floridahippy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2004
WOODFIELDS FLORIDA FORAY - DAY 2
We were woken much earlier than we had intended due to a misunderstanding with alarm calls!!! MIL takes a fair while to get organised in the morning and so she wanted to be woken early. I was the only one with an alarm clock so she said she would organise an alarm call for herself so far so good BUT as we had booked three rooms we ALL got the early alarm call!!! At least it made sure we were all up in good time for the bus back to Gatwick (for this return journey Reception issued us with passes for the bus!). This was the only time that the DD's were waiting for US!!! Booking in was interesting to say the least they took great interest in DD#1 passport which seemed to take forever to be cleared the front of the passport has lost its gold lettering over the years and this is what seemed to be the sticking point but eventually we got the go ahead. We are just so pleased that we had booked Premier Gold and that there was no-one else waiting behind us otherwise we would not have been popular!!! We found our way to Garfunkels for breakfast why do all places seem to think that groups are either in couples or foursomes? We split into two groups for seating purposes the two DDs together and us oldies together!! We then proceeded to the bar but we all behaved ourselves and actually only had soft drinks!! It was really nice to sit watching the planes taking off and landing while enjoying a leisurely drink!! Time went fairly quickly and before we knew it we were boarding. We made the usual mistake of sitting in the wrong seats no matter how hard I try I always seem to manage this!!!! It wasnt so bad as someone else had also made the same mistake and were occupying our seats!!! The DDs sat together in window seats while us three sat in the middle three seats and so everyone was happy!! We had trouble with our seat back TVs which was rather irritating but I managed to watch Garfield while DH watched The Muncharian Candidate I have no idea what the DDs watched or what MIL decided on!!! Visa filling in was left for me to do for everyone bar the signatures of course (DDs filled theirs in wrong so that is why I did everyones air stewardesses do not like you going wrong and boy oh boy was she stressing at us!)
Arrival at Sanford was done slightly differently to previous times in that there was only one line with an official at the front checking your green cards before sending you to the next available desk. MIL didnt have to be fingerprinted or photographed so was through very quickly (she went to a different desk as she had a different postal address to us!). We had a long wait as DD#1 just couldnt get her fingerprints read the machine accepted everyone else but seemed to find hers unreadable no she is not an alien but there have been times in the past when I thought she was!!!
We then made our way to luggage reclaim where our luggage came through fairly quickly so after counting all cases and bags (not to mention numbers in the party. DDs are fine they stay put but MIL is a completely different matter and is forever wandering off) we went outside into ..pouring rain!!! Oh well we were on holiday in Florida so we didnt care much!! Our taxi driver met us at the Welcome Centre and we followed him to the parking lot where at the end of the sidewalk there was a pick up truck I said Well folks here is your transport well you should have seen the look on their faces MIL especially was a picture and you could see all the emotions going across her face!! The girls were speechless!! (a first!!). I then put them out of their misery and told them that the nice stretch limo parked beside it was actually our transport!!
Oh to have captured this on a video camera!!!! Although the overall surprise worked really well and I was really pleased that I managed to organise it, I found the whole thing spoilt by our drivers attitude which was to ask us who is in charge (read - who is going to pay me), then he took me to one side and said that will be $240 before I will put any luggage in the car (bear in mind it was pouring with rain!!!) I paid him reluctantly as this was not the price agreed when I booked but by now we just wanted to get to the resort!! During our drive there was no interaction at all not even to ask if we were comfortable which we werent, as we could not stop the air conditioning!!! When we pulled up at the resort before the driver even took our cases out he took me to one side again and said, That will be a $40 drivers fee by now I was tired, cross and fed up and so told him he could have $20 tip and that was all. Needless to say he didnt help with the unloading of the cases. DO NOT USE AIRPORTABILITY!!!!!!!
We were greeted with a smile and a friendly face at the Reception of Marriott Cypress Harbour and transport was quickly arranged to take our cases and bags (and us of course) to our allocated Villas. We had booked two villas for our stay due to relationships and sleeping arrangements. All but one of my telephone requests had been met so that was a good start!! We were given Villas 6013 and 6014 which were allocated in Building 60 which was in an ideal location as it was the first building you came to as you entered the resort and as we had no transport this was a huge help. MIL shared 6013 with DD#2 and 6014 was shared by DD#1, DH and myself. The villas were gorgeous and very roomy. There were lengthy discussions about who should have which room, which meant DD #1, was slightly miffed at us having the master suite!!! (DD#2 of course had the master suite in the other villa!! Due mainly to a very laid back MIL who much preferred the smaller second bedroom!!)
We walked up to the Market Place where we got provisions for breakfast and then on to the Pizza Hut which was on site where we got a takeaway pizza which we all shared in 6014 before unpacking and having an early night in US terms and a very late night in UK terms!!!
We were woken much earlier than we had intended due to a misunderstanding with alarm calls!!! MIL takes a fair while to get organised in the morning and so she wanted to be woken early. I was the only one with an alarm clock so she said she would organise an alarm call for herself so far so good BUT as we had booked three rooms we ALL got the early alarm call!!! At least it made sure we were all up in good time for the bus back to Gatwick (for this return journey Reception issued us with passes for the bus!). This was the only time that the DD's were waiting for US!!! Booking in was interesting to say the least they took great interest in DD#1 passport which seemed to take forever to be cleared the front of the passport has lost its gold lettering over the years and this is what seemed to be the sticking point but eventually we got the go ahead. We are just so pleased that we had booked Premier Gold and that there was no-one else waiting behind us otherwise we would not have been popular!!! We found our way to Garfunkels for breakfast why do all places seem to think that groups are either in couples or foursomes? We split into two groups for seating purposes the two DDs together and us oldies together!! We then proceeded to the bar but we all behaved ourselves and actually only had soft drinks!! It was really nice to sit watching the planes taking off and landing while enjoying a leisurely drink!! Time went fairly quickly and before we knew it we were boarding. We made the usual mistake of sitting in the wrong seats no matter how hard I try I always seem to manage this!!!! It wasnt so bad as someone else had also made the same mistake and were occupying our seats!!! The DDs sat together in window seats while us three sat in the middle three seats and so everyone was happy!! We had trouble with our seat back TVs which was rather irritating but I managed to watch Garfield while DH watched The Muncharian Candidate I have no idea what the DDs watched or what MIL decided on!!! Visa filling in was left for me to do for everyone bar the signatures of course (DDs filled theirs in wrong so that is why I did everyones air stewardesses do not like you going wrong and boy oh boy was she stressing at us!)
Arrival at Sanford was done slightly differently to previous times in that there was only one line with an official at the front checking your green cards before sending you to the next available desk. MIL didnt have to be fingerprinted or photographed so was through very quickly (she went to a different desk as she had a different postal address to us!). We had a long wait as DD#1 just couldnt get her fingerprints read the machine accepted everyone else but seemed to find hers unreadable no she is not an alien but there have been times in the past when I thought she was!!!
We then made our way to luggage reclaim where our luggage came through fairly quickly so after counting all cases and bags (not to mention numbers in the party. DDs are fine they stay put but MIL is a completely different matter and is forever wandering off) we went outside into ..pouring rain!!! Oh well we were on holiday in Florida so we didnt care much!! Our taxi driver met us at the Welcome Centre and we followed him to the parking lot where at the end of the sidewalk there was a pick up truck I said Well folks here is your transport well you should have seen the look on their faces MIL especially was a picture and you could see all the emotions going across her face!! The girls were speechless!! (a first!!). I then put them out of their misery and told them that the nice stretch limo parked beside it was actually our transport!!
Oh to have captured this on a video camera!!!! Although the overall surprise worked really well and I was really pleased that I managed to organise it, I found the whole thing spoilt by our drivers attitude which was to ask us who is in charge (read - who is going to pay me), then he took me to one side and said that will be $240 before I will put any luggage in the car (bear in mind it was pouring with rain!!!) I paid him reluctantly as this was not the price agreed when I booked but by now we just wanted to get to the resort!! During our drive there was no interaction at all not even to ask if we were comfortable which we werent, as we could not stop the air conditioning!!! When we pulled up at the resort before the driver even took our cases out he took me to one side again and said, That will be a $40 drivers fee by now I was tired, cross and fed up and so told him he could have $20 tip and that was all. Needless to say he didnt help with the unloading of the cases. DO NOT USE AIRPORTABILITY!!!!!!!
We were greeted with a smile and a friendly face at the Reception of Marriott Cypress Harbour and transport was quickly arranged to take our cases and bags (and us of course) to our allocated Villas. We had booked two villas for our stay due to relationships and sleeping arrangements. All but one of my telephone requests had been met so that was a good start!! We were given Villas 6013 and 6014 which were allocated in Building 60 which was in an ideal location as it was the first building you came to as you entered the resort and as we had no transport this was a huge help. MIL shared 6013 with DD#2 and 6014 was shared by DD#1, DH and myself. The villas were gorgeous and very roomy. There were lengthy discussions about who should have which room, which meant DD #1, was slightly miffed at us having the master suite!!! (DD#2 of course had the master suite in the other villa!! Due mainly to a very laid back MIL who much preferred the smaller second bedroom!!)
We walked up to the Market Place where we got provisions for breakfast and then on to the Pizza Hut which was on site where we got a takeaway pizza which we all shared in 6014 before unpacking and having an early night in US terms and a very late night in UK terms!!!
Shame about the greedy driver - that company will NOT be on my list 
Looking forward to more.
