10 NIGHTS RPR...MARDI GRAS & COCKTAILS....MARCH 2018 TRIP

schumigirl

It's a bit of a roodie doodie word for lady parts
Joined
May 15, 2007
:welcome:

To anyone who joins in and reads along with another RPR/Universal Orlando and a little beyond trip report.......

Yes, we are back again and enjoying everything that is Universal.......

Probably some will need an introduction to us.........I hope this isn't a little disjointed as I am still a little jet lagged.......just a little though.......

We are Carole`n`Tom............always together and usually never more than 3 feet apart......and yes, we like it that way.........

Tom had taken very early retirement from his business last year and we were loving every minute of it. He had quite a pressured job, so it`s lovely him not having to deal with that anymore.........although he was very good at leaving work where it belonged....at work. I had kinda retired many years ago.........I have a degree in English Literature but never really used that although it does mean I can go teach, which is something I may dabble in going forward.....maybe.........that degree was attained as a hobby really, but I loved it. I also have a very dull Engineering degree that is of no use to me now..........something that I attained, then we moved to another country so it was never fully utilized.........I was happier being a full time mum. That is the best job ever......

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That picture was from our Christmas 2017 trip to Orlando where our son came with us for the first time in several years.........

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Kyle is our absolute pride and joy. We were unbelievably proud of him and what he has achieved.......glad he got his dad`s brains.......:P

University kept him travelling with us previous few years, and he graduated 2016 with a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering........can you tell how proud we are of him? We definitely are........he is such fun to be around and we love when even as an adult he chooses to spend time with us on a trip to Florida........he loves it as much as we do.......he is also a real chocaholic and his favourite dessert in America is from the Cheesecake Factory.....chocolate fudge cake.........he can put a few away!!! He`s young.....he can work it off..........

But he was working and has gone into the world of financial institutions.....the good thing about his degree is he could choose many options.......he`s happy and that's all that matters to us at the end of it all. But, again we would miss him dreadfully and thankfully we would Skype when work and time difference allowed.

This trip was I suppose a real bonus trip. We have several trips booked for this year, 10 nights in May, NY in July, Our 19 nights in September for HHN and a 10 night trip in December. We had arranged them all last year.......when looking at the calendar we saw the beginning of the year looked a little empty........so having heard all about Mardi Gras we thought we should get a trip sorted as quickly as possible.........so me being me got it all sorted in less than 15 minutes.......flights booked in a flash, email sent and hotel was sorted immediately. I`m not the type to sit and wait........we book when we need them booked.

Car rental was next and that was easy......we have gone with Alamo for most of our trips and always been happy with them.........we made the mistake of booking with Dollar one year as they offered a Lincoln Navigator........the car was fine.......service from staff and the problems of them trying to get extra money out of us was not so good. Never again for us will we use Dollar. But we went with an SUV which was again cheaper than usual at $400 for 10 nights.

As always we travel up to Manchester airport and stay overnight at the lovely Radisson Blu that is attached to the terminals there.........just means you don't have to go outside in the morning to get to the terminals.......handy if it`s cold. We love it here........there are many more cheaper options at the airport, but for us this is the start of our trip.......

Plans. Never really make them.........


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Because we have stayed so often and for so long, planning isn't necessary for us.......if you have EP at Universal there is minimal planning required..........we do have the luxury of time and we make the most of it.........

We wake up in the morning and decide what we`ll do that day.........I have no need for logic nor planning in my trips.........

Between September last year and December this year, we`ll be up to 75 nights staying at Universal Orlando.........most at RP which is by far our favourite resort ever. It may not suit everyone of course, but for us the familiarity of the staff, some of whom we have known for many years........is the thing that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling when you walk through the doors into the expansive lobby........we really are treated like family and we feel the same about many members of staff there. There is a real sense of warmth about the hotel and staff that we adore.

When we tell people we are going back we get the same response usually.......you`re going back again??? Yep, absolutely..........for us Universal is our happy place and we feel no need to go anywhere else to feel that immersion in a bubble, and not just the Potter areas.......for us, there is so much to do and every trip we see something new........many don't see it that way and that's ok........I don't see the appeal of many places.

We do however spend a fair bit of time around Orlando and further afield........so we don't spend all day every day in the parks.........we didn`t get as much done this trip as planned......but our May trip we have a few more ideas of where we want to go visit. We don't just go for Universal......we love Orlando and the surrounding area.......

The only thing we do plan is meeting friends.......we have met many since we started travelling to Orlando........some are TM`s and some are folks who have become very special to us from these boards.........this time we missed a few people we were supposed to see........but hopefully we can fix that soon. 10 days goes by so quickly........

So, as a quick intro, that kinda explains who we are..........

I`m going to try and get through this as quickly as possible........don't get me wrong I love doing trip reports, but hate when they drag out longer than most seasons!!

So, for anyone reading........I hope you enjoy some of it..........:flower3:
 
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:worship: WOOHOO! Cannot wait to read this!

One quick question- what site do you use to host your pics to post here?
 
Following along! :wave2:

Following along.

:worship: WOOHOO! Cannot wait to read this!

One quick question- what site do you use to host your pics to post here?

A very warm :welcome: to you..........

Hope it’s a good read.........

Raeven....I must catch up with your Christmas report.........I need to sit down and read it without interruptions........

jcc0621.......your trip is getting ever closer.........you must be getting so excited...........

ckmiles........I use SmugMug as a hosting site now..........I can’t remember what it costs for the year......maybe $50 or thereabouts........but it’s a fabulous site and so easy to use.........and so easy to post from, unlike the dreaded Photobucket..........I don’t miss using that site!
 
Ahhh, yay! I'm so excited you have a new report! I loooooove reading your trip reports. As a Disney gal, I am 100% convinced it's going to be YOU and your reports (and PICS!) that make me plan my first Universal Trip! Yay!
 
Ahhh, yay! I'm so excited you have a new report! I loooooove reading your trip reports. As a Disney gal, I am 100% convinced it's going to be YOU and your reports (and PICS!) that make me plan my first Universal Trip! Yay!

:welcome: To another trip report.......

Oh that is so lovely to hear you say that..........I’m sure you would love Universal when you do give it a try........and there’s always loads of Universal fans over her to help with anything.........

Hope you enjoy it anyway..........:thumbsup2
 
I'm thrilled that Schumi takes a lot of trips because it means more trip reports from her!

Thanks mac.........you know how much I enjoy writing them.....and I’m always glad to hear you enjoy them.......::yes::
 
Hi Carole...I am finally coming out of lurkdom! Thank you soooo much for all of your help! We are booked and ready for our next trip. Looking forward to reading this trip report.
 
Hi Carole...I am finally coming out of lurkdom! Thank you soooo much for all of your help! We are booked and ready for our next trip. Looking forward to reading this trip report.

YAY!!!

A big :welcome: to you Jocelyn...........and glad you came out of lurkdom.....::yes::

Glad to help anytime.........and glad to hear you’re all sorted now!

Thanks for popping in and saying hi.......and I really hope you enjoy this one........I look back and think we didn’t do much at times........lol.......but we always come home whooped!

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