Advil & Enthusiasm: A Disney Trip Report

[pg0314]

Chapter Three: Part One
“Don’t tell Pooh, but you’re my favorite.”

Friday, September 21, 2012
Day Three:

Up at 7:00 and out the door as quick as possible this morning. We have a breakfast date with Winnie the Pooh! We arrived at the Magic Kingdom about 30 minutes before rope drop and parked so close there was no tram service to our section of the parking lot!

The opening show was very cute! Smokey Miller, chief of the volunteer fire department, was our master of ceremonies!

The family of the day seemed really excited to be there and one of them was recording the ceremony with an iPad.

Which leads me to a quick little aside: We saw quite a few people using iPads as cameras and we just don’t get it! Why on earth would you want to drag this big, very expensive, fragile piece of electronics around the park with you? It seems like an enormous pain in the butt compared to bringing a little point and shoot camera or using your cell phone! Not trying to stir up a debate … if you want to bring your iPad or hire a film crew to follow you around the parks, it’s your right to do so … I just think it’s a little weird.

And now, back to business! The first thing we noticed was that the cranes were up that day. We could see workers in a cherry picker type basket … they’re crazy! … and Tena speculated that they were putting the Christmas lights on the castle. Turned out that she was right! One of the PhotoPass photographers confirmed it and said they start stringing those lights in mid-September and on days when there wasn’t much wind, the cranes would be up until 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening.

We had a little time to kill before our 10:00 reservations at the Crystal Palace so we decided to check out Buzz Lightyear. There was no line at all and we walked right on.

Given how intense we look, you’d expect to see big scores, right?

Well, Tena kicked my butt but basically we both sucked. Those scores are pathetic!

There was only a 5 minute wait for Carousel of Progress so that was our next stop. I know it’s corny, and dated and honestly, kind of boring. But there’s just something charming about it. And I love that dog! There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow ….

Oh, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves!

And then it was time for breakfast with Pooh and the gang! We only decided we wanted to do this 30 days before our trip. We knew the odds of getting an ADR at such a late date were slim but figured it didn’t hurt to try. No luck at first but then a 10:00 am reservation popped up one day and we jumped at it. So there we were, checking in right on time and being shown right to our table. The Crystal Palace is so pretty! It reminds me of a giant Victorian birdcage and I couldn’t stop gawking around at all the little details of the architecture.

Piglet was the first to visit us and he noticed our birthday buttons right away and made sure to point at them and make kissy noises. So cute!

We had to wait quite a while for the other characters to get to us but there was plenty of delicious food to keep us occupied. Everything we had was really good but the stuffed French toast was a definite favorite. So yummy!

Tena at least made an attempt to eat healthy by getting fruit.

My plate, on the other hand, prominently features bacon!

Finally the other characters got to our table in pretty rapid succession. First was Pooh who also had hugs and birthday kisses for us.

Then came Eyeore. I whispered in his ear “Don’t tell Pooh but you’re my favorite!” and he put his paws? … hooves? …. over his eyes like he was embarrassed and gave me a big hug!

Next was Tigger, who is Tena’s favorite. When he saw our birthday buttons, he grabbed us both in a big hug and stood between us doing a little birthday dance that involved a lot of bouncing and butt wiggling. So cute!

And then Piglet came by again, which was nice because Tena had been trapped behind the table the first time he stopped by so this time she got a big Piglet hug.

Just as we were getting ready to pay our bill and leave, the waiter came by with a birthday cupcake for us and cards signed by all the characters! We were stuffed, but we each took a bite of the cupcake just to be polite. And how cute are these cards! This is, by far, my favorite souvenir of the trip!

Those birthday buttons were definitely a good idea!

 

[pg0314]

Two updates in one day! Go me!

Chapter Three: Part Two
“Boo to you!”


After breakfast with Pooh and the gang, we jumped all over the park hitting a few of our favorite attractions.

Jungle Cruise! Hasn’t changed a bit since the day they built it and I hope it never does. It’s corny as Kansas but it’s a classic and we love it!

Space Mt. Standby wait was listed as 10 minutes … but only because it takes 10 minutes to walk all the way to the front of the line. Basically we walked right on.

Then was Big Thunder which had maybe a 15 minute wait. I was almost disappointed at how fast we were getting on all the popular rides. Not that I love standing in line but I enjoy seeing all the little details that they put into the rides and we zipped through the queue areas so fast we really couldn’t look at anything.

Hall of Presidents. Another short wait but still nice to sit down in the air-conditioning for a few minutes. It was another brutally hot and humid day. I don’t know what it is about the Hall of Presidents but I’m always a little weepy in places and fighting sleep in others and this was no exception.

And don’t forget to vote on Tuesday!!!

We were planning on being in the park late that night so decided to leave for a while and take a break. We slowly made our way down Main St, checking out some of the shops along the way, and then headed out around 2:00 pm.

Oh, and we got some cute Photo Pass pictures done that day too. Check it out:

After we left the park, we visited a couple of those cheesy tourist trap shops on Rt 192 but didn’t buy anything except a couple boxes of coconut patties. I don’t like coconut … I know, I know, I’m weird! … but my sister loves these things and there’s no way I could go home without a box for her.

We also made a quick trip to CVS so Tena could get some cough drops and earplugs. She woke up that morning with a scratchy throat and was afraid she might be catching a cold so she also picked up some cold medicine. As for the earplugs? It’s been implied that I might, possibly, on occasion … snore. Just a little. But it’s just a rumor and I’m admitting nothing! [Note from Tena: jet engines are quieter than Peggy’s snoring!]

Anyway, than it was back to the hotel to jack up the air conditioning and take a nap. Early in the planning process we discovered there would be a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party during our trip! Awesome! So we bought tickets and started wondering … what should we wear? Halloween costumes? Nah. Too hot and too much of a hassle. Maybe a cute Halloween themed t-shirt! But were would we find them in mid-September? Maybe we could make them!
I found some really cute shirts on Pinterest that were made with bleach and freezer paper and the instructions looked simple enough. Tena came up with a great idea for the image and cut the stencils out on her Cricut. And here’s the end result! Super easy to make and super cute!

We headed back out around 4:30 and our first stop was Red Lobster for an early dinner. When we travel, we like to check out local places rather than chain restaurants that we can visit at home. But Red Lobster was close and we hadn’t eaten since 10:00 and were darn near starved! After a nice relaxing dinner, we were ready for some Halloween Party fun! But Mother Nature had a different idea … we emerged from the restaurant to a torrential downpour. We ended up huddled under the awning for a good 20 minutes before giving up and making a run for the car. The sky was very stormy in one direction but looked like it was trying to clear in another so all we could do was cross our fingers and hope for the best.

Rain, rain go away!

We arrived back at the Magic Kingdom around 6:30 and it was still raining. And it rained … and rained … and rained. Yep, it was the deluge! What could we do but break out the ponchos and make the best of it?! We went on a couple rides (Space Mt and It’s a Small World … our second trip on both) and did some trick-or-treating. We were like a couple of kids … “Oooh, I got a Snickers, what did you get?!”

There were a lot of people there in spite of the bad weather and we saw some pretty elaborate costumes. Lots of princesses of course … including one ‘Sexy Snow White’ tottering along on the wet pavement in 5 inch stilettos, a couple different Incredibles families and various witches, ghoulies and ghosties. Our absolute favorites were a fortyish couple dressed as Mary Poppins and Burt. I don’t know if the costumes were handmade or purchased but they were absolutely flawless in every last detail. Tena actually tapped “Mary” on the shoulder to tell her “Best costumes ever!”. I wish we’d asked to take their pictures because they looked amazing!

Eventually, I reached the stage where I announced, “I can’t stand this poncho for one more second! I’m so hot I’m going to puke!” So we decided to toss the ponchos and take our chances with Mother Nature. And wouldn’t you know it, the rain stopped! So what did we do? Why we went of Splash Mt and got smacked in the face with a wave of water, of course!

The first parade of the night had been canceled because of the bad weather. But since the rain had stopped, Hallowishes and the second parade were going on as planned. We made our way to Main St, which was absolutely packed, and found a good spot near the hub. Way too wet to sit down (though some people were doing it anyway) so we just stood in the street. The fireworks were awesome! We got some decent pictures but they just don’t do it justice.

As soon as Hallowishes was over, we zipped around the corner to Frontierland to find a spot for the parade. Since the early parade had been canceled, the place was still mobbed and all the really good viewing spots were long gone. We found an okay place but , unfortunately, neither or us was in a good position to take pictures. We tried taking a few but then gave up and just enjoyed the parade.

By now you’ve probably all seen a million pictures and videos of the parade and have a pretty good idea of how much fun it was. The only downside was that, because of all the rain, the ground was too slippery for the Headless Horseman to ride. I’d never want them to put the horse at risk so I completely understand, but I was a little bummed we didn’t get to see him.

How on earth do they make it foggy?!

A little blurry but still so pretty!

After the parade ended we slowly started making our way out of the park. The rain definitely put a bit of a damper on the party but we still had fun. It was late and we were tired, our shoes were so wet we were squelching with every step and we were ready for bed!

 

[msbiscuit]

I love the Photopass shots - especially the one with the frog! lol
The t-shirts are wonderful!
I haven't been to the Halloween party, but my sister and I were at the very last 999 Happy Haunts Ball. It was a much smaller event and the cast member went all out with their costumes. The Grim Reaper was especially scary and chased people through Liberty Square! It all ended with everyone being led out of the park by the Headless Horseman. It's a fun memory to have!

 

[scottny]

Great updates and pics.

I totally agree about the Ipads, I just don't get the carrying it around.

Glad to hear the rain let up.

Thanks for the info on September. I am really thinking we might try that next time. I hate heat and humidity but I can deal but would love walk on rides. This past October was too much in the way of crowds.

 

[pg0314]

I love the Photopass shots - especially the one with the frog! lol
The t-shirts are wonderful!
I haven't been to the Halloween party, but my sister and I were at the very last 999 Happy Haunts Ball. It was a much smaller event and the cast member went all out with their costumes. The Grim Reaper was especially scary and chased people through Liberty Square! It all ended with everyone being led out of the park by the Headless Horseman. It's a fun memory to have!

The Photopass pictures were a blast. We'd never done it before but we loved it and went running to every photographer we saw. We got some really fun shots so if you've never tried it, I highly recommend it. And thanks for the compliments on the shirts! They were actually super easy to make and we were thrilled with the way they turned out.

Great updates and pics.

I totally agree about the Ipads, I just don't get the carrying it around.

Glad to hear the rain let up.

Thanks for the info on September. I am really thinking we might try that next time. I hate heat and humidity but I can deal but would love walk on rides. This past October was too much in the way of crowds.

It was 90 plus degrees and very humid every day and we're "women of a certain age" so we were frequently on the brink of spontaneous human combustion! But we toured the parks at a slower pace, took breaks when we needed them and drank water like a couple of camels. And we got through it! There were things we'd have liked to do and didn't just because of the heat/slow pace (like we never set one foot in World Showcase) but we still had a great time. And I think we'd consider going in September again. Walking right on attractions we'd once waited two hours for sure made the heat a lot more bearable!

 

[pg0314]

Chapter Four: Part One
“Bats!”

Saturday, September 22, 2012
Day Four

‘Slept in’ until 8:30 and decided to take it easy today. We’re old and tired and what gets done, gets done. It’s supposed to be 90 degrees and rainy again today but according to the Weather Channel they had snow in Duluth. I’ll take the 90 degrees, thank you very much, but Tena would prefer the snow!

After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we hit the road. Today’s destination:

Animal Kingdom! We got there around 10:30 and it seemed fairly crowded at first but we had really good luck with standby lines once again. Our first stop was Expedition Everest. The standby line was supposed to be 20 minutes but was really more like 10. This was one of those attractions where I wouldn’t have minded going a little slower. There was so much to see and we just zipped right by it.

This is one of the few thrill rides Tena ever persuaded her husband Adam to try. I guess the poor guy was green when he got off and she had to sit him down on a bench and get him a cold drink afterward. I liked it but thought it was actually a little tame as thrill rides go. And where the heck was the Yeti? I know there’s a big animatronics one in there somewhere that’s broken beyond all repair and doesn’t move. But I thought you could still see it. Either it’s not there anymore or somehow I missed it!

Next stop: Maharajah Jungle Trek. I thought this was really well done … you actually feel like you’re deep in the forest far away from civilization and there was something beautiful and interesting around every corner.

Now might be a good time to mention that I am absolutely terrified of bats. I know it’s irrational and I hate that I feel that way but put me near one and I go into a blind panic.

So why on earth am I smiling when I’m this close to a bunch of bats that are the size of small aircraft?! I think I was just so horrified/fascinated that I forgot to be afraid. And, once you overlook the fact that they’re … you know … BATS (shudder) they’re actually sort of cute. They’re sort of fuzzy and have sweet little Chihuahua faces. If it weren’t for the horrible ginormous wings and the fact that they’re BATS I’d almost want to pet one. Almost.

Of course the highlight of the Jungle Trek were the tigers. As hot as it was, I expected them to all be napping in the shade and some were. But others were surprisingly active. It was amazing to see them up close. They’re HUGE and so so gorgeous.

Next on our agenda: a safari!!!

 

[pg0314]

Chapter Four: Part Two
“You look like you peed your pants.”

I did the Kilimanjaro Safari once before and remember that there was a story about a baby rhino and poachers or some such nonsense. I was very happy to see that they don’t do that anymore. The animals are so beautiful that they should be the showcase and we don’t need the distraction of some silly storyline. We took a zillion pictures and it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few but I’ll try!!!

Since we enjoyed the jungles of Asia so much, we decided to visit the jungles of Africa as well. I know there was a lot of beautiful and fascinating things to see along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. But honestly, the only thing I really remember were the gorillas. They’re such beautiful, graceful creatures that I could have stood there watching them all day.

And say what you will about lions, but for me, this guy right here is the King of the Jungle. He’s magnificent!

It was getting close to noon by this point and the heat was intense. What better way to cool off than a trip on the Kali River Rapids!?! We had ditched our backpack that day and had most of our belongings stuffed in our pockets. So of course neither of us thought to bring a plastic bag! Tena went to one of the gift shops and asked for one and they must get that request a lot because the cast member handed a bag over batting an eye. We shoved everything in the bag and tied it shut and our phones and cameras survived the trip just fine.

A million years ago, I went on Roaring Rapids at Great Adventure in NJ and it’s very similar to Kali River so I knew what to expect. Every time the raft rotated, the people who were now riding backwards would squeal and brace themselves and then heave a sigh of relief when the raft turned again. And wouldn’t you know it, just as we reached the top of the biggest hill, the raft turned so that I was the one going backwards! My seatmate and I got soaked! We were as wet as if we’d jumped into the river. Tena was on my other side and she got a fair amount of the backsplash but wasn’t nearly as wet as I was. I spent the rest of the day walking around looking like I’d peed my pants! But as hot as it was, it felt pretty darn good.

By now we were starving so we made our way out of Asia and went in search of some lunch. We noticed a small crowd of people gathered along the path watching …. A tree? What the heck? It was Devine! I was so excited because I was hoping to see her. I don’t know how a woman dressed in plastic ivy and walking on stilts can be so lovely and graceful but she totally pulls it off!

Isn’t she gorgeous?

After a yummy lunch at Flame Tree BBQ we headed over to line up for The Festival of the Lion King. It’s one of Tena’s favorite shows so when we heard it was closing, we knew we had to see it one last time. I’d only seen it once before, back in 1998, and as I recalled, I enjoyed it very much. But since then, I’ve seen The Lion King on Broadway and let me tell you … it’s AMAZING! The costumes, the music, the sets … I was completely blown away by it. If you ever have a chance to go, don’t miss it. It’s phenomenal! So I was a little concerned that Festival of the Lion King would pale by comparison. But I needn’t have worried because I loved it! It doesn’t hold a candle to the Broadway show but it’s completely charming in it’s own right and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope they come up with something equally spectacular to replace it!

Anyway, we were in the Giraffe section. BAAAA! Which, apparently, is the noise giraffe’s make. Who knew? And we had a really great view of the stage. But for some reason, we didn’t take a single picture! If memory serves, my camera died and I’d left the spare battery back at the hotel like a big dope. And I guess Tena was too enthralled with the show to bother with pictures. Oh well, I’m sure you all know what it looks like so just pretend there are a serious of spectacular photos accompanying this post, okay?

We bid Animal Kingdom farewell around 4:00 and headed to our home away from home, the Comfort Suites. We were planning a late night so a nap was in order. And I badly needed some dry pants! After a change of clothes, some R&R (and a quick load of laundry) we headed back out again about two hours later.

 

[pg0314]

Three posts in one day! I rule!!!


Chapter Four: Part Three
“Birthday girls in the house!”


We arrived at the Magic Kingdom around 6:30. Our first order of business: Dole Whip! Seems like everyone had the same idea because there was a loooong line. Tena passed the time chatting with a cute little 13 year old girl who was there celebrating her birthday with her dad. Meanwhile I was really hot and feeling very hypoglycemic for some reason so I just concentrated on fanning myself and inching forward in line. Nurse Tena could tell I wasn’t feeling my best but I assured her a dose of Dole Whip would fix what ailed me. And it did! Good old Dole Whip!

Revived by that creamy pineapple goodness, I was ready to ride! Since we were right around the corner from Pirates of the Caribbean, that was our next stop. POTC is one of my favorite rides so I’m not sure how I feel about the changes. On the one hand, it would’ve been strange if they hadn’t added Captain Jack and the gang, given how hugely popular the movies are. On the other hand, I loved the old version and seeing Johnny Depp popping up every few feet is a little disconcerting. So I guess I’m ambivalent about it!

We made our way over to Fantasyland, which was very crowded. We still managed to squeeze in a ride on Small World. That’s three down and three to go! We can do it!!! Or can we?

The Dole Whip was yummy but we needed some real food so we went to the Columbia Harbour House for dinner. In past trips, the Harbour House has been our old faithful go-to restaurant. If we were at MK, we always ate there. Chicken fingers with honey to dip them in, waffle fries and a giant ice tea to ward off dehydration. Yum. My how times have changed. Chicken nuggets that were more coating than chicken, no honey, greasy (non waffle) fries and the ice tea was mediocre at best. Oh my darling Harbour House, how could you let me down like that? Clearly the bloom is off the rose of our love. Sigh.

The meal wasn’t a total loss, though. While we were waiting to order, a friendly cast member was chatting with us and noticed our birthday buttons. The result? Free cake! Again!!! Okay, honestly, it wasn’t all that great. But it was cake! And it was free! And it was super thoughtful of her. Thank you, nice Harbor House lady! And when we picked up our order, one of the counter service girls noticed the buttons and gave us this sort of evil smile. Next thing you know she was ringing a bell and shouting “Birthday girls in the house!”. Okay, I can‘t remember exactly what she said, but if it wasn‘t that, it was something equally embarrassing! Before we knew it, half a dozen cast members were clustered around us singing a birthday song at the top of their lungs! So cute! And humiliating. But mostly cute! And did I mention the free cake?

After we were done eating, we went to stake out a viewing spot for the 10:00 pm MSEP. We have a favorite spot … a stone wall near Pecos Bill’s that we always nab for parades if we can. And sure enough, it was available. We had over an hour to wait but we had a place to sit and there were refreshments nearby if we got thirsty so we were good. Shortly after we sat down, a family with two small children in strollers came and sat next to us. One was a baby who was out like a light but he was all red faced and sweaty and looked so uncomfortable. The other little guy was maybe 2 ½ and had a wicked cold. His poor little nose was bright red and he kept coughing and sneezing and finally just broke down sobbing. He cheered up a little bit when his mom bought him a light up sword but you could tell he was just generally miserable. I understand wanting to see the parade but when your kids are exhausted and hot and sick … for pete’s sake call it a night and take them back to the hotel!!!! But of course that didn’t happen and those poor kids probably didn’t get to bed until midnight.

Anyway, one added benefit of our parade viewing spot was that we could see a fair amount of Wishes. The castle was mostly hidden by the trees but we could see the fireworks going on behind. Very pretty!

So the Main Street Electrical Parade was adorable!

And the birthday button strikes again! See this blurry dwarf? Sneezy, I think. He came dancing over in my direction and waved hello. Then he saw the button and stopped dead in his tracks right in front of me, grabbed my hand and kissed it. Swoon!

All in all, a very good day. And for the first time since we arrived in Florida, not a single drop of rain! Perhaps Mother Nature is going to smile on us after all!

 

[msbiscuit]

You really got some wonderful shots of the animals on the safari and the parade, as well! What kind of camera were you using? The zoom seems to work very well!

 

[tazdev3225]

Just found this and joining in. You look like you had a great time so far. I'll second the question about the camera. I take a ton of pics myself and love to see what kind of cameras people are using.

IASW is one of my favorites but I am usually confined to one ride a trip. Others I travel with are not as happy with it. Soarin' is my least favorite ride. I can understand why others like it but I get really sick on it. I can't handle any of the IMAX type shows.

Looking forward to more.

 

[pg0314]

You really got some wonderful shots of the animals on the safari and the parade, as well! What kind of camera were you using? The zoom seems to work very well!

Just found this and joining in. You look like you had a great time so far. I'll second the question about the camera. I take a ton of pics myself and love to see what kind of cameras people are using.

Tena and I both have Canon SLR cameras that take really awesome pictures ... but they're big and bulky and very expensive so we decided to leave them at home this time and make do with our little point and shoot cameras. I took most of the parade pictures ... my camera was better for after dark shots ... and Tena took most of the animal pictures because she has a better zoom. Mine is a teeny tiny little Canon Powershot ELPH 300HS that I got on amazon for $180-ish. It's not fancy but I was very pleased with the pictures I got on this trip. I don't know exactly what kind of camera Tena used but I'll find out ... I'm pretty sure it was a Canon too.

IASW is one of my favorites but I am usually confined to one ride a trip. Others I travel with are not as happy with it. Soarin' is my least favorite ride. I can understand why others like it but I get really sick on it. I can't handle any of the IMAX type shows.

Looking forward to more.

IMAX movies usually make me queasy too but for some reason Soarin' didn't bother me at all.

 

[pg0314]

Chapter Five: Part One
“You must be a Weasley.”

Sunday, September 23, 2012
Day Five

Today’s trip report is all about Universal Studios, so if that’s not your thing, feel free to skip it.

We are two 50 year old women who are in love with a teen-aged wizard. And we’re proud of it! When we heard that Universal was recreating Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, we knew we had to be there. Took us a couple of years, but it was well worth the wait.

We arrived at Universal Studios around 9:00 am and sprung for premium parking … $20 but worth every penny at the end of a long, hot day!

And it was particularly hot day because, for the first time, it wasn’t overcast. Just heat and blazing sun. Yes, this is me commenting on the heat for the 900th time. Get used to it, because we are chubby, menopausal women trudging around amusement parks in 90 degree temps and 90% humidity. The only reason we didn’t spontaneously combust is that we were sweating like pigs most of the time!

Anyway, we’d heard that Sunday was the best day to visit Universal and boy was that true! The place was practically a ghost town. We walked on the attractions and even Harry Potter wasn’t crowded. This was our first trip to Islands of Adventure and we got the grand tour because the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is about as far from the front gate as you can get.

It was worth the walk, though, because it was AWESOME! One of the first things we saw was the Hogwart’s Express and there was a conductor there greeting guests and posing for pictures. When I went up to say hello, he took one look at me and declared, “You must be a Weasley!” I’d colored my hair right before we left and it had come out a little redder than I’d intended. But I didn’t realize just how red it really was until that moment! Anyway, I allowed that I might be a distant American cousin to the Weasley clan and that seemed to satisfy him.

We made a beeline for Hogwarts and the Forbidden Journey ride. We knew that Universal wasn’t as ‘chubby girl friendly’ as Disney and that not everyone could fit in the safety restraints for the ride. We found the sample seats tucked off to the side but weren’t sure how they worked so we flagged down a cast member. She came right over and helped us and told us “When you get inside, just ask for the outside seats”. Which we did. But somehow (I think it was my fault) we ended up in regular seats anyway. Another cast member came right over and said, “Ladies, can I have you move over here?” And that was that and we were off on our adventure. All the cast members were really sweet and totally casual about the whole thing and we were never made to feel awkward or self conscious. So if you’re a Pooh sized gal who loves Harry Potter, don’t be afraid to give Forbidden Journeys a try.

The queue for the ride takes you on a tour of Hogwarts and it’s just extraordinary! The attention to detail is phenomenal and there‘s something fascinating to look at everywhere you turn. I tried to take pictures inside but it was dark and I‘d left my fancy (very heavy) Canon SLR at home and only had my little point and shoot. We got a few pictures but they don’t begin to do it justice! I won’t go into detail about the ride because I don’t want to ruin the surprise. I’ll just say that in the first few seconds, they flip you over flat on your back and blast you up a chimney! And that was one of the tamer parts! It’s a great ride that has to be experienced to be appreciated. So if you’re a Harry Potter fan, you don’t want to miss this!

After we left Hogwarts, we went to explore Hogsmeade and taste our first butterbeer! It’s pretty darn tasty! It’s butterscotch flavored and fizzy and there’s this thick layer of creamy foam on top that has to have magical properties because the more you drink the thicker the foam gets!

Coming up next: about a million pictures of Hogsmeade!

 

[clynngibson]

DeVine is just gorgeous!!!

I need to read Harry Potter (and see the movies) so maybe next visit, we can go to Universal! It looks awesome!!

 

[pg0314]

Chapter Five: Part Two
"Look at that!!!"


Just like Hogwarts, the attention to detail in Hogsmeade is incredible. I could literally spend a whole day just walking around gawking in the shop windows. Tena and I were constantly elbowing each other and saying, "Look at that!!!" Some of the buildings are false fronts and just for show but there’s an actual Zonko’s, Ollivander’s, and, of course, Honeydukes! If you want something a little stronger than butterbeer, you can get it at the Hog’s Head and if you’re hungry, you can find lunch in the Three Broomsticks. Here are just a few of the eighty gazillion pictures we took. And I know I sound like a broken record but the pictures really just don’t do it justice! Go! Explore! Experience it for yourself! It really is a magical place!

The Hog’s Head:

The Three Broomsticks:

The Owlery:

Honeyduke’s:

Zonko’s:

 

[pg0314]

DeVine is just gorgeous!!!

I need to read Harry Potter (and see the movies) so maybe next visit, we can go to Universal! It looks awesome!!

You've never read/seen Harry Potter?! How can that be?! I know some people are put off by the fact that "Oh, they're for kids!" but they're really wonderful books. The movies are good too but the books are soooooo much better and definitely worth reading.

Oh, and for those who were interested, Tena's camera is a Canon PowerShot SX260 HS. I know she's a member here and reading this thread but apparently, at the ripe old age of 50, she's gotten shy and couldn't post that herself.

 

[tena0629]

I had one of those "well duh" moments....it never occurred to me to post it myself!!! Hi everyone, isn't Peggy doing a fabulous job telling the tale of two Pooh sized gals, celebrating a milestone bday?

 

[pattyw]

Loving your TR!! Disney must be "the place" to do 50th B-day celebrations!! (I think it's great to celebrate everything there!!) We celebrated DH's 50th in October!! Happy Birthday to you both!!

 

[clynngibson]

You've never read/seen Harry Potter?! How can that be?! I know some people are put off by the fact that "Oh, they're for kids!" but they're really wonderful books. The movies are good too but the books are soooooo much better and definitely worth reading.

I know I know LOL It's been on my reading list for awhile now!

 

[pg0314]

Chapter Five: Part Three
“I need a Minion!”

We only had one day for both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios and the day was half gone by the time we pried ourselves out of Hogsmeade. That was okay, though, because WWOHP was the main reason we’d come and anything else we did was a bonus.

My coworker Lori told me that Jurassic Park was a must so that was our next stop. It’s a log flume ride similar to Splash Mountain. Only instead of adorable rabbits and frogs, it’s dinosaurs who are trying to eat you for lunch! Fun times!

Speaking of lunch, we were ready for some so we headed back toward the entrance to IOA and ended up at Confisco.

You can see by the ‘crowd’ in the restaurant how empty the park was that day. I took this picture sometime between noon and 1:00 and we practically had the place to ourselves. I opted for a chicken Caesar salad and Tena had wings and onion rings.

It was a this point that I caved in and admitted what I’d been denying all morning. I’d caught a cold. Tena had been sick earlier in the week and just had to share … how kind! Luckily neither one of us got really sick and with the help of some cold medicine and cough drops we powered through it.

The day was just getting hotter and hotter and neither of us were feeling overly energetic so we decided to head over to the Universal Studios side of the park and each pick one attraction that was a ‘must do’ for us and then call it a day.

My pick was Minion Mayhem, a new attraction that had just opened a week or so earlier. For those of you who are familiar with Universal, this is the old Hanna Barbera ride. Tena had never seen the movie Despicable Me but there’s a ‘pre-show’ presentation that gives a basic outline of who’s who and what’s going on. The ride was hilarious! By the time it was over Tena announced that now she really wanted to see the movie and both of us agreed that we desperately needed Minions of our own!

Tena’s “must do” was E.T. This attraction hasn’t changed one bit in twenty some years and it’s very low-tech compared to the newer rides. But we love it exactly as it is and will probably still be riding it over and over again in another twenty years!

Our friend Kat is a huge “I Love Lucy” fan so we had to take a few minutes to tour the Lucy museum in her honor.

And of course, we had to do some shopping! There was a cute little Christmas shop that prominently featured The Grinch. I have to confess, I’m not a fan. In fact, I’m scared of the Grinch! When I was a little girl, he was the monster who lived under my bed and he still gives me the creeps. Of course, I get zero sympathy from my loved ones!

Anyway, we each got a few small souvenirs … and a Griffyndor scarf for Susan’s birthday present … and then headed back to the hotel to take a much needed air-conditioning break!

After we’d relaxed and cooled off a bit, we went to the Disney Marketplace for dinner at Rainforest Café and a little more souvenir shopping. We were seated right next to one of the aquariums and had a good time watching the fish as we pigged out on Mojo Bones, Rainforest Café’s sinfully delicious barbecued ribs!

The next day, Monday, was our last full day of vacation and over dinner we came up with an idea of how we wanted to spend it! We decided to make an early night of it and were back at the hotel in our jammies by 9:00. We needed to rest up because we had a big day planned and were going to need all the energy we could muster!!!

 

[pg0314]

Loving your TR!! Disney must be "the place" to do 50th B-day celebrations!! (I think it's great to celebrate everything there!!) We celebrated DH's 50th in October!! Happy Birthday to you both!!

Thanks! And Happy Birthday to your hubby!