Latte Lover
<font color=green> in charge of the credit cards a
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2003
- Messages
- 1,335
Pre-trippie here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2558071
Day 1 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2594850
Day 2 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2597434
Day 3 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2600140
Day 4 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2604143
Day 5 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2612417
Day 6 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2623162
Day 7 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2623685
Day 8 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2625090
Day 9 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2626713
Day 10 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2635351
Day 11 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2657974
Day 12 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2658866
Day 13 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2662936
Day 14 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2689250
We are:
Me, Theresa
My DH Tony (Tony64)
My sister Mandy (MandyJane)
My Brother-in-law Peter (FleetPete)
My Nephew Andrew (16)
My Nephew Kieran (12)
And dd Maddie (MaddieB)
Saturday 30th October 2010
Time to go home! We all agreed we could easily stay an extra week and just lie around the pool (with of course, a little shopping and eating!).
We were up around 7am and had coffee, then finished the last-minute cleaning and packing. We had to give Mandy a bit more of our stuff to put in her case as our cases were too heavy. Both of our cases ended up at exactly 50lb each!
Back in 1975, I remember our Dad taking home a huge net of oranges! It went in the hold as it was, with just a luggage label on it and we enjoyed delicious juicy Florida oranges for a few weeks when we got home. I was interested to know if this is still allowable, and surprisingly it is, although there is a 2kg weight restriction.
The massive Pooh Bears that Mandy and I bought went in the cabin with us and were squeezed into the overhead lockers.
In 1975, we didnt take any photos of the hotel, unfortunately, apart from this one which was taken from the glass lift. (How we loved that lift! Mandy and I were big fans of Roald Dahls Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and we imagined we were riding in The Great Glass Elevator!).
I had a quick look on google maps and to my surprise the view looking this way is still much the same. I think if the photo had been taken from the other side of the lift (ie to the left of this picture looking over what is now Downtown Disney) then the view would be quite different.
Anyway, back to 2010, we sadly said goodbye to the villa
and then drove to Dennys for our last breakfast. Tony ordered his favourite, the Heartland Scramble, but they brought him the Meatlovers Scramble instead, so he was a bit disappointed and still hasn't forgiven them! Everything else was very good though, including my very delicious omelette.
From there, we made our way to Orlando airport.
We checked in. We got the seats we wanted and all our luggage was successfully on or under the weight limit.
Waiting at the airport:
A last purchase:
We wandered around the shops where Tony bought a book about Disney written by an ex-cast member, which he read almost all the way home.
We took off on time and landed at JFK airport in New York.
We decided first to have a meal at Chillis. Although the food was good, it was without doubt the very worst service we have had anywhere in the whole world, ever! Our server disappeared completely after plonking the food down. So we had no drink refills, or dessert, as there was no-one to ask. We had to ask four different people for the bill, including the manager who was no help, before someone finally brought it to us after a wait of 30 minutes! We certainly werent in Orlando anymore.
After that, we wandered around a few shops and then walked to our gate and settled down for the rather long wait between flights.
Peter bought a big box of doughnuts which we ate while playing a few games. We considered playing charades, which is one of Kierans favourites and he always makes us play it when we are together. We thought about asking our fellow passengers to join us, but one look at their dour faces told us it probably wasnt a good idea. Instead, we played a few rather raucous games of cheat, until Peter suddenly noticed that our gate had changed (there was no announcement).
We noisily gathered up all our stuff and trooped out, much to the relief of everyone around us. They clearly hadnt noticed that they should be moving too. There must have been an announcement later on though, because 15 minutes later they all arrived at the new gate, their faces dropping when they saw us again, this time enjoying a noisy game of Pass the Pigs.
We were quite late boarding the plane and then we must have circled the entire perimeter of the airport several times before finally settling on a runway and taking off.
The flight was ok; a few scary patches of turbulence but not too bad and the cabin crew were nice and friendly. I watched an Australian film that I had never heard of called The Square which was quite good.
We were pleased to touch down in Heathrow as the journey seemed very long. We saved a lot of money going indirect but its certainly a more tiring way of travelling.
Back at Heathrow:
Our cases came through very quickly and passport control was reasonably fast. We were rather pleased to see the non-UK visitors being given a grilling by immigration staff as they went through passport control.
Purple Parking were ready and waiting for us with our car and we drove home in torrential rain, as is so often the case after getting off of a plane from Florida.
So, highs of the holiday:
Going with my sister and her family.
So much fun, wish we could do it every year. There were lots of things that I didn't dare put in the trip report that still make me laugh when I think of them!
Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Great attention to detail and The Forbidden Journey was as good as expected. Our only criticism is that the Wizarding World needs characters walking around and a few simple photo opportunities. How difficult would it be to have a broomstick to sit on or a sorting hat to stand under with suitable backdrop?
Lots and lots of lovely food!
Lots and lots of lovely shopping!
The villa. Perfect for us. So nice of Peters friend to offer it to us. Wish it was ours!
Lows:
The flights. We saved a lot of money going indirect and probably couldnt have afforded to go otherwise, but its certainly a long old journey.
Losing our holiday money in The Crown Currency fiasco.
Dropping my camera on the first day and not being able to take any photos for the rest of the holiday. Bizarrely, and very happily, when I got home I turned the camera on to take the card out and it was working perfectly again! Yet in Florida we had tried it time and time again and it hadnt worked. So Maddie was right after-all; if you leave it, it will get better on its own!
Roll on October 2011 & our first Disney cruise and holiday with friends.
Day 1 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2594850
Day 2 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2597434
Day 3 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2600140
Day 4 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2604143
Day 5 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2612417
Day 6 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2623162
Day 7 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2623685
Day 8 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2625090
Day 9 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2626713
Day 10 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2635351
Day 11 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2657974
Day 12 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2658866
Day 13 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2662936
Day 14 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2689250
We are:
Me, Theresa
My DH Tony (Tony64)
My sister Mandy (MandyJane)
My Brother-in-law Peter (FleetPete)
My Nephew Andrew (16)
My Nephew Kieran (12)
And dd Maddie (MaddieB)
Saturday 30th October 2010
Time to go home! We all agreed we could easily stay an extra week and just lie around the pool (with of course, a little shopping and eating!).
We were up around 7am and had coffee, then finished the last-minute cleaning and packing. We had to give Mandy a bit more of our stuff to put in her case as our cases were too heavy. Both of our cases ended up at exactly 50lb each!
Back in 1975, I remember our Dad taking home a huge net of oranges! It went in the hold as it was, with just a luggage label on it and we enjoyed delicious juicy Florida oranges for a few weeks when we got home. I was interested to know if this is still allowable, and surprisingly it is, although there is a 2kg weight restriction.
The massive Pooh Bears that Mandy and I bought went in the cabin with us and were squeezed into the overhead lockers.
In 1975, we didnt take any photos of the hotel, unfortunately, apart from this one which was taken from the glass lift. (How we loved that lift! Mandy and I were big fans of Roald Dahls Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and we imagined we were riding in The Great Glass Elevator!).
I had a quick look on google maps and to my surprise the view looking this way is still much the same. I think if the photo had been taken from the other side of the lift (ie to the left of this picture looking over what is now Downtown Disney) then the view would be quite different.
Anyway, back to 2010, we sadly said goodbye to the villa
and then drove to Dennys for our last breakfast. Tony ordered his favourite, the Heartland Scramble, but they brought him the Meatlovers Scramble instead, so he was a bit disappointed and still hasn't forgiven them! Everything else was very good though, including my very delicious omelette.
From there, we made our way to Orlando airport.
We checked in. We got the seats we wanted and all our luggage was successfully on or under the weight limit.
Waiting at the airport:
A last purchase:
We wandered around the shops where Tony bought a book about Disney written by an ex-cast member, which he read almost all the way home.
We took off on time and landed at JFK airport in New York.
We decided first to have a meal at Chillis. Although the food was good, it was without doubt the very worst service we have had anywhere in the whole world, ever! Our server disappeared completely after plonking the food down. So we had no drink refills, or dessert, as there was no-one to ask. We had to ask four different people for the bill, including the manager who was no help, before someone finally brought it to us after a wait of 30 minutes! We certainly werent in Orlando anymore.
After that, we wandered around a few shops and then walked to our gate and settled down for the rather long wait between flights.
Peter bought a big box of doughnuts which we ate while playing a few games. We considered playing charades, which is one of Kierans favourites and he always makes us play it when we are together. We thought about asking our fellow passengers to join us, but one look at their dour faces told us it probably wasnt a good idea. Instead, we played a few rather raucous games of cheat, until Peter suddenly noticed that our gate had changed (there was no announcement).
We noisily gathered up all our stuff and trooped out, much to the relief of everyone around us. They clearly hadnt noticed that they should be moving too. There must have been an announcement later on though, because 15 minutes later they all arrived at the new gate, their faces dropping when they saw us again, this time enjoying a noisy game of Pass the Pigs.We were quite late boarding the plane and then we must have circled the entire perimeter of the airport several times before finally settling on a runway and taking off.
The flight was ok; a few scary patches of turbulence but not too bad and the cabin crew were nice and friendly. I watched an Australian film that I had never heard of called The Square which was quite good.
We were pleased to touch down in Heathrow as the journey seemed very long. We saved a lot of money going indirect but its certainly a more tiring way of travelling.
Back at Heathrow:
Our cases came through very quickly and passport control was reasonably fast. We were rather pleased to see the non-UK visitors being given a grilling by immigration staff as they went through passport control.
Purple Parking were ready and waiting for us with our car and we drove home in torrential rain, as is so often the case after getting off of a plane from Florida.
So, highs of the holiday:
Going with my sister and her family.
So much fun, wish we could do it every year. There were lots of things that I didn't dare put in the trip report that still make me laugh when I think of them! Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Great attention to detail and The Forbidden Journey was as good as expected. Our only criticism is that the Wizarding World needs characters walking around and a few simple photo opportunities. How difficult would it be to have a broomstick to sit on or a sorting hat to stand under with suitable backdrop?
Lots and lots of lovely food!
Lots and lots of lovely shopping!
The villa. Perfect for us. So nice of Peters friend to offer it to us. Wish it was ours!
Lows:
The flights. We saved a lot of money going indirect and probably couldnt have afforded to go otherwise, but its certainly a long old journey.
Losing our holiday money in The Crown Currency fiasco.
Dropping my camera on the first day and not being able to take any photos for the rest of the holiday. Bizarrely, and very happily, when I got home I turned the camera on to take the card out and it was working perfectly again! Yet in Florida we had tried it time and time again and it hadnt worked.
So Maddie was right after-all; if you leave it, it will get better on its own!Roll on October 2011 & our first Disney cruise and holiday with friends.
