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Morning from USAAAA, baaa-by!
So after 3 attempts and 30 months, we made it to Orlando (actually happy in the
end they moved us from LHR to LGW!).Twilight check-in at LGW v easy – in fact, no-one there so the First desk called
us over.Hadn’t been able to to OLCI due to one of the fave topics of @NorthernLass – BA IT issues!
OH’s 10-yr US visa is in a passport that has since expired, so obviously no catering for
this online, just a red warning You Have No Visa Related To This Passport!
Weirdly worked out well as we had a 241 Club and 1 WT+. As we hadn’t been able to
pick a seat 24 hrs before, the only one left in WT+ was in the newly-opened front row with leg space, yay!Our first-ever use of PP for lounge access – evening before, booked for Nº 1 as saw that some time slots
were already not available, so presumed it would be rammed. Anyone who hadn’t booked was being diverted away
into the smaller Aspire. Without wanting to sound toooo first-worldy, the lounge was @JDB’s nightmare ;o) – something akin to the Holiday Extras annual reunion! I could see (and as I saw from the HfP review) that the actual space
is lovely,,,if only it had been completely empty! The queue at the bar at 0830h was almost completely around the room, with two people serving pink….Prosecco?…full time. People lying on the floor in the alcove-y bits (not a single seat to be had in the main lounge section). As I didn’t even have a surface on which to place my laptop, I popped into
the BA lounge for 20 mins…it was like going from Haven Holidays Weymouth to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (examples chosen as we have both booked in the next few months!!).Boarding not fab – just one line for Groups 1-3, in the middle of which was a problem passenger, so
the check-in lady actually left her desk with her, sending the rest of us to the other line. In THAT
line, they had a problem with checking in a buggie for which the label-printing machine had broken…
All resulted in leaving about 45 mins late.OH and I did half the trip each in Club (with the little one v happy with his seat assignation of 1A…).
I asked crew on boarding if this would be ok/not a bother, and they were fine with it.
It was very much the old Club/clambering over feet format, but the trip was good and passed quickly. My oriental beef in
WT+ was actually pretty decent (bloody mary less so! can still taste the raw vodka…!). No cognac
on board (Ï think it’s a supply issue”). It’s one of those weird things where the only place I ask
for it is on BA flights, so no biggie!).New MCO Terminal C: so there was no way that even I could avoid checking in a case for the 3 of us…even knowing
that the system for the new terminal is that you collect your case BEFORE passport security. When it wasn’t one
of the first three out, I began to huff as per (NB zero regard to “priority” labels, so no point in rushing). Howeverrrr, ended up completely changing my mind about the system: as the cases come out in dribs and drabs, those few people go to passports (right next to belt), meaning there is never ever a queue there. Including the walk to the belt, probably waited the best part of an hour for case, but were through security and in an Uber 6 minutes later.We’re in the Hilton Lake Buena Vista – better than I’d expected, and only reason chosen due to generally insane prices coupled with the fact that we have a Hilton Family & Friends pass. Hilton Honors Gold gets you $30/day: buffet b/fast for the three of us will be $65. Also given 2 x Starbucks vouchers per day: café/shop opens 0600-0100h, which is fab. Couple of pleasant pools + sports bar with happy hour, which coincides with Utd. match today! There’s also an Avis desk (thanks for today’s article!!) and it’s 5 minutes’ walk to Disney Springs. The young one was SO happy last night, the whole thing was worth the while, of course.
NBA tonight (although it seems Orlando Magic are this season’s Oxford United…) and we’re splitting our time
at Orlando with a stay in Dunedin – never been but area looks lovely. Again, influenced by hotels, great reviews at the Hampton (thanks again @Anna for the idea!).Hoping everyone at LHR gets to where they’re going.
@MichaelC – thanks for the mention! The lounge does indeed sound unutterably ghastly; as far as my wife and I are concerned, no lounge is better than a bad lounge and the main concourse is eminently survivable if required. I’m afraid we will never understand the obsession here with airport lounges or more particularly hotel ones with no intrinsic merit save that they are supposedly ‘free’ which seems to cause all objective judgement to go out of the window.
I hope you all have a brilliant time in Florida – we were never taken there as children and then too selfish to take ours anywhere child centric so you are most noble!
Great report, really enjoyed it.
I took great interest in the doing split shifts on the CW seat. It gave me hope the points game won’t die a death for me in a few years with a child.As for the lounges, I think in some destinations, we are coming to an era that having a coffee or a beer in a bar overlooking the runway is more much than the lounge experience.
Hope you have a great trip.
Hi @Michael, hope you’re having an amazing time! We took our son to Orlando when he was six and I think we all enjoyed it equally, including the grandparents! Harry Potter was massive at that time and son insisted on packing his cloak, wand and fake glasses and dressing up to visit Universal, including having me draw the wizard scar in eyeliner on his forehead, lol. Some American kids asked to have their photo taken with him which he thought was very cool.
It’s just a delightful place as long as you channel your inner child the entire time! Making up for a childhood where most holidays involved the English or Welsh seaside, lol. Looking forward to hearing more.
@yorkshirerich, it’s often possible to get 3 seats in CW unless the route is very popular (like Orlando!), or failing that, excellent value can be had from using the 241 for 1 adult plus child and booking the other adult a BA holiday for avios, TPs plus usually a pretty good deal on flight + hotel and/or car.I’m confused why you didn’t go to the BA lounge from the outset rather than bothering with PP lounges?
Presumably because 1 person was in WTP and therefore not lounge-eligible.
Presumably because 1 person was in WTP and therefore not lounge-eligible.
Ah I didn’t realise kids counted towards the lounge guest quota.
@MichaelC – thanks for the mention! The lounge does indeed sound unutterably ghastly; as far as my wife and I are concerned, no lounge is better than a bad lounge and the main concourse is eminently survivable if required. I’m afraid we will never understand the obsession here with airport lounges or more particularly hotel ones with no intrinsic merit save that they are supposedly ‘free’ which seems to cause all objective judgement to go out of the window.
I hope you all have a brilliant time in Florida – we were never taken there as children and then too selfish to take ours anywhere child centric so you are most noble!
Think I might be turning into JDB 😵. 15 minutes in Plaza premium LHR T2 today was enough. Tail end of breakfast – dried ouut bakery stuff, lunch not out yet. Lounge full. No windows. After drinking a coke thought “why the hell are we here”. So we left and had a better time at the B concourse coffee shop. Worlds best independent lounge my arse.
Anyway, enjoy Orlando MichaelC. Jet lag is your friend here. Go to any theme park you wish to visit early and be away by lunch. before the crowds and heat!
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