Orlando Florida/Disneyworld (Part 2) *CLOSED*

ceebeeby

Just as a tip, if you're sat nav'ing to Walmart, the one on the 535 comes up as Wal-Mart Vision Center, and doesn't come up if you just do a general search. If you still can't find it, enter Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlets, and it's almost directly opposite from there.

vivatifosi

lucygotit wrote: »

I am needing some help on bringing things back from Orlando.

I am wanting to bring back a large boxed toy item when I visit Orlando next June but was wondering the best way to do and the cheapest. It weighs including the box 77 lbs. I am flying with Virgin will they charge me extra to check it in? Are there any companies that will ship it to the UK for me whilst I am there to arrange it?
Any help in advance will be greatly received

Be careful on the airline policies. My OH works for BA and mentioned that he feels that the luggage policy for economy is likely to change again and be less generous (probably one piece of 23kgs not two). Don't know that this WILL happen, but worth looking out for. If that happens, Virgin may well follow suit, although equally they could use it as a selling point. I have no idea what happens if you've already booked, but could be worth looking into. I wouldn't turn up at the airport and expect them to ship it though, that could be the most expensive option, or you could end up in the situation I found myself in once, where they made me repack my heavy case into two bags. Don't know how you do that with something that's 77lbs and over their weight limits to start with.

As the previous poster mentioned, Disney is pretty good at sending stuff to the UK. If it isn't a Disney item then I've also shipped using both surface and airmail using the US mail offices who were very helpful. TNT and DHL would also be alternatives. For the latter you should be able to get indicative pricing in the UK.

disney_cjd

lucygotit wrote: »

I am needing some help on bringing things back from Orlando.

I am wanting to bring back a large boxed toy item when I visit Orlando next June but was wondering the best way to do and the cheapest. It weighs including the box 77 lbs. I am flying with Virgin will they charge me extra to check it in? Are there any companies that will ship it to the UK for me whilst I am there to arrange it?
Any help in advance will be greatly received

Hi there.

Are you flying in PE or UC at all or econ? I am not sure how it all converts but if that is within you 23kg or 32 kg limit then you will be fine. Last year we brought back three bikes and two grass seed spreaders (different flights) and they were just checked in as a box.

HTH
Craig

disney_cjd

ceebeeby wrote: »

Hi Lucygotit,

With regards to tipping, we left between 5 and 10 dollars per restaurant meal. Which was usually between 5 and 10%. I have no conscious problems with that!

I hate to say it but thats too low. The difference in teh US as to hear is that the min wage does NOT apply to waitresses who earn tips. So they really rely on these. You really should double the tax and tip around 18-20 unless the service was dire then talk to the manager. He will comp the food.

We had a bad experience in one of my favorites resurants, Olice Garden and mu bill went from 55 bucks to 19 bucks

Thanks

blue_monkey_2

WE was told $1 in the buffet places and up to 10% in the restaurant places.

They might not be on minimum wage but in those buffet places people are in and out an they probably serve 50 people in an hour, sit them down, bring coffee and clean their table. so that would be an extra $50 an hour. And when we have been out of season it has been packed so it must be more in the peak seasons.

You should tip depending on the service, we never tipped more than 10% but never left more than $1 per person, that would be cheeky.

We want to go next December now that life has settled for us - to a degree - just worried, do we book now and find something else happens along the way and we lose our deposit or save and risk losing the places that we want to go.

Hard choice to make!!

ceebeeby

disney_cjd wrote: »

I hate to say it but thats too low. The difference in teh US as to hear is that the min wage does NOT apply to waitresses who earn tips. So they really rely on these. You really should double the tax and tip around 18-20 unless the service was dire then talk to the manager. He will comp the food.

We had a bad experience in one of my favorites resurants, Olice Garden and mu bill went from 55 bucks to 19 bucks

Thanks

Thanks CJD, but the sums don't work out. In my minimal experience (accepting that you've got huge amounts more), we were in a restaurant for max 1.5 hours. At the same time as serving us, our table waiters were serving maybe 15 -20 other tables. If our bill was $50, and we tipped them $5 .... if everyone else equally tipped the same (or more) then as a minimum that's $75 - $100 for an hour and a halfs work!! IMHO that's more than enough!! If as you mention a guide of 18-20%, then that same sum works out at $200 per hour and a half, on top of their 'minimum' wage.

Some restaurants we didn't even stay an hour as we were keen to get on with the fab evening entertainment.

We spoke to quite a lot of local people whilst there, and the consensus seemed to be a recommendation of a tip between 3 and 5 dollars for a meal we enjoyed and nothing if we didn't. There are definitely 'local' and 'tourist' priced menu's and services flying around quite freely as well.

It is a bit of a minefield, and I dare say there's several points of view. But tipping is discretionary, and I felt comfortable with what we left.

disney_cjd

http://www.tipping.org/tips/restaurant.html

I just want anyone being recognised on a return visit and having an extra something in their soup LOL

sturll

disney_cjd wrote: »

http://www.tipping.org/tips/restaurant.html

I just want anyone being recognised on a return visit and having an extra something in their soup LOL

Ive just done a post on the Las Vegas thread about tipping. Id say you have it wrong CJ and cee beeby is right. I have been to the states about 15 times in the last 5 years and never had a problem with tipping or spit in my soup or otherwise. The only people who tip like you say are British tourists. No one else - not even the Americans themselves do.

disney_cjd

sturll wrote: »

Ive just done a post on the Las Vegas thread about tipping. Id say you have it wrong CJ and cee beeby is right. I have been to the states about 15 times in the last 5 years and never had a problem with tipping or spit in my soup or otherwise. The only people who tip like you say are British tourists. No one else - not even the Americans themselves do.

I must be over generous

As you know I live over there for a lot of the year and have been going for 30 plus years. Every Yankee I know does it my way.

At th end of the day its up to the person leaving the tip, I just know what these people get paid and tips is what they work for.

Tell you all what, you all buy the dinner and I will grab the tips LOL

Cheers all

Indout96

Totally agree with Disney_cjd, They may be dealing with 20 other tables but most will be British in Orlando and tips will be fairly low, Many many times we have seen big groups of English get up leaving a pile of 1 & 5c pieces on the table as the tip. Would you work for that.
They are also taxed as if they get a certain amount of tips so if they dont they could end up working for free

When we started going to the US in the early 90s 10% was excepted as normal and it has gradually risen since then The expected amount (for good service) is now between 17-20% but lets face it, the food is very cheap anyway so even adding the tip and converting it back to £ could you really get food like that in the UK for that price.
The ONLY place I would tip less would be buffets (If I'm ever forced to go to one) as I am doing the serving myself :rotfl:

I must say we have never encountered the tipping problem except in Florida (Orlando is worst) and LA and the pile of change has only ever been seen with British diners.

Only bad story I have was in Vegas in 97 when the bill came to around $40, I gave the waitress $100 to be asked "will you be wanting any change" :rotfl: now that was pushing it a bit.

Graham