Being tired and grumpy before you set off to the airport isn't a good sign. Add an excitable, annoying ten year old and a bit of OCD regarding what goes into which piece of hand luggage and you are destined to have oodles of fun on a 16hr trip across the Atlantic.
The night at Lenny's wasn't the best. The hotel was fine, but the six boy racers, tearing round the car park at midnight when forced to have the window open because of the heat didn't make for a restful night. Even my new 'Up Lifeband' gave up on recording my sleep, maybe there was so little it thought I was out partying all night.
Getting to the car park and through the usual shenanigans of check in was relatively simple, no queuing, no annoyances other than the excitable annoying ten year old who has always had a fascination for those tape barriers, particularly undoing them on purpose. It's all I can do to restrain myself from strangling him with one.
Breakfast at Wetherspoons, followed by a very efficient security process. Unlike the one at Newark airport in New York which was a shambles mainly caused by one officer who barked instructions at the queue of passengers heading down his lane. Think sheep dog with a herd of confused foreign sheep trying to get them in single file through a small gate .
The flight to Orlando is around 9 hours normally. Travelling via New York reduced our flights by £400 each but meant a longer travel time. Seven and a half hours to Newark, three hours wait and another two hours to Orlando. It does break up a long flight but is very tiring. I get into 'the zone'. I am fine for about four hours and then I turn into a zombie. I can't be bothered with films, iPad or books. I plug in my iPhone and listen to music nodding off occasionally, disturbed only for food or drink.
United Airlines had loads of films to watch and I managed to watch one and three quarters of them. Starting with Iron Man 3, which decided to freeze at the part when he is captured. After two attempts to get it going again I resigned myself to watching 'Life of Pi' which I have to say I did enjoy.
Had a discussion with hubby about US Marshalls on planes. I play that game of 'guess which passenger is the US Marshall'. Doesn't everyone play that?
Newark airport. Well. Wizzed through immigration, waited an age for luggage. Had coffee and a long wait at the gate as the plane was delayed. Got on the wretched thing, and sat for two hours queuing on the tarmac waiting for a storm to pass. I'm typing this, on a very turbulent plane with a dodgey sounding engine just outside our window. I know this because I am a qualified aircraft mechanic. Possibly needs a few birds clearing out of it. On the verge on demented to be honest.
I think I may have spotted the US Marshall on this flight though. The dude in the grey shirt and glasses sat on the aisle three rows behind us. Looks a bit like Clark Kent.
Hoping for a coffee. Iron Man3 on again. Waiting to get to the part I missed so I can see how it ends.
Captain just told us that it's 90 degrees in Orlando and we will be landing about 8pm. Only 3 hours late then.
Car colour sweepstake... Hubby says Blue, Alexander says Black, I'm going for white. Will let you know later.
No coffee. Too turbulent. However must be less so in First Class.....grrrrrrr!!!
Lots of waiting for luggage again. Thankfully internal this time so no horrendous immigration queue to endure. That would have sent us over the edge I think. Deported before we even got here hahaha!
Car, well SUV as they call them here is rather swish, definitely an improvement on the Picasso we left at the airport. Bigger than we need but plenty of luggage space - not that we need that with only three of us and no hotel changes, but came cheap with some deal hubby found. And it's SILVER....no one went for silver, although I was closest with white wouldn't you say?
Now in hotel. Fabulous place as usual Animal Kingdom Lodge. More blogs with photos to come, and we got THE MAGIC BAND!!! Only 'speshal' guests get them as they are on trial still, but they replace room keys and link to the App so you can make all your reservations, fast pass bookings on there and it's all stored in the MB.
You know us and our gadgets...couldn't get a better family to try it LOL.
OK far too tired now. It's almost midnight, some of you will just be getting up for work now.
Have a good day, I'm hoping for a good night.
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