Virgin Entertainment from MCO

[paul_toria96]

When we travel in August we will have 4 kids with us 11,10,9,8.

Does anyone know if they have a good range of movies/cartoons to keep them entertained? Also have they got the computer games? I'm not sure their DS will stay charged for that amount of time.

Last time we flew my kids were only 3 & 5 and we took plenty of colouring new toys etc to keep them happy but I don't think that's going to work as well this time

 

[wilma-bride]

There will be a range of films and TV shows shown throughout the flight, on a loop (usually repeated 3 or 4 times during the flight).

At least one of the films should be suitable for children and there is usually a children's channel on the TV.

 

[london75]

There generally is a kids film or two and some cartoons and games (although no games on our flight last week as it was an older system) but it's all so flaky now that I wouldn't rely on it.

One tip for DS charging, if you're taking a laptop, fully charge it before you go and hibernate it (turn wireless off first). Then when in the air you can turn the laptop on and then put it to sleep (normally just shutting the lid does the job). The beauty of "sleep" mode is that the USB sockets still provide power so you can charge as many DSs as you have USB sockets. If you don't have cables, they're on ebay for very small amounts (unfortunately more than one cable type depending on DS version).

We did that this trip and kept two DS running for the full trip and they were both fully charged when we arrived!

 

[Claire-Bear]

Virgin posts a sample of the following months films on this page: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/whatsonboard/inflightentertainment/futurefilms.jsp at the moment it is only showing July, so check it at the start of July for Augusts.

As mentioned above, they always show at least 2 childrens films and do have childrens tv channels (several shows on repeat).

Whether or not your plane has gaming capabilities is hit and miss. I've used Virgin quite a lot over the years and only a couple of times has it had the games.

 

[jayduk]

Compared to other airlines i don't rate the entertainment on Virgin at all!!

There's a range of films but never have i been overwhelmed or hugely excited about any of them (other airlines seem to get newer/bigger movies on sooner). Also, they are just looped throughout the flight rather than it being on demand like so many others these days -They don't even time them so you won't be cut off half way through when you get near to your destination...And everytime i've been on Virgin there's always been a 3+hour film on so when all the others that are 1hr 30min have finished you then have to wait until the 3hour one has finished until they all start up again!

There's not a good variety in TV Programmes so inbetween your films or if you want to just watch something short before food/having a nap etc there isn't alot to choose from and they just repeat over and over.

The radio entertainment is awful. Maybe it's just because i work in radio and am abit of a geek but it's all just very dull, uninspiring and not thought out at all.

And top all that, i've experience a number of problems with it not working etc! Last flight with Virgin they had updated all the entertainment but not the booklets that tell you what's showing. So you had no idea what entertainment was onboard, you just had to pick a channel and hope for the best. For a long haul flight (flying to and from a destination which will have ALOT of children on board) i thought this was awful. The staff didn't know what was showing, they had no idea they were missing the books, they didn't come back to let me know i had to keep asking. I was not impressed, thank god i didn't have children to try and keep entertained throughout the flight.

 

[paul_toria96]

There generally is a kids film or two and some cartoons and games (although no games on our flight last week as it was an older system) but it's all so flaky now that I wouldn't rely on it.

One tip for DS charging, if you're taking a laptop, fully charge it before you go and hibernate it (turn wireless off first). Then when in the air you can turn the laptop on and then put it to sleep (normally just shutting the lid does the job). The beauty of "sleep" mode is that the USB sockets still provide power so you can charge as many DSs as you have USB sockets. If you don't have cables, they're on ebay for very small amounts (unfortunately more than one cable type depending on DS version).

We did that this trip and kept two DS running for the full trip and they were both fully charged when we arrived!

Thanks for that my DH is taking his netbook so it should work the same, I'll look out for the cables on Ebay.

It's really bad as they advertise all this stuff in their brochures and it's not true,

 

[wicket2005]

The good thing is there is a kids channel and at least one film suitable for kids. Some planes still only have tvs to share from the luggage holds with other airlines so Virgin is good compared to them.

There is usually a destination channel which the kids will enjoy watching telling you all about Orlando.

We have had the games on a couple of times but it isn't the norm. The games are pretty basic.

If the kids have a psp, ds lite or ipod touch these can be used for entertainment too.

 

[2Tiggies]

DD is usually quite happy with a combination over the nine hours of 2 movies, a meal, a kids magazine/book and some pens and paper to colour in. Oh and of course, being able to ask me at 10 minute intervals throughout the flight "How many more minutes?"

Take off and descent kill almost an hour.

Meals and snacks/drinks will consume another hour collectively

Two movies should knock around 3 hours off the boredom scale

A sleep should hopefully last 2 hours at least

So that leaves about 3 hours of loose time to fill with other games or activities. Don't suggest it, but kids love to play Pester the Parent



Coming back we actually do sleep because we are usually so knackered after our holiday so that one is easier.

 

[j9000]

if you have a laptop,
rip some movies to the hard drive (hard drives use less power to run than a dvd drive)
should pass the time if youre worried about content, just remember there are people around you, so things like house on haunted hill is NOT a good idea,

 

[paul_toria96]

Just found the cables for £1.45 on Ebay from UK sellers, here's to putting an order in and keeping the kids quiet

 

[2Tiggies]

Sorry, deleted because I just replied on the wrong thread.