**LIVE** Gryffindors and the Orlando Homecoming: Off-site food report!

[Excitedx4]

Originally Posted by disneypars

Great start. Hope you have a good travel day.

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Thank you 😊

Originally Posted by Rescuer

Have a great travel day.

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Thank you sat airside now waiting for gate to be announced!

Originally Posted by NewtoOrlando

Glad you got your Nandos! Love a full platter ❤️ I’ve never actually been in that pub, always forget it’s there! Craigs a copper in the area, so we tend to avoid the pubs lol.

Hope you have a fab travel day! Can’t wait to see more!

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All thanks to you for the recommendation on area! Haha I can see why you’d avoid the pubs! Hopefully update the other side soon 🤞🏻

[Sparksy72]

Have a great travel and and we might see you in the parks! 😁

[DisneyMemories]

Safe travels !

[Ohanaa]

Safe travels!

[twogoto]

Looking forward to reading along. Have a safe flight!

[Excitedx4]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

Have a great travel and and we might see you in the parks! 😁

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Will definitely keep an eye out for you guys 😊

Originally Posted by DisneyMemories

Safe travels !

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Thank you 😊

Originally Posted by Ohanaa

Safe travels!

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All here safe and sound 😊

Originally Posted by twogoto

Looking forward to reading along. Have a safe flight!

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Thanks our flight was great 😊

[Excitedx4]

**Travel Day**

So the previous night whilst sitting at the pub Dave and I popped an antihistamine (cos we’re crazy kids &#129315 so I woke up this morning just before my alarm! Revolutionary never have I slept so good the night before a flight.

So I got up showered and ready and woke the rest of the gang up. Whilst they were faffing I nipped next door to the Premier Inn T5 there is a McDonald’s and got both the boys pancakes. It was 6.30am and was far too early for me to eat and Dave said he was fine.

Both boys pancakes and a drink plus I got a Coke Zero too (I don’t drink tea or coffee weirdo alert I know &#129315. I decided to get the kids breakfast as I’d heard there was really long queues for food airside and it was definitely the right decision.

We left the hotel just before 7 and pulled up at T3 Valet parking around 7.10am. When is originally booked this parking we were flying BA out of T5 but I couldn’t amend the booking to T3 when we moved to the AA flight. I’d emailed Valet parking and they said to just turn up at T3 and all the paperwork would be sorted there. I was a tiny bit apprehensive about this not going ok so I had the email screenshot between myself and the team leader for valet parking at T5 🤣 but it was all fine and perfect no problem and so easy! Valet parking is the future!

Anyway car all sorted cases out and into the terminal. T3 was busy but organised.

We went to the AA check in desks and was guided to the special assistance area for AA across the way. There were 3 people in front of us and it took soooo long! We had already checked in and literally just wanted to bag drop. This area was not near the luggage carousel so I was struggling to understand where our luggage actually went or if we would have to queue again so I grabbed an AA employee who confirmed that no we would not have to queue again. Anyway you “check in” again with special assistance, he tagged our luggage then you drop it at the business class desk then you’re all done. This took around 45 minutes with only 3 people ahead 😳.

Security was busy but organised and a man took us right past a big queue with Evan and put us near the front of the queue and it took us around 10 minutes for security.

We were airside around 8.30am and the queue to get into the food restaurants were long so I’m glad the boys had eaten.

We grabbed some sandwiches for the plane from Boots and we had our cool bag full of snacks for the plane too.

Here’s Kevin and Perry waiting to board! 🤣🤣

Boarding was all on time and we were one of the last to board as we had to wait for the “lift” special assistance team to come with the onboard wheelchair for Evan. We pushed back bang on time and were in the air for 11am.

Now the meals came round earlier than I expected and my phone was in my bag and I couldn’t get it for the main meal so you’ll have to have a description I’m sorry!

So picture this in-front of you is your meal tray, on it there is a foil container with rice and chicken in a brown sticky spicy bbq/teriyaki sauce. Also Jacob’s crackers and laughing cow cheese, with a chocolate and coconut cake, a small bottle of water and a little salad with balsamic vinegar.

There was a choice of chicken and rice or tomato and cheese pasta. Dave and I had the chicken and the kids had the pasta. We all actually enjoyed the meal. If you don’t like spice go for the pasta. If you do like spice then the chicken was lovely!

There was a box of snacks in the galley you could help yourself to, little rocky roads, millionaire’s shortbread, crisps, etc. Drinks were brought round a lot and they are full size cans and then afternoon tea was a pastry which I didn’t like but we had our Boots sandwich’s.

The flight was brilliant. IFE was really good. I watched Ambulance, Pivoting (5 episodes) and Tom Hanks documentary. It was cold though so defo take a jacket! Before I knew it we were coming to land early at 2.45pm half an hour ahead of schedule.

We were last off board as we had to wait for the “lift” special assistance team Miami end too and we had a good chat with the flight attendants and met the pilots.

Immigration was busy but we were sent down the special assistance lane and boy was our immigration officer stern! I’ve never been asked so many questions, but he eventually let us in thank god 🤣!

Bags all waiting at the carousel for us then off over to the MIA mover to car rental. We had a 1 day car hire with Avis before we get our 2 week rental today. Desk was empty and all paperwork sorted we headed down to the garage. No large SUV’s so we asked a man and he went and got us one. A RAV4 black with just shy of 10k on the clock. We were driving out of the garage at 4.30pm. Not bad to say we actually didn’t get off the plane until 3.30pm after waiting for special assistance!

Traffic was a bit bad around Miami but once this was clear it was a straight run up to Universal Dockside. We arrived at 8.30pm.

All checked in and given a disabled room on the ground floor in tower 1 facing the pool. The room is lovely really airy and spacious. We got the cases in and got sorted and the kids jumped into bed.

Dave and I went for a little explore and went to Pier 8 food court. We picked up a large cheese pizza to take back to the room and got a refillable mug for our stay.

We got sorted for the morning getting bits and bobs out the cases and fell into bed at 10.20pm.

An amazingly smooth travel day and we all feel so happy and excited to be here. We are ready to make so many magical family memories which are absolutely priceless 🥰🥰🥰

[orlandoamber]

What a fab travel day and pleased to hear you’ve got a nice room!

Me and DH also both don’t drink tea or coffee, so I understand the funny looks you can sometimes get when you tell people that

Have an amazing first day! Xx

[juless77]

What a lovely start thanks for sharing

[Excitedx4]

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

What a fab travel day and pleased to hear you’ve got a nice room!

Me and DH also both don’t drink tea or coffee, so I understand the funny looks you can sometimes get when you tell people that

Have an amazing first day! Xx

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Thank you, can’t wait to get into the parks this morning 😊

We just need to upgrade mine and Jacob’s tickets to annual passes for our October trip but only was the 2 park seasonal pass so got to try and do that before entering the park as someone has said once you use your ticket you have to get the 3 day ticket 🤨 we can also sort out Accessibility pass for Evan so 2 birds 1 stone and all that!