowded. There were some bathrooms there as well as somewhere you could hire loungers, umbrellas and water sports equipment. I don't foresee us needing water sports equipment or beach stuff, but it is nice that it is available. We are both water babies so I foresee that we just spend the time that we are there in the sea.











This will also be a welcome opportunity for Graham to play with the public transportation system of another country. He likes taking to the buses in different cities and countries and so far he has not had the chance to do so in Grand Cayman. I need to do a little more research on this, but from what I have found out so far, the buses run frequently and are cheap at about $1.50 per person each way. I know that they leave from near the library in Georgetown, but I need to figure out where this is in relation to the port. Still, it looks like this is going to be a cheap and easy day.

 

[Pinkocto]

I hope this gets to you on the right day with the time difference, I hope you had a fabulous day!!!