And we're done.....

So Christmas has come and gone for another year and while most of you won't be thinking about next years for a little while (unless you are one of those way too organised people who have already started your shopping for next year) the time has come for me to start working on next years (even though unless something dramatic happens this past one will have been my last working for my current employer)

If things were going to their normal plan my next holiday to my happy place would be in just over 4 months so I would be in uber planning mode - but right now unless there is a lottery win that's not going to happen. I cant say that I am not more than a little disappointed but I am putting a positive spin on this and know that when I do go back there will be lots of new things for me to explore and fall in love with

This year we had the opening of Starbucks in the park (wow did that cause lots of controversy as after all the Main Street Bakery was a fan favourite) but I can honestly say having experienced it; I really didn't mind it and found it a good addition. Yes, there are downsides as there is no seating but the operation in itself works fantastically and was most appreciated while we were there and we had a cold spell as a steaming cup of hot chocolate was in order

The long awaited Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened (and went up in flames - only a little fire but why didn't they think there could be a chance of embers from the fireworks blowing across so make the exterior fire proof; I am sure James will give me a detailed reason for this but its just a thought). The opening of this was the final piece of new Fantasyland and in my view is the best. I am not a coaster fan at all but properly loved this and can't wait to ride it again; whenever that maybe.

With the completion of new Fantasyland a new parade began called Festival of Fantasy which featured floats based on Fantasyland attractions - including the amazing Maleficent float which was as spectacular up close as it is in pictures. But, although the visual effect was amazing I wasn't as impressed with the music (shock horror there is something Disney have done that I am not overly keen on)

Along side all of that there was a mass of closures of attractions at Hollywood Studios, plus the announcement of the removal of the Sorcerers Hat, which has led the Disney rumour mill to go into melt down about what's coming next for the park. James would if he had his way plonk a Star Wars themed land in it but I'm not so keen on that idea although I don't know what would be better

So with all of that happening in one year what is there to look forward to? The completion of Disney Springs which I don't  believe is due to be finished until 2016 (but I could have imagined that), Avatar Land and the opening of the night time Rivers of Light show at Animal Kingdom, the opening of the Frozen inspired ride at Epcot and whatever changes are going to take place at Hollywood Studios

With all that in mind I can't wait for my next trip back, keep your fingers crossed for that lottery win for me

xxx

Time for a change......

I never intended on talking about my life in this blog; it was always my plan to talk about my love for Disney. But sometimes life just happens to throw you a curve ball and what takes place effects everything......I vowed that I would blog once a week but the past few weeks have been pretty trying which has meant I haven't been in the right mind to do that and I need to explain why.

Two weeks ago I made the tough decision that due to changes within my job role that I would leave my current employer, so now I am in a complete dilemma about what I am going to do with my life; now if I had my way it would be a no brainer and I would go and work for Disney after all at least I could wear mouse ears without anyone questioning my decision

Seriously I have absolutely no clue what I am going to do with myself, I love the job I do and consider myself good at it but will other people think that? How can I make others see in me, what I struggle to see in myself?

Actually what am I good at; I am sure James would say driving him to distraction and to be quite honest the feeling is completely mutual ( love you mr marchant) but you can't put that along with the other things that come to mind on my CV

• I can make anyone appear normal because after all I am the first to admit I'm a little odd
• I am an expert on the film Tangled and was very pleased with myself that I got a perfect score on the lyric quiz
• I am creative and love making stuff - some more successful than others (actually while I'm on this subject in a shop I saw a bracelet that was being sold for £12 and all I could think was I could make that for a fraction of the price....if only I could make a living out of it)
• I have a love of all things for Walt Disney World and could spend hours talking about it, researching it and generally being absorbed by it - and I know this sounds harsh but it's probably true that I am too old to be a travel agent
• I love ice cream and if it wasn't for the fact too much dairy is not good for an asthmatic I would put myself forward to Ben and Jerrys to be a taster 
• 
• And I would say my best quality is being incredibly loyal; but again probably not something that could go on a CV

So right now I am up for any suggestions that anyone has taking into account my unique skill set.....all sensible (or otherwise) options considered. Let the door to my new life open

xxx

A long time to go....

I honestly can't believe that we have been back for just over 2 1/2 weeks and as of yet we haven't booked to return; fear not I am not disillusioned with visiting Walt Disney World but there are a couple of reasons for this decision:

Firstly, because we went later in the year than normal it's pretty hard to save enough money in 3 months to pay for it after all a trip to Florida isn't exactly a cheap option (a lottery win could change all of that though and trust me I have everything crossed for that)

Secondly as I mentioned last week there is currently quite a bit of work going on at my happy place and although it doesn't make it any less amazing I really would like to go back when there is less going on (I know that there will always be work as the parks are always evolving)

So, what can I do until that time comes around - well ramble on to all you nice people about our holiday and how fantastic it was.....actually I thought I might save you that and instead what I thought I might do this week was talk about our experience with Fastpass +

As we stayed onsite we were able to book our fast passes 60 days prior to our holiday (at stupid o'clock). The actual process is quite easy, you pick your rides from the list and then Disney gives you some options for times - but you don't have to take them; instead select an option and save it and then you can go in and amend them so that you have a plan that works for you

But it doesn't stop there because if you want to change your plans prior to leaving as long as the ride/ time is available you can change it; my only advice would be to take a screen shot or a print out of your plans as when we arrived the system was down and if we had fast passes booked there would be no way of proving this

We booked the majority of our fast passes for the morning but after a few days there we realised that we didn't always need to be at the parks for the start of  our Fastpass window; after all it was good for an hour (this was genius because it meant we got a bit of a lay in on some mornings plus we got to one of our test track rides about a minute before it expired and could still ride - I didn't know I could walk that quick!)

We also had a a ride go down that we had a Fastpass for, now if this happens Disney will email you giving you some other ride options for you to use your Fastpass on which is good for the day - the only down side is that you need to have access to email during your time at the parks which for those who like to completely switch off from the outside world whilst on holiday must be a bit of a downer

Did we use all of our fast passes that we had booked, no. we had a couple of duplicates which we didn't use but as well as that there were times that we took the opportunity to ride something even though we had a Fastpass for later in the holiday because the queue times were short

I know that the system will continue to evolve and probably by the time we go back it won't even resemble what we used this time. The strangest advantage of Fastpass plus is that we did less criss crossing of the park - we were still averaging walking between 5 and 8 miles a day but I am quite sure it would have been far more with the old system

I'm off to look at our holiday pictures and ponder if it's acceptable to wear mouse ears at work xxx

The good, the bad and the ugly!

I know that this blog has been a long time coming but life just seemed to get in the way - but I'm here, I'm back and already planning on how I can go again (but that will take a lot of thought). I am now back in reality and wondering if I dreamed it all - I mean how can something you have planned for what seems like forever seem to pass by in the blink of an eye?

Anyway, I have decided to save you a blow by blow account of the whole 2 weeks away and instead do some of the highs and lows.....

Highs:

• 2 weeks with Emmie Lou and James, yes it's always hard sharing each other's space but we seemed to make it work and I wouldn't say no to doing it again!
• 3 Feel at Home, this worked really well - yes the signal wasn't great all the time but to not have to worry about being contactable by family made things a whole lot less complicated
• Fastpass+ - now I know that this is controversial as it doesn't appear to work for everyone but we really enjoyed having a basic plan and then doing what we wanted after our must do's were completed
• Port Orleans French Quarter was a great resort as always, very peaceful and it only got busy around the weekend of the wine and dine half marathon
• Magic Bands, I love mine and kind of miss it now (ok I admit, I have worn it since we got back) but it made things very easy as there was no more digging in my bag for my key to the world it was all there on my wrist
• Boyz II Men,  we always planned to go and see them perform in the Eat to the Beat concerts but when we heard people had begun queueing up to 3 hours before a show we weren't too sure we were going to see them - after finishing dinner in Japan we managed to blag ourselves a good spot and even though we weren't seated we thoroughly enjoyed the performance
• The castle dream lights are phenomenal and I could spend hours just staring at them - I know some people think that the show should still feature the fairy godmother but having seen the Frozen intro it really does work well
• But the highlight for me and I can't even believe this is coming out of my mouth considering I hate roller coasters was the seven dwarfs mine coaster - I admit I was bricking it before we got on there and probably for most of the ride (Emmie Lou will agree with that) but I really did enjoy it and if it wasn't for the horrific queues I would have loved to ride it again 

And now for the lows:

• After the never ending flight being picked for secondary screening at MCO, which with my anxiety levels already high made me pretty grumpy (sorry Em, sorry James)
• The night flight home, but Despicable Me 2 kept me entertained
• The crowd levels at Epcot because of food and wine, which made world showcase difficult to deal with
• An argument (not us) during the Christmas party which probably ruined one little girls evening, just because another family hadn't planned
• The level of building work at Downtown Disney, I am sure it will be amazing when it's finished but it doesn't make for a relaxing time (It's got to be done but I don't think they should be trying to do it all at once)
• And this one is really hard to explain but it really did seem that there is a culture that people are entitled and should get what they want all the time, I lost count of the amount of times I heard "it wouldn't be like this if". Why can't people be happy when they are in the happiest place on earth, after all not everyone has the opportunity to visit

Would the lows stop me visiting again? Hell no, but maybe I would avoid food and wine; I'm off to search you tube for videos to make me not miss Disney so bad

Until next week xxx

So much to do, so little time......

Time doesn't seem to be flying by but more like going at supersonic speed and strangely for me I have so much to do; I am not a last minute.com kind of girl.......nope I like to plan so what is going on in the world; answers on a postcard please

So what has gone on this week.....well Disney had a little glitch with their Fastpass+ system which meant that the tier system had been switched off for Epcot which meant you could get Fastpasses for 2 headliner attractions. As soon as I saw that I was right on my disney experience to see if it was the case and booked Soarin and Test Track on the same day

Then I had to confess, this wasn't as bad as swapping the stunt show for the frozen sing along but Emmie Lou had written everything down; thank good she did it in pencil otherwise we could have had a repeat of the drama when I swapped the stunt show fastpasses for the frozen sing along ones - ooooppps!!!

Another week has gone by and I still haven't written a packing list, but we are getting there as I did actually contemplate doing it and then .....well who knows what I did instead but I guess I need to knuckle down and do it otherwise I will get there and not have something I need so write a list I must!

But the big news of the week, drum roll please - Disney have announced that they are finally bringing out a Glow with the Show Minnie Mouse headband - I swear Disney must be listening in on my conversations as we were only talking about then last week and they are coming out right when we are there; form an orderly queue behind me people! If you don't know what these are basically glow with the show gadgets or made with Magic as they are now are ears, a headband, a glove or a wand will interact with certain disney experiences with light sequences

Finally for this week, I am not sure if some of you remember last week I was going off to search the Internet for something, I was looking for uplifting quotes as I have brought some metal stamps and am contemplating selling personalised ones - because after all you never know what's going to happen and you always need to have a back up plan; but of course I had to start with a disney one for my girl Emmie Lou

Well, I guess I need to go and sort some clothes out after all the temperature on the day we arrive is forecast to be 28 degrees - I'm not smiling at that thought at all; much xxxx

Random questions.....

We are now in the last few weeks before our holiday and I can honestly say the panic and madness has set in - I am sure I am normally like this but after a random conversation with Emmie Lou yesterday about asking Buzz Lightyear for packing advice I think we have reached a whole new level

I keep coming up with random thoughts that there just doesn't seem to be an answer for without spending hours searching the Internet; like to ensure chocolate doesn't melt should you carry it in your hold luggage or hand luggage......anyone?

I guess the next couple of weeks for me is going to be posting multiple odd questions on my faithful disney forums - thank goodness no one on them thinks a stupid question is a stupid question; although I wouldn't blame them for logging on and thinking oh the crazy woman has been online again

So, what planning have I been doing - ummmm to be quite honest apart from checking a couple of times every day if we can get a fastpass+ for Be Our Guest not a lot really. We are kind of at the point  that if its not done now then it's probably too late (I lie, there are 2 things we have left to do which is our API and book extra bags for the way home - I would do them now but because of my OCD I want someone around when I enter important info)

Actually I have a very valid question - why is an extra bag £23 more expensive this year than it was last year; I know companies are in business to make money but oh my goodness they are having a laugh. It doesn't seem that long ago when economy passengers got 2 bags as a matter of course and I realise that by making it 1 they are reducing their costs but still £23!!!!

And do you know what I haven't done, made a packing list or even got the suitcases out of the cupboard - James is still saying he will pack the morning we are going but I am working so I need to do it 2 days before cause then it gives me a day to empty it and do it all over again; I don't think I am alone in doing that but then again you never know.

One thing that is coming along nicely though is my shopping list, this has been a work in progress ever since we booked the holiday and to be quite honest I think is now at the point of excessive but as with every woman I can justify everything that's on there.....hmmm this might be the reason for needing the extra bag

Well I'm off to search the net for an answer to a random question and if you're lucky I might just share with you what it was next week and the answer....or maybe I should just ask Buzz 

Xxxx

Was it you?......

Ok, who's going to own up......was it you who turned off the gorgeous weather we have been having? On Sunday I was in cropped trousers and flip flops (and no Emmie Lou my feet weren't cold) but today the proper trousers and real shoes have been dragged out. It's that proper miserable weather, you know windy and wet rain

I know all rain is wet but you know the type, that misty stuff that gets you soaked without you even realising it. But what does this have to do with my holiday planning.....it means I can start packing  because having a look at the 10 day forecast (not that we go in ten days) it doesn't look like it's going to get much better (boo!!!) but I have everything crossed that the weather in Orlando will be a bit warmer than it is here so the flip flops need to go in the case!

And this made me realise that I have never made a packing list; like ever! And maybe I should have done in previous years as I have gone without a brush (never good), adapter plugs, phone charging cables and I am sure there have been other things (but funnily enough I can't remember what they are!)

So what things will be going in my case/ carry on bag:
A colouring book - I'm not a good flyer so this chills me out (although I do get some strange looks)
A brush - I now have 1 that lives in my suitcase; I won't have that problem again
Travel sized toiletries - I have sensitive skin and I know what works for me so these are a must until we can pop to Walmart
Dry shampoo - my hair and the humidity are definitely not friends so to ensure I don't scare the locals this is on my must have list
Snacks for the plane - I'm a fussy eater and end up giving most of my meal to James so I take little things to keep me going (I get really hungry when I'm tired and travel day is way too long for my liking)

Hmmmm, I see one problem here I've mentioned shoes but what about clothes; oh the drama.......what clothes to take. In previous years I have kind of winged it and taken the bare minimum in the hope that I can pick up bits in Walmart but this year I think I am going to take things that I am totally comfortable in (there is nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable or self concious in what you are wearing)

Where as James will be throwing clothes into his suitcase 20 minutes before we leave home I think I am going to write a proper list -it's not like coordinating bags and shoes but that way I should remember everything (including my disney poncho which although it has come to Florida with us every year rarely makes its way out of the suitcase unless we are having a funny five minutes - and no Emmie Lou I have no intention of putting it on I HATE THEM!)

Oooh, the chilly weather has actually made me think of another packing error I made; one time we went late in the year and had amazing weather so I only brought or took warm weather clothes; what I failed to take into account was that we arrived back home in the morning and it was chilly....so there we were at Magic Kingdom on the last morning trying to find something to keep me warm on the plane (not doing that again) so have got my coming home outfit all sorted now

So with that thought I'm off to see what's still in my suitcase from last year......until next week xxxx

Counting down the days ......

We have been counting down to this holiday for what seems like forever and during that time it has been my happy thought; slowly but surely we have ticked the milestones off:

- ESTA's done
- Insurance done
- My Disney experience profile set up
- Double digit dance
- Balance paid

I honestly can't wait as I know it's going to be amazing but the pre holiday panic is starting to set in; what is that all about - for weeks well actually over a year now I have been wishing for the time to pass and now it feels like everything is totally out of control?

So what is this all about; could I really be suffering from too much planning - is there really such a thing; I mean what can be left to do:

- pre book our flight seats
- book our Fastpass+
- pack
- wait for the tickets
- pay for the night before hotel

Did I mention pack; I would say that is something I hate doing; no matter how many helpful lists I find on the internet I always end up not taking something I need or not planning for something (like sore feet - must make sure I pack my emergency flip flops this year)

And oh the dilemma fold or roll? Who the hell cares as long as my clothes arrive when I do the humidity in Florida will remove all the creases in a nano second. So when is too early to pack? Well because of the weather right now I actually need my summer clothes out now so I guess that's my packing plans for this weekend out of the window (only joking - well maybe but I can't get to the cases right now)

I am having to think about clothes for Florida now though, we are in the middle of summer but our shops are switching to autumn wear so if I don't think about it now I will be properly stuck but shopping here is no way as fun as shopping in Walmart so it feels like a chore.

But if there was one tip I have for packing it would be to mix things up a little; I don't mean mix your colours and styles but instead of each having our own case me and the bloke do a bit of a mix and match so that if god forbid one of the cases didn't turn up straight away at least we both have clothes to wear (I don't think my vest tops would suit him)

I'm off to check again if our due balance shows zero; because after all I always have to triple check everything - see you next week xxxx

Fear factor.......

Time is beginning to fly by and before I know it I will be able to say I go on holiday this month; which is both scary and exciting in equal amounts.....after all I've got to get on a plane (boo) but then I get to spend a couple of weeks with amazing people in my favourite place in the whole world (I can feel an I can't sleep I'm too excited moment coming on)

Yesterday evening I had a chat with a rep in Orlando and after booking our shopping trip (we go to Walmart, the outlet centre and then Florida Mall) she asked me if we were interested in attending any other Halloween events while we were there; we already have tickets for MNSSHP.......what about Universals Halloween Horror nights?

Well, it didn't take me more than a nanosecond to politely decline her offer - I am a scaredy cat and told her that I don't need to pay for the privilege of having the life scared out of me. After all the description says that the park comes alive with monsters, mutants and maniacs and is definitely not family or wimp friendly (and I'm happy to say im a wimp)

So what else is available if you don't want to attend a hard ticketed event - there is a family event at Seaworld; the Halloween Spooktacular and also Legolands Brick or Treat which includes the worlds biggest Lego Jack O'lantern

There's no denying that the Seaworld and Legoland events are more up my street than Universal but there's just no getting away from the fact that I am a Disney girl at heart and what they do appeals to me far more even though I have to pay to attend; at the end of the day it is all down to personal preference and I like my Halloween sugar coated

Or should that be clouded by extreme sugar intake? This year will be Emmie Lou's first experience of trick or treating and I think it would be an understatement to say she is excited at the prospect; I think if she had her way we would just do that all evening......but there is a fantastic parade to watch with the creepy grave diggers and some incredible fireworks too; plus seeing everyone's costumes as this is the only time of the year when people can get away with coming to the parks dressed as a Disney character (doesn't have to be Disney)

You really could spend the whole evening just people watching as they really do go all out with their costumes; some more appropriate than others (I never knew Snow White's top was so low cut!?!?!). Now me I have never been into fancy dress as I am not one who likes attention so the most I will probably do is put on a pair of cat ears and maybe draw whiskers on but never say never (depends what amazing stuff they have in Walmart)

With that I'm off to search their website.....until next week xxxx

A dream job........

The past few weeks have been pretty rough at work for one reason or another, to the point I have even told my boss that at times I am being pretty unproductive which is not like me......and that has given me plenty of time to day dream about what I could do instead of my current job

I would love to be able to make enough money from my bracelets to not have to do a real job but I would have to bead 24/7 - 365 days a year so that's not really a dream job; I thought if I could drive I would go and work at the Disney store and sing along to all of the songs all day every day....but I don't drive so that's not going to happen

But if there was a way I could teleport myself everyday there is nothing more that I would like to do than work at Disney World. I don't have high expectations; well much - I would love a 9-5 job in either the Emporium or the Main Street Confectionary (if such thing existed which I'm sure it doesn't becuae that would mean every one else would have to take the rubbish shifts)

I'm not disillusioned to think that you don't get difficult customers there just like you do in a supermarket but just to be a cast member would be a dream. Did you know that cast members at Disney are able to create magical moments for guests? There is no rhyme or reason to these taking place and no one should ever go with the expectation that you should expect to receive one of these (otherwise they wouldn't be magical and you could end up seriously disappointed)

It could be something as simple as being taken to the front of a ride queue, to receiving a free ice cream or being chosen to be in the parade; whatever they do it must be truly satisfying - just seeing a small gesture making someone's day.

But what can the average guest do to make their day? Being courteous goes a long way, listening to what they say and following safety instructions is good but top of the list must be recognising when they have done a good job and making sure this is highlighted.

What can you do - well you can go to guest relations and fill in a card, you can highlight it to a supervisor, give the cast member some kind of thank you card or just say thank you. Anyway enough talk about work, I'm off this week and have rebelled by putting my out of office on and leaving my work phone in the cupboard at work.

So, I am planning on sleeping a lot; making some jewellery and just generally doing not a lot - well maybe try and get the suitcase out of the cupboard and throw a few things in it.......

Until next week, and while we're on the subject of thanks - thank you for reading my random thoughts each week (that is if anyone apart from James is - who only reads it to see what I say about him) xxxx

Ooops, did I just do that....

And so another week goes by and our holiday creeps ever closer; and we ticked another thing off our list when we picked our seats for the flight home -boo!!!! It's not that I want the holiday to ever end but I like to know what I am letting myself in for.

I thought about this and came to the conclusion that the people who are on our outbound flight would probably be on our inbound one too and like me they wanted to pre book their seats and would more than likely be trying for the same seats as us; so I decided to do the sensible thing and book the row opposite again on the way home.....in the hope that no one else was trying for the seats.

So, I told work I was going to be in late; selected the seats at 7.57 and then sat and waited....and then pressed the button at just before 8 allowing it time to process for when the seat map opened at 8am. Thankfully my plan worked and we are in the bubble on the way home too....and as I guessed the opposite row was also booked up when the seat map refreshed.

What else have I done this week, ummmm I changed a Fastpass; I have been keeping an eye on the website since they announced that the Frozen sing along would be continuing through the fall as its something that me and Emmie Lou would love. I did mention it to James and said I was going to swap it for the Lights, Motors, Action one (boring!!) I can't say he was overly impressed but it's not like you can't get a seat for it without a Fastpass (well I'm hoping)

I was playing on the net on Sunday morning and saw that they had loaded the times for the sing along so I secretly changed them; but I have since confessed. I am now praying that it's going to be loads of fun as the bloke didn't quite seem best pleased.....I did say he doesn't have to come with us and we will make sure that we go to see the stunt show even if we have to queue for it; but I have very hope that we will be able to pick up a Fastpass once we have used our first 3 (thank you Disney for updating the rules for Fastpass to allow more than 3 in one day)

So what's coming up in the planning stages....I need to get in touch with the resort reps and book our shopping trip, still need to do our API's but apart from that I think the rest is all just the normal stuff like bore my colleagues to tears with my almost daily countdown; they need to think themselves lucky that I haven't been doing hours.

Oh and if I win the Euro millions tomorrow night me and Emmie Lou have decided we are going to change the holiday to a suite in Bay Lake Towers at the Contemporary, first class flights and a night in the Cinderella Castle Dream Suite......a girl can dream!

Until next week xxxx

Just around the corner.....

I actually can't believe I am saying this but I go on holiday next month, yes you heard right next month; after what seems the longest countdown ever the days just seem to be flying by and sooner than you know it the suitcases will be out of the cupboard (unless you are Emmie Lou and her suitcase is already out and I think might even be a little bit packed).

Thankfully the list of things left to do is getting smaller - do our API's, book our shopping trip, return flight seats and secure an elusive Be Our Guest lunch Fastpass. I still find it hard to believe that a quick service location is so hard to get into that Disney offer on site guests the option of booking a slot for lunch instead of queue in up in the lovely Florida sunshine

The restaurant is themed as the Beasts castle and includes the ballroom and the West Wing including the magical rose that you see in Beauty and the Beast. Aside from the theming being amazing I have only heard good things about the meals there and fingers crossed I will get to try it for myself.

I will admit to checking the BeOurGuestLunch website nearly every other day to see if it shows availability, but from what I have read online the option to book this doesn't become live until about 30 days prior to your trip so I will just have to be patient

What can I do instead.......oh just spend ages trawling the Walmart website (who knew such a thing as a red velvet cake yoghurt was even available - might have to try that instead of my usual key lime pie one); I know that doesn't sound exciting but there are those things that you really enjoy while you are on holiday that you spend the rest of the year wanting more of them.

Thanks to the internet I have a list as long of your arm of things I want to get from Walmart, and I'm in denial about the fact I don't have a big enough luggage allowance to get it all home. After all if you have been reading my blog for a while you know that I am planning to bring home some rather large peas and everything else needs to fit around them

Each year we go I say I might just leave James there so I can bring more stuff home but this year I have a cunning plan - basically I have 3 suitcases and he gets one; after all he is a bloke and just how many t-shirts can one person buy? James I know you will be reading this and that is not a challenge, you really don't need anymore where as I need more pens and just about everything else I buy!

Until next week, I'm off to see what beading stuff Walmart sell xxxx

And I thought I was mad......

I know what you are all thinking, yes you are mad Lisa why even mention it....but apparantly there some madder than me out there (hard to imagine but its true and all will be explained)

First things first, lets talk about the missing blog from last week; unfortunately due a heavy workload I have to admit that I wasnt in the mood to be all bright and cheery so thought I would save you all from my tales of woe and instead I had my own private pity party - but after a weekend off and finishing at a decent time today I'm back!

This past week has been huge in terms of holiday planning - firstly there was the mad dash to secure seats in the bubble (top deck of a 747) for our outbound flight; if you visit the dibb you will know all about dibbers row but basically this is the back row on the right hand side. Although I wasnt able to get those seats (must have missed them by seconds) I did manage to get the left hand side back row which means we can recline to our hearts content without irritating anyone.

And then there was the matter of checking in to the hotel....wait, what? I know, we don't go for a few weeks yet but Disney are all about planning and you can check in 60 days before your holiday plus make 2 room requests. You can pick from:

• Ground floor
• Second floor
• Corner room
• Close to transportation

These I would assume are resort specific, we didnt pick close to transportation as French Quarter only has 7 buildings so the maximum walk to get a bus is about 5 minutes (James says it takes longer but he must be dawdling as I know I am right)

But the biggest event of all was booking our Fastpasses; but not before I made a call to Disney to get my MDE (my disney experience) info correct so that I could book them for all 3 of us. The booking window for these opens at midnight in the US (5am here); I swore blind I wasnt going to be getting up at stupid o'clock to do these and we would get what we got - but it didn't quite work like that

My sleeping has been a bit off recently so I find myself laying awake at 5.15am arguing with myself in my head as to whether I should get up or not; I lasted until twenty five past and got up and signed in.

The process itself is pretty easy, you pick your day, your park and the 3 attractions and then website suggests a time. You then continue and you have the opportunity to modify the times - which I think I did for all of them as they didn't fit with how I know we tour the park.

But what was mad about it........the Frozen phenomenon; there is a meet and greet with Anna and Elsa and as I am sure I have mentioned this before that the queues for them have been madness and they even changed the way they opened the park to stop people from sprinting down Main Street to snag a place in line (I would love to have seen that). 

Out of curiousity I looked at Magic Kingdom for every day of our holiday and by the time I had logged on there were no Fastpasses left for the entire 2 weeks; there must have been hoards of people who got up at 5am just to book these spots - I know I was awake but its not like I had set an alarm or anything

I have one last thing to try and arrange now, which is a booking for Be Our Guest restuarant at lunchtime but at least that can be done anytime of day

Until next week xxxx

It can't come soon enough....

I have been talking about this holiday for what seems like forever and even though it is still a few weeks away I already have in the back of my mind when if I could go back I would; most of the people I know just don't get it but I am lucky to be blessed with a few Disney obsessed in my life who will understand that if you are not waiting for a holiday to come round, you are either at Disney or planning your next visit

Right now work is pretty manic so watching my countdown slowly change colour as we mark off the days gives me something to smile about during the day; well that and the fab picture of James I have in my calendar (it's one of those ones you can slot photos into). I love taking random pictures of James and he is always happy to oblige in pulling a face or wearing something random - like this one (I know most people have seen this by now and even though I posted it on a Disney website he will still ask me; did you have to put that up again?)

Another reason our holiday needs to be like now is the weather we are having; its August but it feels like October (I am still not putting my flip flops away in protest) and the shops are already full of jumpers - what is that all about?

So what kind of weather am I expecting to have whilst I am in lovely Florida? Well warmer than here for certain; as a guide they are saying it will be about 80 degrees but with weather forecasting you never can tell and if we are lucky it could even be warmer (although it will still be odd experiencing Christmas when it's warm at MVMCP)

Anyway what planning have I done this week, I had to go to a meeting yesterday so took a lovely 2 hour bus trip which gave me plenty of time to listen to podcasts; I had been pondering about posting a question on the dibb about how I would calculate what 60 days prior to my trip was ( I know what you are thinking just count it) for booking our Fastpass + because I wasn't sure if it was ......well I just wasn't sure if my date was right

It was like fate when they started talking about trip planning tools that are available on the dibb which includes a Fastpass + date calculator (yay) and just in case you are even bothered the date the website said is the date I thought it was; it's the OCD thing again

That made me curious as to what other planning tools are available and wow if you want to plan every second of your trip including when you can go to the toilet;  I reckon you could find that on the net.....I'm just happy that I will know what parks I will be visiting each day and even more appealing is that I can change my mind if I want to

On that note, I'm off to find a jumper; until next week xxx

Where has the week gone....

I have no idea what has happened this week and to be honest I couldn't even tell you what day of the week it is; I am more than a little tired. So I am pretending it's Monday for the purposes of writing this (which seems to be the day I post this each week) so it's not late

Although, if I am being honest that doesn't really work when I know that this time in so many weeks I will be at Gatwick waiting for them to start making the boarding announcements for our flight with that mixture of excitement and sheer terror

Isn't it strange how something so routine as taking a flight can cause so many different emotions and feelings! But as said before I am a worrier so it's not surprising that I don't like something I have no control over

It's like the warning signs posted at all theme parks; you know the ones don't ride if you are pregnant, suffer from motion sickness etc. They put the fear of god in me but I know that they are for a very good reason having read Disney's accident stats for last year and the number of people who felt unwell after rides or fell over (they look a lot worse than they are - and after all Disney are not required to make this information public they chose too)

I clearly remember being in the queue for Soarin for the first time and reading the rider information; I will admit to being a little bit scared and thinking that I might just need to take the chicken exit out of there (every ride has one of them and although I don't really like the term chicken exit what else could you call it?)

So we get on the ride and I checked, checked and probably checked my safety belt another twenty times before the ride began and then spent the next few minutes hanging on for deal life. And boy am I glad that I just decided to go for it and didn't let my feelings of fear get the better of me. We have ridden that ride quite a few times now and there are no more white knuckles for me and I can't wait to do it again this year; everytime I smell oranges I am taken back there

So the moral of this story is; and I need to take my own advice here sometimes in life you just need to take a chance and do something because you never know you might like it (of course that does not apply to flying on little planes because they are just wrong and you will not persuade me any different) xxxx

We can fly......

Yesterday evening I settled down to take a major planning step - no I haven't paid the balance yet I think we have another week until that is due (but the worrier in me won't leave it that long) instead it was time to complete our ESTA's (which stands for Electronic system for travel authorisation) and if you don't have a US visa you have to apply for one of these before you travel

I know we don't go for a while but it's best to do them early because it's not a given that you will be approved straight away if at all (who knew this only confirms your eligibility to board a flight to the US and does not guarantee entry). As you have probably guessed by now I was slightly freaked out by doing this because although in the eyes of the law I am technically an adult this is one of those times when I could have done with my mum being there to do it for me.

So I sit down to complete 3 of them because apparently James' hands were broken and he couldn't do his own and nervously fill the forms in, checking and double checking and then just to be sure I checked again and then clicked the submit button. OH MY GOD - authorisation pending; what do you mean pending please don't do this to me.......

With my heart in my mouth I start to worry that even though I've checked it a few times that I've entered something wrong or my card payment hasn't gone through (don't forget they only cost $14 per person so if you go via a site that's more expensive they are a handling agent and you should search for the department of homeland security which is the correct one)

What to do, well I could have run round the living room screaming, start sobbing but no get me I decided to log in again and low and behold in a matter of no more than 5 minutes they had all been authorised - panic over.....so I could go back to stressing about something else

Last week I think I mentioned that I had fairy wings on my mind.....basically I have wanted a tattoo of fairy wings for a while (I can't grow my own so this was the only way) and I had finally found a good picture of Tinkerbells that I liked. So I bit the bullet and now have them on the inside of my right arm- in shades of pink and purple

So what was stressing me out about it, not the thought of a tattoo as I already have another 2; but more about what other people would think of me. What is that all about, why do we worry what other people think? I know I am exactly the same and am constantly judging people whether consciously or sub-consciously; but at then end of the day I am me and there is no changing me (many have tried and all failed)

As one of my favourite little people told me last year when we were talking about flying that Tinkerbell would be making sure I had a safe flight, now I have a set of my own wings we are good to go; bring it on (I am sure I won't be that brave on the day but it sounds good)

Until next week xxxx

Join me in a dance.....

This week has been a pretty massive week in holiday planning world, firstly I got the your balance is due shortly email and on top of that it was time to dance. For those of you who don't frequent Disney message boards when your holiday countdown goes past certain milestones you celebrate with a dance.

So my work colleagues were a bit shocked when I randomly started dancing as we were finally into double digits - that doesn't sound like much but considering when we first started our countdown it was over 500 days and now its beginning to feel very real. Which worries me a little, you see I'm a planner and a worrier which is never a good combination (just ask Emmie Lou, she will tell you how stressed I've been over a pair of fairy wings - I will explain all next week)

What's on my mind this week - well as I just said I'm a worrier so will probably spend quite a large amount of the holiday worrying if everyone else is having a good time and that has got me thinking that we really do need to plan in some downtime so that we don't end up over stimulated and finding it all a bit too much.

But how do you relax whilst on holiday - beats me; there are the obvious things like time at the pool and shopping but when there is so much to do and so little time how do you balance making the most of your precious holiday and taking the time to enjoy it? And now I'm a little confused.....well more than normal

If I ask the bloke he will always tell me he doesn't mind and he will go with whatever we decide which drives me to distraction; but if I asked myself that same question the little voices in my head would tell me it's your holiday you won't be back for a while to hell with it and make the most of every minute!

So it looks like a planning evening is going to be in order, Emmie Lou has been once so understands how big WDW is and how much there is to do so hopefully she will have some thoughts of her own and be the voice of reason (pretty please Emmie Lou)

And James, I know you will be reading this - you need to make your mind up not just about what rides you want to do but how you want to chill out; otherwise you might just find yourself in the queue to meet Tinkerbell more than once!

So the moral of this story - holidays make me more odd than normal and you need to plan some down time on your holidays otherwise you will just come back and think if only ............ until next time xxxxx

Customer service, I think not!

I have been with my mobile phone provider for years and although there have been a few ups and downs I haven't considered changing them so it can't be that bad that was until this week where they disappointed me

I love my Disney forums they are full of the most amazing people who share their highs, lows and advice freely with other like minded people ( yes, there can be disagreements but that's life) so I was really interested when people started posting about 3's feel at home plan.

I'm not sure if you remember last year where I ended up buying an old blackberry from eBay which I chucked a PAYG sim in so that I could text my mum & dad but it cost me to receive them (thank goodness most of the people I keep in touch with have an apple gadget or Facebook so my trusty iPod came in pretty handy)

So anyway back to 3's feel at home, basically you take your home plan with you so and don't pay costs when people contact you; yay! I pondered loads, do I buy a cheap unlocked phone and chuck the sim into that? The lovely guys in the 3 store instead of trying to sell me a phone said why don't you just yours unlocked and save yourself some money (wow, not the kind of service we are used to)

For the worrier in me this thought terrified me, but after reading loads of info it wasn't as terrifying as I thought and it wouldn't change anything on my phone apart from the network. So off I trot to vodafone, the easy part was putting in the request to get it unlocked but it was like twenty questions - why would you want to do that was one of them (umm, it's my phone what business is it of yours!)

All I had to do was wait for an email confirming it had been unlocked which I would receive within a week (which surprisingly they can refuse - how does that work when it's your phone and your paying for it?) . So a week later and no email so I popped into the store, amazingly vodafone had emailed the store back but failed to notify me and the girl in the shop couldn't have been more uninterested and I think she may even have said at least they've done it

So where did customer service go, apparently the same place as manners; all we need to do is be nice to people and it would make a whole load of difference! Anyway rant over. It's been a long day and all I want is my bed......until next week xxx

Dreams do come true xxx

Oh my goodness, I knew the time would come but I just wasn't prepared for it - I am having a blank moment and can't decide what to tell you about this week.....it's weird really my life is so full of Disney so you would think it would come easy but I have been sitting here staring at a blank page for a while.....

Actually maybe that's just a metaphor for life; it's just a blank page until we start filling in the words and pictures. I consider myself to be quite a creative person so you would think my pages would be brightly coloured and full of words but no it's all a bit muted (I do like making stuff though; poor James he has to put up with jewellery making, cross stitch, hot fixing - actually he should consider himself lucky I haven't blinged him yet).

But on the opposite end of the spectrum you have someone like Walt Disney who was phenomenally creative, not only did he made some of the greatest movies of all time but he dreamed of a place where families could spend time together and turned it into reality and that's how Disneyland was built.

I know that he wasn't alive to see Walt Disney World completed and the only one of the many Disney resorts across the world that he walked in was Disneyland but he won't be forgotten for the dreams that he had.....so is it wrong to be a dreamer?

Personally I say no, there is nothing wrong with keeping in touch with your inner child but maybe I am too friendly with mine....after all I don't suppose many other people my age curl up in bed on a Sunday night to watch Frozen (it was so much more appealing than the Magaluf weekender that James was watching, I guess I shouldn't complain at least it wasn't sport!)

Being a dreamer isn't just about how you feel it's also about having aspirations; I do like my job and have always said if I won the lottery I wouldn't just leave but if I'm honest it's not what I want to do if I had the choice. Every day I have different ideas that I'm going to learn how to make silver jewellery and start my own business or I could make a mountain of my Kumihimo bracelets and leave work....or I could train to be a nail technician cause I don't mind painting nails but then I'm slapped back into reality by another email

So hats off to Walt Disney who dared to dream and believe.....I'm off to believe I can think of something to tell you about next week.....sweet dreams all xxx

Holiday, celebrate ......

I am pretty lucky to work for an employer who has a good holiday entitlement and after an interesting day at work I decided I needed to book me some of that; as so far all I had booked was a week off in May and of course the time off for Florida.

So there I am with my holiday form all colour coded so that I knew when my bosses are off so I don't book the same time as them; and the excitement must have been too much as I'm throwing dates in all over the place and then a random thought pops into my head

Airline seats and Fastpass+ booking date! Now thankfully I have my trusty holiday countdown next to my desk (you're not surprised are you?) and that day is on a Saturday. But not just any Saturday but a week 4 saturday!!!!

Now for those of you who don't work for Sainsburys you don't know how important this day is in my job, basically I help to make sure that all of the new starters across 180 stores get activated (basically so they get paid) and I take this responsibility pretty seriously - I mean I am even working on my birthday as it's a week 4; normally the only ones I don't cover is when I am in Florida

But, I am making an exception and I have booked off a week 4 because after all I have far more important things to do like decide what time I want to go on Toy Story Midway mania......I may even have used a little bit of gentle persuasion on James; although I am sure me and Emmie Lou will make our holiday as magical as we possibly can I am not sure James will be as interested in our choices

If I had my way, we would all have fastpasses to meet the fairies and none for Indiana Jones and Lights Motors Action because after all I know deep down he wants to meet them again. So with the park hours having been updated again, we now have a few weeks to do our planning and this will give them a little while for work to sort out week 4 without me

Until next week xxx

Are you serious?.....

Talking to my boss today about holidays and she said she is off to Florida next year and told me which weeks so that I didn't book my holiday for the same time and then the unexpected came out of my mouth.....I'm not sure we will be going next year

Oh my goodness, even I was stunned it came out of my mouth but I have to face facts and think unless I win the lottery or work everyday for the rest of the year I don't think I will be able to afford it.

So the question has to be asked why did I find myself ordering the 2015 brochure even though I know it's just another way to torture myself about not being there. You see in just about every element of my life there is a little bit of Disney, whether it's planning a trip, my jewellery, my stationary, clothes and so the list goes on

I asked James if he could imagine how different our lives would be if we hadn't made our first trip to Florida back in 1998; my first thought was maybe we would be a little saner (that's doubtful). But I have come to the conclusion that they must put something in the water because it's completely addictive.

I love reading peoples posts on the forums saying that they are planning the trip of a lifetime not knowing that they may become one of those people that just click with Disney and find it to be like a magnet drawing them back year after year (I sometimes think I hear it calling me but I have been assured they are just voices in my head and I'm a little strange)

So, aside from selling an organ or putting James up for auction on eBay how could I save enough pennies to do Disney every year? Our work does a share save scheme which you can pay money into monthly and then either take cash or shares at the end of it and I have found this is a good way to save.

But I guess it would just need to be discipline, every month instead of treating myself I should be saving - I could put some stuff that has been sitting in the cupboard and not seen the light of day forever up for auction because if I haven't needed it by now, chances are I don't need it

I've read people giving up a luxury, like a daily trip to Starbucks and saving that money but for me that would be no citrus coke and we all know that's not going to happen.....so I am going to have to think on this one; because to me a year without Disney is like Wimbledon with no strawberries

I'm off to investigate the cupboard.....fingers crossed I make it out by next week xxxx

Love it or hate it.......

Disney have been saying that it's a small world for over 50 years (a fifteen minute ride listening to that is enough to give me nightmares let alone 50 years) but it's one filled with lots of different kinds of people with different opinions

This was evident in our house this weekend when I told James the rumour that Disney might be closing the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (yay!!!!!); they have already announced that American Idol Experience is closing in January 2015 and Indy is also slated to close.

Now I am not sad to see it go as I've seen it once (maybe twice) and that's enough for me but James loves it and will go and see it each time we go so he was a bit sad..... what I didn't tell him was the rumour that they might be replacing it with a Star Wars themed area otherwise he might just go and start the demolition himself.

Star Wars should hold a special place in my heart as it was during a screening of the Empire Strikes Back that James proposed (trust me not my choice of film but I was being the supportive girlfriend and it wasn't a proposal per say but more of an agreement that we were getting married) but anyway even after that the only thing that I find mildly interesting about the whole thing is the Ewoks - which are pretty cute

Personally I think they should take a bulldozer to both Indiana Jones and Lights, Motors, Action but sadly the powers that be don't seem to be listening; I am sure that with the creative team they have at Disney they could find something way more interesting to do with the space

Hollywood Studios has never been a full day park for me, I love Toy Story Midway Mania (but think the standby queue is just ridiculous), Walt One Man's Dream, The Art of Disney Animation and Fantasmic are all amazing. And if you fancy getting a little wet The Little Mermaid show is quite cute (great on a hot day but very unexpected)  but apart from that I could really give it a miss

Although I am sure if you asked James he would find loads to do, which gives me plenty of time to chill out with a cold drink somewhere nice and air conditioned while he goes off and does his thing. So maybe a difference of opinion is a good thing every now and then......

Sorry so short this week, it's only Monday and I feel I have done a full weeks work so it's off to bed for me; until next week xxxx

Umbrella's at the ready.........

It would appear that British summertime has finally made an appearance which invariably means a day of sun and then a day of showers; as most of my family know I hate getting wet so the thought of walking home in the rain isn't filling me with joy.

So why is it different on holiday? No, I don't like wearing a poncho (to be honest I don't think they have actually come out of our case in a couple of years) so an umbrella is always a good thing - but then again I don't like carrying it around just on the off chance so what is the answer? (Apart from James carrying it and I'm sure I can imagine what he would say if I asked him)

The good thing about WDW is there is always something to do if you are not one of those people who will head to the park whatever the weather. One thing to remember is how quickly the weather can change, the normal summer afternoon shower will probably only last for about half an hour (I say probably because we all know the weather does it's own thing)

These photo's were taken 5 minutes apart in Magic Kingdom

What are your options.....as I said you could head for the parks anyway (or stay if you are already there) as this can sometimes lead to shorter queues, you can use the time to take in an indoor attraction or just take a few minutes to relax

But if that's not your thing what else is there to do.....explore a resort, catch a film, go bowling, or shopping at DTD ( you just need to think that a whole lot of other people maybe planning the same thing so it could be busier than you expect)

In all of the times we have been going rain has only made us leave a park twice, once the first time we took Emmie Lou and when we went to Seaworld there was the most horrendous storm (trees down, signs blown over, people being urged to seek shelter and ankle deep rain - and of course I had to be wearing a pale coloured top!!!)

A rainy day at Epcot

The other time was when we were waiting patiently for Wishes and the first bars of the music began  and it started raining lightly, but less than 30 seconds later it was like someone had turned a bucket upside down. Now I love Wishes, to me it is simply magical but even I was not going to stand out in that rain to watch and the rest of Magic Kingdom felt the same - no one left the park but just about every inch of covered space was full

We all have expectations of having great weather while we are on holiday, but you just need to be mindful that sometimes Mother Nature does like to throw a spanner in the works - but if as Crush would say " you go with the flow" you will have an amazing time whatever happens

xxxx

Oh, how I've missed you....

Isn't it strange how you don't realise how much you've missed something until you have it again.....as with every holiday there is always that item of food or drink that just takes you back to your holiday and once you have it again you just want it more!!!

As the lovely Emmie Lou will tell you I have something of an addiction to citrus coke (this is the closest thing I can get to coke with lime here) so when I found out they had a coke freestyle machine that had the option of lime coke zero at Bluewater I was on a mission to get me some of that!

What exactly is a coke freestyle machine, basically it's a drink vending machine where you can mix your drink; so if you fancy strawberry sprite zero or orange flavoured coke then that's what you can have

So as we were there this weekend picking up a birthday present the first stop of the day was Five Guys burgers for a drink......it's £2.50 for unlimited refills; my first choice was raspberry coke zero which tasted exactly like my favourite frozen drink from WDW and reminded me of a rainy day at Epcot (it did taste like it mr marchant!)

Next choice for me had to be coke zero lime, whenever we go to Florida this is one of my must have purchases from Walmart (a couple of weeks ago I was distraught when I couldn't find it on their website - turns out I was just being a numpty and looking in the wrong place). There is nothing like coming back from a long day at the theme park and opening an ice cold can of lime coke!!!

My last top up was strawberry and raspberry sprite zero which kind of tasted like jolly ranchers which is another obsession of mine but that is a whole different story which I will save for another day......I wasn't the only one who like this machine as Emmie Lou got herself some vanilla coke zero. I'm sure this will become a firm favourite when we are in need of an American fix now all they need to do is put one a bit closer to home!!!

I am looking forward to creating my Walmart food shopping list for this year which will definitely include lime coke but until my holiday comes round I will be more than likely found at Bluewater sipping an ice cold drink (unless I win the lottery and I will have a freestyle machine installed in the kitchen!!!)

xxxxx

Off or on? .....

Even though I know it's highly unlikely that we will be back to Disney next year due to how late in the year we are travelling this year it didn't stop me from picking up the 2015 - 2016 brochure and having a cheeky look through it

And so an interesting question to ponder if we did decide to try and save to go back next year would we be happy to stay off site rather than on site; which could mean a  saving of around £600 each on a 2 week holiday but is money everything?

Our first trip ever to Florida we were about as uneducated as anyone could be and I think all I had in terms of info was a little Berlitz travel guide; we stayed off site on the 192 in a hotel with "a complimentary shuttle bus" now I'm not saying that this doesn't work and I'm sure that some hotels have it down to a fine art but I remember frantically running through Epcot (Ok maybe run is a bit optimistic) after the fireworks to make sure we didn't miss the last bus back.

From what I can remember of that holiday we had a fantastic time (apart from the little argument about whether it was a good idea to use an umbrella in a thunder storm - James this is NOT a good idea) but I'm pretty sure we missed loads as we just hadn't figured out the sheer size of everything and were restricted by the free transport, actually we must have had an amazing time otherwise why would we have ever gone back?

But we didn't return for 2 or 3 years after our first trip and this time we stayed at Disney's All Star Sports; again I don't think we saw everything we wanted to but it felt like there was les pressure - buses direct to all the parks which ran frequently; a food court and some fantastic theming

So what makes on site better than off site or vice versa - off site will probably be cheaper and most Orlando resorts now offer free transport to the theme parks where as a Disney resort will be more costly and only offer free transport to the Disney parks

When staying at a Disney resort you get extra magic hours and the opportunity to book your Fastpass+ 60 days in advance where as off site guests can't attend morning EMH but can stay for evening EMH they just can't do any of the rides and can only book their fastpasses 30 days ahead

Another thing when staying on site if you have a hotel reservation and tickets you can book the Disney dining plan which means that your meals are pre paid (there are a few different plans so it's worth doing a bit of research) and if you are lucky this might also be offered free with your booking

So, a £600 saving but is my time more valuable to me? Everyone is different but I think for me on site will always win; I love the fact that you are at the heart of the magic and if the mood takes you at 8.30 at night if you are quick you might just get to the park in time for Wishes - and to me that's priceless

Xxx

It's all bananas

This week has been pretty quiet on the holiday planning front, apart from crossing a few more days off our countdown the only thing I did was check that mini golf was still included as part of our ultimate tickets - which it is so James had better be prepared to get beaten again....

There is just one down side, the free entry is only good before 4pm so there you are out in the heat of the day, sweating buckets just for a round of mini golf; I guess the key to it is get there for when it opens or rather than playing Fantasia which we normally do (that's the course by the swan and dolphin) we could always head over to Winter Summerland by Blizzard Beach which has a whole lot more shade........hmmmmm, I will have to ponder that one

So what excitement has there been in my life, I brought a Yonanas machine.....I'm sure you are going a what!?!?! It's a machine that instantly turns frozen fruit into sorbet or if you use bananas it will have a more creamy texture

So far we have tried mango, strawberry and banana and in the freezer now we have mango and raspberry lollies.....but there are lots of amazing creations to try, supposedly you can make a pretty good mint choc chip or cookies and cream and for a girl who loves ice cream but hates the calories this might just be my saviour

Aside from that me and the bloke have got the week off work so have been enjoying the hot spell we are having by taking a trip to IKEA, basically before we knew the weather was going to be nice we'd already planned this.....the best thing about it was that because the weather was nice there was hardly anyone there - yay

So tomorrow we will most likely  be arguing about how to put together a piece of flat pack furniture that we can't even pronounce the name of and then spending the rest of the day in different rooms....oh well; as long as I get the big tv I'm happy and then I get to see the lovely Emmie Lou, happy days

Sorry for such a short one, until next week xxx

How are we going to fit it all in......

Well firstly let me apologise for the lateness of this post, the only other time I've posted mid week when I was in sunny Florida but due to a hectic couple of days at work time just ran away from me.....

This week has been a very busy week of holiday planning, at the beginning of the week the dates were released for both Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP)

So we are going to MNSSHP on our first real night there (not arrival night as that would be even a bit too much for me) and this is proving to be a bit of a planning nightmare for me as I always wake up at some god forsaken time on the first day and then I'm too excited to go back to sleep as I know we will be off to Magic Kingdom later - I can't tell you how happy just thinking about it makes me feel but I'm sure it will be fine and I will just have to eat shed loads of candy from our trick or treating and let the sugar high keep me going (James, Emmie Lou you have been warned!) 

Our Christmas party is a couple of nights before we come back home and I'm looking forward to snow on Main Street and unlimited hot chocolate.....I still haven't got my head round that cast members will have their Christmas outfits on although I'm sure their coats aren't the heavy duty kind that we need to cope with our climate.

So why do people pay the extra money to go to a hard ticketed event? There are special character meet and greets that aren't available at any other time (you can get your picture taken with all of the 7 dwarves - although this is insanely popular and gets massive queues)

The Halloween parade never runs during normal park hours and the Christmas one doesn't show during the day until just before Christmas and then there are the amazing fireworks and smaller queues for attractions.

I know I sound like I have been brain washed by Disney but I do think they can be worth the money if it's something you want to experience!

On top of all the party ticket purchasing the dates and artists for the eat to the beat concerts was announced; these concerts take place during Epcots International Food and Wine festival usually 3 times a night in the America. gardens area....I know I am showing my age here but Boyz II Men were one of the big bands out when James and I first met and they will be playing for 3 night when we are there; Yay ( our holiday planner is starting to fill up nicely)

So on that thought and the fact that I have to get off my train in a minute; until next week xxx 

Time goes by so slowly......

I am not the most patient of people so to tell me I've  got to sit down for over nine hours unless I have plenty to keep me occupied I would be bouncing in my seat asking are we there yet after about 2 hours (ok I admit it I do this anyway but this is probably after 6 hours)

So what to do....thankfully in flight entertainment is far removed from when I first started flying when you had screens overhead and you all watched the same thing; now each person has their own tv and even this has moved on from it being on a loop to the entertainment system being on demand for all passengers including games (as long as it's working that is!)

But what else can you do.....pre the increased security I have done cross stitch and even seen one women knitting but sadly you can't take any type of craft needle on board (as long as I get there safely who am I to complain). I've done colouring as I find this quite relaxing, but I did get a few odd looks; what adults can't colour?

A good book is a great distraction but you have to decide if you want to take up your precious hand luggage space with a book; and then there is technology -iPads, Nintendo ds and lots of other choices.....but basically it comes down to personal choice.

Not having personal experience I can't even contemplate how to entertain little people on flights (this is just my opinion but letting them run up and down the aisles isn't exactly an acceptable way to entertain them) but I'm sure all of the things I have mentioned so far would work with a little person after all the average 4 year old is probably more tech savvy than most adults

For the last couple of years the sky map has been my salvation and I have spent hours watching the little plane moving across the screen getting closer to our destination, that and irritating James as that's always good fun for me

But what will I do myself this year; well this year I have 2 people who I can irritate.....seriously I have found a way to craft that doesn't involve needles or my trusty hotfix which is Kumihimo; a form of Japanese braiding.....I can quite happily sit and do it for ages as it's pretty mind numbing - so people don't expect a gift from Disney this year you are going to get a handmade braid (only joking)

Until next week

xxxx