Can I make my massage?

[soniam]

We will be driving from Universal to our 11am ADR at T-Rex DTD on 3/17. I figure we will leave T-Rex by noon and drive to POR to checkin. We probably won't be going to the room yet, just checking in and dropping bags. I have a 1:30pm massage at GF that DH will drive me to after we checkin. Is 1.5 hours enough time for the driving and POR checkin?

Wasn't quite sure where to put this. Sorry. Thanks

 

[sam_gordon]

We will be driving from Universal to our 11am ADR at T-Rex DTD on 3/17. I figure we will leave T-Rex by noon and drive to POR to checkin. We probably won't be going to the room yet, just checking in and dropping bags. I have a 1:30pm massage at GF that DH will drive me to after we checkin. Is 1.5 hours enough time for the driving and POR checkin?

Wasn't quite sure where to put this. Sorry. Thanks

I personally don't think so.
1) I'm not sure you'll be out of T-Rex by Noon. ADRs don't mean that's when you'll be seated, but you'll get the next available table.
2) Figure at least 30 minutes, possibly closer to 45, to leave the restaurant, get to your car, and drive to POR.
3) Who knows how long check in will take.
4) Another ~20 minutes to get to GF, possibly 30 by the time you park and get to the spa.

What you CAN do is plan to stop by POR, but depending on time have DH take you directly to the GF, drop you off, then while you're getting your massage, he goes and checks in. He may/may not be able to drop luggage (depends on whether your room is ready). Then he comes back to get you.

 

[soniam]

Since T-Rex doesn't open until 11am, I am planning in getting there before then and hopefully be some of the first people seated. Also, I got the impression that T-Rex wasn't as busy as some others. I actually don't remember ever waiting more than 15 minutes for an ADR, and that was BOG at lunch. Do you think it's still likely that we would have to wait long at T-Rex?

I don't know if we will bother parking at POR. DH and DS might just stay in the car out front. He's just going to drop me off in front of the spa at GF and not bother parking. Parking would definitely kill it.

Also, will it really take 30 minutes to drive to GF from POR?

 

[sam_gordon]

Since T-Rex doesn't open until 11am, I am planning in getting there before then and hopefully be some of the first people seated. Also, I got the impression that T-Rex wasn't as busy as some others. I actually don't remember ever waiting more than 15 minutes for an ADR, and that was BOG at lunch. Do you think it's still likely that we would have to wait long at T-Rex?

I don't know if we will bother parking at POR. DH and DS might just stay in the car out front. He's just going to drop me off in front of the spa at GF and not bother parking. Parking would definitely kill it.

Also, will it really take 30 minutes to drive to GF from POR?

I didn't realize T-Rex opened at 11, so I apologize. I think your plan IS doable, but it's closer than I'd want to call. Again, you can try it, but if you need to skip checking in at POR, have DH drop you at GF.

 

[Alesia]

My advice is to join the Landrys Select Club. It costs $25 to join, but you get an immediate $25 credit on your card. It gives you priority seating at every Landrys restaurant. That means you get the next available table.

We had an ADR at Rainforest Cafe last year an when we showed up they told us it would be at least a 30 minute wait. I showed them my card and we had a table in less than 5 minutes.

 

[tobikaye]

I think you will be fine unless you do not get out of T-Rex by noon. Drive time should only be about 10-15 minutes from DTD to POR, even with the crazy traffic since you will be going against those trying to get in, plus you will be turning off to Bonnet Creek. Then drive time from POR to GF, via Bonnet Creek/Vista, should only be about 10-15 minutes. That would give you an hour leeway for any delay with check-in or unexpected traffic issues.

Also, if you are worried, you could always just try to get to POR before your T-Rex reservations and check-in.

 

[figment_jii]

I agree that you can probably make it, but I would plan on being flexible just in case things go slowly. While having an ADR at opening should help reduce your wait time, it still doesn't mean you'll be seated right at 11:00 am. I've had ADRs at opening and still waited 5-15 minutes to be seated (e.g., the restaurant was late opening, they were seating guests slowly, etc.). Also, restaurants can still be very slow even if they aren't busy (I've had a GFC meal take two hours when there were only a handful of tables filled at opening - I think the restaurant opened, but the kitchen wasn't ready).

Basically, I would go with your plan, but if you're running late, then I'd skip checking in at POR and head straight to the GF if need be.

The drive from POR to GF should only take 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic, stop lights, etc.

 

[sam_gordon]

My advice is to join the Landrys Select Club. It costs $25 to join, but you get an immediate $25 credit on your card. It gives you priority seating at every Landrys restaurant. That means you get the next available table.

We had an ADR at Rainforest Cafe last year an when we showed up they told us it would be at least a 30 minute wait. I showed them my card and we had a table in less than 5 minutes.

Is T-Rex a "Landry's restaurant"?

 

[soniam]

Thanks everyone.

I'm thinking about pushing out the massage by 30 minutes or maybe even an hour. If I get there early, I can always have more relaxation time. It's an 80 minute massage. I don't want to do it too late, because we have V&A reservations at 6pm.

T-Rex is a Landry's restaurant, and we are select club members. I'll have to remember to bring the card just in case.

I might skip checkin at POR. However, I would prefer to be there to get my MB activated. Plus, I made the ressie, not DH, so he might be confused. We might be able to get to POR before lunch; I'll have to see how on the ball we are leaving the hotel at Universal.

 

[Alesia]

Is T-Rex a "Landry's restaurant"?

Yes.

 

[bumbershoot]

Although it CAN work out that well, to show the card and get a table inside of 5 minutes, it can ALSO work differently depending on how busy it is. We have shown the card and gotten put on the second list (first list is the list to be called up to wait in a proper line), which meant we went straight to...the line of people who had been called to stand in the line where they stood before being taken to a table. We were in that line for quite awhile.

That second line is better at the Rainforests I've been to, but T-Rex CAN get long, and that's where we were when we waited for ages.


I know that with my family, everything takes longer than we think it will, and we wouldn't be able to make the massage.

And if we did, after eating the one thing T-Rex has that we as vegetarians can/want to eat, I would be bloated and very unhappy about the concept of having a massage. But I'm sensitive to stuff like that. If your stomach doesn't have such problems, I'm jealous.

 

[soniam]

Although it CAN work out that well, to show the card and get a table inside of 5 minutes, it can ALSO work differently depending on how busy it is. We have shown the card and gotten put on the second list (first list is the list to be called up to wait in a proper line), which meant we went straight to...the line of people who had been called to stand in the line where they stood before being taken to a table. We were in that line for quite awhile. That second line is better at the Rainforests I've been to, but T-Rex CAN get long, and that's where we were when we waited for ages. I know that with my family, everything takes longer than we think it will, and we wouldn't be able to make the massage. And if we did, after eating the one thing T-Rex has that we as vegetarians can/want to eat, I would be bloated and very unhappy about the concept of having a massage. But I'm sensitive to stuff like that. If your stomach doesn't have such problems, I'm jealous.

I do have stomach troubles sometimes, but I don't plan on eating much. We are mainly doing it for the experience. DH and I will be eating at V&A for dinner that night, so I want to save room for that.