by Colm Broadhead (aka Britcot )
A few months back I was listening to the WDW Radio show, as I’m sure many of us do, and I heard an appeal from Lou asking for stories and topics people out there might find interesting. Well, I’m here to tell you what a trip to WDW is like for the British. Hang on to your hats and glasses people!
First thing’s first, a little background. I’m 23 years old and, this August, will be taking my third trip to Walt Disney World. I made my first trip in 2008, and I must admit I came to Florida not for Disney, but for Wrestlemania.
My grandmother had passed away at Christmas in 2006 and I had been left a small sum of money. It was purely on a whim in 2007 that I bought my father and myself tickets to the big event. Of course, I had held a lifelong dream to go to Walt Disney World and this was a part of the appeal. I wasn’t going to be watching Wrestlemania in Phoenix (no offence to Phoenix, it’s just not got that history for British people), I was going to Orlando, Florida.
Since this first trip I’ve learnt a lot through podcasts and guide books. One of the most important things for American’s to realise is the part Disney World plays in the minds of British people. For a start, many don’t know the difference between Disney World and Disneyland. In fact, upon correcting people they will often just look at you and remark ‘But aren’t they just the same thing?’
Because the distance is so far, and the cost is so large, many British people look at a trip to Disney World / Land as a once in a lifetime experience; and if not once in a lifetime, certainly not more than a few times in your life.
You see, to the average British person Disney World is a mythical place. The sun always shines, the people are beautiful and the costs are sky high. From what I can gather, there is a long history of travel specials about WDW in the States; in the UK the best we can hope for is the odd TV ad every now and again although these are becoming more common due to the economy. For the first time Disney is really appealing to the British with some amazing discounts. In these ads we see the Castle, but not much else. The first time me and my father went we were genuinely surprised to find out about the existence of DHS and the Animal Kingdom. The only reason I know about EPCOT is because of a combination of the Simpson’s and Blossom (does anyone remember Blossom but me?). However, we all know about Disney World, and for the most part we all want to go there.
Luckily for us, the first time we went to Orlando, the Easter holidays were being moved around and they were not standardised. In the UK the air companies have the prices fixed in the holidays. It was recently broadcast on the national news that the same flights can cost you the same again during school term time. For instance, if you go during the school term, a flight might cost you £500 ($750) go one week later when the schools are on holiday, and the price goes up to £1000 ($1500). This is one of the reasons a lot of Brits avoid Florida.
So off we went to Orlando, Florida. Wrestlemania was an amazing event. Truly, that was a once in a lifetime experience. However, we had bought a small guidebook, literally 150 pages long all about Orlando, and decided that the Magic Kingdom was definitely somewhere we should go. My dad had always wanted to take me to Disney World as a child and we had never gotten the chance, so this was a big moment for him as well.
Imagine, if you will, love at first sight. That first sense that you are truly somewhere special. The gates to the World were the first signal, but the moment I knew that I was going to adore Walt Disney World: The parking tram.
I’m pretty sure I can hear you howling with laughter behind your monitors, or at least sniggering. Although I think there may even be one or two of you silently agreeing and thinking ‘I thought that was just me…’ Maybe it’s the British sense of order in me, but being able to park, precisely in a spot that feels as though it is just for you, and then walking to a tram that has just pulled up, for you, and tells you the exact lane you have parked in. Well that’s just incredible.
I remember returning home from that first trip and learning something incredible about my father. I never knew he loved boats so much! The moment he saw the ferry we had to take it. He explained to me, as though I hadn’t realised it, that we had to take the ferry to get to the magic. We were being transported to somewhere new and exciting.
The first time I stepped onto Main Street, I was in love with the place. I knew I would end up coming back here again. We did one of those surveys on the way out, and the cast member taking our feedback was delighted because we’d simply had so much fun.
While I don’t want to turn this into too much of a trip report there is something I must explain about why Disney World, and America on the whole, is so special to British people. One word sums it up; service.
A few years ago David Schwimmer of Friends fame was on one of our big chat shows and he was asked what he missed most about home when he was in Britain, his answer ‘the service’. In the UK, you are lucky if someone says have a nice day when they serve you, in fact in some shops you’re lucky if you get more than a grunt of acknowledgment. In the US everyone smiles, they say hello, they are polite and patient. And in restaurants they are quick. Listening to some of the US podcasts, I don’t think people understand how good they have it. Then you get to Disney World, and it’s even better.
You are transported to World of politeness, of friendliness and enjoyment. Everywhere is clean. And the thing that most impressed me about the World that first trip, everything smells amazing.
From that first trip we were hooked. I could tell you all about the fun we had on the Jungle Cruise, or how my father defied all logic and went on Splash, Big Thunder and Everest. But that’s not what this is about; this is about planning a trip from a British point of view.
We returned home from our trip jetlagged but happy. Despite the fact we had been to Wrestlemania, all we told people about was Walt Disney World. It was after a month when we were still researching and trying to learn everything we could about WDW that my mother realised that this was not a passing fad. Similarly, my girlfriend, who became my fiancé in this time period, was starting to get concerned about my new obsession. I thought it would pass. I was so very wrong.
I had missed out a place on a teacher training course, so I decided to set myself some targets for the following year – one was to get onto the course, the other was to go to Disney World again the following year to ‘get it out of my system’.
This is where the planning for WDW first took hold. Because I wasn’t going to be teaching the following year, I had the whole year to look through. I quickly established that my fiancé was not coming with me, she was still at university and the trip would be too expensive for her. Plus, she really couldn’t take the time off. Likewise, my mother had little interest in going to the World. So me and my dad decided to start looking during term time for our next trip. We found the perfect time of year, mid March. This was before Spring Break in the US and Easter in England. This meant that both flights and accommodation would be cheaper than usual. To put it into context, by going at this time of year we managed to save somewhere in the region of £1,000. We were staying off site, which saved some more money (Quality Inn Plaza on International Drive, perfectly pleasant for our trip).
Our week was set. We bought a Frommers guide to Orlando, significantly larger than our previous guide and began to research. On this trip we made only one phone call to WDW, to book the Keys to the Kingdom tour. The experience of speed calling was something we had yet to experience.
We set off on this trip a little wiser than the last time. We went to EPCOT, but we didn’t see enough. We spent time at the parks which was golden, I was the first of my friends back home to ride Midway Mania, and thoroughly enjoyed our trip. We saw and did things some people only see once in a lifetime. Truly, you would have thought that we had gotten Disney World out of our system.
This year I got onto my teaching course, I’m training to teach primary school children (4 – 11) which means that I’m now at the mercy of the travel companies holiday prices. But something interesting began to happen to my fiancé during the year. We took a holiday to Ireland to see family of mine, and it rained. A lot. She decided that really, Florida may be a nice location for a holiday, due to its guaranteed heat, sunshine and that magic I’d been going on about for a year.
This is when the research became hardcore. I’d been waiting for this moment and I had to absolutely find the best deal possible for me and her. I had to convince her that the money we would be spending was worth it, that I could guarantee that this was the best value we could get. I had decided that we would be staying onsite. Due to our age, if we hire a car we’re down for the $35 per day surcharge for young drivers.
In this time I must also disclose the fact that I had discovered the world of podcasts and message boards. It was like a whole world had been opened up to me. It turned out there were lots of people who didn’t take children to Disney World, that enjoyed theme parks without feeling like they needed to go on rides and people who thought that meeting characters was cool.
I had become the ‘Disney guy’ to people who had known me my entire life. Some people understood it, others couldn’t get the reasoning. But it didn’t matter. There was a whole new world of ADR’s and character meals. I had never known that people went to Disney just for the food! (I must thank Lou for that revelation ; -))
So, on December 25th I took the first step into this brave new world of ‘real’ planning. My parents got me the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. This was an amazing gift. 3 days later my fiancé told me to go and find a good deal and see what I could do.
I went online and knew straightaway that I would get killed on airfare for this trip. I was determined for a direct flight. It’s bad enough having to fly for 9 hours; I wasn’t willing to do 13 with two layovers. The flights were going to cost £1500 for the two of us, return. This may seem a lot, but for us Brits it’s what we have to go through. This was way cheaper than going through either a travel agent or Disney travel. You have to save hard for a WDW trip, but it’s a sacrifice we were willing to make.
I had convinced my other half that this cost was not a problem. We could go for ten days and stay at Pop Century. She surprised me and told me that we may as well go for two weeks. This is another disparity by Americans and British people by the way – for us a hotel room is just somewhere we dump our stuff. On a lot of podcasts, and on websites, people seem shocked by the idea you could stay somewhere like Pop for two weeks. For us, it’s no big deal. It’s another one of those small sacrifices to stay in the magic.
Now, here is where the story gets interesting for me and my other half. I went onto the Disney website (I believe in booking direct) and looked at staying at Pop Century resort. With tickets, 14 days for the price of 7 with park hopping, and the Dining Plan the cost came to £2,130.
We had wanted to stay at Port Orleans Riverside before we saw the price of flights. However, if we stayed there we could get a free quick service dining plan. It would be nothing to make an upgrade to the full plan. So, staying at Riverside was going to cost £2,045. I was flabbergasted. It was going to be cheaper to stay at a moderate hotel, the one we had really wanted to stay at.
And then I saw it. If we stayed at Saratoga Springs or Old Key West we would get the dining package free. This cost £1,850. This was a miracle I was sure. I don’t tell you about these costs to make it sound as though I am bragging. If it comes across this way I sincerely apologise. The point is that with a little bit of research we can save huge money. This is all part of a British planning session. As a point of interest, my parents decided to come with us because the deal was so good. We are all stayin’ at the springs. Luckily, not in the same room!
This was the start of something I had begun to hear about on the podcasts. I could now start to plan my dining experiences. This is also where speed calling comes in.
I devoured my unofficial guide, and found more places to eat than I could imagine. As we were resort guests we got the 90 days plus ten aspect of the deal. So comes speed calling.
Because of the huge cost to call America from Britain we had to consider phone bills and the length of our calls. My dad made the first call to WDW dining to book my mothers special birthday meal. We decided that these calls took too long. We use the atomic clock method taken from the unofficial guide about Cinderella’s Royal Table and adapted it to fit our situation. Without being rude we called and got reservations we really wanted (Le Cellier etc.) as quickly as we could. There may be a record for this, and we must have come pretty close to breaking it. Briefly at the end we apologised to the wonderful cast member at the end of the phone. They understood and wished us a magical day.
I must also give a big hand to the online reservation system. It is a huge timesaver and works so well for me. However, I was wondering if anyone else had noticed that no matter where you want to book, Sanaa is offered as the alternative?
So there you have it. This may be exactly the same as booking a trip from the US. But what you must keep in mind is that the support network for Disney lovers just isn’t out here. I find myself whiling away hours watching videos of Disney World and waiting for my podcasts to be ready. There are things I dream of doing, things like Segway tours and Ellen’s energy adventure.
Walt Disney World, for me, has become the mythical place I discussed at the beginning of the blog. All I remember is that when I’m there it makes me incredibly happy. When people ask about the cost, I’ve begun to use the little statement my father makes. When you go to Disney World, you pay your money so as to enter into a contract with the Walt Disney Corporation. Their end is for you to have fun and relax. Or even go commando if needs be. Our end is to enjoy it. I can honestly say that in my two trips I have never had a bad moment at Walt Disney World. I find myself constantly thinking about this trip I’m going on next, and deliberately not planning on doing things so I can do them when I go next, whenever that may be.
So I finish this little (or it was meant to be little) piece on British trip planning with a small plea of my own. If any of you have any of those old Disney travel specials that you put on to help you through the hard times away from Walt Disney World, or even home video that might be entertaining, please feel free to send it to me.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. And if I’m lucky enough, I might be able to tell you about a Brits adventures in Disney World in the Future.
Hey Colm, although I’m not a Brit I’ve lived in Hertfordshire for the last 12yrs and married to a Brit. We’ve managed to go to WDW and DLRP a few times but have not been to Disneyland just yet. Last year we went to WDW and stayed at Port Orleans and similar to what you did with your package we got a (i could be wrong here) full dinning plan and upgraded our hotel to Port Orleans for pennies. I was so grateful for this dinning plan because for the first time we were able and inspired to have and enjoy the 2/3 course sit down meals at GREAT places like 50s Prime Time and Le Cellier whereas before we always to the counter-service (which some are GREAT) and at the hotels. Last year we also enjoyed the Magical Express which was great. All these things we learned of thanks to WDW’s podcast (and others but mostly Lou) that we never knew of before or weren’t sure of trying…sitting down for an hour to eat when there are rides to be tamed?!?!?! As for the upgrade & dinning plan I believe the one we did in 2009 was just for UK residents which was lovely.
Glad you enjoyed your trip and hope you manage to go back soon…in the meantime…DLRP, seriously, its no WDW but it still gets better every year and is closer and cheaper.
Hi, Nice blog post. I’m a Brit too, but have developed a different way of doing it than you, but that is possibly because my family and i have had a lot more practice. I have been lucky enough to have gone to WDW 11 times in the past 17 years. The first time when i was 3 years old (1993) and the latest time in 2008 (turned 20 this year). As i grew up tho it got easier to choose the right times to go as we could go when the British schools were back in term time.
We now have personal ways of doing things and ways to save money on our trips, so if anyone wants any suggestions am always happy to help, as I’m sure Colm is. Things like staying off property, the use of rental cars, dining, we have come to be experts at. And now since I’m older i have developed a greater appreciation of the sheer beauty of the place, the effort and imagineering that went into it all (some thanks go to Lou for that), and of course all the little things that people miss in their extreme holidaying.
Tim
Hi Colm,
I was amused at the part where you mentioned how well the service is in the US, because (as you also mentioned) Americans are always complaining about the lack of service here. What do you want, we have 24 hour Supermarkets here! You’re correct about WDW though, the service in the parks is above and beyond anywhere else in the world.
I’ve been going to WDW since I was 5 years old (that’s 1974 for those keeping track). I’m well beyond a dozen trips to WDW (5 of those trips were as an adult with no kids) and the magic never gets old. I’m eagerly planning my son’s first trip in 2012.
A great blog of issues and advantages of being a British Disney fan. I just wanted to let you know that there is a network in the uk too.
I love the wdwradio podcasts and listen every week. My family ( myself, my husband, my 2 year old and my parents) are travelling to Disneyworld in September (how I love being on a career break from teaching) so are in final planning stage
mode.
I also listen to a Disneybrit podcast hosted by Adam, Craig and Juz who do Disney articles and info from a UK perspective. They also organised the first British mousemeets in Manchester in may and I hope there will be another next year.
It is definatly not ‘cool’ to be a disney fan in the uk but people who make negative remarks have never been so they have my sympathy.
I agree with you there is a magic and peace that happens when you go to Disneyworld and it manages to cut through the jetlag.
Colm,
Although I’m not a Brit, an American, I can say that I truely sympothize with you concerning your long waits between trips to our beloved WDW. Although it may not seem the case, Disney is not as readily assessable to all of us Americans as you may be led to believe. And yet, some never get the opportunity to experience the magic. While it is true that we are miles closer and we don’t have to cross an ocean,the truth of the matter is that affordability of such a vacation is not what we would like. (Personally, I have been lucky to go 5 times now through my lifetime, I am a bit older than you, however, the trips have usually been quite a few years apart from each other). It is not uncommon, at least in the part of the states where I live, that when you mention going to Disney that your neighbors begin to believe that you must be wealthier than you look. But I often remind those that believe that way that a lot of planning and research goes into a vacation such as Disney. And the planning make the trip worth it!
I loved your description of the discovery of the WDW planning system, and it brought me back to the days when I discovered it. Thank you for reminding me of the magic that can be found in the anticipation of your next trip. I hope and pray that I will be going back soon, but as of right now, my next trip is 8 years away–for one of those big anniversary milestones.
While I continue to sustain myself on dreams of the future, I hope you have a truely magical time on your next visit “state-side”, and that you are continually blessed with further trips to the land of magic.
I was dragged, not quite kicking and screaming in 2003, I had low expectations. I was immediately impressed by All star movies and the Icons (was in Toystory). I still had a reassonably low expectation of the parks, but was converted in about an hour of arriving at Epcot. I went on Spaceship Earth, which was “ok”, as per expectations, but nothing too impressive, then on Ellens energy adventure. At this point I was not aware of the “movement” in Ellens, I say “movement” just in case anyone else is surprised like I was. From the moment of “movement”, I think I was hooked. Listening to the DSI on it, I became more impressed.
I was then back in 05 and 09, 07 was skipped because of the birth iof my Daughter. Even thinking about going again this year, having only been last year, though I think the advantage of having to save so much, means there is often more new stuff when you return visit. Toy story and Everest were new this time, unfortunately no A mode.
In terms of saving money, we did the I-Drive thing in 05 and It definately saved money, but I’d now always go fro on property unless I can gather a sizable group. Lynx buses and the I-Trolley can be used to good effect for savings too.
Great blog post!
I lol’d when you talked about the WDW parking system because my Dad and I had almost exactly the same reaction as you, many years ago!
Being the “Disney Guy” in my house, I’d imagine we have a lot in common! I’m also 23 and have a long suffering Girlfriend who’s learnt to accept that we’ll be visiting WDW whenever possible – she actually now loves WDW as much as I do! (thankfully! – lol)
Last summer we visited WDW for the 4th time in 5 years. We’ve stayed on property once before but normally tend to stay in a villa. We’re currently in the process of buying a new house and with London 2012 coming up, we probably won’t return to WDW until 2013 :’( I wish 2013 was tomorrow! At least we’ll be able to save up and more importantly plan for the greatest trip yet! I honestley don’t know what I’d do without my weekly fix of WDW Radio (thanks Lou!), theDibb and WDW Today.
Thanks,
Matt, UK
(Megamatman on the Forum)
Great blog posting. I’m glad most of us Brits feel the same about finding it a little more difficult to get to the ‘World’. How jealous do I get when I hear about the people who live so close to WDW that they pop over for the day!?
Because it takes so long to save for the trip I usually book about 18 months before travelling and spend that 18 months reading guide books, forums, listening to Lou’s podcasts. I even have Disney Planning Days with my mum (another British Disney nut)where we research,complete spreadsheets with our holiday info, and even have an American themed lunch (I’m in my 30’s by the way!!!!).
Roll on December 2010….trip number 7….
Thank you Colm! As someone who has been visiting WDW shortly after I was born in the early 80s, I appreciate your viewpoint and information on your very difference experience. I’ve spent most of my life in the Northeastern US, and now am living 15 minutes from the parks.
Thank you, everyone, for your comments, too!
Great post, Colm!
I found your point regarding the hotel as a place to dump your stuff completely spot-on – when I listen to some of the podcasters and my forum buddies talking about staying concierge at the Poly I’m amazed – why on earth would you spend any time in a hotel when you’re at Disney World? I love a nice hotel as much as the next girl, but there are just far more fun things to do! Having said that, I still couldn’t bring myself to stay off-property – I need to be in the *Disney bubble* when I’m there.
The lack of a real network here is a shame, and I’ve found that the majority of Disney-oriented British websites feature people discussing how to save money and where the best Tommy Hilfiger outlet is. Our travel shows simply don’t acknowledge the middle ground of people who want a comfortable trip – what they try and advertise is the worst image of the Costa del Sol, but with rollercoasters. Ponderosa, for example, has its merits, but certainly not enough to be “voted Number 1 by BBC viewers”. It just paints the entire cuisine of the British Isles in a negative light!
There is a stereotypical image of a British Disney fan out there, and it’s usually a little bit tipsy, sunburnt and swearing, with children running amok – so many of us keep our Disney madness quiet for fear of being tarred with the same brush!
Your points regarding service are excellent – and there’s cleanliness, too. When staying at Pop, I can’t help but think “see! This really isn’t that hard!” British hotels are more inclined to try and offer you a flatscreen TV in your room than a clean bathroom (the flatscreen TV probably won’t work), and European hoteliers will glare at you as if you should be grateful they’re letting you stay there at all!
Some of my favourite tips for those travelling from the UK:
1. Instead of adjusting your body clock to 5 hours later, adjust it to 3 hours later. You’ll be in the Pop Food Court before the insanity starts, first on the bus, and you’ll skip out all those bothersome queues while everyone else is enjoying their lie-in. Yes, I know we’re British and queuing is our thing, but really.
2. Drive. If you’re British, you’ll have travelled to a country where they drive on the other side of the road. It’s peculiar, but you’ll get used to it. Driving will get you everywhere so much more quickly, except for the Magic Kingdom. Do not drink and drive. Drinks are much much much stronger in the US, and that one cheeky cocktail is going to have more of an impact!
3. Use an American travel agent. I <3 Mike Rahlmann and Deb Chambers at The Magic For Less, but others do exist – just focus on Disney specialists. They are not like British travel agents who have spent a couple of years getting a Travel & Tourism GNVQ, they're hardcore Disney buffs who will go back and apply discounts retrospectively, and get up early and make your ADRs for you. Yeah, it seems harsh when you're having a lie-in and your TA is up technically five hours earlier, but they love it, honestly!
4. Research the school and public holidays. The US doesn't appear to have half-terms, so these are fantastic times to go – especially October half-term as all the Hallowe'en decorations are up. Nobody does Hallowe'en like the Americans – honestly, it's spectacular. We actually saw 70s glam rockers, The Sweet, playing at Pleasure Island one Hallowe'en, surrounded by fake skeletons – I think it made my Dad's life! Also remember that most schools go back in late July/early August, so you've pretty much got the whole of that month to play with.
5. Wear sunscreen, and be aware of what the weather means for your body. We're just not used to that level of humidity, so it's essential to guzzle as much water (not Coke!) as humanly possible.
Really enjoyed reading this!
My family had that British ‘once in a lifetime’ trip to Orlando in 1993 when I was 8 years old… but realised once we got to Disney we’d have to go back again.. and again!
17 years later, I’ve been to WDW 10 times – my parents are DVC members, I’m a D23 member – and completely hooked on all things Disney!
I can’t explain it to most of my friends & colleagues, they don’t understand how I can spend a week or two just ‘in a theme park’
(and I completely understand about the ‘disney world/land’ mix up that a lot of people seem to make!!)
My fiance is understanding of my disney addiction and loves visiting WDW now, in fact we’re going on the Disney Dream cruise ship & staying at the Grand Floridian for our honeymoon next year!!
Thanks to the internet and wonderful podcasts (like Lou’s!) I’m able to keep in touch with WDW news & all the magic inbetween trips.
I love everything about WDW – the service, the attractions, the food, the music, the attention to detail and unexpected magical moments; that all combine to give that overwhelming sense of happiness & belonging!
Emma
Great blog posting. I’m glad most of us Brits feel the same about finding it a little more difficult to get to the ‘World’. How jealous do I get when I hear about the people who live so close to WDW that they pop over for the day!?
Because it takes so long to save for the trip I usually book about 18 months before travelling and spend that 18 months reading guide books, forums, listening to Lou’s podcasts. I even have Disney Planning Days with my mum (another British Disney nut)where we research,complete spreadsheets with our holiday info, and even have an American themed lunch (I’m in my 30’s by the way!!!!).
Roll on December 2010….trip number 7….
Great article.
I’m a massive Disney fan in Norwich, UK and get out to WDW every year. Our next trip is September 15th 2010 and we’re staying at OKW and have the free dining. It’ll be about my 9th trip to the World and about 14th to Florida.
We should try and pursude Lou to come to the UK and do a meet here (or at least at DLRP!)
Chris.
Thanks to Colm for relating the growth of his enjoyment of WDW from a British perspective. I have to admit to having a chuckle or two at some of the comments that you and the other British posters have made regarding your experiences at WDW, but I totally understand it with the seemingly “endless” amount of Brits that I’ve seen at WDW since the early ’90’s. As a former Disney Store cast member, I can tell you with great certainty that service in the US is not always what you’ll experience in the Orlando area which sees tourism as a major part of its “bread and butter”. And at Disney, we were always encouraged to “exceed our guest’s expectations” whereever and whenever possible while we were “onstage”.
Just to perhaps make you feel a little less self-conscious about the attitudes of your fellow Brits, I have been to your side of the pond twice in the last 25 years and found most everyone to be pleasant and helpful when I needed it. Could be they took pity on the obvious tourist with the funny accent….
What I am impressed by is how you all cope with your costs there. It was true in 1985 and 1997 that whatever we buy here in dollars tends to be the same number of pounds but the pound is worth, depending on the year anywhere between $1.45 – $1.90. And I know the British income rates tend not to be what ours are. I know there must be some trade offs, such as taxes being more there but medical probably being more here, but I still admire how you can juggle it enough to find, in your case Colm, the 2000 quid to go on holiday here! Nonetheless, I’m happy that you do manage and that we can provide happy memories and a desire to return.
Take care,
Chuck
Herndon, Virginia
Great article.
I’m a massive Disney fan in Norwich, UK and get out to WDW every year. Our next trip is September 15th 2010 and we’re staying at OKW and have the free dining. It’ll be about my 9th trip to the World and about 14th to Florida.
We should try and pursude Lou to come to the UK and do a meet here (or at least at DLRP!)
Chris.
I love wdw so much when we was on our honeymoon in 2005 we joined the disney vacation club. what a fantastic offer, we came back to wdw in january this year for our daughters 3rd birthday and my 33rd, the cast members made a real fuss over my daughters birthday saying hello and talking to her, she felt so special, you dont get anything like that in england (chessington/alton towers) we stayed in saratogo springs resort free of charge of course used our dvc points and only had to pay for our flights, we took the boat to downtown disney, also brought more points in dvc, so next time we will bring 9 members of the family, my daughter absoulty loved it and wanted to stay, but we couldnt, yes it is a very magical place, and 2 weeks is just not long enough you get emerged in the magic,and foget about the worries and stress in life, so we are treating here to disney paris for bonfire night. and stay there for a few days. the attention to detail is great, the manhole covers shaped like mickey and the fireworks and parades evey day and night , the street block party in mainstreet fantastic, also we did a photopass cd ok it was $130 but we had 800 photos done. well worth the money. planning our next trip already, as im a manager for asda, im trying for a transfer to wal mart florida, as we loved florida so much and looked at some houses while we were there and could not belive the size and cost, 6bed 5bath 3000sqft inc pool 20-25 mins from disney £100k and schools close by. so hopefully i can transfer and then the wife can get a job at disney… the next one is the disney cruise,
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