And Then There We’re Three - the big (double) surprise

[Dixiechic]

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

Sunday 1st May 2022

It’s started already. It’s only 10.30pm had to switch the a/c on as the room is quite warm but I can’t stand the noise! I sleep with total silence so the drone of the a/c feels like I’m trying to sleep next to a pneumatic drill. I’ll see how long I can put up with it before it goes off again

12.17. Had to switch it off. Then realise that it’s masking the sound of corridor noise and someone’s tv but that’s so much better than the constant drone.

Nod off for a little bit but pretty much awake for good from 2ish. I can hear the drone of someone else’s a/c unit and then the planes stay taking off at 5.28.

Got up just before 6 and had a shower - the jets were so thin that I wasn’t getting wet! Then struggled for 5 minutes to get my flight socks on. Decided that now I’m 50 I need them. I wore them to New York last month but by the time I arrived I felt like my legs were being chopped off at the knee. I didn’t wear them on the way home as I couldn’t cope with the struggle at the gate and when we landed back in London my ankles and feet were really puffy despite my restless legs doing the Tibet dance all night. Headed into the girls room at 6.30 and at 6.45 we walked back over to purple parking and there was a terminal 3 bus waiting so we hopped on. A family got on with 2 excited children who just left their cabin cases in the front. Grandma said to us - trouble is they don’t know where they are going. Half of the family were wearing Disney clobber, my eyes teared up. We seem to be the only people wearing masks but can’t take the risk when we need to test again tomorrow.

The queue to check in for Orlando was in a separate zone (G) and the queue reasonably short. They were admin to see our nhs and negative test paperwork - what is the point of submitting it online?!? But by the time we reacher the ‘sticker’ person the queue was too big so we were moved straight to premium check in where we were then told that our attestation firm hadn’t come through so we’re given paper copies to fill in. The veriFLY app used by BA seems much more efficient than the flyready debacle that virgin are using.

We went to the fast track security. Not sure if we should have done but the boarding passes said priority so we winged it.

Quick trip to boots and smiths for plane supplies and then made our way to the the number 1 lounge. This is much nicer than the one at Gatwick and better than the aspire one in T5.

Got me a glass of Prosecco and d plate of brekkie and then sat and chilled. I much prefer the atmosphere of a lounge and Jas copes much better in a quieter environment.

Gate was called at 10.40 - we went to the loo and then meandered towards gate 21. Our plane was parked outside - Fearless Lady - my mum and Dad’s neighbour arrived back on this one this morning. We saw the ‘surprise’ family that had been on the bus.

We only had to wait about 10 minutes before they started boarding and were soon turning left after entering giving the crew a bag of the spring edition quality street to share. I still miss the 747 and the bubble.

The new plane was very nice though. It has the spring loaded tray tables which I liked on my recent AA flight. The TV screens are really big as well. Sockets and USB sockets. Headphones are still the crappy kind though whereas AA and BA both have the comfortable noise cancelling type.

Phoebe is still a germ phobe so we sanitized all of the surfaces in our area and settled in. I think we pushed back around 12 and while we were taxi-ing it came up on our screens that the flight time was going to be 8hrs 11 minutes! That’s a record. The quickest we’ve ever been told over the years was 8 hrs 15 and so many trip reports/blogs lately have been saying 9.5 hours and even 9.45. Jas her her screen on ‘tail view’ while we were taxi-ing and taking off which was pretty cool.

This where Virgin premium win over AA and BA - the welcome drink. On my trip to and from New York both loaded from the front door meaning every single passenger has to filter through business class and premium. On AA there was no welcome drink at all. On BA it was orange juice or water after the economy passengers had all passed through. Virgin - orange juice, water or sparking wine/Prosecco.

As soon as the seatbelt sign was off the menu cards were handed round (which are now bigger, thicker card) and the drinks service started.AA was just a choice of juice, soda, beer or wine. BA b similar to virgin. I had a Bombay sapphire gin and tonic and a bag of crisps.

The dinner choice was chicken lasagna, herb crusted salmon or paneer and sweet potato curry. I was really looking forward to the chicken lasagna but they had run out by row 5. They brought me a chicken and mash meal from economy but I switched to the curry which was nice.

Phoebe also had the curry and jas had her crackers. We did manage to get some cheese portions in WH Smith’s but when she opened then they were telling and not orange so she just had crackers with butter.

By the time I’d eaten I really needed the loo so had to clamber over the girls trying not to knock the trays. The new toilets are tiny with a high tangled tap where you push a button to select hot or cold and then push the go button.

Once lunch was cleared away it was tea/coffee time and we’d spotted in the menu that there was hot chocolate so Phoe and I had one of those. Phoebe remembered that she’d got some marshmallows in her bag so we added those.

Jas then made us laugh - Phoe had gone to the toilet and had come back and was faffing about. Jas complained saying she was trying to watch a movie. Phoebe and I looked at each other as Jasmine’s screen was on sky map and she’d got her noise cancelling headphones on not plugged in to anything. Turns out she’s watching the screen of the person in front with no sound! She’s a funny little fish!

I finished watching west side story and then moved on to the hate game but that wasn’t holding my interest. I got up and had a little walk in the galley as my legs were starting to river dance again and got some olives and crisps from the wonder wall. The economy delight section seems to have quite a few free seats. Phoebe joined me by then we saw that it was ice lolly time so returned to our seats. We are now at the half way point and I could do with a bit more choice on the entertainment. There is a lot less than there used to be.

Had a little read of a magazine and then must have had a little nana nap which is most unlike me but that saw off half an hour.

I then started to watch Spider-Man far from home in the hope that that will see me through to the home straight. I just want to get there now and get sorted out and feel some sun!

Afternoon tea was served 90 minutes before landing and you could feel the buzz throughout our cabin- we knew once this was cleared away the descent would be imminent. Afternoon tea was a bit of a let down as the menu said a duo of finger sandwiches - mozzarella and pesto and cream cheese and dill. There wasn’t a sandwich in the tray. I had to ask and the crew member looked confused, had a rummage and found a roll with a mixed up cheese chutney and tomato. It was ok but didn’t really fit with the rest of the items. She looked at the menu and said she would feed the error back to her manager. I love that virgin serve their hot drinks in real mugs and that they had decaf tea!

Final trip to the loo and a rejig of the bags and then to watch the landing via plane cam. Wheels down at 2.19. We were the 4th party off the plane but the 3rd off were holding up the corridor dawdling along. Once it widened out we over took but got comments of we’re all going to the same place. Entered the immigration hall to a sea of people. The virgin Manchester flight was ahead of us as well as a BA flight. We entered at 2.33 and it took 40 minutes to get seen. Jas had to have her finger prints done as she has a new passport.

The queue meant that our luggage was all there waiting for us so we headed to the transit to get to the main terminal. I left the girls with the luggage and hot footed it to McDonald’s to get Jas some sustenance. Cheeseburger happy mean $7.34 - way more expensive than at home. Then went on a wild goose chase to find the virgin trip to get our bus. Sat on the bus for ages waiting for the last group of people and then they didn’t turn up!

We’re the last drop off and our lady bus driver said hopefully it will only take an hour to get everyone delivered. The dawdlers are on our bus but not at our hotel

I can’t believe we’re here! 4th May 2019 was our last travel day.

After the first drop off the lady changes her mind and decides to do the Dolphin next to avoid traffic and to let the others see some of the Disney area. Result. The sky is looking rather black now and as we’re heading towards the Dolphin a huge streak of lightning flashes. As we get dropped off it is chucking it down but it smells like Florida and feels great!

The entrance and lobby are beautiful and smell amazing. We join the queue to check and are assigned room 6045 and get a $50 room credit. The plan had been to have a bit of an explore, a swim and then get something to eat but all the faffing to get here and then the rain mean that a swim is off the agenda. We go up to our room and have a great view. Download the app to see the restaurants - we want something quick and easy and find Picabu. We head back down and locate the restaurant and order loaded nachos, pepperoni pizza and fries and take them back to the room.

We then have to open the cases and try and sort out what we need for the morning. This is when we realise we’ve not fully thought this through and we have a load of crapola that was in the land luggage and 3 lots of winter travel clothes that all now need to fit in the suitcases that were already full. Along the way I realise that I can’t find my pyjamas so Phoebe is not best pleased as I’m sharing a bed with her tonight (the bed arguments started while we were in the bus).

Baths and showers are had. Jas makes it to 8.45 before crashing and I’m not far behind after finishing the block.

The next few days won’t be posted until later in the week as we won’t have internet access.

Apologies for all the typos, I’m typing on my phone at the speed of light to try and stay up to date.

Phoebe’s point of view:

Travel Day -

After mum goes across to her own room Jas and I watch the 1% club programme thing and we’re smashing the questions! We try to sleep and I get the giggles for some reason and can’t stop laughing! We say night to each other and Jas says ciao and we then spent ages trying to decide what hello was in Italian too but confirmed it was also ciao?! Apparently I suddenly made a random noise and Jas woke me up saying Phoe snd explained. I said well I did hear something like that but thought it was outside!

12:44 - I check my phone as I don’t think I’ve been asleep yet but feel like I’ve woken up for the first time to turn the AC off. I’ve got to be up in 5 hours! Went for a wee and turned the AC back on but colder to see if that would help!?

I must have fallen back asleep at some point after texting mum at 1am telling her I couldn’t sleep! I’d woken up to rollover and told myself I must keep my eyes shut and after a while heard Jasmine moving, opened my eyes to see her sat at the edge of the bed and asked if she was okay. Her back was in agony apparently, I looked at my phone and it was 5:47! Jas got up and ready and I’d looked at my phone and had 8 texts from tesco!? They told me I’d used up all my data and my stupid £2.50 safety buffer!? Then I remembered Jas said it was best to leave my phone off the wifi overnight because I wanted to download a whole season of Greys Anatomy for the flight, what a stupid idea and now I’m livid I have no data!

Alarm went off at 6 and I’d connected my phone again to see that mum had replied and that she was now getting up. I jumped in the shower and by the time I was out mum was in our room packing the cases. Everything re packed and hand luggage sorted and were ready to go back to the car park to get the bus to the terminal! I can’t wheel a case to save my life we’ve discovered, I can’t pull it because I’m too weak🤣 I can’t push it on all fours because I’m too weak, and I certainly can’t lift it up the curb because you guessed it, I’m too weak!

On to the bus and saw a few planes land and started the journey to terminal 3 and straight to VA premium check in. A couple next to us who had booked economy asked if there was premium seats left to upgrade, the lady answered 7 and it was £200 something to upgrade. I said to mum I wonder how much it would be to upgrade to upper ( as I didn’t have to argue as they’d split us up and they didn’t offer the upgrade ) our lady then said shall I tell you and we said yeah go on then, £749! If I had the coin I would! All checked in and bags dropped and off to security we go. Through the fast track/priority which was so calm and no one was shouting at you to take this that and the other off. Mum and I went through easily and Jas got pulled for extra screening. They gave her the all clear!

Now on to find cheese, Jas doesn’t eat plane food so she has a packed lunch and we’d frozen mini tubs of butter for her crackers and had them in a cool bag but didn’t have any cheese. Yes, we froze mini tubs of butter, no judgment. No cheese in boots but I did get my meal deal in case they didn’t have any veggie dishes left of the flight, although the meal deal was a duck wrap! I’m funny with food okay no judgment again! We found cheese in smiths and then headed to the No.1 lounge to chill

Jas had half a bacon roll and some apple juice, I had some hash browns, a sausage and some beans with cranberry juice and mum had bacon, egg, sausage, beans and some hash browns and an OJ and Prosecco.

I can feel myself falling asleep already and I’m thinking god how am I gonna get through the next 18hrs! Wish my luck.

We played a few rounds of connect four and won some and lost some. Mum dropped her cards and the counters. Jas was patiently waiting for the gate info to be put on the board. Not long after it flashed up at gate 21. We headed to the gate with half the airport and sat waiting to board. I wanted a cute pic of my with my Disney attire and the plane but no one wanted to give up their window view for anyone else!

Premium rows 21-27 were called and up we went. Scanned the boarding passes and a quick flash of the passports and we’re through, mum catches up with us and tells us she tripped over a ramp! Onto the plane and to the left 😍 handed a bag of sweets to the crew and started to clean the chairs and the area we were sat in. Welcome drinks of OJ and Prosecco were taken.

Not long after we took off I was desperate for a wee and thought I was gonna have to say to the crew, please let me use the toilet so I don’t wee in your seat! About 10 mins later the seatbelt sign was off and I leapt up but some cheeky devil got there in front of me! One crew member could tell I was gonna wee my pants and opened another toilet for me. Love her. Back down to the chair and I started the film Marry Me. Felt a bit emosh that we were actually on the flight and on our way to the best place in the world. After originally having a NYC trip booked from October 2019 to then changing and cancelling about 100 times and costing my poor bank account a small fortune (toats worth EVERY penny), we’re finally here. God I’m welling up now I need to pull myself together.

Paused my film for mum to get out for a wee as the guy next to her was typing away on his lappy, so she climbed over Jas, over me, over our trays and headphones and bags and Jas and I were looking at her to be like we could have moved hun.

Soon lunch came around, literally my fav part of the flight. Haters will hate but I love me a plane meal okay. The options were, chicken lasagne. No thank you, salmon something. Defo no thank you, and a veggie curry, yes please hunny. Every man and those dog was asking for the chicky lasag and a few rows in front the crew said they’d run out. Had to break the news to mum that she’d have to have something else. The closer they got I started to get a bit sweaty if they ran out of the curry too, I’d be offered the fish 🤢 Yes I could have ordered a veggie meal, yes I shouldn’t ever expect to always have a veggie meal, but everyone who knows me knows chicken and fish are the two things I don’t eat! There’s normally a beef or pork options, not that I’d pick those but if push came shove then I’d have it and leave the meat lol.

Finished the film and thought what next? Not a lot of options for tv programmes or films so a bit disappointed. Should I have started the Greys Jas downloaded me and used all my data on? Why yes I hear you say. Did I do this I hear you ask? No I did not, I watched two eps of Friday Night Dinner. Jas has been ready to get off the plane since about 3hrs in, she didn’t want to play any games, she didn’t want to eat her lunch in her lunch box, she didn’t want to have a drink she just wanted to get off the plane. Off you pop hun at 37,000 ft out the door and swim the rest of the way!

Hot drinks came round and mum and I had a cheeky hot choc and as she gave them to us I remembered in my sweets pot I had marshmellows! Que everyone being jelly of our bevs.

Next up mum and I went for a wee and a wonder around the plane and got some olives and popcorn from the wonder wall. Then back to our seats for the ice lolly.

Then I did something I don’t think I’ve ever done on a flight out before since being a baby, I had a nap. A nap! It was only 20 mins but still! I keep telling them I am EXHAUSTED 24/7 and this proves it! Woke up and Jas was just staring at me, weirdo. I asked if she wanted to play any games and she shrugged, I said cards? Connect four? She shrugged. She said can you do my back (as in massage it), she obvs thinks she’s in my thoughts from Friday night where she’s been upgraded to upper! Cheeky devil. Like the mug and caring older sister I am, gave her a massage.

Then the three of us played some cards and mum dropped them again! Then we requested some bevs and Jas had a sip of her own drink. I tell you now, if we play let’s pass out at immigration again, she won’t here the end of this!

Not long after this our afternoon tea was served, two cakes and a scone with jam and cream, but not sandwiches!? Good job I had my duck wrap from the meal deal earlier! I then discovered on the kids channel that they retold some Disney stories so I sat and listened to The Little Mermaid! Jas and I then started to watch Encanto until we landed which wasn’t too long after. Mum and I kept noticing Jas would wind forward massive chunks of the film and after said she was only watching the songs!

We landed at 15:20 and then this is where it went a bit wild and everyone was hot and bothered. We were in the back row of 4, mum and the stranger should get off to their left and we should get off to our right and walk round to the door of the plane. The couple to mine and Jasmine's right got told they could go and walked, and then the couple to our right in the row in front of us pushed past me, like actually shoved me out of the way to the point where I looked at them with a glare. I was not impressed, I know it’s minor but come on man we’ve been on here 9 hours let’s take it in turns shall we. Jas and I then got off and met mum and then the couple who shoved me proceeded to walk at snail speed to immigration, we have been on the plane for 9 hours people let’s get a wiggle on! Jas then says, “I’ve got a headache and I’m stating to feel weak”. 2016 rendition here we come! There was then a point where I could swerve left to over take. A. Because we don’t want a 3hr queue. B. Jas might pass out. C. I might wee myself.

I then swerve past to be left with a sarcastic comment from the couple to say we’re all going to the same place. Yes Karen, yes we are. But please refer to A, B and C above! We get to the hall and the line is huge but moves quick and we’re though to the bags within maybe an hour. I sense a smug look from said couple that they were called to a desk before us but fear not, we were through and bags collected before! Then this is where it gets real wild. To get to the shuttle the confirmation said to go through side A, down to level 1 and then to baggage claim 8A. We do this but there is no 8A, we then go back into the lift to level two, then back down to level 1 on an escalator, mum tripped, and then I swear we’re back at level two and walk all the way down until we see 8A for heavens sake.

We find the desk and the lady takes our name and asks us about our trip. We get sent outside into the heat to wait for bus and the best thing ever happened. Another lady walked us through to the exit and she said she loved my ears and then she said she loved that we had the Teletubbies too! My neck pillow is a Laa Laa one and she turns into a cuddly Laa Laa. Yes I am almost 24 and I still love the teletubbies and have multiple Laa Laa’s! She said her kids love them too 💜💚💛❤️

Get outside in the heat we go to wait for the bus and whodo we see? The shovy couple and they’re on our bus!

OMG WE’RE ACTUALLY HERE. It’s now sunken in whilst on the shuttle to the hotel! We’ve also seen our first ever round about in the US when dropping a family off at their hotel.

Change of plan and we’re being dropped off next so the driver doesn’t get stuck in traffic, we were going to be dropped off last!

Checked into the hotel and in our room and we have a lovely view of the Swan Hotel. Decided to go down and get some food so ordered a loaded nachos, Pepperoni Pizza and French Fries! At midnight UK time! Back up to the room to feast.

All fed and showered and tried to sort the cases out for the rest of the week but not a chance as we have a so much stuff and we’re all shattered! Trying to stay awake til 9pm US time which we’ll defo do so that is a long 20hr travel day!

Number of times mum dropped connect four tokens - 2
Number of times mum dropped cards - 2
Number of times mum tripped up or over something - 4

See you in the AM kids x

[Loopylooloo]

You made me laugh with your comment about doing the Tibet dance with your flight socks! Funny lady. 🤣

A great start, I even got excited seeing your flight food!

[Rozie]

Have the most amazing holiday! Can’t wait to read more 😊👍🏻

[jovial]

Lovin your report so far ! Can’t wait to read more ! It’s v funny !