[msncool]...well, we're here after much planning and a few last minute hitches...ie hubby working a night shift with an hour to spare before leaving for the airport...and me having a mini 'do' the day before (my heart rate isn't exactly in sync and my spanish classmates wanted to pack me off in an ambulance to the hospital the day before our trip)...we arrived at Manchester airport in plenty of time.
Walked through the airport doors and the bag drop off queue for those who'd checked in online was twice the size of the check-in queue. Never mind we thought as we joined the queue...we're off to Florida. So we queued and queued and eventually they started plucking us out of the main line to join upper class and premium economy queues.
So we checked in our "light Baggage" (wait for our return trip![msnwink])only to be told there had been a mix up with the plane seating arrangements[msnscared] not just for us but for everyone on the plane[msnmad], and they had split our party, seating 5 of us together and 1 on their own.[msneek].
Having booked the flights in January, and having had to arrange special assistance etc. 5 asthmatics one child who'd be using nebuliser during flight, one OAP with asthma, COPD and high blood pressure (the one they had seated alone),one coeliac with gluten free meal arranged, one with severe low blood pressure, asthma, autonomic neuropathy and awkward heart rate we weren't exactly enthusiastic with these arrangements, and we were told by the check in clerk to mention this at the gate and she would phone ahead and see if there was anything they could do.
There was a short while to wait before the flight was ready for boarding but we stayed close to the gate as we were told we would hear our name called prior to the flight. Eventually people started boarding the flight, upper class, premium economy, and eventually economy...and still no name call. We were told by one person on the gate that as our name hadn't been called we would have to fly to the arranged seating plan[msnscared]...and as the queue decreased and the final passengers boarded the flight a name call went out for my Mum and niece.
By this time just about everyone had boarded and we had to stand at the gate whilst they tried to come up with some seats so that we could have either a four and a two, or two threes. The staff on the ground were very apologetic and after about 40 minutes managed to put our party into two sets of three.
Three flew premium economy[msnwink] and three economy. Having our party so far apart was quite good for exercise and we did quite a bit of mileage walking up and down the aisles.
Immigration in Orlando was a piece of cake, never had it so easy and we breezed through and collected our bags...then we saw the Dollar queue[msncry]which was on a par with the original Manchester queue, so we spent a good hour shuffling forward listening to a few Brits moaning about delays whilst the Americans just seemed to stand in line and take it in their stride.[msnembarrased]
We collected our 7 seater van and were soon out of the airport, and in no time at all we were in Publix buying a few provisions. No problems finding our beautiful villa. The kids were too tired to argue over who was having which room and for the first time ever we went to bed without unpacking.[msnoo]
...of course the little darlings were wide awake and bushy tailed by 4 am US time, wanting to play in the Games room or go for a swim. Appeals for peace and pleas for them to go back to sleep failed miserably and by 6 am they had eaten breakfast were wanting to know what time they were off to MK.
After we'd unpacked and kept the younger ones waiting (impatiently) we headed towards MK, couldn't believe how full the parking lots were, much busier than our last visit for some strange reason I'd thought it might be quieter this time of the year). Even though the kids are seasoned Disney visitors it's still great to see their faces when they catch their first glimsp of the castle. They went on all their favourite rides and w
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