The NeverEnding Trip Report - 2007

[hayleyneeyore]

Right the itinerary cards - I've done quite a bit of booking and that after I did my original itinerary cards, plus the laminating wasn't that good on them last time AND I hadn't finished them, so we decided we'd reprint them today, and have another go at them. So many people have asked about them, and asked me to send the template, that I thought I'd take photos as I made them for anyone who is interested.

[Dizneyblonde]

And what a great idea the itinerary cards were!

I've passed mine onto so many others too!

[hayleyneeyore]

OMG just noticed you are planning on going next year!

Any dates yet?

Hello there Teresa!

I think we're thinking on going last week in August, first week in September for around 17-18 Nights.

We're not sure whether to stay at Wilderness Lodge/Animal Kingdom or just go for a value or moderate - we're going to be moving in Oct/Nov (YAY!) so it depends what's in the budget. If we do deluxe it will be those dates, if we do value, we might go sooner in the month :p But we'll be split-staying again next year to do Universal, SeaWorld, etc. again ::

When are you going?!

[hayleyneeyore]

I can't believe we leave for the airport on Sunday, it's unreal and out of this world!! I have booked a few more things since my last update, so I'll share with you all now

Today I booked some VIP Launch Tickets to Kennedy Space Center on August 7th with Grayline - I am so excited for this! I really hope the shuttle goes off. It's the day after we arrive, so chances are we will be knackered, but we reckon it's worth it - we can sleep after we get home right?!
With the VIP package you get round transportation from your hotel; Maximum Access Pass to KSC Visitor Complex where there's special launch day stuff too; access to NASA Causeway, the closest place where the public can view the launch; and a souvenir t-shirt. A week today, I'm so looking forward! I booked that today!

I have booked 5 surprises that Els (DBF) does not yet know about, and I'm so excited to see his face when he finds out. I am usually so bad at keeping surprises, but I have kept these and am so proud of myself They are:

1. I have booked the Escape 'executive' Lounge at Manchester Airport on the morning we fly for us. I figured it would be a good way to relax before a 9 hour flight, and a 5 hour time difference!!

2. Today, I booked the "Shamu Rocks" Dinner Buffet at SeaWorld! This was a spur of the moment thing, but I am really looking forward to this! We were going to see Shamu Rocks that night anyway, so this is a little something extra

3. I have reserved a Limo to take us from the Sheraton Studio City to All Star Movies when we move hotel. Can you just picture DBF's face when the limo pulls up and I say it's for us?! He thinks we're just getting a towncar!

4. On arrival at ASMo, I have ordered a basket from Memories by Betsy (I highly recommend her!) with some Disney goodies for DBF. He loves Donald Duck and Stitch. It includes:
2x YOAMD Refillable Resort Mugs
Mickey Mouse/Park Icons Throw
YOAMD Donald Duck Plush
YOAMD Photo Frame
Stitch Antenna Topper
'CM Style' Name Badge with DBF's name on
'2007' Pin
2x Free 1st Visit Badges
Here's a photo that she sent me:


5. And last but not least, I've booked us a Wishes Fireworks Cruise. I am really looking forward to this. It's 4 days from the end of our vacation, so will be a nice wind down to it. We are sailing from the Poly, which is perfect as we have an ADR at 'Ohana there beforehand We're doing this with some DIBBers including DizneyBlonde!

Now, I'm taking my CC and locking it firmly away and throwing the key!

[hayleyneeyore]

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE!!!!!

I am so excited, pretty nervous too! We are going to bed in an hour or so, and hopefully will get to sleep with no troubles. We might be like that advert - "but mom I can't get to sleep, WE'RE TOO EXCITED!!"

We are no longer going to see the shuttle launch, since it's moved 24 hours (typical, huh?) and I've been trying to get a refund on our tickets for the past 2 days which we are entitled to (never booking with Gray Line again) - BUT trying not to put a negative vibe on things, since WE ARE GOING TO FLORIDA!!

I will be getting up early tomorrow to shower and check-in online, then we're heading down to my parents house as they are taking us to the airport, and we are staying the night at Manchester Airport Travelodge AND THEN FLYING MONDAY MORNING!! I am really looking forward to the flight - I LOVE to fly! I'm a bit of a freak, I love the inflight meal

I'm soooo looking forward to loads of things, Discovery Cove, Seeing Shamu, seeing manatees, seeing Mickey, meeting EEYORE, seeing the Castle for the first time, doing the Wishes cruise, doing all my ADRs, Seeing Beauty and the Beast, the limo ride, riding Hulk and SheiKra - LOADS OF THINGS. I AM JUST EXCITED!!!!!!

[hayleyneeyore]

We're finally getting started on the real deal! Brace yourself folks, you might need to get up now to make a cuppa, grab a sandwich, call your boss to book the next couple of weeks off.... it's gonna be a long ride! I'm gonna try and cut the smiley-usage down as I wanna try and cram the photos in! All in all we took just over 2,000 photos in 3 weeks!

[hayleyneeyore]

It didn't take too long for us to wake up this morning as you can imagine! We had set the alarm, but I was up waaaay before then! I put the TV on quietly and stood in the window for a while just watching holidaymakers come and go on the shuttle bus, wondering where they've been, where they're going - do you ever do that at airports? I always look around wondering what destinations people are off to!

[hayleyneeyore]

We were quite excited to get onboard first - I hate to wait for anything, so when they said they were boarding from the back we rushed upfront with our boarding passes! We were finally going to fly with Virgin! Would I survive the longhaul flight?

As we walked to the plane, we passed an area which gave out free newspapers - I think Daily Mail or Express - and magazines (Full House), so I grabbed a mag but ended up not reading it! We found our seats at the back of the plane, 62H&K and began scouting out the goodies! A pillow and blanket, and the amenity kit was a plastic 'backpack' with travel socks, eyemask, toothbrush, toothpaste and a pen. We were so excited!!

Please ignore my Elvis hair.

Just realised I haven't written the name of our plane down! I think it was a pretty cool name because I remember being excited when I saw it! [Wait - I think it was Pretty Woman] Anyhow, we were initially worried about a delay flying out but we took off at around 10.45am which was good as our original flight time was 10.25am. We had a browse through Seatback magazine which tells you what's on what channels and saw a few films we wanted to watch - ideal. Els' TV was kinda broken, well it didn't tilt, but he lived! We're off!!


They were pretty quick about bringing round some snacks and drinks, and we got 2 small bags of Worcester Sauce pretzels, I got an OJ, Els got a Heineken, and we both got some Virgin Vie hand and face wipes and headsets for the TVs.

The weather was beautiful, and there wasn't much clouds in the sky so we could see quite a bit. The Captain had already told us we were due to fly over North Wales, so we were pretty excited when we saw this:

I have no idea if it was North Wales, but we waved goodbye to it nevertheless!

Ooh - films starting! Els settled down to watch Spiderman 3 whilst I started watching Shrek 3. We both really enjoyed our films and lunch came in the middle of the movie with a choice of Chicken Tikka, Meatball Marinara & Pasta, and Cottage Pie - you'll have to see what we got in my Dining Report!

We had a lot of fun watching the little map on the TV:

But it was time for the next movie to start, which was Blades of Glory for me - OMG this was such a funny movie! If you like Anchorman, you'll like this! Els watched Shrek 3 after seeing me giggle through it.

Another moment of excitement checking the TV Map after the film was over and realising we were heading into Canada - moreso after looking out the window and seeing we were approaching land at last!!
I'm sure the poor bloke behind me was thinking I was a weirdo taking photos of everything! Another momentous occasion as I visited an airplane toilet for the first time ever!




It was time for our third movie, and by now I was beginning to get a tad restless to say the least. Els watched Blades of Glory, and I almost wish I'd watched it again, as I watched 'I Think I Love My Wife', which is the worst film I've seen in a long time and I switched it off halfway through.

Will we EVER get there - the novelty of flying long distance was definitely beginning to wear off! I began taking photos to pass the sloooow time.

Are we STILL in Canada?!!

Luckily for me, our snack arrived - which you can see in my Dining Report! Els decided to take a nap after the film, which didn't last very long as a very bored me woke him up by doing this:


However we FINALLY started to get closer to Florida on the TV map, so I began getting excited again! It was so weird setting our watches back 5 hours! I was glued to the window when we started seeing towns and houses to see if I could spot anything, and after a scary bit of turbulence, the plane landed nearly an hour early - result!

Lemme off this plane, I wanna go to Orlando!!

[hayleyneeyore]

Woohoo!

[hayleyneeyore]

Okay, where were we?! Ah yes – day 2!