Disneymoon with the Besties - May/June 2017 - Day 0 - Travel Day and Arrival in NYC

[tracey1302]

Pre-Trip Report

Day -1 - Sunday 21st May - Overnight stay at the Radisson, Manchester

Day 0 – Monday 22nd May – Travel Day and Arrival in NYC

I slept so well at the Radisson, beginning a trend that lasted for the duration of our holiday. I don't mind admitting that I had been suffering from anxiety attacks the week before the holiday (and for a few days in NYC) but I managed to sleep like a baby, which really helped.

Being an anxious, over planning traveller, that extra night at the Radisson was fantastic for me. Knowing that I had everything I needed, and already being at the airport, helped me to get some much needed peace of mind and rest.

Having checked in the day before (obviously), we dressed and showered, and strolled over to bag drop at 7.30am. I've no doubt many Dibbers have used the bag drop machines for TC at MAN. My god, we found them so slow and really quite stressful. Neil was convinced our bags wouldn't make it to NYC.

We got through security in excellent time and decided quickly on Giraffe for breakfast and I had a gorgeous burrito.

And this was me on the morning of our epic three week adventure...

We had a quick look around the shops. Neil bought a book and I bought some water for the journey. We were due to board at 9.40am.

MILD RANT CONCERNING THOMAS COOK... Apologies...

So, we booked our flights in May LAST YEAR. We booked a one way from MAN to NYC with extra leg room and then a one way from MCO to MAN, Premium Economy, because I managed to score an excellent deal with flights.

In January of this year, we received an email to notify us that our outbound aircraft had been changed to the Airtanker. Knowing of the negative connotations associated with this change from the Dibb and Orlando trips, I read the email from TC carefully. However, it said that we would still get seat back entertainment, and the James Martin meals, and all of the other features. There didn't seem to be that much change. I did nothing as I was satisfied from that email that our trip wouldn't be negatively impacted.

Two weeks before we were due to travel, I received an email stating that 'in addition to our overhead screens... (Wait, WHAT? ) we would be able to stream entertainment to our own electronic devices through an app.' So, instead of watching on a screen in front of me, I would be watching movies on a tiny screen, running down my battery (which, they informed me, I wouldn't be able to charge on board).

I was furious. This wasn't what it had said in the original email, and was clearly a downgraded plane. Maybe I'm a snobby traveller, but I haven't travelled long haul without seat back TV screens since about 1994? The first time we went with VA was in 1998 and I remember having seat back then.

I rang Thomas Cook and ranted but the guy on the other end of the phone said that 'they didn't know' what plane we would get, so all he could give me was priority boarding. I was very confused by this, given that I'd received an email that indicated we would have seatback AND overhead screens. God knows. Anyway, I filled in a very strongly worded customer feedback survey and hopefully, I will receive a call from TC about this soon.

Anyway, armed with our priority boarding passes, we headed to the gate. Boarding was very chaotic, if I'm honest. There was no real line or organisation, and our priority boarding was a bit of a joke as they pretty much let everyone on at the same time.

Once on the plane, while we had the extra legroom we had asked for, which was great. The food was also very good.

This was a chicken and leek risotto, and we also received a bread roll and a seriously nice malted chocolate cheesecake. We also got cheese and biscuits but Neil had mine as I'm not a massive fan.

The general condition of the aircraft was very good. It felt very new and very clean, which makes the dated central entertainment system very puzzling. Yes, we could have upgraded to the premium entertainment system, but this would still have had to go through our phones and run the battery down. Furthermore, the flight was 6 hours 40 minutes.

My anxiety was really bad on the plane. I will add, anxiety is something that I literally started suffering from the week before we went on this holiday. I have no idea what triggered it, or if it's here to stay, but it made me really empathise with people who suffer from it on a day to day basis. I salute you, you're amazing.

I had two fairly serious attacks while on board, which was strange, as I'm not afraid of flying at all. I think I was so desperate for the holiday, for some reason, getting there (and if I'm honest, to the final destination of Florida) was making me really anxious. If anyone reading this also suffers from anxiety, I would like to whole heartedly recommend the Headspace app.



I would not have made it through that flight without that app. The Moana soundtrack also helped, as did looking at my Disney travel documents and holding Neil's hand.

The flight to New York thus seemed a lot longer than it actually was! This also wasn't helped by the fact that when we were coming in to land, the pilot said we would be landing in 10 minutes, which turned into 40 minutes! Neil and I kept looking at each other, waiting for the wheels to hit ground.

Immigration at JFK was an absolute nightmare. We queued for nearly an hour, only to be put in a booth queue for an officer who went on a break. Yes, as you can imagine, the anxiety massively returned here but I just decided to ignore it, which helped.

Finally allowed into the country, my heart beating so fast, I swear everyone at JFK would be able to hear it, we got the Airtrain to Jamaica Station, realising very quickly that it was absolutely chucking it down in NYC. Not exactly the dream arrival! Then we got the train from Jamaica Station to Penn , which arrived very quickly.

I love arriving into Manhattan at Penn Station. I'd studied at Princeton in NJ as part of my UG degree, so Manhattan was very familiar to me, and when we'd come into the city, we would always come into Penn. You just go up those escalators and wow, you're at Madison Square Garden! The look on Neil's face was priceless.

New York has such a buzz about it and the buildings are just so high and electrifying that you can't help but fall in love with it. I forgot how much I loved it, as we made our way two blocks down and three blocks over to our hotel – the Hampton Inn by Manhattan on West 35th Street.



We checked in and made it to our room, very wet from the rain but so happy to have finally arrived after what seemed like a very very long day. My first disappointment was that the room wasn't a King Room, which was what we had booked.

We could have complained and asked to be switched, but you know what it's like once you're there. You just want to crash and can't be bothered lugging your cases somewhere else! However, that being said, I was thrilled with the hotel's location and the beds were very, very comfortable. It was also very clean and we got free breakfast! Winning!

We both had quick showers and realised we were starving so went to a place called Stout NYC (fab open plan Irish bar) for some food and drinks.

Then, we got second wind after food, so headed up to the amazing Times Square.

After Times Square, we headed for a 7/11 for some water for the room and finally crashed to bed. We were finally in amazing NYC. Leg one of our honeymoon had finally begun!

Day 1 - Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty, Highline and Brooklyn Brewery is here

[lovemickey]

Great start , New York looks fab, it's definitely on our bucket list of places to visit.
Hope you managed to enjoy your hols despite the anxiety. I suffer and it can come from nowhere. It started about 3 years ago after a traumatic time with my youngest DS's birth. For me it's a control thing and when I feel out of control it rears its head! I'm concerned about our flight to Florida so may take a look at the headspace app.
I've followed your wedding report and know what a tough time you've had, you may find it's all of that, that has triggered it.

[Floridaagogo]

Great start.looking forward to reading along x

[tracey1302]

Originally Posted by lovemickey

Great start , New York looks fab, it's definitely on our bucket list of places to visit.
Hope you managed to enjoy your hols despite the anxiety. I suffer and it can come from nowhere. It started about 3 years ago after a traumatic time with my youngest DS's birth. For me it's a control thing and when I feel out of control it rears its head! I'm concerned about our flight to Florida so may take a look at the headspace app.
I've followed your wedding report and know what a tough time you've had, you may find it's all of that, that has triggered it.

See more...

I think it probably is. Either way, I cannot recommend Headspace enough. It's literally changed my life and I still use it now, even though I haven't had an attack since we arrived in Disney.

[EJSakaAnna]

Good travel day, shame about the flight stress though.

We stayed in an hotel near to yours on our honeymoon in NYC, got a feeling your report is going to have me reminiscing xx

[JenD1]

Very much enjoying this as NY bound next year for our joint 50ths (eek!).

[MOUSEMARSH]

Thanks for posting the piccys, we were in NYC a couple of years ago and they brought back so many memories

[mick]

Great start

Joan

[collybird]

So cool you studied at Princeton! What an experience.

I had a huge smile on my face reading this, we love New York and you're right, it has such a buzz. We usually stay at the New Yorker on 34th but I really fancied the Hampton when I noticed it last year, great location!

[Excitedx4]

A bit of a rollercoaster travel day, but glad you got there in the end. I suffer from anxiety slightly which comes and goes sporadically, never been treated medically as I try and sort my own head out but it is an absolutely awful feeling and time, I'm in an episode at the minute and trying to pull myself out of it.