Travelmum’s Orlando Holiday Trip Report

[Travel Mum]

(Right I'm whipping through this TR now and it's nearly done!)

Saturday 22 October – Sea Day

This was the last full day on the ship so it’s the day when RCCL has huge sales in its shop as well as does a massive food tasting and demonstrations (ice-carving, napkin folding, fruit carving etc) in the Royal Promenade. We had a relaxing day and tried to make the most of our last real day of holiday. We wondered around the Royal Promenade and I took a few photos including:

We had our last lunch at The Windjammer (DD13 at the teen club):

Later there was a Free Skate at Studio B so I was a good mum and put my long pants so that I could help DD6 and DD10! DD10 actually picked it up really well but DD6 still needed to hold hands.

This night, they replay the Dreamworks parade at 5.30 pm which is a much better time than 11pm on the first night!

So we watched the parade and then went for our last dinner in the dining room. This is the night you give your tips and say your goodbyes to your wait staff (and cabin attendant). It was also the last night that the 11 of us would be together until Christmas since they all live in Auckland and we are in Wellington.

 

[Mum from oz]

I am loving your trip report. That cruise sounds amazing and the beach in Mexico looks gorgeous! I am so converted to cruise holidays now. It is definitely a great way to end your holidays. You now have me considering a Royal Caribbean Cruise.

 

[Travel Mum]

Sunday 23 October – Port Canaveral to Los Angeles

So, sadly this was the last day of our cruise and it means an early morning as you have to be off the ship. However, this was certainly the earliest last morning I’ve ever spent on a cruise as we all set our alarms for 3.30 am! The reason was that ESPN was broadcasting the Rugby World Cup final live and we needed to watch the All Blacks play France. The rest of the family came into our cabin to watch our T.V. and it was funny with us all tucked up in our two big beds. My children chose to sleep instead of watch so they went into the interconnecting cabin and were able to do that.

As you know, despite a very stressful game, we got the result we wanted!

While we were watching I pulled back the curtains and could see we were pulling into port even though it was still dark. The Disney ship was also all lit up and pulling in – the ships certainly arrive early. Once the game was over, we went to The Windjammer for a celebration breakfast and it was certainly the earliest time by far that we had ever been in The Windjammer!

Then it was back to the cabin to grab our hand luggage (suitcases are taken the night before) and then sit and wait the depressing wait for our turn to be called off the ship. We got off, cleared immigration and got our luggage and I had one last surprise for the girls. I had booked a limo transfer to take us to MCO and, although it was a pretty old limo, they were thrilled and it was a nice way to get to the airport.

At MCO, the check-in line for AA was the slowest moving check-in airport line I have ever experienced so, even though I had allowed a lot of time before our 1pm flight, we did not end up having that long before we boarded. Just had time to eat some pizza for lunch and buy some magazines for the flight before it was time to board.

Another boring domestic U.S. flight and then we were in L.A. I had booked us into the Travelodge LAX as they would allow 5 in a room whereas most other hotels would have made us take two rooms. I expected it to be basic and it certainly was however it served its purpose and having a Dennys next to it enabled us to have an easy dinner and then into bed.

 

[Travel Mum]

Monday 24 October – Los Angeles to home

Today we decided we would rather shop than do a tour so, along with MIL and FIL (who had arrived on a later flight from MCO), we took the bus to the Westfield Culver City. It was big enough to satisfy our retail needs and we spent several hours there using up our remaining US$. We took two taxis back to the hotel and, while DD6 had a sleep, we crammed the rest of our shopping into our backs, showered and got ready to go the airport. Although our flight was not until 11.30 pm, we only had the room as a day room until 6pm.

So we got in the free hotel shuttle to the airport and said goodbye to MIL and FIL as they were dropped at the Air NZ terminal. WE continued to the QF check in and, once there, were told that our flight was delayed until 12.30 am. That meant we had a really long wait at LAX. Luckily, we had QF lounge passes so got to use the AA lounge. It has a separate kids room which had 3 computers (would you believe it, 3 for our 3 girls – how lucky is that?!) so we killed time there but oh my gosh, time dragged.......

FINALLY we went to the gate and boarded the flight for an uneventful flight back to Auckland. The girls did sleep on this flight so it was actually easier than the one on the way up. After a brief transit in Auckland, we were on our domestic flight to Wellington and back in our home city once again. The Super Shuttle picked us up and the driver must have thought we were a very quiet family because we hardly said a world to him or each other! So, we arrived back home and admittedly it was good to see our dog and our cat and be back in our own beds. However, I soon went into the post-holiday blues and I am still Disney dreaming....

Thanks so much to my fellow Aussie/Kiwi Disboarders because your help, support and enthusiasm made the build-up to our trip so much fun for me.

 

[Travel Mum]

I am loving your trip report. That cruise sounds amazing and the beach in Mexico looks gorgeous! I am so converted to cruise holidays now. It is definitely a great way to end your holidays. You now have me considering a Royal Caribbean Cruise.

Yes Mum from OZ, I can highly recommend RCCL! I've done Star Cruises, Carnival, Oceania and this was my second RCCL because I like them so much

 

[OzCath]

Travel Mum, what an amazing holiday! Thoroughly enjoyed your trip report. Glad you got to watch the rugby. I am married to a Kiwi and he was quite relieved at the final whistle. He couldn't handle another 4 years of waiting for redemption. We are thinking of heading back to DL next year, but after reading your report am thinking about WDW. I think it's just the extra flight to MCO that concerns me. Do I really want to travel another 4 or 5 hours after a 14 hours flight? Especially with a 6 and 3 year old!

 

[Caroline NZ]

Awesome trip report Travelmum, thanks for sharing. I hope that one day soon you will return to Disney, whether that be west or east coast

 

[battymum]

Thanks Travelmum,

I am so glad all your obsessive planning paid off and you had an awesome trip -Looks like your whole family enjoyed it immensely !

I valued your cyberfriendship during our planning and always knew that you would have a polite and positive comment on any question that I asked - actually it was probably you that inspired me to take the Freedom cruise - I never knew that Port Canaveral was so close to WDW - or even considered a cruise to be an add-on to a Disney holiday. So thank-you for that, I think we have caught the cruise bug - and would love to do it again someday - although I do feel spoilt with our first and only cruise being on Freedom - I wonder if anything else would live up to my expectations.

So like me I hope you will lurk around here for a while. I am actually enjoying reading about everyone elses plans - I am still recovering and am not ready to start making any plans for any future trips, but I like to share in everyone elses excitement and maybe answer some questions and help a little bit along the way. -

 

[kyl]

Loved loved loved your trip report. So glad to see you had such a wonderful time....don't worry about the disney blues its all normal. xx

 

[Travel Mum]

Awesome trip report Travelmum, thanks for sharing. I hope that one day soon you will return to Disney, whether that be west or east coast

Thanks so much for your kind words and the TR has been kind of a labour of love if you know what I mean but it feels really good to have done it.

I do so hope to return to Disney, especially WDW, but DH prefers to keep trying different places which I can understand. I do feel like I owe it to him to do a few of his bucketlist trips because we have already done several of mine (including the one we just did). We went to Vietnam two years ago which was great and has turned out to be his ideal holiday so he now compares everything against that trip. As you can imagine WDW and Vietnam are very different types of trips! I will continue to hope though

 

[Travel Mum]

Thanks Travelmum,

I am so glad all your obsessive planning paid off and you had an awesome trip -Looks like your whole family enjoyed it immensely !

I valued your cyberfriendship during our planning and always knew that you would have a polite and positive comment on any question that I asked - actually it was probably you that inspired me to take the Freedom cruise - I never knew that Port Canaveral was so close to WDW - or even considered a cruise to be an add-on to a Disney holiday. So thank-you for that, I think we have caught the cruise bug - and would love to do it again someday - although I do feel spoilt with our first and only cruise being on Freedom - I wonder if anything else would live up to my expectations.

So like me I hope you will lurk around here for a while. I am actually enjoying reading about everyone elses plans - I am still recovering and am not ready to start making any plans for any future trips, but I like to share in everyone elses excitement and maybe answer some questions and help a little bit along the way. -

Oh Battymum, I feel like shedding a few tears reading this - it is so lovely. I too really enjoyed out cyber friendship and I loved that our trips were so similar and close together. Planning them together made it doubley as fun.

I am so pleased you enjoyed Freedom and cruising in general - there was never any doubt in my mind that I would but when you do it for the first time, you don't quite know how cruising will turn out for you. It's great that we will have Voyager of the Seas down our way next year -she is just one size down from Freedom so still has the ice-rink, Royal Promenade, rock-climbing wall etc. She does not have a Flow-rider though so your boys might miss that. However, it's a good sign that RCCL are committed to bringing their big ships down here so maybe, just maybe we might get a Freedom class ship!

I too actually been wondering how long I will luck on the Disboards. In the past, I have been a bit of a user I'm afraid. When planning our Vietnam trip for example, I "lived" on the Trip Advisor Vietnam forums leading up to our departure but, when I got home, I never went back onto it. It as the same with the Phuket TA forum when I was planning that trip. However, I really think this Australia/Disboards forum will be different. I feel like I have actually made friends, albeit cyber ones, and whilst I probably won't go back to other parts of the Disboard forum, I do feel like I will keep wanting to lurk here.

 

[Travel Mum]

Loved loved loved your trip report. So glad to see you had such a wonderful time....don't worry about the disney blues its all normal. xx

Thanks so much Kyl and I'm really pleased you enjoyed it!

It's strange but I have never had post-holiday blues before like I have for this one. I guess because I spent 18 mths researching and planning it so I have been left with a void. However, I'm finding that, since I've been back, I'm still getting pleasure out of reading of other's trips coming up (like yours ) and certainly love reading trip reports so I hope we continue to get lots of them.

I hope you have a great year planning your trip and I'll enjoy keeping up with your plans

 

[Travel Mum]

Travel Mum, what an amazing holiday! Thoroughly enjoyed your trip report. Glad you got to watch the rugby. I am married to a Kiwi and he was quite relieved at the final whistle. He couldn't handle another 4 years of waiting for redemption. We are thinking of heading back to DL next year, but after reading your report am thinking about WDW. I think it's just the extra flight to MCO that concerns me. Do I really want to travel another 4 or 5 hours after a 14 hours flight? Especially with a 6 and 3 year old!

Gosh, that must have been funny watching the semi-final together and your DH must have been very happy at the result!

Yes, that extra flight over to the East coast is a tough one and I'm so glad we broke it for a night in L.A. on the way back. I'd suggest you break it in both directions if you did it with your children.

 

[Anne_Aus]

What a fantastic TR, thank you so much for sharing with us, and it sounds like an amazing holiday, I am considering a possible more relaxing cruise next time I go (love that I haven't been the first time but there is a next time in my head )

 

[aussietravellers]

Travelmum I have absolutely LOVED your TR. Strangely I have loved the cruise part the best (although I did love the Disney bits too ).

I have long been wanting to do a cruise and have always thought we would do a Disney cruise. But after reading your TR, Freedom of the Seas will be the cruise we will do when we get to organise our next US holiday. I have really loved reading about it and particularly as my DS will be a teenager next year I think this will be a fabulous cruise for us to do. So thank you so much for sharing your journey

 

[PrincessInOz]

Catching up!

Thanks for sharing your Trip. I loved reading it!

Sorry it was over...but I'm guessing you're already starting to plan for the next one???

 

[kyl]

Make sure you hang around on the boards travel mum...we will miss you other wise. Who cares what trip your planning you can always share your excitement and planning with us. Who knows someone on here might have tips for your next adventure

 

[OziJo]

Wonderful report Travel Mum. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. With 2months to go until our trip I am taking in as many little bits and pieces of info and all the tips I can.

I am looking forward to Hawaii but your report has almost made me wish that we had considered a cruise. Maybe next time.

Thank you for sharing and check in here often. With my trip looming I will be in need of advice from seasoned a Travel Mum

Cheers!

 

[marvel]

Great report and I feel your blues. Takes me a long time to recover, especially if I don't have any trips planned. I find it hard to stay on the boards as well when I don't have a trip planned, it is soooo hard to read about people planning and not having one to plan.

IT is a amazing how so many of us have similar trips, and not just the disney portion.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Travelmum - I have so enjoyed going on your trip with you, your TR made me feel like I was there. Thank you so much for taking the time to share so much.

I can totally sympathise with the post holiday blues. I generally have to step away from the Disboards for a while once I'm back and even though I don't have a trip planned in any way shape or form, I still love being here reading about other's plans.

And I definitely think people planning other trips that don't include Disney should still share their planning and trips here in our little corner of the Disboards. I know I would love to hear about other people's trips.