BABIES AND THE ATRACTIONS

[Mo]

When you call ahead to book your setas, book children's meals too (if your older ones would prefer that). They rarely have enough to go round otherwise.

[steph_goodrum]

I don't know the no. offhand but I would call Virgin tomorrow to get your seats and meals ordered. You can reserve them up to 180 days before you travel so you may not have a lot of choice left of seats, if they are available and you want to try and get 2 X 2 seats at the back of the plane, rows 61, 62, 63 and 64 have only 2 seats by the windo instead of 3 so you get a little extra space and don't have to climb over as many to get to the aisle. I'm sure someone else will know the no. This has been so the last couple of times we've been on that flight and it may be a different configuration so it's best to ask.

[SHEEP]

Thanks fo rthe advice i will do!

[Carla]

Every time that we have reserved seats on a Virgin plane they have changed the seat numbers around. Particularly if flying out from Manchester, but Gatwick does it as well. They have always kept us together, but not in the seats that we were told we would have. Ask them to put a note by your names that you definitely need these seats and should not be changed under any circumstances. Don't know if it will work but you can try. Have a great holiday.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Hi Sean

I think I spoke to you prior to booking your villa. So glad that you have booked I'm sure you will have a ball.

Just a note to say that if you have paid for child seats with Virgin then you can take your own car seats onto the plane and strap them in just as if you were the car. The advantages are that the children are familiar with travelling in the seats; you can strap them in more securely than in an airline seat; they are often more comfy than a seat designed for an adult.
(when you call to order you meals and or seats ask about taking your children's car seats aboard)

On the downside they add considerably to your hand luggage and it's not always easy to get yourself the seat and the baby down the aisle.

Another piece of advice is try to relax about the flight I used to get very up tight worrying that the children would bawl their heads off. A Virgin flight to Florida is usually heavily populated with families not suits so you should be fine. If anyone gets upset that there are children aboard then it really is tough they should have chosen another carrier and/or paid to upgrade!

I now see the flight as part of the excitement and enjoyment of the holiday whereas I used to think of it as a necessary evil My husband's idea.

With regard to driving as people have said I'm sure you will be fine, take you time, spend time familiarising yourself with the car before you drive out of the compound, it's no different than taking a car on a test drive or driving a new car (Oooooh if only!!!)

Honestly, American cars drive themselves....if I can drive one absolutely anyone can.

Final tip.....enjoy it all and let us all know how you got on by filing a trip report on this Forum.

Bon Voyage

Sarah

[fiona]

Best advice I would give is to relax - it's your holiday too, and the more uptight you are the more it transmits to the children, resultant uptight screaming children - or so I found!

There will always be old miseries (or young - actually I think they are even worse if they've not had children yet - and will then be in for a BIG surprise when it's their turn) who mutter. As everyone here says, take plenty to entertain them, food & drink and just enjoy!

We got upgraded to business class on our flights on Saturday night and there was a baby in the seat in front of us. He was very taken with us as I kept playing peepo with my scarf which he thought was very funny. He was as good as gold apart from a little squawk with ear problems on take off and landing. Slept like a log all night. And he was travelling only with his mum - very smartly dressed with what looked like a mink rug for him!!

Florida is a great place for children, so much easier than here. And if they are happy, so are you!

Be prepared for timeouts during the day while doing the parks. You don't want exhausted tetchy children, so do plan these in - maybe a break during the day back at the villa depending on the opening times of the parks?

One point, whatever food you take with you, make sure there is no fruit being taken into the country as they now search everything on the way in, and we've had the third degree with sniffer dogs and everything. It was over the girls eating tangerines on the Virgin flight on the way out. Or so I thought. Completely forgot I had orange squash in the suitcase![:I] Still no problems, and we've been allowed in many times since so can't have been TOO bad

[SHEEP]

Once again thank you all for the advice,we had already booked our seats but im going to book another seat today and then use virgin's sky seat(think thats what its called)so at least one baby can be sat at a time(thanks for that tip)and you can be sure when i get back i will bore...i mean tell you all about it.
Sean and Clan

[Kissyme]

just a quick note have travelled with Virgin 4 times and have found that children young and old have never been a prob.. my youngest was five the first time we went but there was a family with toddlers sitting behind us, my tip is to get up a walk around the plane at regular intervals as long as this does not disrupt the cabin crew you can actually circum-navigate the whole plane and finnish it up with a look out of the window at the back. My boys always enjoyed that, along with the free ice-cream that appears. I once gave middle boy Phenegan on a trip (very excitable) slept on and off through the flight, but as as miserable as sin when we arrived so it has its down side. Have a great time I know you will

[Mo]

Sean,

Don't ever think that you will bore us - surely you've learnt by now that we're never happier than when talking about Florida

Have a really great vacation

Julie

[neilandkay]

There has been lots of good advice already but a couple more points to think about

When booking your seats, put in a request for a bulkhead seat. These are not reservable but are held for families with babies that need a skycrib. However with 2 infants, you may be able to get one of these seats. There is usually more room, so the babies could play on the floor. Always ask again when checking in. Virgin will always try to accomodate you if they can.

Getting an extra seat for at least one of the infants is a good idea.

Importing Fruit & Meat products is not allowed. However I did check with customs on one return trip to the USA as I had the Dole fruit cups in my bag and some baby food jars with meat in and I was told that they were OK to bring in. (This was not in Orlando though.) If in doubt ask.

Another idea is to take a stock of new toys just for the journey. They don't need to be expensive, just things that they haven't seen before. Someone told me that their toddler once spent hours on a plane playing with sellotape, rolling it round her hands and back again (loved the sticky texture!). If you have bought seats for children on Virgin, you should get a backpack for each child with a seat - you may have to ask for the infant, we had to for our son even though he had a seat.

And don't forget to look after yourselves on the flight too. You don't want to arrive and be totally exhausted that you don't enjoy your holiday.


Have a good trip.



Kay