Pre-trip Report March 2014
(according to India)
Things are a little different this Disney trip, for one thing it was a trip initiated by George & me and for another I am trying my hand at writing a trip report. This trip has come about as my friend Anna is working at the Rose and Crown in the UK pavilion at EPCOT. She is on the Cultural Representative Program and has been out in Orlando since last May; I haven’t seen her for 10 months which makes this holiday extra special.
The original plan was for George, Anna and me to spend 2 weeks in Disney. We booked flights back in September in the back to school sale and managed to get a great deal on Port Orleans French Quarter thanks to Anna’s Cast Member discount.
I say that the plan was to spend 2 weeks
in Disney and this hasn’t changed but galled by the thought
of their daughters spending a fortnight in Disney without them
the parents have managed to muscle their way in to this trip. It
took several cocktails and the Millennium Celebration CD on full
blast but dad finally managed to persuade mum to go. A matter of
hours later flights, tickets and 8 nights at Kidani Village are
booked. They’ll be flying in Friday and we’ll be
joining them in Animal Kingdom on Saturday morning. Until then
it’ll be George, Anna, me and occasionally our Disney friend
Susan who, by pure luck, will be in Disney with her friend Anne
until Sunday.
If you’ve read a Stringer trip report you’ll be well
acquainted with the Stringer family and Susan (or my
father’s interpretation of us) but here’s a quick
introduction to Anna.
Anna and I met properly at university in Falmouth, although we had met once prior to this at a party in college as she lived only 6 miles down the road from me in Gloucestershire. With our mutual love of festivals and both members of the university sea swimming club we really hit it off. Anna is passionate about many things but primarily festivals, fairies and her Irish/Cornish roots. With the exception of last summer when she was in Disney she has spent the last few summers working as a fairy at Fairylove; a stall selling amazing fairy wings and tutus that goes around festivals. Obviously with a role like this you have to be fun, outgoing and a little bit crazy, hence how she ended up in Disney.
In terms of plans for the first week we’ve left it pretty open and have only booked high tea at Grand Floridian and Beaches & Cream for lunch. We have a slight issue with the Fastpass+ in that as a CM with a main gate pass Anna can’t book in advance like we can but we will see how it goes when we get there. We’ll be meeting up with Susan at some point and also going offsite – Anna really wants to take us to Wekiwa Springs. We are staying the night before in the Premier Inn at Gatwick North Terminal and flying at 1pm the following day. That’s the plan and the people so let’s begin.