Well just got back from a 16 day vacation in Florida! Yes 16 not 14, we will talk about why in a moment. In this bit, i will be talking about our Hotel and the flight. Then when i have all the photos loaded on my computer i will continue with the theme parks. If you want to miss out the hotel review and hear about how Monarch Lied, and delayed 315 people 42 Hours, scroll down to the Monarch Review.
We stayed (The Ball Family, Adele(Mum) Nick(Dad) Tessa(my sister) and I(Adam) at the HomeWood Suites International Drive.
Homewood Suites International Drive
This hotel was really nice, it wasnt technically on International Drive it was set back. First impressions were good, the hotel was clean, friendly and polite. Now flying with a UK tour operator we did not have a voucher which was needed to pay for our stay. Cosmos did not know anything about it. Homewood Suites took our credit card and threatened to charge our bill (the 14 nights) to it. Not good! Luckily Cosmos sorted it out.
The Rooms
The rooms were spacious and clean. We had a 2 rooms which had a kitchen and a sofa bed in one, and a king sized bed in the other. The rooms where cleaned everyday linen was changed every other.
Overall
I couldnt really fault the hotel. O yeah, did i forget to mention we found a condom under the lamp shade, yer we were treated a lot differently after that. Nevertherless we got a free breakfast, and free drinks and alcohol, Monday to Thursday.
Monarch Airlines
Well, Well, Well where to beign. I know the DELAYS!
The Delays
If you are flying to Florida do not go with a budget airline, others may think different but after my expierence i would pay the extra to go with Vidgin Atlantic.
Day 14
Now we flew to Florida on the 28th. We had a four delay because of a technical problem.. It wasnt that bad we had the thought of goingto florida in our heads.
The Way Back
However,
On the way back we were meant to leave on the 12th. Now i think everyone knows about what happened. However our flight was delayed for antoher reason.
We arrived at the aiport at 11O'clock ( Sanford Airport). We sat around for about an hour, to wait fro check in to open. When it did we all began to queue. we sat in the queue for another hour. Nothing happened! We then had a group of Sanford Representatives, not Monarch Representatives come out and tell us we were going to stay in an overnight hotel. However, they took allour bags off of us. So we had once set of clothes, toothpast cheap deodrant(because all of this would have to be thrown away) and my mum had some make up(which would have to be thrown away)
Day15
We stayed at the Sheraton World Hotel, quite a crummy hotel. After spendning a day there and not being told about what was going onwe departed at 6 Oclock for 10 oclock PM flight.
We arrived again at Sanford Aiport, skippen check in, went past security throwing everything which was a liquid, aerosol, or make up away, and sat in the departure lounge.
We were given a letter and a food voucher of $12. Not Bad!
10 O'Clock came and went. 12 O'Clock came and went. People were starting to get roudy, because they had spent most of the night in the pubat Sanford. We hadnt be told anything. An announcment came on,
"Ladies and Gentlemen. The Flight has landed, however the crew are very tired, so therefore we will be putting you in accomodation for the night"
Id never seen something like this everyone stood up and rushed to the information desk which had made the announcement. People were swearing shouting abuse, it was an expierence. The lady then spoke up and said
"Ladies and Gentlemen, i must remind you there is not enough coaches to take you all at once"
Everyone then charged out of the departure lounge, moving to Immigration (as that is the only way to get back out).
Now my mum is a smoker, and because of what had happened she lit up. Bad idea! We got down into the "Federal Area" where my mum was told to put the cigerete out, she refused. Big Mistake! The Police women took it squashed then asked for my mums passport, she was then asscorted out of the airport. Shortly after this (because we were queuing for the buses) everyone started shouting things at the federal women. She persistantly claimed that you are in a different country and we are under their rules and the reply was
"We dont want to be in your country anymore" We were then told to wait out side all 315 of us.
It had been 30Hours now!
Day 16
We stayed at the Marriot somewhere in or around Sanford. Cant be sure because it was the dead of night. We arrived at 2PM, and then had to leave again at 6PM stupid. O yeah, remember we had to throw away toothpaste gel and makeup, so we had nothing.
Arriving at the aiport for the third time, we went past security, and sat inthe departure lounge again. We were meant to fly at 9.00 AM, we didnt we flew at 11.00 AM because the crew did not arrive.
Now the plane had changed in this time. We were meant to fly on a boeing 747, however that had the techinal fault and was unservicable. So we got a Boeing A300. Which was small. We had to stop off in Canada to re-fuel. Making the time of travel longer.
Arriving back at Gatwick, the plane had a technical error s owe wated an hour to recieve our luggage.
Monarch really screwed us. They couldnt blame it on the terriosts, because it was there fault. I would never fly with Monarch again.!
Part 2- Day 1 coming tomorrow...
We stayed (The Ball Family, Adele(Mum) Nick(Dad) Tessa(my sister) and I(Adam) at the HomeWood Suites International Drive.
Homewood Suites International Drive
This hotel was really nice, it wasnt technically on International Drive it was set back. First impressions were good, the hotel was clean, friendly and polite. Now flying with a UK tour operator we did not have a voucher which was needed to pay for our stay. Cosmos did not know anything about it. Homewood Suites took our credit card and threatened to charge our bill (the 14 nights) to it. Not good! Luckily Cosmos sorted it out.
The Rooms
The rooms were spacious and clean. We had a 2 rooms which had a kitchen and a sofa bed in one, and a king sized bed in the other. The rooms where cleaned everyday linen was changed every other.
Overall
I couldnt really fault the hotel. O yeah, did i forget to mention we found a condom under the lamp shade, yer we were treated a lot differently after that. Nevertherless we got a free breakfast, and free drinks and alcohol, Monday to Thursday.
Monarch Airlines
Well, Well, Well where to beign. I know the DELAYS!
The Delays
If you are flying to Florida do not go with a budget airline, others may think different but after my expierence i would pay the extra to go with Vidgin Atlantic.
Day 14
Now we flew to Florida on the 28th. We had a four delay because of a technical problem.. It wasnt that bad we had the thought of goingto florida in our heads.
The Way Back
However,
On the way back we were meant to leave on the 12th. Now i think everyone knows about what happened. However our flight was delayed for antoher reason.
We arrived at the aiport at 11O'clock ( Sanford Airport). We sat around for about an hour, to wait fro check in to open. When it did we all began to queue. we sat in the queue for another hour. Nothing happened! We then had a group of Sanford Representatives, not Monarch Representatives come out and tell us we were going to stay in an overnight hotel. However, they took allour bags off of us. So we had once set of clothes, toothpast cheap deodrant(because all of this would have to be thrown away) and my mum had some make up(which would have to be thrown away)
Day15
We stayed at the Sheraton World Hotel, quite a crummy hotel. After spendning a day there and not being told about what was going onwe departed at 6 Oclock for 10 oclock PM flight.
We arrived again at Sanford Aiport, skippen check in, went past security throwing everything which was a liquid, aerosol, or make up away, and sat in the departure lounge.
We were given a letter and a food voucher of $12. Not Bad!
10 O'Clock came and went. 12 O'Clock came and went. People were starting to get roudy, because they had spent most of the night in the pubat Sanford. We hadnt be told anything. An announcment came on,
"Ladies and Gentlemen. The Flight has landed, however the crew are very tired, so therefore we will be putting you in accomodation for the night"
Id never seen something like this everyone stood up and rushed to the information desk which had made the announcement. People were swearing shouting abuse, it was an expierence. The lady then spoke up and said
"Ladies and Gentlemen, i must remind you there is not enough coaches to take you all at once"
Everyone then charged out of the departure lounge, moving to Immigration (as that is the only way to get back out).
Now my mum is a smoker, and because of what had happened she lit up. Bad idea! We got down into the "Federal Area" where my mum was told to put the cigerete out, she refused. Big Mistake! The Police women took it squashed then asked for my mums passport, she was then asscorted out of the airport. Shortly after this (because we were queuing for the buses) everyone started shouting things at the federal women. She persistantly claimed that you are in a different country and we are under their rules and the reply was
"We dont want to be in your country anymore" We were then told to wait out side all 315 of us.
It had been 30Hours now!
Day 16
We stayed at the Marriot somewhere in or around Sanford. Cant be sure because it was the dead of night. We arrived at 2PM, and then had to leave again at 6PM stupid. O yeah, remember we had to throw away toothpaste gel and makeup, so we had nothing.
Arriving at the aiport for the third time, we went past security, and sat inthe departure lounge again. We were meant to fly at 9.00 AM, we didnt we flew at 11.00 AM because the crew did not arrive.
Now the plane had changed in this time. We were meant to fly on a boeing 747, however that had the techinal fault and was unservicable. So we got a Boeing A300. Which was small. We had to stop off in Canada to re-fuel. Making the time of travel longer.
Arriving back at Gatwick, the plane had a technical error s owe wated an hour to recieve our luggage.
Monarch really screwed us. They couldnt blame it on the terriosts, because it was there fault. I would never fly with Monarch again.!
Part 2- Day 1 coming tomorrow...
