MAYBE A MAY TRIP?? 3 WEEKS SAPPHIRE FALLS 2021

Things are pretty weird here in Canada too. I have (had) a foot in the US as well because my son was at boarding school in the states before things really got crazy. So. It's an adjustment to stay the least!! Toronto so far has some cases, but what scares me most is that with Toronto being a big city, like the New York of Canada if you will....that it would get bad very quickly the more people contract the virus and keep on being out and about. People are taking the social distancing somewhat seriously...most people - but I worry about the teens and young people not taking it seriously enough. I am actually hoping the government here puts more strict measures in place to keep people at home for a few weeks, then maybe this thing will pass more quickly. Who knows, but that's my two cents!!

I do always look forward to reading about your plans and trips though! During our cut short trip to Florida we did manage to venture out of the Disney bubble this time and had a lot of fun at Universal. I can see why you like it so much and are able to have trips there that are so much more spontaneous than a Disney trip, especially with the EP. I would definitely like to go back and have more time to try more than we had time for on this trip.

Oh it sounds like its the same all over. People still out and about.....when will folks learn. It’s not so much youngsters here, it’s the older ones who “think” the haven’t got it and don’t seem to understand how easy it is to pass on, so still want to visit each other?? Crazy......and dangerous. Yes, we need to make more people stay home and not think it’s ok to spend time in each other’s homes, even for a short time......


Oh I’m glad you enjoyed Universal!!! Yes, spontaneity is one of the many good things about going there.......I’m so sorry your trip was cut short, that really sucks!

You’ll be able to enjoy more next time I’m sure......:wave2:
 
Was is the Math Kangaroo competition? I was in charge of ours and had hoped it would still get to go on as we only had 27 students registered at our location. Friday the 13th I was making final arrangements with teachers and the principal we got an email that after school stuff was closed for a few weeks, and then a few hours later heard that schools were closing for a few weeks. :sad1:
It was Mathletics and then some individual competition. I threw out the flier so I am not sure if there was a name.
 
lol......it`s hard to be positive right now about anything!!! I keep saying I`m going to change the title, but never seem to get round to it......

But, we keep getting emails and offers from all the places we usually frequent in Florida....all offering curb side pick up......it`s like they`re taunting us right now...….:rotfl:

I`m sure October will be fine for you, September too.....there`s that positivity back...…:thumbsup2 But trips before that.....I have no idea.

It is actually weird that as of now, nothing is actually cancelled yet......I`m sure once the flights are, it`ll become very real. We need to wait on Virgin first.

I`ve stopped reading folks opinions....seems there are so many experts on message boards like this one...I have no idea why we need scientists at all as they seem to know everything and have all the answers 🤬......in their own little world of course!!!! Seen some crazy things written by folks who just like the sound of their own voice!

But, I will get a wiggle on at some point and get this one moving again.....but.....always good to see you post......:wave2:
Wow, now that would be a trip report. Just drive from restaurant to restaurant doing carry out...... sounds like a plan to me. :rotfl2:
 
Wow, now that would be a trip report. Just drive from restaurant to restaurant doing carry out...... sounds like a plan to me. :rotfl2:

lol.......that sounds perfect to us actually!!!

Restaurant to restaurant........a new diners drive ins and dives Orlando style!!!

That works for me.....::yes::
 










Yes, it`s that time again...….another Welcome back..


Of course, even now as I start to plan September`s trip, there is still a chance that this one may still not happen. This virus is a little terrifying and no one really knows what`s going to happen and in what type of time frame.…..but...….I`m an eternal optimist if nothing else...….so, ignoring the horrors that are obviously going on around us, and it is hard and I am in no way not thinking about everyone who is suffering, but will try to carry on as normal as possible.

When this all hit the fan weeks back, at first I and many others who had plans for May I`m sure, rather naively thought it may still go ahead, but the reality is, for us anyway, it won`t happen. And we accepted that more or less straight away, despite my belligerent nature telling myself somehow we`d still go 😈......but we all have that voice deep down telling us the reality.

So, a few weeks back we cancelled the overnight hotel first. The Marriott were excellent despite us having a non refundable rate for our stay, happily refunded the full cost without question. Of course this isn't just a regular event, it is catastrophic and certain companies are making sure they keep their good reputation....and like a lot of people, we are taking note of which companies are being decent and who aren't.

Our car service also expected the call to cancel them. I`m sure they`re being hit badly as a lot of their business is transfers to and from airports, so that was a hard one to cancel, but of course they understood we had to.

Virgin Atlantic are asking you don't contact them till at least 72 hours before you are due to fly. So, we can`t do anything with them right now as we don't need to do anything and I`m sure they are busy enough. When it`s time we`ll just transfer the booking to next year as we already have another two sets of flights booked for this year…..one for this September trip and the other for our trip with Kyle for Nov/Dec.

With the postponing option, we can fly before end of April next year, so will look to fly on April 29th next year which will give us another long trip mainly in May 2021. That suits us down to the ground...….unless of course VA go bust in the meantime!!! In that case, we claim the flight costs back off the credit card company as we did when TC went bust.

I find it hard to perpetually worry about things we cannot change, so I try my best not to. I think I am more a determined person than I am a worrier......Tom may describe it as me having a stubborn streak...….maybe!!!

Friends in the hotel contacted me after they had been told the hotels were closing. They all thought it was going to be longer than initially announced, and they were right of course. And it is the right thing to do, not that I`m an expert in any way shape or form in all of this, but it seems responsible to take your employees out of harms way. I couldn't imagine wanting to be in a hotel in Florida any time soon......but, that`s just us.....everyone has to do what`s right for them. I`m surprised there are still so many open at all!!!

We for some unknown reason hadn't got around to booking our car for May, so we don't have that to cancel either......I`m sure Alamo would have been just fine there too, they were brilliant during Irma and Dorian too when we had issues with being delayed by both hurricanes. But, it`s one less headache to deal with.

Our other cancellations have been meets with folks from all over and local too. That is sad as we were looking forward to meeting up with several folks this trip......including a meet with someone I`ve been friends with online for a long time but never actually met up with in real life as our trips never coincided...….@angryduck71and I have been chatting through emails for several years, maybe 2016 when one of my best friends passed away, we got chatting through a mutual grief......and Alice has the credit for Tom and I almost...….nearly......making it back on to actual Disney property for the first time in years.........









......yes, we had plans to meet for a meal at AKL...….Finally!!!!!

Now of course, it won`t happen. We were so looking forward to meeting up with Alice and her little Sheldon :thumbsup2 and enjoying some lovely food together. And after planning that and other meets with Dis board members for so long, it is a bit sucky!!!! Sensible though I am......::yes:: my petulant side does appear on occasion when long awaited for plans like that and others go awry...…..









We keeping smiling on the outside though...😁

September seems an awful long way off for now...….and when we come home from that we have 7 weeks till our Christmas trip.....which is what we did last year. Having two trips so close together was wonderful, and I`m sure it`ll be the same this year again too.

I`m not sure I can ramble for 5 months about a trip :rolleyes1......so may not update as regularly as before....it really is too far out right now, but like so many we all need something positive to focus on despite the craziness and sadness going on around us.


I know many on here who read along have all had plans change and altered and that is so sad too. But, I keep thinking positively and knowing as long as we`re healthy. it`ll be fine.

Right now, we have Kyle working from home which is brilliant!!!! Goodness knows how long that will last, but anything is better than going into large offices where there are hundreds of people milling around.

We turned our home office into one for him, with all his equipment to enable him to work securely from home....computer screens everywhere!!!!! But, it`ll work, it`s private and I get to make him lunch every day again......

Like everyone else, we are not going out except for walks up in the woods behind us where we very rarely if ever see anyone else. We get our main order of groceries delivered once a week and Tom pops into the village for fresh produce like bread when we need it. Our local butchers have been a godsend too. They have had plenty of stock and we were also lucky to have stocked up our freezers and kitchen store cabinets before hand. We had also gone to the wholesalers and purchased our bulk buy TP, kitchen roll and other home cleaning items. So, we are doing ok.

Not seeing friends and family is tough. We had been supposed to travel up to Scotland end of March for a family get together to celebrate a 70th, and my mum`s birthday along with the UK Mother`s Day. But, at that point they had put out the guidelines of anyone over 70 self isolating and recommending essential travel only. We didn't want to risk it anyway. My mum is 85 and other family members are vulnerable with one thing and another, so it was an easy decision, but tough at the same time. But, very grateful to be altogether here at home with the three of us.

Friends are what we miss as we are very social. Lunches, nights out, home get togethers are all missed. But, zoom and facetime as well as phone calls are keeping us all happy. We had an online cocktail party at the weekend......not the same, but it has to be. We are all being sensible and careful, despite all wanting to see each other.

And shocked at the people who are blatantly disregarding the info and still having folks to their house or going visiting, not even mentioning the people out and about disregarding social distancing...….it`s scary how many think rules don't apply to them. But, thankfully they are in the minority and most of us are trying our hardest.

Take out is happening to help keep local businesses going.....our pizza place has been brilliant! Sadly the best Chinese around has closed, as have they all now. It`s such a shame. But, we will carry on supporting local businesses where we can.

I did have to unsubscribe from emails for places like Longhorn, Smokey Bones, Red Lobster, Eddie V`s and similar as they were torturing us with offers of curb side delivery available and images of their gorgeous food......so....will subscribe again when there`s a remote chance we`ll be eating it soon!!!!











Ok so now I`m just torturing myself!!!! :headache: I miss American food!!!



So, September plans coming up next...…..a lot of it is the same as the May trip, so won`t change much of the start of this one......

We have HHN to look forward to......although the line up being suggested so far doesn`t overly thrill us. This being the 30th Anniversary, it should have blown all other years out of the park......but, it hasn`t. Some houses sound excellent, and others not so much for us. The joy of Universal and HHN is they make even the poorest sounding houses excellent too in the end (mostly) .....so there is that.


It`ll still be unbelievably busy I`m sure. No let up in crowds at all......but many more younger crowds which for us that`s been going to this event for years is not the best thing.

Most of us want blow your brains out scares and plenty of jumps and pure horror.....with the odd fun house in there.....not several fun houses........





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Is Universal dumbing HHN down? I`m sure they are, but a few folks on the internet moaning about it isn`t going to change that......when we first went in 2007 it was chilling, and wondrously so.....and a good few years after that too. I know some on here like macraven and keisha have been going for much longer and have seen changes too. I want it back to that!!! But scarier...….lol....

We`ll still go of course, but maybe not as many nights as we`ve previously done on trips. 10 nights was our average on September trips to HHN.....but these houses, I think we could do two or three nights with EP and that would be enough.

But, will cover that further in........we are at the moment beginning to think about places we`ve missed most and what we are most looking forward to.


I`m sad we won`t be able to meet up with everyone, but we`ll manage a few meets for sure.......we have a lot of plans ahead for this trip to make up for the cancelled May trip.

Of course it`ll be Universal based.......but plenty of travel around too (hopefully) and if the worst happens and the world hasn`t recovered.....we have our Nov/Dec trip to look forward to.....and then, well, there`s next year too!!!

We have been incredibly lucky to have a lot of trips to Orlando the last few years alone......2 trips in 2017.....five trips in 2018 and four trips in 2019......plus once a year since 2007. We are grateful for that, but as we love Orlando and Florida so much, we just want to be there....but safely.


It is like a real yearning to be back among friends we care so much about and our happy place too......

Hope you enjoy reading of our upcoming plans.....again.......I`m grateful you are still around and helping look forward to a hopefully wonderful trip with Tom and I again.

And I really hope everyone is staying healthy and positive for the upcoming months......


:wave2:
 
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Welcome back! I hope you guys are doing well. Everything is as fine as can be expected here, taking it day by day!
 
Glad to see the report is still up and running! I have a rental house booked for June, but I'm not super optimistic that we will make the trip. Like you, I am taking it day by day.
 


Welcome back! I hope you guys are doing well. Everything is as fine as can be expected here, taking it day by day!

Thanks!!!

Nice to be thinking about something other than the dreaded virus!

Glad things are ok where you are......hope the family are all well.....it’s such a worrying time for everyone.

We are all ok.....glad to have Kyle working from home now for the foreseeable future.......we lose our home office till then, but it’s worth it for him not to have to go into offices filled with folks.

Glad to see you and definitely hope we can rearrange again for September........take care......:wave2:
 
Glad to see the report is still up and running! I have a rental house booked for June, but I'm not super optimistic that we will make the trip. Like you, I am taking it day by day.

Thanks Andrea.......I kept putting off changing the title, but had to be done......

Oh where are you booked for? Have I forgotten??? I keep forgetting where folks tell me they’re going!!! I’d really like to blame being busy, but really can’t, as I’m not.......maybe my age 🥴.......lol.......

Will keep everything crossed for you to get your trip in June. So many are ready for a break right now.......2020 has been one heck of a year, but not in a good way so far!!!

I‘m so glad to see you’re still here with me........:hug:
 
Thanks Andrea.......I kept putting off changing the title, but had to be done......

Oh where are you booked for? Have I forgotten??? I keep forgetting where folks tell me they’re going!!! I’d really like to blame being busy, but really can’t, as I’m not.......maybe my age 🥴.......lol.......

Will keep everything crossed for you to get your trip in June. So many are ready for a break right now.......2020 has been one heck of a year, but not in a good way so far!!!

I‘m so glad to see you’re still here with me........:hug:

I booked a house in Kissimmee, in Indian Ridge. We have stayed in the same house for the past 2 years and were really looking forward to a third visit. I had already bought tickets for Sea World and Aquatica, but I'm sure we can use them another time if necessary. I'm going to see how things go as we head into May.
 
I booked a house in Kissimmee, in Indian Ridge. We have stayed in the same house for the past 2 years and were really looking forward to a third visit. I had already bought tickets for Sea World and Aquatica, but I'm sure we can use them another time if necessary. I'm going to see how things go as we head into May.

Oh yes, of course.

I‘m sure your Seaworld and Aquatica tickets will be fine to use another time if need be. Their customer service is good I believe. But of course, you want to use them this June!!!

Yes, seeing how things go is the way forward, but, it’s not easy.....patience isn’t my strong suit at the best of times......

Not fun waiting though.
 
:wave2: Hi there! Glad you are at least getting some quality time with Kyle through all of this! There is always a silver lining if you look hard enough right? Glad we still have your September trip to look forward to now. Hang in there and we will all dream of Florida and sunny days ahead!
 
Hellloooo across the pond! I'm glad to hear that you are safe and have everything you need and are doing as well as can be expected under these crazy circumstances. I'm really worried for my family and friends in London because a lot of people are really not taking this seriously enough and it's bad. I totally hear you on missing American food though lol. Here in Canada we have a decent amount of local restaurants doing takeout and delivery but nothing compared to the scope of what you can get in the US.

Thanks for sharing your plans and it's good to have something to look forward to!!
 
:wave2: Hi there! Glad you are at least getting some quality time with Kyle through all of this! There is always a silver lining if you look hard enough right? Glad we still have your September trip to look forward to now. Hang in there and we will all dream of Florida and sunny days ahead!

Oh it is lovely having him so close all the time, but he is missing the social interaction with everyone. But, yes, it’s working well for us.

I think everyone will be ready for a vacation by then!!!

Hope you’re doing well and avoiding all of this......good to see you...... :wave2:
 
Hellloooo across the pond! I'm glad to hear that you are safe and have everything you need and are doing as well as can be expected under these crazy circumstances. I'm really worried for my family and friends in London because a lot of people are really not taking this seriously enough and it's bad. I totally hear you on missing American food though lol. Here in Canada we have a decent amount of local restaurants doing takeout and delivery but nothing compared to the scope of what you can get in the US.

Thanks for sharing your plans and it's good to have something to look forward to!!

Hey Kathy......thanks yes, we’re doing good......

Yes, London is particularly bad. You must be so worried, understandably.......yes, most are taking all the advice to heart, but, the minority just don‘t get it. Sadly it’s too many. Hope all your friends are family are completely safe!

Oh yes, America is spoiled by all the food choices.....maybe it’s a good thing I don‘t live there!!!

It was time to start looking forward, goodness knows we need it...glad you’re still here too Kathy......you take care in your part of the world too....... :wave2:
 
Hi Carole! So happy to see this trip report! So glad to hear you, Tom and Kyle are healthy and well situated. We’re the same here - doing our part to isolate and looking forward to the day we can get back to the parks. As always, thanks for sharing.
 
Hi Carole! I'm glad to hear you are all doing well and are safe and healthy at home. I, like Kyle, have been able to work from home for the last few weeks which is great. And like you, i enjoy the extra time I'm getting to spend with my baby (they will always be our babies no matter how old they get!).

Even though it stinks you aren't able to go in May, there are definitely plenty of great things going on in September. We will be down there in September as well for HHN!
 
Carole, I am so sorry you and Tom have to postpone your trip. I feel your pain, as my whole year has been pretty much postponed. Like you, I am thankful to be at home. I am working 100% remotely now, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to do so. As I'm still in treatment, I also have the flexibility to work when I feel like working and to rest when I do not.

I am hoping these next few months pass quickly and that life will be...somewhat...back to normal by this fall. I will be following along with your planning!
 
Hi Carole, it put such a big smile on my face to see that you had posted and so glad to hear that you and Tom are doing well. I finally went ahead and canceled my trip for May, however it was very difficult. Was looking forward to this trip so much and now with do plans as of right now I am getting down in the dumps. I love reading how upbeat you are staying, that is good, I wish I had that kind of positive energy, usually I am pretty good but not right now, I fee like the parks will never open again and we won't get to go, while I know that is not truth it just seems so crazy to me how long this has gone on and how long the parks have been closed. Glad you are all doing well and hanging in there, I will for sure be going back once the parks open up and we can all travel again safely.
 
Hi Carole! So happy to see this trip report! So glad to hear you, Tom and Kyle are healthy and well situated. We’re the same here - doing our part to isolate and looking forward to the day we can get back to the parks. As always, thanks for sharing.

Hey cocofifi…...Thank you, it`s nice to bring back a little normality to our day, and looking ahead definitely helps.....

Yes, it`s all we can do right now is self isolate as best we can.....and yes again, look forward to getting back to normal.....good to see you and stay well and safe.….:wave2:
 

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