View Full Version : What's your worst experience in Orlando?
Nostromo
29-02-2004, 23:02
Holidaying in Orlando is great - for most people. It certainly is for me, and I'm going back for the 5th time this spring. But like all places, there is bound to be the occasional bad moment - or worse - for everyone. I was just curious to know whether other people had experienced this moment of absolute despair and wondered, if only momentarily, 'What the hell am I doing here?'
For myself, it happened during my second visit in August 1995. It was an extremely hot and overcrowded Saturday at Universal Studios and I had become separated from my companions. Standing in a long queue for Kongfrontation, the ride broke down for 40 minutes. I was in the middle of a crushing queue full of yelling youngsters with tempers fraying in the heat. One or two even fainted. That was when I looked up at the heavens (all I could really see was the cieling of the queing area through a haze of foul breath) and screamed silently 'God, what kind of an idiot thought up this place?'
Well, Kong was soon repaired, the queue moved on and I not only rode on it, but even managed 'Back to the Future' twice before the park closed. By then I had had a great time with some new 'friends' that I made in the Kong queue and almost forgotten about my missing companions.
American Customs and immigration do it for me everytime
The trip to the airport to fly home.:([msnsad][msncry]
Ray&Sarah
29-02-2004, 23:34
Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day, with wall to wall people, you could not move! It was absolutley horrendous.
chrizzy100
29-02-2004, 23:39
quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
Holidaying in Orlando is great - for most people. It certainly is for me, and I'm going back for the 5th time this spring. But like all places, there is bound to be the occasional bad moment - or worse - for everyone. I was just curious to know whether other people had experienced this moment of absolute despair and wondered, if only momentarily, "What the hell am I doing here?"
For myself, it happened during my second visit in August 1995. It was an extremely hot and overcrowded Saturday at Universal Studios and I had become separated from my companions. Standing in a long queue for Kongfrontation, the ride broke down for 40 minutes. I was in the middle of a crushing queue full of yelling youngsters with tempers fraying in the heat. One or two even fainted. That was when I looked up at the heavens (all I could really see was the cieling of the queing area through a haze of foul breath) and screamed silently "God, what kind of an idiot thought up this place?"
Well, Kong was soon repaired, the queue moved on and I not only rode on it, but even managed 'Back to the Future' twice before the park closed. By then I had had a great time with some new 'friends' that I made in the Kong queue and almost forgotten about my missing companions.
Not getting much time to spend in Home Depot..........[msncry][msncry][msncry]
I also agree about Magic kingdom on Christmas day. Turkey leg for lunch...never again!
Im with chris immigration never sure if I have completed the green visa waiver form in right and if I will have to do the walk of shame to the back of the room to rewrite and rejoin the Q
chrizzy100
29-02-2004, 23:52
quote:Originally posted by chrisj
American Customs and immigration do it for me everytime
Chris we'll have to stop meeting this way ...people will talk.......;)[}:)][:o)]
bellaepovera
29-02-2004, 23:52
My worse experience....leaving and going back home!!!And when my son was 2 and 3 and not wanting to stand in the long lines at the parks!!
December 2002.
A trip where we rented no car (2003 was the first time) and used the hotel shuttle to visit MGM.
It rained, and I mean RAINED, all day.
Very windy as well but we struggled on through the day waiting for about 5pm and our return shuttle.
We did most of the park but we were all getting soaked apart from our 3.5 month old who we had wrapped in a poncho and all you could see was her eyes. We ended up in MGMs parking lot waiting for the shuttle, our 3 year old was shivering, poor thing.
All soaked, still raining, wind blowing horizontal we had nowhere to hide. We squelched onto the shuttle when it arrived as did everyone.
Brizzle
chrizzy100
29-02-2004, 23:55
quote:Originally posted by bellaepovera
My worse experience....leaving and going back home!!!And when my son was 2 and 3 and not wanting to stand in the long lines at the parks!!
The guy who is looking after my garden phoned today to see if I wanted him to start cutting the grass yet.....he said it was going to be in the 80s....[msncry][msncry]
markburwood
29-02-2004, 23:58
Never had a bad time yet :D.
quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
quote:Originally posted by chrisj
American Customs and immigration do it for me everytime
Chris we'll have to stop meeting this way ...people will talk.......;)[}:)][:o)]
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
kevinprewett
01-03-2004, 00:57
Having to appear in court in downtown kissimmee for not having my drivers license in the car. I wsa there 4 hours - learn the lesson!![msncry][msncry][msncry]
My worst experience in Florida? That would have to be the year that it was in the 40's, rain and high winds nearly the entire time we were there (in February).
A close second would be the year we were there when the temps barely got below 100F with extreme humidity - and would you believe also in February!!
DISNEYDIVA
01-03-2004, 01:10
Our first ever trip to Orlando go off to a bad start when the flight was delayed '30' hours, a baggage handler had reversed into one of the engines. The replacement aircraft was damaged by the stairs, customs insisted on all cases being re-scanned as they thought it was too strange (this was in 1997). A Laker plane/crew finally took us on their rest day. We then crammed all the parks into week one by which time on the seventh day i resorted to tears, my legs were swolen still from the flight and all the walking.I had developed a hacking cough and remember walking around Splendid China nearly choking.
But most of all i remember the first morning there having breakfast
and looking round and thinking...........WOW I'M IN FLORIDA.......
[msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
My worst experience would have to be taking a wrong turn while driving, we did this a few times on our last visit.
I4 exit numbers had changed on our last trip, we ended up in dodgy towns in the middle of nowhere a couple of times. Quite scary really:(:(
Our worst experience (apart from taking my mum in 2002) was the journey to Orlando in December 2001.
We'd booked a scheduled flight(s) to Orlando from Manchester, via Amsterdam and Detroit. The 09:30am flight from Manchester to Amsterdam was delayed by a couple of hours due to fog, so we finally arrived in Schiphol Airport to see our flight to Detroit take off without us.
After standing in line for nearly an hour to arrange another flight to Orlando (this time via Boston), we took off for the US nearly 5 hours after we'd intended.
We arrived in Boston and made our way to the check-in desk only to find out that our flight to Orlando (the last of the day) was actually full and that we'd only been issued with unguaranteed standby tickets.
Sitting in the departure lounge until boarding, not knowing whether we'd got seats or whether we were going to spend the night in the airport was terrible, however our names were eventually called out and we were officially given seats on the plane 10 minutes before it was due to fly. We breathed a huge sigh of relief, but then heard our names being called out again, this time to have our hand luggage searched (thoroughly).
We finally arrived at Orlando International airport at around midnight (Florida time), however, our luggage had decided to spend a little more time in Amsterdam. After sorting that out, we picked up the car (I dont know whether it was the look on my face, but it was the fastest rental car pick up I've ever made) and drove down to the villa where we were staying with friends.
The following day was spent recovering (we'd been travelling for nearly 24hrs by the time we arrived at our final destination), buying some clothes from Walmart and waiting for our luggage to arrive. It finally did at around 10pm.
And so began our holiday.
quote:Originally posted by mikewj
Our worst experience (apart from taking my mum in 2002) was the journey to Orlando in December 2001.
We'd booked a scheduled flight(s) to Orlando from Manchester, via Amsterdam and Detroit. The 09:30am flight from Manchester to Amsterdam was delayed by a couple of hours due to fog, so we finally arrived in Schiphol Airport to see our flight to Detroit take off without us.
After standing in line for nearly an hour to arrange another flight to Orlando (this time via Boston), we took off for the US nearly 5 hours after we'd intended.
We arrived in Boston and made our way to the check-in desk only to find out that our flight to Orlando (the last of the day) was actually full and that we'd only been issued with unguaranteed standby tickets.
Sitting in the departure lounge until boarding, not knowing whether we'd got seats or whether we were going to spend the night in the airport was terrible, however our names were eventually called out and we were officially given seats on the plane 10 minutes before it was due to fly. We breathed a huge sigh of relief, but then heard our names being called out again, this time to have our hand luggage searched (thoroughly).
We finally arrived at Orlando International airport at around midnight (Florida time), however, our luggage had decided to spend a little more time in Amsterdam. After sorting that out, we picked up the car (I dont know whether it was the look on my face, but it was the fastest rental car pick up I've ever made) and drove down to the villa where we were staying with friends.
The following day was spent recovering (we'd been travelling for nearly 24hrs by the time we arrived at our final destination), buying some clothes from Walmart and waiting for our luggage to arrive. It finally did at around 10pm.
And so began our holiday.
Don't you just hate it when that happens!
Always fly direct - it's not fail safe but in my experience of the airline industry (20 years of it) its a good start!
Hope the rest of the holiday was good?
Julie R
Our last trip where everything seemed to happen - our 9 year old cut his chin and we had to visit the medical centre ($319), a duff car from dollar (our first in years), a move to another villa after 3 days (a long story), a 24 hour delay of the flight back (found out about the delay AFTER checking all our luggage in) and the worst was hearing the screech of tyres and a loud bump which was a young girl getting knocked down crossing the road. We were travelling in the opposite direction to the incident (busy road with nowhere to stop/turn round) and heard on the news that evening that the girl was in a critical condition. Driver driving too fast to stop and who paniced and ran away from the accident but was later caught and charged.
Lesley
Having to come home again! :(
Having Blottie go home again!! And my kids......
Pumping diesel in our car a day before we were to leave Orlando. It wouldn't have felt as bad if it were a rental! [8D]
Awww Julie! [msncry] Back in two months... [msncool]
Having a child with earache sitting on my lap for the whole flight home and having to appologise to all the passengers sitting around us who presumably all had headaches !!!![msnsad]
The first time we visited Orlando we got quite lost around the International drive area. We somehow ended up in a huge factory car park and had to ask the security guard to let us out. Even more embarrasingly, we did exactly the same thing again an hour later![msnembarrased]
Debbie.
Was it McDonnell Douglas (I think off of Sandlake)?
If so we did that too [:I]
The look as I wound down my window to ask the guard to let me through back to the public roads was 'here's another dumb Brit' :D
Brizzle
Touch wood we have never had a really "bad" experiance in the 10 years or so we have been travelling to Orlando :) - although there is always a first time [:o)]
That said we have had a few "moments" that have caused the blood pressure to rise - but only a little.
Like the time that we arrived with Virgin Atlantic only to find a BA flight had landed 10 mins before hand and it took over an hour to get through Customs at Orlando :(
We always stay in the same Hotel on I'Drive and they have gotten to know us very well, I have to say that they do look afer us during our stays.
However last year, in May, there was a DECCA Event at the Conferance Centre, which involved 1000's of Americian Teenagers decending on Orlando, most of whom seemed to be staying in our Hotel and without any supervision :( - anyway after 2 days & nights of screaming / running up and down the corridors ( the Teenagers not us ) we were transferred to a "sister" hotel and got a better room at no extra cost :)
There are a few things that make us frustrated - why when "Families" get off the plane, why do they always choose the narrowest part of the gangway / corridor to stop and get the younger ones into the pushchairs etc, thus stopping the other 300 plus passengers from getting through - as you can tell I don't have any children [:o)]
Now Disney is not just for kids, so why do parents - mainly American ones it has to be said - think that "their" child has a god given right to push / be pushed, without a by your leave, to the front of the crowd 2 mins before Parade Time and stand in front of the "me" blocking "my" view - when I have sat on the kerb for 2 hours so that I can get a good view - or is it just me [:o)]
Also why do Americans never walk anywhere - the shortest bus ride has to be 50 yards whilst on I'Drive !!!
The only other thing that makes us sad is the return flight home - but then I don't think I am alone on that one.
Has to be Arabian Nights Dinner Show, show was OK but the meal was terrible, also just remembered on our 1st trip we ate at a "Shoneys" about 8:30pm, after having a couple of starters we went for the main courses to find the buffet was almost empty of meat (chicken, meatballs, burgers etc.) and they wouldn't cook any more as they were closing at 10pm!.
Hi Kym
Dont worry I think we have all been there abd done that mine was a 9 month old baby who was a little angel going to Florida but coming home screamed nearly all the way home
I think she was picking up on our vibes though coming home is the pits every time
[msncry]
I think I upset the staff on the flight as well after about 8 hours of screaming and apologies all round the flight attendants decided to come and ask if we needed anything in quite a loud voice just as I had got her to sleep I didnt swear but ohhh how close I came[msnmad]
Sarah
TotallyAngelic
04-03-2004, 13:41
I am always pleased to arrive as I don't really enjoy flying, especially as my eldest always gets airsick no matter what travel sick remedy is given, and a particularly bad experience was at a change over in Atlanta, when we got off the plane, walked down the concourse to a particularly busy area, at which moment (and with no warning) our son chose to say hello again to his stomach contents! Ever wish the ground would open up! Other than that, no real bad experiences, other than our youngest son hurting his ankle at the far end of Universal Studios, by the Jaws ride, and I had to walk all the way to the entrance and back to get a buggy in the 100 degrees heat.
I guess my worst experience was getting mugged on International Drive and having my bag snatched. I got injured, but the police were marvellous, got the guy and my bag back minus 60 dollars. I had lacerations and stitches - but I am still going back in October. I never felt unsafe all the while we were there - guess I was just an easy target as I walk with a stick and was vulnerable.
Lisi:D
Ray&Sarah
06-03-2004, 03:05
Can sympathise with the sick child, we paid to go premium economy for the first time last August as it was my parents 40th wedding anniversary and we wanted to make it a bit special for them. Our eldest who is not normally travel sick, suddenly announced that he was going to be sick and promptly was, all over his seat. We had about an hour to go and had to sit with wafts of stomach churning smells, and he got to go and sit downstairs in a fresh seat and be fussed over. What an embarrasmment, we told him he has to fly economy from now on![msnwink]
My worst experience in Orlando was when my husband and I booked a condo in Downtown Orlando for a week a few years ago. It was situated in Rio Grande Road and was absolutely horrible. We did not actually get the keys for the condo and left after seeing the area to rent another condo via the Tourist Information Office. The actual road had burnt out houses at the enterance and the grass around the condos must have been at least 3 feet high. The community swimming was closed "for chemicals". A few people walking around looked like they could have been extras for the film 8 Mile. We booked on the internet at a time when online booking was new. Anyone booking a villa for condo online should investigate the resort or area before deciding to rent it. We paid our money up front but wrote it off. I had no intention of letting my family stay at this condo whatever I had paid.
I think we should add to that comment that all the homes on the OV sites are in lovely communities and all the homes are verified as being owned by the owners but I agree, in general, you should always check other unverified sites out for yourself.
Pikey1999
08-03-2004, 21:48
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrisj
American Customs and immigration do it for me everytime[/quote]
What is it with these people?
I know that they have a serious job to do but would manners prevent them from doing their job?
A simple smile doesn't cost the earth and I speak from experience!
We've been to Florida every year since 1993 and on the whole have had fantastic holidays but like anyone we've had a few bad experiences. The worst was in 2002 when the villa we were staying in was broken into while we were in bed. Fortunatley we never heard a thing so the offenders were well away by the time we got up. The police were very helpful and the first thing they asked me was if all the windows were locked. I assumed they were as we had not opened any during our stay but when we checked they were all unlocked! I suspected the cleaners, the plumber who had been in earlier in the week to mend a faulty tap, infact anyone who had a key, of "setting us up". The day before we came home the air-conditioner broke down, it turned out someone had vandalised it hoping that we would open the windows just like they had the week before! Now the first thing I do when I arrive is check that all the windows are locked!!
Julie
Well guess what... I recon the fire ant trip has to be a lasting memory whichin all comes close to the worst trip experience...
On this trip (4 days 3 nights) we stayed at a hotel (charging $220) per room per night (we didnt pay that[:o)] our offer was $45 so I felt I didnt have much reason to complain) when we arrived we were given a key to a room - which was occupied!![:0] then given another room, which smelt as if someone had been smoking and then had put perfume in the air conditioning-:( so we complained -got given another room smelt similar but more tolerable- The tv web connection didnt work - they promised an immediate repair- it happened eventually... then our U.S. rep came to meet us at the hotel reception and enquired 3 times to see if we were residents- they insisted that they had no one registered in our names- until the third attempt>>>> The hotel emailed me to confirm that our visit had exceeded our expectations...yeah right!![xx(] Then on day 2 I got bitten by the dreaded fire ants- (I've now got 80 marks on my legs:() And on the way to buy the kids a prezzy at Florida Mall on the way to the airport for departure- a car hit us from behind...waited half an hour for the trooper to turn up [for the accident number for the hire car]- missed the shops....got the plane- people in front of us reclined their chairs through entire flight- we had tvs in our faces for the whole flight- ant bites got bad on flight home felt v ill-
interesting trip[msnsmile2]
More embarrasing, than worst, was when queing up to get on the new space ride at Epcot I got chatting to a very attractive american woman who was with her equaly attractive daughter, husband and son.
As I was queing alone because my freinds were too chicken to join me I had a great time chatting for about 45 mins with the mother and daughter as they were both very interested in my english accent and where I was from.[msnwink]
After the ride I lost site of them and carried on to the next fun stop. Catching up with my freinds in the next que I told them about these visions of beauty I had met and had just finished saying how much I fancied them, when I turned round to see the rather large husband and son standing right behind me in the que. [msnoo][msneek][msnembarrased][msnscared] Embarrased or WHAT!!
ruthless333
09-03-2004, 14:38
Joolz, you didn't mention the hotel name/ address - if it is allowed! it might be helpful to others. (I believe some owners stay 1 or 2 nights in hotels if their villa is still occupied, to fit in with flights).
Regards. hope your bites have calmed down now.....
Dont know...is it allowed for me to mention hotel name?
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ruthless333
Regards. hope your bites have calmed down now.....
[/quote]
Not doing too well on the ant bite front!! Still very itchy- have many of the systemic allergic reaction symptoms- upset tummy, feverish, dizziness, nausia etc- have cancelled all work this week feeling really grotty!!:(
Thanks for asking
ruthless333
10-03-2004, 03:00
Joolz,
thanks for the email..... I'll know where to avoid!!!
I take it whilst you are off work you will be resting?
No sitting in front of the computer researching your transatlantic 2nd home[msnwink] - no of course not, after all you need to fully recouperate ready to get back to work!!!
Anyway, if work asks, you can say that it is just therapy....
take care and i hope everybody is OK too after the car bump....
Kevin8304
10-03-2004, 20:47
My worst experience in Florida was about 4 years ago when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I was in Blizzard Beach with my parents and friends who were on the holiday with me. I went on the ride (I can't remember what it's called) with the mats going down frontwards- But my dad and brother didn't know I was going on. So at the bottom they didn't wait for me (I was on the next ride afterwards) so I watched them go. The queue behind me was too big so I couldn't go back, so I had to go on the ride. As I was going down I worried. Anyway, when I got to the bottom of the ride I looked about again- To see my dad and brother wern't there. I was so scared! I ran about Blizzard Beach for about 10 minutes on my own, crying, and found a police officer standing there. I went over and told her what happened, so she sent out a search party. But then I looked about (Colouring in a book- The police officer woman was really nice) and seen the place where my mum etc. were, called ummm, something Cove I think, well something for young children- That part of Blizzard Beach. So I ran in with the police officer, seen my mum and ran. I was so happy. Later on I seen one police officer still going about on the lookout- I kept my head down and walked by.
Lol, considering most of the people on here are older you may not find this so scary. But may I remind I was only 9 or 10- It was scary to be lost in America at that time.
To this day I have visited Blizzard Beach an additional two times since what happened. Although, when I am in Blizzard Beach now, I go around myself (Well.. With my friends and brother). I do that in all the parks- So I guess I'm not scared of getting lost!
orlandobabe
13-03-2004, 01:10
Our worst time had to be our first -thirteen years ago.
Can you picture a worse scene-5 of us-kids aged 9,11 and 13 all cooped up in one hotel bedroom. We started off with 2 queen beds and a put u up-then needed another bed as our boys 9 and 11 were fighting so much.
My 11 year old was pretty hyperactive then-and all of the stimulation of such a hectic holiday meant he just wouldn't calm down. Our holiday photos are the most miserable ever-and it cost us a fortune.
I didn't know about villas then-but interestingly we never came back for 8 years and when we did -we booked a villa-what a difference space makes!
Coupled with the cramped hotel conditions-the car was not on airport-so hubby had to get on the bus while I waited with the children and luggage. We got to the hotel about 11pm to find they had given our room away. I was near to hysterical-and went up to the counter-and said have you anything just for tonight-it's 4am to us.Luckily the guy at the desk took pity on my miserable face and found us another room.
We got a room-that someone tried to break into-luckily I had the forethought to put the security chain on-or heaven knows what might have happened.
The next night-we were moved to our own room-and the woman in the room next door had her tv blaring all night. I didn't half blast her the next day.
Not a good start-to a not very good holiday. Thankfully it never put us off
Nostromo
13-03-2004, 01:20
Whew! Compared to your experience mine seems like a Sunday picnic!
orlandobabe
13-03-2004, 01:29
I think Orlando was going through a bit of a bad time then-maybe you remember.
Possibly it was starting to affect tourism-so the police got their act together and really cleaned it up and it is fine now.
I don't know who tried to get into our room-I asked at reception-but who-ever it was had a key-and it was only the chain-and me shouting out that made him/her scarper.