Just back...fab time had

[queendisney]

Arrived back today from 3 weeks at POR.

I will start with the lows...

Delayed 2 hours with VA on the way over and also swapped us onto one of the ol’ crates! But cabin crew were wonderful.

Delayed for a short while coming back on VA and the cabin crew were awful...I honestly did not see them even smile once.

No duty free at MCO, well only a token gesture while they refurb it. Was going to get some more Clinique makeup but they didn’t have any. Yet again DH decided that he would buy some duty free on the plane home with the remaining few dollars and yet again they didn’t have what he wanted on board. (I honestly think they only stock about 10 different items from their duty free brochure)

The heat was ok, we could just about cope with it, but it was so very humid and it did rain nearly every day which we didn’t mind really as it cooled it down. Definitely going back to November time from now on.

The crowds..every cast member we talked to said they didn’t know why it was so busy. POR was at full capacity (as were other resorts) when normally they are only 50-60% at this time of the year. We requested the mansion rooms on arrival and they only had one room left!

Magic Kingdom was just a sea of strollers everywhere. After an hour we had to get out as it was horrific.

We felt like we were in Brazil most of the time...obviously there are some big cultural differences between the Brits and the Brazilians...I shall leave it at that!!

Put on far too much weight.....

Highs..

POR just as beautiful as ever

Not sure if this is a high or a low really but the amt of food on the dining plan! We struggled big time to get through the credits but did manage it. Nearly all the snack credits were spent on bringing items home. Apart from a few which went on sampling every different cupcake I could find. The Cappuccino one from the Boardwalk Bakery was my favourite.

Bumped into a fellow dis’er Lgp1 on the 56 lynx bus to Walmart then again at the sky tower in Seaworld

Did the ‘The Magic behind the Steam Train Tour’ in the MK. Fantastic. 4 hours long with only me and DH on it. Really recommend it as you get in to the park really early and are able to take some photo’s with NOBODY around. I wasn’t sure about it but tagged along with DH but I think we each enjoyed it the same amount but for different reasons.

Went to KSC and did the Vehicle Assembly Building tour (which is a new add on tour) which had Endeavour in it just days before she flew out piggy back on the 747 to her new home in California. Amazing building and worth seeing.

Fantastic meal at Jiko’s for my BIG birthday. We were going to go into the MK for EMH’s afterwards but I was a tad worse for wear on the wine!!

Did SO MUCH shopping we spent a fortune. Went out with two cases weighing about 18kg each and came back with 3 all at 25kg. When I say WE spent a fortune I mean DH. I personally didn’t find much in the sales. But did add to the weight with a few Yankee Candles and boxes of brownie mixes etc....

Funny Moment for us...we were sitting listening to music in Epcot between Canada and UK and some bloke walked past with about 4ft of toilet roll attached to his shoe. His mate was walking behind him nearly doubled over with laughter and videoing it..while we were trying to recover from this a bloke on a scooter came past and his family name was written on the front in huge letters and it was Knoblock.. Sorry Mr Knoblock if you happen to see this..but its just such a great surname. Well we find it funny, maybe it was the wine still in our veins from JIKO's

Time to start planing another trip I think..November 2013 here we come...

 

[madmumof2]

Lol at the bloke with the loo roll, something I would have done! (filmed it, not walking with it on my shoe lol)

 

[wilma-bride]

Sounds like a great trip Vanda

And a perfect idea to start planning the next on e- always the best way to combat post-WDW blues.

No duty free at MCO, well only a token gesture while they refurb it. Was going to get some more Clinique makeup but they didn’t have any. Yet again DH decided that he would buy some duty free on the plane home with the remaining few dollars and yet again they didn’t have what he wanted on board. (I honestly think they only stock about 10 different items from their duty free brochure)

Not sure how true it is but I overheard somebody on our return flight in August saying that VA only carry one of each item on the plane, due to limited space, and that's why they often run out.

 

[queendisney]

thank you, yes we had a fantastic time. TBH we didn't do as much as we normally do when we go in November because of the humidity, we found it so draining. But as we have been so often we don't feel like we missed out on anything. We also had to take it a tad easier as DH only had his hip replacement 4 months ago and although he was fine in the main, it did start to hurt a bit if he did too much.

I think VA are missing business with the duty free given that MCO's is not open. We were willing to spend but couldn't..oh well thats more dollars to take next year

Got to make a keylime pie soon as we got a load of keylimes from Walmart and the graham cracker crumbs, but not sure I can really face anymore sweet things. I suppose I can always freeze it when its done...All we have had since coming back is beans on toast. It tastes so wonderful after all the stuff we have eaten.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

welcome home Vanda ..... there's been quite a few comments about the South American visitors and their "cultural differences" I hope they've gone by the time we get there on Friday night as I'm not known for my patience

Thanks for the "heads up" about MCO duty free being out of action ...... I'll make sure I spend all our money before we get there

 

[UKDEB]

It sounds as though the highs far outweighed the lows and, even if the heat (and hubby's hip!) slowed you down a bit, you still got around to doing some really interesting things.

I don't eat beans on toast at any other time of year, but it's our traditional first "meal" when we arrive home after a long-haul flight! Always hits the spot.

 

[starrysky]

Glad you had a good time apart from the humidity. We have the extra tour booked at ksc and we are looking forward to it. Do they give you the option of which area or is it just what is offered on that day?

Good to know about duty free as well

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Welcome back - great to read your minnie report. The train tour sounds great

 

[joolz1910]

I also think Knoblock is a fantastic name. I would have it emblazoned on everything.

Are you absolutely sure it wasn't an instruction? Or an unusual martial arts move?

 

[queendisney]

Glad you had a good time apart from the humidity. We have the extra tour booked at ksc and we are looking forward to it. Do they give you the option of which area or is it just what is offered on that day?

Good to know about duty free as well

They do a few options. The VAB is the best as the launch pad tour only takes you inside the gates and the VAB tour takes you outside the gates anyway. They do another one that takes you to the control room. The lady at KSC told us the VAB one was the best and we loved it.

 

[queendisney]

I also think Knoblock is a fantastic name. I would have it emblazoned on everything.

Are you absolutely sure it wasn't an instruction? Or an unusual martial arts move?

Personally I would have kept my maiden name if Knoblock was DH's name

 

[sandshal]

The new addition to KSC sounds fab - looking forward to seeing Atlantis too

 

[starrysky]

They do a few options. The VAB is the best as the launch pad tour only takes you inside the gates and the VAB tour takes you outside the gates anyway. They do another one that takes you to the control room. The lady at KSC told us the VAB one was the best and we loved it.

I'm hoping that the VAB will on offer when we get there I have always wanted to see inside that place. Gutted we missed the shuttle though

 

[PJB71]

Glad to hear you had a fantastic time

Happy planning for the next trip

 

[dixonsontour]

Sounds like a fun trip

 

[queendisney]

oh yes forgot to add...

spent a LOT of time just starring at Americans trying to use a knife thanks to a previous thread just before we went I seemed to be forever nudging DH and saying 'look, its true'

In all the time I have spent in the USA and also when our Florida friends come to stay with us we have NEVER noticed..so thanks for that!!

But hey we are all different and I am pretty sure a chinese person would laugh there heads off at me trying to use chop sticks

 

[Wills Mom]

Sounds like a brilliant trip! and have to just at the whole Americans struggling to use a knife thing! I'll be looking out for it on our next trip

 

[queendisney]

Sounds like a brilliant trip! and have to just at the whole Americans struggling to use a knife thing! I'll be looking out for it on our next trip

it was fabulous and when my energy returns I shall be eagerly planing for next year. At the moment I am still struggling big time with jet lag. I don't think I have ever had it this bad before...I put it down to all the food we ate and my age

 

[catherine]

Welcome home! It sounds like you had a great trip!