Trip Report Hot, wet, sunny, and too much time in Chilis; a June 2013 Trip Report

Hi folks!
This is my first ever full trip report so I hope you all enjoy it.
We’ve had a fabulous 2 weeks in sunny, slightly rainy, but mostly hot Orlando. We’ve had a lot of new experiences during our trip, more probably for hubster, and most for my parents.
If you would like to read my pre trip report, it’s here:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/its-got-so-bad-theres-even-a-jar-involved-june-2013-ptr.862626/

So we’re not ones to completely focus on Disney on a holiday, but we’ve certainly done more Disney than anything else this trip. I wanted to make sure I got in as much as possible so my planning started at 380 days out, including booking reservations on Christmas and Boxing day, and plenty of scouring the forum for ideas. Sad to say I haven’t been able to fulfill them all (Push you little minx, you alluded me once again!) but have still had plenty of new experiences.

We’ve had a 2 week stay at the Enclave Suites on Carrier Drive which is just off International Drive. Oh boy do I wish we had driven this trip. $12 per person to get to and from the World. No room tax though, but still. And because of all the rain we’ve had, it would have been just swell to have had a dry pair of shoes and clothes waiting in a car on more than one occasion.

I also took 3030 photos on this trip! I said I wanted to take more, but wow, I wasn't expecting to finish with 3030. This isn't including the ones took on James' phone either! Wowza.

Incase you haven’t read my PTR, the cast is as follows:

Me, Clare. 24 years young, dental nurse and Disney nut!

DH, James, 33 years young, dental technician, prefers white knuckle rides to Disney, but is still happy to participate in the goings on in the World.

My Mom, Yvonne, 61 years young, accounts clerk, likes Disney but not so much the heat.
And finally, My Dad, Clive, 63 years young, warehouse man, goes wherever the two women want him to go!



Coming up, Day 0: Longest work day EVER and driving down to London baby!

 

[pumpkin7]

I'm reluctant to put Mickey Sparrow on my car because I think he will get stolen, so Sorcerer Mickey is on there now.



I love these





Salt and Pepper set all set up.



We had to go back to the outlet mall anyway because one of my laptop cases was missing my mini vinylmation so we headed back there.



We waited for this to pass by first though...



MORE RAIN



We went and got my laptop case exchanged no problem, but this was my favourite shop. A yankee candle shop! OMW I could have bought them all.



Heaven



While wondering round the Character Warehouse, I spotted these guys on offer. I was just going to buy one but the lady said, oh it's 5 for $10. I was like WHAT>!
So I got all these guys for $10! The christmas ones smell of christmas stuffs, like cinnamon, and chocolate.



Epic!

We decided to go to TGI Fridays for our last meal but I didn't eat half of mine because I wasn't hungry after going to Chilies.






I had pasta



and James had a steak.

 

[pumpkin7]

And so it comes down to Day 14, going home day.

Again, we decided to go to chilies for one last drink. A rainbow even came out to see us off.



It was a miserable day so I'm glad say we weren't leaving bright sunshine behind!

Evil clouds!



I liked these ladies thinking... plastic bags on the head!



And that's all my pictures! We were picked up at 12pm for our shuttle back to the airport, eventhough we could have been collected from DTD, Ma and Pa didn't want to. After 18 hours of travelling, we arrived back home.
We've had an amazing holiday but I can't wait to go back and do all the things I still think we missed. Plus I think we got our fair share of rain.

We would also definitely stay on site. It was just too expensive to do it via shuttles. If anything I'd rent a car at the very least.

I hope you all enjoyed my trip report, and I'm looking forward to doing the next one

Oh, and we were supposed to be moving house as we got back. We were meant to get back to the contracts being at home to sign so we could move. Turns out the sellers had backed out while we were on holiday so we've had to start the process all over again with a new house! Not a great end to the holidays, but doing this trip report has certainly helped keep my mind off things. I@m kind of sad it's over now Oh well!

 

[Le Twins Day]

excellent TR...fellow Brummie...reading makes me want to go back tomorrow...it's been 3 years since we last went and it'll probably be 2 more years before we get back..unless of course we win the lottery even when it rains in WDW you still enjoy yourself.

 

[pumpkin7]

excellent TR...fellow Brummie...reading makes me want to go back tomorrow...it's been 3 years since we last went and it'll probably be 2 more years before we get back..unless of course we win the lottery even when it rains in WDW you still enjoy yourself.

Fellow brummie? Where abouts are you based?

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was 3 years between this trip and the one before. Feels like forever! We probably won't be able to go back for a while either because we're moving into a house. A bit gutting, but it'll still be waiting there for us when we're ready.
Yeah, the rain wasn't ideal but it actually made the parks more bearable. You didn't feel like you were walking around in an oven. Plus it thinned the crowds out at bit.

 

[DisSplash]

Awesome TR and I will miss reading your TR's probably as much as you will miss writing them. I loved your recaps of park visits, snack purchases, rain-dodging, and your Chili's meals! You will have to start a PTR for your next trip in 3 years!! It's never too early to start planning .... plus, you would really make it a fun read.
Btw, how much were those laptop cases? And where is the Character Warehouse? I am completely baffled at how we made it to WDW 4 times and have yet to find (or try to find) the Outlet mall. I guess when you are ensconced in the World, you feel there is no reason to leave it! But I think those Vinylmations and laptop covers are reason enough to go! Plus, this year we have an extra "no park" day. Take 1 guess as to where we will be headed ....
Good luck on your house-hunting too! Sorry to hear that your original plans fell through, but I'll bet there is something better "just around the Riverbend!" (so to speak!)

 

[pumpkin7]

Awesome TR and I will miss reading your TR's probably as much as you will miss writing them. I loved your recaps of park visits, snack purchases, rain-dodging, and your Chili's meals! You will have to start a PTR for your next trip in 3 years!! It's never too early to start planning .... plus, you would really make it a fun read.
Btw, how much were those laptop cases? And where is the Character Warehouse? I am completely baffled at how we made it to WDW 4 times and have yet to find (or try to find) the Outlet mall. I guess when you are ensconced in the World, you feel there is no reason to leave it! But I think those Vinylmations and laptop covers are reason enough to go! Plus, this year we have an extra "no park" day. Take 1 guess as to where we will be headed ....
Good luck on your house-hunting too! Sorry to hear that your original plans fell through, but I'll bet there is something better "just around the Riverbend!" (so to speak!)

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I could probably go back and elaborate on a lot of it but I figured I'd taken way too many pictures so people would probably get bored lol.

There are 2 outlet malls, either end of International Drive. The website is http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=96
Technically they are called The Premium Outlet Malls. Both have a Disney Character Warehouse and they usually stock old Disney stock, like Food and Wine stuff, and items from 2012. The laptop cases were $18.95 (I think, they may have been less. The watch I bought was $18.95) but the good news is they were buy one get one free! They have t shirts galore and many childrens play items, and most of the stuff has come from the parks. Definitely worth a look.

 

[Disney80]

I'm so glad I followed along your trip report!

Good luck on the house hunting...

 

[Le Twins Day]

Fellow brummie? Where abouts are you based?

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was 3 years between this trip and the one before. Feels like forever! We probably won't be able to go back for a while either because we're moving into a house. A bit gutting, but it'll still be waiting there for us when we're ready.
Yeah, the rain wasn't ideal but it actually made the parks more bearable. You didn't feel like you were walking around in an oven. Plus it thinned the crowds out at bit.

we live in Great Barr, before we had the kids we used to go every year - never can get enough of WDW - 3 years ago was their first trip when they were 3 and they still talk about it now and ask when we can go back. Good luck with the house move

 

[righttrack]

Good luck on the house and yes, the house is the first savings goal, but adding a Disney trip can be your next savings goal. Great trip report!

 

[Tiggerish]

I fell behind because I was on your side of the pond for the past ten days, but I'm all caught up now. You sure had a LOT of rain the second half of your trip!! Sorry to hear about the house, that's disappointing, good luck with the next one.

P.S.--I have cousins sort of in your vicinity, they're in Warwickshire, and my aunt lives in Coventry.

 

[pumpkin7]

I'm so glad I followed along your trip report!

Good luck on the house hunting...

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Ah we've found another one now, we should be moving shortly, but we should have been moving pretty much when we got back off holiday so it was a bit of a bummer.

we live in Great Barr, before we had the kids we used to go every year - never can get enough of WDW - 3 years ago was their first trip when they were 3 and they still talk about it now and ask when we can go back. Good luck with the house move

Ah cool! We're in Halesowen at the moment but moving to Tividale, so you're not far away.
I wish we could afford to go every year. I can't wait to go with kids. I'm sure it makes it 100 times better.

Good luck on the house and yes, the house is the first savings goal, but adding a Disney trip can be your next savings goal. Great trip report!

For sure, we'll keep the savings jar and go from there. It racked up £1500 in 5 months so 10 months should be a Florida Trip!

I fell behind because I was on your side of the pond for the past ten days, but I'm all caught up now. You sure had a LOT of rain the second half of your trip!! Sorry to hear about the house, that's disappointing, good luck with the next one.

P.S.--I have cousins sort of in your vicinity, they're in Warwickshire, and my aunt lives in Coventry.

I think the weather was nicer in the UK than it was in Florida. When we got back home, we were in the grips of a heatwave, 28 degrees ; Florida had only been 31, 32 degrees. Oh well. Like I said it made it slightly more bearable, and I still managed to get a tan, and we could still relax around the pool in a morning so that was all good.

 

[epcotisbest]

Really enjoyed your trip report. Great photos and narrative. Thank you for sharing.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Thanks for sharing this with us! Definitely seems like you got your fill of rain. And Chili's! lol After reading part of your report the other day I was craving Chili's so my sister and I ordered dinner from there!

I think the outlets would be an awesome place to check out. We never have a car when we're there though

 

[von Slapschtick]

Excellent thread, it's really whetted my appetite for October. I was especially interested to see the photos of The Art of Animation Resort because that's where we're staying, it looks great.

The cutlery James was admiring at Hard Rock Cafe is Laguiole (it's french) and pronounced loyell. I use this cutlery at home and you can buy it at John Lewis or ebay.

 

[jkl2000]

Thanks, I really enjoyed that!! Also, It was fun to rejoin your trip every couple of days and see what you were doing! Great photos.

 

[Englebabies]

Loved it thank you so much

 

[jabbamfhutt1]

NOOOOOOOOO! I don't want it to be over. Such a great trip report. I loved it. Thanks so much for the time and effort you put into it for all of us to enjoy.

 

[pumpkin7]

Really enjoyed your trip report. Great photos and narrative. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for reading!

Thanks for sharing this with us! Definitely seems like you got your fill of rain. And Chili's! lol After reading part of your report the other day I was craving Chili's so my sister and I ordered dinner from there!

I think the outlets would be an awesome place to check out. We never have a car when we're there though

You're welcome. Yes, we most certainly did get our fair share of rain. So unfair but we still did get the heat and the sun so it wasn't so bad. Yay! Chili's! I wish we had one in the UK.

The outlets are fab for bargains. I also picked up a pair of Converse which were on offer. They had some crazy 4th July sales on, it was mad in there. But there are hundreds of shops, although I really only wanted to visit the Disney Character Warehouse!

Thanks, I really enjoyed that!! Also, It was fun to rejoin your trip every couple of days and see what you were doing! Great photos.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, I very much enjoyed writing it. I think I just needed to leave a few more days inbetween to keep everyone in suspense! Ha

NOOOOOOOOO! I don't want it to be over. Such a great trip report. I loved it. Thanks so much for the time and effort you put into it for all of us to enjoy.

I know, I am sad I have finished! I have nothing to write about now. I'll have to go again some time soon!

 

[epcotisbest]

We have eaten at that same Chilis on International Drive, and it was raining like a fool while we were there. Hardest rain we have ever seen. Wife and I were both soaked getting back to the car, and the parking lot is just right out back of the restaurant. Actually took off our shirts and wrung them out like wringing out a towel after you accidentally dropped it in a pool.

 

[pumpkin7]

We have eaten at that same Chilis on International Drive, and it was raining like a fool while we were there. Hardest rain we have ever seen. Wife and I were both soaked getting back to the car, and the parking lot is just right out back of the restaurant. Actually took off our shirts and wrung them out like wringing out a towel after you accidentally dropped it in a pool.

Ha! Yes we dived into Chilis more than once to avoid the downpours. Though I really did enjoy the sight of people putting plastic bags on their heads to keep their hair dry! We even got trapped in there a few times as the car park looked like a swimming pool itself.