Hurricane Matthew!

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!

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!!

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!!

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!

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!

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!

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! 😂

88.9% of the way there!

Next week the holiday will be paid off! Woop!!

Paid off our tickets!!

I've managed to pay off our park tickets much earlier than I'd planned!

2 weeks in Disney

2 weeks in Universal

$100 to spend at fun spot

Kids eat free card :)

They've arrived and I'm so excited now!!

I will be booking discovery cove again also, a non swim this time as Charlie won't be 6 :(

So that will come with 2 week Seaworld and Aquatica tickets too!

I decided on discovery cove/Seaworld and aquatica as its only £30 more each than it would cost for 1 day in Seaworld!  So I had to really!

I'll also be booking Halloween Horror nights for me and Cameron!  I've always wanted to do this and now he's old enough I'm so excited!!!

Alyssa and Charlie will be going to an activity club in Disney where they'll have dinner and meet characters and will have an amazing time!

I SHOULD have paid off my holiday by next week too, again much earlier than planned, so after that it's just spending money to save, Woop!!

Woohoo!!!!

Park tickets are now fully paid off!!  They'll be with me within a week!!

Only a little more to go with the holiday payments.  I should be completely paid up by the middle of June!!

So excited!!! 88% of he way there :)

Over 70% of the way there!  The finish line is in sight :)

If I can manage to stick to my payments and saving schedule I should be paid off by July and have plenty of spending money so fingers crossed! :)

Lots of things added and booked!!

Well I've booked all of my ADR's that I can book now!

Beaches and cream

Be our guest 

Tusker House

Ohana 

Garden Grill

Coral Reef

Teppan Edo

Sanaa

T-rex

Mama Melrose

I've also booked and paid for;

Dine with Shamu at Seaworld

Superstar Character Breakfast at universal.

I'm planning on booking an airboat tour in the Everglades on the 23rd and if I can confirm a booking for a childcare activity centre in Disney I will be booking Halloween Horror nights for the 21st!

I've worked out if I save save save we will have plenty of spending money so we won't be watching the cents all holiday :)

I'm getting so excited now I can see the finish line and have a good idea on what we're doing! :)

Savings ticker :)

Got myself a spending money ticker!

I'm hoping to reach at least 50% in 12 weeks as that's when I aim to pay off my holiday and park tickets!

Then I'll have another 13 weeks to use every spare penny on spending money, Woop!

The planning has started!

64%!  Woop!!

I've also started booking our first ADRS!  And I've made a loose daily plan so we know where we're supposed to be each day :)

So far the ADRS I have are;

Beaches and Cream (just for the kitchen sink!)
Be Our Guest (breakfast do we get in the park before it opens)
Tusker House (again!)
1900 Park Fare

The ones I'm planning to add on are;

Coral Reef
Teppan Edo
Garden Grill
Sanaa
Trex (Charlie is obsessed with dinosaurs!)
And of course Ohana breakfast :)

Also the Shark Underwater Grill for Seaworld, Mythos for IOA and randoms off site like Dennys, Sizzlers, chuck e cheese!

I've started saving so I really should make a savings ticker as well! :)

53% of the way there!

I've also booked our travel insurance do we're covered. 😃

It's ADR day in just 5 days!!  I'm still not 100% sure what I'll book but I'll have a couple booked by the time I make my next payment :)

Woop! Just over half way there only 11 weeks of booking!!

 20 more weeks to go until payment deadline and 28 weeks until we're on our way!!

 

201 days to go!

Ive not updated much as I have just been making some small payments here and there!

Currently at 49.2% paid!!

My next payment will bring me over the half way mark :)

I have 3 weeks to sort out which ADRS to book and the Pctober hours should be out shortly so I can start planning properly :)

My mum gave me $150 for my birthday so that's a nice chunk of spending money!

I've also started another savings pot and think I have around £95 in there so far such has built up extremely quickly so if o kept topping it up like I have been it should add up to a nice amount by October :)

Soooo close to the half way point!



I'm going to book the hotel for the night before and my travel insurance with the airmiles I've built up so they'll be free!

Maybe even airport parking if I can :)

A fair bit paid off, not too far off the half way point! I've decided I'm going to get us all magicbands to use in the Disney Parks!  They'll let us have our photos, park passes, fast passes and dining reservations all on one band so no need to carry around lots of things for them :)

Unfortunately a few things have happened which means I'm on around half the money I have been so from this point on it's going to be a real struggle to get everything paid off but I can do it! 43% of the way there, almost on the home stretch :)

 

It feels like this is getting paid off so slowly!!!


 

A little more off so it's coming down nicely :)

 I've downloaded the WDW experience app which is fab!

 I've entered all of our details as as soon as we get our tickets we can enter them in and choose our fast passes! I can also book doing reservations on the app and the whole process seems much easier than on the website. Can't wait to book them!

   

My last payday from work so another payment made!

Woop, getting there! :)

Holiday cost!



It looks like it's gone down but that'd because I've added Disney!

Getting there very slowly!!

Added Disney!!

Ok, I couldn't do it!

I couldn't go to Florida without doing Disney!  I didn't have to take off Seaworld, aquatica and busch but I can also go for the day if we fancy it :)

Massive price difference but if I really try we can do it!! :)

So now we will be going to;

Magic Kingdom

Epcot

Hollywood studios

Animal Kingdom

Typhoon Lagoon

Blizzard Beach

Disney Springs

Universal studios 

Islands of adventure 

Boggy Creek boat ride!

Also we'll get the memory maker included so we can get all the photos we want for free :)

Can't wait!!!!!

Getting excited!!!

Woohoo!!!

I know I still have a long way to go but considering I only booked just over 2 weeks ago I think I'm doing pretty damn good!

23.4% of the way there!! :)

Slowly slowly...

Another payment made towards both the holiday and the tickets!  woop!

Another chunk paid off :)

It's nice to know 3% will be paid off each time I pay my weekly payment!

16% paid! :)

APIs completed

Bit of a boring post! No new payments or savings or anything fun, just the APIs completed on the BA site!

It's coming down :)

A little off our holiday today!

I don't think there'll be another payment until next week but it's a start!

13.3% paid! :)

Estas!

Estas are all sorted and approved!  Woop!  :) 

A couple more tickers!

Below is the time left until our holiday and the amount of savings I currently have :)

Payment ticker!

Let's see if this works!

Only a day after booking and already paid 10% of the entire holiday cost!

This includes everything, flights, hotel, car, park tickets and hotel upgrade :)

More on travel card!

$240 spends saved now!

Some money off tickets :)

I got ATD to price match my tickets which saved me £21 and I've just paid £48 towards the total too leaving £850 left remaining :)

I did upgrade our hotel room to a suite as the price was too good to pass up!

So now instead of 1 room with beds in, we will have 3 rooms with a separate living area, breakfast bar and massive bathroom :)

So excited!!!

We're going to Florida!!!

After waiting for what seems like days (it was just a matter of hours) I finally got a call back this afternoon about the booking I found yesterday!

I've only gone and booked it! Whoop!

14 nights in Ramada Resort and Suites, right next to Universal, including breakfast every day (42 meals), free shuttles to the parks ($17 saving every day for parking), fridge and microwave (saves a lot of $$ not having to eat out every night) and a living area so we have more space PLUS flights from LHR to MCO via Miami for a whopping £1984!

I never would have imagined getting such an amazing deal!

Checking out the hotel directly, 14 nights would normally cost us £1495 for that alone so the price I got is just unbelievable!

I also added car hire for just £261 all in so including the tickets I booked last night we are set to go!

All that's needed now is to pay it all off, save spending money and plan!

Fingers crossed I will still be able to add on Disney at a later date, albeit only a few days rather than 14 days :)

A few photos of our gorgeous hotel :)

 

Whoop!

$200 on my card now!

Plus I have found the best price I could ever hope for, for flights and a 4* hotel, which includes free breakfast (saves buying 42 meals) free shuttles to parks (saves $17 a day parking) and a fridge and microwave in the room which will save a lot of $ not having to eat out every night.

Games room, restaurant, bar, pools over looking a gorgeous lake...free wifi and cable, suite so a little living room in our room instead of a cramped one...

All for £1904!! 

I'm well prepared that this is not going to be the total cost, as soon as they ring tomorrow I'm sure there will be things added, fees or change of price etc but if it's anywhere close to this I want it!!

The site (holiday genie) also says bookings can be made with just a £198 deposit.  It doesn't say 'from £198' or '£198pp' so if that is the cost of the deposit I'm getting it booked!

I sincerely doubt I will find such a brilliant deal anywhere again so I really hope there are no hidden costs!!

They will be calling me back tomorrow so fingers crossed!

Eeeeekkk!!!

Well I've done the same thing I've done the past two times!

I've booked our park tickets!!

They're fully refundable so just in case this trip doesn't happen I won't lose a penny but hopefully that won't be an issue!

I'm yet to add Disney tickets as they are so expensive now and I'd rather go to Florida and not do Disney than not be able to afford to go.  Maybe I will be able to afford to add them later down the line.

So for now we will be going to Universal studios, Islands of adventure, Seaworld, Busch gardens and aquatica!

I've never been to the last two so I'm really excited about those!!

Now to secure flights and accommodation for under £2k!!

Getting there slowly!

I now have $161 on my travel card and a few hundred saved towards a deposit!

Now I just need to find an amazing bargain like the one I've found but one that takes a deposit rather than the whole amount...

After seeing so many deals I'm sticking to a budget of just £2k for flights and accommodation!

Absolute bargain :)