Pooh's-Honey-Pot
DVC owner since 2020 - VGF, BLT and SSR
- Joined
- May 31, 2007
- Messages
- 3,668
Hi!!
Well we got back Friday but have been to jet lagged to consider the internet before now! Still haven't done an October trip report, so highly unlikely I will do a December one, so a few highs and lows . . .
Highs:-
Car hire from Alamo - did the online check-in and collected the car really quickly once we arrived.
Pop Century - really impressed actually. Very friendly staff, nice clean rooms, lovely theming. Would happily stay here again to save money. And I have to say better pool areat than PO, if you're into pools at all.
Christmas events - Osborne Lights and the Castle all lit up at night were beautiful. The Candlelight Processional was pretty good, though slightly tainted by the fact it was -1 when we were sitting outside watching it!
Family - it was nice showing the parks and our favourite resorts to my family, and made it different for us as well after visiting a lot the last few years. We didn't tour commando style, just picked out favourite things to show them so we could leave the parks by lunchtime each day. I was really impressed with the way they got up early to do rope drop with us. Must also give my brother and his gf credit for attempting a water park Xmas day - they were blue all evening!!!!!!!
Christmas generally - finally getting to see the parks decorated for Christmas after years of dreaming about it.
St Augustines. This was really pretty and we found a few things to do . . . however we went here on the coldest day of the trip . . . coupled with the sea breeze it was less than pleasant, and any minutes spent away from the car heater were considered wasted moments!!!!!
Lows:-
Virgin flight on the way out. I know they were short of planes because of the snow, and we were lucky just to go (two hours delayed because some of the staff for our flight we're stranded abroad, so we had to wait for poached staff from Heathrow to arrive!) but the plane we were on was a disgrace. All the sinks in economy were covered with masking tape and were unusable - all we had to use was a bottle of hand sanitiser. I think that was disgusting, but didn't feel I could complain because, as I said, we were lucky to be going.
Immigration in Orlando - is it me or does the line take 4 times as long now its one long queue?!
Weather - OMG! I knew it would be chilly, but had no idea it would be so cold!!! We had to de-ice the car a couple of times. According to the weather channel we had several of the coldest nights on record!!! And I am such a sun lover too!!!
I rarely wear that many clothes to walk the dogs in mid-winter here, so certainly didn't expect it in Florida.
Crowds - arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 'Nuff said. Rope drop was great, the emptiest, ever especially on EMH (7am in the cold!! Brrrrr) days, but from 10 onwards a complete nightmare. We saw MK close by 11am on at least two of the days there.
Ill. My dad and I were SO ill the last day with tummy problems I was worried we wouldn't be able to fly home. Had to miss all our last day plans including Tony's birthday meal at Beaches n Cream which we had been looking forward to all week. We had eaten at Coronado Springs food court the day before, and put it down to that as we hadn't eaten anywhere else together that day - first and last visit there!!!!
Food costs - the holiday surcharge cost on some Disney buffets really tainted the meals for me. Had the worst meal of our lives at Pizza Hut. Raglan Road, Tony Romas and Nine Dragons all excellent though.
Space Centre. DULL!! Does anyone actually ever return here?!!!!!!
To be honest this isn't a time of year I would EVER consider visiting again, the crowds and weather ruined it for me. I'm so glad I had the chance to see the Christmas bits though. In fact, we have always said if we win the lottery we will move to Florida . . . now we have extended the plan to add "but spend Christmas in California"!!!!!!
Well we got back Friday but have been to jet lagged to consider the internet before now! Still haven't done an October trip report, so highly unlikely I will do a December one, so a few highs and lows . . .
Highs:-
Car hire from Alamo - did the online check-in and collected the car really quickly once we arrived.
Pop Century - really impressed actually. Very friendly staff, nice clean rooms, lovely theming. Would happily stay here again to save money. And I have to say better pool areat than PO, if you're into pools at all.
Christmas events - Osborne Lights and the Castle all lit up at night were beautiful. The Candlelight Processional was pretty good, though slightly tainted by the fact it was -1 when we were sitting outside watching it!
Family - it was nice showing the parks and our favourite resorts to my family, and made it different for us as well after visiting a lot the last few years. We didn't tour commando style, just picked out favourite things to show them so we could leave the parks by lunchtime each day. I was really impressed with the way they got up early to do rope drop with us. Must also give my brother and his gf credit for attempting a water park Xmas day - they were blue all evening!!!!!!!
Christmas generally - finally getting to see the parks decorated for Christmas after years of dreaming about it.
St Augustines. This was really pretty and we found a few things to do . . . however we went here on the coldest day of the trip . . . coupled with the sea breeze it was less than pleasant, and any minutes spent away from the car heater were considered wasted moments!!!!!
Lows:-
Virgin flight on the way out. I know they were short of planes because of the snow, and we were lucky just to go (two hours delayed because some of the staff for our flight we're stranded abroad, so we had to wait for poached staff from Heathrow to arrive!) but the plane we were on was a disgrace. All the sinks in economy were covered with masking tape and were unusable - all we had to use was a bottle of hand sanitiser. I think that was disgusting, but didn't feel I could complain because, as I said, we were lucky to be going.
Immigration in Orlando - is it me or does the line take 4 times as long now its one long queue?!
Weather - OMG! I knew it would be chilly, but had no idea it would be so cold!!! We had to de-ice the car a couple of times. According to the weather channel we had several of the coldest nights on record!!! And I am such a sun lover too!!!
I rarely wear that many clothes to walk the dogs in mid-winter here, so certainly didn't expect it in Florida.Crowds - arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 'Nuff said. Rope drop was great, the emptiest, ever especially on EMH (7am in the cold!! Brrrrr) days, but from 10 onwards a complete nightmare. We saw MK close by 11am on at least two of the days there.
Ill. My dad and I were SO ill the last day with tummy problems I was worried we wouldn't be able to fly home. Had to miss all our last day plans including Tony's birthday meal at Beaches n Cream which we had been looking forward to all week. We had eaten at Coronado Springs food court the day before, and put it down to that as we hadn't eaten anywhere else together that day - first and last visit there!!!!
Food costs - the holiday surcharge cost on some Disney buffets really tainted the meals for me. Had the worst meal of our lives at Pizza Hut. Raglan Road, Tony Romas and Nine Dragons all excellent though.
Space Centre. DULL!! Does anyone actually ever return here?!!!!!!
To be honest this isn't a time of year I would EVER consider visiting again, the crowds and weather ruined it for me. I'm so glad I had the chance to see the Christmas bits though. In fact, we have always said if we win the lottery we will move to Florida . . . now we have extended the plan to add "but spend Christmas in California"!!!!!!
Hope you are both feeling better now.
