vellamint
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2000
- Messages
- 3,745
Background information. My twin daughters had planned on a Caribbean Cruise with one of their best mutual friends (and her mother and myself) since they were 11. This trip was in place of a big Sweet 16 party which are VERY big where we live. We planned and booked a cruise in May of 2009 but sadly we had to cancel in January of 2010 due to difficulties on the friends part.
We chose DLP due to our never traveling internationally and it having the combination Disney and Paris. Mom (me) did all of the planning other than picking the Hotel. One of my daughters is a nature lover so she wanted the Sequoia Lodge. It was beautiful.
I spent the day writing this trip report and hope it all makes sense...lol. My eyes are watering from typing and reading so much all in one day but I am very happy this is down on paper. I never want to forget this trip!
Monday, November 22, 2010 - Day One - The Beginning
Had to go to work and school today but our bags are packed and we’re ready to go. Somehow we get through to 2:35 and we are on our way.
It was a little different traveling internationally, JFK drop off area for Air France Terminal 1 is not as nuts as I am used to and (horrors) there are no curbside check in kiosks!!! We gotta go INSIDE with our luggage.
Inside there is not a line for the kiosk…we scan our passport bar code into the machines and we are set….uh no…now we have to go to the counter. We go to the counter where they print out our boarding passes and weigh our luggage and we are set….uh no…we have to bring our luggage around the corner to drop off. Okay..NOW we are set. Hey….I didn’t have to tip anyone?! Was this a faux pax? Hope our luggage gets where it needs to go!
We decide what lovely airport food to buy (just in case the airline food is inedible) and find some seats. I find this all very interesting to watch the goings on as I have never been on an international flight before. The girls settle in with a book and Ipod while I just take everything in.
Time to board!! Oh boy….this plane is great. Even AFTER walking through First Class and Business Class…..this plane is great!!! Plenty of overhead storage, seats are wider and more comfortable than what we are used to. Everyone gets a pillow and individually wrapped blanket. Entertainment centers in the back of every seat which includes first run movies…FREE. Television shows, flight status, weather reports, music, games…..this is great. The Flight Attendants come around with a little package of ear plugs, eye masks, headsets and hand wipes.
We booked our flight through Delta who has a partnership with Air France (for the sky miles) but unfortunately because of this my request for a vegetarian meal for Jessica did not transfer. The old nasty man in front of Jennifer asked for one which was what reminded me to confirm ours but I was told the request wasn’t there and there probably wasn’t an extra. I wasn’t letting that go…. I told them I have a paper confirming her meal and that man just asked for one apologizing for not requesting ahead of time and that if there was any vegetarian meals it should go to my daughter for whom I requested this back in August. I don’t know what they did but she got her correct meal. And the nasty old man moved his seat. I didn’t like him…he was sitting somewhere else and then moved to in front of Jennifer (why is this allowed) and immediately reclined his seat as far back as he could…… I know this is allowed but usually people wait until after the plane takes off and the seatbelt sign goes out. He had his jacket on the back of his chair dangling into my daughter’s space……. I was getting ready for an unpleasant flight but thankfully he moved his seat again. Some People!!
The flight was great, no turbulence. It was interesting to listen to the announcements first in French and then in English. Not long after takeoff we were served drinks…..I had some champagne. Then came our dinners which were very good. There was a lot to choose from and we ate almost everything.
Now it was time to attempt to sleep. I don’t think any of us really succeeded in this. The girls sat together in a window and aisle seat and I was across the aisle on the aisle. The lights were off and we had our masks but even with light medication (benadryl for the girls and something slightly stronger for me) we were unable to sleep very much. Oh well!! We are on our way to PARIS!!
We chose DLP due to our never traveling internationally and it having the combination Disney and Paris. Mom (me) did all of the planning other than picking the Hotel. One of my daughters is a nature lover so she wanted the Sequoia Lodge. It was beautiful.
I spent the day writing this trip report and hope it all makes sense...lol. My eyes are watering from typing and reading so much all in one day but I am very happy this is down on paper. I never want to forget this trip!
Monday, November 22, 2010 - Day One - The Beginning
Had to go to work and school today but our bags are packed and we’re ready to go. Somehow we get through to 2:35 and we are on our way.
It was a little different traveling internationally, JFK drop off area for Air France Terminal 1 is not as nuts as I am used to and (horrors) there are no curbside check in kiosks!!! We gotta go INSIDE with our luggage.
Inside there is not a line for the kiosk…we scan our passport bar code into the machines and we are set….uh no…now we have to go to the counter. We go to the counter where they print out our boarding passes and weigh our luggage and we are set….uh no…we have to bring our luggage around the corner to drop off. Okay..NOW we are set. Hey….I didn’t have to tip anyone?! Was this a faux pax? Hope our luggage gets where it needs to go!
We decide what lovely airport food to buy (just in case the airline food is inedible) and find some seats. I find this all very interesting to watch the goings on as I have never been on an international flight before. The girls settle in with a book and Ipod while I just take everything in.
Time to board!! Oh boy….this plane is great. Even AFTER walking through First Class and Business Class…..this plane is great!!! Plenty of overhead storage, seats are wider and more comfortable than what we are used to. Everyone gets a pillow and individually wrapped blanket. Entertainment centers in the back of every seat which includes first run movies…FREE. Television shows, flight status, weather reports, music, games…..this is great. The Flight Attendants come around with a little package of ear plugs, eye masks, headsets and hand wipes.
We booked our flight through Delta who has a partnership with Air France (for the sky miles) but unfortunately because of this my request for a vegetarian meal for Jessica did not transfer. The old nasty man in front of Jennifer asked for one which was what reminded me to confirm ours but I was told the request wasn’t there and there probably wasn’t an extra. I wasn’t letting that go…. I told them I have a paper confirming her meal and that man just asked for one apologizing for not requesting ahead of time and that if there was any vegetarian meals it should go to my daughter for whom I requested this back in August. I don’t know what they did but she got her correct meal. And the nasty old man moved his seat. I didn’t like him…he was sitting somewhere else and then moved to in front of Jennifer (why is this allowed) and immediately reclined his seat as far back as he could…… I know this is allowed but usually people wait until after the plane takes off and the seatbelt sign goes out. He had his jacket on the back of his chair dangling into my daughter’s space……. I was getting ready for an unpleasant flight but thankfully he moved his seat again. Some People!!
The flight was great, no turbulence. It was interesting to listen to the announcements first in French and then in English. Not long after takeoff we were served drinks…..I had some champagne. Then came our dinners which were very good. There was a lot to choose from and we ate almost everything.
Now it was time to attempt to sleep. I don’t think any of us really succeeded in this. The girls sat together in a window and aisle seat and I was across the aisle on the aisle. The lights were off and we had our masks but even with light medication (benadryl for the girls and something slightly stronger for me) we were unable to sleep very much. Oh well!! We are on our way to PARIS!!
Wish I could sleep on long flights but I rarely ever do. Can't wait for more - hope your daughters had a trip to remember. 
