Thanks, I am enjoying sharing the holiday with you all. Anyway here is the rest of the journey day.
Surprisingly, the kids were sitting up in bed, not exactly looking fresh eyed and bushy tailed but awake. Neither had slept particularly well but were awake which was all that we could ask for at 5.15 am.
Everyone quickly got bathed or showered and then we tackled fastening all the bags up. Those little fiddly keys are not ideal when you feel like you are in a rush to check in, followed by fancy luggage straps with our name on. Totally stressed now, particularly as the hubbie was telling me I had given him the wrong keys, as if.
Trailed across to T2 and looked for the Virgin desk but there was none, according to what I had read it opened at 6 am. The hubbie and DS17 immediately said you said it was open which got my back straight up. Anyway for some reason the desks were not displaying the Virgin sign but on one of the monitors it said which desks to go to.
We went to the appropriate desks but were sent back to a kiosk machine to check in. This was quite an easy process because I had already filled in everything online and it just needed a scan of our Virgin frequent flyer cards to pull up the details. We were given the boarding passes and knew then we were all sitting in a row.
A quick check in followed, another line to check in the soft bodied cases and then a walk back to the hotel. I was slowly relaxing by then, DH picked up a free pastry by reception and we headed back to the room to pick up a couple of things.
By now it was just after 7 so we decided to head to security and get into the departure lounge. Last year, at about 8, the lines were really long and it took a good 20 minutes or so but this year we were straight through. Barring DH beeped and had to be searched. He had forgotten he had those fiddly little padlock keys in his pocket.
Next stop the executive lounge. The main departure lounge looked crowded, cramped and noisy so I was pleased we had booked into the lounge again, after last years freebie. The lounge has comfortable seats, papers, a tv, snacks and drinks. We had cereal, fruit, jam, buns and orange for breakfast and someone had a beer. Yuck, 8.45 am, naughty dh.
I filled in my visa waiver form. I hate doing these each year because I am always scared they will be wrong and we will be sent back to the end of the line in Orlando. Since a security officer had seemed annoyed I had filled them all in one year (barring the signature) I have always got them to fill it in. ¾ of us did it right, DS19 messed it up slightly so he have to do one on the plane.
Next a quick phone call to my Mam and Dad and a quick goodbye. I walked up to our gate 300 which is on the opposite side to all the other gates so I dont know if we are being bused out. I cannot see which plane we are on yet.
On the plane we have a row in the centre, numbered 23 which I believe is a good row to be in from what I think I have read on the disney forums. Anyway it will soon be check in so I will go now.
We ended up leaving the executive lounge a touch to early because I thought boarding was at 9.10, it turned out it was at 9.30. We had to go quite a way to gate 300 which was filled with people after about half an hour we were loaded out on a bus and shipped to the aeroplane.
The aeroplane looked huge and was the English Rose. We set off slightly late with an 8 hour flight promised. Our seats have plenty of room and are in row 23. This is a good row because there are no seats behind so we can recline without thinking we are going to bother anyone behind. DH is far left with DS17 far right.
Shortly after take off the film started. We all picked Vantage Point which turned out to be a pretty good film. The other films to pick from are 21, street kings, smart people, son of rambow, step up 2 the streets, fools gold, semipro, horton hears a who, 27 dreeses and the water horse.
The meal was served whilst we ate. I had spinach pasta, they had chicken pie. Togo with it was pasta, bread bun, crackers cheese, raspberry mousse, pasta, coffee, wine. I enjoyed it.
Now watching fools gold. This was an okay film. Whilst watching it we had two orange juices and an ice cream before having tea. Tea was just a sandwich, cookie and a coffee but it was just right. During tea I watched 21, this was an excellent film which I can recommend. Watching 3 films really made the flight go quickly.
We landed at 2 ish, were one of the first off the plane, straight to a desk in security, suitcases came off quickly, customs waved us through, virgin checked us in for the dollar rental, dollar took us to the car. In other words it was the quickest we have ever been through an airport.
DH upgraded the car, never does the normally but just fancied it when dollar showed him it. Our quickest ended here because we got lost coming out of the airport and ended up going north in to Orlando. I saw Church Street for the first time and it took a little while to relocate the I4W because of detours. We ended up going through an extremely dodgy neighbourhood on the official detour to the I4 but fortunately, there were police all over the place.
We were very relieved to find the I4W and headed to the Hard Rock. Check in here was quick and the rooms are lovely. They face out on to gardens that have one of the paths to the hotel running through it. We had a coffee and then did a bit of unpacking before heading to Universal to pick up our annual passes. On the way we sussed out a handy place in the hotel to pick up breakfast to take back to the room.
We picked the annual passes up from the customer services and then headed into Universal. It was very busy but we our front of the lines passes, lines were not a problem. DS17 wanted to do The Simpsons ride first, FOTL wait was 15 minutes, whilst the normal line was running at 60 minutes.
The new ride is extremely good with brilliant pictures that are almost 3D in texture. The ride is a lot smoother than the previous Back to the Future ride thankfully. Next Men in Black, Earthquake, Twister and the Terminator. After which, I said I had enough which was met with enthusiasm to my suggestion that we go back to the hotel. Our time was 9.30 pm, your time 2.30 pm. We had had a busy day and now it is time to rest.
We picked up some snacks, DH and DS17 dived in their beds and soon I will be asleep too. I have been awake now well over 24 hours and have managed to walk 4.48 miles today.
Well there you go The Journey, it feels a bit surreal that we have done this in one day as it now feels a lot longer. Hope to talk to you tomorrow. Night all.
.But i am the same i can never sleep the night before,neither can the hubby.Wondered if you were able to wake the kids
.x.
.You got quite a few rides done on your arrival day-i can't wait to ride the Simpsons.What's the weather like?Also you filled in your waiver form before you got on the plane-where did you get them from? Can't wait for more updates.x.
