Mike Jones
<font color=993300>....nothing clever to say... ju
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2003
- Messages
- 1,372
Previous Days:
Part 1 - Pre-trip, The Journey & First Afternoon in NY
Day 2, New York
Day 3, New York
DAY 4 - TUESDAY 2ND MAY 2006.
My sleep patterns are all over the place and I wake before the alarm at 3am. We shower and pack, and check-out by 4:15.
You cant pre-book yellow cabs, but the night porter calls one for us and I tip him a couple of dollars. The cabbie, Ahmed, drives like a lunatic through virtually empty streets and we arrive at Newark in about 30 minutes.
The airport is also deserted. Continental have a whole terminal here for their domestic flights, and we obtain our boarding passes from one of the automated terminals. The security gates are also empty, and within 15 minutes we are enjoying a coffee and muffin at our departure are, Gate C125.
The plane arrived on stand at 5:45, and shortly afterwards around 20 passengers and a crew appeared to join us. We board without incident at 6:20, a 757 (3+3 seats) and we have our row of three to ourselves (16A & B).
The plane is half empty. It starts to taxi at 6:50, takes off smoothly at 7:05 and, after admiring the views across Manhattan, we read for the duration of the short flight to Florida (A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby for me, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro for Amanda)
The flight path follows the coastline south, through clear skies, and the crew serves breakfast at 7:25 (muffin, OJ and a coffee). They show episodes of Joey on the cabin screens, and although I accept another set of headphones I cant be bothered to watch, preferring to doze in between chapters of my book.
The view below starts to become more familiar, and we land at 9:20. The taxi takes a while, but we exit quickly and present ourselves at the deserted Alamo desk by 10:05. There is a minor confrontation when the attendant tries to charge us for the premier service weve already paid for, and although I make a call to our UK agent, Val, it resolves when the lady realises I wont give in. Her attitude leaves a lot to be desired though, casting the first sour note of the trip.
Never mind. We change into T-shirts in the restrooms and select our car from a row of Chrysler Sebring convertibles in the garage opposite the terminal. Its hot and lovely as we exit the airport, roof down, bandana and shades in place. I prefer the north exit and the direct route along the toll road 528, to I4 west. Traffic is light, and we arrive smartly at the Boardwalk Villas lobby by 10:35 to be welcomed home (I love this DVC package!) and take up the free to members, valet parking.
We leave the luggage with Bell Services (our room wont be ready til 4pm) and walk out onto the Boardwalk. Honey, Im home!
Its a lovely day, with people strolling both ways around the lake. The resort hotels across the water look wonderful in the sunshine.
We take a few photos and wander, smiley faced, towards Epcot.
Theres a bit of a line at the International Gateway (Epcots back door) as we enter just before 1100am, and, after a fruitless venture into the store to buy suncream (ours is in the car, doh!) we mount the small rise to the bridge. The World Showcase is just opening before 11am you can only walk through the UK and Canada pavilions and we bear left, through these two countries towards the Land Pavilion, to see if there are any FastPasses left for Soarin.
We pause at the entrance to the World Showcase to admire the stunning floral characters, created for the Flower and Garden Festival.
Its very busy in The Land, (does anyone else think that Soarin deserves its own, dedicated entrance from the plaza, eliminating the almost certain congestion created by making people enter the Land, and go down to a lower level?) but we are successful and secure a 2-3pm slot for the ride. Satisfied, we head over through Innoventions to Mousegear in where we buy some sun block. We cream up in the Breezeway (sounds a bit mucky that, doesnt it?!) and walk to Mission Space.
The Standby time is posted as 20 minutes, so we join the line at 11:35. Its more like 10 though, and we ride and exit by 11:55. Still a favourite, this, for me. Amanda enjoys it, but doesnt think it as special as I do.
Next stop, TestTrack. Now, when I was here two years ago with Scott, for my 40th, we were given some anytime FPs for TT, after it went down several times in one day. I kept them, somehow, and present them to the bemused Cast Member (we havent had these for ten years or so! Yeah, right!) He lets us in, and we bypass the 40-minute SB line to ride within 5 minutes! Result! Two of the biggies done in an hour, and FPs for the 3rd in our pocket. We exit through the GM display area, where I note with delight that the huge, GM Explorer van I admired two years ago has returned. This beastie has leather armchair seating for 7 and a 2ft LCD TV in the back!
Were hungry now, so we return to the World Showcase, via Innoventions Plaza. Kristos, a trio of acrobats, comprising incredibly limber mom and her two bulky sons, are just starting their act on a raised podium near the fountain. Surprisingly there are now four of them presumably sis has flown over to join them?
Part 1 - Pre-trip, The Journey & First Afternoon in NY
Day 2, New York
Day 3, New York
DAY 4 - TUESDAY 2ND MAY 2006.
My sleep patterns are all over the place and I wake before the alarm at 3am. We shower and pack, and check-out by 4:15.
You cant pre-book yellow cabs, but the night porter calls one for us and I tip him a couple of dollars. The cabbie, Ahmed, drives like a lunatic through virtually empty streets and we arrive at Newark in about 30 minutes.
The airport is also deserted. Continental have a whole terminal here for their domestic flights, and we obtain our boarding passes from one of the automated terminals. The security gates are also empty, and within 15 minutes we are enjoying a coffee and muffin at our departure are, Gate C125.
The plane arrived on stand at 5:45, and shortly afterwards around 20 passengers and a crew appeared to join us. We board without incident at 6:20, a 757 (3+3 seats) and we have our row of three to ourselves (16A & B).
The plane is half empty. It starts to taxi at 6:50, takes off smoothly at 7:05 and, after admiring the views across Manhattan, we read for the duration of the short flight to Florida (A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby for me, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro for Amanda)
The flight path follows the coastline south, through clear skies, and the crew serves breakfast at 7:25 (muffin, OJ and a coffee). They show episodes of Joey on the cabin screens, and although I accept another set of headphones I cant be bothered to watch, preferring to doze in between chapters of my book.
The view below starts to become more familiar, and we land at 9:20. The taxi takes a while, but we exit quickly and present ourselves at the deserted Alamo desk by 10:05. There is a minor confrontation when the attendant tries to charge us for the premier service weve already paid for, and although I make a call to our UK agent, Val, it resolves when the lady realises I wont give in. Her attitude leaves a lot to be desired though, casting the first sour note of the trip.
Never mind. We change into T-shirts in the restrooms and select our car from a row of Chrysler Sebring convertibles in the garage opposite the terminal. Its hot and lovely as we exit the airport, roof down, bandana and shades in place. I prefer the north exit and the direct route along the toll road 528, to I4 west. Traffic is light, and we arrive smartly at the Boardwalk Villas lobby by 10:35 to be welcomed home (I love this DVC package!) and take up the free to members, valet parking.
We leave the luggage with Bell Services (our room wont be ready til 4pm) and walk out onto the Boardwalk. Honey, Im home!
Its a lovely day, with people strolling both ways around the lake. The resort hotels across the water look wonderful in the sunshine.
We take a few photos and wander, smiley faced, towards Epcot.
Theres a bit of a line at the International Gateway (Epcots back door) as we enter just before 1100am, and, after a fruitless venture into the store to buy suncream (ours is in the car, doh!) we mount the small rise to the bridge. The World Showcase is just opening before 11am you can only walk through the UK and Canada pavilions and we bear left, through these two countries towards the Land Pavilion, to see if there are any FastPasses left for Soarin.
We pause at the entrance to the World Showcase to admire the stunning floral characters, created for the Flower and Garden Festival.
Its very busy in The Land, (does anyone else think that Soarin deserves its own, dedicated entrance from the plaza, eliminating the almost certain congestion created by making people enter the Land, and go down to a lower level?) but we are successful and secure a 2-3pm slot for the ride. Satisfied, we head over through Innoventions to Mousegear in where we buy some sun block. We cream up in the Breezeway (sounds a bit mucky that, doesnt it?!) and walk to Mission Space.
The Standby time is posted as 20 minutes, so we join the line at 11:35. Its more like 10 though, and we ride and exit by 11:55. Still a favourite, this, for me. Amanda enjoys it, but doesnt think it as special as I do.
Next stop, TestTrack. Now, when I was here two years ago with Scott, for my 40th, we were given some anytime FPs for TT, after it went down several times in one day. I kept them, somehow, and present them to the bemused Cast Member (we havent had these for ten years or so! Yeah, right!) He lets us in, and we bypass the 40-minute SB line to ride within 5 minutes! Result! Two of the biggies done in an hour, and FPs for the 3rd in our pocket. We exit through the GM display area, where I note with delight that the huge, GM Explorer van I admired two years ago has returned. This beastie has leather armchair seating for 7 and a 2ft LCD TV in the back!
Were hungry now, so we return to the World Showcase, via Innoventions Plaza. Kristos, a trio of acrobats, comprising incredibly limber mom and her two bulky sons, are just starting their act on a raised podium near the fountain. Surprisingly there are now four of them presumably sis has flown over to join them?
My home the Boardwalk 
