Hearts Holiday Reporters

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• www.virginholidays.co.uk

Meet the lucky family who won a family holiday to Florida to be Hearts Holiday Reporters.

The Rawsons

Mum: Tracey
Dad: Tim
Adam: 11
Amelia: almost 8

The Journey

We arrived at Gatwick Airport, checked in and went straight through fast-track security and into the V-Room. We helped ourselves to a delicious breakfast (we recommend the sausages!), Adam found the Nintendo DS’s and played on the new Harry Potter game and Amelia mucked about in the soft play area.

I don’t think we’ve ever had such a chilled out start to a holiday!

Before we got on the plane we spoke to Jamie to file our first report as Heart’s Holiday Reporters – I couldn’t stop laughing. I can’t believe we’re really going! He asked us to bring back some Mickey Ears from Disney and the sunshine. We’ll try our best.


Orlando

We arrived at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Orlando. We can’t believe how hot it is! The hotel is fab. All the rooms are based around a beautiful atrium with glass lifts that you can see into. In our room, the towels had been modelled into swans. There was a manager’s reception when we arrived, with free drinks and nibbles. After a quick cocktail it was straight to bed. We are all out like a light by 9 o’clock.

Disney

We were picked up by Brandon, our Disney guide for the day. He’s got the power to fast-track you on every ride - we love him! We spent most of the day at Magic Kingdom – and did all the mountains: Splash, Thunder and Space. We also went on the Pirates of the Caribbean experience, sang along in the Tiki Room, shot aliens on Buzz Lightyear and watched Mickey’s Philar-Magic, a 4D movie which splashes water, blows wind and pumps out smells of food as the film is playing.

We bought the kids fans, which spray water, to keep them cool in the heat. As well as keeping them cool, they also thought it was hilarious to get us drenched. I think they must have re-filled at least five times!

We had an all-you-can-eat buffet with all the Winnie The Pooh characters at lunch-time. I’m a massive Disney fan and think I was more excited than Amelia and took loads of photos hugging them all.

And then after lunch, we were front-row at the Share A Dream Parade. All your favourite Disney characters parade past. It was so brilliant and to be so close was magical! I think that’s when it hit me that we’re really in Florida. Winning the competition to be Heart’s Holiday Reporters happened so quickly and suddenly here we were, in Disneyland, having the most brilliant time. I have to admit I got a little overwhelmed and shed a tear – of joy!

We picked up loads of goodies, including a few surprise pressies for Amelia’s birthday this Friday. I don’t know how we’re going to get it all home.


Universal Studios

We got up early this morning and got into Universal Studios before it opened to the public. It was amazing to walk through with hardly anyone else there. We went straight over to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and had breakfast in The Three Broomsticks. It’s like being there, for real! The detail of everything is just incredible. Even when you go the loo – there’s Moaning Myrtle!

Then it was a quick walk through Hogsmead and up to Hogwarts – it really is a huge castle! – up to the Forbidden Journey, the main attraction.  Because we had got in to the park early we didn’t have to queue (at peak time, people can wait a few hours to get on!) for the ride, but there’s so much to see as you wander through the castle to get to the front, that actually people were stopping to take it all in and get photos.

I can’t describe the ride itself – it’s like nothing we’ve ever been on before! A complete 4D experience, and quite scary – we all felt like we’d really battled a dragon! Amelia loved it so much that she managed to sneak on a second time!

Afterwards we went to Ollivander’s Wand Shop and the kids bought their own wands and have been shouting ‘Expelliarmus!’ ever since.

Tim was the only one brave enough to ride Dragons Fury, he loves a good rollercoaster!

In the afternoon the kids got henna tattoos done and we wandered over to Hollywood Studios where we fought more aliens on the Men In Black ride.

Then it was back to the hotel for a quick dip in the pool. We were all asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow!

I can’t believe that we’ve still got another week of luxury to go!

 
Naples Beach Resort

After another fantastic day at Disney, when we went to Epcot and felt like we were flying on Soar, it was time to leave Orlando and head to the beach.

As we were leaving we made friends with Dee – a bellman from our hotel, who does the most amazing break-dancing and gymnastics. He started doing flips in the courtyard!

I got another call from Lynne, our concierge from Virgin, who wanted to make sure we’re ok and having a good time. How could we not be?!

Then Jonny came to pick us up in a big, blacked out mini-van to drive us down to the west coast of Florida to Naples Beach Resort. Quick rest stop at a huge Walmart, to pick up some supplies, and then we were there – on the beach!

The resort is beautiful, big light rooms and the kids got very excited by the two pools. We had lunch looking out to sea and we saw a dolphin!

That afternoon the heavens opened and it tipped with rain, but the great thing about Florida is that it’s still warm when it rains so we all spent the afternoon splashing about in the pool, the Jacuzzi and in the sea!

The weather wasn’t great the next morning so Adam and Amelia went to the kids club and Tim and I hit the spa! After an hour and half full body aromatherapy massage, I was floating! After the busy few days at Disney and Universal, I was ready to relax!

Miami

We arrived at the Fountainebleu hotel in Miami yesterday. It is incredible! The lobby is huge with giant candelabra, a snazzy bar right in the middle and views of the 9, yes 9 pools! The kids couldn’t believe their eyes.

Everyone here is very glamorous, it’s brilliant for people watching and all the pool-boys are gorgeous! And the hotel told us that Kevin Federline and the rapper Nas are both staying here!

We went out for some pasta for dinner at one of the 11 restaurants in the hotel and then back to the world’s most comfy beds!

This morning we got picked up by Safari tours and taken to the Everglades. We all jumped on an air-boat and spotted turtles, some swamp chickens which are actually quite beautiful and … alligators! They swam right by the boat!
Once we were back on dry-land we watched a show with one of the guides who handled a scorpion, a giant toad, a skunk (and he pret  ended to spray us with the smelly stuff!), a very cute lemar called Charlie (like the ones from the film Madagascar!) and a giant alligator who was tame enough for the guide to put his hand in his mouth!

Then the kids got to hold Lenny, a four foot alligator. Adam said he was very heavy but his skin was very smooth like slate.

After all that wildlife it’s back to the pool(s) for some R and R.

I can’t believe how much we’ve done already and we’ve still got 4 days to go. So far, so AMAZING!

Miami Children’s Museum

We were up early in the morning to talk to Jamie Theakston in London on Heart Breakfast to let him know what we’ve been up to. He asked us if we were missing anything from home - only the rabbits!

We all spent the morning at the Miami Children’s Museum which was brilliant. There’s so much to do there – the kids dressed up as doctors and bandaged Tim up, they rode a police motor-bike, they learnt about Miami’s port and loaded up crates, they drove mini-boats and we all sang karaoke.  Amelia was in heaven and we couldn’t drag her away from the microphone. Watch out Beyonce!

Afterwards we had a wander down South Beach, which is great for people watching, and stopped off at Johnny Rocker’s for lunch. It was a typical diner and played all my favourite rock-and-roll classics. After burgers and the best milkshakes ever, Tim decided to hit the shops and me and the kids hit the beach.

It’s been a bit cloudy the past couple of days but today it’s hot hot hot! Sun cream is on, towels are on the loungers and in the turquoise sea we go!