Help us make this trip work please :) Easter 2015 - plane bought !

Well its been a hell of a couple of weeks ( hence my absence ).

2 of the people I have worked with for 15 years who I consider my mentors and close friends have retired leaving the place feeling very strange and rudderless. ( Also insanely busy)
Unfortunately one of our remaining colleagues rang up last week to tell us that he is being investigated for something very sinister - life eh? never lets up for a minute does it.

So fully charged with Carpe diem I rang Virgin as it was 11 months to the day that the return flight for our proposed trip, ie the date of release. 1 flight pretty much booked already ( it was 9 am - presume a lot of it is pre allocated to travel agents etc)

So even though we have 40 billion virgin miles they wouldn't let us use any apart from miles+money as ' oh no sir we don't do reward flights on popular flights like this'

eeergh.

Ok so how many travelling ?

5 - 2 adults and 3 kids

An adult is over 12 sir?

4 adults and 1 kid

I won't embarrass myself by telling you the noise I made when he told me the cost of a return to florida going out on Good friday and returning 2 weeks later.
Suffice to say that the cost was 3x that of the total cost of the honeymoon Lisa and i took to WDW in 1999 including park tickets and food.

Can I pay that in installments?

no, now or we open them up for someone else

...... and that is with miles and money

oh yes <laughs> you should see it without !


Well the deed is done - it did rather take the wind out of the sails - usually the emtion following the purchasing of tickets is one of great elation and excitement - not guilt and hand wringing.

Anyway that passed and we are going back

It will be our last trip as a complete family probably - Thomas will nearly be 15 and he will be going on to other things in life - so its important to do this


We are going to need a lot of help from you my friends its been 7-8 years since we last went

 

No idea yet

We were thinking either wilderness or animal kingdom villa or contemporary tower room but we need to either buy DVC points or wait for avaliability nearer the time to get from Disney direct - we are a 5 now after all

Will need help with that for sure - maybe someone on here could help with that.

Will have to plan our ADRs and book those for sure

But accomodation will be our first thing to sort

 

I'm thinking your boys would love Animal Kingdom Lodge. A 1 bed with savannah view would be perfect, you can make breakfast and full meals if you wanted with plenty of space. There is also a washing machine and dryer so you don't have to take too many clothes or buy stuff out there. Some people hate washing on holiday but i find that just putting one load on per day is perfect for us and with the bigger tumble dryers nothing seems to need ironing!

 

Just being sensible - it will definitely be our last Disney trip together in this way for lots of reasons.

 

We have ALWAYS needed to wash on holiday now with 3 boys going we may as well just stay in a laundrette

 

*cough*Villa*cough

 

You looking for a job, Dawn?!

 

I'm a villa convert. Even with all the onsite perks you can't make me give up my separate bedrooms, private pool, full kitchen and laundry facilities. Last trip I also had a private fishing jetty.

 

Completely understand that - which is why we have done villa holidays in other places. The boys suddenly seem too big to be in one room together.

However I really don't want to be driving in Florida - I know its easy and I have driven in many countries including the US and the more petrifying Greece. But, daft as it sounds, I can never relax completely if I'm driving and if its going to be mental busy, not overly keen on spending a lot of time in traffic jams

 

So true!! Loved AKL! Wonderful to catch your breath at the end of the day around the big fireplace with a glass of wine, kick your feet up on the edge of the edge of the fireplace and take it all in!

 

DW Sally found a trip to Ireland for $999 including air fare, rental car and lodging for 7 days...seriously thinking about it.