Tea, Mouse and House - UPDATED 12/18 - DAY 1 COMPLETE AND THREAD 1 COMPLETE About This Page:

[chezp]

Tea, Mouse and House

Pre-trip report part one: “who’s going down to MouseFest 2005 then?!”

Well, before I start this report properly, a word about the title. I was all ready to start posting last weekend, but hit a problem – I couldn’t find a title that I liked. I’d thought of loads, but none appealed that much. I kept thinking and couldn’t come up with anything I liked, so eventually I asked on the boards and this was the suggestion I liked the best – simple, taking the tea idea from Boston (I’m sure British tea is still the best though! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] ), the Mouse from Disney and the House is the White House from DC, so there’s an element from each place in the title.

Anyway, now we’ve covered that – onward dear friends…

I guess this report starts with a very innocuous post on the boards, which asked who’d be going down to Disney for MouseFest 2005. As more and more people added their names, I started to think about how cool it would be to join them. Many of the names appearing were people we’d already met and wanted to see again, while there were also new names in there as well. But of course, the plan was to go to Disney for MouseFest 2006, as 2005 was to be the year of our big three week vacation for Mark’s 40th birthday, taking in Boston to go whale watching, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles and Disneyland’s 50th celebrations, San Francisco or San Diego and Washington DC.

I hadn’t been back at work long when I realised that trying to get three weeks off work in the fall of 2005 was going to be like mission impossible. We’d left on our last vacation on 11 December, intending to stay for two weeks and then I’d return to work between Christmas and New Year. Well, imagine my surprise when they decided to close down over that period. Of course, we extended our vacation and we both ended up with the best part of a month off work. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thewave.gif[/img] But there was a down side…

… for weeks after returning to work, all I got told by my friendly colleagues was how much time I’d taken off and how my boss should never allow me to go away again for such a long period of time. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/pout.gif[/img] OK, so a lot of those comments were said in jest, but let’s be honest, many a serious word is said in jest. Maybe a two week vacation would work better – and hey, we don’t have to go this year, we could take that vacation to Vegas and Disneyland in spring 2006, as the celebrations would still be going on. And that would then leave the way clear to head down to Disney for MouseFest 2005.

That decided, I started to look into various options. After all, there was nothing to stop us still going to Boston and Washington DC during this trip, as that would take up just under a week and would still leave us with eight nights in Disney – something I know many people would envy, although to us, it would be a very short break. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I priced up flights and rental cars and kept asking my boss to approve my holiday form. It took forever, but finally her pawprint was on it and we were away!

That night I was on the phone and booked flights with American Airlines, flying into Boston on the day after Thanksgiving, Friday 25 November, staying there for four nights, then flying down to Disney on Tuesday 29 November and then flying up to Washington DC on Wednesday 7 December and finally home to the UK [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zcry.gif[/img] on Friday 9 December. The price included a rental car with Alamo for the length of our stay in Orlando.

So we were set – next to book our accommodation at Disney and that was an experience! Whoever said that early December is a quiet time of the year to visit obviously wasn’t a DVC member. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/ukid.gif[/img] We decided that we wanted to stay in a studio at the Beach Club Villas and that’s just as well, as I’d mis-calculated and had 100 less points to play with than I figured! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/blushing.gif[/img] The woman I spoke to told me that on a few nights of our stay, they only had three studios left! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] I was glad that I’d got that signature on the holiday form and was getting on with our booking. Three studios left was a little close for comfort for me, but we were all confirmed and that’s what matters. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img]

A few days later, our tickets arrived and with them, a brochure about hotels in America. I glanced through it, not expecting to see anything of interest, but I noticed that they had hotels listed for Boston and, as we needed to book one, I took a closer look. The Sheraton Boston was on offer for the time we were in Boston, four nights for the price of three and with a free upgrade to a suite. That worked out to something like £240 (c.$400) and, upon investigation, everywhere else would set me back more like £320 - £350 (c. $540 - $600), so that was quickly sold!

Now just to book our accommodation in Washington DC for two nights and then make some plans…

Next: where did all these plans come from and how long does it take to release Cirque du Soleil tickets?!

[jakenjess]

Great start, Cheryl! I'm really looking forward to reading all about your trip! It won't be long now!

[Tara O'Hara]

OH MY GOSH!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I can't wait to see you two!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thewave.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img]

[JoanW]

I guess we are the only early ones up and reading this!

And Cheryl, I am going to the WH on December 6, so I will PM you to finalize our DC plans!

[Colexis Mom]

Great job Cheryl [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] More please [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[lonereb]

I really like reading your reports. I hope to meet you and your husband Mark somewhere at WDW in December.

[mestitch]

[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thewave.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thewave.gif[/img] Cheryl has started too!! I can't wait to hear more! I am so glad you guys decided to come this year!!!

[lauren-roxy]

I am so excited about another Cheryl trip report!!!!!!! Can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!!

[DawnDenise]

Yay!!! Cheryl has now started her report!!! Great start and I can't wait to meet you and Mark!!

[goofy4goofy]

Lovely start!!!!

Kelly

[2princessmom]

Yay another Cheryl report! I just wish that we could have made it to mousefest this year to meet everyone! Sounds like a wonderful trip!

[Mickeysgal]

Sounds like you have a great trip planned! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] DH and I have stayed at the Sheraton Boston and I'm sure you're going to love it! It's a great city! Enjoy [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img]
Look forward to hearing all about it!

[CAT4WDW]

Hey Cheryl I am so excited for you & Mark going to Mousefest. I wish that Terry & I could be there. It's such a shame that we will be missing seeing each other by only 2 weeks. So close yet so far away. I know that you will have a great time and am looking forward to all your reports. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zputer.gif[/img] Have a safe and magical trip.

Catherine

[simbarel]

I've stayed at the Sheraton, too! It's getting close, shame I can't make it down to Boston that weekend. Or Mousefest, for that matter. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] Thanks for starting Chez, looking great! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img]

[DopeyGirl]

I am SO glad you started!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img]

Can't wait to see you two!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img]