Who we are.
Me: Ali (40-but only just!) - chief planner, packer, and organiser
Tim (47) - husband, driver, generally willing to go along with my plans, hates queuing.
Thomas (9)- son, Harry Potter fan
Molly (6) daughter, loves Ariel and all the other Disney Princesses.
Background
The last 10 years of family holidays have been to Mediterranean destinations. We have always wanted to visit Florida and were waiting for the children to be old enough to appreciate it. We visited Disneyland Paris two years ago as a dry run and loved it so booked to fly to Florida this year. As it happened, we flew on day three of the Iraq war.
This is my first attempt at a trip report and I shall be working largely from memory. My plans to spend a few quiet minutes each day whilst on holiday jotting down details didnt materialise where does the time go? Forgive me if I ramble on (and on!) but remember as first-timers, it was all wonderful and new to us!
The day before Fri 21/3/03
Tim set off for half a days work, the children went to school (heaven help their teachers trying to get them to concentrate), and I set about the task of packing for all of us. The cat was dispatched to the cattery looking very indignant (but its only March!).
Tim re-joined me at lunchtime for the ritual checks and double checks of tickets, passports, currency etc.
At 2.30pm we collected 2 very excited children from school and set off down the M40 towards Gatwick. (Just to clarify, they were our excited children!) The journey was not bad considering it was Friday night, only one hold up in road works. After reading such good reports of Virgins Twilight check-in we had decided to try it out and so we drove straight to the airport. What a great decision, there was no one in the queue at all! It was all plain sailing until the security guy questioned us about sharp objects. It transpires the children were carrying potentially lethal weapons, once these were packed away in the suitcases, we were allowed to continue. Ive never heard of anyone hijacking a plane with a couple of kids pencil sharpeners but you just never know!
We were in and out of the airport in less than 30 minutes brilliant, I was beginning to feel less stressed out by the minute. We had booked a family room at the Holiday Inn by Express just ten minutes away, the room was clean and modern and great value for £79 inclusive of breakfast and two weeks parking. Right next door was a pub (one of those chains, I forget which) and a Jeffersons restaurant. We choose the latter to start getting into the American mood. We had a good meal (apart from an incident involving my son and a full glass of juice) and retired to bed. During the night we had a visit from the tooth fairy as Molly had lost her front tooth during the day its a good job the fairy managed to find us whilst away from home!
Day One - Sat 22/3/03 - The journey
After a reasonable nights sleep, we rose at around 7am Molly now 50p richer, and went to the breakfast area. A buffet of croissants, cereal, fruit and beverages. We were all in a kind of daze; we had been waiting for so long for this day, it just didnt seem real.
Our flight was at 11.15am so we had plenty of time to get to the airport. We followed the directions to the airport car park (called Summer Special) that was located near the North Terminal. We had short wait to book in the car, then a few more minutes for the bus to take us to the South Terminal. We sailed past the check-in desks (ha!) and through the security checks. None of us were searched but they had to stop the conveyor belt on the x-ray machine when Mollys doll got trapped in it! (ooops!) Not much time to kill so we stocked up on reading matter at WHSmiths before riding the shuttle out to the gate. More security checks here, this time Tim was stopped and his camera bag was searched. The kids and I left him to his fate and went to catch our first sight of our plane Virgins English Rose. (747 Jumbo Jet)
When 11.00am arrived and boarding had not commenced we realised that the flight would not be leaving on time. Shortly after, they started making announcements about boarding certain rows couldnt hear what was said, even second time around so after a while we just joined the line. We were seated in row 34ABC and D; we had requested a window seat for the children who love to look out. Its been 10 years since Tim or I have had a chance to sit by the window!
While we were settling into our seats, two members of the airport staff were seen huffing and puffing, dragging something down the aisle. Got to change the battery! they said. Funny that, I always thought planes ran on kerosene! The plane finally took off about 45 minutes late.
The journey was without incident and the children coped well on their first long haul flight; this was mainly due to the seat back TVs one of the main reasons for booking with Virgin. My only gripe was with the choice of films. The kids channel was showing Lilo and Stitch, which the children loved, but all the other channels were very much geared to adults. Two were marked as unsuitable for children, the rest were all cert 15 and one cert 12, even the selection of comedy programmes contained adult material. Surely they could include at least one family type film? Tom and Molly watched Lilo and Stitch through at least 4 times during the flight and at one point after I had dozed off, I noticed Thomas was watching a particularly horrific scene on one of the other channels. (Steps down off soapbox)
We landed at Orlando International and disembarked and immediately noticed the American cops just like on TV! Then to passport control where the lady was chewing gum are all Americans stereotypes?
We collected our luggage remarkably quickly, loaded it onto a trolley and allowed the sniffer dogs to have a sniff. Then on to the x-ray machine unloaded the luggage onto the belt, collected it, loaded it onto our trolley (we were sensing a pattern here), down the corridor to another conveyor and yes you guessed it! Its a good job we had read Simon Vs guidebook and knew about the system or we may have refused to let our bags go again. On to the shuttle, through the next lot of security (Tim was searched again), reclaimed the bags again and then hurried to the Dollar desk to collect the hire car. We had heard all the reports of horrendous queues, so were amazed to be told that we were the first from our flight at the desk! We declined the upgrade, collected the car (a Dodge Stratus) and were at our hotel, La Quinta, on the 192 in Kissimmee within 1hr 45mins of landing.
We were pleased with the room, nicely furnished and comfortable with TV, coffee maker, fridge, iron and ironing board and large safe. The kids decided to test the pool immediately. Tim and I decided to test the poolside bar immediately.
After their swim, the children were getting seriously tired. In the hope of keeping them going a little while longer, we went out to eat. We chose Dennys as it was close, and we had our first experience of the cross examination from the waitress, the number of choices we had to make was mind-boggling. We spent the time waiting for the food to arrive, doing the kids puzzle books with them to keep them awake. I cant remember what everyone had but Molly and I shared chicken strips. After the meal we had to give in to the children as they were nearly comatose (I wasnt much better) and we went back to the hotel to bed.
Me: Ali (40-but only just!) - chief planner, packer, and organiser
Tim (47) - husband, driver, generally willing to go along with my plans, hates queuing.
Thomas (9)- son, Harry Potter fan
Molly (6) daughter, loves Ariel and all the other Disney Princesses.
Background
The last 10 years of family holidays have been to Mediterranean destinations. We have always wanted to visit Florida and were waiting for the children to be old enough to appreciate it. We visited Disneyland Paris two years ago as a dry run and loved it so booked to fly to Florida this year. As it happened, we flew on day three of the Iraq war.
This is my first attempt at a trip report and I shall be working largely from memory. My plans to spend a few quiet minutes each day whilst on holiday jotting down details didnt materialise where does the time go? Forgive me if I ramble on (and on!) but remember as first-timers, it was all wonderful and new to us!
The day before Fri 21/3/03
Tim set off for half a days work, the children went to school (heaven help their teachers trying to get them to concentrate), and I set about the task of packing for all of us. The cat was dispatched to the cattery looking very indignant (but its only March!).
Tim re-joined me at lunchtime for the ritual checks and double checks of tickets, passports, currency etc.
At 2.30pm we collected 2 very excited children from school and set off down the M40 towards Gatwick. (Just to clarify, they were our excited children!) The journey was not bad considering it was Friday night, only one hold up in road works. After reading such good reports of Virgins Twilight check-in we had decided to try it out and so we drove straight to the airport. What a great decision, there was no one in the queue at all! It was all plain sailing until the security guy questioned us about sharp objects. It transpires the children were carrying potentially lethal weapons, once these were packed away in the suitcases, we were allowed to continue. Ive never heard of anyone hijacking a plane with a couple of kids pencil sharpeners but you just never know!
We were in and out of the airport in less than 30 minutes brilliant, I was beginning to feel less stressed out by the minute. We had booked a family room at the Holiday Inn by Express just ten minutes away, the room was clean and modern and great value for £79 inclusive of breakfast and two weeks parking. Right next door was a pub (one of those chains, I forget which) and a Jeffersons restaurant. We choose the latter to start getting into the American mood. We had a good meal (apart from an incident involving my son and a full glass of juice) and retired to bed. During the night we had a visit from the tooth fairy as Molly had lost her front tooth during the day its a good job the fairy managed to find us whilst away from home!
Day One - Sat 22/3/03 - The journey
After a reasonable nights sleep, we rose at around 7am Molly now 50p richer, and went to the breakfast area. A buffet of croissants, cereal, fruit and beverages. We were all in a kind of daze; we had been waiting for so long for this day, it just didnt seem real.
Our flight was at 11.15am so we had plenty of time to get to the airport. We followed the directions to the airport car park (called Summer Special) that was located near the North Terminal. We had short wait to book in the car, then a few more minutes for the bus to take us to the South Terminal. We sailed past the check-in desks (ha!) and through the security checks. None of us were searched but they had to stop the conveyor belt on the x-ray machine when Mollys doll got trapped in it! (ooops!) Not much time to kill so we stocked up on reading matter at WHSmiths before riding the shuttle out to the gate. More security checks here, this time Tim was stopped and his camera bag was searched. The kids and I left him to his fate and went to catch our first sight of our plane Virgins English Rose. (747 Jumbo Jet)
When 11.00am arrived and boarding had not commenced we realised that the flight would not be leaving on time. Shortly after, they started making announcements about boarding certain rows couldnt hear what was said, even second time around so after a while we just joined the line. We were seated in row 34ABC and D; we had requested a window seat for the children who love to look out. Its been 10 years since Tim or I have had a chance to sit by the window!
While we were settling into our seats, two members of the airport staff were seen huffing and puffing, dragging something down the aisle. Got to change the battery! they said. Funny that, I always thought planes ran on kerosene! The plane finally took off about 45 minutes late.
The journey was without incident and the children coped well on their first long haul flight; this was mainly due to the seat back TVs one of the main reasons for booking with Virgin. My only gripe was with the choice of films. The kids channel was showing Lilo and Stitch, which the children loved, but all the other channels were very much geared to adults. Two were marked as unsuitable for children, the rest were all cert 15 and one cert 12, even the selection of comedy programmes contained adult material. Surely they could include at least one family type film? Tom and Molly watched Lilo and Stitch through at least 4 times during the flight and at one point after I had dozed off, I noticed Thomas was watching a particularly horrific scene on one of the other channels. (Steps down off soapbox)
We landed at Orlando International and disembarked and immediately noticed the American cops just like on TV! Then to passport control where the lady was chewing gum are all Americans stereotypes?
We collected our luggage remarkably quickly, loaded it onto a trolley and allowed the sniffer dogs to have a sniff. Then on to the x-ray machine unloaded the luggage onto the belt, collected it, loaded it onto our trolley (we were sensing a pattern here), down the corridor to another conveyor and yes you guessed it! Its a good job we had read Simon Vs guidebook and knew about the system or we may have refused to let our bags go again. On to the shuttle, through the next lot of security (Tim was searched again), reclaimed the bags again and then hurried to the Dollar desk to collect the hire car. We had heard all the reports of horrendous queues, so were amazed to be told that we were the first from our flight at the desk! We declined the upgrade, collected the car (a Dodge Stratus) and were at our hotel, La Quinta, on the 192 in Kissimmee within 1hr 45mins of landing.
We were pleased with the room, nicely furnished and comfortable with TV, coffee maker, fridge, iron and ironing board and large safe. The kids decided to test the pool immediately. Tim and I decided to test the poolside bar immediately.
After their swim, the children were getting seriously tired. In the hope of keeping them going a little while longer, we went out to eat. We chose Dennys as it was close, and we had our first experience of the cross examination from the waitress, the number of choices we had to make was mind-boggling. We spent the time waiting for the food to arrive, doing the kids puzzle books with them to keep them awake. I cant remember what everyone had but Molly and I shared chicken strips. After the meal we had to give in to the children as they were nearly comatose (I wasnt much better) and we went back to the hotel to bed.
Much better than with a fizzt drink (she speaks from experience).
