Trip Report The Griswolds go to Orlando!! Live trip report...or something like it. Pictures on page 11 !!

Alright, I'm to give it a go at doing a live trip report. This way it will be easier for me to remember what we do. Hold fast folks, I might not be able to add photos until we get back but I'll try.

As some of you know, we had a 7 hour flight delay yesterday which nixed any chance of park time but we muddled through it. We ended up getting our APs via guest services at CityWalk which was convenient.

Day One: Universal.

Diagon Alley.......Holy crap. This place is amazing. The details are to top notch and there's no denying what they've done here. The ladies did Gringott's and they loved it. The train crossing into the other park was awesome. The only let down was Cat in the Hat. I must have missed the memo but it has almost no spinning now.

So, right now we're waiting on the girls to finish the Hulk and then it's chow time at Mel's. More to come!

 

[lostpro9het]

We decided to come to the MK before heading to the airport. Apparently so did everyone else. We hit Buzz while the ladies rode Splash. Now we're doing the Speedway while they do Thunder. After this we're going to take in Pirates and hopefully Haunted Mansion before we leave.

As reported in my other thread, we booked the bounce back for next year and from now on we are staying away from the second half of September.

So no DVC next year?

 

[draybook]

So no DVC next year?

We're going back in December of next year as well, so I think we'll rent points for that.

 

[draybook]

Had I known beforehand that Meg and her crew would be at DHS I would have gone there and gave her a piece of my mind.

 

[draybook]

We made it up here to the airport around 1:45, after a quick snack from Taco Bell. I stopped at the self serve kiosk to print our boarding passes, we got A19-A22. Early Bird totally worth it. Anyhow, we take our bags to the check in desk and the lady was borderline rude.

I've not flown in forever before this trip and the check in procedure is different here. So she just stood there and took her a few minutes to tell us what to do and had the attitude that we were bothering her.

 

[Kingoglow]

That's too bad. Not a great way to end a trip.

Anyway you slice it, flying sucks.

 

[draybook]

Yeah, and then they patted down my daughter because of the "sparkly buttons" on her Miss Me jeans AND then they fingerprinted her. I got patted down as well. Yeah, I can serve this country and then get security clearance to handle federal mail for FedEx but apparently in order to fly I have to let a wannabe mall cop touch my junk.

You'll have to excuse me, I'm a bit ed off about the whole TSA joke.

 

[stevehousse]

You didn't go through the body scanners? And what is with the fingerprinting? I haven't heard of this before???

 

[danpam1024]

Question....how come RPR over HRH? Asking because we're staying at UNI for a week in December and we're still deciding which one to stay at, so any input on the resort is welcomed.

I've stayed at both many times but prefer the HRH. The pool is the centerpiece of the hotel and the restaurants are close to the lobby.

I LOVE HRH! I'll pay anything they ask- but they usually give premium passholders a great discount

 

[Tuvalu]

You didn't go through the body scanners? And what is with the fingerprinting? I haven't heard of this before???

It is not fingerprinting. They swab your hands and fingers looking for traces of explosives. TSA in Atlanta does it all the time.

 

[Gabe1]

Yeah, and then they patted down my daughter because of the "sparkly buttons" on her Miss Me jeans AND then they fingerprinted her. I got patted down as well. Yeah, I can serve this country and then get security clearance to handle federal mail for FedEx but apparently in order to fly I have to let a wannabe mall cop touch my junk.

You'll have to excuse me, I'm a bit ed off about the whole TSA joke.

They fingerprinted her??? I'm more annoyed about that than your Jewels (sorry)

 

[Runmyhorse]

Well this mom isn't happy at all about it. I had no idea what they was doing. I was the last one to go through. If I had been through we would probably be driving instead of flying. That was the most ridiculous thing ever. She was the only one that I saw get done. I sure feel safer now . What a freaking joke they are.

 

[draybook]

Ok folks, I'll try to post pics tonight bit I have to do laundry and get ready to go back to work tomorrow. But if not tonight then I will tomorrow night for sure.

 

[draybook]

sounds like u all were profiled, sorry to hear that.

Sadly, nothing I'm not used to since I've been living in the South since 94. But what really chaps my hide is the lady taking my daughter to be swabbed without our consent or knowledge.

 

[danpam1024]

Ok folks, I'll try to post pics tonight bit I have to do laundry and get ready to go back to work tomorrow. But if not tonight then I will tomorrow night for sure.

so sorry glad you had a great trip!

 

[danpam1024]

does the premire pass get discounts also?

yes, just not as much. Hubby has a premium just for the discounts- sometimes it's 35%! I have premier and there are discounts as well.

 

[stevehousse]

It is not fingerprinting. They swab your hands and fingers looking for traces of explosives. TSA in Atlanta does it all the time.

I got ya! Yes they have been doing that for some time now. I was confused when he said they fingerprinted her! LOL

I don't mind my family and kids going through the body scanners, I just am worried what they might try to pull with my 7 month old at the time we fly to Cali...

 

[draybook]

You didn't go through the body scanners? And what is with the fingerprinting? I haven't heard of this before???

Yeah, we all went through the scanners. And then for the second time on the trip I was patted down. At least this time they didn't mess with my hair.....

But after my daughter went through behind me the TSA lady took her about 10 feet away and we didn't know it because it was chaos and a choke point. I was getting our tubs with our stuff when I noticed her over there with the lady. So I walked over and stood there. I could see her wiping my daughter's hands with swabs so I figured it was the clean up from fingerprinting.

But since it was brought to my attention here about what it really was I'm royally ed because as far as I can tell from the rules on their site, any additional screening can include a witness of the person's choosing. Not to mention that they took a minor away without the parent's consent.....let's just say that I had to contain myself because I didn't want to have to drive home.

 

[Gabe1]

Yeah, we all went through the scanners. And then for the second time on the trip I was patted down. At least this time they didn't mess with my hair.....

But after my daughter went through behind me the TSA lady took her about 10 feet away and we didn't know it because it was chaos and a choke point. I was getting our tubs with our stuff when I noticed her over there with the lady. So I walked over and stood there. I could see her wiping my daughter's hands with swabs so I figured it was the clean up from fingerprinting.

But since it was brought to my attention here about what it really was I'm royally ed because as far as I can tell from the rules on their site, any additional screening can include a witness of the person's choosing. Not to mention that they took a minor away without the parent's consent.....let's just say that I had to contain myself because I didn't want to have to drive home.

What we have started to do is split up when we are travelling as a family. Send one first and lag behind with others. The first one through can keep an eye on the bags that come off and who got pulled aside and where.

 

[draybook]

What we have started to do is split up when we are travelling as a family. Send one first and lag behind with others. The first one through can keep an eye on the bags that come off and who got pulled aside and where.

I just got off of the phone with them. I asked them what their policy is regarding taking away a minor for secondary screening and they gave me the runaround about 12 and under, and what the explosive trace is. I told her that I wasn't as upset about the process, but about the fact that they took my minor child away without notification or consent. If someone takes my child away outside of an airport it's kidnapping. If some mall cop wannabe does it inside the airport it's in the name of national security. Because you really have to watch out for those 14 year old girls wearing Perry the Platypus hats...they're dangerous.....

Can you tell that I loathe the TSA?

 

[Gabe1]

I just got off of the phone with them. I asked them what their policy is regarding taking away a minor for secondary screening and they gave me the runaround about 12 and under, and what the explosive trace is. I told her that I wasn't as upset about the process, but about the fact that they took my minor child away without notification or consent. If someone takes my child away outside of an airport it's kidnapping. If some mall cop wannabe does it inside the airport it's in the name of national security. Because you really have to watch out for those 14 year old girls wearing Perry the Platypus hats...they're dangerous.....

Can you tell that I loathe the TSA?

12 sounds like a very arbitrary age. When I was travelling with my son, he was 20 years old, they looked at me, then asked him if he was 18. To me a minor child is a minor child. 12 makes me pause and wonder about that.