It’s the end of our first full day in Orlando and we’re sat in our hotel room watching last week’s Game of Thrones as a precursor to being able to watch episode three actually as it’s first aired as opposed to having to wait till after work on Monday because it shows at 2am UK time!
We flew from Gatwick yesterday and we stayed with my Granny the night before because she lives near the airport. I don’t get to see her often because of the distance, so I really enjoyed seeing her, even if it was only for a few hours. We also got to sample her infamous Shepherd’s Pie for tea. I don’t know what she puts in it (a bit of this and a bit of that if you ask her) but it always tastes A.Maze.Ing! Should’ve taken a photo!
We flew with Thomas Cook on an Airbus A330. We managed to get seats together but not next to the window. Thomas Cook wanted £25 per person, per flight to choose our seats, and I refused to pay £100 for that particular privilege!
We got a couple of meals included in the price, but had to pay for drinks at any time apart from with meals. I treated myself to an alcoholic drink as we’d decided to Uber around rather than hire a car this holiday.
Mmmmmmm … Rhubarb and Ginger G&T.
I also decided to pay to upgrade to Premium Movies for my seatback screen as well because there were three films on that I didn’t get round to seeing at the cinema – Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star is Born and this most apt viewing delight for a holiday to Orlando …..
Excuse the reflection!
All three were really good, but I think the hype had been so intense for A Star is Born that I was actually slightly disappointed with the ending. I did buy the soundtrack on iTunes the second I got to somewhere with WiFi though, which, FYI, in Orlando is freaking everywhere (I’m already starting to sound American apparently!)
We arrived at Orlando to the customary huge queue (line!) but it moved reasonably quickly and we were soon through to wait for our bags – don’t you always feel a huge sense of relief when your luggage appears on the carousel?!
As I mentioned, we decided not to hire a car this trip like we have the last two times we’ve visited Orlando. On top of the cost of actually hiring, insuring and refuelling a car, the hotel we’re stopping in charges $20 per night to park a car in their garage and, as it’s a Universal Hotel, they also provide a shuttle to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and it’s two minutes walk to Volcano Bay so that’s three days the car would just sit outside doing nothing but costing money. We ordered our Uber after we’d collected our bags and eight minutes later it was there. Simples!
Our hotel is Cabana Bay Beach Resort. We stayed here last time and loved it so booked a return visit. It’s a 1950s themed hotel.
This is the corridor outside our room …
… and the theming continues in the rooms.
There are two pools, one with a lazy river, a massive food court, a bowling alley and a Universal shop.
As I said, it’s a couple of minute’s walk to Volcano Bay, which is Universal’s water park which opened in 2017, and we paid extra to have a volcano view room.
Boy, was it worth it! Amazing view by day …
… and night!
Anyway – all new Game of Thrones is starting so I’m off! I’ll be back soon with more Orlando news.
Green Girl Gardener 