Well!
There may be a chance we won't be flying Tuesday although I am hopeful we will.
Hurricane Matthew is headed to Florida right now after destroying a lot of Haiti and the Bahamas with a death toll of over 100 so far :(
So it goes without saying that my holiday is not important right now.
Obviously I hope everything is fine, that Matthew doesn't cause much damage in Orlando and we get to fly as planned and have power when we're there, of course.
But if not then we have options.
Matthew is the strongest, fastest and worst hurricane Florida has seen for a long time. It's currently a Category 4 and will hit Orlando at 2am their time so around 7am here tomorrow. It's expected to last until Friday night/Saturday morning.
It should then hopefully pass and disappear or at least turn into a standard storm by the end of Saturday.
Until Saturday night our holiday is in the air right now. I've called the travel agent and they've reassured me that if for some reason we cannot fly on Tuesday we have the option to fly the next day, or the day after, or receive a full refund and re book.
The most likely outcome is our flight will be a little delayed as the storm will still be there so our flight will have to be diverted around it, and when we get there there'll be places that are closed, power outages etc so some things we have booked we won't be able to do.
Best case scenario is the hurricane doesn't do as much damage as expected and everything is fine the next day!
Worst case is I have to cancel and book for another time, and tell the kids they're not going on holiday now :(
It's all a waiting game now so I don't want to update the new things I've booked and changed just yet!
Hopefully my next post will be after it's passed and everything is still on, fingers crossed!
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Getting the final details sorted!
6 days until we leave for the airport!
I'm more relaxed about flying now and everything being ok hopefully.
Got out ESTA's, API's done, passports, booking confirmation printed as well as travel insurance and care hire.
Got all of our tickets now including Disney, Universal, Seaworld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, and Halloween Horror Nights!
Kids all booked into Lilo's Clubhouse the night me and Cameron will be going to HHN.
Dine with Shamu and the Superhero breakfast are booked and paid for.
Our other ADR's, after cancelling a few I wasn't REALLY excited about are;
Mythos
Be Our Guest breakfast
Garden Grill
Teppan Edo
Sanaa
T-Rex
Coral Reef
Crystal Palace
'Ohana.
I did have a few more booked originally but I'd either done them before or they weren't making me excited so I'd rather save the money and use it on something that will :D
We also have Discovery Cove booked for the 15th which will be amazing again! No dophin swim this time but everything else! Snorkelling with sting ray and tropical fish, right next to sharks. And seeing otters, sloths and feeding tropical birds, all while eating and drinking as much as we want for free. Paradise :D
On the spending money side, I haven't managed to save as much as I wanted to but I think we'll be ok.
Especially now I've saved a couple of hundred cancelling some ADR's and I'll be ordering groceries for our room too so we can make things there and take some with us to the parks too :D
I've not even started packing yet! I really need to soon! I have 3 cakes to finish in time for the weekend so it'll have to be then!
6 more sleeps!!
I'm more relaxed about flying now and everything being ok hopefully.
Got out ESTA's, API's done, passports, booking confirmation printed as well as travel insurance and care hire.
Got all of our tickets now including Disney, Universal, Seaworld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, and Halloween Horror Nights!
Kids all booked into Lilo's Clubhouse the night me and Cameron will be going to HHN.
Dine with Shamu and the Superhero breakfast are booked and paid for.
Our other ADR's, after cancelling a few I wasn't REALLY excited about are;
Mythos
Be Our Guest breakfast
Garden Grill
Teppan Edo
Sanaa
T-Rex
Coral Reef
Crystal Palace
'Ohana.
I did have a few more booked originally but I'd either done them before or they weren't making me excited so I'd rather save the money and use it on something that will :D
We also have Discovery Cove booked for the 15th which will be amazing again! No dophin swim this time but everything else! Snorkelling with sting ray and tropical fish, right next to sharks. And seeing otters, sloths and feeding tropical birds, all while eating and drinking as much as we want for free. Paradise :D
On the spending money side, I haven't managed to save as much as I wanted to but I think we'll be ok.
Especially now I've saved a couple of hundred cancelling some ADR's and I'll be ordering groceries for our room too so we can make things there and take some with us to the parks too :D
I've not even started packing yet! I really need to soon! I have 3 cakes to finish in time for the weekend so it'll have to be then!
6 more sleeps!!
Kids Surprise boxes ready!
So the big reveal will be next week! I've told them I've got a little present for them for the plane (to Scotland!) and I'll give it to them next week :D
Inside they have;
Mickey/Minnie ears
An autograph book
Bumbag
Ponchos
Themed top of their favourite character/film
Headphones for the plane
And a sun cap
I have a feeling it still wont be enough so I may have to add a note in there to spell it out for them!! Or write it on the underside of the lid maybe.
I'll definitely be filming their reaction again!
I've prepped Cameron, who still believes he's in on the secret that we're going to Spain and I've told him all about the presents and to act surprised. Little does he know he will actually be surprised!!
Inside they have;
Mickey/Minnie ears
An autograph book
Bumbag
Ponchos
Themed top of their favourite character/film
Headphones for the plane
And a sun cap
I have a feeling it still wont be enough so I may have to add a note in there to spell it out for them!! Or write it on the underside of the lid maybe.
I'll definitely be filming their reaction again!
I've prepped Cameron, who still believes he's in on the secret that we're going to Spain and I've told him all about the presents and to act surprised. Little does he know he will actually be surprised!!
Sunday, 11 September 2016
Getting excited!
After all of the stress in the past couple of weeks I've finally started to get excited about our trip again!
I've ordered a few bits for the kids for their surprise reveal. I'm still not sure when I'll do this!
They have a Disney box each already. I've ordered a themed shirt each (Tinkerbell, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park), mickey ears, autograph books and bumbags to go inside.
Not quite figured out all of the details but the boxes will be wrapped and I'll film them opening them!
The suitcases are now down from the attic so I can slowly start washing and sorting holiday clothes, hopefully into two suitcases as I don't fancy carrying three suitcases, 4 pieces of hand luggage and the kids as well on my own!
I think I'll have to find the kids back packs and use them as hand luggage so they can carry those themselves. That'll just leave me with the suitcases and my hand luggage...and 3 kids!
Bad point. My phone has decided to play up and not hold charge so I've had to pay for an early upgrade! So more eaten out of our spends...BUT...I'll have a better phone and a massive 4x the storage, which means I won't have to keep deleting photos and videos all holiday! I'll have enough for everything on my phone!
Starting a new saving schedule for the next few weeks and if all goes to plan and there are no more set backs we should have $4000 spending money :D
Around $1600 of that will be on our ADR's and food! But most of the rest will be to play with so it should be plenty!
The kids still think we're going to Scotland, bar Cameron who thinks we're going to Spain!! I can't wait to see their faces. I may not wait! As soon as their 'box stuff' arrives I might just tell them!
I also called the travel agent about Miami airport and asked around and it seems like it's much simpler than I was imagining. Off the plane, onto the airport train, through immigration, pick up bags, go through customs and drop them back off at the Orlando flight!
I know I won't fully relax until I'm sat on that plane to Orlando. That will be when I can really look forward to our holiday and I'll have the hour flight to get rid of the stress and get my head in holiday mode!
I've ordered a few bits for the kids for their surprise reveal. I'm still not sure when I'll do this!
They have a Disney box each already. I've ordered a themed shirt each (Tinkerbell, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park), mickey ears, autograph books and bumbags to go inside.
Not quite figured out all of the details but the boxes will be wrapped and I'll film them opening them!
The suitcases are now down from the attic so I can slowly start washing and sorting holiday clothes, hopefully into two suitcases as I don't fancy carrying three suitcases, 4 pieces of hand luggage and the kids as well on my own!
I think I'll have to find the kids back packs and use them as hand luggage so they can carry those themselves. That'll just leave me with the suitcases and my hand luggage...and 3 kids!
Bad point. My phone has decided to play up and not hold charge so I've had to pay for an early upgrade! So more eaten out of our spends...BUT...I'll have a better phone and a massive 4x the storage, which means I won't have to keep deleting photos and videos all holiday! I'll have enough for everything on my phone!
Starting a new saving schedule for the next few weeks and if all goes to plan and there are no more set backs we should have $4000 spending money :D
Around $1600 of that will be on our ADR's and food! But most of the rest will be to play with so it should be plenty!
The kids still think we're going to Scotland, bar Cameron who thinks we're going to Spain!! I can't wait to see their faces. I may not wait! As soon as their 'box stuff' arrives I might just tell them!
I also called the travel agent about Miami airport and asked around and it seems like it's much simpler than I was imagining. Off the plane, onto the airport train, through immigration, pick up bags, go through customs and drop them back off at the Orlando flight!
I know I won't fully relax until I'm sat on that plane to Orlando. That will be when I can really look forward to our holiday and I'll have the hour flight to get rid of the stress and get my head in holiday mode!
Friday, 9 September 2016
Stress overload!!
The last couple of weeks have been so stressful!!
First I thought Alyssa's passport would need to be changed but after a couple of days found out it didn't, so now that's fine.
Then I went to check we had everything and found my passport had had tea spilt on it! Cue panic since the US site said water damaged passports wouldn't be accepted.
Made an emergency appointment at the passport office at £110!! Had to get my photos re done and signed again.
Just as I left the office I realised they wouldn't be able to call the person who signed my photos as he's on holiday, so I was panicking that would delay things.
But no, all fine and my passport arrived yesterday. Went to apply for ESTA with my new passport, bearing in mind I have applied for ESTA 12 times in the last few years and every single time it has instantly shown 'Authorisation Approved/ on the screen.
Oooh no, of course it didn't this time! It said 'Authorisation Pending'. Cue more panic knowing there's no time to get a visa now!
Refreshed the page and it had been approved. Phew!!
THEN Cameron's tutor let slip about Florida!! He heard and I've somehow managed to convince him there is a similar sounding city in Spain and that's actually where we're going. He seems convinced and I've told him it's our secret and he's got to help me keep it so Alyssa and Charlie still think we're going to Scotland, not 'Spain'.
So now I've had to change the way I was going to surprise them.
And to top it all off I've wound myself up about connecting flights in Miami as I've never been to that airport before.
I'm sure all will be fine and soon I'll be able to relax and enjoy the build up soon enough but, man, what a week!
First I thought Alyssa's passport would need to be changed but after a couple of days found out it didn't, so now that's fine.
Then I went to check we had everything and found my passport had had tea spilt on it! Cue panic since the US site said water damaged passports wouldn't be accepted.
Made an emergency appointment at the passport office at £110!! Had to get my photos re done and signed again.
Just as I left the office I realised they wouldn't be able to call the person who signed my photos as he's on holiday, so I was panicking that would delay things.
But no, all fine and my passport arrived yesterday. Went to apply for ESTA with my new passport, bearing in mind I have applied for ESTA 12 times in the last few years and every single time it has instantly shown 'Authorisation Approved/ on the screen.
Oooh no, of course it didn't this time! It said 'Authorisation Pending'. Cue more panic knowing there's no time to get a visa now!
Refreshed the page and it had been approved. Phew!!
THEN Cameron's tutor let slip about Florida!! He heard and I've somehow managed to convince him there is a similar sounding city in Spain and that's actually where we're going. He seems convinced and I've told him it's our secret and he's got to help me keep it so Alyssa and Charlie still think we're going to Scotland, not 'Spain'.
So now I've had to change the way I was going to surprise them.
And to top it all off I've wound myself up about connecting flights in Miami as I've never been to that airport before.
I'm sure all will be fine and soon I'll be able to relax and enjoy the build up soon enough but, man, what a week!
Friday, 26 August 2016
Wow it's been a while since I updated!
We now have just over 6 weeks to go so I'm started to panic a little about having everything we need.
I am just over half way on my spending money schedule. With the amount I have saved we can just about survive there for two weeks! Still need lots more in order to pay for all the meals I have booked and some extras.
I'm going to update here everything I've booked so I have everything in one place.
Flights booked and paid for. Details arriving in the post in the next few weeks.
Hotel for the night before booked on booking,com, not yet paid for.
Car parking booked and paid for with avios miles.
Travel insurance paid for with avios miles also!
ESTA's done and screenshotted.
API's done.
Passports ready.
Money off vouchers printed.
Now that's the boring stuff out of the way!
ADR's booked are;
Beaches and Cream on the 12th at 19:40 just for the kitchen sink!
Be our Guest on the 13th at 8:25
Tusker House on the 14th at 14:20 (Characters)
Boma on the 16th at 9:35
Dine with Shamu on the 16th around 16:00 (Seaworld)
The Garden Grill on the 17th at 13:30 (Characters)
Coral Reef on the 18th at 19:35
Teppan Edo on the 19th at 13:30
Cafe La Bamba on the 20th at 8:45 (Universal)
Sanaa on the 20th at 19:25
T-Rex on the 21st at 11:00
50's Prime Time on the 22nd at 13:20
'Ohana on the 25th at 9:35 for our last day.
Booked Alyssa and Charlie into Lilo's playhouse at the Polynesian for a few hours of activities, dinner, snacks, and possibly characters. While Cameron and I will be peeing our pants at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios!
On the 15th we will be spending the day at Discovery Cove, snorkeling with sting ray and tropical fish, holding tropical birds, seeing otters and sloths and all sorts! We wont be swimming with the dolphins this time as Charlie will be just under 6 (although they wouldn't know) and it's an extra £240 for that half an hour.
We will be getting our Seaworld tickets included though so I will make sure he gets to feed the dolphins there. We'll have Aquatica tickets too but I'm not sure we'll have time for this.
And speaking of Seaworld, I have also booked and paid to Dine with Shamu. We've done this before but before Charlie and it was brilliant so I wanted Charlie to have this experience too.
In the next few posts I'll be posted more detailed descriptions, with photos, of things we will be doing!
Currently Cameron, Alyssa and Charlie are convinced they are going to Scotland. I've tried not to make it sound too exciting and we dont' really talk much about it so fingers crossed they won't be disappointed when I tell them where we're really going :D
I still have to figure out how and when to tell them! I don't know whether to tell them on the day at the airport, in the hotel the night before, or before we even leave. I don't have much time to figure it out!
We now have just over 6 weeks to go so I'm started to panic a little about having everything we need.
I am just over half way on my spending money schedule. With the amount I have saved we can just about survive there for two weeks! Still need lots more in order to pay for all the meals I have booked and some extras.
I'm going to update here everything I've booked so I have everything in one place.
Flights booked and paid for. Details arriving in the post in the next few weeks.
Hotel for the night before booked on booking,com, not yet paid for.
Car parking booked and paid for with avios miles.
Travel insurance paid for with avios miles also!
ESTA's done and screenshotted.
API's done.
Passports ready.
Money off vouchers printed.
Now that's the boring stuff out of the way!
ADR's booked are;
Beaches and Cream on the 12th at 19:40 just for the kitchen sink!
Be our Guest on the 13th at 8:25
Tusker House on the 14th at 14:20 (Characters)
Boma on the 16th at 9:35
Dine with Shamu on the 16th around 16:00 (Seaworld)
The Garden Grill on the 17th at 13:30 (Characters)
Coral Reef on the 18th at 19:35
Teppan Edo on the 19th at 13:30
Cafe La Bamba on the 20th at 8:45 (Universal)
Sanaa on the 20th at 19:25
T-Rex on the 21st at 11:00
50's Prime Time on the 22nd at 13:20
'Ohana on the 25th at 9:35 for our last day.
Booked Alyssa and Charlie into Lilo's playhouse at the Polynesian for a few hours of activities, dinner, snacks, and possibly characters. While Cameron and I will be peeing our pants at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios!
On the 15th we will be spending the day at Discovery Cove, snorkeling with sting ray and tropical fish, holding tropical birds, seeing otters and sloths and all sorts! We wont be swimming with the dolphins this time as Charlie will be just under 6 (although they wouldn't know) and it's an extra £240 for that half an hour.
We will be getting our Seaworld tickets included though so I will make sure he gets to feed the dolphins there. We'll have Aquatica tickets too but I'm not sure we'll have time for this.
And speaking of Seaworld, I have also booked and paid to Dine with Shamu. We've done this before but before Charlie and it was brilliant so I wanted Charlie to have this experience too.
In the next few posts I'll be posted more detailed descriptions, with photos, of things we will be doing!
Currently Cameron, Alyssa and Charlie are convinced they are going to Scotland. I've tried not to make it sound too exciting and we dont' really talk much about it so fingers crossed they won't be disappointed when I tell them where we're really going :D
I still have to figure out how and when to tell them! I don't know whether to tell them on the day at the airport, in the hotel the night before, or before we even leave. I don't have much time to figure it out!
Friday, 10 June 2016
Holiday is paid off!!!
So excited!!! Our holiday is paid up!
Now I need to save, save, save our spending money!
I've also booked Alyssa and Charie into Lilos playhouse childrens activity centre where they will have dinner and enjoy tonnes of activities and possibly meet some characters!
And while they're ther I've booked the amazing Halloween Horror nights for me and Cameron which I'm stupidly excited about!!
AND I've booked Discovery Cove and Seaworld tickets. We missed Seaworld last time so it'll be nice to go there again. And although we won't be swimming with dolphins this time we will be snorkelling with sting ray, meeting otters and sloths, feeding and holding wild birds and animals, getting all the food and drink we can eat and sunbathe on the beautiful beach :)
I am so so excited now! Everything apart from discovery cove/Seaworld and Halloween horror nights is paid in full and I have a payment schedule for spending money in place which I'm determined to stick to :)
And the kids still think we are going to Scotland! 😂
Now I need to save, save, save our spending money!
I've also booked Alyssa and Charie into Lilos playhouse childrens activity centre where they will have dinner and enjoy tonnes of activities and possibly meet some characters!
And while they're ther I've booked the amazing Halloween Horror nights for me and Cameron which I'm stupidly excited about!!
AND I've booked Discovery Cove and Seaworld tickets. We missed Seaworld last time so it'll be nice to go there again. And although we won't be swimming with dolphins this time we will be snorkelling with sting ray, meeting otters and sloths, feeding and holding wild birds and animals, getting all the food and drink we can eat and sunbathe on the beautiful beach :)
I am so so excited now! Everything apart from discovery cove/Seaworld and Halloween horror nights is paid in full and I have a payment schedule for spending money in place which I'm determined to stick to :)
And the kids still think we are going to Scotland! 😂
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