16 nights of Summer fun - Live Trip Report

[Tony Bush]

Following along Wayne

 

[Pootle]

Boarding in a few mins. Extra security in force. Took us 1 hour from arriving to sitting at the gate. Long lines which we have never had at MAN before.

Oldies like me with knee replacements will be getting an even more thorough going-over than usual

I'll be 'with you' on a daily basis . My birthday is 4th July and I'll be 'celebrating' in Sainsbury's cafe, Lancaster (with grandson no. 2). Swap? Hope you all have a brilliant time

 

[pampat]

Have a wonderful time, Wayne. Just the two of you or do you have Matt in tow?

Pam

 

[crabbie1]

Yayyyy. I asked Matt last night if you were going to be doing a live TR. Looking forward to ur voyage and Matts blog. Hope u have a good flight

 

[scottishgirl1]

Have a great trip! Looking forward to the updates

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

I hope you have a fantastic time. Looking forward to reading along.

 

[gillybeaaan]

Have a fantastic trip, I'll be following along for the updates

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Looking forward to your TR

 

[wayneg]

Oldies like me with knee replacements will be getting an even more thorough going-over than usual

I'll be 'with you' on a daily basis . My birthday is 4th July and I'll be 'celebrating' in Sainsbury's cafe, Lancaster (with grandson no. 2). Swap? Hope you all have a brilliant time

Happy Birthday

Have a wonderful time, Wayne. Just the two of you or do you have Matt in tow?

Pam

Matt is with us.

Extra security didn't look much different to before, I guess they were doing extra checks and it just slowed it all down.

Flight was with VA, again cutting costs wherever possible, what happened to cheese & crackers with meal? and the little bottle of water? light above not working. Choc ice gone, now its a mini fab, 2 bites and gone. All little things but makes it feel like they have cut everything as much as they can.

I had forgotten how bad it was to arrive at MCO on VA, we mostly go indirect, other airports do immigration 10 times better. Today took exactly 1 hour from joining the line to getting to the immigration officer. I had hoped to do the new kiosk/fast track but its only for 1 or 2 people, 3+ have to stand in line, when we got near the front they then pulled larger groups to use the kiosks if available. We did get pulled and it was straight forward to use but after doing it we then had to join another line to see officer. A few questions for Matt relating to him studying in the US last year and his Study visa.

After that we got luggage and collected car from Alamo, did OLCI so bypassed the desk and straight to garage. Chose car with only 5k on clock, its Hyundai Sonata, nice to look at but I think I have to lock with key, must be over 10 years since I locked a car with key

Checked into hotel, Hilton Garden Inn LBV, a lot nicer than I expected. Fresh cookies, iced water, tea, coffee in lobby. Parcel had arrived for us containing our Magic bands.

Quickly dropped cases in room, changed and off to MK, used FP+ to do BTM & Jungle cruise, had meal (Taco salad) in Pecos Bills then onto Main St to watch 4th July Fireworks which the do on the 3rd & 4th. Excellent show, worth going in for. Left straight after, called at Walgreens for some drinks, 12:15 now which is 5:15 UK time so ready for bed.

Tavares tomorrow, see what traditional 4th July celebrations are like

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

I'll be following along eagerly as a countdown to the end of term! Always love your live TRs Wayne. Such a shame we won't catch up in person this year.

And when you get back it will be just over three weeks until we fly - eek!

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Wayne, we flew Virgin for our school visit to New York in April. As I'm now gluten free I got a rice cake with my dinner on the flight back, then another for breakfast! I wasn't impressed.

 

[juliebro]

Enjoy Tavares. If you get chance, we also recommend Mount Dora for a visit and a boat tour down the Dora Canal. In Mount Dora, Cody's on 4th is a nice little place for lunch and free wifi.

 

[Pootle]

I think it's because I know you all, but the first thing I thought on waking up this morning was 'I wonder how they are all getting on?' I admire your stamina keeping going for so long before going to bed

We usually take a trip out to Tavares and a walk by the lake. We used to do regular train journeys (Orange Blossom Cannonball) from there but they don't do them as often as they used to - the track to Mount Dora was in need of repair but could be fixed by now. The sea-plane landing stage, which has been going since the thirties, is interesting. I look forward to reading how they celebrate my birthday

 

[Portugal1000]

Have a great trip, will be following along. This time 5 weeks will be at Tradewinds on St Petes Beach, cant wait. Then off to Bonnet Creek for 18 nights.

 

[igk]

Tavares? As in Whodunit?

 

[disneyholic family]

you have a car that opens with a key???????????????????????
i don't know if i'd even know how to do that anymore!!!
wow - that's really backwards!!

i am sooooooooooooo jealous you got to see the 4th of july fireworks...
i LOVE them....
assuming they're still the way they did it back when we were there...
with all the patriotic songs...
i always always always cry during that part...
(sap sap sap sap sap...yes, my middle name)..

love walgreens - always our first stop after our first visit to the parks!!

 

[Julia Ann]

After that we got luggage and collected car from Alamo, did OLCI so bypassed the desk and straight to garage. Chose car with only 5k on clock, its Hyundai Sonata, nice to look at but I think I have to lock with key, must be over 10 years since I locked a car with key

Tee Hee, that's Hyundai for you, we had a 2012 i10 and had to use a key! have just replaced it with the 2014 new gen model and its remote now, thankfully!

Glad you had a safe journey and security went well! My DH passport doesn't have a chip (and i've checked a hundred times that it's ok as it was renewed just before they changed over!) so we can't use the kiosks so we will have to be in the long line when we go in October.

Have an amazing time

 

[wayneg]

I got up at 9am this morning, had to wake Karen and Matt or they would probably have slept all morning A few pics from last night

 

[disneyholic family]

great pictures Wayne!!!

gosh i had so many typos in my last post...
i meant patriotic songs, not sounds....duh...
songs songs songs...

i'm trying to remember the ones they played for the 4th fireworks when we were there...but i do remember my heart swelling right out of my chest and tears streaming down my face!!!
(yes, i have a love/hate relationship with the land of my birth, tis true )

 

[disneyholic family]

i found this one from 2013 on you tube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1zmY56n4Gk

the best is towards the end as they start on sousa's stars and stripes forever....great! and then the big finish with the star spangled banner..

of course, i don't know what you think of it....after all, those bombs bursting in air in the anthem that's synced to the fireworks...we all know whose bombs those were (in the war of 1812)

the anthem is underrated, but i find the words truly evocative
"the bombs bursting in air
gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there"

that brings tears to my eyes every single time...even now....