It's Life Dennis, But Not As You Know It!!!
Florida 2002 - The Sequel To The Sequel!!
Florida 2003 - The Continuing Story!!
Florida May 99 - What A Holiday!!
Before my illness I had only ever left the U/K on a couple of occasions to take a holiday abroad, once to Jersey (just say abroad!!) and once to Aranel, Majorca. Since contracting Rheumatoid Arthritis I was advised to try and go abroad on holiday somewhere nice and hot and strange as it may seem since my illness I have travelled to France, EuroDisney, Tenerife & Cyprus. I would love to be able to have a holiday home somewhere nice and hot because after a couple of weeks in the sun I always feel great and do not want to go home, I met numerous British people in Tenerife that suffer with some form of Arthritis and have holiday homes there so that they can chase the sun in those awful British winter months. None of these holidays could compare with the holiday that me and my wife took in May 99' at Orlando, Florida. We had heard of all the usual things about the U.S.A. Things like it is not safe to walk about on a night because of muggings, drive-by shootings etc. But after having a great time in EuroDisney in 98' we decided to try the real thing and jet off to Disneyworld, Florida. Well I can honestly say that it was the best holiday that I have ever been on.
As I a am wheelchair user due to my illness we have to be careful where we choose to go on holiday but Orlando was the most wheelchair friendly place that I have ever visited, from the hotel where we stayed to the places we visited everywhere seemed wheelchair friendly, even the public transport coaches had mini elevators and were equipped to carry wheelchair bound passengers.
The U/K could learn an awful lot from the American attitude towards disabled people in wheelchairs, even the way that the American people will talk to the person in the wheelchair instead of talking 'over' them to the person accompanying them with such classic phrases as "how long as he been in the wheelchair" which we usually get here in the U/K. As for the theme parks in Florida, well all of them cater for people in wheelchairs and most of the events, rides etc. are wheelchair friendly. In fact you could say that they are too wheelchair friendly because apparently nearly all the events used to allow a separate access for wheelchair users which usually meant bypassing long queues (which move quick anyway) but you could see that able bodied people were abusing this system by hiring a wheelchair at the parks and taking turns in playing the disabled member of their party just to gain quicker access to rides and get to the front of events (holiday makers from certain countries were the main culprits!!). There are still a lot of events that allow this sort of access but for how long well that is anybody's guess due to these morons who abuse the system and think that it is clever, what these morons want is to HAVE to be wheelchair bound for a couple of weeks and see just how clever it really is.
Yes I would certainly advise anybody, able-bodied or not that is thinking of going to Florida to go because the place is brilliant and all being well both health-wise and money-wise I shall certainly go back there, soon I hope. I would like to say thanks to all the people that I met and to the staff of the Quality Inn Plaza in making it such a great holiday for me and my wife.
See You Soon, I Hope!!
With me and my wife celebrating 25 years of married bliss (some 'lifers' do not serve 25 years!!) this year we decided to pull out all the stops and fly back out to Orlando, Florida to honour the occasion. We loved the place so much last year that we decided on the same place and even the same hotel. Once again the place and the people were great, the theme parks were more or less the same but there was added attractions due to it being the 'Millennium' especially Epcot, plus the fact that we never saw everything last year. One of the best things about the American people that we met is that they treated me, a disabled person as a person unlike a lot of my countrymen over here in the U/K. I found on both my visits that there is a lot more respect for the disabled and the elderly than in the U/K and the whole place is geared up for wheelchair users, the shops are a lot roomier and most have automatic doors, at the places without automatic doors you will always get someone to help you to negotiate the manual doors. Even the restroom facilities are disabled friendly and I noticed that the theme parks even had 'companion disabled restrooms' which was ideal for me because my wife could push my wheelchair right into the restroom and assist me if necessary. I know that it can become quite stormy sometimes in Florida but I for one would swap the cold, damp rainy weather of the U/K to live at Orlando, the constant heat does my poor old Rheumatic joints the world of good.
Why is it that some 'Brits' are never satisfied? I have travelled to various countries and I always seem to meet that 'English tourist' that finds something to whine about. This time a party of fellow north easterners staying at the same hotel complained about the food on the airplane, the hotel staff, about the traffic noise & even about the birds chirping on a morning!! Are these people never satisfied, why cannot these people be grateful for being able bodied and even getting the chance to visit such places as Orlando, Florida.
It may be quite a long time before I return to Florida unless my six numbers come up on the Lottery but I have really enjoyed my two visits to this wonderful place. I would advise anyone thinking of going to Florida to pack their cases and try it, I think you will find the place as good as I have especially the disabled traveller. I would just like to say thanks to the following people & places that I encountered on this visit -
The Theme parks - For kids young and old!!
The Quality Inn Plaza, International Drive - Great place, great staff.
Town & Country Transportation - For getting me and my wife about for a fortnight, especially to drivers Efraim (I hope your graduation goes well next year) & Carl (The Jamaican 'Tom Jones').
Sizzlers, International Drive - Great Steaks!!
Johnny Rockets (Remember Arnold's in Happy Days!!) - Best BLT Sandwiches ever!!
The Florida & Beltz Malls - Shopping at it's best.
Pointe Orlando - Great shopping and entertainment complex.
Plus loads of others......See you all soon I hope!!
Florida 2002 - The Sequel To The Sequel??
(I Told You I'd Be Back!!)
The Biggest Toyshop In The World??
Well what a surprise!! I thought it would be ages before I was able to visit Orlando, Florida again but here we are July 2002 and I have just returned from another two weeks in the place I love. Due to an unexpected 'windfall' both my wife and I decided that rather than save it for a rainy day let's jet off back to Orlando for some much needed sun, fun and rest, after all who knows what tomorrow brings!! The only downside to the visit was we picked a bad two weeks to go, being June it was their rainy season and there were quite a few storms, and when they get storms they are storms believe me, apparently it is not rain over in Florida it is 'Liquid Sunshine'. Storms are not fun at the best of times but when you are stuck in a wheelchair it is no fun at all!! Do not let that put you off going if you have never visited Florida before because despite the storms the temperature was still hitting the nineties, I myself prefer to go early May but a lot of people we spoke to said October / November is ideal.
Anyway what was this latest visit like? Great, Fantastic...However since last year's tragic events in New York security is really tight from the extra security at the airports to the 'bag checks' at the theme parks. I cannot believe that after Sept.11th some people queuing at these 'bag-checks' were complaining about queuing to have their bags checked!! Anyway the theme parks were still the fun places as ever, kids young and old enjoying their holidays in the sun. Anybody going who has not been before, try the 'Terminator 3D' show at Universal Studios, this is 3D and live action at it's best even more so if you are a fan of the Terminator films...Or try the 'Indiana Jones' live show at MGM studios. If it's dolphins and whales you want then Seaworld is the park for you, the 'Shamu - Killer Whale' show is brilliant, there is something for everyone in these theme parks. For me the theme parks are worth the visit to Orlando alone but there are still loads of attractions besides the parks from the shopping malls, the off-park shows, the steakhouses and of course the sun, after all it is the sunshine state. Thanks this time to...
The Theme parks - Still the places to go for kids young and old!!
The Rodeway Inn, International Drive - Really helpful staff especially Daphne (Guest Services), Margaret (Restaurant ) & Chris (Reception).
Town & Country Transportation - For getting me and my wife about for a fortnight once again.
Martz Transportation - Especially for the free transportation to Universal Studios in the wheelchair adapted van.
Sizzlers, International Drive - (At the top end of I-Drive this time) Great Steaks as ever!!
The Florida & Beltz Malls - Still Shopping at it's best.
Starbucks - The best coffee on International Drive.
Pointe Orlando - Great shopping and entertainment complex (We even tried the movies this time!!)
JMC - Staff were great especially stewardesses on flight's and Matt the JMC representative in Orlando.
The I-Ride Trolley - The cheapest way of travelling up and down International Drive (even in a wheelchair!!)
Plus loads of others......See you all soon I hope!!
Florida 2003 - The Continuing Story!!
International Drive (Top End)
May 2003 and it is back to the Sunshine State, this time for three weeks. We went back to the Quality Inn Plaza on International Drive simply because it is a great hotel at a decent price, I have stayed there for three times now and I still have no complaints about the place, the staff are very helpful nothing is a bother to them.. We (a party of four) travelled with Virgin Atlantic this time, my first time on a 'Jumbo'. The weather was brilliant, we were there for three weeks and only got caught out in one rain shower and it only lasted for about twenty minutes, what a difference to last year. There seemed to be more people there this year but Orlando tourism is supposedly still low to what it should be, things are slowly returning to normal after the crazy events of terrorism / war that still threatens the tourist industry. Once again the parks were great, always something different to see, I never get sick of them. In trying to pull the tourists back to Orlando and especially the parks the entry ticket offers were very good indeed, five days for the price of two days..... three days for the price of one day......visit one day and get one day free. etc. Both the Disney and Universal parks had great ticket offers.
My Jazzy 1120 - 'The Red Devil'
I took my Pride Jazzy (electric) wheelchair this time and what a difference it made, my wife had more of a holiday because she did not have the extra burden of pushing me around in my manual wheelchair as on previous visits. Virgin Atlantic had no problems with transporting my Jazzy over and back, at the airports I drove it right up to the airplane doors, transferred to an airplane friendly wheelchair and was taken to my seat and the Jazzy was taken to the airplane hold, the reverse on the homebound journey, no problems at all. Once over in Orlando they were plenty of wheelchair friendly shuttles, vans etc. to transport me and my party to the attractions, most of these were free services supplied through hotel guest services. And having the independence of using my Jazzy to 'shoot off' on my own was a bonus, especially 'cruising' up and down International Drive.
The only downside is that I had to come back to the U/K, don't get me wrong I enjoy living in the U/K and I am proud to be British but the attitude towards a disabled person in the USA is so different to over here in the U/K and Orlando is so geared-up for a wheelchair user, the U/K is way behind in being wheelchair friendly. I am always so down when I return home as most people probably are after their summer holidays, but after three weeks of being treated like a normal human being instead of just yet another wheelchair user who is treated more a hindrance to fellow shoppers etc. in the U/K...Well all I can say is roll on to my next visit to The Sunshine State, all being well.
My thanks this time go to...................
Crowne Plaza Hotel (Manchester Airport, U/K) - Nice place to stay overnight if flying from Manchester airport.
Virgin Atlantic - Staff were helpful, good flights over and back.
The Quality Inn Plaza, International Drive - Great place, super staff, good food.
The Theme parks - Fun in the Sun!!
Starbucks - Still the best coffee on International Drive.
Sizzlers, International Drive - (Opposite Pointe Orlando) Pleasant & helpful staff, very good meals!!
Pointe Orlando - Gets better every time!!
The Mercado - Shopping, entertainment & food court. Thanks especially to the pleasant gentleman who ran the All American Breakfast Grill, the service and food was great. (Even Heinz beans with your breakfast here!!)
Dor-Sar Transportation - Especially for the free transportation to Universal / Malls in the wheelchair adapted van.
The Malls - Forida Mall, Beltz Mall and the new Mall at Millenia....Shopping at it's best..
Plus all the friendly people I met ......See you all soon I hope!!
September 2005 and due to a lot of wheeling and dealing on EBay for the last nine months selling cherished memorabilia that I have collected for the past forty odd years I made enough to jet off back to Florida. I knew that due to health reasons / problems that this would probably be the last time I would be able to fly overseas so why not make it Orlando, Florida because I love the place and it is very disabled friendly. I knew it would be 'hard work' due to very painful joints especially my hips but it would most certainly be my last visit so what the hell. This time me and my wife travelled in September for two weeks and we flew with Monarch airlines, I think that this was our first mistake because sitting in economy class for such a long flight is hard enough for a healthy person never mind for me and my painful body, I wished we could have flown with Virgin again but money was tight so we opted for a 'budget' airline, Monarch agreed to transport my Jazzy Powerchair so it went with me again. We decided to stay at the Rodeway Inn were we stayed in 2002, this was our second mistake because the staff were not as helpful this time around and this made it difficult in arranging travel to the Malls and Theme Parks in the wheelchair adapted vans. Don't get me wrong it is so easy to arrange wheelchair travel but the customer services at the hotel just did not want to be bothered in doing so, there seemed to be a different person at the desk everyday during our stay and only one or two of them knew just what to do. Transport has to be arranged through the hotel to qualify for the reduced rates, one of the receptionists did not have a clue and ended up booking a wheelchair taxi instead of the usual vans to take us to MGM Studios, this cost me and my wife $53 instead of the usual $14!!
Once into our holiday and I could not believe the changes on International Drive since our last visit just two years ago. We got a shock when we visited Pointe Orlando to find the F.O.A Schwarz toyshop gone, it did not seem the same without the giant doll outside their shop (see above). Pointe Orlando is going through a drastic change (makeover) and most of the usual shops were either closed or gone, I suppose that once the work is finished it will be great place to visit. Another shock was The Mercado, this place is now a ghost town, of all the business's that used to grace the food court area I counted two that were still operating the rest were gone and units were boarded up. Even the Hard Rock Vault that has only been there for three / four years was vacant!! I fully expect The Mercado to be bulldozed to the ground soon and the prime site bought by some rich tycoon and used to build hotels / time share suites on.
Reading the above you may get the impression that our holiday was a disappointment but it was a nice break, the weather was great considering that Hurricane Rita came close to visiting Florida at the same time as us. I do not know if it was because of the time of year but the theme parks seemed very quiet to what we are usually used to in May. At one point up at Universal's Island Of Adventure the characters were queuing up to get the tourists autographs (just kidding!!), it was great being able to cruise around the parks on my Jazzy without the usual hustle and bustle. Yes, Orlando is still the place for me I just wish I was a lot healthier so I could enjoy a few more visits without the hassle of being disabled....
My thanks this time go to...................
The Monarch Airline staff - The staff on the flight home were a lot more pleasant and helpful than on the flight over to Florida.
Care Medical - For any disabled needs while in Orlando these are the guys to call.
Dor-Sar Transportation - Once again great service, the wheelchair transport in Florida.
Starbucks - Still the best coffee on International Drive, very friendly staff.
Sizzlers, Ponderosa & IHop International Drive - Pleasant & helpful staff, very good meals!!
The Theme parks - Great fun in the Sun!!
Plus all the friendly people I met ......See you all soon, health permitting!!
Next Year?? No chance... unless some kind millionaire out there fancies being charitable in jetting me back out to Florida next year for the best medicine known to man....Fun & Sun!!
Here's a thought....If America is 'The Land Of The Free' then how come I am still paying for my previous visit??
Last Updated:
12th October, 2005