And Then There Were Three - the big (double) surprise

Dixiechic · 17 May 22, 09:32 PM

And Then There Were Three - the big (double) surprise

Monday 16th May 2022/Tuesday 17th May 2022- magic Kingdom and home

Day 15

Slept really badly. My feet were still pulsating until gone midnight. I then woke up at 2 freezing cold and the duvet couldn’t be located. Had to get out of bed to find it. Jas got out of bed at 5.45 to go to the loo and that’s when I realised I hadn’t set an alarm.

The plan today was to go to MK for 9, ride 2 or 3 rides and then leave at 11 at the latest and sit by the pool for half an hour or so before getting showered and checking out at 1. This is totally new for us as we always use Disney springs check in, get rid of our luggage by 8.30 then head to Mk until about 2.30 and then head to the airport. Disney springs virgin Atlantic checkin still hasn’t reopened after covid - they keep saying ‘spring’ but no sign of it yet. I went downstairs just after 7 and met dad for breakfast. I had the waffles again.

Back upstairs to fit a few more bits in the case and then meet at 8 to head to Mk.

We set off for MK and we’re soon in the parking lot. We decided to get the ferry as the queue for the monorail was huge. We went upstairs for the first time as they now have a direct ramp off which speeds things up no end. We enter the park just after 9.

It’s absolutely heaving - the queue for the scanners went to right back to under the bridge. Phoebe is already saying that she’s not going home. Grandad books a lightning lane for pirates of the Caribbean as we haven’t done that yet this trip. The flash for the photo really made me jump. We then had a lightning lane for Indy speed way but Phoebe says it was too hot to ride so she sat it out and said she didn’t want to do space mountain anymore either as it was too hot to keep zigzagging across the park. It’s meant to be 34° today and we were feeling it.

I had completed a mobile order for Casey’s corner ready for when they opened at 10.30 so quickly nipped to adventure land to pick up the cheese burger spring roll and then ate our very early lunch. We then headed back through the shops as Jas wanted to get the chopping boards and cookie cutters with the last of our food money.

One last spirit jersey purchased - no idea how many Phoebe has now! Then to Starbucks for one last pink drink. The queue here was horrendous. Back to the parking lot and to the hotel - arrived back at 12.30, no time to sit outside! Quick shower and then to try and cram everything in the last bit of space in the cases. Phoe still had some stuff to pack so we just shoved it in a carrier bag to sort later.

We checked out and says hour bye to mum and dad as they are on an earlier flight than us. We set up camp in the lounge area and finalised the cases and then spent the next hour catching up on notes and making use of the wifi. At 2.20 we made our way out to load up the car. Jas had it all sorted in no time. Phoe was driving and in 15 mins we were pulling in to the car rental return. All good with the car with no extra charges. We made use of a porter to get the bags across in to the terminal - 4, we can just about manage but the 5th is a giant hold-all which isn’t very user friendly to move.

All checked in and we are gate 83. Mum and dad are 86. The sign at security says 9-14 minutes which is good - it took Connor 45 mins on Saturday. We caught up with m and d again and then waited a life time to get Jas a Burger King. All orders are done through your phone or the electronic order boards. Should be easy and straight forward. It would be if the people putting the orders together had any kind of oomph about them. They’re just pottering along with no cares in the world. It’s not like anyone has got a plane to catch!

Mum and dad were called to board so we said goodbye again and then watched their plane take off. I then helped Phoebe to wrestle her flight socks on. It wasn’t long until it was our turn. We asked about upgrades but upper was full 😢

Row sanitized for the benefit of Phoebe - and to be fair, it needed it. The table trays when unfolded were full of crumbs, there is no way that they were cleaned. The couple on the back row across from us move to the front 2 seats so after take off Jas moves ftom
The middle 3 to the window 2 so we’ve all got more space to spread out.

Had to wait for the welcome drink as it’s a plane where everyone traipses through premium. Dinner was delicious I went for the red Thai salmon which is most unlike me as I’m not hugely in to fish but it was beautifully cooked.

I watched the ice road which I enjoyed. After this I was just about to ho to the loo when the seatbelt sign came on for ages. It was this point as well where I started to get restless legs and they were pinging about all over the place. The man in front reclined his chair the second the crossing had said ‘cabin crew seats for take off’ and he spent the whole night reclining, sitting up, reclining sitting up. I think I managed 2 30 minute chunks of sleep. 2 people across the aisle insisted on having their window blinds open the whole time so bright daylight was streaming in as soon as the sun was up. There was then a bit of a barney while I was waiting for the loo as a woman wanted to put her giant hold all in the overhead bin so someone just started moving bags elsewhere so there was room for hers. The people whose bags were being moved didn’t like it.

Breakfast - on the way out we didn’t get our finger sandwiches. Today we didn’t get our sausage egg and cheese biscuit! Our whole side of premium got a blueberry muffin instead! Poor show. When I spoke to my dad later in the day, they all got theirs on the earlier flight!

Landed slightly early and then through immigration really quickly. Baggage let us down though. We were waiting well over 20 minutes for our cases to appear. We then made our way to bus stop 22 to get back to purple parking. It was boiling outside and I was dressed for winter. The bus turned up after 15 minutes and we struggled with our luggage. We had to stop at T5 which I want too happy about as I was boiling and the suitcase in my face smelled grim. Finally back to purple parking and played suitcase Tetris to fit it all in. Phoebe out her google miss on, I was driving abs we set off on what was to become a mystery tour. I was expecting the same route as the journey here but in reverse - M25, M11,A14. We were on the M25 for about 10 minutes and were sent in the A414, A1, A505 and lord knows where else before finally popping out on the A11/A14.

Home at 12.30, cases all emptied, stuff everywhere, plane clothes all out in the wash and powered through doing little chores until 9pm

We’ve had a great time with a mix of highs and lows. The biggest thing we need to remember is that we can’t do it all! It’s not like we’ve never been before so we should take some down time. The cruise was simply amazing and I thank my girls and my mum and dad so much for making it happen.

Thank you all for reading and I apologise for the typos, especially when my phone writes ‘abs’ instead of ‘and’ - I’m trying to get the words down quickly and there isn’t time to proof read.

Phoebe’s point of view:

Day 15 -

I wake up just before 7 and mums telling me we’re leaving at 8 to go to Magic Kingdom. I’m really struggling to get out of bed but someone now get downstairs ready for just after 8. We drive to Magic Kingdom and it is beyond hot today. I can already tell this is a bad idea.

We get through the gates and on the ferry across. We get a LL for Pirates of the Caribbean and I’m already passing out walking to the other side of the park in this heat. I have two cheese strings in the queue hoping this will help. We walk straight on to the boat. After this we get a LL for Indi Speedway but I say I’m not doing this one as I can’t sit or stand in the sun so I sit in the stands in the shade. They’re on and off pretty quick and I soon decide I can’t wait for Space Mountain and that we’ll go to get some food and the last minute look in the shops.

I pick up one more sprit jersey and we stop at Starbucks to get a last pink drink of the hols. Head to the Monorail to get to the car. We’re back at the hotel at 12:20 and left with 40 mins to get showered and pack up the last minute stuff. We’re back down at 1ish and say goodbye to Nanny and Gdog but see you at the airport. Us three sit in the dining area for about an hour before setting off for the airport. I do the last drive and we get there in one piece but have a screaming match as we’re trying to drop the car off as both mum Dorris and Jas are all telling me different directions to go!

We drop the bags off and one of them is 23.9kg! The rest are all well under so we’re okay. Down to security which doesn’t take long at all and then we’re in the tram to go to the gate to meet Nanny and Gdog. We’re through just after half 3. Mum and I go to Auntie Ann’s for some cinnamon pretzels. I then leave her in the shop as she goes back to another shop for more goodies. Nanny and Gdog board just after 5 and they’re on their way.

After they leave I decide to put my flight socks on but I can’t. This then leads to mum putting tnem on for me which is more of a struggle which Jas finds hilarious. We board just after 6 and as we walk towards the plane it smells of plane food. Normally I can only smell it as they bring the food out and don’t mind it, but today it’s all I can smell and I’m already put off. We head to our row and start cleaning it and it’s so much filthier than the plane we flew out on. As we sit down the entire plane has to walk past us to get back to Economy and everyone is coughing and breathing over us and I’m getting claustrophobic Darren!

The smell of food gets stronger and I end up putting a mask on for the rest of the flight to make myself feel better and tell myself I won’t catch germs like this.

I chose the veggi sheps pie for dinner and watch a Star is Born. It’s too much of an emotional film for a flight home. I try to steady the emotion and my mask is now soggy but then I imagine me being Ally and I was gone. I went for a wee and to brush my teeth and sobbed lol.

Back out and got my blanket and pillow out and watched a few eps of Friday Night Dinner to try and make myself fall asleep. I eventually fall asleep but I’m in and out of sleep until about 20 mins before landing. I even say to mum don’t wake me for breakfast.

We land at 8:27 and are off the plane and through security quite quickly but wait a lifetime for the cases to come out. We then collect these and head to the shuttle bus to take us back to Melody but this takes forever to arrive and then forever to get back to the car park. We eventually make it and load her up and mum drives home.

My eyes feel heavy for the last part of the journey and I keep hearing mum say wake up. We’re home just after half 12 and I get straight in the shower and mum starts to unpack. We then have a quick trip into town and to Nannys for the bits they took back for us and to try and desperately stay awake until 9pm!

At 8:45 I go upstairs and get into bed and I am done. I’m so tired, I’m so exhausted, my legs are all chubby from the flight and the stupid socks and I’m still half dead from this cold.

Number of times we’ve been to Florida and said we can’t do it all and must remember we need to rest days on the next trip - 12
Number of times we’ve learnt this lesson - 0
Number of times I said I was cold in the aircon - 372927302
Number of times Connor has said a sentence along the lines of “next year we’ll do…” - too many to keep track of 😍

See you next time kids x

**Sparksy72** · 18 May 22, 07:15 AM

Thank you so much for a fantastic report. You really managed to fit loads in and how lovely to be able to go with all your family. 😁

**Loopylooloo** · 18 May 22, 08:37 AM

Sad to see you leaving this lovely holiday

No matter how long you go for it just never feels enough does it? Reading this has sooo made me want to go back!
Great trip report thank you to you and Phoebs 🥰

Dixiechic · 18 May 22, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

Thank you so much for a fantastic report. You really managed to fit loads in and how lovely to be able to go with all your family. 😁

Glad you enjoyed it

Dixiechic · 18 May 22, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Loopylooloo

Sad to see you leaving this lovely holiday

No matter how long you go for it just never feels enough does it? Reading this has sooo made me want to go back!
Great trip report thank you to you and Phoebs 🥰

I think if we were there for 5 or 6 weeks it wouldn’t be long enough! I need to go back soon and do another cruise!

ClaireNJ · 18 May 22, 12:06 PM

Thanks for your trip report
It’s been great following along
I’m exhausted just reading it all & hot too 🥵🥵
It’s a struggle in the heat
Hope you’ll be your jetlag soon

ClaireNJ · 18 May 22, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Dixiechic