Hi all,
Yesterday I was back home from a wonderfull two week solo trip to Walt Disney World. Since its so nice to read Tripreports from others I am happy to write my own. I will do this on a day by day basis. Here I will start with my first day.
Traveller: Me, myself and I.
Destination: Coronado Springs Resort
Duration: From 29 april through 13 may.
Chapter: DAY 1 (tuesday 29 april).
Its 5.15 in the morning and the allarm clock rings. I had to get up and shower. My first solo trip to WDW begins today. I had packed may bagage the day before. After showering and a quick breakfast I had to leave home. Just checked some important things to be sure that I didn't forgot (passport, vouchers etc.)
Left home about 6.20am for a walk to the train station. My case has wheels on it, so its easyer to walk with it, but although I was happy to be at the station 15 minutes later. Normally its a 10 minutes walk, but I counted extra time for walking with all the bagage. The train was on time at 6.40am leaving Oisterwijk where I live for a six minute ride to Tilburg.
At Tilburg I need to change trains. Another train change was needed at Dordrecht and finally I arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport about 9.30. The flight was scheduled for 1pm, but I had planned to be there earlyer because of a possible train delay. Fortunately it doesn't happen.
Another 10 minute walk from the Airports train station to the check in counter from United. There was allready a line. I joined the que and noticed that the que didn't move. The fact was that the check in did not start until 10am, just three hours before the scheduled flight time. After they started operating the counters the que went faster as I had expected. First everyone needed to preceed the bagage they wish to check in through the X-ray machine. Oh. Why happened this to me. My case needed to go three times through the X ray. After that a security person asked me to follow him to a table at the back of the area where I was asked to open the case. The man searched for a few minutes with his hands through the case, but of course everything was OK. After that I could close the case and he assisted me with it and wishes me a nice flight. After that it was a short wait for the next available check in counter. I presented my electronic ticked and passport and shortly she handed me the two boarding passes. One for the first flight from Amsterdam to Washington Dulles and the second was for Washington Dulles to Orlando.
And of course she checked my case and it proceeded directly on the belt.
Now the next stop was passport control. At this time I'm official leaving the country. Of course Its still our country, but its a transit area. Just after the passport control was the security check. Its just the same thing as allways. Your handbagage and all your metal pieces must go to the X ray and you self through the metal detector. I didn't set off the alarm, so no second searches were needed.
Still a good time to spent before boarding. And that is easy at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Lots of shops, bars, and restaurants there. There also is a museum and a casino. Not only in Las Vegas but also in Amsterdam they have slot machines in the airport. Not behind every gate, but in a real casino with a nice bar.
Had a few drinks there after doing some shopping. Also I needed to complete the two forms I needed to enter the USA which took some time.
Flight was on time and landed around 3.15pm in Washington. Count a time difference of 6 hours, so the flight was a little bit more then 8 hour.
This time there was not a long line at immigration and I waited less then five minutes. Without any question the immigrations officer stamped my passport and the green departure form and I entered the USA. Another five minutes wait for my case. Its so stupid. I took my case from the belt, proceed through US Costums without any wait and had only to give him the US Customs form and after that I could drop off my case for further transportation. Just after this there was a new security check, also without ringing the bell and I could proceed into the gate area.
Still more then an hour to go, my connecting flight was scheduled for 5.45pm. Went to Burger King for a whopper and a coke. Walked around a little bit and finally went to the gate from which my next flight departed. Also this flight was on time. It took about 1 hour and 45 minutes and a little bit later then 7.30pm I was finally at Orlando Int. Airport.
Took the tram to the main building and to bagage claim to get my case. Then it was time to find the mears counter. Couldn't find it at first. After asking it to a bagage employee he told me to go downstairs. Took the elevator and there it was. A long row of counter space, but it wasn't busy. Just a few persons in front of me. Bought a roundtrip ticket for $28. They drected me to the outside of the terminal and ask there further for whick bus I needed. It turned out that I could just hop on a waiting bus and the bus left off within five minutes. Maybe I had luck with it. Now it was 8pm.
The drive was about 30 minutes and went first to a non-Disney hotel. After that he drove to the Beach Club and finally to the Coronado Springs resort. It was a nice driver and he told a few things about Disney and the parks during the ride.
It was 9pm when I entered the check in line. I waited about 15 minutes in line for check in. Had requested a room in the Casitas section through Dreams Unlimited, but the check in CM told me that I was assigned to the Cabana section. He showed me on the map where the room was and it was not far away. I think I couldn't had a closer room to the main building as this, even in the Casitas section. The room was in the Cabanas building 9B first. Room number was 9530. After I had noticed that the room was really close to the main building I told him that it was OK. If I wanted really another room he would be happy to look for it, but was happy with the fact how close the room was to everything.
Went to the room and maked my first mistake. He told me first floor, so I went upstairs. I had forgotten that in the USA first floor is the same as ground floor, so I couldn't find my room and finally I relized that its different in the USA then in our country, so I went back down the stairs. Now it was easy to find the room.
And what a room. Of course big enough for me. I think the last time I was in Paris I had a room that was half the size of this one. I liked it very much. The window view was fortunately not a parking lot but a water view. Not the lake side, but the water that is at the right side of the main building.
I decided to stay with this beautifull room the whole trip.
After I was settled in the room it was nearly 10pm and if you count the time difference it was 4am for me. I quickly went to bed .
Coming soon: DAY 2, with a (sort of sneak preview) tour of three theme parks on the first day.
Marcel Slangen
Yesterday I was back home from a wonderfull two week solo trip to Walt Disney World. Since its so nice to read Tripreports from others I am happy to write my own. I will do this on a day by day basis. Here I will start with my first day.
Traveller: Me, myself and I.
Destination: Coronado Springs Resort
Duration: From 29 april through 13 may.
Chapter: DAY 1 (tuesday 29 april).
Its 5.15 in the morning and the allarm clock rings. I had to get up and shower. My first solo trip to WDW begins today. I had packed may bagage the day before. After showering and a quick breakfast I had to leave home. Just checked some important things to be sure that I didn't forgot (passport, vouchers etc.)
Left home about 6.20am for a walk to the train station. My case has wheels on it, so its easyer to walk with it, but although I was happy to be at the station 15 minutes later. Normally its a 10 minutes walk, but I counted extra time for walking with all the bagage. The train was on time at 6.40am leaving Oisterwijk where I live for a six minute ride to Tilburg.
At Tilburg I need to change trains. Another train change was needed at Dordrecht and finally I arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport about 9.30. The flight was scheduled for 1pm, but I had planned to be there earlyer because of a possible train delay. Fortunately it doesn't happen.
Another 10 minute walk from the Airports train station to the check in counter from United. There was allready a line. I joined the que and noticed that the que didn't move. The fact was that the check in did not start until 10am, just three hours before the scheduled flight time. After they started operating the counters the que went faster as I had expected. First everyone needed to preceed the bagage they wish to check in through the X-ray machine. Oh. Why happened this to me. My case needed to go three times through the X ray. After that a security person asked me to follow him to a table at the back of the area where I was asked to open the case. The man searched for a few minutes with his hands through the case, but of course everything was OK. After that I could close the case and he assisted me with it and wishes me a nice flight. After that it was a short wait for the next available check in counter. I presented my electronic ticked and passport and shortly she handed me the two boarding passes. One for the first flight from Amsterdam to Washington Dulles and the second was for Washington Dulles to Orlando.
And of course she checked my case and it proceeded directly on the belt.
Now the next stop was passport control. At this time I'm official leaving the country. Of course Its still our country, but its a transit area. Just after the passport control was the security check. Its just the same thing as allways. Your handbagage and all your metal pieces must go to the X ray and you self through the metal detector. I didn't set off the alarm, so no second searches were needed.
Still a good time to spent before boarding. And that is easy at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Lots of shops, bars, and restaurants there. There also is a museum and a casino. Not only in Las Vegas but also in Amsterdam they have slot machines in the airport. Not behind every gate, but in a real casino with a nice bar.
Had a few drinks there after doing some shopping. Also I needed to complete the two forms I needed to enter the USA which took some time.
Flight was on time and landed around 3.15pm in Washington. Count a time difference of 6 hours, so the flight was a little bit more then 8 hour.
This time there was not a long line at immigration and I waited less then five minutes. Without any question the immigrations officer stamped my passport and the green departure form and I entered the USA. Another five minutes wait for my case. Its so stupid. I took my case from the belt, proceed through US Costums without any wait and had only to give him the US Customs form and after that I could drop off my case for further transportation. Just after this there was a new security check, also without ringing the bell and I could proceed into the gate area.
Still more then an hour to go, my connecting flight was scheduled for 5.45pm. Went to Burger King for a whopper and a coke. Walked around a little bit and finally went to the gate from which my next flight departed. Also this flight was on time. It took about 1 hour and 45 minutes and a little bit later then 7.30pm I was finally at Orlando Int. Airport.
Took the tram to the main building and to bagage claim to get my case. Then it was time to find the mears counter. Couldn't find it at first. After asking it to a bagage employee he told me to go downstairs. Took the elevator and there it was. A long row of counter space, but it wasn't busy. Just a few persons in front of me. Bought a roundtrip ticket for $28. They drected me to the outside of the terminal and ask there further for whick bus I needed. It turned out that I could just hop on a waiting bus and the bus left off within five minutes. Maybe I had luck with it. Now it was 8pm.
The drive was about 30 minutes and went first to a non-Disney hotel. After that he drove to the Beach Club and finally to the Coronado Springs resort. It was a nice driver and he told a few things about Disney and the parks during the ride.
It was 9pm when I entered the check in line. I waited about 15 minutes in line for check in. Had requested a room in the Casitas section through Dreams Unlimited, but the check in CM told me that I was assigned to the Cabana section. He showed me on the map where the room was and it was not far away. I think I couldn't had a closer room to the main building as this, even in the Casitas section. The room was in the Cabanas building 9B first. Room number was 9530. After I had noticed that the room was really close to the main building I told him that it was OK. If I wanted really another room he would be happy to look for it, but was happy with the fact how close the room was to everything.
Went to the room and maked my first mistake. He told me first floor, so I went upstairs. I had forgotten that in the USA first floor is the same as ground floor, so I couldn't find my room and finally I relized that its different in the USA then in our country, so I went back down the stairs. Now it was easy to find the room.
And what a room. Of course big enough for me. I think the last time I was in Paris I had a room that was half the size of this one. I liked it very much. The window view was fortunately not a parking lot but a water view. Not the lake side, but the water that is at the right side of the main building.
I decided to stay with this beautifull room the whole trip.
After I was settled in the room it was nearly 10pm and if you count the time difference it was 4am for me. I quickly went to bed .
Coming soon: DAY 2, with a (sort of sneak preview) tour of three theme parks on the first day.
Marcel Slangen
