nodnol
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2009
Katharina are you sick? If you are I hope you feel better soon....
Thank you! I have a nasty cold and need to get better urgentl, because we have a trip to the mountains planed for the weekend....
Katharina are you sick? If you are I hope you feel better soon....
Thank you! I have a nasty cold and need to get better urgentl, because we have a trip to the mountains planed for the weekend....
To the Jizera Mountains in the Czech Republic. I'll be leavin work early today (in about half an hour) to get some rest at home. DH has already agreed to do ALL the shoping and packing for the trip. I don't know hoe this will turn out... I!ll just pack all my medicine, tea and tissues and the rest I won't care about if we don't have it with us
I guess I will need to buy stuff from that unauthentic shop... They sell exactly the kind of candy which I love buying in the US because I can't get it at home.
Hope you make it Canada before me!
In order to celebrate this important milestone in our countdown, I have prepared a small slide show with pictures from my recent trip to Helsinki. I hope you will enjoy the pictures (I added descriptions to explain what you are seeing). They are here and the password is Helsinki.
With the new passport I could also register for ESTA - which is some online process by the US government which you have to go through in order to get cleared for actually travelling to the US. Without this the airlines have to pay a fine if they let you on the air plane to the US. It still isn't the decision to actually let me enter the country, this will be decided by the immigration officer in Orlando. But everything went fine (including the payment of the $14 fee for it), so I have that cleared out of the way as well. Katharina can still use the ESTA registration from our last trip.
The cuisine is what I think is called Asian fusion - and that is something which is really good for Katharina: not a lot of dairy and tomatos!!
Reading all the different advice available, I have come up with a plan for that day:
1) Take the Mears shuttle to Universal and arrive before park opening
2) Start at IoA
Maybe get a butterbeer...
3) Hop over to Universal Studios
without any certain order, those are the attractions, we want to see there:
Men in Black (from what I understand it is similar to TSMM)
Jaws (has been described to me as "Jungle Cruise with shark")
E.T. (from what I understand a dark ride)
Mummy (a coaster)
Simpsons (I think it is a simulator ride like Star Tours)
I also am really looking forward to checking out the scenery, I like the Hollywood architecture and from the pictures I have seen, I think some of it looks really interesting.
4) Lunch will be at whatever CS place we come across when we feel hungry
5) Hop back to IoA
attractions we want to see here:
Cat in the Hat (dark ride)
Spiderman (I think kind of a very advanced dark ride? At least it is considered one of the best themed rides in Orlando)
Hulk (coaster)
and then also the water rides:
Jurassic Park (flume ride)
Popye & Bluto's Blige-Rat Barges (raft ride, I love raft rides and this is supposed to be really good)
Dudley D-Right's Ripsaw Falls
after the water rides we expect to be soaked, so we will bring a change of clothes, planning to store them in a locker at the park entrance. So I think at some point after all the water rides, we will get changed into dry (and most likely also a bit nicer) clothes.
6) end the day at WWoHP
all reports say that WWoHP empties out in the last hours of park operation. So this is when we will do our exploring there and ride the rides:
Forbidden Journey (definitely want to get a second ride!)
Duelling Dragons (inverted coaster)
7) after the park has closed: Dinner at Tchoup Chop at Royal Pacific Resort.
Oh, I would not want to make your whole group hop just because of us!! Friday we will be at DHS when you are at AK, but I will just follow your plans over on your TR and I am sure we will be able to figure something out!
I can't really do that either. We have at least a certain plan of when we want to be where - however the last three days of the trip are wide open. I think after one week at WDW, we will have seen most of our must dos. So for these days we will just do whatever we will feel like. Did work quite well on our last trip that way.
Sounds like a great (busy) day at the Universal parks! I haven't seen Harry Potter yet, but I am dying to go! I will have to live through your report until I get the chance!!
Sounds like a very full day at Universal! It's changed a great deal since I was there in college. I hope you're able to fit in everything you want to do. I think some of those rides would have me feeling a little
You've got some great plans for Universal/IoA!!! I have yet to go there but hopefully will make it on my next trip. We have actually planned it in so we'll most likely go! I might just take some of your planning into consideration when we plan our day. I can't wait to see WWoHP!!!!
When the day comes that I finally go to IoA and Universal, I think I'm going to have you and Cynthia plan my park attack!
It looks like you have a good plan to me....I'm sure it'll be a full day.
Your plans look great!!!! I look forward to hearing about the restaurant.
I guess you would call ET a dark ride...similar to Peter Pan. Spiderman on the otherhand, while dark, is in a totally different league. I can't wait to see what you guys think of Spidey and the FJ!
I love it. You go to "Germany" to get things you can't get in Germany! Yet, we Americans have no clue!
And no...looks like you'll be going to Canada first! But, I did hit China finally!!!
GORGEOUS! I looooooove the architecture!
What the heck is that fee for??? Regardless, glad you got it done and that you have your tickets--or at least the voucher for them!!
Your IOA/US day sounds fantastic. I really look forward to reading all about it! I try to soak as much as I can in about those parks since I know very little about them still.
The restaurant above is beautiful! I hope it serves you two a yummy meal!
sounds good!
We went to Universal/IOA for a few days in May 2010 so I can offer some advice.
The parks are close together so it is easy to hop back and forth.
Universal has a front of the line pass which you get for free if you stay on property or pay for if you do not. an option in case it is more crowded then you expect.
Men in Black - we all loved this! It is more a way more advanced Buzz lightyear to me then TSMM
ET - it is a cute dark ride. more enjoyable if you have seen the movie.\
Simpsons - is a very cool simulator. you will get more of the jokes if you are a fan of the show
Cat in the Hat is very cute. Definietely plan time to explore Seuss landing - the theming there is absolutely amazing! Especially if you are familiar with the books.
Spiderman is very cool
Hulk - I will warn you that this ride is very intense. DH rides everything and he swears he blacked out for a second at the start of this ride from the G's or force or something
Water rides
Jurassic park is was more of a cross between Splash/Kali. did not remind me of a traditional flume ride.
Dh and dd rode the other two and loved them but you will get soaked!
We stayed at the Royal Pacific but did not eat at Tchop chop.
Hope that helps!