questions, questions, questions!!

[SEVANS2208]

I need help on the following please!

1. Do Virgin now charge for emergency exit seats? If so is there any way round it? We're doing twilight check-in as we hoped to get emergency exit seats for the tall ones in our party! I don't want to pay for seats on top of what we're paying to stay at the airport hotel!

2. There are 7 of us going this time - 5 adults & 2 kids (1 will need a car seat), we've got an 8-seater passenger van thingy but I'm panicking we won't get everybody & everything in (luggage, buggy etc) from & to the airport. Any suggestions/comments?

3. We've booked a trip to Kennedy Space Centre through Virgin holidays - do you know when we'll get the tickets for this & where the coach goes from? I've heard you have to go to the welcome meeting but we don't really want to do this as we've booked everything we need to & have been to Orlando a few times before.

 

[uktigger]

hiya
i would also like to know the answer to the first question we are going to do the twilight check-in and would like to try and get the exit seats hopefully without being charged for them
there will be 8 of us traveling 4 adult 4 kids(i know the kids have to be 16 and over)i thought we could get the 3 exit seats(inlaws dh is quite law)and the rest of us will seat in the rows behind
do you think doing the twilight check-in when it first opens for the day we would have a better chance of getting these seats??
thanks eve

 

[signtalker]

I think Im right in saying that Virgin allocate their exit seats to special needs etc, if on checking in, you can ask for these seats just incase and see what they say, personally I would phone virgin direct and ask them, at least you will know!.

For your kennedy tickets, you will receive these at the welcome meeting
It would have worked out cheaper if youd have driven yourself there and purchased tickets at the booth.

Jules

 

[UKDEB]

For some reason Virgin doesn't charge for exit seats on the Gatwick/Orlando route, so you should be OK.

I've never hired a van, but I don't think I'd want to risk an 8 seater for 7 people plus luggage. No doubt someone else will be along soon to help you on this one.

Can't help you on the Kennedy thing.

 

[SEVANS2208]

Thanks for all the info so far:

Just found out that Virgin are currently charging for the emergency exit seats on a trial basis £50 per person each way. Ouch!

Kennedy - didn't want to drive which is why we're doing the coach trip. Less than happy though about having to go the welcome meeting. Virgin might be getting a suggestion from me that they put these details in their brochures or at least tell you when you book!

Car - looks like we'll be doing 2 trips from the airport to the house then!! Not a good start - why oh why did I invite the parents to come along?!

 

[signtalker]

the best way to get out of the welcome meeting, is to find your rep beforehand!!!, we did this our first trip, as we didnt feel we needed advise after spending a year here on the boards!!.

Try it you never know, I personally can think of better things to do than attend a welcome meeting!!!.Im sure you'll get far better advise on here.

Jules

 

[matty624]

Don't know much about exit seats, but quite expert on vans!!! Unfortunately, I doubt you'll get 7 passengers and luggage in all in one go.
We have two toddlers, and what with two pushchairs, car seats and luggage, we struggle a bit, and there's only 4 of us! I'm not sure what the way round it is, except you could possibly upgrade to a really big van, and then return it after a day. Not a brilliant solution, but avoids 2 trips on the journey day to the airport.
Sorry,
Ian

 

[Dimplenose]

I did a Virgin coach trip to Busch gardens last year. got the tickets before the welcome meeting started and left. The coach was disappointing as we were mini bussed via a number of hotels to Crossroads where we waited for an hour for them to sort out a fleet of coaches that were going to see a rocket launch at KSC. we then got back onto the mini bus to go to Busch Gardens.

When we had previously done a Virgin coach trip we were picked up by the tour bus, last pickup and driven straight to KSC. I don't know if the Crossroads bit is now the norm or was due to the numbers going to the launch.


Libby

 

[SimonY]

I was worried about luggage as well. We were 6 in a 7 seater - 3 adults/3 children including car seat with all luggage/push chair etc. (Adults in our party actually needed less luggage than the kids).

We got all our bags in the van. It was tight and we had people with a push chair on their lap, feet on bags, bags on the floor in front of the car seat and so on but it did all fit (just). One handy place was inside the sliding door to the back where we got a big pile of cases after everyone was in. Wouldn't have been comfortable for any length of time but ok for that trip. The hire car chap helped pack the bags and was very good.

My only advice is the obvious one that 2 smaller bags offer more flexibility than 1 big one.

It was tougher on the way back to the airport - more stuff for a start (we packed 2 empty bags on the way out, filled them and we still got them in).

Good luck!!

 

[Red-Snapper]

I think I read on an earlier thread that Virgin no longer do the welcome meeting thing.

I believe a rep just sits in your hotel reception if you want to see them.

 

[uktigger]

hi
thank you for letting us know about the exit seats,i'm gonna plan on getting to the twilight check-in early and hopefully we will be able to have one or two(we did manage to get one on our last trip and that was without the twilligh thing)i was planning to skip the welcome meeting on this trip now virgin have mind my mind up for me
eve

 

[Shugmac]

I don't know if this will help a little but we have had the Voyager Mini Van the last twice we have been they have a insert on the main seats that pull down and has a harness for a small child we used it for my son who was under 2 so there was no need to take a child seat with us. The first year we went there was 5 adults and 1 child in one mini van the only problem we had with luggage was on the way home(to many Disney cups, Lol )but it all finally fitted under our feets and on our laps for the short trip to the airport.

 

[vernon]

On the car front, I think you're going to find it tight. I would look at either a bigger van ( I think 12 seater is the next one up) or possibly 2 small cars. If you have one more person that's prepared to drive this might be a good choice as it would give you/them a little more flexibility to do different things occassionally. Soft sports/travel bags work a lot better than solid suitcases if you are tight on space.

 

[Birtie]

We are going in 4 weeks and we are having a 7 seater that we need to fit 5 adults, a 2 year old and luggage in. I am also worried about how all the luggage will fit in and wondered if paying for a taxi from the airport to take the overspill would be a cost effective alternative.

Any thoughts, or alternative suggestions please???

 

[SEVANS2208]

If it's any help, when we went 2 years ago, there were 2 kids and 4 adults, 5 cases & a buggy in a 7 seater. It did all fit but was a squeeze, the staff at the car rental place were excellent at squeesing it all in.

We're thinking the same thing this year - although we've got an 8 seater (biggest one they do in Orlando apparently) there are 5 adults & 2 kids this time so if we don't all fit we're thinking of getting a taxi. That takes us back to the problem though of where to get the taxi to?! We won't know until we land where the house is & last time we didn't even find out at the airport - they only told us when we picked the keys up from the letting agent where the house was!

I think you'll be ok with the 7 seater though, if not perhaps an 8 seater would help?

 

[vernon]

Birtie, I've rarely heard of going FROM the airport to be a problem, although going back to the airport often is LOL. A cab is likely to be about $50-70 each way so that may be an economical answer.
Having done both ( people carrier) and getting two small cars I thought the two car option ( for the same cost) was a better choice. Particularly if you're sharing a villa sharing a vehicle means you are together 24/7 , even if it's only for 30 minutes to the parks and 30 minutes back, the "personal space" can help ease any tension that arises. It also allows for one couple/group to have a break from the parks if they feel so inclined, to join you later, or to go out for an "adults meal" . With a 2 yr old, their ability to stay up late is limited, your choices are all go out at 6.30 then return to the villa early or leave one adult with the child at home. For a longer trip ( more than two weks) having two cars allows you the option of either group taking off for a couple of days to the beach while the others stay and look after the kids, being able to take a little time out can be crucial because even if you all get along VERY well in your normal evironment, sharing a house with another family or "the outlaws" can become a little stressful if you have no opportunity to get away from them. I know when mine were young I really appreciated the chance of a couple of days alone without the kids, and the grandparents enjoyed the chance to have the kids for a couple of days to themselves.

 

[neilybealy]

when we went last year ( 10 adults and a 7 month old baby) we hired 2 8 seater minivans and a full size car

the full size car only cost us an extra £30 per couple for 2 weeks hire (with 5 couples)

we just thought that for that little extra it would give us the flexibility of that car being used by someone that wanted to go somewhere different and even if it was used at all during the 2 weeks then so be it

as it turns out it was used everyday by my mum and dad because they tended to leave whichever park we was at earlier than the rest of us and they went back to the villa for a rest