Mrs Dazzle
<font color=009900>Florida-mad (well, mad full sto
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2002
- Messages
- 3,045
. . . . and had a lovely sleep last night to recover from the shock of the nip in the air yesterday when we arrived home.
Well, our two and a half week trip seems to already be fading into the memory banks, just like our tans.
We've all had a good holiday, just sad to be back. I'll put some highs and lows that are off the top of my head now and will start putting together some brief trip reports later in the week when some of the depression has worn off!
Highs
Polynesian resort - fantastic; Ohana's in the evening brilliant fun.
Character brekkie at GF superb - especially for Katie who seemed to have Eeyore (her fave) sat with her most of the time.
10 nights down on Marco beach - relaxing, and we went and saw some great things around the Everglades and Darryl did some bird watching (of the feathered kind away from the beach!).
Katie went on Hulk on her own the first time she rode (mum was too
, but wasn't going to be shown up by her 10 year old. I did actually enjoy it once I realised I was still alive at the end of it).
Darryl did a couple of new rides - he doesn't normally do roller coasters, but we managed to persuade him to come on Space Mountain and Jurassic Park (he did JP twice!). Darryl's "High" of the holiday was at the top of the drop from Jurassic (oh humour him!). He also did the Tidal Wave at BG - and loved every minute, so there's hope yet.
Baseball - the World Series was won by the Florida Marlins while we were down in Marco, tried to get tickets for the Miami games, but wasn't prepared to give Dickie the Dodgy Dipster $500 each ticket
The weather was fantastic, only one small downpour one afternoon and an evening storm down at the beach (brilliant sat on the hotel's beach boardwalk watching it and then from our balcony when it got a little too close for comfort.
The Naples trolley bus tour we did - the houses there really are fantastic. Now all I've got to do is win the lottery a couple of times and I can be there with the rest of the billionaires and millionaires that live there.
Lows
Day after we arrived on Marco Island Katie got a real nasty ear infection, so half a day spent in Hospital with Dr and Consultant and then no swimming for the rest of the holiday
- no fun when there's the beach and a great pool at the hotel and she's a real water babe, so felt really sorry for her.
The crowds in the parks our first week were so much bigger than the same time last year, even with the HRH's front of line access the lines were long - I think this is because you can now buy FOTL access and the daily quota was gone long before lunchtime each day. Would have to think hard about the benefits of staying onsite at Universal again because of this. At MNSSHP on the 19th we had to wait for all rides with the exception of Splash and POTC. Last year we walked on everything.
My broken toe - had to be pushed around in a wheelchair because I could not walk far. Spent most of my time in my comfy flip flops because they didn't touch my toe, but in the parks I needed to protect it (doctors orders) so had to wear loads of strapping and shoes, which made my toe feel so painful.
Which in turn leads me on to disabled people - what a bum deal these genuine people get. Now, I'm really sorry to get on my soapbox, but the treatment you get from other members of the human race (and I'm going to use that term loosely) in the parks is disgraceful. Armed with my walking stick and toes all strapped together I thought it was pretty obvious I had a genuine problem. I got trodden on (ie walked over the wheelchair by people too impatient to wait for us to pass), glared at, bashed into on too numerous occasions to mention and the best one was at MNSSHP I actually managed to get hold of an ECV for the evening and this woman pushing a stroller cut me up and then accused me in her loudest voice of shining the headlight of th ECV in her baby's eyes. If I could've whacked her with my stick by then I would have
Something to point out is that only in Busch Gardens do you get 'preferential' treatment - we went straight on most rides, but there weren't terribly big lines in BG anyway. In Disney and Universal you join the lines like everyone else (or at least I did by getting out of my chair and hobbling to the line).
I have every sympathy with people in wheelchairs - being very childish I wish all those people who were rude and abusive towards me break something fundamental to walking themselves and have to spend time in a chair. So there. Ah, that feels better.
The Hilton at Marco Island - three 7am wake up calls one morning
and two fire alarms (first one at 7.08am and the front desk didn't know what the heck was happening ). Too many conventions going on in this hotel this year. It should be a very relaxing place, but going down for breakfast dressed in your cossie and sarong or whatever and having to walk through a bunch of business people yelling into their mobile phones at the top of their voices does not consistute relaxing to my family. My DH and I have to attend conventions etc so we know the score, but when the best part of the pool area is cordoned off for a week at a time for their use for entertaining each evening, uh uh, not on. They will be getting a letter and no more business from us.
Unfortunately the last big low was when we arrived home yesterday to discover our suitcases had been opened by the US TSA (Transportation Security Administration). Now we are, coutesy of these boards, aware this can happen. What has really infuriated me is that when we checked in with Virgin Atlantic at Gatwick I specifically asked about this. We had not locked our cases then and have brought sufficient bright yellow cable ties for both journies. The check-in staff all had a mini-meeting about this and all agreed to lock our cases because they had never heard of any problems. So we did. Darryl's case - brand spanking new - had a security tie on it - but the contents of his case were in an appalling condition, not helped by the three cans of Budweiser being split open and looking like they had been kicked around and then flattened by someone tredding on them. Three cans of beer in a suitcase = wet clothes, presents etc. My case had been opened and was not even securely sealed. Two cans of Bud in my case were also split open sso even more washing and presents having to be cleaned before we give them out. A bottle of nailvarnish that was securely wrapped by a flannel and then around a t-shirt was spilt down the inside of the case going on to my trick or treat bag I'd bought, some plastic mugs and my new suitcase. Furious - you betcha. I don't have a problem with the TSA opening anyone's suitcases, I'm all for preventing acts of terrorism. But surely they should treat people's belongings with respect - especially cans and bottles. I tried very hard to get through to someone at Virgin Atlantic yesterday because my beef is with them for recommending we lock our cases. We now have 2 new suitcases that had proper matching locks now broken and stinking of beer! In fact I'm thinking Darryl's more upset by the lost Bud than he is with the mess!!
Coming home - everyone's least favourtie part of the holiday. But that just means planning the next trip and I'm right on that
It looks as though it's all been downs, it's not, but we've never had all these problems in the 5 years we've been going to Florida so it's probably just a shock for us.
Well, our two and a half week trip seems to already be fading into the memory banks, just like our tans.
We've all had a good holiday, just sad to be back. I'll put some highs and lows that are off the top of my head now and will start putting together some brief trip reports later in the week when some of the depression has worn off!
Highs
Polynesian resort - fantastic; Ohana's in the evening brilliant fun.
Character brekkie at GF superb - especially for Katie who seemed to have Eeyore (her fave) sat with her most of the time.
10 nights down on Marco beach - relaxing, and we went and saw some great things around the Everglades and Darryl did some bird watching (of the feathered kind away from the beach!).
Katie went on Hulk on her own the first time she rode (mum was too
, but wasn't going to be shown up by her 10 year old. I did actually enjoy it once I realised I was still alive at the end of it). Darryl did a couple of new rides - he doesn't normally do roller coasters, but we managed to persuade him to come on Space Mountain and Jurassic Park (he did JP twice!). Darryl's "High" of the holiday was at the top of the drop from Jurassic (oh humour him!). He also did the Tidal Wave at BG - and loved every minute, so there's hope yet.
Baseball - the World Series was won by the Florida Marlins while we were down in Marco, tried to get tickets for the Miami games, but wasn't prepared to give Dickie the Dodgy Dipster $500 each ticket
The weather was fantastic, only one small downpour one afternoon and an evening storm down at the beach (brilliant sat on the hotel's beach boardwalk watching it and then from our balcony when it got a little too close for comfort.
The Naples trolley bus tour we did - the houses there really are fantastic. Now all I've got to do is win the lottery a couple of times and I can be there with the rest of the billionaires and millionaires that live there.
Lows
Day after we arrived on Marco Island Katie got a real nasty ear infection, so half a day spent in Hospital with Dr and Consultant and then no swimming for the rest of the holiday
- no fun when there's the beach and a great pool at the hotel and she's a real water babe, so felt really sorry for her.The crowds in the parks our first week were so much bigger than the same time last year, even with the HRH's front of line access the lines were long - I think this is because you can now buy FOTL access and the daily quota was gone long before lunchtime each day. Would have to think hard about the benefits of staying onsite at Universal again because of this. At MNSSHP on the 19th we had to wait for all rides with the exception of Splash and POTC. Last year we walked on everything.
My broken toe - had to be pushed around in a wheelchair because I could not walk far. Spent most of my time in my comfy flip flops because they didn't touch my toe, but in the parks I needed to protect it (doctors orders) so had to wear loads of strapping and shoes, which made my toe feel so painful.
Which in turn leads me on to disabled people - what a bum deal these genuine people get. Now, I'm really sorry to get on my soapbox, but the treatment you get from other members of the human race (and I'm going to use that term loosely) in the parks is disgraceful. Armed with my walking stick and toes all strapped together I thought it was pretty obvious I had a genuine problem. I got trodden on (ie walked over the wheelchair by people too impatient to wait for us to pass), glared at, bashed into on too numerous occasions to mention and the best one was at MNSSHP I actually managed to get hold of an ECV for the evening and this woman pushing a stroller cut me up and then accused me in her loudest voice of shining the headlight of th ECV in her baby's eyes. If I could've whacked her with my stick by then I would have
Something to point out is that only in Busch Gardens do you get 'preferential' treatment - we went straight on most rides, but there weren't terribly big lines in BG anyway. In Disney and Universal you join the lines like everyone else (or at least I did by getting out of my chair and hobbling to the line).
I have every sympathy with people in wheelchairs - being very childish I wish all those people who were rude and abusive towards me break something fundamental to walking themselves and have to spend time in a chair. So there. Ah, that feels better.
The Hilton at Marco Island - three 7am wake up calls one morning
and two fire alarms (first one at 7.08am and the front desk didn't know what the heck was happening ). Too many conventions going on in this hotel this year. It should be a very relaxing place, but going down for breakfast dressed in your cossie and sarong or whatever and having to walk through a bunch of business people yelling into their mobile phones at the top of their voices does not consistute relaxing to my family. My DH and I have to attend conventions etc so we know the score, but when the best part of the pool area is cordoned off for a week at a time for their use for entertaining each evening, uh uh, not on. They will be getting a letter and no more business from us. Unfortunately the last big low was when we arrived home yesterday to discover our suitcases had been opened by the US TSA (Transportation Security Administration). Now we are, coutesy of these boards, aware this can happen. What has really infuriated me is that when we checked in with Virgin Atlantic at Gatwick I specifically asked about this. We had not locked our cases then and have brought sufficient bright yellow cable ties for both journies. The check-in staff all had a mini-meeting about this and all agreed to lock our cases because they had never heard of any problems. So we did. Darryl's case - brand spanking new - had a security tie on it - but the contents of his case were in an appalling condition, not helped by the three cans of Budweiser being split open and looking like they had been kicked around and then flattened by someone tredding on them. Three cans of beer in a suitcase = wet clothes, presents etc. My case had been opened and was not even securely sealed. Two cans of Bud in my case were also split open sso even more washing and presents having to be cleaned before we give them out. A bottle of nailvarnish that was securely wrapped by a flannel and then around a t-shirt was spilt down the inside of the case going on to my trick or treat bag I'd bought, some plastic mugs and my new suitcase. Furious - you betcha. I don't have a problem with the TSA opening anyone's suitcases, I'm all for preventing acts of terrorism. But surely they should treat people's belongings with respect - especially cans and bottles. I tried very hard to get through to someone at Virgin Atlantic yesterday because my beef is with them for recommending we lock our cases. We now have 2 new suitcases that had proper matching locks now broken and stinking of beer! In fact I'm thinking Darryl's more upset by the lost Bud than he is with the mess!!
Coming home - everyone's least favourtie part of the holiday. But that just means planning the next trip and I'm right on that
It looks as though it's all been downs, it's not, but we've never had all these problems in the 5 years we've been going to Florida so it's probably just a shock for us.
Welcome Home Annie & Family 
Hello, and welcome back my favourite Flower, Darryl and Eeyore Katie.
