Welcome meeting with Virgin

[shellbell]

Has anybody been recently with Virgin and gone to the Welcome meeting. Were staying at ASMO. Is the meeting on site or do you have to go somewhere else and what times is it normally held. We want to get to MK as soon as possible

Thanks michelle

 

[kevin harrison]

The question is why do you want to go? Why would you want to waste valuable time?

Do a search here and see how many people recommend going to the meeting, that will give you an answer.

 

[SammieG]

we went one year... NEVER again!!! What a waste of time!

 

[Bellis Belle]

I agree. Its a waste of time and just wastes a whole mornng when you you be in a park and on rides. They just tell you stuff you already know like how to drive, where to shop, try and sell you excursions etc. Its boring and a real shame to be stuck inside when the sun is shining. Read your boooks before you go and it will tell you all you need to know.
Have a great time.

 

[mrs-mac]

Hi Michell

I agree with Kevin, the welcome meetings are a waste of valuable time. We've just returned from our trip 3 weeks ago and hadn't been 2 Florida 4 over 12 years so alot had changed but the Virgin meeting didn't really tell us anything that l hadn't read in Simon's book previous 2 flying out there.

Its a means of selling extra day trips 2 you ie. Balloon flights, when you'll probably find with this being your 1st trip you be hard pushed 2 fit everything in anyway

Hope this helps and l hope you have a fantastic holiday

 

[shellbell]

This is my first trip but DH's 4th and MIL and FIL 6th so we already now enough. We thought we should go along so we know what to do incase of an accident/family emergancy. Get any telelphone numbers needed and any additional info. How long do the meetings last?

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Michelle,

The info you want (and it is very sensible to get this info!) will come with your tickets - well mine always has anyway. So no need to go to the meeting.

Honestly don't bother with the welcome meeting - you will have learnt far more from these boards.

You want to get yourselves to MK at the earliest opportunity

Cheers

Karen

 

[Mad4WDW]

Hi Michelle,

We've been with Virgin a few times, and only went to the meeting once. It was the first time my sister and her hubby had gone along too, and they were worried they might not get some important information. Anyway, suffice to say we've all been to WDW since then and haven't bothered with the meet!

The time we went, it was held at Downtown Disney, and if I remember it lasted about an hour or so (possibly longer, i think I may have fell asleep ). They just tell you basic information about the area (which you'll already know thanks to these boards etc), travelling, the attractions etc.

Basically, with the travelling, hanging round waiting for the bus, and the meeting, it is a morning wasted which you could have spent in the MK having a blast...and there is NOTHING like seeing Cinderella's Castle for that very first time!

Just read thru these boards, post any questions you may have, sort your tickets out before you leave...then just get there and have a ball!

Have a magical time

Paul

 

[FloridaSam]

We went along to the Welcome Meeting just to get our free meal voucher for the Hard Rock Cafe (lovely meal which would have cost us $50!). We had to go to the Virgin Store at DTD.

Made an excuse that we had a PS in the parks and couldn't stay so they gave us our voucher and off we went!

If you want a free meal in the Hard Rock then go otherwise I wouldn't bother!

Sam x

 

[SimonV]

In all honesty, if the tour operators don't adapt to provide something different other than the obvious, they will die off completely. Previously, it was often the best opportunity for people to get their park tickets, and welcome meetings could be quite fun as the operators actually made money at them. But, as more and more people bought their tickets in advance, the tour operators made less money at the meetings and they invested less time and effort in them. Now, they have to offer something new, and I know a couple of operators are looking at making them 'information stations' rather than 'welcome meetings.' This means you won't have to go at a set time but can drop in when it's convenient to you and pick up the info you need, check emails, etc. Another area they are exploring is in creating new excursions and tours which can be booked only if you visit the 'info station'; things you might not hear about otherwise; plus, the occasional special offers on some of the smaller attractions. Unless you are a complete greenhorn and have not read up on anything to do with Orlando (unlikely to be anyone here ), the welcome meetings have increasingly little value. Very different to when I first went - with Cosmos, back when there was no DIS, no other Disney websites, very few (horribly poor) guidebooks and very little info in the brochures. Then, we learnt more from the welcome meeting than we did by reading all the books that were available way back when! I guess that was one of the reasons why I sat down and started the Brit's Guide.............!

 

[wicket2005]

I have to echo what people have already said and say please don't go. Your time in Orlando is so very short that it is a sheer waste to go to it. Get yourself to the Magic Kingdom and feast your eyes on the castle.

 

[shellbell]

Thanks for all the advice We have decicded not to go and get staright to MK

Michelle

 

[VSL]

I was wondering about this too.

We don't NEED to go because we've both been to Florida before, but were thinking about getting the Hard Rock Cafe meal tickets and the 45min phonecard.
It's the only reason I'm even considering it!

But then again.. we can pay for our own meal at HRC and buy a phonecard with less talk-time (how much does, say, a 30min phonecard cost?).
I'd rather pay the extra and skip the 'welcome' meeting!

 

[Ware Bears]

This is my first trip but DH's 4th and MIL and FIL 6th so we already now enough. We thought we should go along so we know what to do incase of an accident/family emergancy. Get any telelphone numbers needed and any additional info. How long do the meetings last?

As Karen said all info/telephone numbers come with your tickets. As it was our first time we went for the same reasons and to get the Hard Rock meal voucher but I wouldn't even waste our time for that again!

And with all your knowledge from the Dis together with your DH's and MIL/FIL's experience I would have thought you would know a lot more than the rep!!!

 

[MazdaUK]

Although we went on Virgin flights we booked with Thomas Cook so didn't have this (although we did have to pay $5 each to do twilight check-in on return leg, but well worth it ).

We were met at the airport by a TC rep who fended off a porter trying to help with our luggage (I was being the minder while DH went back and forth to get the bags - why do whole families stand there....don't get me started ) Anyway, cut to the chase he gave us an envelope full of leaflets and made a big thing about a free dessert somewhere - but when we looked at them at the hotel they all expired Dec 2004 (we arrived 13/3/05!).

Still, he did tell us a good route to get to the hotel and made sure we had a number to call if we had any problems.

 

[trevorsem]

Alot of it is flag waving for Virgin and trying to sell you tickets and excursions.

The thing is that on your first morning, due to the time difference you will be awake by 4:00 - 5:00am. Use the time wisely to get breakfast and be at the gate of a theme park prior to opening.

On our first morning, we do SeaWorld to climatise us to the theme parks feeling. In the evening we would go to the rep's office to pick up on any freebies we missed out on at the welcome meeting.

Trev