Trip report 27/11 to 15/12 - sorry for the delay!

[phaedra]

Hi all :D

Firstly let me apologise for the delay in doing this, I've not been 100% since we got back from sunny Florida and have just started to sort myself out.

So, here goes,

The Davison Clan, Me, 47, Osteoarthritis, IBS and generally dropping to bits!, Miriam, (age witheld under threats of violence but older than 39!), Adam, 15 going on 16 if he lives that long (think of Harry Enfields Kevin), Jared, 13 and carefree, Charlotte, 10 and a bit timid.

We set off from Newcastle at 9:25am for distant Gatwick with BA and arrived in one piece despite a 'breakfast' floating in 1/4' of grease :)

After finding the right terminal we checked in with US Airways, a fairly short wait between flights and at 12:15 we were off to Charlotte (the airport that is, not my daughter). In-flight meals were better than average, 34' seat pitch and an excellent video/music on demand entertainment system on the A330 Airbus meant the flight passed quickly and pleasantly for the rest of the family while I tried to sleep as much as I could due to being doped with 6 Immodium and various painkillers etc. :(

We landed in Charlotte slightly early and got our luggage very quickly indeed, next immigration!. Big surprise here, a very friendly welcome and after the routine questions asked the kids what they were looking forward to most and wished us a very happy holidays (MCO please take lessons from Charlotte!). About 1-1/2 hours between flights so time for kids loo visits, McDonalds etc. Charlotte is quite a nice airport and the meal prices were not much more than normal drive throughs.

The flight down to MCO was a bit of pain, the plane was full and we had a family in front consisting of grandma, grandad, mum, dad, 4 big kids and 2 toddlers all in 8 seats, they spent the entire flight playing pass the toddler, swap seats and lets see how far we can recline the seats, toddlers both needed nappy changes about 10 minutes into the flight and stayed that way until we got to MCO at 7:45pm [xx(].

Straight out of MCO arrivals and off to Dollar, picked up the MPV and we were off to out first nights stay at The Travelodge Suites next to J12 on the 192, quite a large room with 2 doubles and a pullout that was virtually another double bed. Off to Walmart at J15, picked up some chicken and drinks etc., back to the hotel, fed and off to bed!.

Friday 28th, off to Spring Hill (north of Tampa) for Thanksgiving dinner with our friends, 97 miles, 3 wrong turns and nearly 3 hours later we arrived to find Katies mum had been taken back into hospital in Tampa and her dad was there visiting!, so after a quick turkey dinner and Charlotte playing with Katies new puppy we were soon on our way back to Kissimmee!, only 1 wrong turn this time and after a trip to KFC and a quick shop in Walmart (2 hours!) we were back at the hotel and packing the bits we'd just unpacked ready for our next stay. The Travlodge suites are quite big rooms but we had noisy neighbours both sideways and upstairs so I cancelled our second reservation later on.

Saturday saw us off to Seaworld in the morning and then down the I4/I27 to the villa at Southern Dunes, we picked up the keys etc. from the lock box at Contempos offices and after spotting Walmart we were there!. Found the villa no problem, it was a 4 bed instead of the 3 we booked so more room for everyone!. Noticed the pool heating wasn't on so made a note to sort it out with Contempo on Monday, other than a bit of mould in the kettle everything else was perfect. Mega shop in Walmart to stock up and we were settled for the next 2 weeks.

Sunday saw us at Universal/IOA and a quiet night in at the villa to recover!. Monday we were back at Universal calling at Contempo on the way up the I27, pool heating was put on while we were out but as we found out later it was electric and almost useless :( the pool never got above just warm even on the highest heat setting, on the one day we were back to the villa on a sunny afternoon (mid 70's) we found a note from the engineer saying the chlorination unit

[caroline]

All in all it sounds like you enjoyed yourselves:D

[phaedra]

Indeed we did :D

If we manage to go again (depends on my health) we've decided that Adam can stay at home!

The 2 youngest are no bother (well almost!) but the big one's at that age where everything is too much trouble and he'll argue black is white!.

I could really have done with a flight from Newcastle to Sanford but they only fly during peak periods so holidays at Halloween or Christmas etc. mean going the long way round!.

Next visit (if possible!) will be for 3 or 4 weeks and we can see a bit more of of the USA, we've been to the theme parks 4 times in 2 years and apart from not going to Disney (just the MVMCP night out) which we feel is very overpriced I think we've had enough of them for now ;)

I think the only reasons I go are that Miriam can't drive and I get to go shopping, saved a fortune on camera bits etc. yet again this year :)

[orlandobabe]

Jeff we have electric pool heating and unless the outside air temp is 50 or below it usually works very well. I tend to include pool heating in with the price just in case there are the odd days when the pool isn't warm.

I've spoken to hubby about your experience and he said he thinks that there may have been something wrong with the pool heating. Certainly on a 70 degree day-it should have been very toasty.

It's a real bind about the flights not going from Newcastle in the winter isn't it? We are hoping to go soon and that will mean a trip- to Manchester. I'd rather do that (but then I am an hour nearer than you are) than hang around Gatwick[xx(]

[Ruth]

I have electric pool heating and when we were over at Christmas our pool was at 90 and the spa at 100 with no problems at all. As Orlandobabe suggests I would suspect the heating was faulty:(

[Nostromo]

That is a comprehensive report, Phaedra. My family and I are going for 3 weeks in April-May (well after Easter) and I have a few worries about the Orlando International Airport. This is our first post 9/11 visit and have the regulations changed regarding the "double luggage pickup" or any other system? I am responsible for a group with kids and seniors and so I'll be a bit stressed to start with. Also, we have hired a minivan from Dollar like yourselves; I have specifically paid for an 8-seater Chevy Astravan cos of its better luggage capacity and don't want to be paled off with the Dodge Grand Caravan with its very restricted boot (for a 7-seater).

[Carla]

Nostromo, don't worry about Orlando Airport. When you get off the plane, you go through immigration. Then you go to the carousel, pick up your luggage and walk through customs. Next you give the luggage handlers your checked-in luggage and walk up the escalator to the security point. Here you go through airport security and then you are in the airport concourse.

Next take the monorail to the main airport, then walk to the second luggage carousel and retrieve your luggage. Then go down in the elevator and sign for your car. Finally, walk across the road into the car park, go to your car provider area, show your car paperwork at the booth and you will be directed to the parking space where your car is waiting for you. You are then on your way.

I have generally found that the wait for my luggage at the second carousel is quite short.

Another tip, leave the others to collect the luggage from the second carousel, and take all the designated drivers downstairs to sign up for the car. This will cut down any wait that you have in the line for your car. We do this every time, and usually by the time that we have the luggage we also have the car signed for.

Enjoy your vacation
:D:D:D:D

On your return, you just take your car back to the car park and park it in the leaving area for your car company. Make sure that at least one driver waits with it until the car company have checked it. Walk across to the terminal, check in at your flight desk, go through airport security, get the monorail to the Gate area and then relax until flight time (Duty Free is here). No flights are called at Orlando Airport so keep an eye on the time and watch for your flight boarding.

If any of your party are smokers then they can only do this outside the airport, so would need to hold off going through security until they've had a final cigarette. The Bar in the Gate area is now non-smoking.

[Nostromo]

Thanks Carla. That was very detailed. No one in our party smokes, and so that part is no problem.

Our flight arrives in Orlando at about 15:40 hours on Thursday, 22nd April 2004,10 days after Easter. So, assuming all the formalities go relatively smoothly and allowing for the odd hiccup, do you think we can reach out villa au SR-192/US-27 junction by 18:30? I have to then offload everything and everyone at the villa, check out the supplies, update my prepared shopping list, instruct others to unpack, go to the nearest Publix, do the shopping, return to the villa and collapse in a heap. (Hopefully in that order!)

[Carla]

It will be much quieter when you arrive Nostromo, as almost all of the Easter guests will already have left the area. I usually allow 2 hours from getting off the plane to getting into the car if it is busy. Often it is a lot less time. In December, I landed at 4.30pm and was home by 6pm (30 minute drive), so you should be in your villa for around 6.30pm. You'll have loads of time for a Publix trip!!

[chrisj]

Carla

Thats a great idea about going to collect the car while leaving others to wait for the luggage, will do that in July

When we landed last July we landed at 15:30, got to the Villa in Crescent lakes at exactly 5pm so we were well impressed

[Carla]

I was travelling on my own in early December, so had a bit of a quandry. Should I get the luggage from the second carousel and then go and sign for the car, or, get the car and then the luggage.

Getting the car first won out!!! I was first in the Dollar car queue, ahead of everybody else from my BA flight (including the First Class passengers - which really pleased me - sad I know!!) and only behind one American family from Houston. Once I'd got the car papers I went back upstairs and found my case going round on the carousel. Other BA passengers were still waiting for theirs, so I doubt that it had been circling for long. A result all round.
:D:D:D

[chrisj]

must admit though. we did sail through immigration etc and when we did get to Dollar we
were the only people there so it only took a minute or so to get the car sorted

[phaedra]

Hi all :)

Sorry for not getting back to this earlier but I've been recovering from the after effects of the trip and it's taken a lot longer than usual this time.

Thanks for the info on the pool heating, I thought it may have been duff!.

My wife has said that if we do go back again she wants to spend a week in Tampa/Spring Hill so she can do more western style riding with our friend Katie and talk about horses for a week!. The 2 youngest (9 & 13) have decided that Disney would be nice for a week or two!, looking at the Hopper ticket prices I think an annual pass would be the best bet yet again.

I really don't know if I can take another long day with multi flights but this ties us to going between April and early October if we want to fly from Newcastle. No complaints about US Airways though, I would certainly use them again just for the extra leg room alone :)

Strange thing is, when I'm in the US my IBS eases off to a much more manageable level and after a week of sunshine my knees ease off a bit as well, do you think my GP could get me a visa on the NHS to live there? :D

The only other scheme we came up with would be a transatlantic sailing trip, no problem with leg room or travelling stress (trips to the loo!) but I can't seem to find anything much on them.

Kind regards, Jeff :D

[blott]

Someone was telling me the other week that you can go on the new Cunard (QM2) for £999 for six nights transatlantic each way (Southampton to New York). You can do a 14 night 'world cruise' from £1290 (Cape Town to Southampton), which can't be bad! Check out http://www.cunard.co.uk

It sounds ideal to me but, having been through the Bay of Biscay on a decidedly 'off' day, I'm not sure it would prove a relaxing alternative to flying!

[phaedra]

Thanks for the link Blott :)

I know what you mean about an "off" day, I went round on a school cruise many years ago [xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(]

Miriam has just reminded me that our eldest may have more exams in October depending how he does in the ones in April, so we may not be going anywhere this year after all!.

We may even be forced to look at Spain for 2 weeks instead!. I tried looking at the Universal web site for Port Adventura but the hotel pricing system is [V] and the on-line booking system doesn't work, no rooms of any type available for any dates!, it's a complete mess.



I've emailed them for a simple price quote