The Countdown to Florida Begins!
Oh, the excitement is real! Our Florida holiday is finally here, and we’re so ready to take you along on the journey. Whether you’re planning a trip to the Sunshine State or just love a good travel vlog, we’ve got everything from pre-travel prep to the moment we touched down in Orlando. Buckle up – this is going to be a fun ride!
Pre-Travel: Getting Everything Ready
I’m one of those people who packs way in advance (I always overdo it, I know), but somehow there’s always that last-minute scramble. I was adding last-minute things to the suitcase until the very last second. So, what’s essential for a trip to Florida? Comfy clothes.
It’s going to be hot, your going to be on the go and you want something thats not going to give you chub rub (if your curvy like me) and that you feel good in. So, shorts and t-shirts/little tops is a must for me. Swimsuits, of course – I cant wait to get in the lazy river at Volcano bay! Oh, and don’t forget the shoes—flip-flops for the beach, sandals for going out, and my trusty sketchers for all the exploring and park steps I will be doing.
Finishing the packing and then on to our first mini road trip – to take the dogs to Aarons parents for their holiday. The pups (Breeze and Indy) were off on their own adventure too. We always pick them up happy and tired from their own little holiday, oh and a little heaver from the yummy extra treats they were going to get.
And Then… It Was Travel Day!
The big day arrived, and let me tell you, the excitement level was HIGH!
I had a cup of tea in hand (because I’m British, obviously), ready for what was about to be the start of a magical trip. My dad was a hero and dropped us off at Heathrow. And let’s be real – we all know that Heathrow is one of those airports that just makes you feel fancy especially when you are being dropped off at the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class wing. Oh yes, this time we were flying Virgin Upper Class, something we had not done before. An extra special treat for our birthdays – Me being 40 and Aaron being 50 this year.
As soon as we got through check-in and popped through the private security (that took like 1 minute), we got to experience the Upper-Class lounge. If you’ve never been to this lounge, you’re missing out. We felt like VIPs! It was great.
Great service, food and tones of space to luxuriate before the flight.
Once we boarded the plane, the good times continued. Let me just say – the service was top-notch. As soon as we were settled, we were treated to a cocktail – the raspberry Fizz (vodka, Fever Tree tonic, and a hint of hibiscus). It was lush, fizzy, and packed a punch. Perfect for setting my holiday vides!
Then came the food. And, where do I even start? We had a choice of a green pea soup (with or without vegan bacon) or a gorgeous tomato and mozzarella salad. I went with the pea soup, and can we just talk about the vegan bacon for a sec? It was so good. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much at first, but once I dug into it, I found this giant clump of crispy bacon bits at the bottom of the bowl. It was amazing, and so tasty!
For the main, I opted for the chicken, which was delicious. Aaron had the wild boar sausages and mash. It looked fantastic, and he said it was absolutely fab.
For dessert, there was either a dark chocolate dome with black currant or a warm peach tart. I went with the peach tart, no cream (because I’m dairy-free), and it was divine. Aaron skipped dessert and jumped on the cheese plate, which looked just as good with a variety of cheeses, grapes, and crackers. No complaints here.
And to top it all off, they brought us ice cream – but it wasn’t just any ice cream. It was dairy-free mango and passion fruit sorbet, and it was SO refreshing. Perfect for those who can’t have dairy.
Onboard Comforts and Virgin’s Goodie Bag: Pure Luxury
We were all set up for a comfy journey, but Virgin made sure we didn’t want for anything. Our seats converted into flat beds, and we were ready to relax and watch some movies. The cabin had everything we could possibly need, from entertainment to a little snacks. And the amenity kit? It was super impressive. Everything was sustainably sourced, and the packaging was recyclable craft paper, which was a nice touch.
Inside the kit, we had socks (always useful!), a bamboo toothbrush, lip balm, hand cream, and even some toothpaste. Now, Aaron wasn’t too keen on the kit (he didn’t really get the point of it), but I loved it and have already been working my way through all the bits from it. The hand cream smelled amazing, and the lip balm was a great.
For those moments when you get peckish, Virgin had a great snack selection. The Bloody Mary-flavoured crisps were a surprising hit (even with me not loving bloody-Mary’s), but I was more than happy with the sweet gummies and some delicious milkshake-flavoured candy. A nice little treat while we continued on our way.
Touchdown in Florida: Finally!
Ok, Fast forward a few hours (like 8), and we finally landed in Orlando! The weather was warm – 30°C (86°F) to be exact, and we could already feel the sunshine as we got off the plane and grabbed our hire car – a Tesla Model 3.
The car was great – From Hertz – and we made our way to the hotel, Universals Cabana Bay Beach Resort. We have stayed here several times already(I think this was our 5th stay) and we LOVE IT. It’s got such a great vibe, close to all the things we love (Universal, the shops, Volcano bay and City walk). Its’ clean, roomy and the service has always been great – same goes with the food and drink options. The refillable cups we get for the length of our stay – Fab. The Starbucks on site – Love it! The food options at the canteen and other food places in the hotel are always great too. The pizza is a fave of mine and the brisket was Aarons.
I was absolutely buzzing because Volcano Bay is right there, a 2 minute walk through the hotel guest entrance, and I couldn’t wait to hit that Lazy River – It’s been something I have been dreaming of for months!!
We checked into our hotel, and got to our room which had a nice view. We were on the top floor of building 7. – one of the towers, there we had not stayed before. and it was great. The room massive, very clean, spacious and the floor to ceiling window – FABULOUS!
The excitement of being on holiday was kicking in. We couldn’t wait to get settled in and start the fun.
After a long day of travelling, we were both mega parched and decided to head down to the cafeteria for some much-needed drinks with the refillable mugs. I highly recommend these if your staying here for a while, we have got them every time! The range of cold drinks and hot drinks – and ices – you can get is brill.
It’s always the little things that make a big difference when you’re travelling, and we were ready to chill, cool off, and enjoy some downtime before the holiday adventures really began.
Travel Day Done, Let the Fun Begin!
And that was a wrap on our travel day! We made it, we’re in Florida, and I can already tell this holiday is going to be one to remember!
Stay tuned for more updates from our Florida adventure, and don’t forget to check out our next vlog for all the fun, sun, and holiday magic.
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Things we will be getting up to on our adventure:
Trying to catch a rocket launch at Jetty Park. Visiting the Kennedy Space Centre. Heading to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and checking out all the rides we’ve not done before. Hanging out at City Walk and trying some great food places there. Shopping at the outlets, Walmart and Target. Doing a Micky not so scary Halloween party. Doing Disney World – Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and Disney Springs. Going to Universal’s Volcano Bay and so much more!!
We cant wait to share this adventure with you!
Until the next one guys! Bye for now!
Lou x