3 weeks is not enough! Disney & Universal Sept 2016 - Day 20, DHS & pool

[sha9]

Today was our last full day and didn’t really go as planned for some of it. The morning was planned as DHS and then our parents were due in from New York later that day. They were getting DME and staying at BLT in a Lake view room and we planned on meeting them at BLT as they arrived.
We had a slow start to the day and headed out around 9ish. We had bagels in the room for breakfast and some of the cereal we had left from our stay at OKW. Our first FP was TSM at 10.20am so we had plenty of time.
Panoramic view from the room.

The dining report for today is here.

We arrived just in time for the start of our FP window and got to ride the new side. It meant we came out farther down the street and had to get our bearings a bit!

Our next FP wasn’t until 11.20am for Star Tours so we headed round to the stage for the next March of the First Order. There was no Captain Phasma this time but we still enjoyed it.

On our way to ST we stopped at a kiosk and bought a drink in a BB-8 souvenir mug which I’ve used once since returning home!

After Star Tours we didn’t have any more rides planned although I had booked a FP for ToT in case I could persuade Marie. I couldn’t. We stopped off in ABC Commissary for lunch. We both had chicken nuggets which we enjoyed. I like the chicken nuggets in Disney as they’re real chicken and the coating is nice. Again we grudged paying for it having had free food the week before!
We saw March of the First Order again but still no Captain Phasma. I asked a nearby CM where she was and she said she only comes out sometime so I was glad we’d been lucky enough to see it with her the week before. Especially as my parents had seen that one.

We had a last look in the Launch Bay and looked in some of the shops before heading out via the stage for a last viewing of the Star Wars: A Galaxay Far, Far Away show.

I’d really enjoyed DHS this year with all the Star Wars stuff. It’s previously been my least favourite park but I love Star Wars so this year it was my favourite! I’m so looking forward to all the new stuff. Maybe it’ll be done in time for my 50th in 2021!
So, anyway, while we were in DHS enjoying ourselves I got a text from Dad to say their flight from New York had been cancelled. We were still waiting for more information from them as we headed back to BLT. We didn’t want to stray too far from the hotel while we waited so we went to the pool. It’s a nice pool but it was busy and there was a CM playing some games with kids in the pool. This was another thing that put me off a longer stay at BLT. I prefer somewhere that has lots of small pools which tend to be quieter.

We had the odd text from Dad throughout the afternoon but not much information so we still weren’t sure what was happening. I decided to change our dinner ADR at the Grand Floridian to earlier and for just two of us so that we didn’t get charged a no show as I knew Mum & Dad weren’t going to arrive in time now. The pool closed at 4pm due to the weather so we headed back to our room to get ready for dinner which was now 5.30pm.
We also decided that we’d just go and collect them rather than them having to get DME and potentially have a longer journey.
We had a nice dinner at the Grand Floridian Café but it was spoiled as we were waiting to hear from Mum & Dad. Eventually Dad texted to say they’d got on a flight so at least we knew when they’d arrive. We went back to the room and had some cakes we’d bought earlier in DHS from Starring Rolls before driving out to the airport to collect Mum and Dad.
Basically what had happened was they’d been on the 11.40am flight from Newark to MCO with United but it had been cancelled due to technical problems. The United ground staff were less than interested but eventually after them going back and forth between check in desks they put Mum & Dad on a flight to Atlanta later that day connecting with a Delta flight to MCO. There was another United flight but I don’t think Dad knew that so didn’t know to argue for it. They got to Atlanta ok but late so missed the connection to MCO. Again United were useless and it was Delta who eventually helped them out and put them on a later flight. In the meantime United put them on an earlier flight to MCO but informed them by email. So of course Dad didn’t get it because he didn’t think to check his emails. Why would he? So because they didn’t get on the flight United had arranged they were taken off the flight Delta arranged and put on standby for it. We didn’t find out for sure that they were on it until just before take off. The flight was due in at 9.30pm, 7 hours after they’d meant to arrive in Orlando. Having never collected anyone from MCO I wasn’t sure where to go but I looked online and saw there was a “cell phone lot” where you could wait for free until you were contacted by whoever you were picking up. While we waited there we did have a great laugh at the woman in the next car Facetiming her dog.
By the time we collected them and got to BLT the Hallowishes fireworks we’d hoped to watch from our balcony were just starting and we could see them driving in through the MK gates. We also found out as we collected them that DME had their luggage and had taken it to the hotel.
Thankfully because they already had Magic Bands from the OKW stay and had done online check in they were emailed their room number and could go straight there. They were on the same floor as us but farther round as they had a lake view. We gave them some of the breakfast food we had and some milk and tea bags so they could get something to eat. Dad called Bell Services who didn’t have their bag and eventually had to walk across to the CR as BLT reception stops at 11pm. They found the bag and arranged to drop it off the next morning but that all meant Mum & Dad had quite a late night. I had asked before we went to the airport if they could have a late check out under the circumstances but there wasn’t anything they could do with it being DVC so they had to check out at 11am as normal. It was such a shame too as they didn’t really get to enjoy the room and I think Dad was secretly hoping for some theme park time.

[Excitedx4]

What a palaver for your mum and dad, glad they got back on the correct day though!

[disneytrio]

What a mess with your mom and dads flight!

[sha9]

Thanks. I think they wished they'd just stayed in Orlando! They got a $100 credit from United. Safe to say that won't be used!