We never sleep well the night before our journey to Orlando. Excitement is the main reason, coupled with the constant checking of lists of things to do, things not to forget etc. But mainly, the total thrill of knowing that in just a few hours we will be seeing our gorgeous villa and shaking hands with Mickey Mouse!
We fly from Manchester and parking is very easy. There are a few options open to you – treat yourselves to an overnight stay in a hotel that includes valet parking for your holiday duration, arrange park and ride where your car is kept securely under cover or if your lucky like we are, you can leave your car on your friends driveway!
Check-in next. We usually give ourselves plenty of time to check-in nice and early as our children love to chill out at the airport- for them it’s all part of the holiday. But, check with your airline for online check-in. Most airlines allow it up to 24 hours in advance, which takes the pressure off you all in terms of queuing and worrying about your seating when you get to the airport. All the members of your group will need to be at check-in. One person cannot check-in for the whole group so stay together at this stage. If you have checked in online you’ll still need your tickets and passports at the bag drop desk.
Make sure you don’t overload your cases. Transatlantic flights can be quite strict and double check what is allowed in your carry on luggage. You don’t want to have to throw things away at security!
Once through passport control you have the opportunity for some last minute shopping and grabbing some duty free bargains. Why not visit iris recognition booth and save yourselves some time getting through immigration on your way home. (See my separate guide to iris recognition. ) You can get a meal or a snack and there is a fantastic picture window which our kids love to stand at and guess which plane will be ours!
Make sure you keep your eye on the TV screens which tell you when to go to your departure gate. There are no announcements so it is your responsibility to get to the gate on time.
As you already have your seats there’s no need to rush to board the plane. You will be boarded according to your seat number and this will be clearly announced. This system ensures that everybody boards comfortably and there is less pushing and squashing when everyone gets on board.
So, we’re now on the plane! Read part 2 to discover the delights of what you’ll find on board, together with more tips on how to keep everyone occupied during the flight.
We fly from Manchester and parking is very easy. There are a few options open to you – treat yourselves to an overnight stay in a hotel that includes valet parking for your holiday duration, arrange park and ride where your car is kept securely under cover or if your lucky like we are, you can leave your car on your friends driveway!
Check-in next. We usually give ourselves plenty of time to check-in nice and early as our children love to chill out at the airport- for them it’s all part of the holiday. But, check with your airline for online check-in. Most airlines allow it up to 24 hours in advance, which takes the pressure off you all in terms of queuing and worrying about your seating when you get to the airport. All the members of your group will need to be at check-in. One person cannot check-in for the whole group so stay together at this stage. If you have checked in online you’ll still need your tickets and passports at the bag drop desk.
Make sure you don’t overload your cases. Transatlantic flights can be quite strict and double check what is allowed in your carry on luggage. You don’t want to have to throw things away at security!
Once through passport control you have the opportunity for some last minute shopping and grabbing some duty free bargains. Why not visit iris recognition booth and save yourselves some time getting through immigration on your way home. (See my separate guide to iris recognition. ) You can get a meal or a snack and there is a fantastic picture window which our kids love to stand at and guess which plane will be ours!
Make sure you keep your eye on the TV screens which tell you when to go to your departure gate. There are no announcements so it is your responsibility to get to the gate on time.
As you already have your seats there’s no need to rush to board the plane. You will be boarded according to your seat number and this will be clearly announced. This system ensures that everybody boards comfortably and there is less pushing and squashing when everyone gets on board.
So, we’re now on the plane! Read part 2 to discover the delights of what you’ll find on board, together with more tips on how to keep everyone occupied during the flight.