What's that smell?????

Today I have had a lovely chilled day at home, I've played Kingdom Hearts and loaded some new music onto my iPod so were now listening to the Main Street Welcome music.....it's funny how not only sounds but also smells can make you think of places.

I was reminded of this at work this week - I got given a new flavour tea bag by a friend who I was going to see so I had to try it before I saw her again; it sounded minging to be honest chamomile, maple and vanilla. I always think chamomile must be what it's like to brew some freshly cut grass but I thought what the hell and boiled the kettle.....

Well was I pleasantly surprised, it was actually really nice but more to the point it smelled like the Main Street Confectionary; you know what I mean that really sweet smell that hits you as soon as you walk in. Caused by lashings of melted chocolate, marshmallows, candy floss and a smattering of popcorn for good measure.....this is not the place for those watching the calories as I am sure you can put on a couple of pounds just by inhaling the fumes!

I was trying to explain about the smell of my tea reminding me of WDW to one of my work colleagues and they just looked at me like I'd grown another head; but I am sure that smelling different scents can evoke memories or is that just me?

Also this week I had the pleasure of spending some time with my favourite little people in the whole world, which really did make me think I a) need to grow up or b) need some serious therapy for my Disney addiction ( I know what you are thinking!)

Miss Freya and I had a very in depth conversation about princesses and that they are real; as real as fairies and she should know as she's four! She wanted to know who was my favourite princess, this might have been because I was taking great pleasure in completing her princess sticker book for her especially the rapunzal pages - so she decided it was her and she's right!!!!

Oh, I forgot to say I also blinged my flip flops today; its probably a good idea I am not left on my own too often otherwise I would bling any and everything......

Til next time xxx

Bling it on......

I love the weekend, its the one day of the week I am guaranteed some time with my family; but every week we ask the same question.......what are we going to do? Normally we go for the usual suspects Lakeside, Bluewater but yesterday I am sure James was not expecting the answer he got....

I must admit to being in a bit of a funny mood lately ( I can hear what you are saying Emmie Lou, what do I mean lately!) any how I digress so I turn to him and say.........

" I think we should start the day at Epcot and do Soarin and Test Track, then we should hop to Animal Kingdom and go on the safari and have a bit of a wander followed by lunch (sweet and sour chicken or egg fried rice for me).

I think Toy Story Mania will be too busy so we'll give Holloywood studios a miss so  it's off via the TTC to Magic Kingdom for the afternoon, we'll do Philharmagic, Pirates, Haunted Mansion and Buzz and by that time it will be time for dinner so we can go and get a tuna sandwich from Columbia Harbour House.

Then it's a mooch round the new Fantasyland before we head to Main Street to find a spot to watch the Main Street electrical parade before Wishes"

Surprisingly he said that we couldn't do that and maybe we should go to Lakeside instead , but this clearly shows how bad my Disney addiction really is. There are 2 reasons for this....first I am all a bit strange or more likely I have been doing a lot of research lately and its all stuck in my head....

Yesterday I was on the Dibb which is a mine of brilliant information for holiday planning which I highly recommend but also for the craft addict in me; a lovely lady on there had blinged up her own sweatshirt with a cute Minnie Mouse; being the brat I am I had to do something the same after all a girl can never have too much sparkle and it would look really cool on holiday; so off we went to hobbycraft and here's I have spent my evening.

So if you are in WDW next October/ November and you see something glinting in the distance it might just be me......until next time xxxx

Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day.......

To most normal people this statement sounds particularily odd in the middle of June but is quite normal when you work in retail....I only wish it was christmas everyday if it meant I got paid for spending the day at home and could as normally happens eat anything I want with only the smallest amount of guilt.

So what does this have to do with me and for that matter holiday planning; I am in full on Christmas planning mode at work and have so many returns to do anyone would think it was just around the corner; trading hours, food ordering, christmas cards.....christmas party?

Well, christmas parties aren't really on my to do list but wouldn't it be fun if it was? But I really am thinking about Christmas parties right now; mainly because I have a dilemma - do we do Mickey's not so scary halloween party or Mickey's very merry christmas party or if I was really feeling rich both?

Why do I have this dilemma, well my lovely bosses at work have agreed to my holiday dates for next year so it is all systems go. We have booked to return to Port Orleans French Quarter for end of October beginning of November 2014 and even though our countdown may only have just ticked over into the 400's I am already in planning mode.

What is on my mind:

• When do they first light the Castle Dream Lights (these weren't there the last time we went for Christmas)
• What's the temperature going to be like (hoping for 80's)
• What Emma will think of the resort and the dining plan (did I forget to mention Emmie Lou is coming with us and by staying in a moderate again we have got free QSDP - it was only £200 more each than Art of Animation which makes each day of the dining plan cost £14; bargain as you would never be able to get 2 meals a day and a snack for approx $20)
• And the big one - if we have the chance do we do MNSSHP or MVMCP? 

We have done both (in seperate visits) and really enjoyed them; I think the Halloween parade really knocks spots off the Christmas one but the Christmas version of Wishes is better than Hallowishes. The cookies and hot chocolate at the xmas party are great but trick or treating at Halloween (its just treats at WDW) was fun and the amount of candy we got was just obscene...so what do I do?????

Strangely they have just been talking about the exact same thing on the episode of the Dibbcast I was listening to; I think they thought the Christmas party was the better of the 2.....I know to ensure fairness in my decision I am off to post a poll on the Dibb - may the best party win

And Emmie Lou; this is just for you............Squirrel. Until next time xxxx

Once in a lifetime.......hmmmm

I have heard that a holiday to Walt Disney World is a once in a lifetime experience......and I guess the first time I went I believed that to be the case. Little did I know that WDW would become my happy place and it would never be a one time only thing - I am sure my bank balance wishes it was as if I began to add up the amount of money I have spent it would be truly jaw dropping; but as we only get one chance to enjoy life what the hell!

There are loads of other things that I wish I had known the first time we were looking to go, like either staying on site or driving is the best option for me and James as we found the shuttle buses to restrictive....but what has this got to do with anything; well we are currently researching next years holiday...

I know that we always come back and joke that we need to book up for next year but it looks like it just might happen; of course I need to agree the time off with my bosses before we hand over any of our hard earned pennies. This week we went to Bluewater and whilst there we visited the new Virgin Holidays store; it made such a nice change to be able to talk to someone face to face and even better that they also have the Disney bug.

We have gone back and forwards with quotes and have finally come to something close to what I was expecting....so you never know we might be back at Port Orleans next year (I have everything crossed that my bosses say yes). The best thing about it, I will have a fellow planner in my sister Emma - which is a huge bonus although I have a feeling when I ask what she wants to do her answer will be everything......I can't blame her though she hasn't been in a few years

I am already sitting here contemplating what I want to do.....maybe a spreadsheet might be in order; that is a joke I am a kind of rough plan girl as you never know what can happen from day to day or how you will feel; like this year when we planned to go to Magic and right up until we got to the bus stop that was what we were going to do but ended up at Epcot instead - thats just how I roll

I'm off to pray to the holiday gods, til next week xxxx

I'm blue da da de da da da .......sing along

I am definitely suffering from a case of the post holiday blues, I am in that strange place of having nothing to plan which is a first really as normally we have booked within a week or two of getting back or it has been known that we are booked for the following year before we even go....

My way of dealing with the Disney blues, spend an afternoon catching up on the Phil, Ben and Emma videos that we haven't watched yet....I am either incredibly tired or have the blues real bad as just watching Illuminations; which is ok....after all its not Wishes but it made me really emotional - someone slap me out of this (but be gentle with me!)

Although I don't have any real planning to do I am researching the different resorts as next year we may have Emma with us and also I have been wondering that although I love Port Orleans is it really worth the extra money - I know that right now you get the dining plan free but its about £400 more expensive than a value and after all its just a room

There is the option of Art of Animation, Disney's latest value resort and we took a quick trip over there last year not long after it opened, the theming is incredible and I am sure it must be a great place to stay but......and this is a big but I read earlier that from the Little Mermaid building that it can take a good 10 minutes (if not longer) to walk over to the main building?!?!?!

We have previously stayed at All Star Sports which is also a value and there is no more than a five minute walk to anything.....if this is the case I think the Little Mermaid building (which is the only section of the resort which is rooms and not suites)  might even be closer to Pop Century than  it is to the main facilities of AoA. So there is my dilemma......which resort to pick.......if someone wants to pay for me to go and research this I would be more than happy to oblidge

I am off to research some more, til next time xxxx