Home 16 days WDW highs and lows.

[CarolynU]

Family 3 adults, one three year old and one baby eleven months. Sixteen days!
Two more family flying in to join us from Vancouver.
Highs.
Virgin. We had such a large baggage allowance it looked as if there would be no room for anymore on the plane but it was all allowed!
Service was fantastic, food lovely, in flight movies not so much, but maybe that’s just me, but not a deal breaker.
Disney surprised me. Overall although at times it was manically crowded it was brilliant. All but one CM’s were super friendly and helpful.
Only one crowd pusher encountered.
On the whole FP+ worked well, both making and modifying. I didn’t expect that!
Weather. Apart from one afternoon/evening when it rained the weather was fab.
MVMCP
Crowds crowds and more crowds but we concentrated on the things that were unique to the party so no rides but lots of characters in Christmas outfits and the wonderful shows and parades.
However, we were super lucky with the weather. It was a warm evening.
Seeing the park decorated for Halloween and then the transition into Christmas was amazing.
Our little three year old granddaughter suddenly had a huge growth spurt between September and the end of October so that opened up Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, Test Track and Soaring to her, and those were her favourite rides.
I know zero about Star Wars but I really enjoyed the new ride and would have ridden it multiple times if time had allowed.
Probably loads more highs but I can’t remember everything.
Lows
Arrival into MCO with two incredibly tired children landing at 7.30 pm Florida time and then facing the inevitable homeland security snaking lines with two dead weight sleeping children, no buggy nor ability to use those little strollers that exist at LGW to ease the problem. Carrying the children meant also carrying the handbaggage was all but impossible. We finally arrived at the hotel at 2am uk time.
O2 data roaming.
Oh my goodness how totally useless. O2 admit to reducing speed to ‘manage traffic,’ so this combined with gazillions using it rendered the £5 daily charge all but useless for doing anything other than sending texts.
So I only turned it on 4 times and not once could I load anything or surf the net. I’m facing an additional charge of £20 to send a total of seven texts. Think I’m going to complain to 02 but sadly it’s in their terms and conditions that they can throttle you to any degree that they want to and yes I did try to connect to other US providers but to no avail.
My contract is up soon so will probably change suppliers.
WDW is not as clean as it was once in the restrooms. Definitely a reduction in custodians is evident, and numerous times soap dispensers were empty and that included Columbia Harbour House counter service place where every dispenser was empty which is gross in an eating place.
Counter service food was very so so. As I like my food piping hot this proved almost impossible and despite seeking replacements the substitutes were often only tepid.
So that’s it really. Many more highs than lows and overall definitely exceeded all expectations.
We only did Disney as our kids were small. If anyone has any questions I will do my best to help.

[lov2dibb]

Nice to hear lots of positives.
Sounds like you had a fabulous trip!

[CarolynU]

Originally Posted by lov2dibb

Nice to hear lots of positives.
Sounds like you had a fabulous trip!

See more...

I can honestly say that I had mixed emotions going into the trip but I’ve come away so so pleasantly surprised.
One thing I also forgot to mention was the sheer helpfulness of everyone around us if we were struggling with the double stroller, essential baby supplies a little person and a baby.
I can honestly say it overwhelmed me. That was especially if we used the Disney busses. Folks gave up their seats, helped fold the stroller, held the stroller, helped offer hands to get on and off.
I have nothing but good to say about everyone we met.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Carolyn. All in all it sounds like you had a brilliant time. So nice to holiday with young ones. We love having our Granddaughter with us as it's such a different dynamic.
I do feel so sorry for those with youngsters in the MCO queue. Not good enough is it.
Ahh the bathrooms and counter service food! I could have written the same as you. I do so like the paper towel quality - not!

[CarolynU]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Carolyn. All in all it sounds like you had a brilliant time. So nice to holiday with young ones. We love having our Granddaughter with us as it's such a different dynamic.
I do feel so sorry for those with youngsters in the MCO queue. Not good enough is it.
Ahh the bathrooms and counter service food! I could have written the same as you. I do so like the paper towel quality - not!

See more...

Thanks Tom.
Quite honestly arrival into MCO is a disgrace. I tolerate it as an adult, but with these lines and no concern for the fact that Orlando has a huge number of children visiting and if they are very young are already exhausted to not have any concern for the passengers is shocking.
Animals would be treated better. Such a simple solution would be to emulate Gatwick so that they have a supply of little buggies that you can plonk your kiddies into until you get to baggage reclaim.
In the end because we were struggling so much the folks who greet the plane for special assistance came to our aid and gave us a wheelchair to let the three year old use otherwise I think we’d still be there now!
By the time we got to the officer our three year old was crying and he just snarled at us, but at least he was quick, and someone from Virgin stood by all our luggage from the belt and told us whilst still in the line not to worry and they would wait with it until we were through.
Luckily despite not getting to bed until 3am uk time our little ones totally woke up like angels.
Cutting down on cleanliness to me is one of the greatest noticeable cutbacks and is very sad. I wasn’t so aware of it on the streets but definitely in the bathrooms.