PTR: A Spring Fling on the Dark Side ...2 Muggles Celebrate in Diagon Alley!

Hi Gina. Regarding 4 Rivers, one of the more Orlando-savvy posters will have to let you know the best location to visit. I checked the website, and they have restaurants in Longwood, Winter Park (both north of Orlando), and East Orlando. They did not have the locations mapped, and I have no idea which would be the easier drive for you. Sorry.
 
October is another couples trip....almost a replica of May (Universal, Universal, Universal) but with Halloween Horror Nights added in (our first time! so excited!). We plan to maximize our shiny new AP's on our two adults-only getaways. Assuming the budget can handle it, we hope to book the RIP tour for our HHN night to get it all in (especially when our HHN tickets are free with our Premier AP's).

Christmas will be all four of us....and no parks, on request from the whole family. We will be doing the Orlando Eye, the Sea Life Aquarium and Tussauds (already purchased those tickets), and Wild Florida (airboat ride and animal park). As always when the kids are along, I'm guessing there will be a lot of mini golf (I'll be eyeing up Groupon in the fall for some killer deals) plus, if the weather co-operates, a day at the beach. A trip to Blue Springs to see the manatees might also be in order. The rest of the time, we plan to relax and enjoy the amenities at the resort.....the kids are super interested in the Scuba Academy in particular. And there will be shopping...oh yes, there will be shopping :faint: .

Wow, sounds great! I love the idea of two couples trips with the APs. With the Halloween stuff, the trips will feel different enough too.

And the Christmas trip sounds great, nice weather and you won't miss the crowds at the parks I'm sure :)
 
Hi Gina. Regarding 4 Rivers, one of the more Orlando-savvy posters will have to let you know the best location to visit. I checked the website, and they have restaurants in Longwood, Winter Park (both north of Orlando), and East Orlando. They did not have the locations mapped, and I have no idea which would be the easier drive for you. Sorry.

No worries! I know chiamarie is local....maybe she can point me in the right direction (pardon the pun :rotfl2:).

Kind of an interesting story behind the birth of the chain. For anyone who wants to read it (its short, don't worry), you can find it here:

https://4rsmokehouse.com/about/

Wow, sounds great! I love the idea of two couples trips with the APs. With the Halloween stuff, the trips will feel different enough too.

And the Christmas trip sounds great, nice weather and you won't miss the crowds at the parks I'm sure :)

We are actually hoping to stretch those AP's over 3 trips before they expire....the end of April 2016 is on the tentative plan (but we shall see if we are bankrupt after our Orlando trifecta in 2015 before we fully commit! :rolleyes: ).

As for Christmas....nope, we won't miss those crowds :scared: . We enjoyed Christmas in Orlando in 2012, and the sheer volumes of traffic and people were more than we expected (and for the record, we expected alot!!). SeaWorld on Christmas Day was amazing (Quick Queue helped a ton), but some of our best times on that trip were when we did the non-park attractions.....Wild Willy's airboats, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Gatorland, etc. Those places were marvellously calm as the rest of the city mobbed The Big 3 park families.
 
The 4 Rivers near me also has a "Sweet Shop" colocated with it. It's like a store within a store. I think they all have a similar set-up. The Sweet Shop makes incredibly huge and awesome-looking cakes and cupcakes. The kitchen is in full view--it looks like Cupcake Wars. No matter how full of brisket you are, it will be hard to leave without getting something for dessert, even if you have to take it back to the villa.
 


No worries! I know chiamarie is local....maybe she can point me in the right direction (pardon the pun :rotfl2:).

.

We keep saying we're gonna go check out 4Rivers. Yet, we haven't. I think it 's because their locations are so far from us, (we live on the "on the way to tampa" side of Orlando). So I'm honestly no sure what will be the easiest/closet to get to.....


Okay, so I just looked at the website; if it were me; the Winter Garden location would be best; I could jump on 429 and head up. But as far as "easiest to find and closest" to the Universal/SeaWorld area the Winter Park location would be probably best, since it looks like it's right off I4. My only other suggestion would be that whenever it is you're going to Blue springs for Manatee watching' the Longwood one is also right off I4; and pretty close to Blue Spring.

Hopefully that helps.
 
Gina.....we went to the Winter Garden location and it was really good. Very handy to get to.

Next time we want to try Harry & Larry`s Bar-BQue..........have heard from my nephew it blows the others out the water............so it`s definitely on our list for this year to try. Usually it`s Bubbalous for us......
 
The 4 Rivers near me also has a "Sweet Shop" colocated with it. It's like a store within a store. I think they all have a similar set-up. The Sweet Shop makes incredibly huge and awesome-looking cakes and cupcakes. The kitchen is in full view--it looks like Cupcake Wars. No matter how full of brisket you are, it will be hard to leave without getting something for dessert, even if you have to take it back to the villa.

lol, that sounds awesome! But I am thinking that any progress I have made as far as fitness goes is flying right out the window on this upcoming vacation :crazy2: .

We keep saying we're gonna go check out 4Rivers. Yet, we haven't. I think it 's because their locations are so far from us, (we live on the "on the way to tampa" side of Orlando). So I'm honestly no sure what will be the easiest/closet to get to.....

Okay, so I just looked at the website; if it were me; the Winter Garden location would be best; I could jump on 429 and head up. But as far as "easiest to find and closest" to the Universal/SeaWorld area the Winter Park location would be probably best, since it looks like it's right off I4. My only other suggestion would be that whenever it is you're going to Blue springs for Manatee watching' the Longwood one is also right off I4; and pretty close to Blue Spring.

Hopefully that helps.

Thanks, chia :thumbsup2 . Winter Park or Winter Garden it shall be! We don't mind a drive, anyway. Doesn't necessarily have to be super easy or close. Its a great opportunity to see some of the other parts of Orlando (and helps us to pick out where we want to live when we retire :rotfl:).

Gina.....we went to the Winter Garden location and it was really good. Very handy to get to.

Next time we want to try Harry & Larry`s Bar-BQue..........have heard from my nephew it blows the others out the water............so it`s definitely on our list for this year to try. Usually it`s Bubbalous for us......

Harry & Larry's? Hmmm....that one I haven't heard of before :scratchin. Off to check it out. We may have a new candidate for our October dining wish-list!
 


Snow? That's not snow. This is snow...

Yes we could walk off our second floor balcony onto the snow. No that's not this year (2008), but we are getting up there...

Really just throwing this in there to say, "it could be worse"

Just 7 more sleeps until we go....

You poor folks in the Ottawa region always get winter worse than we do....and quite frankly, I think ya'll need a medal. All the skating on the Rideau Canal and Beaver Tails in the world couldn't make me endure it without a whole lotta complaining. I am finding the whole piles and piles of snow outside the window to be rather taxing....and its makin' me grouchy.

On a happier note...

I survived RRSP season :thumbsup2 . I was glad to see the end of the business day on Monday. Sometimes, it feels as if there aren't enough pieces of me to go around.

On a less happy note.....I am feeling rather melancholy these days. I am sure the weather plays a huge factor. The craziness of work is another major influence. My best friend has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and is currently in hospital (surgery yesterday), so she is weighing heavily on my heart. All in all, I'm having a hard time maintaining my excitement about our upcoming trip, which those of you who know me best will know is very unlike me. My mom telle me daily "you just need to get away and relax!", and perhaps she is right. Maybe a part of it is that everything is planned, everything is in place, so now we're just waiting.

bankr63 and pigletto and coastgirl, I envy your March getaways. You all must be getting so excited! I hope you post back here a time or two while you're away to help ignite my excitement again. I am counting on you to be my therapists, lol :rotfl: .

58 days from right now, I'll be heading out the door. I guess that's something to smile about all in itself.

For today, though, we're prepping for more nasty weather. Snow and freezing rain are to start later today and produce a nasty, dangerous mess for morning. Here's hoping this is the last "winter storm" for us this year!!
 
Oh my......you know my BFF that's currently in the hospital? She just sent me this video.....and its hilarious. For all the northerners reading along, you will totally relate. For all our southern friends reading this thread, it will still give you a laugh. Winter in Canada....ain't it grand, eh? ;)

Check it out here......be prepared to giggle in that hits-rather-close-to-home kind of way:

http://biggeekdad.com/2014/03/seven-day-forecast/

What's the first day of spring, anyway? March 20th or 21st??
 
Gina perhaps you've got the plus 1 syndrome :)

Sorry to hear about your best friend, hope she is doing well.

On an off topic note, the Keratin Smooth worked just fine this morning.
 
Yeah, it's surely the Lion at play - let's hope it becomes a Lamb sooner than later. Yes, freezing rain last night, and snow to come tonight through tomorrow. A cold March start. And to think - outdoor soccer is to start in 2 weeks. My winter coat will still get use. The fields always seem colder. And yes, I will be wearing a hat, even though DD says oh mom why?

We're slowly getting our trip for Christmas together. No Florida this year. Waiting for SW to open the flights, but have the hotel booked - the Navy Inn on Coronado Island. It has a family suite that is just like the Residence Inn''s 2 queen and sleeper sofa room, but has either a bunk bend or two twin beds in a 2nd bedroom, for slightly more than the great Residence Inn rate I had over Christmas 2 years ago.

So no use of my Uni AP this year. :(

Stay warm my friend and keep thoughts of that tropical summer temps you'll have in Florida before you know it.:fish:
 
Gina perhaps you've got the plus 1 syndrome :)

Sorry to hear about your best friend, hope she is doing well.

On an off topic note, the Keratin Smooth worked just fine this morning.

Yes indeed, I think its the Plus 1 Syndrome at its most acute!!! Ironically, this morning when I left for work.....it was +1 :rotfl2: . For real! :banana: Of course, the rise in temperatures came after a snow and freezing rain storm yesterday afternoon and evening, but hey....the barometer is temporarily in a more favourable positions. I'll take it :thumbsup2(because tonight the mercury is dipping back down to -16 ... sigh).

My BFF is hoping to be released from the hospital later today (fingers crossed). I went to see her last night, along with a couple of other mutual lady friends, and we brought her some giggles and good cheer to brighten her evening. I am happy she is heading home because I think she will rest so much better there. Its mighty hard to relax with another person in the bed beside you and nurses buzzing around constantly.

Glad to hear that the Keratin Smooth did the trick! Its one of my few must-haves when it comes to hair (quality shampoo/conditioner, decent hairspray that's not sticky, a hairdryer with some good OOMMPH and a sturdy comb round out my minimum requirements). You'll grow to love that stuff when its humid outside!!!
 
Yeah, it's surely the Lion at play - let's hope it becomes a Lamb sooner than later. Yes, freezing rain last night, and snow to come tonight through tomorrow. A cold March start. And to think - outdoor soccer is to start in 2 weeks. My winter coat will still get use. The fields always seem colder. And yes, I will be wearing a hat, even though DD says oh mom why?

We're slowly getting our trip for Christmas together. No Florida this year. Waiting for SW to open the flights, but have the hotel booked - the Navy Inn on Coronado Island. It has a family suite that is just like the Residence Inn''s 2 queen and sleeper sofa room, but has either a bunk bend or two twin beds in a 2nd bedroom, for slightly more than the great Residence Inn rate I had over Christmas 2 years ago.

So no use of my Uni AP this year. :(

Stay warm my friend and keep thoughts of that tropical summer temps you'll have in Florida before you know it.:fish:

Oh my Lord.....outdoor soccer is simply too hard to fathom yet, isn't it? Those poor players (and poor spectactors....I can't imagine!!). I don't blame you a bit on wearing the hat. Desperate situations call for desperate measures :lmao: .

Coronado Island....that's California, right? Oooh, sounds marvellous! Worth skipping Universal for, indeed ::yes:: . So whatcha planning.....beach time and relaxing? Or some specific activities? Feels like we just put the Christmas tree away, and its already less than 10 months away again :santa: . Ironic how spring, summer and fall all seem to pass by so quickly, but winter lasts forever :cold: .
 
That video is hilarious! Love it.

My dad was from Ottawa. Wow the winters up there. I do say though, they manage them well. Here in NJ it's just chaos every time. I think people here don't think we live in winter territory sometimes lol

Sorry to hear about your friend's cancer, I hope she has a full recovery. :grouphug:

58 days will be here in no time!
 
So.....we are now officially exactly 8 weeks from departure :woohoo: .

Right on cue, our car rental rate dropped noticeably this morning to $147 for the 8 days (full size, still with Dollar). That beats my former $165 by a tidy margin. Even nicer, if I book that rental through the RBC Rewards site (my bank) I can get the same rental for $1 less and in Canadian funds. Considering I'd be paying about 25% in exchange and conversion fees, that's an additional $40 savings in my pocket.

Now, I haven't gone ahead and booked via the RBC Rewards site just yet (though I have secured the lower price via Dollar directly)....I am trying to decide on a few things first. One, I am wiffle-waffling on the full size ($146) versus an SUV ($218 CDN ... not "needed", when its just the two of us, but would be a comfy splurge, especially when that is what Big Steve is accustomed to driving at home). Two, I am not 100% certain on cancellation terms for the RBC reservation (just in case Alamo drops below the Dollar price....though I'm not sure that would even be likely)....I may call them this afternoon to inquire. Thirdly, we have a few reward points that we could apply to the price (if we so chose) to bring either option down anothr $32 or so (so the full size for $113 and the SUV for $186), but I'm not sure if I should use those against the price or hold onto them and let them continue to accumulate.

I figure I will hold off and get Steve's input tonight before deciding. I hope those prices don't vanish into thin air before we chat after work. If they do.....at least I snagged the cheaper price via Dollar for now.

To be honest, Dollar worries me just a tad. A big part of that is the unknown (we've never used them before....will they be good? bad?) and a recent thread on the transporation board re: Dollar tolls has me fretful. I also don't think you get to pick your vehicle with Dollar, which doesn't sit as well with me. But yet, the price is so substantially lower versus the other MCO options....sometimes, money talks. Let's just say this would be a no-brainer if the discounted rate was from Alamo versus Dollar or Thrifty!

Decision, decisions ... sometimes, I can "drive" :drive: myself bonkers! lol
 
To a certain point I have no favorite for rental. I tend to stick to Alamo and National, but sometimes both have higher rates than I would like. Never rented from Dollar, but not being able to pick a car would not be a deal breaker for me. If the SUV is more money, with just the 2 of you, I would not take it and just go for a car. I am starting to look at rentals for our San Diego trip. Not as bad as I feared, but hoping they will drop. Hefty airport fee, but I like the convenience. So even though we have to take a shuttle to the rental, I will still rent from the airport.

It is getting closer! With our airport canceling 75 percent of flights so far, I hope your trip arrival is during a warm up of our weather.
 
Reminds me of our first couples excursion to Orlando. I had a pretty good rate with Budget for a mid-sized, but the smooth talking counter rep talked me up to Mustang convertible for only a couple of $$ more per day (actually I think it was $5). It was a lot of fun for the two us to tool around in for the week (although the convertible only has room for about one medium suitcase in the trunk).

That was much better than our trip to Mexico a couple of years later where a Standard class car from National turned out to be a Nissan Muppetmobile. Seriously, it was smaller than the new Nissan Micra! It was fun too, but A+ got a bit queasy as the ride was pretty choppy on the Mexican roadways. I'm not sure what a compact would have been, but it probably had two wheels and a chain. The fullsize car was a VW Passat, which I wouldn't call full-size in the rest of North America.

ETA some real thoughts: I have had rentals at MCO from Budget (once), Hertz (once), Alamo (one or two) and National (three or more), and will always go to National unless the rates are horrible. I have never rented from the really budget places. The one thing I have noticed is that the lower end rentals tend to have much longer lines than the higher end - probably a combo of less agents to keep the costs down and less savvy/less credit worthy renters. When I'm just getting started on my vacation I am willing to pay a bit (not a lot) more for a better experience. Actually in the years we've done National, we've never had to see the lines at all - straight to the car!
 
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To a certain point I have no favorite for rental. I tend to stick to Alamo and National, but sometimes both have higher rates than I would like. Never rented from Dollar, but not being able to pick a car would not be a deal breaker for me. If the SUV is more money, with just the 2 of you, I would not take it and just go for a car. I am starting to look at rentals for our San Diego trip. Not as bad as I feared, but hoping they will drop. Hefty airport fee, but I like the convenience. So even though we have to take a shuttle to the rental, I will still rent from the airport.

It is getting closer! With our airport canceling 75 percent of flights so far, I hope your trip arrival is during a warm up of our weather.

Reminds me of our first couples excursion to Orlando. I had a pretty good rate with Budget for a mid-sized, but the smooth talking counter rep talked me up to Mustang convertible for only a couple of $$ more per day (actually I think it was $5). It was a lot of fun for the two us to tool around in for the week (although the convertible only has room for about one medium suitcase in the trunk).

That was much better than our trip to Mexico a couple of years later where a Standard class car from National turned out to be a Nissan Muppetmobile. Seriously, it was smaller than the new Nissan Micra! It was fun too, but A+ got a bit queasy as the ride was pretty choppy on the Mexican roadways. I'm not sure what a compact would have been, but it probably had two wheels and a chain. The fullsize car was a VW Passat, which I wouldn't call full-size in the rest of North America.

ETA some real thoughts: I have had rentals at MCO from Budget (once), Hertz (once), Alamo (one or two) and National (three or more), and will always go to National unless the rates are horrible. I have never rented from the really budget places. The one thing I have noticed is that the lower end rentals tend to have much longer lines than the higher end - probably a combo of less agents to keep the costs down and less savvy/less credit worthy renters. When I'm just getting started on my vacation I am willing to pay a bit (not a lot) more for a better experience. Actually in the years we've done National, we've never had to see the lines at all - straight to the car!

Well, patience has never been my strongest suit....so I texted Steve at work. Gave him the scoop, and he voted for booking the full size with the points redemption. So, we have our car rental now in place: a fullsize, with Dollar, for $113.94 Canadian, all taxes and fees included.

We had budgeted $200 Cdn for the vehicle rental, so we came in WELL under that. There's now a little more $$$ to put toward the October and December trips!

pigletto .... thanks for the tip about checking the RBC Rewards site in the first place. Until you mentioned it, I had no idea it even existed. You rock!

Now to sign up for Dollar's version of skip-the-counter (Rapid Rentals or something along that line?).

Oh, and bankr63.....if they offer to upgrade us to a convertible for a few dollars a day, I will be all over that!!! Can you imagine? Cruisin' out to the coast with the sun on my face and the wind in my hair? Ahhhh :angel: .
 
Can't believe the snow/weather you guys have had out ease :shudder: we had one large dump, but otherwise it's been a pretty mild winter out here. Great deal on the car too! I'm current recovering from ankle surgery so have been spending a lot of time reading Dis TRs, really enjoyed yours!
 

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