WolfieG

Hello Everybody,
I am happy to announce that I will be posting my first trip report on here for my trip to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL back in January 2014. In case you were wondering why I did not write my trip report earlier, it is because I was busy with my Junior year of college as a Sociology major and Political Science Minor. Now that I have time off, I will be able to write my trip report. Please feel free to give me any feedback and suggestions so I can make this trip report even better.
As a gift for my 21st birthday and due to the fact that I was unable to take a trip in the Summer of 2013, my mom wanted me to take a trip to Walt Disney World as she loves it and I love it as well. Unfortunately, my mom would be unable to join me as she had to stay home and watch our two new Affenpinscher pups (they are terrier-like dogs with a monkey-like face), and my dad had to work. I also wanted to invite my best friend, but he could not come either. This meant I had to go solo, which I understood and did not mind as while I would not have someone to share the trip with, I would still have an awesome time anyway. With that in mind, I booked my trip.

New York-John F. Kennedy International-Orlando (1/12/2014):

a) Before Airport:
I booked my trip on Expedia.com in July 2013 from Sunday, January 12th, 2014 to Saturday, January 18th, 2014 over my winter break from college, as I found an excellent deal for a package with Air/Hotel at the Hilton Orlando-Lake Buena Vista in the Downtown Disney Resort Area and flights on Delta to/from Orlando from New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport. I was happy to be flying on Delta as I have a Skymiles card with them, they have given me good inflight experiences over the many years I have used them (since the 1990s), and they had the best fare on my route. I have also used jetBlue, which I like as well, but they have been more expensive than Delta for me as of late. I also used AA one time between JFK-MCO, but they were OK at best in my humble opinion and prefer Delta or jetBlue. In addition, their JFK-MCO frequency is not as high, with only 2 flights per day in each direction versus Delta’s 4 flights and jetBlue’s 8-10 flights. I opted for Delta flight 425 out of the four Delta flights going from JFK-MCO, departing JFK at 8:00AM to maximize my vacation time and as I don't mind waking up early (I'm like the kid who is too excited to sleep in the old Disney World commercials) and Delta flight 2444, departing Orlando at 3:56PM as I would have time on my last day to relax. I could have also used LaGuardia, as I live equidistant to both airports, but the security lines at JFK are not as bad and it is easier to get to JFK. While I could have chosen Economy Comfort, I decided to go with a regular seat as I find them adequate for my purposes and it was not a long flight.
I was originally scheduled to fly on MD-88's both ways, but got my flight to Orlando got upgraded to a Boeing 757-200 and my flight back got upgraded to a Boeing 737-800. While I like the MD-88's, I was excited to be back on a 757 as it is a cool aircraft in my opinion and it was nice to see Delta operate them again on this route (I last used Delta 757s between JFK and MCO in 2007), as it has usually been Airbus A320s, Boeing 737-800s, and MD-88s on this route. In addition, I have never used a Delta 737-800, so I was looking forward to that. In addition, my mom agreed to drive me to JFK and I agreed to take Carmel Car & Limousine Service when I came home so my mom wouldn’t have to deal with evening traffic. I would also like to note that I don’t have any pictures as I don’t have a premium membership, so I will try to be as detailed as possible.

**Flight Information**:
Origin Airport: New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, NY
Destination Airport: Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando, FL
Airline and Flight Number: Delta Air Lines 425
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Registration: N702TW
Cabin, Seat: Economy, 25F
Scheduled Departure/Actual Departure: 8:00AM/8:21AM
Scheduled Arrival/Actual Arrival: 10:59AM/10:27AM
Departure Airport Terminal, Gate: Terminal 4, Gate B26
Arrival Airport Terminal, Gate: Airside B, Gate 74

*SPECIAL NOTES: First trip without my family or with a school group.

Fifth visit to Walt Disney World (I visited in 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, and now 2014)

First time using Delta's Terminal 4


a) Before Airport/Getting to Airport:
I printed out my boarding passes online the day before my flight, which was super easy on the Delta website and was happy to find out that my JFK-MCO flight would be departing from Terminal 4, which I wanted to try out as it had just opened and it looked very nice from the pictures I saw. The alarm clock on my home phone awakened me at 3:15AM and I got ready and ate my breakfast of a Nova Lox platter with Lettuce, Tomato, Breakfast Potatoes, and Health Salad that I got from Bagel Boss the night before. I said goodbye to my two Affenpinschers, Gwendolyn and Arabella and my nine guinea pigs.
We pulled out of our driveway at 5:30AM and we took the Meadowbrook Parkway southbound and the Southern State and Belt Parkways westbound in order to get to JFK. While it is normally a 30-minute ride from my home in Central Nassau County to JFK, we pulled up to the Delta curbside check-in at Terminal 4 at 5:55AM. The roads were empty for the most part and the sky was still black. My mom and I hugged each other goodbye and she wished me an amazing trip. It finally hit me that I was travelling by myself.
-JFK Terminal 4 Delta Curbside Check-In taken from my mom's car:


b) At Airport:
I went up to the curbside check-in, where I stood in line behind an Indian family with two older boys who appeared to have been using Jet Airways, as their luggage tags indicated. I chatted with them briefly and they were also traveling to Orlando and were going to be visiting Disney World. Five minutes later at 6:00AM, a friendly porter checked my luggage in and I was on my way. Immediately, I was impressed with the grand size and good condition of Terminal 4 and thought that it was very fitting for a busy airport like JFK.
I went to line up for TSA screening, where I waited a little longer than anticipated, at 20 minutes. However, I was not surprised as the terminal was starting to get crowded, with passengers who were going to be travelling on the Virgin Atlantic flight to London and to domestic and Caribbean destinations on Delta and other airlines. In addition, it was a lot better than my wait at Delta’s LaGuardia Terminal, where I waited 45 minutes in the security line for my flight to West Palm Beach in August 2012. During my screening, I found the TSA agents to be friendly and thorough. Finally, I gathered my belongings and headed to my gate, as it was about 6:30AM.
I went downstairs via the escalator to the retail area and to where the gates are. As I went downstairs, I called my mom to let her know I got through security and that in about an hour, I would be boarding. She wished me a great flight and a wonderful trip. I passed through the retail area, which contained a McDonald’s, KFC, a candy store, a store for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a M.A.C store, and The Palm Too. Going through the B-concourse, I saw a Sephora, Hudson News, and a Buffalo Wild Wings. I did not venture further down the concourse to check out more shops and restaurants, as I wanted to stay near my gate. I also saw the gate area, which I thought was well done, with plush blue seats with conveniently located outlets and USB ports. While I will miss Terminal 3’s history (such as The Beatles entering America for the first time), I thought this terminal was cleaner, more modern, and better organized than its predecessor. The only issue I could see is that like some others, the length of the concourse involves a lot of walking, creating extra time if you need to depart from a gate further down Concourse B of Terminal 4. Overall, I would place it just shy of jetBlue’s Terminal 5 and on par with Delta’s LaGuardia terminal.
Since I still had time to kill, I had a grand time plane spotting:
-Delta Boeing 757-200 that would take me to MCO with a Delta Boeing 767-300 heading to LAX to the left:

-Gate B26:

-Avianca Airbus A330 (*Alliance Livery) heading to Bogota at Gate B27 with an Air India Boeing 777-300 to the left and an El-Al Boeing 747-400 to the right:

-Avianca Airbus A330 with a Delta Boeing 737-800 (Skyteam Livery) heading to ATL or LAS (not sure exactly which one, but one of those two):


In addition, the terminal itself was bustling, with Delta flights to Seattle and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic departing near my gate. I called my dad, who wished me a good flight and my grandpa, who did not pick up, before I settled down at the gate to wait:

At 7:20AM, I heard an announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time we would like to begin boarding Delta flight 425 with service to Orlando." The boarding process, done in zones, was quick and organized. Since I have the Delta Skymiles Gold credit card, in addition to my free checked bag, I got to board with Zone 1. The agents wished me a good flight and I was on my way through the jet way, which was maze-like and long, as I had to descend down a couple of ramps within the gate to the jet way.

c) Delta Flight 425:
After descending the “Stairway to Heaven,” or the jet way to the plane, I finally got onboard the Boeing 757-200 through doorway 2L. A young flight attendant with dirty blonde hair in a ponytail, whose name I did not get, welcomed me aboard in a very cheerful fashion, inquiring about how I was doing and wishing me a good flight. I proceeded to 25F, my seat as many people began to board. My first impressions of the aircraft were that it was very clean and well maintained for the most part, especially for its age. I was pleased to find that I had an integrated seatback and IFE, which would make a good flight even better. The only wear and tear I noticed was a bit of loose stitching in the seat, which is quite minor, especially for a plane this age. While I was waiting for the boarding process to end, I chatted with a young Chinese man from Shanghai sitting behind me, who was flying to Orlando to connect with another Delta flight to Cincinnati as that was what was available (even though there is nonstop service to CVG from JFK). Next to him was a Delta captain, who was flying back to his station in Orlando. He lamented that Cincinnati got the short end of the stick after the merger with Northwest as Delta beefed up their presence in Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul. However, I told him that “Delta is definitely a great airline and becoming even greater,” to which we both agreed. As this was happening, “Beautiful Day” by Michael Bublé played on the speakers, which was fitting, as it was going to be a beautiful day!
I found the seat comfort to be fine. Pitch was adequate, especially for someone who was 5’7” and my knees did not touch the seatback. Also, I had plenty of width and the seatback headrest made the seat extra comfortable. While the seat was not as comfortable as Economy Comfort or jetBlue’s seat, it was better than AA’s Economy seat and far better than Spirit. Overall, Delta’s Economy seat is fine for this length of flight.
-IFE Yes!!!!:

-Legroom Shot:

-Unoccupied Middle Seat:

As the boarding was about to come to an end, another female flight attendant, who was middle aged and had long blonde hair, also greeted me cheerfully and thanked me for flying Delta. I then met my seatmate, who was an Israeli gentleman that came off the Delta flight from Tel-Aviv. He was amiable and we talked about our lives during parts of the flight, but mostly remained busy on his iPhone 5S and Windows tablet, getting ready for his cloud computing conference to be held in Altamonte Springs. In addition, I spotted a Delta Boeing 757-200 at Gate B28 heading to Seattle and a Delta Boeing 747-400 parked at Gate B30, which had arrived from Tel-Aviv:

My seatmate and I lucked out, as the middle seat next to us was unoccupied. The pilot announced that our flight time would be approximately “2 hours and 7 minutes” and that we would be third in line to take off.
We started to taxi to the runway at about 8:00AM, where I spotted the two planes in front of us, which were a TAM Airbus A330 and a Delta Boeing 737-800:

I also saw the planes that were lining up behind us, which included an AA Boeing 737-800 in the new colors, an AA Boeing 757-200 in the old colors, and a Delta Boeing 737-800:

I also played with the IFE after the inflight safety video, which had an ample selection of music, games, TV clips, and movies. All that was missing was satellite TV, which meant that this aircraft did international routes (I believe that this aircraft came from San Juan according to Flightaware). At 8:21AM, we took off from Runway 31L, heading Southwest over Southeast Brooklyn (Canarsie, Gerritsen Beach, Mill Basin, Marine, Sheepshead Bay, and Manhattan Beach), The Rockaways, and the coast of a little bit of Central New Jersey before hitting 10,000 feet:

I then plugged my Sony Noise cancelling headphones into my iPhone 5, listening to music like The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Frank Sinatra, and Billy Joel. I also played trivia, which was definitely fun, but I did not win .

About ¼ of the way into the flight, the blonde middle-aged flight attendant I met earlier and a friendly, young shorthair brunette flight attendant made their way around the cabin with snacks and beverages. I requested the whole can of Fresca and peanuts, with the flight attendants granting my request for the whole can. I also observed them granting the request of a whole can of seltzer for another passenger, which was excellent! I also watched the moving map for a bit, seeing that we followed the Atlantic coast by New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. We then flew over the Carolinas, passing Myrtle Beach with an hour to go. At about 10:00AM, I unplugged my headphones to get ready for our arrival and we descended along the Florida coast near Jacksonville, before turning southwest near Daytona Beach and following Interstate 4 somewhat. Finally, we touched down in Orlando at 10:27AM, 32 minutes ahead of our scheduled arrival time! We taxied to the gate, where I spotted various Delta aircraft and arrived at Airside B, Gate 74.
-We're Here:

I called my mom on her cellphone and home phone to inform her that I arrived, but she did not pick up. With this, I called my dad, who was glad I made it and surprised that I arrived that early! After our plane parked and we were allowed to disembark, my mom called, telling me that she did not answer as she was showering and wished me an excellent trip. The young dirty blonde flight attendant and the middle-aged flight attendant thanked my for flying Delta and wished me a great day. I was happy to be in Orlando, as I was close to heading to Disney World!

d) Arrival:
I made my way to Gate 74 via doorway 2L and the jetway, where I was impressed as Orlando International Airport was as sparkling clean, airy, and bright as I remembered. I then headed over to the fake monorail or tram in order to make my way to Baggage Claim 29. About five minutes later, I arrived in the Main Terminal, where I took the escalator downstairs to get my bag and meet my driver from Tiffany Towncar. I immediately spotted my driver, Mauro, as he was holding my sign with my name on it. I found him to be a gentleman and we waited for my bag, which came out about 20 minutes later. We then went down one more level to ground transportation, where he parked his beige Lincoln Town Car in front of the exit. I found out that he is a regular at MCO as the employee nearby allowed him to park there, so it was more convenient for me. I finally left the Orlando International Airport at 11:00AM, ready to head to Publix for my free 30 minute grocery stop (to get gluten-free/egg-free bread, drinks, cheese, and fruit for my hotel room’s fridge) and the Hilton in the Downtown Disney Resort Area. We exited the airport onto the Beachline Expressway (FL-528) westbound, followed by Interstate 4 westbound to Exit 68, in order to get FL-535 southbound to head to the Publix at Regency Village near the outlet mall. I arrived there at about 11:30AM and shopped for about 30 minutes and I had an excellent time, as I feel Publix is the best conventional supermarket chain due to their impeccable cleanliness, excellent customer service, great shopping atmosphere, excellent perishables, and fair prices. I left Publix with Mauro at 12:00PM, going up FL-535 northbound to get to the Hilton in the Downtown Disney Resort Area. While this is normally about a five-minute drive, it took 25 minutes to get to the hotel as there was a motorcycle race leaving from Downtown Disney causing congestion near the eastern gate to Disney World.

Finally, I arrived at my hotel and I was ready to bask in Disney World’s magic. Overall, I thought that my arrival was smooth and seamless and I would recommend Tiffany Towncar as their service is excellent, their cars are clean and well maintained, and their prices are fair (I paid $110 round trip).

e) DL425 Impressions/Ratings:
Overall, Delta did an excellent job with this flight. Like with past Delta flights, I found the flight attendants to be excellent, as they were friendly, attentive, and aimed to make all of the passengers have a great travel experience. The plane was in very good shape and the seats, while not class leading like jetBlue, were definitely fine. What’s more? The free snacks in addition to the beverages are an excellent touch as always and we arrived early. All in all, I feel Delta is definitely doing an excellent job surpassing the other U.S. legacy carriers as well as competing with low-cost carriers like jetBlue and Southwest.

Plane Condition/Cleanliness: 18/20 (Except for some minor wear and tear, the plane was in clean and in very good condition.)
Seat Comfort: 15/20 (Not class leading, but not bad either.)
Service: 20/20 (The flight attendants were friendly and attentive.)
IFE: 19/20 (The only thing missing was satellite TV. Otherwise, what else could you want?)
Snacks/Beverages: 20/20 (The free snacks were welcome and the FA’s gave you the whole can of your drink if you requested.)

*Overall Score for DL425: 92/100 (A-)

Overview of My Trip:
After an excellent flight to Orlando and stocking up at Publix, where shopping is indeed a pleasure, I checked in at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Downtown Disney Resort Area. Being that it was the last day of the Disney Marathon, I had to wait four hours until my room was ready, but it was all right as I took advantage of the beautiful 70-degree weather to swim. My room was ready at about 4:00PM and it was worth the wait, as it was very nice and on the next highest floor. Later that night, I had an excellent dinner with Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto at Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary Resort.

The next day (Monday, January 13th), I went to the Magic Kingdom bright and early. I had the pleasure of visiting the “New Fantasyland” expansion, which was amazing and rode classic attractions like Dumbo, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean. I also met characters such as Gaston and Aladdin and Jasmine.

Since I had beautiful weather that day, with temperatures reaching 81 degrees, I took a break from touring and went swimming. I then went back to the Magic Kingdom to see the Main Street Electrical Parade, the Wishes Fireworks show, and ride Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. I ended off my magical day with dinner at the Grand Floridian Resort’s quick service restaurant and after returning to my hotel, I got ready for bed and went to sleep in preparation for Epcot.
On Tuesday, January 14th, I went to Epcot bright and early, as I wanted to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours (the Hilton gets this privilege in addition to the WDW hotels). I sprinted to Soarin’ and then rode Test Track and Mission Space: Green. With those attractions out of the way, I went to Norway to meet Anna and Elsa from Frozen (I only waited 1.5 hours and I was not in a rush as I completed the headliners) and it was worth the wait!

I had a delicious lunch of Gravlax at Norway’s quick service restaurant. I then rode Spaceship and Living With the Land, followed by touring the various countries of the World Showcase. Along the way, I rocked out at the British Revolution concert in the UK pavilion, where they did a good job covering songs from The Beatles, The Clash, The Who, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and The Kinks. I also met Winnie the Pooh and Tigger in the UK pavilion and Belle in France. I visited all of the pavilions until about 6:00PM, so I could go to Teppan Edo, where I had Salmon Sashimi and Hibachi Chicken, which were excellent. I capped off my evening with a performance of The American Adventure and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth.
The next day, I visited the Animal Kingdom and went early once again for Extra Magic Hours. I rode Kilimanjaro Safaris twice, visited the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, saw It’s Tough to Be a Bug (the 3-D show), saw the Finding Nemo stage show, and rode Expedition Everest twice using the Singles Line, which had less than a five minute wait. I had a BBQ Chicken Platter at the Flame Tree BBQ quick service, which was delicious. Before calling it a day at about 2:00PM, I met Russell and Dug from Up and Pocahontas. I went back to my hotel, where I took a nap for about 1.5 hours and then went to Downtown Disney to check out the stores.
On Thursday, January 16th, I went to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where I rode Toy Story Mania twice! For characters on this day, I met Buzz Lightyear and Woody, Chip and Dale, and Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc. I rode the Tower of Terror, saw the Beauty and the Beast stage show, rode Star Tours, The Great Movie Ride, and visited One Man’s Dream, which is a fascinating exhibit for people interested in Walt Disney. I had dinner at Cape May Café in Disney’s Beach Club Resort, where I enjoyed a sumptuous seafood buffet dinner. I had hoped to see Fantasmic, but did not make it. Instead, I went back to the hotel to rest for my last full day at Disney.
I could not believe my last full day at Disney had arrived. With that in mind, I went to the Magic Kingdom at opening and rode Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, and It’s a Small World. Using the Fastpass + reservation I made, I met Cinderella and Aurora in Princess Fairytale Hall, which was absolutely wonderful. I had a juicy grilled chicken sandwich for lunch at Cosmic Rays and then toured more, riding Peter Pan’s Flight, and seeing the Enchanted Tiki Room. I headed out of the Magic Kingdom at about 2:30PM, but Mickey had a way of wishing me a good trip home by staging the parade right at that moment, which was grand! I headed back to my hotel to get ready for dinner and do some last minute packing.
Later that night, I had dinner at Fulton’s, which consisted of moist and flaky grouper with vegetables and a baked potato. The dinner was delicious and the service was excellent as well. After dinner, I went to Ghiradelli in Downtown Disney, where I had a Hot Fudge Sundae to satisfy my sweet tooth and did a little shopping at Downtown Disney to pick up a Mickey and Minnie plush for my mom, in addition to a few other plushes I purchased for her during the trip. At about 9:30PM, I headed back to my hotel to get ready for my departure the next day and sleep.
Saturday, January 18th, 2014 had finally crept up on me. While I was going to miss Disney World, I was looking forward to coming back home to my parents and my pets. I woke up at 9:00AM, got ready, and went downstairs to the Covington Mill Breakfast Buffet at 10:00AM. I decided to have a large breakfast of orange juice, turkey sausage, breakfast potatoes, grits, grilled tomatoes with cheddar, and fruits so I wouldn’t need to eat for a long time. After breakfast, I went upstairs to gather my belongings and wait for my ride from Tiffany Towncar, which was scheduled to arrive at 12:30PM. While I was waiting, I called my parents and grandpa to let them know all was well. Overall, I had an excellent time at Walt Disney World as the rides and characters were absolutely fantastic, the customer service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the hotel was great. Warm weather (except for the last couple of days, when it was in the 50’s) and low crowds only added to my excellent time. I can’t wait to go back to Disney World!

offerendum

Wow! You waited 1,5 hours for the photo?

moondog

Nice report, OP! Your attention to details that many of us overlook and general enthusiasm for travel are quite uplifting; I'm reminded why I still enjoying flying after all these years. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.

DanielW

Looks like you were overdosing on fun!

DL17

Great TR. awesome pictures. Thanks for sharing

WolfieG

Thank you DL17, DanielW, and moondog! I am glad you enjoyed my trip report and I am proud to have made it happen!

WolfieG

Orlando-New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport (1/18/2014):

**Flight Information**:

Origin Airport: Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando, FL

Destination Airport: New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, NY

Airline and Flight Number: Delta Air Lines 2444

Aircraft: Boeing 737-800

Registration: N3764D

Cabin, Seat: Economy, 15D

Scheduled Departure/Actual Departure: 3:56PM/4:06PM
Scheduled Arrival/Actual Arrival: 6:31PM/6:03PM

Departure Airport Terminal, Gate: Airside B, Gate 77

Arrival Airport Terminal, Gate: Terminal 2, Gate C67

*SPECIAL NOTES: 1st Flight on a Delta Boeing 737-800 (3rd Flight on a Boeing 737-800, with my first two flights being on AA Boeing 737-800s from JFK-MCO and back in January 2011)

a) Before Airport/Getting to Airport:

I printed my boarding passes the night before my flight. The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista offers a convenient area by the concierge to print boarding passes free of charge. I went directly to the Delta website and printed my boarding passes with ease. I checked the seat map, but I was fine with my current seat. In addition, I called Tiffany Towncar before my dinner at Fulton’s Crabhouse, to confirm my ride back to the Orlando International Airport. They told me that I was all set and that Mauro, who drove me to Disney World, would be picking me up once again. While I did not have a preference in who drove me, I was glad that Mauro would be picking me up again as it was a pleasure to be driven by him as he was personable and a great driver. After my dinner at Fulton’s and dessert at Ghiradelli in Downtown Disney, I went back to my room to charge my iPhone and iPad for the next day, pack some last minute souvenirs, and get some sleep. I set a 9:00AM wake up call and went to sleep at about 11:30PM.

On Saturday, January 18th, 2014, I woke at 9:00AM. I got ready in the usual way and then called my mom before breakfast to let her know my expected arrival time. She told me how much she loved me and that she was getting our dogs ready for arrival by beautifying them (she didn’t have to do that). I then picked up Saturday’s free copy of the Wall Street Journal in the lobby before I went to breakfast at the Covington Mill at 10:00AM, which was delicious! After breakfast, I went upstairs to gather my belongings and at 11:00AM, checked out to wait for my ride from Tiffany Towncar. Since I still had 90 minutes, I killed time by texting a few of my closest friends to let them know all was well and in case they wanted to track me, my airline and flight number. I also called my mom again, to let her know that I was waiting, as well as my dad. My grandpa also called me, but expressed concern at my flight home as he found out that it snowed a little in the New York area. He advised me to check my flight status and I went on the Delta application. I decided to check the flights between JFK-MCO in both directions, and found out the flight that was coming in which would later be my flight was going to arrive on time, if not early. I was not worried, so I waited a little more.

At about 11:45AM, I received a call from Mauro. He asked me if I minded being picked up 25 minutes before my 12:30PM pick up, as he was dropping off another passenger at the Holiday Inn next door. Since I was ready, I gladly accepted his offer. At 12:05PM, my beige Lincoln Town Car awaited and I said goodbye and thank you to the wonderful staff that served me during my excellent stay at the Hilton. I would be at MCO earlier than scheduled, but I did not mind, as I know that according to my guidebooks, MCO can be notorious for long security lines at times.

We left the Hilton at 12:05PM and we turned right onto FL-535 from Hotel Plaza Blvd, in order to access Interstate 4 eastbound. There was not too much traffic on the road as we drove about 4 miles to access the Beachline Expressway/FL-528 eastbound towards Orlando International Airport/Cape Canaveral at Exit 72.
-MCO bound on I-4 eastbound:

As we were driving, Mauro asked me about my trip and I told him everything I did, which impressed him. Traffic on the Beachline was light and at 12:35PM, I was curbside at the Main Terminal of the Orlando International Airport. As Mauro helped me with my bags, I thanked him for a wonderful ride and bid farewell.



b) At Airport:

Having just less than 3 hours of time to board, I was not worried as I had plenty of time to check in and clear security. Since the curbside check-in line was getting a little long, a friendly and helpful Delta employee advised me to check-in inside, as the line was shorter. He was correct and ten minutes later, James, my friendly and helpful check-in agent, had my 1 checked bag tagged and ready to go!
-MCO Main Terminal and Flight Information:



I headed over to security, where I passed the grand atrium leading to the Hyatt Hotel, with its beautiful fountain. I took a quick picture of the flight information board, with a plethora of flights going to various destinations. I lined up for security, where I waited about 15 minutes. Not bad since it was a Saturday afternoon before MLK weekend and that MCO can have long waits. Once again, the TSA agents were friendly and thorough.

I then took the tram over to Airside B and since it was only a little past 1:00PM, relaxed in the sitting area for a bit. Since I did not want to fly on a completely empty stomach, I got a small Grilled Chicken Salad and a Perrier at the Outback Outpost. It was pretty good and was not too high in price. I still had more than enough time, but I decided to head over to Gate 77 and wait for my flight. As I waited I did some spotting from my gate area. I saw Delta aircraft ranging from a Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-900, which was arriving at my gate from Kansas City and going back there after its arrival before my flight departed. I also saw a 757-200 and 767-300 heading to Atlanta, a 757-300 heading to Minneapolis, a 757-200 heading to Detroit, and a Boeing McDonnell Douglas MD-88 heading to New York-LaGuardia. Along the tarmac, I spotted more aircraft:
-Southwest Boeing 737 on the tarmac and Delta Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-900 that arrived from and was going back to MCI:

-Delta Embraer E-175 and AirTran Boeing 717-200

-jetBlue Airbus A320:

-AA McDonnell Douglas MD-80:

About an hour before boarding, I also met a beautiful and very friendly Standard Poodle named Adele, who was travelling as a therapy dog with her owner to Kansas City.

-Delta CRJ-900 heading to MCI with AeroMexico Boeing 737-800 on the tarmac:

I took a seat at the gate and also met a young German gentleman, who was travelling to New York-JFK and continuing onto Frankfurt on Delta. He was visiting his friends who lived in the Orlando area and he went to the beach twice and visited the Kennedy Space Center and Epcot. We talked about our lives, German industry (particularly cars, as I have a Mercedes), and even German affairs, including the Holocaust unfortunately. He mentioned that he was ashamed of the Holocaust happening and asked me about my family’s history. As a Jew, I told him that my grandparents survived but a few of their relatives did not make it. He was very sorry to hear that, but I told him that Germany has come a very long way from its days during the Third Reich, and he happily agreed as N3764, the Boeing 737-800 that would take me back to JFK, arrived from its JFK-MCO run.
-N3764, the Delta Boeing 737-800 that would take me back to JFK and that had just arrived from JFK:

-MCO Airside B Gate 77:

Unfortunately, about 30 minutes before boarding, a middle-aged to older gentleman fell unconscious. I was unable to see what happened, but passengers travelling with him were worried. If I am not mistaken, he passed out from low blood sugar. The paramedics arrived and thank god, the gentleman regained consciousness and was able to travel onboard our flight. While this was a scary event and could have turned for the worst, I am glad that the event turned for the best and that the man was fine in the end.

With not much time to spare, I made a last minute restroom run and then called my parents, to let them know that all was well with me. I told them when I would be home, estimating at about 8:00PM assuming we arrived exactly on time. At about 3:30PM, boarding began for Delta 2444 back to New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport. I boarded in Zone 1, ready to head home.



c) Delta 2444:

I boarded Delta 2444 via the jetway, which was not as long as the one for my flight from JFK and entered the 737 via doorway 1L. A young female flight attendant, who was a brunette, welcomed me aboard cheerfully. I made my way past the First Class cabin and headed to Seat 15F. First impressions of this aircraft were that it was in near perfect (if not perfect shape) and it was very clean. This aircraft did not have in seat headrests like the 757 I came in on, but it had a comprehensive IFE system with satellite TV. Not unlike Delta 425, I found the seat comfort to be fine. Pitch was adequate, especially for someone who was 5’7” as my knees did not touch the seatback and I had plenty of width.
-Legroom Shot:

-Unoccupied Middle Seat :

-IFE:

As boarding continued, I could see that it was going to be a crowded flight, as many people, overjoyed after visiting Orlando and all of its wonders, were filling up the plane. A little bit later, my seatmate, a young Hispanic man, joined me in Seat 15F. He was cordial, but did not want to talk much as he just wanted to sleep. While boarding was continuing, Arnethra, a middle-aged African American flight attendant, stopped by to say hello, thank me for flying Delta, and wish me a good flight. She was very cheerful and eager to please. The good luck continued, as once again, the middle seat next to me was unoccupied. At about ten to four, the captain came on the PA to inform us of our 2-hour flight time. As soon as the boarding process closed, we pushed back and the safety video rolled.

With no planes in front of us, we took off to the east at only ten minutes behind schedule at 4:06PM. The aircraft’s engines were quick and before we knew it, we were at 10,000 feet and leaving inland Florida near Daytona Beach. I plugged my headphones into my iPhone and enjoyed listening to The Beatles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Who, The Clash, and Elton John. While I was listening to music, I played inflight trivia (once again I did not win) and watched Fox News and CNN, as there was not anything on TV that I wanted to watch.
-The Five on Fox News:

About ¼ way into the flight, Arnethra and another friendly flight attendant, who was middle-aged with brown hair and glasses, began the snack service. I requested the whole can of Minute Maid Orange Juice and Peanuts. Arnethra was happy to grant my request for the whole can and in addition to my snack, threw in a bag of Pretzels and Biscoff cookies without asking. While I more than appreciated this, I gave the Pretzels and Biscoff cookies to my seatmate, as I was unable to eat these items due to my egg and wheat allergies. Despite my allergies, I appreciated that Arnethra went the extra mile and observed she treated every other Economy passenger as if they were flying in First Class. According to the moving map, we followed the Atlantic Coast along Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Around Virginia, Arnethra came around with a second round of beverages, which was unexpected and appreciated, especially being that this was a 2-hour flight. After the second round of beverage service, I watched some more TV and as we were getting closer to New York, I saw that the plane was over the coast of Maryland and we had about 45 minutes until our estimated arrival, which was to be about 30 minutes early. I got ready by unplugging and packing my headphones and making a last minute restroom run. As I was about to use the lavatory in the rear of the plane, I ran into Arnethra once again, who inquired about my well-being and asked me if she could offer me anything else to eat or drink. I did not take her up on her offer, but I thanked her and told her that along with the rest of the crew, made this flight an excellent end to my wonderful time in Disney World. Arnethra and her coworker thanked me and appreciated my kind words. I used the lavatory and headed back to my seat, awaiting my arrival.

At about 5:40PM, the captain began our descent to JFK. Along the way and with the moving map’s guidance, I was able to see the Jersey Shore. We followed the Jersey Shore until about Sandy Hook, NJ and we took a slight northeastern turn over the Atlantic. Little did I know that this approach would be one I had not done arriving on a flight from Florida to JFK? I could see that we were flying over Jones Beach State Park in Central Nassau County. We continued northeast into Nassau County near Hicksville/Jericho followed by a left turn to follow the Northern State Parkway for a bit. Next, we turned southwest and flew over Western Nassau. I knew that we were getting close to JFK when I saw the brightly lit bull’s-eye of the Target on Sunrise Highway (NY-27) in Valley Stream from the left side of the plane. Finally, we made a smooth landing on Runway 22L. We arrived at JFK at 6:03PM, 28 minutes ahead of schedule! The reason that I was surprised by our approach is because most of my flights from Florida into JFK have taken the Canarsie approach or have come in around Southwest Nassau to land. This approach was a first for me!

Once we landed at JFK, we taxied over to Terminal 2 and when the passengers got the all clear to use electronic devices, I called my mom. We parked at Gate C67, directly across from Terminal 1. I gathered my belongings and disembarked, happy to be back in New York. I thanked the flight attendant who greeted me when I got on the plane and she thanked me as well and hoped to see me again soon.



d) Arrival:

Just to note, I had not been in Terminal 2 since 2007 to go from JFK-FLL, as most of my Delta JFK flights since then have used Terminal 3. Since I remembered Terminal 2 being a dump, I was not sure what it would be like now. After I disembarked the plane, I could see that it was a little better than it used to be as it looked a little cleaner and had better dining options, similar to what Delta did at LaGuardia. However, after a quick escalator ride from my gate, the baggage claim area proved to be the same as I remembered last. Not only did the baggage claim area look decrepit, as the belt looked worn and the floor was dirty. In addition, a couple of gentlemen attempted to solicit me for a ride as I got off the escalator. I declined their offers and would advise others arriving into this terminal or any other to use any method of reputable transportation and not accept offers from these solicitors. Fifteen minutes later, my checked bag came off of the claim nearest and to the left of the escalator banking.

At 6:31PM, I used my Carmel Car & Limousine iPhone application to let my driver know that I was ready to leave the airport. This application proved to be useful and easy, as it showed where my driver was in real time.
-Carmel Car & Limousine iPhone App:

Five minutes later, Vera, my driver, showed up in a burgundy Toyota Avalon. Vera was friendly and got me home to Central Nassau in 25 minutes using the Belt and Southern State Parkways eastbound and the Meadowbrook Parkway northbound.
-On the way home:

I arrived home at about 7:06PM, with my mom and my two dogs eager to see me. Overall, I had a wonderful time in Disney World, but in the end, home is where the heart is .



e) DL2444 Impressions/Ratings:

Once again, Delta did not disappoint! The flight attendants on this route, particularly Arnethra, were excellent and definitely eager to please. Overall, I feel that Delta has pretty good service, besting the other U.S. legacy carriers in my opinion. In addition, this flight also arrived early and the plane was in excellent condition. Overall, I would be happy to fly Delta again!



Plane Condition/Cleanliness: 20/20 (Plane was in near perfect shape.)

Seat Comfort: 15/20 (Not class leading, but not bad either.)

Service: 20/20 (The flight attendants were friendly and attentive once again. Arnethra was a standout!)

IFE: 20/20 (This IFE system had TV, music, and games galore!)

Snacks/Beverages: 20/20 (The free snacks were welcome and the FA’s gave you the whole can of your drink if you requested. The extra snacks and 2nd beverage service were a bonus.)



*Overall Score for DL2444: 95/100 (A)

apodo77

Was there something wrong with the nose of the 737?

As a fellow Jew mazel tov and thanks for sharing!

WolfieG

Thank you from another fellow Jew apodo77! I don't think there was anything wrong with the nose of the 737. I think there was just a half ring shadow from the light and that is what it was. The 737 looked like it was in good shape inside and out .

farbster

My thoughts exactly.

WolfieG

Holy smokes! I didn't know it took that long as I was away from my computer. Nevertheless, I am glad the TR is posted .

mkjr

nice TR, although you waited that long to see A&E, my friends kids, who are big fans, waited almost 3 hours...well, about 200 minutes.

they also told me that now, they don't let you get a picture of both of them together. they hope this will move the lines along. each is in a separate side and they do not pose together...

my daughter can see them together in a few years since i am not waiting more than 10 minutes...

it is too bad that the Hilton Bonnet Creek does not also get the benefit of EMH...the Hilton DTD has a great location but i suspect they have some really heavy traffic so it could use a little upgrading...well, i suspect this is not confined to this hotel.

WolfieG

Hi Mkjr! Sorry I didn't respond initially as I forgot to subscribe to my TR. I am glad that you liked my trip report. Holy smokes! 200 minutes is a long wait indeed and I could not wait that long. I must have lucked out that day. As far as not being able to meet them together, I have not heard that this is in effect now. As of 4/20/2014, they are meeting at Princess Fairytale Hall in the Magic Kingdom (no longer at Epcot) along with a visiting princess, usually Aurora. By contrast, Cinderella and Rapunzel have much shorter standby waits, topping at 40 minutes standby (FP+ is also available here). Waits are still 3+hours standby, but you can book a Fastpass+ in advance, which enables you to meet them with no wait. From what I have seen, they pose together at the MK.
I have not been to the Hilton Bonnet Creek, but I have heard it is very nice! As far as the Hilton DTD, the rooms could use a little updating, but they are clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. Considering a Value resort would have cost me more $, this was a very good value. The pool, gym, lobby, and restaurants were refurbished and impressive and the service was excellent, so I would still recommend the Hilton DTD. Hopefully, they will update their rooms soon enough.

WolfieG

Mkjr, here is a picture of my room in case you were wondering.

mkjr

thanks.

that seems pretty good. agree about the price. unless you are getting some level of discount on property, that is probably the best choice given the price for value and moderates that are both essentially motel hotels.

the DTD hotels are also close enough to walk - since i am a city dweller, i consider close enough to be under 2 miles... - to the ABC Liquor (amazing beer selection since renovation and great wine and spirits) just off South Apopka Vineyand and also close enough to walk to the restaurants just outside of Hotel Plaza Blvd... although one can always load up on the cheaper beer at the Hess across from DTD.

some say that walk is too long but if you are at the hotels, it's not bad...i just wish cabs were cheaper in that area but that keys the economics and i am cheap bugger...

[also, if you don't know, the whole foods off sand lake is about a 15 minute drive off Turkey Lake on the side roads]