Well, the day is finally here and we're up at 5:30am. Didnt really need the alarm - couldnt sleep anyway - far too excited!!!!
Everything is packed and ready and the cab arrives at 6:30am to take us to Gatwick. We arrive at about 7:15am - 4 hours prior to departure.
We did do online check-in the day before, which is an absolute doddle and a brilliant idea. So we go straight to the online check in desk. One family in front of us and we're through!
Have a quick look round the shops, and breakfast at MacDonalds!!
We go through the departure lounge, and get 200 cigs!! Smoked loads while waiting for our gate to open.
We get on plane and managed to keep hold of our pre-booked seats (2 rows of 2 - window seats - at rear).
The flight is fine, films were good, but couldnt really concentrate - I enjoyed the channel though that showed where the plane was over the atlantic! Watched that one for hours!!
Virgin were good, the food was ok, my daughter Heather has a peanut allergy and they were superb in serving her a nut-free meal first. In fact, some of the food she received made my son jealous!!
Virgin had a competition going for the kids - they had to draw a Virgin aeroplane being pilotted by their favourite Disney character. Both my kids had a go, and my son came first!! He won a limited edition Virgin aeroplane toy-thing worth about £15.
I will admit now, though, that he had trouble drawing a Mickey head in the window at the front of the plane so I did this for him!! Not that I'm brilliant at drawing Mickey heads - but for a 10 year old I did well!! So for anyone travelling on that flight - yes, we cheated!!
Another thing worth mentioning - Ive read so many threads asking how to get the green Visa Waiver forms sent before flying in order to fill them out before the flight so not to make mistakes. I remember reading these threads thinking "well, surely, if you take your time, then you wont make mistakes". So what do I do? Yep - ruin the first one I try to complete!!!!
Anyway - arrive about half an hour early - and me and Mat (fiance at this point are gagging for a cigarette!). Being sat at the back of the plane, we are the last few off. Get to immigration and start to feel nervous, again due to reading so many threads saying that the officials there are none-too-friendly.
We saw a nice looking immigration chappy and decide to queue for him. (The queue was longer - but he was smiling!!!! - the others looked far too scary for me!!!!!)
But one of the non-smiley ones beckoned us over to his desk. Mat goes over first (different surname) and gets through fine. Then me and the kids, no problems at all. Finger print and photos took no time at all.
Hassle getting the luggage and tempers are frayed between Mat and I (and we are due to get married in 3 days!!!). Absolutely dying at this point for a cigarette.
We found Orlando International thoroughly confusing, but make it through and meet the Virgin rep. They direct us to the Mears shuttle.
There are about 4 families on the Mears coach already. And we had to wait for more to turn up. Mat has a headache and is snapping at the kids. I get off the coach with my 200 cigs and smoke myself senseless!!!
Anyway, the coach is ready and off we go. The driver points out various sites but we really cant take it in. Mat and I are hardly talking at this point!!! We have to drop off at a couple of other hotels first before reaching the Quality Inn International - and the driver points out that there are two QI hotels on I-Drive, and we should always call ours Low-Q when booking taxis etc.
Hotel looks fine to us, and I go in to collect keys etc. Get directed to our room, and we struggle with the cases to our room only to find a "No Smoking" sign on the door. Well we cant have that!!
I went straight back to reception and said that I had booked the hotel 14 months previously, requesting a Smoking room, and that there was no way they could have booked all the smoking rooms in Aug 03. So we got our smoking room!!
The room was large, with a fridge, microwave, coffee machine, iron and board. After various negative posts about the QII we were pleasantly surprised.
After unpacking (and checking out the dresses etc for the wedding) we head next door to the MacDonalds for dinner. And Mat and I are speaking again now!!!
Must have gone to bed at around 10pm. Slept very well!!!
Everything is packed and ready and the cab arrives at 6:30am to take us to Gatwick. We arrive at about 7:15am - 4 hours prior to departure.
We did do online check-in the day before, which is an absolute doddle and a brilliant idea. So we go straight to the online check in desk. One family in front of us and we're through!
Have a quick look round the shops, and breakfast at MacDonalds!!
We go through the departure lounge, and get 200 cigs!! Smoked loads while waiting for our gate to open.
We get on plane and managed to keep hold of our pre-booked seats (2 rows of 2 - window seats - at rear).
The flight is fine, films were good, but couldnt really concentrate - I enjoyed the channel though that showed where the plane was over the atlantic! Watched that one for hours!!
Virgin were good, the food was ok, my daughter Heather has a peanut allergy and they were superb in serving her a nut-free meal first. In fact, some of the food she received made my son jealous!!
Virgin had a competition going for the kids - they had to draw a Virgin aeroplane being pilotted by their favourite Disney character. Both my kids had a go, and my son came first!! He won a limited edition Virgin aeroplane toy-thing worth about £15.
I will admit now, though, that he had trouble drawing a Mickey head in the window at the front of the plane so I did this for him!! Not that I'm brilliant at drawing Mickey heads - but for a 10 year old I did well!! So for anyone travelling on that flight - yes, we cheated!!
Another thing worth mentioning - Ive read so many threads asking how to get the green Visa Waiver forms sent before flying in order to fill them out before the flight so not to make mistakes. I remember reading these threads thinking "well, surely, if you take your time, then you wont make mistakes". So what do I do? Yep - ruin the first one I try to complete!!!!
Anyway - arrive about half an hour early - and me and Mat (fiance at this point are gagging for a cigarette!). Being sat at the back of the plane, we are the last few off. Get to immigration and start to feel nervous, again due to reading so many threads saying that the officials there are none-too-friendly.
We saw a nice looking immigration chappy and decide to queue for him. (The queue was longer - but he was smiling!!!! - the others looked far too scary for me!!!!!)
But one of the non-smiley ones beckoned us over to his desk. Mat goes over first (different surname) and gets through fine. Then me and the kids, no problems at all. Finger print and photos took no time at all.
Hassle getting the luggage and tempers are frayed between Mat and I (and we are due to get married in 3 days!!!). Absolutely dying at this point for a cigarette.
We found Orlando International thoroughly confusing, but make it through and meet the Virgin rep. They direct us to the Mears shuttle.
There are about 4 families on the Mears coach already. And we had to wait for more to turn up. Mat has a headache and is snapping at the kids. I get off the coach with my 200 cigs and smoke myself senseless!!!
Anyway, the coach is ready and off we go. The driver points out various sites but we really cant take it in. Mat and I are hardly talking at this point!!! We have to drop off at a couple of other hotels first before reaching the Quality Inn International - and the driver points out that there are two QI hotels on I-Drive, and we should always call ours Low-Q when booking taxis etc.
Hotel looks fine to us, and I go in to collect keys etc. Get directed to our room, and we struggle with the cases to our room only to find a "No Smoking" sign on the door. Well we cant have that!!
I went straight back to reception and said that I had booked the hotel 14 months previously, requesting a Smoking room, and that there was no way they could have booked all the smoking rooms in Aug 03. So we got our smoking room!!
The room was large, with a fridge, microwave, coffee machine, iron and board. After various negative posts about the QII we were pleasantly surprised.
After unpacking (and checking out the dresses etc for the wedding) we head next door to the MacDonalds for dinner. And Mat and I are speaking again now!!!
Must have gone to bed at around 10pm. Slept very well!!!
lorraine
we have been twice with virgin and have never had them play games with the kids
she didn't smile once and my dh remaked if they are all like this it's a wonder anyone visits their country,perhaps she didn't like the look of us,lol
