V-Flyer

We had booked a wheelchair accessible junior suite at the Hyatt hotel for our first two night in the USA, the suite just giving us all a bit more space and privacy during the stay. We arrived at our rooms at about 8.30pm but decided to go down first and get some dinner after which we would return to unpack a few bits. The menu at the Hotel’s McCoy’s bar and grill was not that inspiring or imaginative for a gateway hotel and I ended up with Fish and Chips...the least of all evils. We returned to our room and it was then a major issue reared it head but not till after my wife and daughter had changed for bed. The wheelchair accessible room was found to be not so and the entrance to the bathroom barred to me by the bed. The bathroom not adapted at all but as it happens I could not reach it anyway due to the fact the L shaped room did not allow as to even shift the king size bed to even make a route through. Plan “b” then it was.....I just used the facilities of the Hemisphere restaurant which was on the same floor be it a fair push away...by now I was just too tired to care anymore as it had been one of those days (ironically it has been a few years (30) since I’ve stayed at a hotel where I have not been able to use on suite). I did get prodded to ring down to the reception and ask what had gone wrong and was informed that there were no accessible junior suites in the hotel! I was though promised the manager would make contact the next day. Sadly the promised contact never did materialise and we had already planned to go off and meet up for shopping and dinner with some friends who were on holiday too, this meant we would be out most of the day. On our return to the hotel my wife and daughter went up to the room and I took the opportunity to visit the desk and enquire why the manager had not made contact either via the room phone or my mobile. Telling this all again to someone who knew nothing about the situation frustrating. Once though I had explained everything again I was then told that they did actually have accessible junior suites and one was now available ...being told this at 9.30 pm on the last night. I popped up to the room to find the team well and truly bunked down and did not have the heart to make them move this late So I went down and declined their late offer and as it happens there was everything in the restaurant bathroom I needed and plenty of charge in the old electric razor. I think a few visitors did wonder if the chap in the wheelchair was all with it but if only they knew the full story (you couldn’t make it up).

After spending two of the most bizarre nights at the Hyatt at Orlando airport, a hotel which on a positive turned out to be a brills home from home if only because of it’s ideal location for visits to the Florida Mall and international drive $2 each way on the bus. Sunday morning thankfully arrived quite quickly and we picked up the Disney Cruise coach somewhere down in the bowels of the airport, our luggage collected direct from the hotel room and then magically transported to our cabin on the ship.

The Disney Dream was brilliant totally accessible from the wheelchair, our cabin perched on the stern was so spacious and the balcony so large you could land a jet on it (well ish). The only down side of this cruise was the sheer number of Kids, yes I know Disney cruise = kids but there were a lot of kids crammed into that particular tin box. On a positive on Disney’s private Island there was an adults only area and that was nice get away from it all. All the ports of call were accessible from the wheelchair Nassau, Castaway Cay and it was nice to be able to wind down and get over the usual jet lag before hitting the parks. This concept of eat all you can on cruise ships becomes a personnel challenge to me thankfully this was a mere four day cruise but I still managed to pack a fair bit away.

Before long we were once again boarding a Disney Cruise bus at Port Canaveral and on our way to Disney’s Old Key West Resort for the last eight nights, a great resort and it really does allow you the chance to hide away from the constant Disney bombardment. We had a two bedroom Villa that came with the works and all mod cons and I cant think of anything we were lacking whilst there and on a positive it had two loos both wheelchair accessible, the winds of change were positive...probably not a good proverb to have used! We did all the parks and all the rides, being in a wheelchair they some times let you ride around few time in succession as getting on and off to be honest is a wee bit problematic and it was whilst on Shreaker at Bush Gardens for the third consectative time one really starts to doubt one’s sanity...but it had to be done!

As is the case when you are having real fun sadly that time to try and get number one on the OLCI rears it’s ugly head. Yes..... just look at what you lot have done to this fairly normal person...... now found sitting and trying to get the No.1 slot...how sad....anyway No.6 was best I could do and comforting to realise that I was not the only sad only out there doing the same!
(which is actually worrying sort of statistic on it’s own)

Again we were soon boarding the Disney coach from the resort to the Airport but having spent the first two days of the holiday staying at the on site Hyatt, the airport now was a far more familiar and friendly place. Last minute shopping done and the sudden appearance of an empty wheelchair lane we set off through security, which was totally painless and quicker than previous visits. As is the norm for September the evening thunder and lightening started all very impressive until you suddenly remember you will be soon flying through it!

Boarding was called half an hour late due to the weather and off we set to claim our seats this time in PE. A quick transfer between wheelchairs and I was soon sat in seat 82c , a cosy little cabin with just two rows of seat across it. Due to the very server weather we were delayed leaving the gate for nearly two hours but the CC were brills and kept us topped up with drinks and snacks during the wait. A few of the UC paxs we had travelled out with in UC popped in to say hello and there really was a nice atmosphere on board. The pilot announced we were going to find the furthest strip away from the storm and take off from there...Orlando airport is really that huge and that is just what he did. Guess by the time we took off we were just over two hours late but the storm was less fierce and the rain less heavy.

Dinner was nice , though I really can’t remember now what it was we actually had but I know I ate it all so guess it was OK.([found my notes, it was the curried Lamb and rice][/color]) The CC were absolutely brills and truly worked their socks off throughout the whole flight. After a few hic ups on the outward flight this time when I reluctantly pushed the call it took 4 seconds for the CC to attend. During the night the crew walked up and down just being there and offering those folk still awake water or juice etc. I opted for a coffee and was surprised when I was given a very welcome china mug full, she had noticed I suffer from tremors and felt that the mug would be easier (top marks for understanding and caring). As frustrating as it was I was seated just two rows from the loo but still need the wheelchair to get there and not once did any of the crew make me feel awkward or a nuisance having to be assisted such a short distance. I genuinely felt that the service we received in PE coming home was 100% better than I received in UC going out, the CC were so genuinely helpful. I once mentioned on a previous trip report how disappointed i was that I felt there is an overwhelming pressure of having to go to bed on the night flights in UC but now understand from others that is what some folk pay for and I now fully understand. I didn’t though feel that same pressure in PE and feeling of being forced to bed, the flight crew were as attentive as on any day flight I have ever experienced

I managed a good nights sleep as it happens and awoke to a full breakfast which was not arf bad..all eaten and was washed down with a comforting mug of coffee. I was even offered use of the wheelchair to freshen up prior to landing........ was this really the same airline I had flown our with to the USA?. As many of you have posted on my first trip report, when the VA service is bad it is dire but when it is good it’s absolutely fabulous. I just cant fault or even praise enough this very proffessional and dedicated CC we had the pleasure to fly with on the trip home, thank you all!

We landed expectedly late due to the late departure but taxied quickly to the gate and folk cleared the plane quite quickly it was not long till I was re united with my wheelchair on board and we were soon on the way through the new fast track channel, a brills, effective and most welcome addition to the immigration process at Gatwick and all you need is your boarding tab!

The welcome sight of our taxi driver greeted us and just over an hour later we were home

Thanks for reading

Am really glad your return was so much better than the outbound.

I hope you let VS know about the staff who looked after you and it does show that VS does have staff who do care.

What a great TR - thank you very much for taking the time to share it with us.

Your return trip sounds great - I'd give you equal encouragement to praise for your return leg, as I did to complain regarding your outbound trip.

Your description of "hickup" on the way out has to go down as the understatement of the century!!!

Please do send priase to VS for that trip - it's that type of feedback that will help VS to reward the good crew and "manage" the bad...

Delighted you had a good return trip. Agree that I'd email VS to commend the crew for their service, if you can remember their names that will help identify them but with only 2 crew on the upper deck it won't matter too much!

Cracking TR for what sounds like an awesome break Delighted to hear about your praise for the CC after the debacle on your outbound leg!

I love a happy ending!

clarkeysntfc wrote:Delighted you had a good return trip. Agree that I'd email VS to commend the crew for their service, if you can remember their names that will help identify them but with only 2 crew on the upper deck it won't matter too much!

Erm, clarkey, cloudscudder wasn't on the upper deck as a wheelchair user. He would have been on the main deck in the small PE cabin there

honey lamb wrote:

clarkeysntfc wrote:Delighted you had a good return trip. Agree that I'd email VS to commend the crew for their service, if you can remember their names that will help identify them but with only 2 crew on the upper deck it won't matter too much!

Erm, clarkey, cloudscudder wasn't on the upper deck as a wheelchair user. He would have been on the main deck in the small PE cabin there

Whoops and apologies for any offence!

Honey Lamb 1 Me 0!

I read your outward TR with dismay at the appalling treatment you endured and so I am so pleased for you that your return journey was so good in comparison. I hope you get a grovelling apology and a decent amount of compensation as it is well deserved.

Katie

Thank you for the TR. Glad to read that it was a much improved experience than your outbound one.

So glad that this experience was what you'd expect from VS. Thank you for posting, I suggest you contrast with your outbound in your letter to SRB!

Thanks for the return TR Cloudscudder.

I'm so pleased it was much much better service - our collective faith is restored, at least until we read the next disastrous report.

Its a funny old (VS) world when the service in PE is so much better than in UC. Makes you wonder why we should bother to spend all that extra cash

Really enjoyed both trip reports -- and like everyone else I am really pleased that the inbound trip was better than the outbound experience.