We're here!! Live(ish) trip report

[foxxxy83]

Hey guys! Landed at Sanford an hour earlier than expected yesterday and still can't quite believe we're here!! My son was completely blown away by the surprise hol and I just can't wait to get started!

First, the plane.. for anyone considering/flying on Thomson's new Dreamliner, I HIGHLY recommend upgrading to Premium Economy. I'm 5'11" and had about a foot of space between me and the person in front (and that was after they reclined their seat!) There's more in-house entertainment than I've ever seen on an aircraft... and the food?? Oh my gosh, the food is to DIE for! We had the Beef Bourgignon for our main (starter was a couscous and roasted pepper salad and a warm bread roll and butter) then mango & passionfruit cheesecake, the most AMAZING chocolate trifle and a little box of Guylian chocs followed by cheese and biscuits. Not going to say too much more about it but suffice to say, we will never travel economy again! Truly felt like royalty from start to finish!

Got my transfer easy enough and my son was AMAZED by all the stuff the staff had put him in his room as a treat Dropped the suitcases and sorted out the safe for our valuables then headed straight out to DTD Got to DTD about 5pm(ish) and picked up our park tickets, MNSSHP tickets and PhotoPass+... we checked out some shops and I got a REALLY nice scrapbook! Still having trouble figuring out how much to tip so I'm probably going to end up overtipping! Lol! Grabbed a cab back to the hotel to unpack (WORST cab driver in AGES!) and got room service but we are headed back to DTD later in the week

Sat here in the room and just getting ready for a day at Discovery Cove! Yay! Still can't believe we're here! Will post up again tonight!

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Glad youve got of to a great start

We love Discovery Cove.You will have an amazing and memorable time

 

[grandmomhop]

Sounds like Heaven!

 

[BudgieMama]

Sounds great! Where are you staying?

 

[Tink78]

Woo hoo! Glad you arrived safe, and that the flight was brilliant.
Am even more excited now.

Did you notice what the kids food was?
The adult meals sound wonderful!

Have a wonderful holiday.

xx

 

[PJB71]

Glad to hear you have arrived safely

Look forward to the updates

 

[queendisney]

Hope all that planning has paid off for you and you both have a fab time

 

[jockey]

Fab looking forward to more updates

 

[foxxxy83]

Hey guys! So we went to DC which meant getting up REALLY early! We made it there for check-in at 7.30am though which was great and found that our dolphin swim was booked in for 11.25am which I though was even better We got our passes and went and had a complimentary group photo (nice of them to do that) then hit Laguna Grill for some much needed breakfast. Food was good and plenty of it Then went to Guest Services as we were told to go there after we'd had breakfast and we'd be escorted to our private cabana (I'd booked the VIP Elite Special Occasion package so this was one of the perks). The lady who escorted us across wasn't that pleasant - I didn't think a smile and a friendly hello was too much to ask, do you?? She just said, "here you are. There's your fridge, there's your locker. I'll see you guys later" in a very offhand way and walked off. Felt like crying. Anyway, I figured why let one person who may just be having a VERY bad morning spoil it for me. It got better after that!

The dolphin swim was AWESOME! I'd done dolphin swims all over the world at different times in my life but seeing the sheer enjoyment on my son's face was worth every penny... esp when the dolphin pulled a buoy to him that said, "I'm so proud of you Dylan" on it! He's still talking about it and is completely baffled about how the dolphin knew his name! (How he thought the dolphin wrote the message I have no idea but you know what kids are like! Lol!) Went swimming in Freshwater Oasis and Serenity Bay sections of the park and grabbed lunch which we took back to our cabana before my son dragged me back out swimming again. I was actually REALLY glad we went back out the second time as there were photographers there so we managed to get a few pics of the two of us which was cool. We also went for a swim in the caves and the lifeguard in there took our pic as well - I've used up nearly a full waterproof camera film!

We're staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek and I don't drive so we're reliant on cabs. It cost $36 one way which I thought wasn't too bad considering the distance.

Tinks: Sorry but I'm not sure what the kids meal was on the flight. As there's only me and my son, it had to be booked as two adults for the hotel and flight. I didn't see any other children in the Premium Economy section of the plane. The cabin crew were LOVELY though and couldn't do enough for us. They came round with drinks and snacks a LOT. One of the staff told us if you take 5 mins off every hour of a normal flight time from whichever UK airport you fly from to whichever destination you're headed to, that's the time you will actually land. Not sure if that's right or not but I figure they should know, right?? Oh and the headphones for the TV are AWESOME! They're proper headphones with noise reduction not the rubbish in-ear type they often give you on planes. I usually take my own anyway but the ones on that plane we LOVED! And one more thing... if you like your music but are a track-hopper like me, you can make a playlist same as you would with an iPod! Never seen THAT before on a plane!

 

[dixonsontour]

Love the bit about your son thinking the dolphin wrote his name so sweet

 

[Shocking Hocking]

Hey guys! So we went to DC which meant getting up REALLY early! We made it there for check-in at 7.30am though which was great and found that our dolphin swim was booked in for 11.25am which I though was even better We got our passes and went and had a complimentary group photo (nice of them to do that) then hit Laguna Grill for some much needed breakfast. Food was good and plenty of it Then went to Guest Services as we were told to go there after we'd had breakfast and we'd be escorted to our private cabana (I'd booked the VIP Elite Special Occasion package so this was one of the perks). The lady who escorted us across wasn't that pleasant - I didn't think a smile and a friendly hello was too much to ask, do you?? She just said, "here you are. There's your fridge, there's your locker. I'll see you guys later" in a very offhand way and walked off. Felt like crying. Anyway, I figured why let one person who may just be having a VERY bad morning spoil it for me. It got better after that! The dolphin swim was AWESOME! I'd done dolphin swims all over the world at different times in my life but seeing the sheer enjoyment on my son's face was worth every penny... esp when the dolphin pulled a buoy to him that said, "I'm so proud of you Dylan" on it! He's still talking about it and is completely baffled about how the dolphin knew his name! (How he thought the dolphin wrote the message I have no idea but you know what kids are like! Lol!) Went swimming in Freshwater Oasis and Serenity Bay sections of the park and grabbed lunch which we took back to our cabana before my son dragged me back out swimming again. I was actually REALLY glad we went back out the second time as there were photographers there so we managed to get a few pics of the two of us which was cool. We also went for a swim in the caves and the lifeguard in there took our pic as well - I've used up nearly a full waterproof camera film! We're staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek and I don't drive so we're reliant on cabs. It cost $36 one way which I thought wasn't too bad considering the distance. Tinks: Sorry but I'm not sure what the kids meal was on the flight. As there's only me and my son, it had to be booked as two adults for the hotel and flight. I didn't see any other children in the Premium Economy section of the plane. The cabin crew were LOVELY though and couldn't do enough for us. They came round with drinks and snacks a LOT. One of the staff told us if you take 5 mins off every hour of a normal flight time from whichever UK airport you fly from to whichever destination you're headed to, that's the time you will actually land. Not sure if that's right or not but I figure they should know, right?? Oh and the headphones for the TV are AWESOME! They're proper headphones with noise reduction not the rubbish in-ear type they often give you on planes. I usually take my own anyway but the ones on that plane we LOVED! And one more thing... if you like your music but are a track-hopper like me, you can make a playlist same as you would with an iPod! Never seen THAT before on a plane!

Hi , loving your report . Just wanted to ask what you think to the Hilton as I am staying there in just 13 days and counting !! Do the rooms have fridges and hairdryers , Have you had to pay a daily fee for wifi ect ? Sorry to be a pain while you are away . Also how's the weather ? So glad your son is having the time of his life . Look forward to hearing about MNSSHP . Enjoy the rest of your stay as it goes too quick : ))

 

[Shocking Hocking]

Hey guys! Landed at Sanford an hour earlier than expected yesterday and still can't quite believe we're here!! My son was completely blown away by the surprise hol and I just can't wait to get started! First, the plane.. for anyone considering/flying on Thomson's new Dreamliner, I HIGHLY recommend upgrading to Premium Economy. I'm 5'11" and had about a foot of space between me and the person in front (and that was after they reclined their seat!) There's more in-house entertainment than I've ever seen on an aircraft... and the food?? Oh my gosh, the food is to DIE for! We had the Beef Bourgignon for our main (starter was a couscous and roasted pepper salad and a warm bread roll and butter) then mango & passionfruit cheesecake, the most AMAZING chocolate trifle and a little box of Guylian chocs followed by cheese and biscuits. Not going to say too much more about it but suffice to say, we will never travel economy again! Truly felt like royalty from start to finish! Got my transfer easy enough and my son was AMAZED by all the stuff the staff had put him in his room as a treat Dropped the suitcases and sorted out the safe for our valuables then headed straight out to DTD Got to DTD about 5pm(ish) and picked up our park tickets, MNSSHP tickets and PhotoPass+... we checked out some shops and I got a REALLY nice scrapbook! Still having trouble figuring out how much to tip so I'm probably going to end up overtipping! Lol! Grabbed a cab back to the hotel to unpack (WORST cab driver in AGES!) and got room service but we are headed back to DTD later in the week Sat here in the room and just getting ready for a day at Discovery Cove! Yay! Still can't believe we're here! Will post up again tonight!

Hi , sorry to be a pain when you are on your holiday but where about's in DTD do you go for you tickets as I am wanting to do the same thing as we land at the same time on the 18th but think we might get to DTD later as we have a car to pick up . How long did it take for you to get from Sanford to Bonnet Creek ? . I will leave you alone now to get on with enjoying quality time with your son : ))

 

[foxxxy83]

Hey guys! Firstly, don't apologise. My son needs "alone time" to chill out and have a break from the day's adventures so I jump on here for a few mins every so often to update you all and let him play with his toys or have some "quiet time" as he calls it where he just lays quiet for 10 mins or so.

The weather here is AWESOME! Just the right amount of heat with a slight breeze (think Britain on a scorcher of a day with a gentle breeze so you tan without really having to try) It's certainly not so hot you have to hide from the sun but if you aren't in the pool, you will have to drink plenty still.

The Hilton is undoubtedly one of the best hotels we've ever stayed in and we've stayed in plenty all over the world. The staff are SO friendly (esp Brad, the concierge!) He opened the door of the private transfer we had from the airport, took the bags up to the room and stood chatting with us for a while answering any questions we had, advising on plans etc. He remembers ALL the guests he deals with each day by name so he knows who to address them as and when he sees them out and about around the hotel which is nice. Not many places do that I find but may be just my experience!) There's a room safe in the top drawer of the nightstand which is REALLY easy to use and a small fridge - big enough to hold basics but no freezer drawer. They do have a hair dryer but I prefer my own travel one so won't be needing it. Plenty of towels etc in the bathroom and the beds are to DIE for!

Took approx 45 mins to get from Sanford Airport to the hotel but there was hardly any traffic on the road so I wouldn't guarantee that's how long it'll take. DTD was great! It was nowhere near as busy as I thought it would be but maybe it doesn't really get too crowded til 7pm onwards(??) You can pick tickets up from Guest Services adjacent to Team Mickey store as well as any PhotoPass (the PhotoPass desk is directly opposite Guest Relations desk). If you're staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek and taking a cab to DTD, it's $14 and takes about 5 mins as opposed to the shuttle bus which goes to all the Disney parks before finally reaching DTD. I know there'll be stuff I'll have forgotten to say in answer to questions but I'm posting up every day at least once so will answer anything else then. Or you can always message me!

 

[Shocking Hocking]

Hey guys! Firstly, don't apologise. My son needs "alone time" to chill out and have a break from the day's adventures so I jump on here for a few mins every so often to update you all and let him play with his toys or have some "quiet time" as he calls it where he just lays quiet for 10 mins or so. The weather here is AWESOME! Just the right amount of heat with a slight breeze (think Britain on a scorcher of a day with a gentle breeze so you tan without really having to try) It's certainly not so hot you have to hide from the sun but if you aren't in the pool, you will have to drink plenty still. The Hilton is undoubtedly one of the best hotels we've ever stayed in and we've stayed in plenty all over the world. The staff are SO friendly (esp Brad, the concierge!) He opened the door of the private transfer we had from the airport, took the bags up to the room and stood chatting with us for a while answering any questions we had, advising on plans etc. He remembers ALL the guests he deals with each day by name so he knows who to address them as and when he sees them out and about around the hotel which is nice. Not many places do that I find but may be just my experience!) There's a room safe in the top drawer of the nightstand which is REALLY easy to use and a small fridge - big enough to hold basics but no freezer drawer. They do have a hair dryer but I prefer my own travel one so won't be needing it. Plenty of towels etc in the bathroom and the beds are to DIE for! Took approx 45 mins to get from Sanford Airport to the hotel but there was hardly any traffic on the road so I wouldn't guarantee that's how long it'll take. DTD was great! It was nowhere near as busy as I thought it would be but maybe it doesn't really get too crowded til 7pm onwards(??) You can pick tickets up from Guest Services adjacent to Team Mickey store as well as any PhotoPass (the PhotoPass desk is directly opposite Guest Relations desk). If you're staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek and taking a cab to DTD, it's $14 and takes about 5 mins as opposed to the shuttle bus which goes to all the Disney parks before finally reaching DTD. I know there'll be stuff I'll have forgotten to say in answer to questions but I'm posting up every day at least once so will answer anything else then. Or you can always message me!

Thank you so much for the help , I really appreciate it and it's a great help as I'm a first timer . Reading your trip report just makes me more excited : )) I think your boy is very lucky to have you as his mum . Look forward to more updates !! I bet you fly back when we arrive otherwise might of seen you at some point . Thanks again for the help , going to go and make more note on my ever growing plans !!

 

[foxxxy83]

Awww, thanks for the kind words. I like to think I do my best as a mum

 

[sammie1884]

Just caught up on your first couple of days, sounds like you both are having a fab time! Looking forward to following the rest of your trip!

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Sounds like an awesome start cant wait to hear more! Xx

 

[princess_ariel_85]

Sounds like a brilliant start to your trip. Discovery Cove sounds ace.

Can't wait to hear more! x

 

[foxxxy83]

Hey guys! Today we hit MK and was there for rope drop and to see all the characters officially open the park at the start of the day. My son was SO excited! He was SO CUTE!! We headed straight to Guest Services to see about obtaining a GAC for the odd time there's a long queue of say 15 possibly 20 mins or more (the hotter it gets, the worse his ASD symptoms seem to get). The CM who served us wasn't that sympathetic and was REALLY trying to hammer home the fact this wasn't an automatic "front-of-the-line" pass and if that was what we wanted it for, we should use the FastPass system. I was apologising and saying that I hadn't really wanted it for that but more for a quieter place to stand so that my son wouldn't get distressed and furthermore neither would either of their guests when I realised, why was I apologising?? My son has the type of disability the system was designed for. Why should I feel guilty for wanting my son to have a comfortable experience?? As it turned out, we didn't need to use the pass until just gone 3 when my son decided he HAD to ride the Whinnie the Pooh ride over and over and the line was approx 45 mins! We then used it for It's A Small World which he LOVED and then left the park. Today was HOT though! Seriously, I'm burnt to a crisp. Just about to go apply some after-sun lotion (am slightly too tired and achey to move! Lol!) Am SERIOUSLY hoping it isn't quite so hot on Thurs for MNSSHP or I'll die in my costume! NOT good!

Did a lot of M&Gs today - Chip and Dale, Buzz Lightyear, Whinnie the Pooh, Tigger... saw the Whinnie The Pooh characters at a character lunch at Crystal Palace as well (it seemed a bit chaotic but possibly just that I'm not used to character meals). Have to say, we saw LOADS of PhotoPass photographers (and had LOADS of pics taken - I figure the more the better coz hopefully some will be decent quality even if the others aren't!)

We did manage to cover quite a LOT of ground so am now feeling like my feet are burning from all the walking - we rode something in every area of the park at least once put it that way (although any that my son enjoyed we possibly rode 3 maybe 4 times - thank you Autism! Lol!) So long as he doesn't start singing that blasted song from the It's A Small World ride! Lol! Took him on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad first and seriously it was like a scene from Little Britain. I told him which ride it was, that it went really fast and he may not like it and asked him at least three times if he was sure he wanted to ride. He was adamant he was sure so I took him on. Literally as soon as he was on the train, he burst into tears and said he didn't want to. Thankfully I managed to calm him down but when he came out he went straight up to the CM and said "that was AWESOME but I NEVER want to ride it again!" The CM just stood there looking kind of baffled! Lol!

 

[MrRomance]

It sounds like you've got off to a great start!! I'm so happy to hear that you and Dylan are thoroughly enjoying every moment. It's funny, I love to read trip reports (live or not) but I'm completely hooked on yours because of the ASD-isms. I guess, as a parent with autistic children, I relate to the wonderful little quirks that only come from kids with ASD.

The BTMR story had me because that is exactly the type of thing my daughter would do. My favourite ASD moments we had was during the first trip we had after we adopted our girls. The little one was 4 at the time and we took them to BBB to get dressed up, she chose to be Cinderella, our elder who was 8 one chose to be Belle. So, the CM made a big fuss of them and we went over to 1900 Park Fare to have dinner with Cinderella. All was well until the sisters came out and our elder daughter completely flipped out screaming and yelling at them that they were mean and they shouldn't have torn Cinderella's dress.

We manage to calm her down and finish dinner albeit it took a while. We headed back to the MK to watch the parade. At which point all hell broke loose. My elder daughter on seeing Belle tried to run to her screaming for her as she rode by. My younger one on seeing Cinderella suddenly had a look of sheer disdain on her face. I said to her "What's wrong, sweetie?" She said "That is not the same Cinderella, her eyes are different. This is all just pretend, these characters are NOT REAL!"

For most people seeing my kids act this way was probably really weird and crazy, but for us, we just shrugged and said "Gotta love Autism".

Have an amazing time and I'll look forward to reading all about it!