Coming to America... and Heading Straight to Orlando! A June 2016 PTR

[tortilla24]

Exciting plans for IOA! I would recommend skipping Ollivander's here if there is a long line as the line in Diagon Alley at Studios seems to move faster and there are more rooms for the "choosing" there. We did it this past trip and it was our party, a family, and one solo traveler. We were chatting up the team members so I was really hoping my sister would get chosen but the solo traveler got chosen. Disappointing but it was still cool to be in that small of a group!

Thanks for the tip! We'll try to do it at Studios if the boys are into it. I also want to gauge Q's English at that point... he's the prime age to be chosen and I'd want him to actually understand what's being said - for his sake and for everyone else watching. He does get private one-on-one English tutoring with a native speaker. I haven't seen him since January but I'm thinking there will be big improvement in the language department. I was able to teach him how to play Rummikub (his new favorite game) completely in English. And he was able to teach it to his friend in Arabic. I was seriously so proud of him!

Congrats on the visas coming through.....what a great relief that has to be off everyone's minds .

Thank you, Gina. We are very much relieved that it all worked out. We were never really worried, just more so anxious... so it feels great to know that we have the biggest barrier out of the way!

For in-park dining, I would recommend keeping Confisco's on the list as a possibility over the quick service options. We find their food to be VERY reasonably priced (not much more than many of the quick service meals) and much, much better quality. Its nice to take a break on a hot day and relax and enjoy full table service, too. I know the budget is always something to be kept in mind, but you might find some better value here than the counter service locations. Just my two cents, of course .

Thank you for the Confisco's nod. I decided to take a look at the menu and there seem to be some great options!

The Spiderman meet and greet is a TON of fun. Spidey is really personable and offers some great interaction with guests.....particularly the young ones. They also offer a fantastic photo opportunity here, where you get your picture taken with Spiderman on a green screen, then they put your photo on a comic book page. Its a great souvenir....though I have no idea what a print costs. If you have the PhotoConnect card, you will have the picture available to you as a download that you can print yourself at whatever photofinishing store you like to use. Here's a sample of the photo so you can see what it looks like:

Oh that's so good to hear. I can't wait for this interaction. And that picture of your DH is adorable! I love the green screened background - it's really well done.

 

[tortilla24]

HAPPY FRIDAY! Guys, I must confess. I'm oozing with excitement here. To the point that I'm putting off work and can't be productive until I write this (figure I'll just work through my lunch break) because I'm just so excited to share the next day of our trip.

DAY 5: Universal Studios Florida & Drive to Clearwater

** After a crazy busy day at IoA on day 4, we will want to make sure our bags are almost entirely packed. Sus and I will likely run down and stick the suitcases in the car. We'll just have our little overnight bags for toiletries and the next day's clothes.

Since the park opens at 9, Early Entry is at 8, and we want to be out the door by 7:00am, we're probably looking at an even earlier wake up call than the day before. We will deflate O's blow up bed and make another car run to take it and the bags down. I'm usually very fast at getting myself together - I could probably wake up at 6:30 but considering there's 2 kiddos, we're probably looking at 6am wake up. If we're running late though, I honestly won't be upset as I don't want exhaustion to ruin our vacation.

First stop... to Diagon Alley. We are likely going to be making a run for it (figuratively of course) to Gringotts along with everyone else. The rest of the day is totally open based on what the boys want to do. Knowing us though, I do think we will definitely try to do the following:

• Rip Ride Rockit: It's new since I've been so I'm looking forward to it.
• Revenge of the Mummy
• ET: So much nostalgia for me on this ride! I wonder if they'll get Q's name right though? O's is fairly common and Sus and Q... well not so much.
• Minion Mayhem: New to me!
• The Simpsons Ride: O is a fan but I hear that many people get nauseous. We may decide to do this at the very end. Hoping we run into the characters too for a photo-op for O.
• Transformers
• Superstar Parade: As of today, Q worships at the throne of Spongebob and so long as he's still down for "The Bob" we will stop and let him enjoy it. Anyone know where the Spongebob and crew do character meets?

Secondary priority attractions will be:

• Twirl 'n' Hurl
• Men in Black
• Shrek 4D
• Terminator 2 3D
• Ollivanders will likely be skipped if lines are nuts/if boys are not interested
• Woody Woodpecker's Coaster
• Cinematic Spectacular: I'm guessing we'll be out of the parks by 8pm, likely meaning we'll miss this. If we're around though we'd love to watch

FOOD:
Breakfast: At the hotel (muffins) or picked up at Starbucks in City Walk
Snacks: Florean Fortescue (ice cream)

Lunch ideas:

• Bumblebee Taco Truck (heard mixed reviews on them) or something from Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard
• Lombards Seafood

Yeeeep. Not much else is jumping out at me. I think I will be over burgers and pizza by this point so we all may branch out and get different food options here and meet up to eat together.

DEPARTURE
Crowd/child irritability dependent, we'll likely be out of the park at any point between 5pm and 8pm. If it's an early start out of Orlando we'll pile into the car and head to Clearwater (which should be a 2 hour drive) and stop on the way - maybe at a Chipotle or something. If it's a later start, we will eat at the RPR. Maybe Islands Dining Room or Bula Bar... It'll be Thursday night and I think that may be a character meal night so Islands may be a no-go. Either way I'm anticipating to want to eat an Asian chicken salad.

Arriving in Clearwater, we'll check in to Pier House 60 Marina and hit the sack after our crazy powerhouse through the parks!

Coming up next...

 

[pepperandchips]

wonder if they'll get Q's name right though? O's is fairly common and Sus and Q... well not so much.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess NO! Haha. It's hard to understand what he is saying... "Melinda" definitely doesn't sound the way I pronounce it, and more common names like Matthew or Brandon are also hard to understand sometimes. I am curious if it works out though!

Superstar Parade: As of today, Q worships at the throne of Spongebob and so long as he's still down for "The Bob" we will stop and let him enjoy it. Anyone know where the Spongebob and crew do character meets?

In the front of the SpongeBob StorePants, obviously! There's a big glass window so you can see if they're meeting at that time. It's near E.T.

 

[schumigirl]

Nice plan!!!!

Lombards is a good choice for eating lunch in Studios. We always have a nice meal there, and yes little bit different........nice restaurant too.

Last year a few times we did ET he wasn't even saying names at all.......the guy told us he had lost his voice after having flu.......lol.....

Looking forward to reading your plans in Clearwater.......we really like it there.......

 

[Kivara]

E.T. mispronounces middle Ds's short/odd name so bad it just sounds like he's hissing...so DS enjoys giving E.T. a fake name every time. Last time, it was Octavius, which seemed to be a good combo of length and vowels. E.T. said it clearly.

When we met SpongeBob, it was inside the Spongebob store, but the line was next to the store. If he's still a fan of SpongeBob, the store is neat...inside is SB's pineapple house, and if you walk in, there's a large plastic Gary (we thought it was every bit as good of a photo op, without the wait )

 

[tortilla24]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess NO! Haha. It's hard to understand what he is saying... "Melinda" definitely doesn't sound the way I pronounce it, and more common names like Matthew or Brandon are also hard to understand sometimes. I am curious if it works out though!

Dang... ET messes up Melinda? What a fail. When I went in the 90's, ET said my name (very unusual here in the US but short, 2 syllables, and easy enough to pronounce) and I was so happy about it. I'll report back and let you all know about Q though

In the front of the SpongeBob StorePants, obviously! There's a big glass window so you can see if they're meeting at that time. It's near E.T.

Awesome, thanks!

Last year a few times we did ET he wasn't even saying names at all.......the guy told us he had lost his voice after having flu.......lol.....

I read somewhere that they apparently updated his name database capability but I guess not, huh?

E.T. mispronounces middle Ds's short/odd name so bad it just sounds like he's hissing...so DS enjoys giving E.T. a fake name every time. Last time, it was Octavius, which seemed to be a good combo of length and vowels. E.T. said it clearly.

When we met SpongeBob, it was inside the Spongebob store, but the line was next to the store. If he's still a fan of SpongeBob, the store is neat...inside is SB's pineapple house, and if you walk in, there's a large plastic Gary (we thought it was every bit as good of a photo op, without the wait )

If the boys are up for a second ride, I'll make sure they pick fake names. Oh we will definitely have to check out the Gary.. Thanks for the tip!

 

[tortilla24]

First for a real life update. I can't remember what I've shared on this board but basically I have some terrific news!! I applied to a Graphic Design program in NYC and just found out a few days ago that I got in! So I will be moving to the Big Apple come August and I couldn't be more excited!! I lived there for a year growing up but always wanted to live there as an adult. I feel like I'm taking a huge leap of faith here as it's a total career switch (I already have my BA in International Relations, am in my late 20's and have been working for the same company for the past 5 years) but I know it will allow for the right kind of job structure flexibility for me in the future. I really feel so good about this move though. And the nicest little bonus is that I will not be working the entire month that Sus and the kids are in town! Well... I'll be babysitting and doing freelance graphic design work to make cash, but no coming into an office and needing to request time off!

DAYS 6, 7, 8 & 9: Clearwater Beach, Driving Home + Florence, SC

After 5 mornings of waking up early for long drives and racing around parks, it's finally time to relax on the beach

No early wake ups, no actual plans. Just enjoying the beach and getting our tan on. I mentioned in my last post that we're staying at the Pier House 60 Marina Hotel. I do have a rough list of options/ideas of what we may do though:

FOOD:
Breakfast: Included at the hotel but must eat before 10am
Lunch/Dinner:
Crabby Bills
Frenchy's
Pearly's
Cristino's for Italian food

ACTIVITIES:

• Dolphin boat tour : Currently debating between Sea Screamer and Little Toot. Leaning towards Little Toot as I think it will be more shaded and I hear Sea Screamer gives a mansion tour as part of the trip, which we could care less about. But if anyone cares to weigh-in, I'm all ears!
• Sunsets at Pier 60
• THE BEACH... yep it's what we're here for
• The playground on the beach.. it's shaded and Q may want to check it out

After a full 2 days of bumming around at the beach, we'll hit the road with an early start heading towards Florence, SC. Now I've been told that Florence is not the place I'd want to stay in - mostly safety-wise. But honestly, it's a good stopover city for this drive back home and it's only one night. I (may) switch it up though as I won't need to be back for work anymore, and cut the drive a bit differently with a different city. It's a loooong 8 hour drive but nothing we can't handle(I think). With an 8am departure, I'm guessing we'll pull up right around dinner time 7pm-ish. Hopefully the boys will be totally zonked out after the entirety of the trip, making for less stops. We're staying at a hotel of I-95 and we'll wing it for dinner but in my true form, I did scope out a few restaurants:

• Fatz Cafe
• Julia Belle's - for SC home cooking

... I more I think about Florence, the more I'm talking myself out of it. Anyone have a suggestion that's a good stopover off I-95? Preferably past Savannah, GA and before Florence, SC. Maybe Santee, SC?

 

[Kivara]

Congrats on the graphic design program!

 

[schumigirl]

Congratulations on your new move.......and NYC!!! Wonderful news.......I'm sure you're so excited about that........well done!!

In Clearwater we have eaten at Crabby Bills and Frenchy's Rockaway and Saltwater cafe would recommend all 3 places. Another place we loved was called Clear Sky, it's on Mandalay Avenue so very handy.

Have done both little toot and Sea Screamer........both were fabulous and the perfect way to see dolphins swim free in the sea.........little toot was certainly tame, but lovely. Only down side for us was we had a loud mouthed guy who thought he knew more than anyone about everything........but apart from him it was fantastic. And it is a bit more shaded.

Sea Screamer was more fun. But you need loads of sun cream if you're susceptible to sunburn.......we had a fabulous captain who was so knowledgable and yes you did see famous folks houses, but it wasn't the main part of the trip. The Dolphins were tremendous the day we were out......they adored jumping alongside the boat as we flew through the water.......it was breathtaking.

Either one would be wonderful.

 

[pepperandchips]

I have some terrific news!! I applied to a Graphic Design program in NYC and just found out a few days ago that I got in!

Congratulations! I know you will feel good about following your dreams. The beach sounds wonderful. Wish I had a beach trip planned!

 

[macraven]

super excited for you on the move to the big apple and new job!!

life is getting sweeter and sweeter for you.

 

[tortilla24]

Congrats on the graphic design program!

Thank you!!

Congratulations on your new move.......and NYC!!! Wonderful news.......I'm sure you're so excited about that........well done!!

In Clearwater we have eaten at Crabby Bills and Frenchy's Rockaway and Saltwater cafe would recommend all 3 places. Another place we loved was called Clear Sky, it's on Mandalay Avenue so very handy.

Have done both little toot and Sea Screamer........both were fabulous and the perfect way to see dolphins swim free in the sea.........little toot was certainly tame, but lovely. Only down side for us was we had a loud mouthed guy who thought he knew more than anyone about everything........but apart from him it was fantastic. And it is a bit more shaded.

Sea Screamer was more fun. But you need loads of sun cream if you're susceptible to sunburn.......we had a fabulous captain who was so knowledgable and yes you did see famous folks houses, but it wasn't the main part of the trip. The Dolphins were tremendous the day we were out......they adored jumping alongside the boat as we flew through the water.......it was breathtaking.

Either one would be wonderful.

Thank you so much! I can't believe I'll be living in Manhattan for a few years! I just let my boss know today. I was all nerves but he more than understood

Thanks for the food/boat recommendations! Sea Screamer may end up winning out - we'll see how hot it is. We're doing Clearwater schumi style - well... with minimal planning lol. I'm SO looking forward to the no planning aspect!

Congratulations! I know you will feel good about following your dreams. The beach sounds wonderful. Wish I had a beach trip planned!

Thank you! This is such an exciting time in my life and the beach trip is the icing on the cake!

super excited for you on the move to the big apple and new job!!

life is getting sweeter and sweeter for you.

Thank you so much! It really, really is.

 

[tortilla24]

Hey everyone! Here with a little update!

I made our FP+ reservations for June 14th and got:
Space Mountain, 10:25 - 11:25
Splash Mountain, 11:35 - 12:35
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, 12:35-1:35
... of course no AM for 7DMT. I did see it at 9pm but not worth it to us as we'd like to see the Electrical Parade around that time.

Still not sure how we're going to handle our morning. As we plan on making it for rope-drop, I think we may head to Fantasyland and if the line looks manageable, do Mine Train. If the line is crazy, we'll do Peter Pan, It's a Small World and Mickey's PhilharMagic and then head to Tommorrowland for our first fast passes. Since Magic Kingdom extended their evening hours to 11pm now, we may just try to do 7DMT later in the day - maybe even try to snag a FP+ for it on the phone.

Another update... I mostly have the goodie bags put together for Sus and the boys and I decided to take some pictures of the things I ordered. I apologize in advance as these photos were taken on my bed as you can see

Foldable water bottles (which I picked up in London when I was there in January), and water misting fans I bought in a pack of 2 from Amazon... I need to test these to make sure they work, though:


Lanyards for all! The first for me, the 2nd for Sus (I got these at Spencer's - 2 for $10), Spiderman for Q (Amazon) and DC Comics for O (also Amazon):


A superman blanket for O. I ordered a Batman version for Q but the quality was poor so another blanket is currently on its way for him. This was I think $15 from Amazon:



Shirts for the boys all bought at Target. DC Comics for O (yes, I know it's not Marvel but he says he's a "DC comics guy" and who am I to argue ). And 2 shirts for Q - one Spiderman, one WWE (Other than John Cena, I have no clue who is on this shirt by the way but Q is a HUGE WWE fan):


Games! I know O will be prepared with a laptop full of movies, but I wanted to get them a few non-electronic things to play with. Those road trip bingo cards were found at Target. Rubberneckers had such great reviews and I ordered it on Amazon for O. The license plate book has puzzles and a sticker section to "collect" each plate when you see it! I thought this was perfect for Q who could use some brushing-up on his states as it also has a little map.


A few more random things found at Target. Thought O would get a kick out of the Garbage Pail Kids and Q is of course, obsessed with his WWE. Now that I'm thinking about it though, I hope that Star Wars play pack doesn't have crayons in it. I can't handle melted crayons in my car!


And last but not least, some treats for the road. Most of these snackies were found at the Dollar Spot at Target. Those Lindt truffles are for Sus and I


I also purchased a cooler (which I will get a ton of use out of even beyond this trip), 10 Disney pins for trading, and a converter for my car outlet. Meanwhile, Sus is busy gathering stuff for the month-long trip for her and her kiddos. The only thing I will need is to borrow a blow-up mattress for O for the week. Pretty much everything else is taken care of at this point and it's such a good feeling as I've got a ton on my plate in the next few weeks.

Real Life update:
I have Lasik scheduled in 10 days, then an apartment hunting trip to NYC two days after my "surgery" over Memorial weekend. I'm wrapping up my last 2 weeks or so of work at my job. It's shaping up to be a crazy summer! I have a NYC trip planned with Sus and the boys in June (which I'm thinking I may plan to have us do it during the week so I can free up a weekend), 2 wedding showers this summer, 2 back-to-back destination bachelorette weekends in August, 4 weddings between July and October (which are now all considered out-of-town), and moving in to NY in August (and starting classes!). We're also trying to squeeze in a beach weekend in July AND Busch Gardens Williamsburg. How? I have not a clue

 

[Kivara]

Wow, I am tired just reading about your summer

Play packs usually have colored pencils or markers in them. Check the packaging, there's usually a list of supplies. You got some great choices in there. My kids love the car bingo cards and crocodile dentist! I also usually print out mazes, spot the differences, etc. Almost free entertainment, WOOT!

 

[kittylady1972]

Wow great job on all the goodies for the trip. I'm sure the boys will be excited. That's some kind of crazy busy summer for you...good luck with all of that.

Just one thing about your Magic Kingdom plan is that I would suggest arrival at rope drop and definitely do 7DMT first thing. Even if there is a line, it's worth it to wait there first, as I doubt the lines will go down much at all into the evening, unless you are there around 11pm maybe. Then do the other Fantasyland rides that you have planned which should have minimal waits. You should be able to do quite a bit in that first two hours.

 

[tortilla24]

Wow great job on all the goodies for the trip. I'm sure the boys will be excited. That's some kind of crazy busy summer for you...good luck with all of that.

Just one thing about your Magic Kingdom plan is that I would suggest arrival at rope drop and definitely do 7DMT first thing. Even if there is a line, it's worth it to wait there first, as I doubt the lines will go down much at all into the evening, unless you are there around 11pm maybe. Then do the other Fantasyland rides that you have planned which should have minimal waits. You should be able to do quite a bit in that first two hours.

The good news is, I just managed to snag 7DMT FP+ for 10:20am and switched out Space Mountain! So the plan is to head to Tomorrowland to rope drop Space, Buzz and Speedway, then to Fantasyland for 7DMT and PP/Small World/Branstormer if the lines are short. Then do our Adventureland FP+'s for BTMRR and Splash. We'll take it easy the rest of the day with shows, Tom Sawyer island, HM, Pirates and anything else we feel down to do!

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

The good news is, I just managed to snag 7DMT FP+ for 10:20am and switched out Space Mountain! So the plan is to head to Tomorrowland to rope drop Space, Buzz and Speedway, then to Fantasyland for 7DMT and PP/Small World/Branstormer if the lines are short. Then do our Adventureland FP+'s for BTMRR and Splash. We'll take it easy the rest of the day with shows, Tom Sawyer island, HM, Pirates and anything else we feel down to do!

This reminds me to put on my objective today to review all our FP+'s. Thanks!

Looking forward to your trip report!

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

IT IS SO CLOSE!!!!!!!!!! I leave Saturday for 8 days at RPR, I will be on the lookout for you guys. If you here some strange guy with a beautiful wife yelling Tortilla in the halls, that is just me...so excited! Don't forget that you can step outside to CityWalk for lunch as well, I think the Top of the Walk food court has some variety at reasonable prices. I personally can't wait to try Hot Dog Hall of Fame, I love hot dogs! My wife is a Panda Express junkie, and I also hope to try Asian Fusion Bistro.

I am now fully caught up and have only one real suggestion - realize you have Express Pass at IofA and will be able to manage the lines extremely well. So, no need to walk the circle more than you have to. When you leave HP world after early entry, go left or right and just keep on trucking. I would highly suggest going toward Seussland, so you end up in Jurassic Park/Toon Lagoon, you are going to get soaked!!!! But, it will feel amazing! Then you can head back to RPR for a change of clothes, maybe that shower you mentioned, then head over to CityWalk or back to IofA to hit the kids' favorites!

There is nothing like seeing the magic in a kids' face, hope you have a great time!!! No doubt you will!!!

 

[tortilla24]

This reminds me to put on my objective today to review all our FP+'s. Thanks!

Looking forward to your trip report!

I even saw FP+ at 4pm for Anna and Elsa! I would definitely keep checking. I checked semi frequently for 3 days and then this perfect time popped up!

 

[tortilla24]

IT IS SO CLOSE!!!!!!!!!! I leave Saturday for 8 days at RPR, I will be on the lookout for you guys. If you here some strange guy with a beautiful wife yelling Tortilla in the halls, that is just me...so excited! Don't forget that you can step outside to CityWalk for lunch as well, I think the Top of the Walk food court has some variety at reasonable prices. I personally can't wait to try Hot Dog Hall of Fame, I love hot dogs! My wife is a Panda Express junkie, and I also hope to try Asian Fusion Bistro.

I am now fully caught up and have only one real suggestion - realize you have Express Pass at IofA and will be able to manage the lines extremely well. So, no need to walk the circle more than you have to. When you leave HP world after early entry, go left or right and just keep on trucking. I would highly suggest going toward Seussland, so you end up in Jurassic Park/Toon Lagoon, you are going to get soaked!!!! But, it will feel amazing! Then you can head back to RPR for a change of clothes, maybe that shower you mentioned, then head over to CityWalk or back to IofA to hit the kids' favorites!

There is nothing like seeing the magic in a kids' face, hope you have a great time!!! No doubt you will!!!

Thank you so so much! I appreciate the advice! After what I'm sure is bound to feel like a crazy busy day at MK, we'll be taking the universal parks much more normal paced. That's great advice about sticking to one side and following the flow of the park set up. The water rides are the absolute best at IoA!

How cool that you'll be there at the same time. I'll be on the lookout for you! Seems like we're missing that huge storm (thankfully). We are dying of excitement over here!!! I hope you guys have an incredible vacation as well!!!