After five fun filled and magical days in Disney World, January 18th, 2014 arrived. I woke up at the stroke of 9:00AM after my room phone rang with my wake-up call. Since I would be leaving for Orlando International Airport at 12:30PM and the check out time was 11:00AM, my plans for the morning were to get ready and pack my very last minute items (like my toothbrush), eat breakfast at the Covington Mill's (one of the Hilton's restaurants) breakfast buffet at about 10:00AM (eating a large breakfast on my last day is a tradition of mine), be out of my room by 11:00AM, and wait in the lobby until 12:30PM. Once I got up, I got ready and did some last minute packing, like taking care of my last minute items and rearranging some souvenirs so that my bags would not be too heavy. At about 9:30AM, I called my mom to wish her a good morning and tell her about my plans. While we were talking, mom told me how she was going to be grooming Gwendolyn and Arabella, my two Affenpinschers so that they would be prepared for my arrival that evening. I told her not to worry as I would just be happy to see everyone again, but she insisted anyway. After talking for about ten minutes, mom wished me a good breakfast and I went downstairs to the Covington Mill at about 9:45AM. Before that, I also grabbed a free copy of Saturday's Wall Street Journal from the Concierge. Despite the fact that it was busy, I did not wait long and I was seated immediately.
Since I was last at the Covington Mill back in 2011, I thought it looked the same as before, with a casual and clean atmosphere. Within two minutes, my waitress, Ya-Ling, came to my table. She was very friendly and efficient. I ordered an orange juice and coffee for my beverages as well as turkey bacon or turkey sausage, since I do not eat pork bacon or pork sausage due to my triglyceride issues. When I called the Covington Mill before my trip to see if they had an alternative to pork bacon or sausage available, they did indeed and thankfully, my waitress told me that turkey sausage was available at no charge, so turkey sausage it was! Since the turkey sausage would be a few minutes as they needed to cook it, I went to the buffet, where I got a plate of grits, breakfast potatoes, and a grilled tomato with cheddar. It was a great start, as the grits were creamy and slightly salty, the breakfast potatoes, which were cut in a circular fashion and served with tomatoes and scallions, were salty, earthy, and a little greasy (in a good way), and the grilled tomato was sweet with sharp cheddar cheese. In addition, the coffee was robust and the orange juice was sweet and tangy. It was definitely an excellent start to my breakfast!
While I was eating, I read Dan Neil's section of the WSJ, as he was talking about the Detroit Auto Show that had happened while I was on my trip. In the article, he talked about how the American car makers are introducing nice new cars, like the 2015 Ford F-150 and 2015 Chrysler 200 to name a couple of examples. I then received my turkey sausage patties (I could get more don't worry), which were juicy and tender.
My waitress then came by to refill my OJ and coffee, as they were running a little low. While I was eating, I could not help but notice that Khadijah (spelling?), another waitress was working a different section. I remember her from my 2011 stay at the Hilton as she also provided excellent service and according to some TripAdvisor reviews, many other people feel the same. When she came by, I said hello and to my surprise, she actually remembered me somewhat. We had a great time chatting with each other, mostly about my trip and in addition, it was pretty cool to see a face from the past! After chatting with Khadijah, I got some more breakfast potatoes and a grilled tomato with cheddar. Finally, for my last course, I got some sweet and refreshing fruit salad as well as a banana.
About an hour after I arrived at the Covington Mill, I finished my breakfast and paid my bill, which was about $25 after a 20% tip. I would definitely dine at the Covington Mill again if I were staying at the Hilton as the food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the price at about $20 for the buffet was not a bad value. Since all of my bags were packed, I did a final check of my room to make sure that I had all of my belongings and indeed I did, so I went downstairs to the lobby at 11:00AM. As I was heading downstairs, my mom called once again to check on me. I told her that I had a delicious breakfast and that I had just checked out of my room. She was happy about that and she mentioned how proud of me she was for going solo, as she knows that I am very trustworthy and that she would not send me if I were not trustworthy. I thanked her for this compliment, as it meant a lot tome as I felt empowered to be taking my first solo trip and I had a wonderful time. Since she had to do some errands, she let me go and I agreed to call her again when I got to MCO. Downstairs, I saw Jill, the bellhop, and she asked me about my stay. I told her it was excellent and she was very glad. As we were talking, my phone rang as my grandpa was calling. He was warning me of a possible flight delay and that I should check my flight status before I go due to the fact that it snowed a little in New Jersey. I thanked him and told him not to worry. With that it mind, I first check the weather in New York and thankfully, it had not snowed. Next, I checked flights between JFK and MCO and noticed that flights were running on time. With that in mind, I had nothing to worry about
. At around 11:30AM, my lady friends texted me, as they wanted to know how I was doing and about my travel plans, such as my flight information (which I was happy to give). We texted for about 20 minutes and then Mauro, my driver from Tiffany called. He wanted to ask me if I minded being picked up 25 minutes before my 12:30PM pickup time, as he was dropping off a customer at the Holiday Inn next door. Since I was ready, I gladly accepted his offer. At 12:05PM, Mauro arrived in his beige Lincoln Towncar and I bid the wonderful staff of the Hilton farewell after an excellent stay! He loaded my bags into the trunk and we were on our way. Before we pulled out of the Walt Disney World Resort, my dad called me to wish me a safe flight. After that, Mauro turned right off of Hotel Plaza Blvd onto FL-535, then getting onto I-4 east towards Orlando. While we were driving, we talked about my trip in it's many facets and he was very impressed. The time flew and before we knew it, we were nearing Exit 72 for The Beachline Expressway (FL-528).
He got onto FL-528 and he wanted to know if I had stayed at other Disney properties. I told him I have not, but that I would like to. He said that he likes the Disney properties due to the benefits and the excellent customer service that goes above and beyond. I agreed that the service was excellent. He didn't say that the Hilton was bad, as he said their customer service is excellent as well (and I agreed), but that there is no one quite like Disney. We also talked about various airports in Florida and compared them, as I mentioned that I wanted to leave enough time to get to MCO as the security lines can be long! He said that it is true at times, but that they are well organized considering the heavy traffic it gets being a major transportation hub in Central Florida. While Orlando is one of my favorite airports in Florida, Palm Beach International Airport is another favorite of mine (from flying to South Florida many times though I used Fort Lauderdale as well) and I mentioned it. I like Palm Beach International Airport as while it has the services of a larger airport, like being capable of handling international flights and offering free wifi, it is a very clean airport and it has a nice small town feel that you would not find at MIA, FLL, or MCO. This is also makes it convenient, as lines aren't as long (the last time I used PBI, I waited 10 minutes to get through security). However, I added that unlike MCO, PBI does not have the level of service MCO has (from PBI, you could go to the Northeast US, pretty much every major airline hub, and more recently, LAX on AA). Mauro agreed and was enjoying our conversation. Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the Orlando International Airport. Once again, Mauro from Tiffany gave me an excellent ride and if I needed a car service in Orlando, Tiffany would be my first choice :thumbsup:. I had planned to check my bag at the curb, but an employee told me the line was shorter inside, so I checked in inside. While I waited, I talked to a family from Minneapolis, who were carrying an exotic mask they purchased at the Animal Kingdom. They had visited all four Disney parks and the Kennedy Space Center and had a wonderful time. Ten minutes, later, James, a friendly Delta check-in agent, tagged my bag for New York-JFK and had me on my way. I had more than enough time to spare until my flight, but I decided to head to security after snapping a couple of pictures of MCO. But before that, I would like to add my flight information, as I did in my earlier updates for my flight home. Here it is:
**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: 3:55PM/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: First time on a Delta Boeing 737-800. Third time on a Boeing 737-800 (I flew on 737-800 two other times on AA roundtrip between JFK and MCO in 2011.)
To my surprise, I only waited fifteen minutes to clear security, which was excellent being that MCO is a busy airport and it being a Saturday. The TSA agents were friendly, thorough, and did a good job keeping everything organized. I then took the fake monorail over to Airside B and talked to a friendly woman heading to Birmingham, AL. Since it was a little after 1:00PM and my flight would not be boarding until 3:15PM, I decided to get a small meal of a Grilled Chicken Salad and a Perrier from the Outback Outpost. The salad was pretty good, with tender grilled chicken and crisp lettuce and at about $11 for the Perrier and salad, the price was not too bad. I sat in the atrium of the clean and airy Orlando International Airport and relaxed. After I finished my food, I used the restroom and decided to head to my gate as it was nearing 2:00PM. On my way to the gate, I met a nice German youth heading to Düsseldorf via Atlanta. I then went to Gate 77 and began to plane spot for awhile. However, before plane spotting, I met a Standard Poodle named Adele, who was a therapy dog traveling with her owner to Kansas City, MO. She was very friendly and beautiful.
After meeting Adele, I began to plane spot for the next half hour. Here are some pictures:
-Southwest Boeing 737 on tarmac and Delta Bombardier CRJ-900 heading to Kansas City, MO at Gate 77:
-Delta Embraer E-175 and AirTran Boeing 717-200 on tarmac and Delta Bombardier CRJ-900 heading to Kansas City, MO at Gate 77:
-jetBlue Airbus A320:
-AA McDonnell Douglas MD-80:
-Delta Bombardier CRJ-900 heading to Kansas City,MO and an AeroMexico Boeing 737-800:
I then took a seat at the gate and met another 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 familys 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.
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.
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 57 as my knees did not touch the seatback and I had plenty of width.
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 aircrafts 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.
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 maps 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 bulls-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 after another excellent flight on Delta. 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.
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. Overall, Delta's JFK Terminal 2 was no Orlando International Airport or JFK Terminal 4.
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.
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.I arrived home at about 7:06PM, with my mom and my two dogs eager to see me. While I missed being in Disney World, I was happy to see my mom, two dogs, and nine guinea pigs again
. However, I still miss Disney World and I hope to return soon
.
) so she could play along. If I remember correctly, they played "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones, "Come Sail Away" by Styx, and "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World. This is definitely a show that I would see again when in DHS!
. In addition, our tour guide was very knowledgeable about movies, which added to the rides appeal. 
. However, I am glad you are having too much fun as my goal of the trip report is to make you feel like you are there 
. I am not sure when I will be going back, but I hope it is sooner as opposed to later. Enjoy and I hope to have an update soon 
The only thing is...you kept me up late a few nights because I couldn't stop reading!! 
Thank you, Wolf. Great job!
. The magic was in the form of the lively and festive Move it!Shake it!Celebrate it! Street Party.
, I went over to the computer lounge by the concierge to print my boarding passes from Delta.com. According to the paper on which my boarding passes were printed, I had finished the task at 4:01PM. Once this task was finished, I went up to my room, where I packed for the next hour and fifteen minutes. After packing, I called Tiffany Towncar to confirm my ride to MCO at 12:30PM on 1/18/2014. Unfortunately, they did not answer when I first called as I got an answering machine. Thankfully, they called me back less than five minutes later confirming that my ride was set and that my driver would be Mauro, the same driver who took me from MCO to the Hilton 
, I was also happy to be going home to my parents, two dogs, and nine guinea pigs 
