disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
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- Jan 1, 2014
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I love a good Safari and lunch at Satuli’s canteen is so good!
A Very Lucky (First) Solo Trip! A Feb/Mar 2020 TR * Completed 1/10: Brown Derby Lounge and Goodbye WDW
- Thread starter Disneyhanna
- Start date
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
I think I have had Satu’li every trip since it opened, it probably is my #1 QS! Or maybe I’m always sick of fries and chicken nuggets so it tastes heavenly
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
Day Two - Part Three: Disney Springs Evening
I was feeling good about my choice to go to DS for the evening, it was rather quiet despite being prime dinner time! (Or maybe everyone was inside eating, ha!)
My first stop was Pandora to see if they had a ring my mom wanted but wasn’t in stock at our local store. There was no line and they had her size in stock! AP holders get a 10% discount there which was nice. I was probably their quickest customer, in and out in minutes!
I decided to try out Wolfgang Puck Express for dinner, of course it was on the opposite side of DS. I swear DS is just so spread out it’s as big as a park! I always get lost and have to use the map!
There were only a few others there at 5:45, you order at the register and they bring your food to you. This is where things got weird. You tip at the register but since I paid with a card they convert your tip to cash and give it to you to put on the table with your number sign.
I ordered a kids’ meal which was maybe $6 with my AP discount, so I’m glad I tipped a full $2 because I would have felt pretty embarrassed otherwise.
It was just bizarre to me! So maybe don’t tip and just leave some cash at the table.
My kids’ meal spaghetti with meat sauce was brought out, and the waiter also brought me some shredded parmesan! Much better than the stuff from a can!
The portion size was perfect for an average adult eater, I feel like I eat a lot but this was the perfect amount even for me! Kids’ meals are such a steal at Disney, I don’t ever want leftovers on vacation so I really appreciate when they have more options than just nuggets. Plus, this way I had room for dessert!
I still didn’t find any good FPs while refreshing, and my mom texted me to remind me Project Runway was on that night (we had been watching that season) so I decided to have a quiet hotel night. Of course this meant I had to go in search for some treats!
Goofy Candy Co had a store by WPE, so I stopped in and browsed around for a bit. You could watch them making the treats!
Feeling adventurous, I got a few new things to me. Milk chocolate dipped pineapple (they had dark chocolate also) and sour cherry balls. The pineapple was massive! I’ll give my thoughts at the end!
I went through a spice shop and they had spices in bags! I took a picture to send to my coworker, who mentioned he ONLY has spices in little baggies. I have like 50 containers of spices, I love cooking so I cannot even fathom that.
There was some sort of pop up type place with lots of little shops, it was pretty early in the Baby Yoda craze and I saw this cute shirt, which I’m sure there are a million of now.
I stopped in World of Disney but that place is just so huge, I wasn’t in the mood to look around so I only looked for a little while.
They had the Monopoly I wanted on display! Maybe I will cave and get it next time.
Here’s that pretty lavender spirit jersey again, this time with the price! Phew! I just got my tie dye jersey in the mail though, so I really can’t judge.
I saw this Minnie shirt and thought it would be so cute for my mom, but turns out it was a weird crop top. Ugh why!
The men’s version just wasn’t as cute, so no shirt for mom!
The Lunar NY spirit jersey was really cute as well, I just can’t bring myself to spend so much on clothes at Disney when etsy stuff is so much cheaper. The pins were soooo cute though, I had to exercise a lot of self control that evening.
I ended up buying this adorable gray-purple sweater! I wear crewnecks and vests all winter so I did treat myself to this one.
It was getting pretty busy in WoD, so I left and popped into Uniqlo. They have so many fun and cheap Disney shirts, definitely check it out if you want souvenir shirts for your family without spending a million dollars.
It was so much cooler that evening after the sun had set, I knew I would have to layer well the next few days since it was only supposed to be in the 50s. Disney Springs is so picturequese and pretty at night, I know some people don’t like how commercial it is but I love the outdoor shopping. We have mostly indoor malls here in MN, and I think outdoor malls are so much prettier and enjoyable!
Columbia had their new Disney line, a little spendy but so cute. If I had kids I would have bought those rain jackets!
I passed by Raglan Road which has a big outdoor patio. They had live music which I overheard and it was very risqué, no wonder it’s a popular place with the adults!
For a treat I decided to try the Ganachery, where half a dozen chocolates were almost $20! It was a splurge but they were so gorgeous.
I had a piece every evening of my trip, the ganaches are pretty small but so delicious!
It was getting late and I had to be back by 9 for Project Runway, sadly I got to the bus stop and it was empty, always a bad sign. But then a bus pulled right up, my lucky day!
We left DS around 7:40 and were back to Coronado in 15 minutes. We passed like six sheriff SUVs with sirens on the way back, crazy! I wanted another evening meal so I got off at the Gran Destino tower stop, I forgot that’s the first stop when coming back from DS, woohoo.
They were doing some construction on the old lobby, wonder what it looks like now!
For my second dinner (another perk of kids’ meals), I had the kids’ chicken and waffles. I swear it took me twenty minutes to decide on this, I am SO BAD at making decisions. The adult version only has one extra waffle and tender and is twice as expensive, with no drink. I asked for a cup of water instead of a bottle and the CM just gave me a soda cup. I snagged some honey mustard dressing, they have a lot of dip and hot sauce options available.
This was fine, it was cold by the time I walked the six minutes back to my room though. I miss microwaves in rooms! The main downside of Coronado is the food is pretty mediocre, and there aren’t many/any good healthier options.
I had my passionfruit ganache that evening, so delicious! The cherry sour balls were just okay, they kind of tasted like cherry pie filling rather than like a cherry jelly bean.
Here’s a close up of my new sweater. This is one of my favorites now! I don’t think this one was ever available online even though it comes in a ton of colors, I could be wrong though.
I watched Project Runway and was texting my mom the entire time, that was really fun! We only got streaming cable a year or so ago, so watching cable in the hotel room always makes me feel like I’m really on vacation. Sometimes it’s nice to slow down even at Disney!
Since two dinners and candy wasn’t enough, I also decided to try my chocolate covered pineapple. This was so good, the chocolate goes really well and the pineapple was nice and ripe. I kept it in the fridge to be safe! It was huge, more than enough to share or eat over a few nights.
I scrolled social media a bit and realized that Jungle Cruise had sunk that day!
My friend sent me a meme of it but I had just laughed and didn't realize it was literally happening that moment. I also discovered all those sheriffs were headed to the Beach Club over a suspicious person report, which Tim Tracker mentioned on a vlog I think. So much drama that day!
All in all I had a very nice day at AK and DS! The next day was my evening Orlando Informer meetup event at Universal, so I planned on sleeping in and heading to MK for a few hours before going to Universal. The event was until like 1:30 AM so I needed to be well rested!
Only 18k steps this day, an “easy day” for me.
Continued in Day Three - Part One: MK Morning
I was feeling good about my choice to go to DS for the evening, it was rather quiet despite being prime dinner time! (Or maybe everyone was inside eating, ha!)
My first stop was Pandora to see if they had a ring my mom wanted but wasn’t in stock at our local store. There was no line and they had her size in stock! AP holders get a 10% discount there which was nice. I was probably their quickest customer, in and out in minutes!
I decided to try out Wolfgang Puck Express for dinner, of course it was on the opposite side of DS. I swear DS is just so spread out it’s as big as a park! I always get lost and have to use the map!
There were only a few others there at 5:45, you order at the register and they bring your food to you. This is where things got weird. You tip at the register but since I paid with a card they convert your tip to cash and give it to you to put on the table with your number sign.
I ordered a kids’ meal which was maybe $6 with my AP discount, so I’m glad I tipped a full $2 because I would have felt pretty embarrassed otherwise.
It was just bizarre to me! So maybe don’t tip and just leave some cash at the table.My kids’ meal spaghetti with meat sauce was brought out, and the waiter also brought me some shredded parmesan! Much better than the stuff from a can!
The portion size was perfect for an average adult eater, I feel like I eat a lot but this was the perfect amount even for me! Kids’ meals are such a steal at Disney, I don’t ever want leftovers on vacation so I really appreciate when they have more options than just nuggets. Plus, this way I had room for dessert!
I still didn’t find any good FPs while refreshing, and my mom texted me to remind me Project Runway was on that night (we had been watching that season) so I decided to have a quiet hotel night. Of course this meant I had to go in search for some treats!
Goofy Candy Co had a store by WPE, so I stopped in and browsed around for a bit. You could watch them making the treats!
Feeling adventurous, I got a few new things to me. Milk chocolate dipped pineapple (they had dark chocolate also) and sour cherry balls. The pineapple was massive! I’ll give my thoughts at the end!
I went through a spice shop and they had spices in bags! I took a picture to send to my coworker, who mentioned he ONLY has spices in little baggies. I have like 50 containers of spices, I love cooking so I cannot even fathom that.
There was some sort of pop up type place with lots of little shops, it was pretty early in the Baby Yoda craze and I saw this cute shirt, which I’m sure there are a million of now.
I stopped in World of Disney but that place is just so huge, I wasn’t in the mood to look around so I only looked for a little while.
They had the Monopoly I wanted on display! Maybe I will cave and get it next time.
Here’s that pretty lavender spirit jersey again, this time with the price! Phew! I just got my tie dye jersey in the mail though, so I really can’t judge.
I saw this Minnie shirt and thought it would be so cute for my mom, but turns out it was a weird crop top. Ugh why!
The men’s version just wasn’t as cute, so no shirt for mom!
The Lunar NY spirit jersey was really cute as well, I just can’t bring myself to spend so much on clothes at Disney when etsy stuff is so much cheaper. The pins were soooo cute though, I had to exercise a lot of self control that evening.
I ended up buying this adorable gray-purple sweater! I wear crewnecks and vests all winter so I did treat myself to this one.
It was getting pretty busy in WoD, so I left and popped into Uniqlo. They have so many fun and cheap Disney shirts, definitely check it out if you want souvenir shirts for your family without spending a million dollars.
It was so much cooler that evening after the sun had set, I knew I would have to layer well the next few days since it was only supposed to be in the 50s. Disney Springs is so picturequese and pretty at night, I know some people don’t like how commercial it is but I love the outdoor shopping. We have mostly indoor malls here in MN, and I think outdoor malls are so much prettier and enjoyable!
Columbia had their new Disney line, a little spendy but so cute. If I had kids I would have bought those rain jackets!
I passed by Raglan Road which has a big outdoor patio. They had live music which I overheard and it was very risqué, no wonder it’s a popular place with the adults!
For a treat I decided to try the Ganachery, where half a dozen chocolates were almost $20! It was a splurge but they were so gorgeous.
I had a piece every evening of my trip, the ganaches are pretty small but so delicious!
It was getting late and I had to be back by 9 for Project Runway, sadly I got to the bus stop and it was empty, always a bad sign. But then a bus pulled right up, my lucky day!
We left DS around 7:40 and were back to Coronado in 15 minutes. We passed like six sheriff SUVs with sirens on the way back, crazy! I wanted another evening meal so I got off at the Gran Destino tower stop, I forgot that’s the first stop when coming back from DS, woohoo.
They were doing some construction on the old lobby, wonder what it looks like now!
For my second dinner (another perk of kids’ meals), I had the kids’ chicken and waffles. I swear it took me twenty minutes to decide on this, I am SO BAD at making decisions. The adult version only has one extra waffle and tender and is twice as expensive, with no drink. I asked for a cup of water instead of a bottle and the CM just gave me a soda cup. I snagged some honey mustard dressing, they have a lot of dip and hot sauce options available.
This was fine, it was cold by the time I walked the six minutes back to my room though. I miss microwaves in rooms! The main downside of Coronado is the food is pretty mediocre, and there aren’t many/any good healthier options.
I had my passionfruit ganache that evening, so delicious! The cherry sour balls were just okay, they kind of tasted like cherry pie filling rather than like a cherry jelly bean.
Here’s a close up of my new sweater. This is one of my favorites now! I don’t think this one was ever available online even though it comes in a ton of colors, I could be wrong though.
I watched Project Runway and was texting my mom the entire time, that was really fun! We only got streaming cable a year or so ago, so watching cable in the hotel room always makes me feel like I’m really on vacation. Sometimes it’s nice to slow down even at Disney!
Since two dinners and candy wasn’t enough, I also decided to try my chocolate covered pineapple. This was so good, the chocolate goes really well and the pineapple was nice and ripe. I kept it in the fridge to be safe! It was huge, more than enough to share or eat over a few nights.
I scrolled social media a bit and realized that Jungle Cruise had sunk that day!
My friend sent me a meme of it but I had just laughed and didn't realize it was literally happening that moment. I also discovered all those sheriffs were headed to the Beach Club over a suspicious person report, which Tim Tracker mentioned on a vlog I think. So much drama that day!All in all I had a very nice day at AK and DS! The next day was my evening Orlando Informer meetup event at Universal, so I planned on sleeping in and heading to MK for a few hours before going to Universal. The event was until like 1:30 AM so I needed to be well rested!
Only 18k steps this day, an “easy day” for me.
Continued in Day Three - Part One: MK Morning
Last edited:
disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2014
- Messages
- 8,618
This a must for Andi every trip, she loves it!
WGP express is a good choice for dinner!
I love the Mickey sweater, very cute!
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
I think it might become a must for me too! I need to try the dark chocolate next time, yum!!! I love that Mickey sweater, definitely one of my favorites right now. I'm excited for fall so I can wear all of my Disney sweaters again!
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
Day Three - Part One: MK Morning
Sleep-in day for me! I “slept in” until 9AM to be well rested for the evening Universal event. My usual slow self didn’t head to the buses until around 10, what in the world do I do in the mornings on vacation? For work (when I was still going into the office) I’d sleep until the last minute and roll out of bed and be out the door in 15 minutes.
Time to wear my new sweater! Ft. terribly wet hair, that FL humidity does not help! I have not had a haircut yet during quarantine, my hair looks SO short to me in this photo now!
The bus came exactly at the time that the MDE app said it would when I left my room. I am so glad they added the bus times feature! This Trip Report is so old now, who knows if anything I say is relevant anymore though…
I noticed the bus said Cabanas & MK (I was staying in the Cabanas) and it skipped the Tower bus stop and headed straight to MK. I didn’t know they had buses that only stopped at one of the resort stops, I wonder when and why this happens. There weren’t that many people on the bus at the time!
Since I was arriving later in the morning, bag check and security was super quick.
The castle moat was drained, maybe it was in prep of painting the castle?
My first FP was Winnie the Pooh at 10:40, standby was already 40 minutes!
I had a fun ride, no one tried to squeeze into my honey pot this time!
For breakfast I decided to try the Cheshire Cat Tail!
Hmmm, this was not a winner for me. It’s basically a croissant pastry filled with chocolate and topped with icing. My issue was that it was served cold, and I prefer my pastries fresh out of the oven! It was smaller than I expected, so no need to share if you don’t want to!
There was a super long line for the restroom by Star Traders, so I checked the MDE app and found the huge restroom sort of behind the stage in Tomorrowland. When solo, you have the luxury of going out of your way to find a less crowded restroom!
Pretty mild crowds in MK that day, nothing like the crazy President’s Weekend crowds right before my trip.
I think this is my last picture of the old paint job, what does everyone think of the new pink? I think it looks really nice in some pictures, and less so in others. In the end I don’t really care, it’s still a huge beautiful castle!
My next FP was for Jungle Cruise, but I was a bit early. I made my way to Adventureland and decided to climb the Swiss Family Treehouse for the first time. My mom can’t do that many stairs so we have never been up there before.
There were a lot of neat views on the journey up the treehouse! It really highlighted how lush of an area Adventureland is.
I admit I know nothing about Swiss Family Robinson, but there were cool scenes that I’m sure a fan would appreciate!
There are only like 6-10 steps between each landing, so the stairs are actually not bad at all. People go pretty slowly to stop and look at everything and it’s one way traffic, so I think my mom would be fine with the climb. A neat way to get a higher view of the park and escape the crowds a bit! It took me maybe 10 minutes to go through.
I overheard a kid asking “is this a ride?” and his parents saying “yes!” as they headed up the treehouse!
Finally it was time for my Jungle Cruise FP, standby was a whopping 120 minutes! A boat came in and was leaning quite a bit, and all the CMs at the dock jumped in to balance it out! I didn’t take any notes or pictures so either I had an amazing skipper and was super into it, or it was extremely forgettable.
The Universal event that evening had unlimited food included, so I didn’t want to eat too much for lunch. I decided on the loaded waffle fries from Golden Oak Outpost! The CM complimented my Small World magicband, it’s my favorite because it’s basically the same as the millennial pink band!
Ummm is cheese sauce and fake bacon bits really “loaded”??? Could they not spare some sour cream and green onion at least!
The fries were delicious and very crispy though, so I thought this was a nice “lunch” and I couldn’t quite finish it by myself. Oops, so much for a light lunch!
To pass the time before my next FP, Pirates, I researched Universal food a bit. I know very little about the dining options there and honestly I still know very little!
Hooray, I was so excited to ride Pirates! We never got to ride in December because it was down all day when we were in MK! Standby was 65 minutes at 12:45PM.
Pirates is the quintessential Disney ride to me. I love the smell! I sing Yo Ho all day after riding it! My only gripe is that the Disneyland version is so much better to me. The WDW version feels so short, and I miss all the cave scenes from Disneyland. I just want all dark rides to be 15 minutes I guess!
One of these days I will be ready for a ride photo! Not this day though!
It was really nice out, so I decided to do the Splash standby. It was 55 minutes, and I usually never do standby, but since I was solo I thought why not!
I refreshed for FPs in line and saw FPs for 7dmt, space mountain, and PPF all before 5pm. Too bad I wouldn’t be able to stay too much longer! I decided on a Meet Mickey in Town Square FP for on my way out of MK.
They had the zip lock bags, I think you miss this in the FP line since I feel like I never got them before! I grabbed a bunch because the CM was begging us to take extras! Wonder if those Ebay resellers are trying to pawn these off for a buck a piece or something
I ended up waiting 40 minutes. Since Splash is a fairly long ride, I thought the wait was okay. It’s definitely more fun when you’re with someone in line though. I love the chicken exit here!
Agh, I ended up in front row!!!
I do love this ride, I think that it will be awesome with a Princess Tiana makeover though! I just hope it is not closed for too long when they update it.
I love this sign so much, it reminds me of the Family Feud Pork---u-pine moment! Look it up if you haven’t seen it, I cry every time!
So much anticipation for the final drop! I always seem to get stopped on the way up, one time I was there for like ten minutes!
I got so much water straight to the face, definitely don’t spend any time on looking nice if you’re going to ride this ride!
It was so eerie, the music was broken so we got to the ending riverboat scene and there was no music! No zip-a-dee-doo-dah! I felt bad if it was anyone’s only time riding, I’d be like what is going on!
As I got off the ride, a guy ahead of me was like “I’m tired of all these F-ing kids.” You came to the wrong place, pal!
One of these days I’ll ride the Riverboat. Someone convince me!
I got a quick photo in front of the castle as they were prepping for the parade.
Pretty terrible, oh well! I’m way too awkward in photos by myself! I love the Pooh photo op I’ve seen with the butterfly net, so adorable. Maybe I’d be less awkward if there was a character in the distance. Doubtful lol!
I headed to meet Mickey around 2:30, standby was 35 minutes. Everyone in line was with tiny children, omg! One of the few times I felt a bit out of place on this trip...but I committed to the line anyways!
There were lots of cute things to look at in line.
The line moved pretty quickly, after about 10 minutes I was in the room where Mickey is. The two families in front of me had little ones so they took a while, probably another ten minutes. I just stood around awkwardly alone and tried not to look too bored lol!
Finally it was my time to meet Mickey, and he was as charming as ever!
He loved my sweater and I was glad I took the time to check out this M&G location, I really wish I had been able to go when Mickey and Minnie were there in their celebration outfits though!
The gardening in the parks always amazes me, this was as I left the M&G on my way out of MK.
I basically ran to the Coronado bus which I could see from the bus number sign was loading, I am not ashamed of running for Disney buses because they are usually nice and wait. City buses where I live seem to enjoy stepping on the gas if they see you running!
Luckily the driver was manning the bus line so he saw me and waved to let me know I could slow down and he’d wait! My workout for the trip. The bus left MK 2:58 and I was back to my bus stop at Coronado at 3:14. My phone was running out of juice and I realized my portable battery was also not charged anymore. Just my luck, with a long evening event!
I got back to my room and saw a lovely surprise!
I must have had a really great Mousekeeper this trip! So fun to come back to!
Continued in Day Three - Part Two: Orlando Informer Universal Meetup (1 of 2)
Thanks for reading!
Sleep-in day for me! I “slept in” until 9AM to be well rested for the evening Universal event. My usual slow self didn’t head to the buses until around 10, what in the world do I do in the mornings on vacation? For work (when I was still going into the office) I’d sleep until the last minute and roll out of bed and be out the door in 15 minutes.
Time to wear my new sweater! Ft. terribly wet hair, that FL humidity does not help! I have not had a haircut yet during quarantine, my hair looks SO short to me in this photo now!
The bus came exactly at the time that the MDE app said it would when I left my room. I am so glad they added the bus times feature! This Trip Report is so old now, who knows if anything I say is relevant anymore though…
I noticed the bus said Cabanas & MK (I was staying in the Cabanas) and it skipped the Tower bus stop and headed straight to MK. I didn’t know they had buses that only stopped at one of the resort stops, I wonder when and why this happens. There weren’t that many people on the bus at the time!
Since I was arriving later in the morning, bag check and security was super quick.
The castle moat was drained, maybe it was in prep of painting the castle?
My first FP was Winnie the Pooh at 10:40, standby was already 40 minutes!
I had a fun ride, no one tried to squeeze into my honey pot this time!
For breakfast I decided to try the Cheshire Cat Tail!
Hmmm, this was not a winner for me. It’s basically a croissant pastry filled with chocolate and topped with icing. My issue was that it was served cold, and I prefer my pastries fresh out of the oven! It was smaller than I expected, so no need to share if you don’t want to!
There was a super long line for the restroom by Star Traders, so I checked the MDE app and found the huge restroom sort of behind the stage in Tomorrowland. When solo, you have the luxury of going out of your way to find a less crowded restroom!
Pretty mild crowds in MK that day, nothing like the crazy President’s Weekend crowds right before my trip.
I think this is my last picture of the old paint job, what does everyone think of the new pink? I think it looks really nice in some pictures, and less so in others. In the end I don’t really care, it’s still a huge beautiful castle!
My next FP was for Jungle Cruise, but I was a bit early. I made my way to Adventureland and decided to climb the Swiss Family Treehouse for the first time. My mom can’t do that many stairs so we have never been up there before.
There were a lot of neat views on the journey up the treehouse! It really highlighted how lush of an area Adventureland is.
I admit I know nothing about Swiss Family Robinson, but there were cool scenes that I’m sure a fan would appreciate!
There are only like 6-10 steps between each landing, so the stairs are actually not bad at all. People go pretty slowly to stop and look at everything and it’s one way traffic, so I think my mom would be fine with the climb. A neat way to get a higher view of the park and escape the crowds a bit! It took me maybe 10 minutes to go through.
I overheard a kid asking “is this a ride?” and his parents saying “yes!” as they headed up the treehouse!
Finally it was time for my Jungle Cruise FP, standby was a whopping 120 minutes! A boat came in and was leaning quite a bit, and all the CMs at the dock jumped in to balance it out! I didn’t take any notes or pictures so either I had an amazing skipper and was super into it, or it was extremely forgettable.
The Universal event that evening had unlimited food included, so I didn’t want to eat too much for lunch. I decided on the loaded waffle fries from Golden Oak Outpost! The CM complimented my Small World magicband, it’s my favorite because it’s basically the same as the millennial pink band!
Ummm is cheese sauce and fake bacon bits really “loaded”??? Could they not spare some sour cream and green onion at least!
The fries were delicious and very crispy though, so I thought this was a nice “lunch” and I couldn’t quite finish it by myself. Oops, so much for a light lunch!To pass the time before my next FP, Pirates, I researched Universal food a bit. I know very little about the dining options there and honestly I still know very little!
Hooray, I was so excited to ride Pirates! We never got to ride in December because it was down all day when we were in MK! Standby was 65 minutes at 12:45PM.
Pirates is the quintessential Disney ride to me. I love the smell! I sing Yo Ho all day after riding it! My only gripe is that the Disneyland version is so much better to me. The WDW version feels so short, and I miss all the cave scenes from Disneyland. I just want all dark rides to be 15 minutes I guess!
One of these days I will be ready for a ride photo! Not this day though!
It was really nice out, so I decided to do the Splash standby. It was 55 minutes, and I usually never do standby, but since I was solo I thought why not!
I refreshed for FPs in line and saw FPs for 7dmt, space mountain, and PPF all before 5pm. Too bad I wouldn’t be able to stay too much longer! I decided on a Meet Mickey in Town Square FP for on my way out of MK.
They had the zip lock bags, I think you miss this in the FP line since I feel like I never got them before! I grabbed a bunch because the CM was begging us to take extras! Wonder if those Ebay resellers are trying to pawn these off for a buck a piece or something
I ended up waiting 40 minutes. Since Splash is a fairly long ride, I thought the wait was okay. It’s definitely more fun when you’re with someone in line though. I love the chicken exit here!
Agh, I ended up in front row!!!
I do love this ride, I think that it will be awesome with a Princess Tiana makeover though! I just hope it is not closed for too long when they update it.
I love this sign so much, it reminds me of the Family Feud Pork---u-pine moment! Look it up if you haven’t seen it, I cry every time!
So much anticipation for the final drop! I always seem to get stopped on the way up, one time I was there for like ten minutes!
I got so much water straight to the face, definitely don’t spend any time on looking nice if you’re going to ride this ride!
It was so eerie, the music was broken so we got to the ending riverboat scene and there was no music! No zip-a-dee-doo-dah! I felt bad if it was anyone’s only time riding, I’d be like what is going on!
As I got off the ride, a guy ahead of me was like “I’m tired of all these F-ing kids.” You came to the wrong place, pal!
One of these days I’ll ride the Riverboat. Someone convince me!
I got a quick photo in front of the castle as they were prepping for the parade.
Pretty terrible, oh well!
I’m way too awkward in photos by myself! I love the Pooh photo op I’ve seen with the butterfly net, so adorable. Maybe I’d be less awkward if there was a character in the distance. Doubtful lol!I headed to meet Mickey around 2:30, standby was 35 minutes. Everyone in line was with tiny children, omg! One of the few times I felt a bit out of place on this trip...but I committed to the line anyways!
There were lots of cute things to look at in line.
The line moved pretty quickly, after about 10 minutes I was in the room where Mickey is. The two families in front of me had little ones so they took a while, probably another ten minutes. I just stood around awkwardly alone and tried not to look too bored lol!
Finally it was my time to meet Mickey, and he was as charming as ever!
He loved my sweater and I was glad I took the time to check out this M&G location, I really wish I had been able to go when Mickey and Minnie were there in their celebration outfits though!
The gardening in the parks always amazes me, this was as I left the M&G on my way out of MK.
I basically ran to the Coronado bus which I could see from the bus number sign was loading, I am not ashamed of running for Disney buses because they are usually nice and wait. City buses where I live seem to enjoy stepping on the gas if they see you running!
Luckily the driver was manning the bus line so he saw me and waved to let me know I could slow down and he’d wait! My workout for the trip
. The bus left MK 2:58 and I was back to my bus stop at Coronado at 3:14. My phone was running out of juice and I realized my portable battery was also not charged anymore. Just my luck, with a long evening event!I got back to my room and saw a lovely surprise!
I must have had a really great Mousekeeper this trip! So fun to come back to!
Continued in Day Three - Part Two: Orlando Informer Universal Meetup (1 of 2)
Thanks for reading!
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disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2014
- Messages
- 8,618
I remember liking the Cheshire Cattail. I do love chocolate croissants 
I used the splash mountain bags for pastries from our breakfasts and it was nice to take back to the room for snacks.
It looks like a good morning at MK!
I used the splash mountain bags for pastries from our breakfasts and it was nice to take back to the room for snacks.
It looks like a good morning at MK!
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
It will be a very detailed review!! In short, I HIGHLY recommend it if you’d like to get in lots of rides without shelling out for an express pass
They are definitely like a chocolate croissant! Smart idea for those splash bags, I will have to put them to use somehow. It was such a fun MK morning, it was nice just moseying about without much of a plan!I remember liking the Cheshire Cattail. I do love chocolate croissants
I used the splash mountain bags for pastries from our breakfasts and it was nice to take back to the room for snacks.
It looks like a good morning at MK!
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
Day Three - Part Two: Orlando Informer Universal Meetup (1 of 2)
The Orlando Informer Universal Meetup officially started at 5 while the park was still open, but I had heard people usually are allowed in early. Of course I was running later than I planned, so no early entry for me! I had to at least charge my phone enough to order a Lyft after all.
I headed to Gran Destino Tower for an easier pickup, and ordered Lyft because it was $7 cheaper than Uber although the driver I got was a ways away, so maybe that was a bad decision. People were doing wedding photos at the tower, what a beautiful backdrop!
My driver was pleasant, he had the radio on and they were talking about news in Minnesota! Small world!
I arrived at the Universal rideshare drop off at 4:50, I’ve said it before but I love the new drop off! So much less confusing than the old one!
Lots of signs to check in, you are pre-assigned a park entrance to check in at. I was assigned to Islands of Adventure, which is usually where I start anyways. Anyone else a creature of habit? Epcot is always my first Disney park now!
There was a super long line to check in at registration, it was 5:00 and so all of us non-early birds were paying the price! I was in after about 20 minutes. The Universal employee (team member?) told me there were no light up wristbands like they used in previous years, due to “the virus” causing manufacturing delays. I think that was the first mention of the virus that I heard about that trip (Feb 28th)!
We just got regular paper wristbands, which I will give you a spoiler was not great because I think a lot of non-event guests hung around later in the evening and clogged the lines since it was easier to sneak into lines than it would be if there were light up bracelets.
I decided to ride Hulk standby right away, since I wasn’t sure if I’d be back in that area of the park once the event started. Standby was only 25 minutes and I usually do single rider.
Here are the lockers which are required on most rides at Universal. These are actually some of the bigger lockers, they are free and you just scan your ticket barcode. A few lockers use fingerprints but I hate those because mine never works!
I use an Eddie Bauer stowaway daypack backpack because it's packable, so I can squeeze it into the small lockers as long as it isn’t full. If you can manage it, I’d recommend fitting everything into a three-prong fanny pack since most rides (apart from a few such as Hulk) will let you ride with a fanny pack. Major plus of Disney is not having to ever use a locker!
I headed to the single rider line and took a wrong turn after the metal detectors and ended up in the regular line, oops. I quickly realized my mistake and headed back to the metal detectors, where you go up some outdoor stairs to the single rider line. It’s very poorly marked, and my noob self does this pretty much every time!
I ended up waiting 25 minutes in the single rider because it went down for over five minutes which always happens when I ride, I swear! That ride video is so annoying, people say the FoP pre-show is bad but the Hulk video takes it to another level! I probably listened to it on loop 10 times!
Finally I was on, I ended up in the back row which was smoother than I expected but my head sure got banged around a lot. I was definitely going to have a headache by the end of this ride-heavy trip!
Hulk is a really good and thrilling coaster, but it’s no different than anything at Six Flags, and has very little theming. I’m hoping that Tron and Guardians will be much better in that sense!
I recovered my backpack and decided to get some dinner before IoA closed to regular guests at 7. I believe the Universal Studios side did not close until 8. With my ticket, I had a dining card loaded with a quick service meal and drink and an extra snack and drink, which had to be used before the park closed. I was set on using it at the Three Broomsticks since I figured it would be crazy busy during the event!
Of course, I had to stop by the castle and get a picture before the sun set.
Hogwarts never ceases to amaze me! I’m glad that Universal got the rights to the park , they really did it justice. If you have never been, your first time seeing Hogwarts will be something really special!
I made it to Three Broomsticks at 6:10, and there was a long line! Oh well, I was going to tough it out for my chicken and ribs platter! I finished ordering after 30 minutes, so it could have been worse I think. I do love that they have examples of all the food out, I am an indecisive person and think all menus should have photos of the food!
Since the park was closing at 7, I used all of my dining credits at once. Easily about a ~$30 value here!
I skipped Butterbeer since I knew it would be easy to get during the event. I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but the event came with free drinks and snacks and a limited menu at each restaurant! Aka free Butterbeer all night!
I got my food in a little under 10 minutes. They temporarily ran out of corn but then it was refilled a minute later, phew!
I had the chicken and ribs platter which comes with corn and roasted potatoes, and a fruit cup with pumpkin juice and sparkling water.
This is such a fantastic meal, and definitely more than I’d expect from a theme park! The ribs were a bit fatty but I still liked them, and I never order ribs off a menu. The chicken was delicious and very juicy, the skin is so crispy but I barely was able to eat any after finishing the ribs. The corn really impressed me, I’m picky and really only like the white and yellow sweet corn but this tasted just like that. Very crunchy and not sad and overcooked like at Chili’s, if you’ve ever experienced what I’m talking about.
I’ve never had pumpkin juice before, and I really enjoyed it! It tasted a lot like apple juice to me, but with an apple pie flavor. Not very pumpkin-y, but very Fall! It’s quite sweet but not overly so, I think being served over ice helps cut the sweetness a bit. Definitely glad I gave it a try! The watermelon was excellent but I think I could only fit in like two bites. This meal was way too much for just me, uh oh because the unlimited food during the event had not even started yet!
I know a lot of people (especially those staying at Universal resorts) pick up their ticket earlier in the day and use the dining credit at CityWalk for lunch, sounds like a smart plan!
I finished eating at 7:17, so the park was closed to regular guests now. As I left, the team members were telling people they could not come in until they started serving the event food which I believe was available starting at 8. Food went until 12:30, so plenty of time to grab food during the event! Snack and drink carts were open during the entire event also, and I grabbed a lot of Gilly waters (aka regular bottled water) to take back to Coronado.
Another Hogwarts photo op now that it was dark! I tried night mode on my phone in the first picture, and normal mode in the second picture. Cool feature!
This castle view makes me think of the first movie when Harry sees Hogwarts for the first time. So magical!
I had never bothered to ride Flight of the Hippogriff, so I decided to do that while my stomach was still settling from dinner to ease my way back into rides.
Lots of fun stuff in this queue, so it's worth checking out even if you don’t ride!
This scarecrow makes me think of Return to Oz and Jack Pumpkinhead! I loved that weird little movie as a kid.
Hagrid’s Hut is also in the queue (and is also in the queue of the new motorbike ride of course).
I walked onto the ride at 7:28, there were maybe four of us on! The team members were commenting to each other how quiet it was. I’m not sure if they meant it was quiet for an event, or if they haven’t done many evening events and thought it was still a regular night
Flight of the Hippogriff was fun and faster than I expected for a kids ride but it was so short! I’m not sure if it was much more than a minute long! I was glad I tried it but I’d never wait in a real line for it. The seats are pretty small so it’d be a squeeze for two adults!
Now that my dinner had settled (or had it?), it was time for Forbidden Journey. I think I have ridden FJ probably 10 times before, the single rider line was always really short when I’ve been to both Universal parks.
More night mode, the castle is just unreal looking at night!
I got in line at 7:37 and standby was listed as 15 minutes. I loved being able to go through the normal line, I think they cut off some parts though since I don’t remember going through the greenhouse, but I did go by the portraits.
Night mode again, it’s amazing how clear of a photo I could get in such dim lighting!
The line didn’t move at first, and it was the longest single rider line I’ve ever seen! Usually I am pretty close to the sorting hat when I get in the single rider line but I was really far back this time. However, once the line started moving I was on in 10 minutes.
Okay, this is when I realized I shouldn’t have eaten so much! I forgot how long the ride was, and by the end I was definitely ready for it to be over. I’m usually pretty tough when it comes to screen rides but in that moment I could see how people get sick!
Such a good ride if you can handle it, I love the mixed use of screens, real objects, and the unusual seating. I close my eyes during the dementors and spiders every time!
I had to get a team member to open the fingerprint locker since it wouldn’t unlock for me, classic! I think he asked me what was in the locker so at least there’s a little precaution there!
My phone battery was pretty low at that point, so I caved and decided to buy a fuel rod. I had a heck of a time finding a machine but found one somewhere in the Jurassic area and forked over $30! It only holds enough power to charge like 30% of my phone, but better than 0% I guess. I learned my lesson and will never forget to charge my portable charger again!
I was a bit frazzled and overwhelmed from running around the park in the dark. It was definitely very quiet and the non-Potter areas are really dimly lit. A bit spooky when you’re solo!
Somehow I ended up in Seuss Landing and walked on Cat in the Hat, which I had never ridden before.
This was so strange to me, kind of like Figment crossed with the Heffalumps part of WtP. I thought of course my mom could ride, until we got to this one part where even I got dizzy for a moment!
The Cat in the Hat was spinning and the track was moving funny and it was quite the experience! The theming of the ride is a bit sparse but I suppose it’s geared towards little kids who wouldn’t notice.
I was the only one riding, and the team members were clapping and cheering for me. Lol! They were probably like why is this girl paying so much money just to ride Cat in the Hat!
I walked onto the Seuss train as well, which was a bit more popular and maybe ¼ full. Hulk looks even crazier from this angle!
My mom and I always enjoy this little train, and it was nice being able to walk on. Usually the line is pretty long and slow since the capacity is so low.
I headed back to Hogsmeade around 8:30 to check on Hagrid’s, which was still a 120 minute wait. The team member said there were still day guests in line, and he recommended coming back in an hour. He said it was fine to bring food/drinks in line while waiting, good to know!
I decided to take the Hogwarts Express to Universal Studios. It was a super quick wait, I was in line at 8:46 and off by 8:57. Since the event included access to both parks, there was no hassle with ticketing before getting on. So much easier since that is always a fiasco during the day!
I have never been to London before, so Universal is my only experience of King's Cross!
It’s crazy what a different experience the Studios side is, stepping out of King’s Cross is like stepping into a different Era compared to the Hogsmeade/Jurassic/Seuss areas.
I headed to Diagon Alley first of course, clearly you can tell where I prefer to spend my time at Universal!
This is where you can really see the attendance of the event. They do not exaggerate the low crowds, if you have ever been to Universal during holidays you will really appreciate how empty it is! This was still pretty early into the event, I imagine it only got quieter as the night went on. I have already been in all the shops many times, but if you have never experienced the Wizarding World of HP this is absolutely my recommended way of doing so. No pushing through hordes of people!
Florean’s had a long line and I was too cold for ice cream so I skipped, but it is very good soft serve!
Gringotts standby was listed at only 10 minutes around 9:00 so I got in line. I have only ever done single rider apart from the first time I rode so it had been a long time since I'd gone through the regular queue.
I took a ton of photos in the queue since I had not seen it in a long time. Many others were doing the same!
This is such a neat area, it’s too bad the single rider line skips all the fun stuff.
So realistic!
I completely forgot there is an elevator part in the regular queue! It was like the stretching room but way more thrilling, sorry Haunted Mansion!
Apart from the pre-show videos, the ride was basically a walk on. I was in front row and had so much fun! I think I prefer Gringotts to FJ now since there is less motion. Helena Bonham Carter is ageless!
Diagon Alley was so empty when I got off the ride. I didn't stick around but they were doing all of the regular shows during the event. You'd probably even be able to get a seat!
I stopped in Diagon Alley for a hot Butterbeer at 9:25. I also got a fishy green ale to try out of curiosity. This is a non-alcoholic drink that is sweet and minty, more like a red hot than spearmint I think. It has popping boba, the kind that are filled with juice. Very interesting, not bad but I don’t think I’d buy a full cup of it! Definitely fun to try for free though!
The Butterbeer was perfect as usual.
The hot version is my favorite, but every time I go to Universal it is always super cold, so that may have influenced my opinion! Super sweet and taste like a chai latte but butterscotch instead.
I enjoyed my drinks at the picnic tables in Diagon Alley and overheard a woman angrily demanding “fastpasses for the train” from one of the team members. Umm, lady, I can’t even begin to explain how many things are wrong with that statement!
I checked the app again and saw Hagrid’s had dropped to 45 minutes so I decided to book it over to IoA. The opened a walking path between the parks from Mummy to Seuss Landing, which was about a five minute fast walk. Either there was a short wait for the train or I wanted to check out the path, I’m not sure!
Between Seuss Landing and Hogsmeade, I picked up a fresh popcorn from one of the snack carts. This was so delicious and fresh and really hit the spot after all my sweet drinks! I think the carts had stuff like soda and ice cream and cotton candy as well. For some reason my bottomless pit stomach was failing me that night and I did not eat nearly as much free food as I had hoped to!
The Hagrid’s standby had went up to 75 minutes, but I decided now or never and got in line around 9:50. I didn’t want to chance them closing the queue on me since some rides needed to be clear around midnight due to noise ordinances.
Continued in Part 2 of 2
The Orlando Informer Universal Meetup officially started at 5 while the park was still open, but I had heard people usually are allowed in early. Of course I was running later than I planned, so no early entry for me! I had to at least charge my phone enough to order a Lyft after all.
I headed to Gran Destino Tower for an easier pickup, and ordered Lyft because it was $7 cheaper than Uber although the driver I got was a ways away, so maybe that was a bad decision. People were doing wedding photos at the tower, what a beautiful backdrop!
My driver was pleasant, he had the radio on and they were talking about news in Minnesota! Small world!
I arrived at the Universal rideshare drop off at 4:50, I’ve said it before but I love the new drop off! So much less confusing than the old one!
Lots of signs to check in, you are pre-assigned a park entrance to check in at. I was assigned to Islands of Adventure, which is usually where I start anyways. Anyone else a creature of habit? Epcot is always my first Disney park now!
There was a super long line to check in at registration, it was 5:00 and so all of us non-early birds were paying the price! I was in after about 20 minutes. The Universal employee (team member?) told me there were no light up wristbands like they used in previous years, due to “the virus” causing manufacturing delays. I think that was the first mention of the virus that I heard about that trip (Feb 28th)!
We just got regular paper wristbands, which I will give you a spoiler was not great because I think a lot of non-event guests hung around later in the evening and clogged the lines since it was easier to sneak into lines than it would be if there were light up bracelets.
I decided to ride Hulk standby right away, since I wasn’t sure if I’d be back in that area of the park once the event started. Standby was only 25 minutes and I usually do single rider.
Here are the lockers which are required on most rides at Universal. These are actually some of the bigger lockers, they are free and you just scan your ticket barcode. A few lockers use fingerprints but I hate those because mine never works!
I use an Eddie Bauer stowaway daypack backpack because it's packable, so I can squeeze it into the small lockers as long as it isn’t full. If you can manage it, I’d recommend fitting everything into a three-prong fanny pack since most rides (apart from a few such as Hulk) will let you ride with a fanny pack. Major plus of Disney is not having to ever use a locker!
I headed to the single rider line and took a wrong turn after the metal detectors and ended up in the regular line, oops. I quickly realized my mistake and headed back to the metal detectors, where you go up some outdoor stairs to the single rider line. It’s very poorly marked, and my noob self does this pretty much every time!
I ended up waiting 25 minutes in the single rider because it went down for over five minutes which always happens when I ride, I swear! That ride video is so annoying, people say the FoP pre-show is bad but the Hulk video takes it to another level! I probably listened to it on loop 10 times!
Finally I was on, I ended up in the back row which was smoother than I expected but my head sure got banged around a lot. I was definitely going to have a headache by the end of this ride-heavy trip!
Hulk is a really good and thrilling coaster, but it’s no different than anything at Six Flags, and has very little theming. I’m hoping that Tron and Guardians will be much better in that sense!
I recovered my backpack and decided to get some dinner before IoA closed to regular guests at 7. I believe the Universal Studios side did not close until 8. With my ticket, I had a dining card loaded with a quick service meal and drink and an extra snack and drink, which had to be used before the park closed. I was set on using it at the Three Broomsticks since I figured it would be crazy busy during the event!
Of course, I had to stop by the castle and get a picture before the sun set.
Hogwarts never ceases to amaze me! I’m glad that Universal got the rights to the park , they really did it justice. If you have never been, your first time seeing Hogwarts will be something really special!
I made it to Three Broomsticks at 6:10, and there was a long line! Oh well, I was going to tough it out for my chicken and ribs platter! I finished ordering after 30 minutes, so it could have been worse I think. I do love that they have examples of all the food out, I am an indecisive person and think all menus should have photos of the food!
Since the park was closing at 7, I used all of my dining credits at once. Easily about a ~$30 value here!
I skipped Butterbeer since I knew it would be easy to get during the event. I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but the event came with free drinks and snacks and a limited menu at each restaurant! Aka free Butterbeer all night!
I got my food in a little under 10 minutes. They temporarily ran out of corn but then it was refilled a minute later, phew!
I had the chicken and ribs platter which comes with corn and roasted potatoes, and a fruit cup with pumpkin juice and sparkling water.
This is such a fantastic meal, and definitely more than I’d expect from a theme park!
The ribs were a bit fatty but I still liked them, and I never order ribs off a menu. The chicken was delicious and very juicy, the skin is so crispy but I barely was able to eat any after finishing the ribs. The corn really impressed me, I’m picky and really only like the white and yellow sweet corn but this tasted just like that. Very crunchy and not sad and overcooked like at Chili’s, if you’ve ever experienced what I’m talking about. I’ve never had pumpkin juice before, and I really enjoyed it! It tasted a lot like apple juice to me, but with an apple pie flavor. Not very pumpkin-y, but very Fall! It’s quite sweet but not overly so, I think being served over ice helps cut the sweetness a bit. Definitely glad I gave it a try! The watermelon was excellent but I think I could only fit in like two bites. This meal was way too much for just me, uh oh because the unlimited food during the event had not even started yet!
I know a lot of people (especially those staying at Universal resorts) pick up their ticket earlier in the day and use the dining credit at CityWalk for lunch, sounds like a smart plan!
I finished eating at 7:17, so the park was closed to regular guests now. As I left, the team members were telling people they could not come in until they started serving the event food which I believe was available starting at 8. Food went until 12:30, so plenty of time to grab food during the event! Snack and drink carts were open during the entire event also, and I grabbed a lot of Gilly waters (aka regular bottled water) to take back to Coronado.
Another Hogwarts photo op now that it was dark! I tried night mode on my phone in the first picture, and normal mode in the second picture. Cool feature!
This castle view makes me think of the first movie when Harry sees Hogwarts for the first time. So magical!
I had never bothered to ride Flight of the Hippogriff, so I decided to do that while my stomach was still settling from dinner to ease my way back into rides.
Lots of fun stuff in this queue, so it's worth checking out even if you don’t ride!
This scarecrow makes me think of Return to Oz and Jack Pumpkinhead! I loved that weird little movie as a kid.
Hagrid’s Hut is also in the queue (and is also in the queue of the new motorbike ride of course).
I walked onto the ride at 7:28, there were maybe four of us on! The team members were commenting to each other how quiet it was. I’m not sure if they meant it was quiet for an event, or if they haven’t done many evening events and thought it was still a regular night
Flight of the Hippogriff was fun and faster than I expected for a kids ride but it was so short! I’m not sure if it was much more than a minute long! I was glad I tried it but I’d never wait in a real line for it. The seats are pretty small so it’d be a squeeze for two adults!
Now that my dinner had settled (or had it?), it was time for Forbidden Journey. I think I have ridden FJ probably 10 times before, the single rider line was always really short when I’ve been to both Universal parks.
More night mode, the castle is just unreal looking at night!
I got in line at 7:37 and standby was listed as 15 minutes. I loved being able to go through the normal line, I think they cut off some parts though since I don’t remember going through the greenhouse, but I did go by the portraits.
Night mode again, it’s amazing how clear of a photo I could get in such dim lighting!
The line didn’t move at first, and it was the longest single rider line I’ve ever seen! Usually I am pretty close to the sorting hat when I get in the single rider line but I was really far back this time. However, once the line started moving I was on in 10 minutes.
Okay, this is when I realized I shouldn’t have eaten so much! I forgot how long the ride was, and by the end I was definitely ready for it to be over. I’m usually pretty tough when it comes to screen rides but in that moment I could see how people get sick!
Such a good ride if you can handle it, I love the mixed use of screens, real objects, and the unusual seating. I close my eyes during the dementors and spiders every time!
I had to get a team member to open the fingerprint locker since it wouldn’t unlock for me, classic! I think he asked me what was in the locker so at least there’s a little precaution there!
My phone battery was pretty low at that point, so I caved and decided to buy a fuel rod. I had a heck of a time finding a machine but found one somewhere in the Jurassic area and forked over $30!
It only holds enough power to charge like 30% of my phone, but better than 0% I guess. I learned my lesson and will never forget to charge my portable charger again!I was a bit frazzled and overwhelmed from running around the park in the dark. It was definitely very quiet and the non-Potter areas are really dimly lit. A bit spooky when you’re solo!
Somehow I ended up in Seuss Landing and walked on Cat in the Hat, which I had never ridden before.
This was so strange to me, kind of like Figment crossed with the Heffalumps part of WtP. I thought of course my mom could ride, until we got to this one part where even I got dizzy for a moment!
The Cat in the Hat was spinning and the track was moving funny and it was quite the experience! The theming of the ride is a bit sparse but I suppose it’s geared towards little kids who wouldn’t notice.
I was the only one riding, and the team members were clapping and cheering for me. Lol! They were probably like why is this girl paying so much money just to ride Cat in the Hat!
I walked onto the Seuss train as well, which was a bit more popular and maybe ¼ full. Hulk looks even crazier from this angle!
My mom and I always enjoy this little train, and it was nice being able to walk on. Usually the line is pretty long and slow since the capacity is so low.
I headed back to Hogsmeade around 8:30 to check on Hagrid’s, which was still a 120 minute wait. The team member said there were still day guests in line, and he recommended coming back in an hour. He said it was fine to bring food/drinks in line while waiting, good to know!
I decided to take the Hogwarts Express to Universal Studios. It was a super quick wait, I was in line at 8:46 and off by 8:57. Since the event included access to both parks, there was no hassle with ticketing before getting on. So much easier since that is always a fiasco during the day!
I have never been to London before, so Universal is my only experience of King's Cross!
It’s crazy what a different experience the Studios side is, stepping out of King’s Cross is like stepping into a different Era compared to the Hogsmeade/Jurassic/Seuss areas.
I headed to Diagon Alley first of course, clearly you can tell where I prefer to spend my time at Universal!
This is where you can really see the attendance of the event. They do not exaggerate the low crowds, if you have ever been to Universal during holidays you will really appreciate how empty it is! This was still pretty early into the event, I imagine it only got quieter as the night went on. I have already been in all the shops many times, but if you have never experienced the Wizarding World of HP this is absolutely my recommended way of doing so. No pushing through hordes of people!
Florean’s had a long line and I was too cold for ice cream so I skipped, but it is very good soft serve!
Gringotts standby was listed at only 10 minutes around 9:00 so I got in line. I have only ever done single rider apart from the first time I rode so it had been a long time since I'd gone through the regular queue.
I took a ton of photos in the queue since I had not seen it in a long time. Many others were doing the same!
This is such a neat area, it’s too bad the single rider line skips all the fun stuff.
So realistic!
I completely forgot there is an elevator part in the regular queue! It was like the stretching room but way more thrilling, sorry Haunted Mansion!
Apart from the pre-show videos, the ride was basically a walk on. I was in front row and had so much fun! I think I prefer Gringotts to FJ now since there is less motion. Helena Bonham Carter is ageless!
Diagon Alley was so empty when I got off the ride. I didn't stick around but they were doing all of the regular shows during the event. You'd probably even be able to get a seat!
I stopped in Diagon Alley for a hot Butterbeer at 9:25. I also got a fishy green ale to try out of curiosity. This is a non-alcoholic drink that is sweet and minty, more like a red hot than spearmint I think. It has popping boba, the kind that are filled with juice. Very interesting, not bad but I don’t think I’d buy a full cup of it! Definitely fun to try for free though!
The Butterbeer was perfect as usual.
The hot version is my favorite, but every time I go to Universal it is always super cold, so that may have influenced my opinion! Super sweet and taste like a chai latte but butterscotch instead.I enjoyed my drinks at the picnic tables in Diagon Alley and overheard a woman angrily demanding “fastpasses for the train” from one of the team members. Umm, lady, I can’t even begin to explain how many things are wrong with that statement!
I checked the app again and saw Hagrid’s had dropped to 45 minutes so I decided to book it over to IoA. The opened a walking path between the parks from Mummy to Seuss Landing, which was about a five minute fast walk. Either there was a short wait for the train or I wanted to check out the path, I’m not sure!
Between Seuss Landing and Hogsmeade, I picked up a fresh popcorn from one of the snack carts. This was so delicious and fresh and really hit the spot after all my sweet drinks! I think the carts had stuff like soda and ice cream and cotton candy as well. For some reason my bottomless pit stomach was failing me that night and I did not eat nearly as much free food as I had hoped to!
The Hagrid’s standby had went up to 75 minutes, but I decided now or never and got in line around 9:50. I didn’t want to chance them closing the queue on me since some rides needed to be clear around midnight due to noise ordinances.
Continued in Part 2 of 2
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Disneyhanna
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Are you doing both nights? I definitely wished I had more time to go at a slower pace and enjoy more food! It was so a great event and really well run, you will have an awesome time!
So exciting! When I go back to Universal I will probably try to do a meetup since I can't imagine waiting in those regular lines ever again, and I'm too cheap for Express! I'm hoping to get Part 2 posted tomorrow!
DLo
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Yes , I decided to do both nights after asking some people on here that had been what they thought. I got a good deal on the tickets when they were on sale a few weeks ago . Can’t wait !
Disneyhanna
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Two nights is the way to go if you’re a big Universal fan or haven’t been recently (or ever)! If you want to ride Hagrid’s that can eat up time so having two nights would make it so much less stressful. I feel like I was constantly looking at my watch and amazed how fast the time was flying by.
Disneyhanna
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Day Three - Part Three: Orlando Informer Universal Meetup 2 of 2
Lots of Hagrid’s spoilers in this post, so read with caution!
I got in line for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure with my popcorn at 9:50, and was surprised that I was able to walk all the way through the outdoor queue. When I was there in December, I waited 50 minutes and almost half of that time was outside.
Hagrid’s Hut 2.0!
There are some really neat spots in this queue, definitely worth going through as I’m not sure how much you see in single rider (and it’s debatable whether that’s a faster option).
I love the art on the walls, there is just so much detail to see.
There’s a short video, but I saw it in December so I just kept walking to catch up to the back of the line.
The end of the line was in what I’m calling the “egg room” due to a shelf of (dragon?) eggs. There’s also a big hunk of “gems” on the wall in this room.
When I got to this spot in December, I think I only waited half an hour so I was feeling optimistic about the wait time.
It was sooo hot and humid in this room! The line moved pretty slowly through the cavern section, so definitely not for the claustrophobic. I chatted with a couple behind me a bit so that helped pass the time.
Again, lots of great theming to keep you entertained! I wish I could have gotten a little closer to some of the stuff.
There was a bit of a stall in the last room where the motorbike is “above” you on the roof, otherwise I think the wait would have been much shorter. I ended up waiting only 50 minutes in total, still much better than 75 although I waited the same amount around lunch time on a regular park day in December!
Just before I got on at 10:40, I saw the wait time had jumped to 90 minutes. I wonder if that was a bit inflated to discourage people from getting in line since the ride had to shut down at midnight.
This ride is just so awesome I can’t describe it! This was my first time riding it at night, and I think the scenery blends in much better and feels more immersive. The acceleration is so fun and the ride is incredibly smooth despite being so fast.
I picked the bike and the seating is so comfy. My head always gets banged around on normal coasters so I love the bike seating.
I briefly entertained the idea of getting in line again but decided to move on and do other rides instead.
Farewell Hagrid’s, I can’t wait to ride again!
I’m pretty sure they closed the line for the evening shortly after I got off, so keep that in mind for rides that have noise ordinances. Since they had to shut down the ride at midnight, I’m not surprised they closed the line prior to 11 since the wait can easily be over an hour if it goes down. I think there were a lot of unhappy guests over this but Orlando Informer did communicate this in their emails and brochure, so it’s up to you to make sure you plan this into your evening!
If I were a photographer, I’d be thrilled with all of the great opportunities for photos during this event. Hardly anyone around!
I do wish Universal had more photographers like Disney though, it would be nice for solo guests like myself!
The Hogwarts Express had a posted 10 minute wait but I walked right on. The Hogsmeade side is always a much shorter wait than the Diagon Alley side.
I talked to a really nice couple that was all dressed up in fancy costumes. They had been to Universal a few weeks prior and waited 2.5 hours to ride Hagrid’s during a normal park day! Suddenly my 50 minute wait was feeling even better!
I always have to take a picture of this poster of course. Maybe I will rewatch the movies this winter!
I did not get a photo of Kreacher, but it’s fun to watch for him.
I walked right onto Men in Black around 11:20.
My mom and I never rode since we were worried it would spin too much for her, so I was looking forward to trying this one out for the first time.
Two fairly elderly ladies rode with me and put me in the middle, I quickly discovered they did this so they’d have better aim!
They were hilarious! This was clearly one of their favorite rides and they gave me lots of tips since I had no clue what was happening. They told me to press a red button at one point and I did, and got some sort of bonus? They definitely crushed my score though!
The spinning really wasn’t bad, I think my mom maybe could survive this one. I’m still not sure what I was supposed to aim at though!
I had so much fun on this ride, and chatted about the event with the ladies. They waited an hour and a half for Hagrid’s when it said 60 minutes! All luck of the draw I guess.
I had the munchies, so I decided to try out the “Basket o’ Bait” from The Frying Dutchman.
There was only one coconut shrimp in the whole thing, and that was the only part I ended up liking.
The tater tots were fine but I’m more of a french fry gal. The calamari (long strips? weird) and cod were pretty meh but I think I just wasn’t in the mood for a full meal so late at night. Glad I didn’t have to pay out of pocket for this one. Definitely would classify this as theme park food, and not gourmet...
I saw the Lard Lad Donuts cart right outside of the food court area and they were just giving people boxes of donuts! I’m not sure these are included in the event, but since it was so late and they had a lot of donuts I think the workers were just being nice and trying to get rid of everything.
I walked away with my box of donuts and people kept asking where I got them, and were shocked when I said they were free! (I had them for breakfast over the next few days and they were surprisingly decent even though not fresh!)
It was close to midnight and I hopped in line for ET, another walk on. I missed this one in December because the line was like 50 minutes (no thanks), so sad because my mom can actually ride this one! The ET ride is so calm and unique, definitely one of the better Universal rides. The park isn’t very friendly for people who get motion sickness, so more rides like this would be appreciated!
Next up was Mummy! No early closure since it’s an indoor coaster.
The lockers were a tight fit but I somehow stuffed my box of donuts and backpack into one locker since they’re pretty deep even though the opening is not very big. Omg, this ride was nothing like I remembered! Mummy actually reminds me a lot of Indiana Jones (in Disneyland, aka Dinosaur in WDW) but more of a coaster than a relatively flat track. I really got tossed around but it was so much fun!
Another new to me ride was Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The intro video was SO long, I think it was like 15 minutes before we got on the ride even though there was no line. I was having regrets already!
This ride was honestly so weird and random, and honestly pretty pointless! It was a lot like the Simpson’s ride to me, except everyone is in the same room. I've only ridden Simpson's once and don't really have a desire to do so again, and I think I feel the same way about this one. I was starting to feel a touch queasy at that point, from such a long day of rides in addition to the motion I think.
I got in line for Minions but ended up bailing from the line when I heard the intro describe the ride as a “high speed chase.” I did not think I needed any more of that, and didn’t want to push it too much!
It was 12:40 at that point, and while the event was going for another 50 minutes I was so tired and decided to head out. It had been a very long day!
I was plenty warm despite the chilly 50 degree evening, but I saw many people that were underdressed. The ride queues were all super warm so layers are best. I had on a fleece turtleneck sweater and down vest with leggings. There were still quite a few people there when I left, but nothing like during the day!
Lyft was about 15 minutes out when I requested it while on the moving walkways. Uber was $15 more expensive! I’m guessing it would have been a bit more expensive if I had waited until the event actually ended. My driver was really nice, he was a younger guy who was finishing up his master’s in animation. He was playing eine kleine nachtmusik on the radio, what a peaceful way to end my evening.
I was back to my room around 1:20AM and was a bit too wired to get to sleep until 2:30.
In addition to my donuts, I also had a few extra drinks I brought back with me that I grabbed from snack carts throughout the night.
Phew!!! I think that was a really successful evening at Universal! In the end I had a little over 25k steps for the day.
Recap:
I paid $187 (with tax/fees) for the ticket, which I believe is on par with a one day two-park regular admission. My two Lyfts were about $50 total, so definitely a pricey day!
Overall I got so much more done in one evening than I ever had during a day at Universal. The only line I really waited in was Hagrid’s, almost everything else was a walk on. I’m sure I could have fit in a few more rides had I gotten there earlier and stayed until the end.
Definitely come hungry! I think going with others would make it easier to try more food since you could share things. I still think the meetup was an incredible value even though I didn’t eat that much, since Universal food is so expensive. If I hadn’t been so recently in December, I think I definitely would have needed to do the two-night option.
If I could redo everything, I might have gotten there early to be let in as soon as possible and have ridden Hagrid’s during the regular hours before the event started. I would have waited longer but then I wouldn’t have been stressed during the event and could have taken advantage of more of the short ride lines (and food).
100% recommend this event!
Back to Disney in Day Four - Part One: Another AK Morning and Checking Out the Riviera
Lots of Hagrid’s spoilers in this post, so read with caution!
I got in line for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure with my popcorn at 9:50, and was surprised that I was able to walk all the way through the outdoor queue. When I was there in December, I waited 50 minutes and almost half of that time was outside.
Hagrid’s Hut 2.0!
There are some really neat spots in this queue, definitely worth going through as I’m not sure how much you see in single rider (and it’s debatable whether that’s a faster option).
I love the art on the walls, there is just so much detail to see.
There’s a short video, but I saw it in December so I just kept walking to catch up to the back of the line.
The end of the line was in what I’m calling the “egg room” due to a shelf of (dragon?) eggs. There’s also a big hunk of “gems” on the wall in this room.
When I got to this spot in December, I think I only waited half an hour so I was feeling optimistic about the wait time.
It was sooo hot and humid in this room! The line moved pretty slowly through the cavern section, so definitely not for the claustrophobic. I chatted with a couple behind me a bit so that helped pass the time.
Again, lots of great theming to keep you entertained! I wish I could have gotten a little closer to some of the stuff.
There was a bit of a stall in the last room where the motorbike is “above” you on the roof, otherwise I think the wait would have been much shorter. I ended up waiting only 50 minutes in total, still much better than 75 although I waited the same amount around lunch time on a regular park day in December!
Just before I got on at 10:40, I saw the wait time had jumped to 90 minutes. I wonder if that was a bit inflated to discourage people from getting in line since the ride had to shut down at midnight.
This ride is just so awesome I can’t describe it! This was my first time riding it at night, and I think the scenery blends in much better and feels more immersive. The acceleration is so fun and the ride is incredibly smooth despite being so fast.
I picked the bike and the seating is so comfy. My head always gets banged around on normal coasters so I love the bike seating.
I briefly entertained the idea of getting in line again but decided to move on and do other rides instead.
Farewell Hagrid’s, I can’t wait to ride again!
I’m pretty sure they closed the line for the evening shortly after I got off, so keep that in mind for rides that have noise ordinances. Since they had to shut down the ride at midnight, I’m not surprised they closed the line prior to 11 since the wait can easily be over an hour if it goes down. I think there were a lot of unhappy guests over this but Orlando Informer did communicate this in their emails and brochure, so it’s up to you to make sure you plan this into your evening!
If I were a photographer, I’d be thrilled with all of the great opportunities for photos during this event. Hardly anyone around!
I do wish Universal had more photographers like Disney though, it would be nice for solo guests like myself!
The Hogwarts Express had a posted 10 minute wait but I walked right on. The Hogsmeade side is always a much shorter wait than the Diagon Alley side.
I talked to a really nice couple that was all dressed up in fancy costumes. They had been to Universal a few weeks prior and waited 2.5 hours to ride Hagrid’s during a normal park day! Suddenly my 50 minute wait was feeling even better!
I always have to take a picture of this poster of course. Maybe I will rewatch the movies this winter!
I did not get a photo of Kreacher, but it’s fun to watch for him.
I walked right onto Men in Black around 11:20.
My mom and I never rode since we were worried it would spin too much for her, so I was looking forward to trying this one out for the first time.
Two fairly elderly ladies rode with me and put me in the middle, I quickly discovered they did this so they’d have better aim!
They were hilarious! This was clearly one of their favorite rides and they gave me lots of tips since I had no clue what was happening. They told me to press a red button at one point and I did, and got some sort of bonus? They definitely crushed my score though!The spinning really wasn’t bad, I think my mom maybe could survive this one. I’m still not sure what I was supposed to aim at though!
I had so much fun on this ride, and chatted about the event with the ladies. They waited an hour and a half for Hagrid’s when it said 60 minutes! All luck of the draw I guess.
I had the munchies, so I decided to try out the “Basket o’ Bait” from The Frying Dutchman.
There was only one coconut shrimp in the whole thing, and that was the only part I ended up liking.
The tater tots were fine but I’m more of a french fry gal. The calamari (long strips? weird) and cod were pretty meh but I think I just wasn’t in the mood for a full meal so late at night. Glad I didn’t have to pay out of pocket for this one. Definitely would classify this as theme park food, and not gourmet...
I saw the Lard Lad Donuts cart right outside of the food court area and they were just giving people boxes of donuts! I’m not sure these are included in the event, but since it was so late and they had a lot of donuts I think the workers were just being nice and trying to get rid of everything.
I walked away with my box of donuts and people kept asking where I got them, and were shocked when I said they were free! (I had them for breakfast over the next few days and they were surprisingly decent even though not fresh!)
It was close to midnight and I hopped in line for ET, another walk on. I missed this one in December because the line was like 50 minutes (no thanks), so sad because my mom can actually ride this one! The ET ride is so calm and unique, definitely one of the better Universal rides. The park isn’t very friendly for people who get motion sickness, so more rides like this would be appreciated!
Next up was Mummy! No early closure since it’s an indoor coaster.
The lockers were a tight fit but I somehow stuffed my box of donuts and backpack into one locker since they’re pretty deep even though the opening is not very big. Omg, this ride was nothing like I remembered! Mummy actually reminds me a lot of Indiana Jones (in Disneyland, aka Dinosaur in WDW) but more of a coaster than a relatively flat track. I really got tossed around but it was so much fun!
Another new to me ride was Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The intro video was SO long, I think it was like 15 minutes before we got on the ride even though there was no line. I was having regrets already!
This ride was honestly so weird and random, and honestly pretty pointless! It was a lot like the Simpson’s ride to me, except everyone is in the same room. I've only ridden Simpson's once and don't really have a desire to do so again, and I think I feel the same way about this one. I was starting to feel a touch queasy at that point, from such a long day of rides in addition to the motion I think.
I got in line for Minions but ended up bailing from the line when I heard the intro describe the ride as a “high speed chase.” I did not think I needed any more of that, and didn’t want to push it too much!
It was 12:40 at that point, and while the event was going for another 50 minutes I was so tired and decided to head out. It had been a very long day!
I was plenty warm despite the chilly 50 degree evening, but I saw many people that were underdressed. The ride queues were all super warm so layers are best. I had on a fleece turtleneck sweater and down vest with leggings. There were still quite a few people there when I left, but nothing like during the day!
Lyft was about 15 minutes out when I requested it while on the moving walkways. Uber was $15 more expensive! I’m guessing it would have been a bit more expensive if I had waited until the event actually ended. My driver was really nice, he was a younger guy who was finishing up his master’s in animation. He was playing eine kleine nachtmusik on the radio, what a peaceful way to end my evening.
I was back to my room around 1:20AM and was a bit too wired to get to sleep until 2:30.
In addition to my donuts, I also had a few extra drinks I brought back with me that I grabbed from snack carts throughout the night.
Phew!!! I think that was a really successful evening at Universal! In the end I had a little over 25k steps for the day.
Recap:
I paid $187 (with tax/fees) for the ticket, which I believe is on par with a one day two-park regular admission. My two Lyfts were about $50 total, so definitely a pricey day!
Overall I got so much more done in one evening than I ever had during a day at Universal. The only line I really waited in was Hagrid’s, almost everything else was a walk on. I’m sure I could have fit in a few more rides had I gotten there earlier and stayed until the end.
Definitely come hungry! I think going with others would make it easier to try more food since you could share things. I still think the meetup was an incredible value even though I didn’t eat that much, since Universal food is so expensive. If I hadn’t been so recently in December, I think I definitely would have needed to do the two-night option.
If I could redo everything, I might have gotten there early to be let in as soon as possible and have ridden Hagrid’s during the regular hours before the event started. I would have waited longer but then I wouldn’t have been stressed during the event and could have taken advantage of more of the short ride lines (and food).
100% recommend this event!
Back to Disney in Day Four - Part One: Another AK Morning and Checking Out the Riviera
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Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
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Day Four - Part One: Another AK Morning and Checking Out the Riviera
Anticipating my late night at Universal, my first FP for my Animal Kingdom morning was for the 11:30 Festival of the Lion King.
Guess who did not wake up in time for FotLK!
I did not set an alarm and woke up around 11:30 in true millennial fashion. My next FP was for the safari at 12:30, plenty of time to make that!
I headed to the bus stop around 12:50, without anyone to keep me on track I guess I really move slowly in the morning! The AK bus pulled up one minute after I got to the stop, I was having really good luck with the buses this trip. It took 13 minutes from the Cabanas bus stop at Coronado to being dropped off at AK, not bad at all.
One of the bridges in AK had this railing, is this to prevent birds from landing on it?
It’s so lovely to trek through AK to get to the Safari, so many sights to see. The most picturesque theme park for sure!
I made it to the safari around 1:20, and standby was already up to 120 minutes.
Harambe was very lively that day, lots of music and dancers. Definitely busier than the other morning I was at AK.
The FP line was pretty backed up but moved quickly and I was on in eight minutes. Everyone in front of me kept going left, so I went right at the fork! Again, I was put in row 1!
We saw a zebra rolling around in the dirt, excuse my terrible photography. Maybe I should have gotten the phone with the telephoto lens!
Lots of giraffes out close to the trucks as well.
I don’t know if this little den actually houses someone or if it’s just for show!
We had a bit of a comedian for a driver, he was an older gentleman with a very dry sense of humor. It was definitely a switch up from the usual safari driver’s I’ve had! He kept starting and stopping so it was a bumpy ride, but it added dramatic effect.
We got to the road closed part (which I don’t remember going by on every ride, are there multiple routes?) and he was like “...I could jump it.”
He really got into character and was like “I’m a man, I don’t need a map.” He also held his breath going over the bridge! One of the guests whistled at one of the animals, and the driver absolutely roasted him. It was hilarious! It felt like I was on a crossover between the safari and Jungle Cruise.
Here’s another shot of the baby elephant from my previous safari, probably not any better than my last attempt.
When I got off the safari, the line was up to 150 minutes. Phew!
I headed to Pandora next for my Flight of Passage FP. Standby was 185 at 2PM! The queue is so pretty, I still have yet to see the regular queue though.
So many cool details throughout, look at the size of those Na’vi handprints!
It was nice and air conditioned, much more pleasant than the NRJ queue which was so humid. The FP line was a bit further back that day, and while waiting I grabbed an Everest FP. Despite how busy it was that day, there were lots of FPs still available.
Finally, I was through the videos and on the ride after about a 20 minute wait. Definitely one of my favorite rides, despite getting a bit queasy at Universal the night before I did not have any issues with FoP (nor have I ever felt sick on a Disney ride)!
The Everest standby was 85, and I was through the FP line in 10 minutes. I hardly bother with single rider because it always ends up taking longer than it looks. While in line I picked up a Dinosaur FP, I was just stacking them up that day!
After a fun ride on Everest, I haded to Dinosaur where the line was “only” 60 minutes, the shortest of the day so far.
I was so close to getting a Smuggler’s FP to try it for the first time, but then I lost internet connection! Oh well, probably a sign I should focus more on the ride at hand!
I made it onto Dinosaur in about 15 minutes, I sort of wish you could skip the intro videos. Although I hear they are not using as many of those video rooms now due to social distancing? It was a fun and bumpy ride, the camera always surprises me. No ride photo since it didn’t connect to my MB sadly!
For dinner, I decided to try the Primo Piatto quick service at the Riviera. This meant heading to Hollywood Studios to take the skyliner over to the Riviera, which I had not seen yet.
I ran to the HS bus but it was full and pulled away, so much for my good luck! Luckily, another bus pulled up right after it! See why this TR is called the “Lucky” one?
My bus left AK at 4:07 and arrived at HS at 4:16. I was able to grab a 4:50 Toy Story Mania FP to use after my dinner at the Riviera. I loved that part of solo travelling, I could make sort of ridiculous plans on a whim and be all over the place and it didn’t matter!
I hopped on the skyliner with an older couple, and they were arguing the entire time. It was honestly hilarious because they were arguing about such silly things and I was trying not to laugh.
There was a bit of a backup at the CBR stop for the transfer to the Riviera. It took about 10 minutes. If you stay on to go to Epcot, I believe you can stay in your gondola and don’t have to transfer. It’s a bit confusing to me though!
I arrived at the Riviera at 4:45, so it took about 30 min from HS to Riviera. Maybe not the quickest mode of transport depending on how the lines stack up.
I explored the grounds a bit and there is plenty to see!
Everyone takes photos of the murals, they are so beautiful in person.
The Tangled one is my favorite I think!
The lobby is so gorgeous, but it definitely is a bit small and not as open as some of the other resorts. Extremely high end and posh looking though! The view overlooking the leisure areas is quite stunning.
I headed to Primo Piatto, which has an outside entrance near the pool and bocce ball. It’s quite small inside, very pretty and nothing like the huge food courts at the values and moderates!
They did have mobile order, but since there was no line I just ordered with the CM. At the time I paid around $22 for the romano & herb fries and shrimp pasta, which I’m not sure is on the menu right now.
The dining area was very sunny and bright, it felt more like a cafe than a food court. There was plenty of seating and my food was brought to my table when it was ready. I ordered around 4:50 and my food was brought out 20 minutes later, since everything was made to order. It's definitely like a cross between QS and TS!
The shrimp pasta consisted of “Linguini tossed with Sautéed Shrimp, Fennel, Tomato, Capers, and Roasted Garlic in a White Wine Lemon Sauce finished with Fresh Parsley.”
Hmm, this didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I think they make their own pasta at the Riviera, but it was a bit gummy and chewy like it had been stuck to the side of the pot, and the sauce was quite sparse and bland. It definitely could have used more lemon or some cream to give a little more flavor to the honestly subpar linguine. The garnishes were more for decoration but weren’t cooked in the sauce, so it was a lot of separate flavors that weren’t melded together very well.
The portion was right for me, but it definitely was a modest serving and you won’t have leftovers. The shrimp were probably the most disappointing to me, they seemed freshly cooked (and not the thawed pre-cooked kind usually served at QS) and were plentiful and large, but they tasted a bit fishy and overcooked for sure. They were actually quite cold since they were plated around the pasta, whereas if they were mixed in or covered with some sauce they might have stayed warmer. This dish was definitely appearance over taste, and I hope that they will rethink the presentation if it returns.
Harsh criticism aside, I still ate the entire thing but would try something else next time.
The fries were crispy and fresh, though it was a relatively small serving size for $5 and not very shareable compared to typical Disney portions. Potatoes are cheap, you’d think they could pile them up a bit more for that price!
Overall, I still enjoyed my peaceful meal at Primo Piatto. I think it would be so relaxing to be at this resort in the evenings, it is just so beautiful!
I explored the grounds a bit more and took advantage of the restrooms near the pool area to freshen up a bit before heading back to the parks. I’ll say, the deluxe resort restrooms are heaps above the rest!
I think you could definitely spend a lot of time just hanging out at the Riviera, it would be great to find a quiet spot with a book! Now if only I could slow down a bit during vacation and actually do something like that!
Continued in Part Two: Epcot Forever from the Japan Pavilion
Anticipating my late night at Universal, my first FP for my Animal Kingdom morning was for the 11:30 Festival of the Lion King.
Guess who did not wake up in time for FotLK!
I did not set an alarm and woke up around 11:30 in true millennial fashion. My next FP was for the safari at 12:30, plenty of time to make that!
I headed to the bus stop around 12:50, without anyone to keep me on track I guess I really move slowly in the morning! The AK bus pulled up one minute after I got to the stop, I was having really good luck with the buses this trip. It took 13 minutes from the Cabanas bus stop at Coronado to being dropped off at AK, not bad at all.
One of the bridges in AK had this railing, is this to prevent birds from landing on it?
It’s so lovely to trek through AK to get to the Safari, so many sights to see. The most picturesque theme park for sure!
I made it to the safari around 1:20, and standby was already up to 120 minutes.
Harambe was very lively that day, lots of music and dancers. Definitely busier than the other morning I was at AK.
The FP line was pretty backed up but moved quickly and I was on in eight minutes. Everyone in front of me kept going left, so I went right at the fork! Again, I was put in row 1!
We saw a zebra rolling around in the dirt, excuse my terrible photography. Maybe I should have gotten the phone with the telephoto lens!
Lots of giraffes out close to the trucks as well.
I don’t know if this little den actually houses someone or if it’s just for show!
We had a bit of a comedian for a driver, he was an older gentleman with a very dry sense of humor. It was definitely a switch up from the usual safari driver’s I’ve had! He kept starting and stopping so it was a bumpy ride, but it added dramatic effect.
We got to the road closed part (which I don’t remember going by on every ride, are there multiple routes?) and he was like “...I could jump it.”
He really got into character and was like “I’m a man, I don’t need a map.” He also held his breath going over the bridge! One of the guests whistled at one of the animals, and the driver absolutely roasted him. It was hilarious! It felt like I was on a crossover between the safari and Jungle Cruise.
Here’s another shot of the baby elephant from my previous safari, probably not any better than my last attempt.
When I got off the safari, the line was up to 150 minutes. Phew!
I headed to Pandora next for my Flight of Passage FP. Standby was 185 at 2PM! The queue is so pretty, I still have yet to see the regular queue though.
So many cool details throughout, look at the size of those Na’vi handprints!
It was nice and air conditioned, much more pleasant than the NRJ queue which was so humid. The FP line was a bit further back that day, and while waiting I grabbed an Everest FP. Despite how busy it was that day, there were lots of FPs still available.
Finally, I was through the videos and on the ride after about a 20 minute wait. Definitely one of my favorite rides, despite getting a bit queasy at Universal the night before I did not have any issues with FoP (nor have I ever felt sick on a Disney ride)!
The Everest standby was 85, and I was through the FP line in 10 minutes. I hardly bother with single rider because it always ends up taking longer than it looks. While in line I picked up a Dinosaur FP, I was just stacking them up that day!
After a fun ride on Everest, I haded to Dinosaur where the line was “only” 60 minutes, the shortest of the day so far.
I was so close to getting a Smuggler’s FP to try it for the first time, but then I lost internet connection! Oh well, probably a sign I should focus more on the ride at hand!
I made it onto Dinosaur in about 15 minutes, I sort of wish you could skip the intro videos. Although I hear they are not using as many of those video rooms now due to social distancing? It was a fun and bumpy ride, the camera always surprises me. No ride photo since it didn’t connect to my MB sadly!
For dinner, I decided to try the Primo Piatto quick service at the Riviera. This meant heading to Hollywood Studios to take the skyliner over to the Riviera, which I had not seen yet.
I ran to the HS bus but it was full and pulled away, so much for my good luck! Luckily, another bus pulled up right after it! See why this TR is called the “Lucky” one?
My bus left AK at 4:07 and arrived at HS at 4:16. I was able to grab a 4:50 Toy Story Mania FP to use after my dinner at the Riviera. I loved that part of solo travelling, I could make sort of ridiculous plans on a whim and be all over the place and it didn’t matter!
I hopped on the skyliner with an older couple, and they were arguing the entire time. It was honestly hilarious because they were arguing about such silly things and I was trying not to laugh.
There was a bit of a backup at the CBR stop for the transfer to the Riviera. It took about 10 minutes. If you stay on to go to Epcot, I believe you can stay in your gondola and don’t have to transfer. It’s a bit confusing to me though!
I arrived at the Riviera at 4:45, so it took about 30 min from HS to Riviera. Maybe not the quickest mode of transport depending on how the lines stack up.
I explored the grounds a bit and there is plenty to see!
Everyone takes photos of the murals, they are so beautiful in person.
The Tangled one is my favorite I think!
The lobby is so gorgeous, but it definitely is a bit small and not as open as some of the other resorts. Extremely high end and posh looking though! The view overlooking the leisure areas is quite stunning.
I headed to Primo Piatto, which has an outside entrance near the pool and bocce ball. It’s quite small inside, very pretty and nothing like the huge food courts at the values and moderates!
They did have mobile order, but since there was no line I just ordered with the CM. At the time I paid around $22 for the romano & herb fries and shrimp pasta, which I’m not sure is on the menu right now.
The dining area was very sunny and bright, it felt more like a cafe than a food court. There was plenty of seating and my food was brought to my table when it was ready. I ordered around 4:50 and my food was brought out 20 minutes later, since everything was made to order. It's definitely like a cross between QS and TS!
The shrimp pasta consisted of “Linguini tossed with Sautéed Shrimp, Fennel, Tomato, Capers, and Roasted Garlic in a White Wine Lemon Sauce finished with Fresh Parsley.”
Hmm, this didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I think they make their own pasta at the Riviera, but it was a bit gummy and chewy like it had been stuck to the side of the pot, and the sauce was quite sparse and bland. It definitely could have used more lemon or some cream to give a little more flavor to the honestly subpar linguine. The garnishes were more for decoration but weren’t cooked in the sauce, so it was a lot of separate flavors that weren’t melded together very well.
The portion was right for me, but it definitely was a modest serving and you won’t have leftovers. The shrimp were probably the most disappointing to me, they seemed freshly cooked (and not the thawed pre-cooked kind usually served at QS) and were plentiful and large, but they tasted a bit fishy and overcooked for sure. They were actually quite cold since they were plated around the pasta, whereas if they were mixed in or covered with some sauce they might have stayed warmer. This dish was definitely appearance over taste, and I hope that they will rethink the presentation if it returns.
Harsh criticism aside, I still ate the entire thing but would try something else next time.
The fries were crispy and fresh, though it was a relatively small serving size for $5 and not very shareable compared to typical Disney portions. Potatoes are cheap, you’d think they could pile them up a bit more for that price!
Overall, I still enjoyed my peaceful meal at Primo Piatto. I think it would be so relaxing to be at this resort in the evenings, it is just so beautiful!
I explored the grounds a bit more and took advantage of the restrooms near the pool area to freshen up a bit before heading back to the parks. I’ll say, the deluxe resort restrooms are heaps above the rest!
I think you could definitely spend a lot of time just hanging out at the Riviera, it would be great to find a quiet spot with a book! Now if only I could slow down a bit during vacation and actually do something like that!
Continued in Part Two: Epcot Forever from the Japan Pavilion
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disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2014
- Messages
- 8,618
I loved your review on the Universal meet up event. I am seriously thinking about doing it in December.
It looks like you get to enjoy so many attractions and the free food and drink is a nice perk!
I have to think about it, the only thing is the uncertainty of us even going on our trip.
Reading your report makes me miss park hopping, it will be so weird not to hit 2-3 parks each day!
I’m glad you enjoyed visiting the Riviera!
It looks like you get to enjoy so many attractions and the free food and drink is a nice perk!
I have to think about it, the only thing is the uncertainty of us even going on our trip.
Reading your report makes me miss park hopping, it will be so weird not to hit 2-3 parks each day!
I’m glad you enjoyed visiting the Riviera!
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
It was so nice being able to ride anything I wanted to! I actually picked that weekend to go to Disney before the meetup dates were announced, so it was definitely meant to be! The nice thing is I don't think they ever sell out until maybe the week before, so you can definitely wait on getting tickets until much closer to December given how uncertain everything is right now.
Looking back I really did park hop a lot, I'm not sure if I have ever spent a full day in one park except maybe my very first trip! It would certainly be a different experience I think, a bit strange right now with no evening shows to "end" the night. But being confined to one park would probably make things more relaxing since you're not trying to plan transportation!
Disneyhanna
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
- Messages
- 2,065
Day Four - Part Two: Epcot Forever from the Japan Pavilion
Hey all! A bit shorter post to wrap up day four, I hope to post again this weekend to catch up a bit more! I'll never forgive myself if this TR continues into 2021
I walked right onto the skyliner from the Riviera to CBR at 5:30 to head to Hollywood Studios. The CM was asking everyone where they were going, and everyone was saying Epcot, so he saved them from heading the wrong direction!
I shared my gondola with a couple, the poor guy was begrudgingly playing the role of an instagram boyfriend. It was nice and breezy, we were stalled for about a minute but otherwise a smooth trip.
There was still a very long line from CBR to the Riviera at that time, probably for dinner! I walked right on to the Hollywood Studios line and arrived at 5:47, so overall a 17 minute journey from Riviera to HS.
The Toy Story Mania standby line was only 40 minutes, not too bad. It jumped to 65 minutes while I was in the FP line though!
I had my best score ever (I think), I looked up a few tricks but honestly I’m not sure if it made me better or worse...my arm is always too tired to go more than once in a row!
I didn’t have much luck finding any good HS FPs besides aliens and star tours since the park was closing at 8 that night. I decided to go to Epcot since it was so empty at night on Wednesday, I figured I’d have more luck there.
I wanted to use the bus this time because the skyliner line to the Riviera is so long and it took me 45 min last time to go from HS to Epcot. Of course, there was a Coronado bus waiting at the bus stop since I wasn’t going back to the resort just yet!
It was a little after 6:30, and people were sitting at the Epcot bus stop so hopefully they had been there a while and a bus would pull up soon. A bus pulled up just three short minutes later! I picked up a 7:20 Frozen FP while I was waiting, score!
I made it to Epcot around 7:00 and waited in a very short Spaceship Earth standby line. By 7:15 I was in my own ride vehicle, I’m so glad that they decided to delay the closure for this.
While riding, I wondered if the “Extra, extra!” boy has a face. I looked it up and I guess they had to turn him around because he kept breaking?
The ride stopped twice, so I was able to get some night mode pictures.
It always amazes me how long some of these rides have been around for, and how there’s nothing like this outside of Disney parks. Even new rides are nothing like this!
While I love thrill rides, I wish that more theme parks invested in dark rides. I just hope that I can still ride roller coasters when I’m 70!
The walls at Epcot make it so confusing to get around, it takes forever to navigate around Future World. At 7:45, the Test Track single rider line listed 25 minutes and 70 for regular standby. I decided to give it a try since I hadn’t ridden in years! The single rider wait time was spot on, it sure is a boring queue like the Hulk where you think you are close the entire time, even though you’re not.
Wow, it was so cold during the outside part! I had to close my eyes because the air was cutting into my face!
While I had a fun time, I think Cars in Disneyland is the way better version of this. I think the inside part of Test Track could definitely benefit from some upgrades!
I headed to my Frozen FP around 8:30 and standby was down to 50 minutes. Gone are the days when it used to be over two hours all day long!
The CM had me step aside and wait for a moment so I could be in the front row, how nice! The girls behind me were singing along during the ride, honestly same if I wasn’t by myself!
I was ready for the picture for once!
There were plenty of benches available for Epcot Forever, it just doesn’t draw crowds like Illuminations did even though I prefer it. I think the 12 minute length is great, as much as I love the evening shows, it can be a long time to stand in one spot.
Japan was so beautiful with the topiary dragon at night!
I stopped into Mitsukoshi to shop around before the park closed. They had the konpeito candy I got as a gift from Takumi Tei!
I also spotted some Furikake seasoning and had to buy some on the spot, it was so delicious at Takumi Tei. I now know they carry it at every Asian grocery store, but it was more fun buying it at Epcot!
I got a few other treats to enjoy in my room, including sour Hi-Chews which are now one of my favorite candies and thankfully are sold at Target. I don’t like the normal flavors but the sour version is amazing!
The door to exit was locked since it was just after 9 and the park closed, and a CM had to open the door to let people out when they were done shopping!
I was able to catch the last few minutes of Epcot Forever from the Japan pavilion, which was incredible.
The kites are my favorite part, so I hope they find a way to reuse them. There were not that many people around, so it was nice to not feel claustrophobic like in Magic Kingdom.
The fireworks were done at 9:12 and I made it to the bus stop by 9:30, despite getting stuck behind slow people walking five people across!
I was able to squeeze onto a bus at 9:40, this driver was great and got out to force people to squeeze in more. I guess that won’t be happening again for a long time!
My bus made it back to Gran Destino Tower at 10:03, I love that HS is so close to Coronado. I got off at the tower because I was feeling like another dinner, since my shrimp pasta at Primo Piatto was so long ago!
I got the kids chicken tenders, and the CM got me fresh chicken from the adult section. There are so few kids at Coronado so the food at the kids station is sometimes very old. They don’t sell the mini bottled waters there so I got a full size water with my kids meal, nice! Usually I use a reusable bottle but I always lose them on vacation so I try to reuse the bottled waters a few times.
This was fine, I still don’t really like the El Mercado food court, my only downside of Coronado. My fries were decent and still warm, those cookies are terrible though!
I was back to my room by 10:25 and watched some Say Yes to the Dress to wind down before finally going to sleep around midnight.
I planned on attempting to get a Rise of the Resistance boarding group the next morning, so it was going to be an early day for an 8am park opening! I was just thankful it wasn’t any earlier than that, I would not get up at 5am for any ride!
21k steps for the day, despite my very late morning. One of these days I will hit 30k and break my record of 29k!
Next up will be my longest day at WDW ever, featuring an early Rise, MK, Epcot, and topping it off with evening EMH at HS.
Continued in Day Five - Part One: My First Ride on Rise of the Resistance
Hey all! A bit shorter post to wrap up day four, I hope to post again this weekend to catch up a bit more! I'll never forgive myself if this TR continues into 2021
I walked right onto the skyliner from the Riviera to CBR at 5:30 to head to Hollywood Studios. The CM was asking everyone where they were going, and everyone was saying Epcot, so he saved them from heading the wrong direction!
I shared my gondola with a couple, the poor guy was begrudgingly playing the role of an instagram boyfriend.
It was nice and breezy, we were stalled for about a minute but otherwise a smooth trip.There was still a very long line from CBR to the Riviera at that time, probably for dinner! I walked right on to the Hollywood Studios line and arrived at 5:47, so overall a 17 minute journey from Riviera to HS.
The Toy Story Mania standby line was only 40 minutes, not too bad. It jumped to 65 minutes while I was in the FP line though!
I had my best score ever (I think), I looked up a few tricks but honestly I’m not sure if it made me better or worse...my arm is always too tired to go more than once in a row!
I didn’t have much luck finding any good HS FPs besides aliens and star tours since the park was closing at 8 that night. I decided to go to Epcot since it was so empty at night on Wednesday, I figured I’d have more luck there.
I wanted to use the bus this time because the skyliner line to the Riviera is so long and it took me 45 min last time to go from HS to Epcot. Of course, there was a Coronado bus waiting at the bus stop since I wasn’t going back to the resort just yet!
It was a little after 6:30, and people were sitting at the Epcot bus stop so hopefully they had been there a while and a bus would pull up soon.
A bus pulled up just three short minutes later! I picked up a 7:20 Frozen FP while I was waiting, score!
I made it to Epcot around 7:00 and waited in a very short Spaceship Earth standby line. By 7:15 I was in my own ride vehicle, I’m so glad that they decided to delay the closure for this.
While riding, I wondered if the “Extra, extra!” boy has a face. I looked it up and I guess they had to turn him around because he kept breaking?
The ride stopped twice, so I was able to get some night mode pictures.
It always amazes me how long some of these rides have been around for, and how there’s nothing like this outside of Disney parks. Even new rides are nothing like this!
While I love thrill rides, I wish that more theme parks invested in dark rides. I just hope that I can still ride roller coasters when I’m 70!
The walls at Epcot make it so confusing to get around, it takes forever to navigate around Future World. At 7:45, the Test Track single rider line listed 25 minutes and 70 for regular standby. I decided to give it a try since I hadn’t ridden in years! The single rider wait time was spot on, it sure is a boring queue like the Hulk where you think you are close the entire time, even though you’re not.
Wow, it was so cold during the outside part! I had to close my eyes because the air was cutting into my face!
While I had a fun time, I think Cars in Disneyland is the way better version of this. I think the inside part of Test Track could definitely benefit from some upgrades!
I headed to my Frozen FP around 8:30 and standby was down to 50 minutes. Gone are the days when it used to be over two hours all day long!
The CM had me step aside and wait for a moment so I could be in the front row, how nice! The girls behind me were singing along during the ride, honestly same if I wasn’t by myself!
I was ready for the picture for once!
There were plenty of benches available for Epcot Forever, it just doesn’t draw crowds like Illuminations did even though I prefer it. I think the 12 minute length is great, as much as I love the evening shows, it can be a long time to stand in one spot.
Japan was so beautiful with the topiary dragon at night!
I stopped into Mitsukoshi to shop around before the park closed. They had the konpeito candy I got as a gift from Takumi Tei!
I also spotted some Furikake seasoning and had to buy some on the spot, it was so delicious at Takumi Tei. I now know they carry it at every Asian grocery store, but it was more fun buying it at Epcot!
I got a few other treats to enjoy in my room, including sour Hi-Chews which are now one of my favorite candies and thankfully are sold at Target. I don’t like the normal flavors but the sour version is amazing!
The door to exit was locked since it was just after 9 and the park closed, and a CM had to open the door to let people out when they were done shopping!
I was able to catch the last few minutes of Epcot Forever from the Japan pavilion, which was incredible.
The kites are my favorite part, so I hope they find a way to reuse them. There were not that many people around, so it was nice to not feel claustrophobic like in Magic Kingdom.
The fireworks were done at 9:12 and I made it to the bus stop by 9:30, despite getting stuck behind slow people walking five people across!
I was able to squeeze onto a bus at 9:40, this driver was great and got out to force people to squeeze in more. I guess that won’t be happening again for a long time!
My bus made it back to Gran Destino Tower at 10:03, I love that HS is so close to Coronado. I got off at the tower because I was feeling like another dinner, since my shrimp pasta at Primo Piatto was so long ago!
I got the kids chicken tenders, and the CM got me fresh chicken from the adult section. There are so few kids at Coronado so the food at the kids station is sometimes very old. They don’t sell the mini bottled waters there so I got a full size water with my kids meal, nice! Usually I use a reusable bottle but I always lose them on vacation so I try to reuse the bottled waters a few times.
This was fine, I still don’t really like the El Mercado food court, my only downside of Coronado. My fries were decent and still warm, those cookies are terrible though!
I was back to my room by 10:25 and watched some Say Yes to the Dress to wind down before finally going to sleep around midnight.
I planned on attempting to get a Rise of the Resistance boarding group the next morning, so it was going to be an early day for an 8am park opening! I was just thankful it wasn’t any earlier than that, I would not get up at 5am for any ride!
21k steps for the day, despite my very late morning. One of these days I will hit 30k and break my record of 29k!
Next up will be my longest day at WDW ever, featuring an early Rise, MK, Epcot, and topping it off with evening EMH at HS.
Continued in Day Five - Part One: My First Ride on Rise of the Resistance
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The New & Returning Disney Springs Holiday Cupcake Flavors
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