A Birthday Trip without a Birthday - 2/16: Conclusion and Bonus Birthday Tea

[nodnol]

Katharina are you sick? If you are I hope you feel better soon....

Thank you! I have a nasty cold and need to get better urgentl, because we have a trip to the mountains planed for the weekend....

 

[lovealldisney]

Thank you! I have a nasty cold and need to get better urgentl, because we have a trip to the mountains planed for the weekend....

Well here some extra pixie dust for you Hoping you feel better soon... lots of rest and drink plenty of water... and tell your DH to wait on you hand and foot....

Ohh the mountains..... where may I ask are you going????

 

[nodnol]

To the Jizera Mountains in the Czech Republic. I'll be leavin work early today (in about half an hour) to get some rest at home. DH has already agreed to do ALL the shoping and packing for the trip. I don't know hoe this will turn out... I!ll just pack all my medicine, tea and tissues and the rest I won't care about if we don't have it with us

 

[lovealldisney]

To the Jizera Mountains in the Czech Republic. I'll be leavin work early today (in about half an hour) to get some rest at home. DH has already agreed to do ALL the shoping and packing for the trip. I don't know hoe this will turn out... I!ll just pack all my medicine, tea and tissues and the rest I won't care about if we don't have it with us

Have a fabulous time! It looks so pretty! And yes let DH do all the packing etc....

I hope you plan on telling us all about your trip when you return???? With pictures????? Please.....

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

Sounds like a great (busy) day at the Universal parks! I haven't seen Harry Potter yet, but I am dying to go! I will have to live through your report until I get the chance!!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Sounds like a very full day at Universal! It's changed a great deal since I was there in college. I hope you're able to fit in everything you want to do. I think some of those rides would have me feeling a little

 

[jenbear123]

You've got some great plans for Universal/IoA!!! I have yet to go there but hopefully will make it on my next trip. We have actually planned it in so we'll most likely go! I might just take some of your planning into consideration when we plan our day. I can't wait to see WWoHP!!!!

 

[glennbo123]

When the day comes that I finally go to IoA and Universal, I think I'm going to have you and Cynthia plan my park attack!

It looks like you have a good plan to me....I'm sure it'll be a full day.

 

[eandesmom]

Your plans look great!!!! I look forward to hearing about the restaurant.

I guess you would call ET a dark ride...similar to Peter Pan. Spiderman on the otherhand, while dark, is in a totally different league. I can't wait to see what you guys think of Spidey and the FJ!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I guess I will need to buy stuff from that unauthentic shop... They sell exactly the kind of candy which I love buying in the US because I can't get it at home.

Hope you make it Canada before me!

I love it. You go to "Germany" to get things you can't get in Germany! Yet, we Americans have no clue!

And no...looks like you'll be going to Canada first! But, I did hit China finally!!!

In order to celebrate this important milestone in our countdown, I have prepared a small slide show with pictures from my recent trip to Helsinki. I hope you will enjoy the pictures (I added descriptions to explain what you are seeing). They are here and the password is Helsinki.

GORGEOUS! I looooooove the architecture!

With the new passport I could also register for ESTA - which is some online process by the US government which you have to go through in order to get cleared for actually travelling to the US. Without this the airlines have to pay a fine if they let you on the air plane to the US. It still isn't the decision to actually let me enter the country, this will be decided by the immigration officer in Orlando. But everything went fine (including the payment of the $14 fee for it), so I have that cleared out of the way as well. Katharina can still use the ESTA registration from our last trip.

What the heck is that fee for??? Regardless, glad you got it done and that you have your tickets--or at least the voucher for them!!

The cuisine is what I think is called Asian fusion - and that is something which is really good for Katharina: not a lot of dairy and tomatos!!

Your IOA/US day sounds fantastic. I really look forward to reading all about it! I try to soak as much as I can in about those parks since I know very little about them still.

The restaurant above is beautiful! I hope it serves you two a yummy meal!

 

[jenb1023]

Reading all the different advice available, I have come up with a plan for that day:

1) Take the Mears shuttle to Universal and arrive before park opening

2) Start at IoA

Maybe get a butterbeer...

3) Hop over to Universal Studios

without any certain order, those are the attractions, we want to see there:

Men in Black (from what I understand it is similar to TSMM)
Jaws (has been described to me as "Jungle Cruise with shark")
E.T. (from what I understand a dark ride)
Mummy (a coaster)
Simpsons (I think it is a simulator ride like Star Tours)

I also am really looking forward to checking out the scenery, I like the Hollywood architecture and from the pictures I have seen, I think some of it looks really interesting.

4) Lunch will be at whatever CS place we come across when we feel hungry

5) Hop back to IoA

attractions we want to see here:

Cat in the Hat (dark ride)
Spiderman (I think kind of a very advanced dark ride? At least it is considered one of the best themed rides in Orlando)
Hulk (coaster)

and then also the water rides:
Jurassic Park (flume ride)
Popye & Bluto's Blige-Rat Barges (raft ride, I love raft rides and this is supposed to be really good)
Dudley D-Right's Ripsaw Falls

after the water rides we expect to be soaked, so we will bring a change of clothes, planning to store them in a locker at the park entrance. So I think at some point after all the water rides, we will get changed into dry (and most likely also a bit nicer) clothes.

6) end the day at WWoHP

all reports say that WWoHP empties out in the last hours of park operation. So this is when we will do our exploring there and ride the rides:

Forbidden Journey (definitely want to get a second ride!)
Duelling Dragons (inverted coaster)

7) after the park has closed: Dinner at Tchoup Chop at Royal Pacific Resort.

sounds good!

We went to Universal/IOA for a few days in May 2010 so I can offer some advice.

The parks are close together so it is easy to hop back and forth.

WWHOP was not open but your plan of attack there sounds good.

Universal has a front of the line pass which you get for free if you stay on property or pay for if you do not. an option in case it is more crowded then you expect.

Men in Black - we all loved this! It is more a way more advanced Buzz lightyear to me then TSMM
ET - it is a cute dark ride. more enjoyable if you have seen the movie.\
Simpsons - is a very cool simulator. you will get more of the jokes if you are a fan of the show

Cat in the Hat is very cute. Definietely plan time to explore Seuss landing - the theming there is absolutely amazing! Especially if you are familiar with the books.
Spiderman is very cool
Hulk - I will warn you that this ride is very intense. DH rides everything and he swears he blacked out for a second at the start of this ride from the G's or force or something

Water rides
Jurassic park is was more of a cross between Splash/Kali. did not remind me of a traditional flume ride.
Dh and dd rode the other two and loved them but you will get soaked!

We stayed at the Royal Pacific but did not eat at Tchop chop.

Hope that helps!

 

[vamassey1]

Wow your Universal day sounds exciting. I can't wait to read about all the fun.

 

[englishrose47]

Oh, I would not want to make your whole group hop just because of us!! Friday we will be at DHS when you are at AK, but I will just follow your plans over on your TR and I am sure we will be able to figure something out!



I can't really do that either. We have at least a certain plan of when we want to be where - however the last three days of the trip are wide open. I think after one week at WDW, we will have seen most of our must dos. So for these days we will just do whatever we will feel like. Did work quite well on our last trip that way.

Magdalena we will be at Epcot on Thursday 13th!Have dinner ressies at Teppon Edoat 7:10p so had planned to watch Illuminations after !! So that is definately a doable time !!

 

[englishrose47]

Your Universal day looks good !!Carol and I have been promised a Universal Trip next year !! Not sure if it will be Spring or fall !! I am sure we will stay at Royal Pacific !! I too have heard HP is a first thing in the morning !!I am hoping to try it ,if everyone else does ,if not maybe they have a "Baby" swap for Carol and I as I can't leave anyone on their own !!!

I have been checking out the menus and have a basic idea of where to eat !!Bubba Gumps is a definate and so is Finnegans Bar , I want one of those corned beef on pretzel roll sandwiches

 

[PNO4TE]

I will have to go back and catch up, but I have missed you! I am so glad you and Katharina are planning another WDW trip. I am very sad to see that I will miss you by a week, though.

 

[wendypooh]

Hey!!!!!!

Elin is RIGHT, we MISS you over on the Jambo thread!!!!!! I knew we were both planning for Oct. - it stinks we'll miss each other by 3 days!!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds like you have a great trip planned for you and Katharina - I only wish we could all be there to help celebrate your birthday!!!! (We're planning a BIG Jamborini meet the week before).

I know you will both have a GREAT time though!!!

Make sure to pop in the Jambo/Sakes Alive thread sometime - we'd all love to see you back!!!!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Sounds like a great (busy) day at the Universal parks! I haven't seen Harry Potter yet, but I am dying to go! I will have to live through your report until I get the chance!!

It will be a very full day - and from everything I read, I think Harry Potter definitely is worth the trip, but I am also looking forward to the rest of the parks!

Sounds like a very full day at Universal! It's changed a great deal since I was there in college. I hope you're able to fit in everything you want to do. I think some of those rides would have me feeling a little

I am sure it has changed quite a bit - was IoA around when you were in college?? And you know - reading your last sentence I was kind of thinking that your kids indeed are related to you...

You've got some great plans for Universal/IoA!!! I have yet to go there but hopefully will make it on my next trip. We have actually planned it in so we'll most likely go! I might just take some of your planning into consideration when we plan our day. I can't wait to see WWoHP!!!!

The more I read about Uni/IoA, the more excited I get. Katharina and I were briefly thinking about spending two days there, but decided to keep our trip more relaxed. And if we enjoy it, I am sure my next trip will include some more time there.

 

[Flossbolna]

When the day comes that I finally go to IoA and Universal, I think I'm going to have you and Cynthia plan my park attack!

It looks like you have a good plan to me....I'm sure it'll be a full day.

I will certainly be very willing to pass on any knowledge I gained during my visit there (which just made me think that maybe I could also pass on the weight I will have gained during my WDW trip - you will easily lose it once you are at WDW.... ). But I think Cynthia will still be much more of an expert than me!!

Your plans look great!!!! I look forward to hearing about the restaurant.

I guess you would call ET a dark ride...similar to Peter Pan. Spiderman on the otherhand, while dark, is in a totally different league. I can't wait to see what you guys think of Spidey and the FJ!

Wow, I am relieved to get your blessing for our plans! So nothing totally missing or wrong there? And yes, ET was described to me to be like Pan, I just thought that this might get some wrong impressions from some people... So I left that comparison out.

And I have heard quite a lot that Spidey and FJ are extremely well done rides - one of the discussion boards with the "serious fans" claims that those two attractions are the most groundbreaking of all themed attractions in Orlando. I try to not let my expectations to get too high!!

 

[Flossbolna]

I love it. You go to "Germany" to get things you can't get in Germany! Yet, we Americans have no clue!

It actually makes me sad because when I visited Epcot for the first time, I was expecting something very cheesy and full of stereotypes and was extremely impressed how tastefully, historically and culturally correct and classy it was. For me it has lost a lot of this appeal with this one little shop I am sad to say...

And no...looks like you'll be going to Canada first! But, I did hit China finally!!!

Congratulations for getting China!! You have seen France as well, I think? So you are still two films ahead of me.

GORGEOUS! I looooooove the architecture!

Glad you enjoyed the pictures! It was really beautiful there!

What the heck is that fee for??? Regardless, glad you got it done and that you have your tickets--or at least the voucher for them!!

Ah, the fee is actually for the promotion of tourism - who would have thought that! Well, $4 if for the process of the application, but $10 goes into a fund which then will be used to promote the US as a tourism destination...

Your IOA/US day sounds fantastic. I really look forward to reading all about it! I try to soak as much as I can in about those parks since I know very little about them still.

The restaurant above is beautiful! I hope it serves you two a yummy meal!

I think it will most likely be better to wait for a little while before attempting those parks with Henry, they are rather heavy on height restricted rides and scary stuff... But I will be happy to further the knowledge about those park amongst the DISers. I think they look like high quality themed entertainment and I am very excited about trying them out!

 

[Flossbolna]

sounds good!

We went to Universal/IOA for a few days in May 2010 so I can offer some advice.

Great, another expert!!

The parks are close together so it is easy to hop back and forth.

Good, I checked it out on Google maps and it looks close and others have said so, too. So, I am starting to feel more comfortable about this hopping here and there...

Universal has a front of the line pass which you get for free if you stay on property or pay for if you do not. an option in case it is more crowded then you expect.

The Express Pass is in the cheapest bracket on our day there, I think $16. So that supposedly is a good sign that we won't need it. But yes, we are keeping it in the back of our minds that this is an option if we find out that things are much busier than expected. Won't be of help for Forbidden Journey though...

Men in Black - we all loved this! It is more a way more advanced Buzz lightyear to me then TSMM
ET - it is a cute dark ride. more enjoyable if you have seen the movie.\

I am really looking forward to both rides!

Simpsons - is a very cool simulator. you will get more of the jokes if you are a fan of the show

Since Katharina's DH is a huge fan, she is very familiar with the show. And I have watched it semi-regularly for years, so I know the characters pretty well, too. We are indeed looking forward to it!!

Cat in the Hat is very cute. Definietely plan time to explore Seuss landing - the theming there is absolutely amazing! Especially if you are familiar with the books.

We did not grow up with the books, but now we know at least two. And the whole area does look cute. We really hope that we won't be just running from A to B, we want to explore a bit as well.

Spiderman is very cool

everyone seems to say so!

Hulk - I will warn you that this ride is very intense. DH rides everything and he swears he blacked out for a second at the start of this ride from the G's or force or something

Oh, don't say anything like that!! I try to convince Katharina that it is a very tame coaster which she will feel very comfortable on!!

Water rides
Jurassic park is was more of a cross between Splash/Kali. did not remind me of a traditional flume ride.
Dh and dd rode the other two and loved them but you will get soaked!

I actually really enjoy water rides when it is hot and October most likely will be warm enough! So getting soaked will be fun!!

We stayed at the Royal Pacific but did not eat at Tchop chop.

Hope that helps!

Royal Pacific looks like a very nice hotel, how did you like it? I am thinking of maybe staying at a Universal resort on a future trip...