3 Brits and 3 weeks at Disneys Grand Floridian (**Completed**)

[jpmandan]

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Sounds like the beginning of a great trip. Your daughter is absolutely adorable. Can't wait to read more.

Thank you - it was a fantastic trip and I love getting to live it again with this TR. I will get more posted tomorrow. Amber is adorable - thank you.

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

I'm here!!

Had a sneaky look at your photos on fb but looking forward to reading all about the trip!!

We used that 'fast track' queue through security at Gatwick this summer.. really nice perk of the V Room!!

I agree VA isn't what it used to be .. although DF & I got superb service last flight (going to Barbados) as we gave the steward a box of chocolates when we boarded.. he treated us like VIPs!

Looks like you had a really nice laid-back first day! I stayed at Hard Rock hotel in 2002 and we had lunch at Portofino one day, looked like a really beautiful resort!


Emma x

Emma - Yeh - you are here!

I must get over to your Wedding PTR and catch up!! I bet you have added loads while I have been away.

I said to Amber about trying your technique with the chocolates but we forgot!! My Mum and Dad flew out 2 weeks later and got a good service. I think we just got unlucky with the crew we had. I will definately be taking them something next year!!!

First day was lovely thanks. It was really beautiful but you know - it just didn't have the Disney magic! I am glad we stayed there first before going over to the GF as I think otherwise we would have noticed it even more!!

Sara xx

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

 

[__disneygirl]

Wonderful job on the beginning of your TR. All the food looks delicious and what a beautiful room. I haven't been to Universal in years, but their resorts really look gorgeous.

Can't wait til ya get to Disney!! Hope you had an awesome view at the GF.

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Wonderful job on the beginning of your TR. All the food looks delicious and what a beautiful room. I haven't been to Universal in years, but their resorts really look gorgeous.

Can't wait til ya get to Disney!! Hope you had an awesome view at the GF.

Hi and

We did have some really lovely food and the room at Portofino Bay was beautiful. It had such a lovely bathroom. I was pleased we picked to stay at Portofino as I think it was the one that was the best themed. I may try the Hard Rock Hotel next as it was just a little closer.

Getting to Disney soon - we had an "OK" view at the Grand Floridian. it was just so magical to be there.

Thanks for reading along xx

 

[Nermel9]

Subbing, love the TR so far! The Universal resort looks really pretty! Can't wait to read more!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Tuesday 24th August 2010 – Day 3
Had to set the alarm early as today was Harry Potter Day!!!! We were up by 6:30am and at the boat dock by 7am. We had to wait at the ticket booth until 7:30 when they let us through as far as the Criossant Moon bakery.

It was heaving!! At 7:55 we were lead upto the entrance to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It was hard to take in as we were all rushing as fast as we could to get to the Forbidden Journey ride. I can remember though that my first impressions were that it was amazing!!

We arrived at the entrance to Forbidden Journey only to be told that the ride was down and there was no estimate of when it might be up. People in the queue were saying that the day before they hadn’t got it up and running until 5:30pm!!!

We decided to wait for a while just to see what was going to happen. Jonathan held the place in the queue while I took Amber on the Flight of the Hippogriff. I have to say it made me feel a bit sick that time of the morning so I decided to hold the place and let Jonathan take her on.

We then got told that although the ride was not operational we could go on a tour of the castle which we decided to do.

It was unbelievable and we could really spend the time looking at all the detail.

We decided to take a walk back to the main entrance and we took some pictures along the way.

We popped into the Croissant Moon bakery and had some fruit and pastries.

We then walked round and did Spiderman. Poor Amber hated it – she doesn’t like rides that are in the dark.

We then went on Dudley Do Rights Rip Saw falls. We laughed all the way round and got absolutely soaked!! We then went straight on Popeye (thought we would get all the wet ones out of the way). It was so funny. When it finished we noticed that nobody was waiting to get on so we asked if we could go round again which we could. I noticed that I had left my sunglasses on the first barge and they said they would retrieve them. We were soaked to the skin!!! We got off – they didn’t find my sunglasses. They weren’t an expensive pair and I had another pair back at the hotel so didn’t feel like wasting much time hunting them down.

Amber wanted another go on Dudley Do Rights so Jonathan went to the locker and got our stuff while I took her on – I figured we couldn’t get any wetter.

We decided to have a go in the $5 dryers but to be honest I couldn’t see that they were making any difference!!

As soon as we stepped out of them it started to rain and then ….. it poured and poured and poured! We sheltered in a shop but when I looked at Amber she was shivvering! We decided to make a run for it back to the boat dock as the weather looked like it was there to stay. We decided that we would get changed and go shopping.

Once back to the room with all our clothes stuck to us we gave Amber a hot bath and all got changed.

We got the car and went to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch. We had never been before so wasn’t really sure of the set up but once we figured it out (I mean it really isn’t hard) we thoroughly enjoyed it for a lunch time option and it made a lovely change from burger and chips! It was also only $30.

We then went to the Edwin Watts Gold Outlet and Jonathan got himself a new golf bag.

Next we went to the Florida Mall. Amber had been looking forward to going to the Build-A-Bear shop there for ages. She wasted no time in getting a new bear and lots of new clothes for them all. Such a cute shop!!

I bought myself 4 new beads for my Chamilia bracelet. They were all blue, teal and white. They cost $125 which is the same as they would have been in £’s in England.

Once we left there we stopped at a Publix for a few bits and a phonecard to call home. It only cost $10. The rain had eased slightly by now.

We went back to the hotel and planned to catch the boat over to CityWalk, do a few rides in Universal and then eat in the Hard Rock Café. As we started to walk over to the boat dock the rain got really heavy again so we had a change of plan, we hopped into the car and went over to the Mall at Millenia so that we could eat in the Cheesecake Factory. My favourite restaurant!!!!

We didn’t have an appetizer – we have experience of their size – I had the Chicken and Avocado Sandwich, Jonathan had a steak and Amber had the pasta. It was all delicious.

We were so full that we decided to get cheesecake to go. I asked Amber to share with me but she wanted her own piece so we each got the Red Velvet Cheesecake and Jonathan had the Strawberry. We went back to the room and sat on the bed to eat them – heaven!!

We watched a few animal programmes and then went to sleep. Another fairly early night – we were definitely easing ourselves into the holiday gently!!

 

[Joyciemc]

Really enjoying your report!

The pictures of Portofino made me sad- we just got back from a stay there and loved it so much!

Can't wait to read the rest!

 

[disneybarbie]

looks like a lovely day!
shame you didn't get on the Harry Potter ride ... I must admit I've not read the books or seen the films so I'm not really a HP fan lol - but I'm intrigued by that new ride over at IoA!

Those wet rides are seriously wet aren't they?! I only rode each one once when we went there last summer - I found the spray + my contact lenses not a good mix, so I sat out while DF & his family rode them all again hehe.


Emma x

 

[DSNY4ever]

This all sounds wonderful. I am loving all of your pictures and the Portofino looks beautiful. THat really stinks how the Harry Potter ride was broken, how frustrating, but looks like you still had fun.

Can't wait to read more!

 

[tinytreasures]

loving your report, can't wait for more
your daughter is beautiful I can see why someone would stop you to say that

 

[mulley16]

Subbing - hope you don't mind if I read along! Great trip report! I'm enjoying all the info and pictures from Univeral - it's been at least 5 years since we've been there. Too bad about all the rain - but at least it sounds like you had a successful shopping day!

 

[klacey1]

Aww, what a fun day! Sorry HP was closed-- I do hope you got to go on it at some point! I love that picture of you and Amber holding hands from behind-- so precious!
Wow, that is one stuffed Build a Bear bag Amber has! Lucky girl! It's VERY popular here.
Love the Cheesecake factory! I could eat the crusted chicken romano every night if it wouldn't make me gain 50 pounds!

 

[mickeystoontown]

What a lovely family you three make! It sounds like you have had a great time so far....with the exception of the Harry Potter ride being shut down.

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

looks like a lovely day!
shame you didn't get on the Harry Potter ride ... I must admit I've not read the books or seen the films so I'm not really a HP fan lol - but I'm intrigued by that new ride over at IoA!

Those wet rides are seriously wet aren't they?! I only rode each one once when we went there last summer - I found the spray + my contact lenses not a good mix, so I sat out while DF & his family rode them all again hehe.


Emma x

Emma

If you get a chance you should watch at least the first film before you go - just so you can appreciate the ride better.

The rides are really really wet!!! I must admit I had probs with my contact lenses - I chose not to do them when we went back with Mum and dad!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

This all sounds wonderful. I am loving all of your pictures and the Portofino looks beautiful. THat really stinks how the Harry Potter ride was broken, how frustrating, but looks like you still had fun.

Can't wait to read more!

Thank you. It really was beautiful - we were spoilt this holiday with there and the GF. It was annoying about Harry Potter - but we did get to go on it eventually! You will read about that in the next installment.

I was going to get it started tonight but I've just got addicted to "Cake Boss" and didn't realise the time!!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

loving your report, can't wait for more
your daughter is beautiful I can see why someone would stop you to say that

Tinytrasures - thank you so much!! I think she is beautiful but then I am biased!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Subbing - hope you don't mind if I read along! Great trip report! I'm enjoying all the info and pictures from Univeral - it's been at least 5 years since we've been there. Too bad about all the rain - but at least it sounds like you had a successful shopping day!

Hi Mulley16 - I'm so glad you are reading along!! Luckily we only really got rain that day throughout the whole 3 weeks - but I'm not complaining about the shopping day

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Aww, what a fun day! Sorry HP was closed-- I do hope you got to go on it at some point! I love that picture of you and Amber holding hands from behind-- so precious!
Wow, that is one stuffed Build a Bear bag Amber has! Lucky girl! It's VERY popular here.
Love the Cheesecake factory! I could eat the crusted chicken romano every night if it wouldn't make me gain 50 pounds!

Thanks Kylie. We definately got to do the ride! It was worth the wait!! I thought that was a good picture - I didn't know about it til we got home and I saw that Jonathan had taken it. I love spontaneous photos like that.

That was one stuffed build a bear bag!!! Amber loves them! She has 7 now! We have a store about 20 miles from us but she had been looking at the website before we went and noticed that had some things that were different in the US.

I will have to try the chicken next time. I just love the atmosphere of the place. I really wish we had one in England.