"All Growd Up" Trip (TR Complete)
- Thread starter RAPstar
- Start date
LilMommyBug
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2002
Can't wait to read your TR. 
RAPstar
Proud Redhead
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2008
Day 1: Travel Day
Neither Chip nor I could fall asleep till after midnight the Saturday before we left, and we left the house about 5 cause I like to get to the airport 3 hours before just in case. Needless to say we were both pretty tired. Being the planner that I am, I found out the Fri. before we left that since I bought my ticket back in Feb. I was able to check 2 bags for free!! So I checked our bags in then we walked around the airport. Random airport pics: 1, 2, 3, 4. The flight left on time with no major problems or turbulance. I was stuck with a child behind me who kept kicking my seat, but didn't do it consistently enough to be too troublesome. Plus I was too tired to care. Plane pics: 1, 2. We arrived in Orlando and head down to baggage claim. We were greeted at baggage claim by our driver (Monty from Quick Transportation, $33/pp through Universal Vacations). He pointed us in the direction of where our baggage would be coming to then went upstairs to get some paperwork. He returned shortly then took us to the van and then to our hotel. I was a bit worried about the Doubletree across from Universal from some reviews I had read on www.tripadvisor.com. Luckily, I had no problems with the hotel at all!! The front desk woman that helped me (he name escapes me right now) was wonderful, very nice and helpful. She asked if I wanted a view of Universal, which impressed me since the package only included a standard room and on Doubletree's website, Universal views were extra. We were on the 16th floor of the north tower (1636). The room was marvelous. Very spacious. The beds were very comfortable. And the view was beautiful. The PBH was right outside our window and IOA was off in the distance. Room pics: bathroom, shower, pool, courtyard, TV, coffee maker, food court. Chip unfortunately couldn't really afford to go to Tchoup Chop with me, but insisted I still go with my friend Jeff who lives in Orlando. We walked around CityWalk some before dinner. Then we took the boat over to the RPR and Tchoup Chop! Right as you enter the restaurant you see the pond. I loved their chandeliers. I ordered their version of a pina colada, I forget the name but it starts with an "r'. It was delicious, and you couldn't taste the alcohol hardly at all!! They also bring chips and dip to you as you wait for your food. Silly me forgot to get pics of the rest of the food (don't get too mad now, I keep forgetting to get pics of a lot of things. There are quite of few pics of food with bites taken out of it!!
). For appetizers, I had the kalua pork eggrolls and Jeff got the dumpling box. Both were awesome. Then for appetizers, I tried the macadamia encrusted salmon with broccolini and wasabi mased potatoes and Jeff had the seared sea scallops with risotto and a lobster cream sauce. The scallop dish was amazing and the salmon was really good, but I wished I had gotten the scallops! 
For dessert, Jeff got the signature banana cream pie, and I got white chocolate macadamia cookie ice cream sandwiches with dulce de leche ice cream and a pineapple coconut sauce. It came out to about $120-ish altogether, which we split in half. We took the boat back and explored CityWalk some more, and I got took some night shots and this hat, which I later lost and didn't turn up at lost and found. It seems to be a tradition that I lose hats when I go to Orlando. Its happened pretty much every trip there!! 
Jeff dropped me back by the hotel, and I promptly went to bed after a long day. But couldn't sleep cause I was excited!! 
Next installment: first day at Universal Studios!!
Neither Chip nor I could fall asleep till after midnight the Saturday before we left, and we left the house about 5 cause I like to get to the airport 3 hours before just in case. Needless to say we were both pretty tired. Being the planner that I am, I found out the Fri. before we left that since I bought my ticket back in Feb. I was able to check 2 bags for free!! So I checked our bags in then we walked around the airport. Random airport pics: 1, 2, 3, 4. The flight left on time with no major problems or turbulance. I was stuck with a child behind me who kept kicking my seat, but didn't do it consistently enough to be too troublesome. Plus I was too tired to care. Plane pics: 1, 2. We arrived in Orlando and head down to baggage claim. We were greeted at baggage claim by our driver (Monty from Quick Transportation, $33/pp through Universal Vacations). He pointed us in the direction of where our baggage would be coming to then went upstairs to get some paperwork. He returned shortly then took us to the van and then to our hotel. I was a bit worried about the Doubletree across from Universal from some reviews I had read on www.tripadvisor.com. Luckily, I had no problems with the hotel at all!! The front desk woman that helped me (he name escapes me right now) was wonderful, very nice and helpful. She asked if I wanted a view of Universal, which impressed me since the package only included a standard room and on Doubletree's website, Universal views were extra. We were on the 16th floor of the north tower (1636). The room was marvelous. Very spacious. The beds were very comfortable. And the view was beautiful. The PBH was right outside our window and IOA was off in the distance. Room pics: bathroom, shower, pool, courtyard, TV, coffee maker, food court. Chip unfortunately couldn't really afford to go to Tchoup Chop with me, but insisted I still go with my friend Jeff who lives in Orlando. We walked around CityWalk some before dinner. Then we took the boat over to the RPR and Tchoup Chop! Right as you enter the restaurant you see the pond. I loved their chandeliers. I ordered their version of a pina colada, I forget the name but it starts with an "r'. It was delicious, and you couldn't taste the alcohol hardly at all!! They also bring chips and dip to you as you wait for your food. Silly me forgot to get pics of the rest of the food (don't get too mad now, I keep forgetting to get pics of a lot of things. There are quite of few pics of food with bites taken out of it!!
). For appetizers, I had the kalua pork eggrolls and Jeff got the dumpling box. Both were awesome. Then for appetizers, I tried the macadamia encrusted salmon with broccolini and wasabi mased potatoes and Jeff had the seared sea scallops with risotto and a lobster cream sauce. The scallop dish was amazing and the salmon was really good, but I wished I had gotten the scallops! For dessert, Jeff got the signature banana cream pie, and I got white chocolate macadamia cookie ice cream sandwiches with dulce de leche ice cream and a pineapple coconut sauce. It came out to about $120-ish altogether, which we split in half. We took the boat back and explored CityWalk some more, and I got took some night shots and this hat, which I later lost and didn't turn up at lost and found. It seems to be a tradition that I lose hats when I go to Orlando. Its happened pretty much every trip there!! Jeff dropped me back by the hotel, and I promptly went to bed after a long day. But couldn't sleep cause I was excited!! Next installment: first day at Universal Studios!!
Cdn Friends of Pooh
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2006
Melanie230
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2006
Awesome Trip Report!!! More More More Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LilMommyBug
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2002
bubba's mom
<font color=red>Proud Redhead<br><font color=darko
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2004
So far, so good
(btw...what did Chip DO while you went to TC?)
(btw...what did Chip DO while you went to TC?)
keishashadow
Proud Redhead...yes, I have some bananas!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2004
u mummy must wuv u if she does ur laundry
doubletree looked very nice, note to self
! was it easy to cross over to the darkside
or did u have to dodge traffic?
bubba's mom
<font color=red>Proud Redhead<br><font color=darko
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2004
was it easy to cross over to the darkside
we walked back to PBH from Holiday Inn (across the street from DoubleTree)...it's an easy walk (pix in my tr) with crosswalks for traffic (Kirkman Rd) and sidewalk. DoubleTree is just on the other side of the street from PBH.... You just have a short (10 min maybe?) walk to the PBH, then you can walk from PBH or take the boat
RAPstar
Proud Redhead
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2008
So far, so good
(btw...what did Chip DO while you went to TC?)
He walked to one of the malls nearby. That's actually what he was most interested in was walking around Orlando.
u mummy must wuv u if she does ur laundry
doubletree looked very nice, note to self
was it easy to cross over to the darkside
The Doubletree was very nice. Not a hard walk at all. Crosswalk gave plenty of time to cross and it was a very scenic trip.
we walked back to PBH from Holiday Inn (across the street from DoubleTree)...it's an easy walk (pix in my tr) with crosswalks for traffic (Kirkman Rd) and sidewalk. DoubleTree is just on the other side of the street from PBH.... You just have a short (10 min maybe?) walk to the PBH, then you can walk from PBH or take the boat
I thought about that while I was there. But the walk was not bad and we did that most every day. The only day I took a cab was Fri cause my feet felt like they were about to fall off.
donaldduck352
<font color=red><marquee>Proud Redhead</marquee><b
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
keishashadow
Proud Redhead...yes, I have some bananas!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2004
glad to hear they gave u some time to make it across the street...those countdown things r so handy
bubba's mom
<font color=red>Proud Redhead<br><font color=darko
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2004
I like that they SHOW you how much time you have left crossing the street
Andy... type your report in a word or notepad doc. Keep saving it as you go along. Then, copy/paste it to a reply here. That way, you won't lose all your work
Andy... type your report in a word or notepad doc. Keep saving it as you go along. Then, copy/paste it to a reply here. That way, you won't lose all your work
RAPstar
Proud Redhead
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2008
I like that they SHOW you how much time you have left crossing the street
Andy... type your report in a word or notepad doc. Keep saving it as you go along. Then, copy/paste it to a reply here. That way, you won't lose all your work
Thanks for the tip, Brab. I'll get day 2 done soon. Work is so tiring.
Cdn Friends of Pooh
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2006
... waiting for day 2 .... 
circelli
I can't move it, it's attached !!
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2008
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