The Daytona 500 Trip - Take Two - Pre-trippie

[Tinkerbell]

Last year we decided that we would like to take my dad to see the Daytona 500. He has always loved Nascar and in 2006 we booked the Richard Petty drive along for him. What he really wanted to do though was to watch a race so, found it, booked it.......off we go!
Well yes, that would have been great if the first attempt at the Daytona 500 hadn't been cancelled due to rain. :thumbsdown: It was eventually decided that it would be run the next evening, but dad decided that he was not going to go running back over there as he and mum had got drenched the day before and just didn't feel up to it. :cry1:

Not knowing when / if I would ever be able to get him back there, I just :surrender: and thought it wasn't to be.

Fast forward to August this year and several of my friends were posting trip reports and I started to get the itch, however I really didn't think to much about it as although Alans business is doing ok, it's not really stretching to Disney money. Then a few days ago he got an call and an unexpected bonus, so hopefully......

Daytona take 2 here we go!!!

We are just waiting confirmation of contract, but it's looking pretty good so far :thumbsup:

If it all goes ahead the plan is;

13th - 27th Feb
Flight with Virgin or BA
OKW 2 bedroom Villa
DDP - Free
Daytona 500 24th Feb (rain pending!)

I am not telling anyone else until it is all booked and paid for as mum and dad have resigned themselves to never going back again, so I want it to be a big surprise for them.

:wiggle::wiggle::wiggle::wiggle:

[Tink]

You are an incredible daughter! I hope the weather cooperates for this running of the Daytona 500! I know that the rescheduling is havoc on schedules.

Hoping all goes as planned for you this time!

[uscwest]

I don't follow NASCAR but would love to see the Daytona 500 at least once. Hope it all works out for you this year.

[Wendy]

Absolutely brilliant news :hug2: I will keep everything crossed for the contract to come back signed :hug2:

[Dawn]

:mental:

[Johnie]

Pack them ponchos and umbrellas! We have NASCAR races here in Richmond twice a year and it almost always rains on the Saturday race. I have never been to one as I don't watch NASCAR but I know a lot of people who do go and they just love it. What a great surprise for your parents!! :hug2::hug2: Fingers crossed that it will all work out!!

[Tinkerbell]

Thankyou all!

Johnie, they got so wet at this years race that the even the tickets disintegrated! In fairness Daytona Raceway did say they would let them in the next day as I have an account number, but they both just felt so rough after spending all day in the wet and cold.

I really hope it works out for us. Would it be bad to make some dining ressies even though I haven't actually booked yet? :unsure:

[Britchick]

Brilliant Nicki! really pleased for you :hug2:

[Johnie]

No, hon, I would go ahead and book the dining ADR's. You can cancel if you don't go.

Ugh yeah and it can be cold and miserable in Feb when it rains. At least our races here are in May and September when it's warm/hot.

[Tinkerbell]

:thumbsup:
Have had a look and almost everything is ok, except Le Cellier which is full of course! :cry1:
I'll just have to keep trying, have never managed to eat there!

[lisaw]

Fantastic! Everything crossed that it all works out for you! :yes:

[catrancher]

Here's a rather cool commercial that was done for the 2009 Daytona 500 that oughta help set the mood. :yes:

From a slightly different perspective. Crank the volume up and blow it up to full screen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynGQ1Dbf_bw

Ain't CGI a kick! :thumbsup:

Tom (:macwave:... :drive:)

[Suebeattie]

Ah wow! I've been lucky and got to see 2 Daytona 500 races. One we got wind burn and the second one it was ridiculously hot but enjoyed the both all the same.
Try and get the tickets so they can go round the pits and watch the driver introductions and stuff like that.
Maybe try and book a hotel close to Daytona so if it gets rained off then it's not too much trouble to get back there the next day :)

:wiggle:

[Tinkerbell]

As some of you will know from Facebook, we have had to cancel this time :cry1:

In Late Oct / early Nov DH lost his main contract as 3UK who he was fitting alarms in have decided that they will no longer be alarming mobile phones in the stores.
Luckily a short-term contract came his way but this has just about finished and he has nothing else to go on to.
We have had to be sensible and put away the money we have in case he is unable to get a permanent job any time soon.

However, all is not bad as we have managed to get a bargain trip to Lanzarote for a week 7 - 14 Feb.
I have a new camera to play with so hopefully I may be able to share some pics when I return, because you all don't want a full trip report do you :unsure: :lol:
We're staying in a villa in Playa Blanca, in a private villa with flights on Monarch from Luton. I've visited the island about 16 years ago so it will be nice to go back and see what has changed.

[Wendy]

Sorry to hear your news Nicki :hug2: You are doing the right thing, but then you don't need me telling you that :hug2:

You will have a lovely time in Lanzarote, we have friends that go every year and they love it.

Disney isn't going anywhere it will still be there waiting for you for when you can go back :yes: :hug2:

[Tinkerbell]

Thankyou Wendy :hug2:

I was a bit upset when I cancelled all our ADRs, and it took me a while to post here - silly really, I know it will still be there when we're ready :yes:

[Britchick]

:hug2:

[Wendy]

Thankyou Wendy :hug2:

I was a bit upset when I cancelled all our ADRs, and it took me a while to post here - silly really, I know it will still be there when we're ready :yes:

I'm not surprised you were upset :hug2: having to cancel your ADRs makes it even more real :sigh:

You don't need to stay away just because you aren't going to Disney, you have lots of experience to help people with their planning AND we will need a trip report from Lanzarote Miss :D you aren't getting away with that.

[Tink]

I would love a full trip report on Lanzarote as not only have I never been there, but I've never heard of it before you posted this! :redface:

I know it's disappointing to have to push your plans back, but take it from me (who has been having to do that for more years than I like on our return to Ireland) you will be able to return! It's important to be able to do so without worry about spending money and that sort of thing, isn't it?

So, all that to say, I'm looking forward to seeing your photos and hearing all about your alternative holiday! :yes:

[Tinkerbell]

:lol: We have wifi there so I will try to do some live updates too!

Thank you Sister Tink :hug2:
Lanzarote was beautiful when I went so so many years ago so I am hoping it hasn't changed too much.
I am actually really looking forward to it. We're going to have dinner cooked by volcano heat, which I never got round to last time.
It's normally warm year round too as it is a small island just off of the coast of Africa, but even if it rains we'll still have a fantastic time :yes:

[Johnie]

I'm now off to google Lanzarote.

[Britchick]

:lol: We have wifi there so I will try to do some live updates too!

Thank you Sister Tink :hug2:
Lanzarote was beautiful when I went so so many years ago so I am hoping it hasn't changed too much.
I am actually really looking forward to it. We're going to have dinner cooked by volcano heat, which I never got round to last time.
It's normally warm year round too as it is a small island just off of the coast of Africa, but even if it rains we'll still have a fantastic time :yes:

like the idea of the dinner! we went to Tenerife a few years ago, i like the canaries - if i went again i'd stay in a villa too