Finally got here so here's the live trip report!

[Shazzie B]

Glad you finally got there and the 'next part' of you holiday has gone well. Fingers crossed for you for a better flight experience this time.

 

[karentan]

Had an awesome day today, Gary's been out shooting, he had a good time, despite getting bitten by bugs, we stopped counting at 41, he's like one big mozzie bite at the mo.
While he was doing that we went to colonial Williamsburg, it's such a cool place, it's one of those historical reenactment towns, you can go see the blacksmiths and weapons makers and stuff. It's so pretty too.
We had a barbeque in the evening, had some yummy steaks and the doves that the guys shot. Then we made smores

 

[karentan]

It's a lovely morning in edenton, lovely and warm and sunny
Setting off for Norfolk airport in a couple of hours, flight is at 2.50 then we're Florida bound

 

[monica23535]

Hi, glad you got there in the end!

I used to live in Edenton before I came to the UK, hope you are enjoying yourselves

 

[T16GEM]

Glad that you finally got there and that you are having a good time!
The mozzie bites sound painful mind you!

Keep us updated!

 

[dixonsontour]

Glad to here things are going smoothly now

 

[karentan]

This post comes to you from the queue of Soarin in extra magic hours! (free wifi works fine by the way!)
Had another long day today but got to disney eventually got up this morning and packed up, then spent the morning chatting with the friends we were staying with. We left their house about twelve ish to head to Norfolk airport. It's such a nice little airport, very easy to get round and easy to get through. Sat and had some lunch while watching live coverage of a police chase in LA, unfortunately had to leave before it ended so have no idea if they caught the guy it was funny though because all the staff and all the customers were watching it and all of us were going "overtake him!" and "drive faster!"
Flight to Orlando went smoothly, no idiot onboard issues this time landed at 4.35, collected our luggage, gary decided to upgrade the car to a full size SUV (we've got a dollar express card so got 75% off the upgrade fee - the car is HUGE!). Stopped at Walmart on the way to disney. Had intended to stop at publix but took the wrong exit out the airport so ended up on the wrong road. Stocked up on drinkies and brekkie supplies.
Checked into Saratoga springs, have a nice room in congress park. Unpacked then headed out to Epcot for illuminations. Haven't seen it in years but prefer wishes.
In soarin queue at the mo then will probably head back to the hotel.
On a side note I decided that I wanted to go cash free at disney this time so have put a load of money on a gift card, and it was awesome to not have to go through the bag check line. Definately the way to go
Off to islands of adventure tomorrow

 

[disneyholic family]

Can't wait to experience wifi in the parks!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[karentan]

Yeah can't fault the wifi so far, not sure on actual speeds but it seems pretty fast, wifi at SSR is great, the only place I lost the wifi yesterday was the boarding bit of soarin where you stand on the little marks on the floor while waiting to board. Worked fine all the way up til that point though.
Off to universal today, currently sat on the balcony eating brekkie. Might even try and stop at mall at millennia tonight after IOA to get cheesecake! (don't like the rest of the mall, only ever go there for the cheesecake factory)
If anyone's got any questions feel free to ask

 

[bazzanoid]

the car is HUGE

Are dollar still using the Chevrolet Tahoe for fullsize SUV's or did they give you something different?

 

[karentan]

Have had a nice morning so far, got up and got to universal for park opening, went to IOA, rode all three harry potter rides, Jurassic park, hulk and spiderman, and saw the ollivanders show, saw all the bits we wanted to see and were done by eleven, getting there for park opening really helps!
Went to mall of millennia on the way back as we both wanted cheesecake factory for dessert, I got Oreo cookie delight and a slice of apple streusel, Gary got something peanut butter and something fruity.
Stopped at the apple store on the way as I was looking at maybe buying a new phone, as mine is a 3GS and starting to get really slow and one of the buttons is playing up, had a bit of spare money this month, plus some birthday money left, so it didn't end up costing me too much, plus I can get £50 back for mine from mazuma so that all helps too.
Have just got back to the hotel so we can put the cake in the fridge, plus Gary needed to make a phone call.

Finally got an email back from us airways, they can't pay out under the EU regs as it was an unforeseen technical fault but they have given us $600 each in us airways credit. Just picked random dates in may, but the same flight configuration we've got this time is $900, so a transatlantic flight would only cost us £200

 

[karentan]

Bazza, Gary thinks it is a Chevy Tahoe, will check when we go out later

 

[bazzanoid]

Bazza, Gary thinks it is a Chevy Tahoe, will check when we go out later

Thought it might be - if you think that's big the Premium 8-seater SUV is the long wheelbase version, the Suburban. Exactly the same at the front but a fair bit longer, we dropped the third row of seats flat and had to actually climb into the boot to retrieve a bag behind the second row!! And I'm 6'!!!!!!

Lovely car to drive though.... didn't want to give it back! Great engine - if he drives light-footed on the freeway the engine shuts down half the cylinders to save fuel

 

[wayneg]

I enjoyed driving the Chevy Tahoe last year, great car.

Good news on the credit. Do you have a time limit to use it?

 

[karentan]

Yeah it's an awesome car to drive, luckily Gary found the button earlier that programmes the seat, it was driving me mad yesterday because every time I turned the engine off the seat went all the way back, had to keep adjusting seat every time we got in.
The voucher for the airline says it has to be redeemed within a year, doesn't specifically say travel has to be completed within a certain time, will check that when I get home as we have to call them to use it.

Have just had lunch at hooters, Gary had a BBQ burger and I had a shrimp po boy, really nice, fried shrimp in a baguette with remoulade and salad, with curly fries. Have just nailed one of the slices of cake for dessert, am waiting for laundry to finish, then we're off out to probably magic kingdom tonight.
Have rediscovered an awesome short cut into the back of Disney property, have used it maybe once before, but remember that if you come off at crossroads you can cut into DTD via hotel plaza boulevard, cutting out having to go about three or four extra exits down the i4 and having to drive all the way through property to get to SSR.
Weather is a bit cloudy at the mo but was lovely and sunny earlier

 

[karentan]

Last night we walked to downtown Disney, ended up spending $360 in world of Disney, a lot of it was for a house we don't even have yet, bought a load of kitchen stuff. But also managed to find the most awesome stitch big fig, have been looking for stitch ones for ages, they've finally released one because it's apparently the 10th anniversary of lilo and stitch
Got it all shipped back to the hotel as we didn't fancy carrying it back and got the bus back. Didn't fancy anything that artists palette was offering for dinner, walked to the new counter service by the paddock pool to find that was closed too, so ended up heading back to the room and ordered dominos pizza instead

 

[karentan]

This morning we were planning on having a lie in then seeing what we fancied doing when we got up. Woke up at 8am anyway so decided to head to Hollywood studios and got there just after park opening
Headed straight to toy story mania, the queue line said 30 mins but we got in and rode and were back out within 22. I did lose to Gary this time though
Headed over to tower of terror, Gary still holds on for dear life every time! Rode rock and roller coster and got a fast pass too, Gary loves this and can't get on enough!
Headed over the other side of the park, stopped for pastry and then dived for cover when it absolutely chucked it down. Saw muppet vision then rode star tours. Headed over to RnRC, then headed out, that's pretty much all we ever do at Hollywood Studios, it's not our fave park but always end up there as Gary liked the rides.
Headed to the backstage areas behind MK after that so I could check out the cast stores, then headed to celebration as Gary needed to go to the post office and that's the only place I know Definately has one.
Checked out target and Walgreens on the way home, stopped at chequers on the 192 for a quick lunch, then got back to the hotel and picked up our packages. Not entirely sure how we're going to get this big fig back as its a bit big for the cabin baggage........

Think we might head back to Epcot in a bit, then early night as I've gotta be at seaworld for 6.30am for the marine mammal keeper experience

 

[jtlover]

Enjoying your trip report, helping with jet lag and the blues

 

[Disney Burns]

Karen

How did you get on going to the cast member shops behind MK. My DW and I were CM about 5 years ago and always talk about going to the CM shops every year we go. How did you go about getting in?

 

[karentan]

Last night we ended up going to Epcot, rode mission space, our fellow astronauts couldn't use their soarin fast passes so they gave them to us which was really nice. So we then headed over to the seas, then soarin, had dinner at sunshine seasons (I got the same chicken chowder and pizza panini I had a couple of nights ago, Gary had the soup and the seared tuna (which he didn't like so didn't finish)), then we headed back on the bus. Lucked out on the bus, was sat at the bus stop both ways so no wait at all.

This morning is an early one, alarm was set for 5.30am, because today I'm doing the marine mammals keeper experience at seaworld. Garys going to drop me off then probably come back and go back to sleep, then maybe the gym or the pool, then he's picking me back up after and we're doing dine with shamu at 5.30pm