Old-Time Orlando?!

[SimonV]

OK, this is inspired by Scotty, but what old-time memory do you have of Orlando that either makes you cringe or smile?

Cringe - those l-o-n-g flights with a re-fuelling stop at Bangor (or Gander, Newfoundland). Don't miss those at all!

Smile - getting that first smell of pure tropical warmth after arriving at MCO.

Anyone else?

[carolmc]

Cringe - Flying for the first time to USA in 1994 with the Russian airline - Aeroflot from Shannon to Miami. No seatbelt or in-flight entertainment and huge pots of boiling coffee carried by cabin crew down the aisles to each seat.

Smile - getting a new car from Dollar...new to us. We had a 20year old Cortina Mark 11at home so our lads thought "we have arrived"

[Tinkermom]

Cringe - definitely the smoking seats on the back of the plane yuck 🤢 always next to the toilets, and the Bangor refuel

Smile - definitely that Florida smell ❤️

[mick]

Smile
Our first visit in 1990. A week at Fantasy World (that's our white Buick Skylark) and a week at Indian Shores.

Driving from MCO down the OBT past the Tupperware H/Q.

Then as others have said. Numerous times with the dear old TCD into SFB refuelling at Bangor and, on our March/April visits having the wings de-iced before taking off.

Cringe
Thinking someone had pinched the car at a mall near IS as we came out of a different door at Macy's

Mick

[greekgranny]

Cringe Early 80's flying from a very basic Stanstead on an even more basic aircraft and refuelling at Bangor.

Smile. Drawing back the curtains on the second week of our first ever holiday, staying on Treasure Island and seeing dolphins playing. Pure magic.

[Disney_time]

Cringe: Never having driven an automatic, putting the parking brake on and not knowing how to get it off in petrol station with a queue behind 😊

Smile: Walking into a Burger King at 10pm after we arrived the first night in 1986 and having that staff understand us - we had only ever been on foreign holidays to non-English speaking places before. 😉

[EssexSue]

Cringe - the rain storm on our first journey from the air port and not knowing how to turn on wipers!
Smile (I know I've said this one before) but as we landed the US flag flashed up on the screen and "Born in the USA" belted out. It sent shivers down my spine. As we filed off they played "We've all come to look for America" We felt very welcome.

[Scotty]

Ooh I have inspired something!
Our first trip was booked in the high street travel agent, we stayed a week at the Enclave suite and a week in Bradenton which we were told was on the coast. Not quite but we enjoyed it and were bitten by the bug. There were 5 of is in a 2 bedroom apartment. DH, myself and DS in the master and my parents in the second room which had twin beds. My dad had a little more wine than was good for him one evening and said "ok you 2 you have had the double bed all holiday - when are we getting another grandchild?" He denies it now but we know!

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by carolmc

Cringe - Flying for the first time to USA in 1994 with the Russian airline - Aeroflot from Shannon to Miami. No seatbelt or in-flight entertainment and huge pots of boiling coffee carried by cabin crew down the aisles to each seat.

Smile - getting a new car from Dollar...new to us. We had a 20year old Cortina Mark 11at home so our lads thought "we have arrived"

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Yikes, no seatbelts? ! How was that even legal?!

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by Tinkermom

Cringe - definitely the smoking seats on the back of the plane yuck 🤢 always next to the toilets, and the Bangor refuel

Smile - definitely that Florida smell ❤️

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Oh gawd yes. The days when people could still smoke *insert hacking coughing smilie here!*