Pre-Trip A first, a last, and a galaxy far, far, away... (Now with bonus London TR!)

🐝 BEE IS GOING BACK! 🐝 BEE IS GOING BACK! 🐝 BEE IS GOING BACK! 🐝

So, this title might be a bit misleading. There are actually several firsts planned for this trip, and a semi-first. But "A first, another first, yet another first, a sorta first, and a last" doesn't roll off the tongue (or fingertips) so well.

For now, I'll leave you with the cast.

Me (Bee): 30
DW (M): 30
M's mom (MIL)
M's dad (FIL)
M's brother (BIL): 27
My brother (Jay): 24

And a countdown!
Our next trip  

EDIT: Now we're doing a Passholder preview and going down early for two nights, then flying home, then proceeding with our regular trip as planned. So, here's THAT countdown:
CRAZY PEOPLE DO A PASSHOLDER PREVIEW  
 
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Swissmiss

Premium Member
I love Flying Tiger - I didn’t realize it’d made it to the States. It’s the perfect store for finding stocking stuffers 😀

SKECHERS... you will barely have to break them in, and my feet never hurt even at Disney!

I agree - I like mine as well. But I’d also add as a general comment: if you have to “break in” sneakers then you are not buying the right model/size for your feet. (Or not lacing them up properly - only time I got a blister for a new pair of running shoes was when the laces weren’t pulled tight enough ... by the time I realized the damage had been done but I still needed to run back to my starting point 😕)

♥ Les Miserables, I have seen it twice in Chicago!

The flyer for this had been on my desk for weeks - it is coming to Zurich next year. Last time I saw it was 30 years ago in LA with my mom.
 

dizfan917

Well-Known Member
Kevin is heading to London this Wednesday for a week. He was going to a convention that was cancelled a few days ago. So now he has a little EXTRA time on his hands... Anything you'd suggest he not miss? I was there for a day and a half, so I gave him a few suggestions, but you definitely have much more experience. :geek:
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I love Flying Tiger - I didn’t realize it’d made it to the States. It’s the perfect store for finding stocking stuffers 😀
Our local store only opened within the last few months. It's such a fun store!

I agree - I like mine as well. But I’d also add as a general comment: if you have to “break in” sneakers then you are not buying the right model/size for your feet. (Or not lacing them up properly - only time I got a blister for a new pair of running shoes was when the laces weren’t pulled tight enough ... by the time I realized the damage had been done but I still needed to run back to my starting point 😕)
Thanks for the tip! I ended up ordering the exact same sneakers I bought last time I needed new sneakers. If it ain't broke...

Kevin is heading to London this Wednesday for a week. He was going to a convention that was cancelled a few days ago. So now he has a little EXTRA time on his hands... Anything you'd suggest he not miss? I was there for a day and a half, so I gave him a few suggestions, but you definitely have much more experience. :geek:
Take the bus! We had some amazing views around the city just from sitting on the top deck of the bus!

I'd also recommend visiting Queen Mary's Rose Garden (pics later in this little TR), and climbing up Primrose Hill (not a huge intense climb, but totally worth the views).
 

Swissmiss

Premium Member
Kevin is heading to London this Wednesday for a week. He was going to a convention that was cancelled a few days ago. So now he has a little EXTRA time on his hands... Anything you'd suggest he not miss? I was there for a day and a half, so I gave him a few suggestions, but you definitely have much more experience. :geek:

I totally agree with using the bus over the tube - at least you see things as you go to point A to point B. He should get an Oyster Card for transportation - it stops deducting the per ride fare as soon as you reach the price of a day ticket, so you never pay more than you need to pay for public transportation. They are reloadable and as far as I know don’t expire (I’m pretty sure I bought my first one before I had my DD ... and she’ll be 14 next month) I’ve got a couple in my desk drawer at work and when colleagues go for a weekend I lend them out and they just top up what they use or pay me the amount in cash.

If he likes science at all, I personally loved the science museum - once with my DD we spent about 6 hours in it and barely scratched the surface of the exhibits.
 

dizfan917

Well-Known Member
I totally agree with using the bus over the tube - at least you see things as you go to point A to point B. He should get an Oyster Card for transportation - it stops deducting the per ride fare as soon as you reach the price of a day ticket, so you never pay more than you need to pay for public transportation. They are reloadable and as far as I know don’t expire (I’m pretty sure I bought my first one before I had my DD ... and she’ll be 14 next month) I’ve got a couple in my desk drawer at work and when colleagues go for a weekend I lend them out and they just top up what they use or pay me the amount in cash.

If he likes science at all, I personally loved the science museum - once with my DD we spent about 6 hours in it and barely scratched the surface of the exhibits.

Thanks a lot!! :geek:
 

Gurt

Well-Known Member
Loving your London trip report being a UK native it's interesting to hear your take on things and see your pictures.
 

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
Very cool. :cool: The references to London Bridge reminds me of that song we sang as kids, about London bridges falling down. Remember that song? (Makes me wonder what the history was behind that!) ;)
The history of the song is when London bridge was made of wood. Invading armies were sailing up the Thames to sack London. London Bridge was dropped into the river to stop the invading armies.
 

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
Kevin is heading to London this Wednesday for a week. He was going to a convention that was cancelled a few days ago. So now he has a little EXTRA time on his hands... Anything you'd suggest he not miss? I was there for a day and a half, so I gave him a few suggestions, but you definitely have much more experience. :geek:
Go to St Paul's. Climb the stairs to the top of the rotunda and then check out the crypt below.

Westminster Abbey, seriously famous dead people.
Get there early.

British History Museum
Imperial War Museum
Whitehall/Hyde Park - great people watching.
St Pancras/Kings Cross station. St Pancras has really cool architecture.
 

dizfan917

Well-Known Member
Go to St Paul's. Climb the stairs to the top of the rotunda and then check out the crypt below.

Westminster Abbey, seriously famous dead people.
Get there early.

British History Museum
Imperial War Museum
Whitehall/Hyde Park - great people watching.
St Pancras/Kings Cross station. St Pancras has really cool architecture.

Thanks so much! He leaves today!!
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
M's parents are driving from Florida to visit us for the 4th! They'll be here sometime tomorrow. We are having an assortment of foods including veggie dogs, potato salad, cole slaw, and kale salad. All the salads are homemade from scratch, including the dressings. And we're making red sangria. :hungry: I've been chopping and prepping today.

Weather permitting, tomorrow we will watch the NYC fireworks from our side of the Hudson.

Hopefully while they're here we'll get a chance to talk about Disney plans! As far as I know they still don't have a hotel room booked! They have been going to Disney for over 30 years and they are still in the 80s/90s mindset of "I don't have to plan things." This may be interesting!

Happy 4th to my fellow Americans! 🇺🇸🎆🌭🍹
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
MIL and FIL are staying with us for a few more days. I FINALLY got them to make a resort reservation for August! I used my computer to sign into FIL's MDE account and made it for him online. My FIL is staying in their room some nights, MIL is staying the whole time, and BIL might stay with MIL while FIL is back home working. Does that make sense? No? Well here is a little graphic I made to show who is staying where and when:

387080
 

lostpro9het

Well-Known Member
MIL and FIL are staying with us for a few more days. I FINALLY got them to make a resort reservation for August! I used my computer to sign into FIL's MDE account and made it for him online. My FIL is staying in their room some nights, MIL is staying the whole time, and BIL might stay with MIL while FIL is back home working. Does that make sense? No? Well here is a little graphic I made to show who is staying where and when:

View attachment 387080
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Update! M's brother is officially joining us for the first two days of the trip!

So now, on Day 2 (August 25) we will have Epcot FPs with all five of us, then we all have a reservation at Biergarten, then maybe we'll get to hop over to MK since BIL has a hopper and the rest of us have APs.

Both FIL and BIL will drive back home the night of Day 2, so it will just be M, MIL, and me for the next few days.

388350
 
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