Disney Time Again!

We have a countdown that is moving along at a pace but are we ready?

Everyone loves a countdown and you can't beat one that involves Disney but how come the closer you get to that all important date the faster it seems to go? And that is exactly where we are at the moment! Are we ready? Have we got everything sorted? Are plans in place? Do we even know what we are doing and more importantly when we are doing it? Well at times it can all feel a little bit out of reach but I think if we go through it all I am probably more prepared than I think we are...well at least I hope so!

So what is happening?

Well it may be a little obvious but yes we are going to Disney! What again? Yes again!!

Late last year we were extremely fortunate to take a transatlantic Disney cruise from Southampton in the UK to Port Canaveral in Florida and loved it so much that we booked a Disney 'placeholder' whilst on board. This gives you a discount on a future cruise booking if taken in the following two years, but if you don't they give you your deposit back! Win! We had friends (made on our very first Disney cruise back in 2023) who had already booked this years transatlantic which made it a very easy decision to book again for this year to join them.

Now flash forward a few months and unfortunately our friends had to cancel their booking due to work commitments but this didn't deter us from our plans. So we are now fast approaching our sail away date that will see us leave the UK for Port Canaveral followed by a couple of weeks at Walt Disney World.

Last year our transatlantic cruise on the Disney Fantasy left the UK in early November which did mean that some of the weather we had whilst at sea was a tad choppy! Crossing the Bay of Biscay was 'interesting' to say the least and resulted in a day spent mainly in our cabin only venturing out for more carbs than I had eaten in the preceding 12 years! We also had one port day cancelled due to the severity of the weather which ultimately resulted in an unplanned, but very much appreciated, stop at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. But this year our cruise is happening in mid-September which is the usual time of year that Disney have their transatlantic cruise back to the US, so we are hoping for calmer weather!

Enjoying our surprise stop at Castaway Cay - November 2025

Our travels will start by taking a couple of trains from our home in the middle of the UK down to the South coast and the port of Southampton. We have purposefully booked a hotel for a couple of nights before we set sail so that not only do we take away some of the stress of travelling but we will also be able to spend some time with our daughter and her partner as they live close by. 

Our cruise check-in was completed a few weeks ago and we have our 'port arrival time' confirmed, and all printed out. This year we are aboard the Disney Dream and our itinerary sees us visit Vigo in Spain, Lisbon in Portugal and Funchal in Madeira with our final destination being Fort Lauderdale in Florida after seven consecutive days at sea! We haven't booked any port excursions as each port is within walking distance of their main centres and we will simply get off the ship, walk, explore, find a coffee and soak up the atmosphere. And on one of our sea days we have brunch booked at Palo one of the up-charge restaurants aboard the ship. The cruise is very much a chance to switch off, decompress and watch the world float by!

Once we reach Fort Lauderdale we will then take the Brightline train to Orlando. We have opted for their 'premium' seats as after taking advantage of a discount code they only cost us $5 more than their 'standard' seats. This means that we will have access to their Premium Lounge at the train station with free drinks and nibbles and then while on board we will be served complimentary meals! The train gets us to Orlando International Airport where we will pick up a Mears Shuttle to take us to our Walt Disney World resort hotel; Coronado Springs.

Coronado Springs at night is stunning - taken February 2025

We had the pleasure of staying at Coronado Springs in February 2025 for just a couple of nights before our 3 night sailing on the Disney Wish and were impressed by how beautiful the resort was. We had chosen this resort because in 2013 (our last visit to Walt Disney World prior to February 2025) we had been booked to stay here but upon arrival were upgraded to the Wilderness Lodge (that is a story in itself). So when we needed a hotel for just a couple of nights we decided to stay at the hotel we'd never gotten to experience. So when it came to booking for this vacation we decided that we wanted to stay at one of Disney's 'moderate' resorts and the only request from Simon was that he'd love it if there was a gym we could use...well Coronado is the only 'moderate' resort that has a gym (in fact it has two!) which made that decision an easy one. And because it's a convention hotel it has some of the expected 'perks' of a higher graded hotel but at a more affordable price - kind of the best of both worlds!

We then have two weeks to spend at 'the most magical place on earth' and those friends we made on our first Disney cruise will be joining us for the first part of our vacation. And we have friends from Texas who will also be at Disney and we have arranged to catch up with them over BBQ!

Tickets for the parks have been bought, spreadsheets are in progress, dining reservations have been made, plans with friends are in place and all the necessary transportation has been booked to get us there and home again. 

What is left to do? Well I need to sort my e-Sim for when we are in the US. Packing needs to be done and I am currently working out what we actually need and what needs to be in our hand luggage and what can stay in our main luggage. After all I need to make sure we have appropriate outfits for both the cruise (pirate night...need I say more) and the parks as well as keeping within weight limits and more importantly ensuring sufficient room for anything that I may pick up along the way!!

And just to add a small amount of inconvenience to proceedings I had an unexpected visit to the dentist in the last few days after a crown decided to fall out...perfect timing I think not...so a temporary fix is now in place until after our travels. I have the very important hair and nail appointments in the calendar, and we have now hit the single digit countdown! The Google calendar is clearly laid out with appointments and things to do so all that remains is to stop typing and actually get some things done!

March 2025

Ink Update (2021 to 2026)

Having picked up the metaphorical pen a bit more of late, along with looking back over my previous posts I came to the realisation that I’ve been a bit lax when it comes to the subject of tattoos. And specifically how my collection of ink has expanded over the last few years.

In fact, since May 2019 I have seven new pieces to share with you. So I suppose the best way to do this would be in chronological order!

We will start way back in April of 2020 when the world had gone slightly mad and consequently my planned ink had to be postponed. In fact it wasn't until  July 2021 when I was finally able to get back to my tattooist Saint Heywood at Acadia Tattoo in Macclesfield.

The tattoo itself was inspired by a dream that Simon had had that involved Peter Pan & Wendy flying together. I wanted the design to represent Peter Pan flying slightly ahead, encouraging and supporting Wendy to fly along with him. This very much represents Simon and I; Simon as the ever youthful Peter guiding, encouraging and supporting Wendy (aka me). Providing me with the confidence and self belief that I feel with Simon by my side, pulling me along to achieve what I may not always realise that I am capable of.

A few hours of lying down and keeping still and I was able to take this awesome creation home with me...

Moving forward to September 2022 and I headed once more to Macclesfield, and this time moved my attention to my left leg for some 'Good Fairy' magic.

Line work completed

The finished piece

I also used this visit to get a small star added to my arm in remembrance of my Dad who had passed away earlier in the year.

Star for my Dad

It wasn't long before I was back at Acadia in November 2022 to start work on a leg piece for my right calf. This piece would ultimately have additional pieces added in July 2023 and June 2024 and honors one of my all time favourite Disney attractions; It's A Small World. With the art style being that of Jerrod Maruyama.

And I'm sure I could add more to this piece...just need to decide on what!

Whilst I had a small addition (the little Dutch boy) to my leg in June 2024 the main reason for visiting Acadia Tattoo was to get this amazing piece of ink completed...

Maleficent and her dragon

A couple of months later in August 2024 we found ourselves visiting, what has become one of our favourite places, Amsterdam. We were there on a special mission as Simon had been asked to display some of his art in a store in the Zeedijk area of the city. So we decided to commemorate the visit and our love of the city with 'XXX' tattoos. The triple X is the symbol of Amsterdam and can be found all over the city from flags to lampposts and more. We booked ourselves in at Blue Blood Studios with the lovely Coral.

Blue Blood Studios, Amsterdam

With our tattooist the lovely Coral

Waiting in style!!

Nine months later, following our vacation to Walt Disney World, it was time for some more ink and this time I wanted to represent another of my all time favourite attractions; Haunted Mansion. But as this was going to be placed on my left leg close to my existing Three Good Fairies I wanted to incorporate something from Sleeping Beauty as well. We came up with the idea of replacing the Madame Leota character from the Haunted Mansion with Sleeping Beauty herself, Aurora.

Linework and some of the black aspects

How amazing is this finished result!!

Pretty chill, enjoying a coffee mid-inking!

So to this year and in May it was time to represent another Walt Disney World attraction that Simon and I had fallen in love with during our two vacations last year. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is a delightful, engaging and deceptively complex ride with a catchy signature tune which seems to reflect our current attitude to life...'Nothing Can Stop Us Now'. This tattoo is my first Disney tattoo to include Mickey & Minnie along with the ride's mascot Chuuby and surrounded by some Disney inspired flora!

Getting inked

All done!

'Nothing Can Stop Us Now!

Well it is now August 2026 and we are just a few weeks away from our next Disney vacation so I wonder what is going to inspire my next piece of Disney ink?!!

An Introduction...

Let me introduce myself…as it's been a while!

I started this blog way back in….2012….in fact the 12th August 2012 saw my very first post to be precise.

And since then me and my blog have seen some changes, what started out as a blog to chronicle my love of Disney, and specifically my travels to Walt Disney World expanded to include health, well being, more Disney and even a diary covering that period of time between 2020 and 2022 that was a little strange for the world at large.

So who am I now….

Well I am still the same Disney loving gal that I have always been but my real life world has changed. I am now retired (very fortunate to have been able to take this next step in life relatively early!). My kids have now left home and are forging their own way in this world. In the last couple of years my partner in this crazy thing called life, Simon, has also joined me in retirement and we are busy uncovering a new way to live. When I retired from my job as pre-school manager I took on the volunteer role as their committee chairperson and now devote a little of my time (and hopefully knowledge) each year to support them. I continue to co-host the Disney Dream Girls podcast with my bestie, Michelle, and we are now approaching 600 episodes. This does mean that at least once a week I get the chance to have a good ‘waffle on’ about all things Disney. We have an amazing group of friends we call family through our continued Star Wars cosplay shenanigans. My Disney tattoo collection is ever expanding. The non-sporty me has learned to love the gym (and I continually surprise myself at what I am able to do) and I now embrace anything to do with health and wellbeing from eating well to staying active to mindfulness and more. And now with more time on our hands we find that we have the time, resources and inclination to travel a little more…even if that travel is predominantly ‘Disneyfied’!

So with all that in mind I really wanted to take up writing again, to share my thoughts and to journal our adventures. In late August of 2022, after 893 consecutive blog posts, I decided that the world had gotten back to something resembling normal and it was time to stop the daily posts.

Away from the blog I managed to keep the daily momentum of writing going by keeping a personal diary and on occasions dabbled with the odd blog post or two but never regained the consistency I once had. 

And while my personal diary provides me with a memory box of daily events it, by its nature, doesn’t stretch my writing muscles.

So I find myself in a qundary; while I have a desire to write more, to chronicle experiences in our life and to wax lyrical about topics I feel passionate about I find that my confidence in my abilities to do so has diminished. I find myself in the classic ‘catch-22’; the less I write the more I want to but the lack of writing has knocked my confidence. I have convinced myself that I have nothing important to share or that no-one is interested in what I have to say…my inner critic has played havoc with my confidence.

But you know what…I don’t care what anyone else thinks, or whether anyone will read this. I am not doing it for an audience I am doing it because I want to and if anyone out there takes an interest then that is a bonus.

So enough waffling on I best get started!

Disney Bubble Here We Come!

Welcome to the first of a few posts documenting our recent return to the Disney bubble otherwise known as Walt Disney World.

Where shall we begin...

So for context this was our first visit to Walt Disney World since August of 2013 and was long overdue. Our Disney fix had been satisfied with two short trips to Disneyland Paris and two Disney cruises in the intervening years but this was our return to the place where my love of Disney and its parks had started.

It was also the first time visiting WDW on our own since 1996! And it was a trip that we were determined to make the most of. Now ordinarily when planning a vacation you have to factor in work commitments which can determine not only when you travel but also the length of your trip, but now being 'a retired couple' we had much more freedom in picking the when and the how long! 

With that our trip started on Tuesday 25th February 2025 as we made our way from our home in the middle of the UK to London and then onto Gatwick airport by train. 

First train of our trip...London here we come!

Arriving at Gatwick we checked into our first hotel of the trip; the Bloc hotel. The hotel is located in the south terminal of the airport and was great for a convenient overnight stay; smart and compact room meant we had a comfy nights sleep ready for the following days travel.

Small room but it did the job!

We were able to grab breakfast at one of the airport restaurants before checking out of the hotel and taking advantage of their complimentary 'fast pass' through security. 

Full English brekkie to start the day

Bags were dropped, security cleared and a Starbucks acquired all by 8.50am ready for our flight leaving at 11.20am. We couldn't have asked for a smoother and more relaxing, stress free start to the day.

Pre-flight Starbucks

Our plane on a grey and wet day in London

And we are ready for take-off

Best get comfy!!

Our flight left on time and a mere nine and a quarter hours later we landed at terminal C at Orlando International airport. With thanks to my friend Michelle we had downloaded the MPC app which meant that we could 'skip' the border control main line once we had our bags and we sailed through with ease. We made our way down a few levels and found the Mears Connect reception and checked in for the transportation to the first Disney hotel of our trip; Coronado Springs. 

On the bus to Coronado Springs

Back in 2013 we were booked to stay at Coronado Springs but upon arrival we found ourselves upgraded to the Wilderness Lodge! So when planning this trip we decided that for the first couple of nights we would stay at the place that we'd planned to stay at all those years previous. 

Arriving around 6pm we took the evening to get settled into our room, grab some food and explore the resort. It had changed a fair amount since 2013 with the addition of the Gran Destino Tower, new restaurants and lounges and the landscaping was much more vibrant and plentiful than back in 2013. It is a truly beautiful resort.

New to us on this trip was the 'My Disney Experience' app and all that that entailed. This meant that prior to arriving at the hotel (in fact prior to leaving the UK) we had completed an online check-in so when we arrived we received a notification telling us our room was ready. We were also able to magically open our hotel door via the app as well. Although more on this in a later post!!

Our first full day started rather early as our body clocks adjusted to the 5 hour time difference and we found ourselves awake at 5.30am. Simon decided to go out for an early morning run completing 5 km by running four laps of Lago Dorado. We then both made use of the resorts gym, which happened to be quite close to where our room was. 

Up and about bright and early

After grabbing some quick service breakfast at 'El Mercado de Coronado' we headed out for the day jumping on a Disney bus to Disney Springs.

This is when I had 'a moment'...one of those 'I'm home' moments...one of those moments that catch you unawares and before you know it you're getting all misty eyed and choked up. We were on the bus making our way to Disney Springs and I was taking in the scenery around me and experiencing a deep feeling of familiarity as I watched the roads pass by and then I saw something that I'd never seen in person and it triggered a surprising reaction. What was it?...the Skyliner (Disney's cable car system that links a number of hotels and a couple of the parks). And as I looked out the window I felt all the emotions come over me and I began to tear up! And I knew then I was home and in my happy place.

Back in 2013 Disney Springs was called Downtown Disney and in the intervening 12 years had undergone an extensive expansion and while some areas were very familiar others were all brand new to us. We had a lovely day exploring all that the Springs had to offer and ended up spending much more time there than I think we had imagined.

We enjoyed some quiet time drinking iced coffee in Starbucks (just days before it closed for a refurbishment) while Simon created one of his many drawings that he completed over the course of the trip (we will devote a post to his art at a later date). Bargains were purchased at Zara! Shops were perused and lots of money was spent in my head! We enjoyed a salad from Earl of Sandwich and then later in the day discovered D-Luxe Burger and enjoyed a French Onion Soup burger, which was delicious!

As we waited for our bus back to Coronado Springs we discovered the magic of bus wraps! A good percentage of the Disney bus fleet have been wrapped in different themes and we rode our first one back to the hotel; it was Frozen themed.

I then gave myself the challenge of photographing as many of the bus wraps as possible over the next few weeks! Another post I think will be devoted to my collection of bus wraps and more!

Arriving back at the hotel we dumped our shopping bags in the room and headed out for another explore of the hotel. We grabbed some decaf coffee and enjoyed the resort as the light faded and the hotel lit up. 

Once back in our room we had the task of making sure we were packed and ready for the following days adventure...

Where to next?

A couple of links that may help to explain my love of Disney (plus there are lots of other posts talking about Disney, as well as those documenting past trips!);

About this Blog

Why Disney

Disney Time Again!

After many years away from Walt Disney World we've just returned from the most amazing time away fully immersed inside the Disney bubble.

So let me fill you in.

Back in 2020 things started to align that meant a visit to Walt Disney World was on the cards...but then we all know what happened that year! Our plans and dreams were once again put on an indefinite hold while we waited for the world to get back to some semblance of normal. Fast forward to September of 2023 when in an attempt to get a little Disney fix we embarked on our first Disney cruise (and first cruise ever!) aboard the Disney Dream. Not only did this give us that Disney magic we'd been looking for but it also gave us a whole new way of 'doing' Disney, which we fell in love with! So much so that we made new friends while aboard and were booked for the following year (dragging the kids with us!) almost as soon as our feet touched land!

So after our second cruise in September of 2024, and with Simon joining me in retirement nine months earlier, our thoughts turned once more towards Walt Disney World. When our new friends from our cruise in 2023 mentioned that they too were hoping to visit WDW in early 2025 we vowed to meet up and set about coordinating diaries. As soon as dates were confirmed we were able to sort flights, hotels, tickets and more.

Our itinerary ultimately involved a couple of nights staying at Disney's Coronado Springs resort, followed by a 3 night Disney cruise aboard the Disney Wish, returning to Walt Disney World for a 19 night stay at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter resort, with a 14 day park ticket to experience all that the parks had to offer!

Suffice to say we had the best time and have lots to tell...so stay tuned as I try over the course of the next few posts to recount our travels.

Disney you say...

So how did my love (some may call it obsession) of Disney come about?

When I think back Disney has always just 'been there' in my life. I remember as a child growing up in the UK we would watch 'Disney Time' a movie clip compilation show that would appear on the TV at special times of the year. 

I have a vague memory of one of my very first trips to the cinema being to watch 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks', although I can't be sure this was during its initial cinematic release as I would have only been about 4 years old. But growing up in the 1970's and 1980's Disney was simply a part of the pop culture we were exposed to.

I very recently re-discovered an album that I still own to this day and which was probably bought for me as a child, it's dated 1975.

Then in November of 1990 during a trip to London we made a point of visiting the then brand new Disney Store on Regent Street; it had only opened that month and was the first Disney Store outside of the US. I have this photo of me wearing the Mickey ears that we had bought. I remember them being of a very hard, shiny plastic and that they dug into my head so hard it meant wearing them for anymore than a few minutes just wasn't doable! Oh how times, and ears, have changed!

Then in 1991 Simon and I made our first trip to Orlando, Florida which was kind of by accident. We had originally intended to go on vacation with my parents who were planning a trip to Austria but I'd gotten the dates mixed up and had booked the wrong weeks off from work. It was also the time of the Gulf war and the rumours were that flights to the US were 'going cheap' so we decided to take advantage and book a Florida vacation. However, when we came to make the booking we soon found out that the rumours of cheap flights were just that, rumours! But as we had chosen where we wanted to go we decided to book the vacation anyway staying in a hotel on International Drive.

On 30th July 1991 we made our way to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World for the very first time and stepping onto Main Street USA I just knew I was 'home'.

Taken 30th July 1991, waiting for the fireworks.

Since then there have been numerous trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris, one trip to Disneyland, one Disney cruise and Simon has been lucky enough during work trips to visit Tokyo Disney Resort. I have lots of books and memorabilia, handbags, clothes and just the odd one or two Disney themed tattoos! Oh and I co-host a Disney theme parks podcast with my very good friend Michelle, called the Disney Dream Girls.

So yes Disney plays a big part in my life and I think it always will. 

There is something in the ethos of Walt Disney and the company that he created that draws you in. But it is still hard to explain what it is exactly that drives this love of all things Disney and the indiscernible magic that it creates. It's in the story telling, the attention to detail, the characters, the customer service, the ability to leave the real world behind for a little while and for everyone no matter what age or background to enjoy something together. 

Some will look at Disney and the theme parks and assume it's 'just for kids' but it is so much more than that. And to use a quote attributed to Walt himself from the opening of Disneyland in 1955, and then immortalised in plaques at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom...'here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy'...oh and remember 'adults are only kids grown up anyways'!