Disney Every Day - Update 10/21 – 1, 2, 3! We’re Leaving for Orlando Tomorrow!

[-Hope-]

This is the “What Should I Call This Update?” update because I am just going on and on about random nonsense. Lucky for you guys, I finally updated my table of Contents so that you can skip the boring stuff! So, anyway…

I was thinking that I had all of the time in the world to prepare for this trip because it is almost a year away at this point. I can plan, save money, buy little things here and there for the trip…then I realized that this will most likely not be a road trip. I know how to prepare for a road trip: #1 pack the car up #2 take a cooler with drinks and snacks #3 make sure the kids have plenty to keep them entertained #4 hit the road! I don’t have to worry about how many bags I’m taking or how much those bags weigh, or if I’ll have room for souvenirs or what item might get us stopped by TSA! So far I’ve heard glitter (thanks, Ann, for the heads up on that one!), snow globes, light up ice cubes and rocks! As far as the bags go, I’m planning on flying Southwest, and they allow two bags per person. So that is six bags for us. I’m also a little concerned about over[\I] packing because I really over packed for our trip to Boston earlier this year. By the way, I know I said that I owe you guys a Mini-Trip Report about Boston, but we are going back in less than three months, so I figured two reports on Boston might be a bit much Plus, we went all the way back in March. That was forever ago!

Anyway, I realized that I have to revise my packing list so that it is suitable for only filling 5 bags between the three of us. The sixth bag I want to leave empty (or packed within a larger suitcase) so that we can use that to pack souvenirs. I have a feeling that we are going to want to get a lot of souvenirs since it has been so long since we have been there! Another option is shipping our souvenirs back home. I hope we don’t have to do that, but I am trying to plan for a trip to a UPS store or a Parcel Plus to box up our stuff if we can’t fit it in suitcases. Has anyone done that? I really do think we might go overboard on souvenirs because the kids and I will have a year to save money for that too! They keep asking for more chores so that they can earn more money. Hey, who am I to stop them from sweeping the floor? Plus, we went to a Disney Outlet the other day. I was so excited to go! Once I got there, though, it seemed like it was just another Disney store. Usually, I love the Disney stores, but I just wasn’t into it this time. At first, I thought it was because there wasn’t very much on clearance. Then I realized that half of the fun of buying this stuff is being able to buy it in the parks I saw a Tinkerbell mug that I wanted, a Mickey cold cup that I wanted, some Merida dolls that I wanted – err, uh, I meant that True wanted - and a couple of cute tops, but I just wasn’t really into shopping right then. I’ll probably go back as it gets closer to the trip to get the kids a couple of stuffed animals to bring along. Actually, Coy isn’t all that into stuffed animals anymore. They grow up too fast! The point is, I’ll probably get them only one or two things to keep them occupied on the plane since it’s only about a two hour ride on a nonstop flight.

So even if we don’t get a box full of souvenirs (that’s crazy, right? )I have to go over my packing list because this will be a 12 day vacation. I don’t really want to do laundry on this trip, but it seems like that might be unrealistic considering the amount of days we are going. I could see packing 12 shirts, 12 set of undergarments, 12 pairs of socks etc., but not 12 pairs of shorts! That would end up being so bulky. Plus, with the rate my kids are growing, it would be a bad idea to buy 12 sets of almost anything because they will just end up outgrowing them within a few months, anyway. The only way I will be able to get them (and myself) 12 sets of shorts is if I happen to come across a major clearance sale. Then, when the kids start to outgrow them, they’ll still be able to wear them around the house as play clothes Again, I’m not counting on that. So I need to come to terms with doing laundry on vacation This brings me to Garden Grocer. I have not decided if I am going to rent a car on this trip. I probably will, but – referencing Boston again – we did pretty well travelling without a car before. Then again, the Disney area is a whole different ball game and I probably will rent a car at the airport. Even if I do rent one, I don’t really enjoy spending our arrival day at the grocery store. I have never used Garden Grocer before, but so many people spoke so highly of the service that I checked it out. I know I won’t get my laundry detergent from here (I’ll probably get a couple of travel packs of detergent at Target) but I think I am going to place an order for a few food items so that we don’t have to lug them on the plane. Back to Boston again (maybe this is a Boston TR after all ) The kids and I packed one small suitcase full of snacks for the hotel room. We had beef jerky (eww – that is True’s thing), Slim Jims (eww – that is Coy’s thing), some kind of nuts – cashews or something – I don’t remember, Welch’s fruit snacks, animal crackers, and a few other things that I can’t remember. Basically, it was a bag full of junk food to ward off the midnight munchies. Don’t worry! We ate VERY WELL on our trip. That’s one of the reasons I can’t wait to go back! But, we’re talking about Disney World here, so let me get back on track! So, the bag full of junk food tuned into our souvenir bag once it was empty, and that was what I planned to do for this trip. However, I don’t think it would make sense to carry 12 days of snacks with us on the plane! So I am thinking I will order beef jerky (eww), Slim Jims (eww), Pop Tarts and/or cereal bars, Vanilla and Chocolate Silk or Parmalat (in individual sized boxes) and a 24 pack of bottled water. I might also get the peanut butter to go cups from Jif so that we can have that to spread on apples. I don’t want to get too much stuff, but just enough to have in case we don’t have a breakfast ADR one day or if we come back from the parks a little hungry. What do you guys think? What do you order from Garden Grocer? Or, if you don’t do that, what snacks do you bring on the plane with you? Any tips are greatly appreciated, as always!

Okay, I'm behind! I'm mostly visiting the dis on my phone right now because I haven't been home much and sometimes I think I'll reply later but forget to...

Anyway, I consider myself a pretty good packer- I've been to Europe for a week with only a carry-on. Laundry doesn't have to be so bad, especially at Disney. The laundry facilities are generally right next to a pool so I just popped a load in, went for a dip then popped it in the dryer. I think I laid on a lounge chair while the stuff was drying. I didn't at all feel like I was taking away from my trip. Be sure to bring plenty of quarters though because one roll wasn't enough. Oh, and you'll be okay with rolls of quarters with TSA as long as you remove them from your carryon at the scanner and point it out to the agent.

I've never used garden grocer so I'm no help there. I totally agree about shopping at the Disney store- it just isn't the same as shopping in the parks!

 

[-Hope-]

I can’t wait for February 22, 2013! Why? Is it because it is the day after I turn 40??? No! Well, maybe a little but it is mostly because that is my ADR day! I am going to wake up the crack of dawn to make sure I get everything I want! That is, if I didn’t party too hard the night before! Who am I kidding? I can’t hang with the young’uns anymore! Speaking of young’uns, my mom told me that my youngest brother, Kyle, is graduating next year! I didn’t even realize it! He has been working so hard and I am so proud of him for finally getting his degree next year. It’s funny that he is the youngest and he is getting his degree first! My sisters are still working and going to school part time, so they are still a year or two from getting theirs, I believe. I have pretty much given up on getting mine unless I find a way to squeeze in some time between being a full time employee and a full time mom. Anyway, since my brother won’t be headed back to school in the fall, I am wondering if he could make the Disney trip with us?!? I guess that all really depends on if he can find a job right after graduating or not. He works part time in a law office now, and I’m sure he’d be able to keep that job after he graduates because they love him there. If so, hopefully, he’ll have some vacation time. If he starts a new job after he graduates, it’s almost a guarantee that he won’t have any vacation time. Then there is also the fact that he tends to take vacations with his girlfriend. Oh, did I not tell you that he was seeing someone new after that…that…person broke his heart and their engagement? I said that “person” because I can’t use the word I really want to use on the DIS Anyway, I haven’t met the new girl, but they have really cute pictures together on FB. But being cute isn’t everything. The other one was cute. I have to meet this new girl. See if I approve… I am kind of a mother figure to my three youngest sibs because they are so much younger than I am. Marissa is 12 years younger, Ashley is 13 years younger and Kyle is 15 years younger (David is only 3 years younger than me). Maybe not a mother figure. That sounds old. Cool, young aunt? It’s weird because we didn’t really grow up together because of our age differences. In any case, as I get older and they get older, I want us to spend more family time together. We haven’t had a family vacation in about 10 years when we all went to our grandmother’s house for Christmas.

ANYWAY…Sorry for the tangent! My point was that I think it would be so cool if the whole family could go to Disney World in August! I don’t know if they could all pull that off, but it is a thought that I keep having. I would love to be able to pay for David to go. I really want Kyle to go. I hope Marissa and Ashley can go, as planned. So, for right now, I am making some loose plans for the ADRs based on out rough draft of park days. Since Marissa and Ashley (and possibly Kyle and David) would be there for the first six days or so, I want to make ADRs at places where they would really get the Disney experience:

Wednesday, 08/21 – Magic Kingdom: I would like to get a before-park-opening ADR at Crystal Palace. I’ve got to get that family picture in front of the castle! I would love an ADR at Cinderella’s Royal Table, but that might be a bit much.

Thursday, 08/22 – Animal Kingdom: A before-park-opening ADR at Tusker House, of course!

Friday, 08/23 – Hollywood Studios: I think it would be fun if we all went to 50’s Prime Time. Coy really wants to go there and I do too. If David goes on this trip, though, 50’s will be out because he never eats his veggies! Maybe a lunch at Sci-Fi instead

Saturday, 08/24 – Universal Studios: I haven’t done any research on this yet, but I think we would have an early lunch at US (or is it UO on the boards? I’ve seen both. I don’t want to look like a “noob” ) Then, I think it would be nice to have dinner at a WDW resort after leaving US/UO or whatever. I was thinking Whispering Canyon Café or 1900 Park Fare.

Sunday, 08/25 – another Universal day, so I was thinking about doing the same thing as above

Monday, 08/26 – EPCOT: this would definitely be the day to have breakfast at Akershus because Ashley really wants to see the princesses. We’d have to skip lunch because I have to Have to HAVE TO take them to Garden Grill for dinner!

Tuesday, 08/27 – Magic Kingdom: if my sibs are still with us on this day, I would want to get a breakfast at Chef Mickey or ‘Ohana. Most likely ‘Ohana since they wouldn’t have seen those characters yet. Actually, True, Coy and I will probably do this if my sibs are with us or not. Then I think it would be nice to have dinner at Be Our Guest!

Wednesday, 08/28 – Sea World: I think this would be a good day for us to go see a dinner show! I saw Spirit of Aloha when I was a kid. Well, I’m sure the show has changed since then, but you know what I mean. The kids have never seen a dinner show at WDW. I think that one would be a good one to see, and it will get us back into “Disney Mode” after spending the day at a non-Disney park.

Thursday, 08/29 – Relaxing Day or Water Park Day: either way, I think it would be fun to see another dinner show on this day! If we go to a water park, I don’t think we will want to be there for too long – maybe half a day – then we’ll go to the room and probably nap after being in the sun and water all morning. This would be a perfect time to see Hoop-Dee-Doo!

Friday, 08/30 – EPCOT: I’m thinking this would be a good day for Coral Reef. I also want to go to Le Cellier. Le Cellier has the steaks that my kids and I would love, but Coral Reef is like being inside a fish bowl! Decisions, decisions!

Saturday, 08/31 – Animal Kingdom: Since I have no interest in Tusker house for dinner, I think we might go to Boma for dinner. Or…we might go back to EPCOT (I love EPCOT almost as much as Magic Kingdom) and go to Coral Reef or Le Cellier then! Or… we could go someplace completely new and try Biergarten!

Sunday, 09/01 – Hollywood Studios/Magic Kingdom: I am determined to get a dinner ADR at Cinderella’s Royal Table on our last park day! I’ve wanted to go back there ever since I was a kid. I know my kids would enjoy it because they really liked having breakfast here on our last trip. If I can’t get that ADR, I think I might want to do something else that is special, which would be going to Brown Derby in HS. Or maybe Sci Fi if we don’t go earlier in the trip with my sibs. I really don’t want to settle, though. We’ll see what happens in about five months when I can actually make the ADRs! Until then, I’m sure there will be plenty of tweaking to the plans!

First, I love all of your ADR plans! You have some great food AND great dining experiences in mind.

I'm the same way with my little brother, he's almost 12 years younger and I can't help but feel protective!! He also has a new girlfriend after having his heart broken and I was so anxious to meet her. She seems nice and more mature than the last one so I'm feeling better after the initial meet- but I'm still not completely convinced...

As for what to call the park on the other side of Orlando... US is one park at the UO resort so referring to the whole thing as US is kind of like referring to all of WDW as MK. IOA is the other park and where Harry lives. Hope that helps. :

Whew, I think I'm all caught up! I'm on my phone in bed so forgive any typos or autocorrects I didn't catch.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

No, I don't believe you did tell us about Kyle's new flame. Yep, she will have to get the big sister once over or she's outta there! Yeah on him getting his degree, too!! What a great accomplishment! Good for him! Tell him your Disfriends said so!

I love your ideas on ADR's, too. I haven't really gotten that far, except for knowing we want to do Be Our Guest at MK. We are going to do Sea World as well this year!

Kyle seems to really like this new girl. At first, I thought she was a rebound because he was dating her about three months after his engagement was broken off with the other one. In fact, when I asked Kyle if he was serious about the new girl a few months ago, he said, “She knows what’s up,” and gave me that little devilish look I used to see in the mirror when I used to be a player I thought, “Good for him. He doesn’t need to get serious right away,” but they are still going strong! As long as he’s happy, I’m happy. All I know is, he better not hide his unhappiness from me and our sisters like he did with the other one. We thought everything was wonderful with him and that girl! So, yes, I really want to meet this new one and see if she earns my stamp of approval!

You know, I have wanted to go to Sea World ever since your last trip. Sea World in Ohio was very different than what the one in Orlando looks like. It was 20 something years ago when I went, but back then, Sea World didn’t have all of the rides and different attractions. Do you eat on property at Sea World? I was looking into that a little bit, but I don’t think we’re doing it unless something really stands out.

Okay, I'm behind! I'm mostly visiting the dis on my phone right now because I haven't been home much and sometimes I think I'll reply later but forget to...

Anyway, I consider myself a pretty good packer- I've been to Europe for a week with only a carry-on. Laundry doesn't have to be so bad, especially at Disney. The laundry facilities are generally right next to a pool so I just popped a load in, went for a dip then popped it in the dryer. I think I laid on a lounge chair while the stuff was drying. I didn't at all feel like I was taking away from my trip. Be sure to bring plenty of quarters though because one roll wasn't enough. Oh, and you'll be okay with rolls of quarters with TSA as long as you remove them from your carryon at the scanner and point it out to the agent.

I've never used garden grocer so I'm no help there. I totally agree about shopping at the Disney store- it just isn't the same as shopping in the parks!

OK, I feel a little bit better about doing laundry now I think I can squeeze laundry in at the end of one of the Universal days. My kids, my sister and I love going to the pool, so I think you’re right that it won’t seem like such a hassle if I do it while we’re doing something fun I can’t believe you went to Europe with only one carry on! That is pretty good! I think I would be tempted to pack up my whole house if I traveled to another country!

First, I love all of your ADR plans! You have some great food AND great dining experiences in mind.

I'm the same way with my little brother, he's almost 12 years younger and I can't help but feel protective!! He also has a new girlfriend after having his heart broken and I was so anxious to meet her. She seems nice and more mature than the last one so I'm feeling better after the initial meet- but I'm still not completely convinced...

As for what to call the park on the other side of Orlando... US is one park at the UO resort so referring to the whole thing as US is kind of like referring to all of WDW as MK. IOA is the other park and where Harry lives. Hope that helps. :

Whew, I think I'm all caught up! I'm on my phone in bed so forgive any typos or autocorrects I didn't catch.

I am SO protective of my sibs! You know how it is! I hope your little brother’s new girlfriend is a keeper. I don’t think I will ever be completely convinced that any girl is good enough for my brother either! I sure hope he finds true love with a woman that is willing to work at a relationship. And I hope Kyle takes it slow this time.

Oh no! I was committing a terrible faux pas! I know how much I laugh at people who think MK is WDW! Thanks for helping me out with that one! As Coy would say, I am a n00b!

Don’t worry about replying on the phone! That is where I do most of my replies too and it is a pain in the you-know-what! Have you tried out the DIS app? I tried it for about an hour and I didn’t like it, but I might try it again. I just prefer seeing the web version of the boards.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I thought today was our 60 day mark until we went to Boston, but it is actually our 59 day mark! I didnt count our arrival day, which will be November 16th! I havent done a single thing to prepare for this trip! It was just yesterday that I started looking at hotels! I was planning on staying at the Courtyard by Marriott, but when I looked at the rates, I saw that it was about $100 more per night than it was in March! Im guessing this is because this is the weekend before Thanksgiving? I thought it would be cheaper than going on Thanksgiving weekend, but boy, was I wrong! I wanted to stay there because not only was it familiar to us and we know that it is clean, but also because there are shuttles that can take us to MIT and to Harvard Square for free.

Oops! Some of you might not know why we are going to Boston! Sorry! MIT has a program where 7th through 12th graders can take classes on a wide range of subjects. The program in November is called Splash and the one in March is called Spark. From the MIT website:

For one weekend each November, thousands of students of all types flood to MIT for ESPs Splash program to learn anything they want. From music theory to Hungarian history to aircraft analysis, Splash participants are introduced to a huge variety of topics in over 400 classes taught by undergraduates and other members of the MIT community. Want to take a class on Egyptian mythology? Origami? Chemical sensors? All are possible.
Over the course of 20 hours during Splash, you can get your feet wet with a short introduction to any number of subjectsthings you always wanted to learn, or topics you never knew existed. Or you can dive head first into an in-depth seminar or intensive workshop. The whole thing happens over the course of two days on the MIT campus.

Coy really enjoyed taking classes in March. He especially liked the one about surviving the pending Zombie Apocalypse Actually, he said that one was a little silly because there clearly isnt going to be a Zombie Apocalypse, but it was still fun to theorize about it. It reminded him of his favorite video games, so it was cool for him to have some other people to talk to about it. Oh, and it is also worth mentioning that during these classes, he did not have the anxiety that he usually had when attending classes at his school. He was able to participate and speak up So I definitely want him to be able to participate in as many of these classes as he wants. True is so jealous that she is still too young to do this. I told her that she can take classes too, as soon as she is old enough. True and I had a lot of fun walking around the MIT campus when Coy was in class, though. I wish I had a few pictures to share, but most of them are still on my memory card at home I can show you a couple of pictures I took with my phone. This is us, arriving at Boston Logan:



This was the view from our room in Cambridge at dawn:



This was the view at night (not that great of a pic, though)



This was our view during the day:



Love it! The buildings in Cambridge were so cute! I really liked that the windows in the room opened and we could get fresh air. Im used to non-opening windows in hotels. Anyway, I really liked that hotel because of the view, the restaurant in the lobby and the indoor pool!











I have to show you this! I was super excited that the vending machines in MIT had credit card readers!




That was the first time I had seen anything like that! I have since seen them at the mall and at the DMV, but when I saw them in the halls of MIT, I was super impressed! It must not take much to impress me I thought it was cool because, at the time, the building where I worked was in the middle of nowhere and I used to hate when I would be at work thirsty and with no cash! I used to always ask, Why dont vending machines take credit cards?!? Im pretty sure I posted this on Facebook. Thats how excited I was

Another thing I was excited about was this:



Whats so special about a cocktail menu? I got that as we sat down for breakfast at a quirky little restaurant around the corner from MIT! Any place that serves drinks before 11am is cool with me! I didnt drink anything that morning, but I wished I would have because it was so cold that day and I couldve used a little help warming up! I cant remember the name of the restaurant right now, but the kids and I will definitely be going back there for breakfast in November because the food was so good!

Speaking of cold weather, let me try to make this a productive post and list what I will be packing. The kids and I were really caught off guard by the cold weather in March, so I dont want that to happen again in November. In March, the temp was about the same as it was in Virginia but I didnt notice that it was also going to be windy that weekend! Thats what I got for not checking the detailed weather forecast before we left! Well, I just checked The Weather Channel and the average low for November in Cambridge is 38 and the average high is 52. We will be bundling up! We will be doing a lot of walking  we didnt need or use a car when we were there in March  so, in addition to our clothes, I need to be sure to pack:

Long Johns
Warm socks
Gloves
Hats
Scarves
Boots (it actually snowed for a while when we were there in March! This VA Girl isnt used to that!)
Warm packet thingies that go in pockets
Hoodies (or maybe Ill buy a few from MIT and Harvard. Yeah, Ill do that)
Earmuffs

Can you tell that the kids and I dont really do cold weather? At least, we try not to go out in the cold unless we are really prepared because no one wants to hear me complaining. I mean&the kids. They are the ones complaining. Yeah! Uh huh! Not me! I cowboy up and deal with it I think we will be able to fit everything in two bags. I know that I need to pack more effectively this time because I really over packed for the trip in March. We each had our own suitcase! That was way too much for a four day trip! This will basically be a two day trip, so I think I can manage packing the appropriate amount this time

Im going to keep researching, but I think we will stay in the same hotel as last time, too. I just hate that our two night stay is going to cost me the same as our four night stay just a few months ago! At least I dont have to rent a car and were familiar with the neighborhood. So, I need to go make some more plans. I still have to figure out our flights, where we will go out to dinner (I have a cool seafood place in mind!) and what we will do after Coy gets out of his classes. Im excited about doing the whole tourist thang in Boston! So what does any of this have to do with Disney? Absolutely nothing! but it is nice to have a getaway planned since it feels like FOREVER until we'll get to Disney World again! I hope you guys dont mind indulging me for a while!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Can you tell that the kids and I don’t really do cold weather? At least, we try not to go out in the cold unless we are really prepared because no one wants to hear me complaining. I mean…the kids. They are the ones complaining. Yeah! Uh huh! Not me! I cowboy up and deal with it

I am sitting here laughing my butt off ---- not at you, but with you of course! Long Johns? Seriously? For 50 degree weather? earmuffs? Boots? In Boston in November? Ok, Erin....let me know how that works out for you. (I'm sorry, I just can't stop chuckling!) Your blood is really thin from being in Virginia isn't it? I suppose it depends on the year and if you are normally cold, but Boston is a good 20 degrees or so hotter than Maine on average and yes, there could be snow on the ground, but in November it usually doesn't stay on the ground very long as it will melt. It's funny to read that you have to book flights for Boston, when it's just a car trip for us. (a 3 1/2 hour car trip) but a car trip none the less.

The MIT program sounds awesome. It may be something to look into for Victoria for next year, but with our trip to NYC for Thanksgiving, there's no way we could financially swing it. I cannot believe the Zombie Apocalypse is actually something they can study. Too cool!

 

[-Hope-]

Don’t worry about replying on the phone! That is where I do most of my replies too and it is a pain in the you-know-what! Have you tried out the DIS app? I tried it for about an hour and I didn’t like it, but I might try it again. I just prefer seeing the web version of the boards. [/COLOR]

I'm on the fence with the app but mostly because the Dis is just one of those things that I prefer on a computer. I prefer FB on the computer as well but love pinterest on my phone. Go figure.

I thought today was our 60 day mark until we went to Boston, but it is actually our 59 day mark! I didn’t count our arrival day, which will be November 16th! I haven’t done a single thing to prepare for this trip! It was just yesterday that I started looking at hotels! I was planning on staying at the Courtyard by Marriott, but when I looked at the rates, I saw that it was about $100 more per night than it was in March! I’m guessing this is because this is the weekend before Thanksgiving? I thought it would be cheaper than going on Thanksgiving weekend, but boy, was I wrong! I wanted to stay there because not only was it familiar to us and we know that it is clean, but also because there are shuttles that can take us to MIT and to Harvard Square for free.

Oops! Some of you might not know why we are going to Boston! Sorry! MIT has a program where 7th through 12th graders can take classes on a wide range of subjects. The program in November is called “Splash” and the one in March is called “Spark”. From the MIT website:

For one weekend each November, thousands of students of all types flood to MIT for ESP’s Splash program to learn anything they want. From music theory to Hungarian history to aircraft analysis, Splash participants are introduced to a huge variety of topics in over 400 classes taught by undergraduates and other members of the MIT community. Want to take a class on Egyptian mythology? Origami? Chemical sensors? All are possible.
Over the course of 20 hours during Splash, you can get your feet wet with a short introduction to any number of subjects–things you always wanted to learn, or topics you never knew existed. Or you can dive head first into an in-depth seminar or intensive workshop. The whole thing happens over the course of two days on the MIT campus.

Coy really enjoyed taking classes in March. He especially liked the one about surviving the pending Zombie Apocalypse Actually, he said that one was a little silly because there clearly isn’t going to be a Zombie Apocalypse, but it was still fun to theorize about it. It reminded him of his favorite video games, so it was cool for him to have some other people to talk to about it. Oh, and it is also worth mentioning that during these classes, he did not have the anxiety that he usually had when attending classes at his school. He was able to participate and speak up So I definitely want him to be able to participate in as many of these classes as he wants. True is so jealous that she is still too young to do this. I told her that she can take classes too, as soon as she is old enough. True and I had a lot of fun walking around the MIT campus when Coy was in class, though. I wish I had a few pictures to share, but most of them are still on my memory card at home I can show you a couple of pictures I took with my phone. This is us, arriving at Boston Logan:

Love it! The buildings in Cambridge were so cute! I really liked that the windows in the room opened and we could get fresh air. I’m used to non-opening windows in hotels. Anyway, I really liked that hotel because of the view, the restaurant in the lobby and the indoor pool!

I have to show you this! I was super excited that the vending machines in MIT had credit card readers!

That was the first time I had seen anything like that! I have since seen them at the mall and at the DMV, but when I saw them in the halls of MIT, I was super impressed! It must not take much to impress me I thought it was cool because, at the time, the building where I worked was in the middle of nowhere and I used to hate when I would be at work thirsty and with no cash! I used to always ask, “Why don’t vending machines take credit cards?!?” I’m pretty sure I posted this on Facebook. That’s how excited I was

Another thing I was excited about was this:

What’s so special about a cocktail menu? I got that as we sat down for breakfast at a quirky little restaurant around the corner from MIT! Any place that serves drinks before 11am is cool with me! I didn’t drink anything that morning, but I wished I would have because it was so cold that day and I could’ve used a little help warming up! I can’t remember the name of the restaurant right now, but the kids and I will definitely be going back there for breakfast in November because the food was so good!

Speaking of cold weather, let me try to make this a productive post and list what I will be packing. The kids and I were really caught off guard by the cold weather in March, so I don’t want that to happen again in November. In March, the temp was about the same as it was in Virginia but I didn’t notice that it was also going to be windy that weekend! That’s what I got for not checking the detailed weather forecast before we left! Well, I just checked The Weather Channel and the average low for November in Cambridge is 38 and the average high is 52. We will be bundling up! We will be doing a lot of walking – we didn’t need or use a car when we were there in March – so, in addition to our clothes, I need to be sure to pack:

Long Johns
Warm socks
Gloves
Hats
Scarves
Boots (it actually snowed for a while when we were there in March! This VA Girl isn’t used to that!)
Warm packet thingies that go in pockets
Hoodies (or maybe I’ll buy a few from MIT and Harvard. Yeah, I’ll do that)
Earmuffs

Can you tell that the kids and I don’t really do cold weather? At least, we try not to go out in the cold unless we are really prepared because no one wants to hear me complaining. I mean…the kids. They are the ones complaining. Yeah! Uh huh! Not me! I cowboy up and deal with it I think we will be able to fit everything in two bags. I know that I need to pack more effectively this time because I really over packed for the trip in March. We each had our own suitcase! That was way too much for a four day trip! This will basically be a two day trip, so I think I can manage packing the appropriate amount this time

I’m going to keep researching, but I think we will stay in the same hotel as last time, too. I just hate that our two night stay is going to cost me the same as our four night stay just a few months ago! At least I don’t have to rent a car and we’re familiar with the neighborhood. So, I need to go make some more plans. I still have to figure out our flights, where we will go out to dinner (I have a cool seafood place in mind!) and what we will do after Coy gets out of his classes. I’m excited about doing the whole tourist thang in Boston! So what does any of this have to do with Disney? Absolutely nothing! but it is nice to have a getaway planned since it feels like FOREVER until we'll get to Disney World again! Ihope you guys don’t mind indulging me for a while!

Oooh, looks like lots of fun and I'm so glad you shared more about the program. I'll have to look into that becuase it sounds like something Jace would really love.

Bummer about the hotel prices. At least you won't have to rent a car though, that will help.

Seafood sounds like a definate must when in Boston. Though if you're taking long johns things might not actually be in season.

I was super impressed the first time I saw the card readers on a vending machine as well. Though we were at an L station in a Chicago suburb and they were charging an arm and a leg for the sodas so a card reader was necessary.

And no worries about the totally non-Disney related update. We're going to the beach in less than three weeks and there will definitely be updates about that in my PTR!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I am sitting here laughing my butt off ---- not at you, but with you of course! Long Johns? Seriously? For 50 degree weather? earmuffs? Boots? In Boston in November? Ok, Erin....let me know how that works out for you. (I'm sorry, I just can't stop chuckling!) Your blood is really thin from being in Virginia isn't it? I suppose it depends on the year and if you are normally cold, but Boston is a good 20 degrees or so hotter than Maine on average and yes, there could be snow on the ground, but in November it usually doesn't stay on the ground very long as it will melt. It's funny to read that you have to book flights for Boston, when it's just a car trip for us. (a 3 1/2 hour car trip) but a car trip none the less.

The MIT program sounds awesome. It may be something to look into for Victoria for next year, but with our trip to NYC for Thanksgiving, there's no way we could financially swing it. I cannot believe the Zombie Apocalypse is actually something they can study. Too cool!

I am being completely serious about the long johns and ear muffs! The cold doesn’t bother me as much as the wind, so I need to be prepared! I am no good in extreme temperatures! No, the 50’s isn’t too bad, but once we drop below 40, that is a whole different thing! I can’t stand being cold! I have a sweatshirt on in my office right now It’s all relative, though. When I went to school in South Carolina, people looked at me weird because I was still wearing shorts in 60 degree weather! They considered Virginia to be “up North” and they were all wearing warm clothes when I was still in short sleeves!

That’s cool that Boston is only a few hours away from you. From here, it is a 7 hour drive, which isn’t bad at all, but it is too long for a weekend trip. Plus, parking at that hotel is $32 a day! The flights will probably be about $100 each way on Southwest or JetBlue and it is about a 45 minute flight. Last time, we spent more time driving to the airport than we did on the actual plane!

I would highly recommend the MIT program to anyone who has a kid who is interested in things outside of the regular school curriculum. I can’t wait to see what Coy takes this year. In addition to zombies, he did something about aquariums, some weird math thing, I think he did a paper craft using cardboard and something else that I can’t remember, but I think it had something to do with computers.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I'm on the fence with the app but mostly because the Dis is just one of those things that I prefer on a computer. I prefer FB on the computer as well but love pinterest on my phone. Go figure.

I LOVE having Pinterest on my phone! It took forever for them to release an app for Android, but I think it was worth the wait.

Oooh, looks like lots of fun and I'm so glad you shared more about the program. I'll have to look into that becuase it sounds like something Jace would really love.

Bummer about the hotel prices. At least you won't have to rent a car though, that will help.

Seafood sounds like a definate must when in Boston. Though if you're taking long johns things might not actually be in season.

I was super impressed the first time I saw the card readers on a vending machine as well. Though we were at an L station in a Chicago suburb and they were charging an arm and a leg for the sodas so a card reader was necessary.

And no worries about the totally non-Disney related update. We're going to the beach in less than three weeks and there will definitely be updates about that in my PTR!

There are so many fun classes in the MIT program! I wish I could take some! Hmm… Can I pass for an 18 year old girl? Probably not I know you guys are laughing at me about the long johns, but I am taking them! What is that saying? Don’t eat seafood in a month that ends in “er”? Well, we have to take our chances because we didn’t get to go to a seafood place when we were there last time Wait! I googled it! You should ONLY eat seafood in months that have an “r” in them. SO we are good! I can’t wait to hear about your beach trip!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

You had me at COCKTAILS!

Ooooh, I LOVE that view at the hotel! I hope you can find a good rate...you might want to hurry up!

The classes sound great! I can't wait to hear all about it. I just realized that Rey & I will be BACK from our trip before you even go to Boston! OMG, it's creeping up fast!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

You had me at COCKTAILS!

Ooooh, I LOVE that view at the hotel! I hope you can find a good rate...you might want to hurry up!

The classes sound great! I can't wait to hear all about it. I just realized that Rey & I will be BACK from our trip before you even go to Boston! OMG, it's creeping up fast!

I really think I am going to have an adult beverage next time we go to breakfast there! It’s rude not to accept if they offer, right? Plus, I’m not driving, so I don’t have to feel guilty about having a little something to take the edge off of a cold day! I want that exact same room at the hotel! The view was amazing! I am still looking to see if there is another Marriott in the area that has shuttles to the places where we need to go. I’m trying to stick with Marriott because I am a rewards member with them and I like earning points for future stays. I plan on doing some travelling with the kids next year, so it’ll help if I can pay for those weekend trips with points instead of cash! Your trip is coming up fast! I’m so excited for you!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

A few days ago, cracked.com posted an article called “The 5 Most Unsettling Disney Theme Park Easter Eggs”. I was going to put a link to the article on here, but the DIS is a family site and Cracked is mildly obscene on a good day. My kind of website! Anyway, I was curious about this, but I didn’t get a chance to read it until this morning during my commute. BTW, it was 48 degrees at the bus stop today. I was wearing a short sleeved blouse, jeans and a very thick hoodie. I was FREEZING!!! Yeah, I’m definitely bundling up when we go to Boston! I was OK once I got on the bus, but I was so cold standing outside this morning! Luckily, it is a toasty 72 degrees right now

Back to the article: The first item on their list was the Utilidors – the utility corridors that Cast Members use to get from one spot to another in the parks without being seen by the guests. Did you know that you can actually pay to take a tour of the Utilidors? I would never do that, though. It would really ruin the magic for me. Then they talked about Club 33. I have, as most Disney fanatics probably have, done a lot of research and did a lot of fantasizing about being a member of Club 33. I wish I had $10,000 a year to blow on a membership! I wonder how long the waitlist really is? They also talked about the Cinderella Castle Suite. They even gave the number you could call to make a reservation there. Do you want it? They said it’s 1-800-NOPE How awesome would it be if you could make a reservation there??? I think it was on our 2009 trip that they were picking random people to spend one night there. I would’ve jumped at that opportunity! The article also talked about what they called “Scent Based Mind Control” Hey, if they are brainwashing me with the scent of popcorn and freshly baked cookies on Main Street, so be it! Wait! Is that what Disney wanted me to say??? Oh my goodness, I AM under their control! Did you know that the Tree of Life is made from an offshore oil rig? Neither did I until I read this article! I think there is a Disney Parks video on Netflix now that shows the process of building the Tree of Life, so I’m going to have to check that out!

Finally, the article talked about Hidden Mickeys. I never really got into HMs before, but I always thought that it was a neat concept. The kids and I saw them here and there, but we never chose to actually hunt them down. We were always too busy going from one attraction to another, so we’ve only seen a few. I know that there are books, websites and blogs dedicated to HMs too, but I never took the time to explore any of those, either. The Imagineers did such a great job hiding them in plain sight! It seems like a shame to not seek them out! I think it might be fun – and a good time-waster while in line – to do this on our next trip! I love taking in all of the little details in Disney World. It’s impossible to see everything, so it’s a guarantee to discover something new each time. Do you guys look for Hidden Mickey’s? Do you look for the “official” ones with the help of a book or a guide, or do you just wing it? If you do use a guide, which one would you recommend? Speaking of Easter Eggs, do you guys look for other hidden items? Recently, I heard about a hidden engagement ring at the Haunted Mansion in MK. I can’t remember if it was at the entrance or the exit of the attraction, but it is supposed to be a ring that is buried in the cement. I’ll have to look that one up. Ugh, I just looked it up and apparently the “ghost bride” took her ring back when they did the reconstruction on the ride Speaking of haunted, have you all heard the story of George? I might have to say hi to him when we go on Pirates of the Caribbean! Do you guys have any other Hidden Mickeys, ghost stories or little secrets to share about The Happiest Place on Earth?

 

[-Hope-]

A few days ago, cracked.com posted an article called “The 5 Most Unsettling Disney Theme Park Easter Eggs”. I was going to put a link to the article on here, but the DIS is a family site and Cracked is mildly obscene on a good day. My kind of website! Anyway, I was curious about this, but I didn’t get a chance to read it until this morning during my commute. BTW, it was 48 degrees at the bus stop today. I was wearing a short sleeved blouse, jeans and a very thick hoodie. I was FREEZING!!! Yeah, I’m definitely bundling up when we go to Boston! I was OK once I got on the bus, but I was so cold standing outside this morning! Luckily, it is a toasty 72 degrees right now

Back to the article: The first item on their list was the Utilidors – the utility corridors that Cast Members use to get from one spot to another in the parks without being seen by the guests. Did you know that you can actually pay to take a tour of the Utilidors? I would never do that, though. It would really ruin the magic for me. Then they talked about Club 33. I have, as most Disney fanatics probably have, done a lot of research and did a lot of fantasizing about being a member of Club 33. I wish I had $10,000 a year to blow on a membership! I wonder how long the waitlist really is? They also talked about the Cinderella Castle Suite. They even gave the number you could call to make a reservation there. Do you want it? They said it’s 1-800-NOPE How awesome would it be if you could make a reservation there??? I think it was on our 2009 trip that they were picking random people to spend one night there. I would’ve jumped at that opportunity! The article also talked about what they called “Scent Based Mind Control” Hey, if they are brainwashing me with the scent of popcorn and freshly baked cookies on Main Street, so be it! Wait! Is that what Disney wanted me to say??? Oh my goodness, I AM under their control! Did you know that the Tree of Life is made from an offshore oil rig? Neither did I until I read this article! I think there is a Disney Parks video on Netflix now that shows the process of building the Tree of Life, so I’m going to have to check that out!

Finally, the article talked about Hidden Mickeys. I never really got into HMs before, but I always thought that it was a neat concept. The kids and I saw them here and there, but we never chose to actually hunt them down. We were always too busy going from one attraction to another, so we’ve only seen a few. I know that there are books, websites and blogs dedicated to HMs too, but I never took the time to explore any of those, either. The Imagineers did such a great job hiding them in plain sight! It seems like a shame to not seek them out! I think it might be fun – and a good time-waster while in line – to do this on our next trip! I love taking in all of the little details in Disney World. It’s impossible to see everything, so it’s a guarantee to discover something new each time. Do you guys look for Hidden Mickey’s? Do you look for the “official” ones with the help of a book or a guide, or do you just wing it? If you do use a guide, which one would you recommend? Speaking of Easter Eggs, do you guys look for other hidden items? Recently, I heard about a hidden engagement ring at the Haunted Mansion in MK. I can’t remember if it was at the entrance or the exit of the attraction, but it is supposed to be a ring that is buried in the cement. I’ll have to look that one up. Ugh, I just looked it up and apparently the “ghost bride” took her ring back when they did the reconstruction on the ride Speaking of haunted, have you all heard the story of George? I might have to say hi to him when we go on Pirates of the Caribbean! Do you guys have any other Hidden Mickeys, ghost stories or little secrets to share about The Happiest Place on Earth?

I don't really have any to share but I love cracked!! I knew about the piping in smells but the way they worded it is hilarious! I know it's all marketing but I don't care- I still live the sights, sounds and SMELLS of MS.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! My kids and I did! Coy and True have been begging me to go see The Odd Life of Timothy Green for a while now, so we went on Friday night. There was traffic on the road, so we didn’t get to see any previews. That is one of my favorite parts of going to the movies – the previews! Oh well. At least we made it on time for the movie. I think we missed about 30 seconds of it. I had high hopes for this movie – it was a Disney movie, after all – but I spent most of the movie feeling…meh. Yes, True and I cried our eyes out during certain scenes, but the rest of the movie fell short. I can’t say why without spoiling the movie for those who haven’t seen it, so I’ll leave it at that. The concept of the story was very good, and I left the theater hoping that this was a movie based on a book so I could just go read that, but it’s not a book. Meh.

Yesterday was when the kids and I had some real fun! We went to the International Spy Museum in DC!



It was a really cool museum! There were so many displays and a lot of games that people could play. The whole thing was very interactive. The games and trivia were good for adults as well as kids. This is something I would definitely recommend to anyone visiting DC. There was even a little path people could take to crawl through an air duct. It was just like being in a spy movie because as we scooted through the duct, we had to keep our noise level down below a certain level. We could also see through the vents to the people below in the main part of the museum. It was only a short crawl form one side to the other, but the kids and I enjoyed it – so much so that True did it over and over again!

Unfortunately, there is no photography allowed in the museum. That was too bad, but I think it helped to keep the crowd moving at a pretty steady pace. There were two places where people could have a computer take free pictures and have them sent to their email. Only one was working, but we had fun using it! True was actually the one who pointed it out. She wanted us to pose with serious expressions on our faces so that we would look like spies, but Coy and I didn’t get the memo:



We tried again, but I was still smiling, while the kids had their spy faces on:



This next one is in sepia – I forgot to mention that the effect could be changed from color, B&W and sepia – and I said, “Let’s hold our chins like we are doing some detective work!” but True kept her cover as a spy:



It was then that True said we were playing around too much and that she wanted to take a picture by herself. She changed the setting to B&W (she didn’t like the whole sepia nonsense) and posed. Meanwhile, I leaned over to Coy and said, “Let’s photobomb her,” and Coy held back a laugh as he agreed:



Yes, that blur with the wide open mouth is me. True was livid! She remained a professional, though, and asked us to please move as she took another picture by herself:



You could see in her face that she was really mad at us I felt bad because she wasn’t really in the mood for our joke. She was taking this spy stuff seriously and we ruined the moment for her. As soon as she entered my email address, she walked off in a huff and went back into the air duct. I asked Coy to go after her and he did, but she used her evasive maneuvering skills to keep away from him! She really was learning a lot at the museum After blowing off some steam by taking about ten more turns in the duct, she forgave us and we were a happy family again

We went through the rest of the museum and learned quite a few interesting facts! We even sat through information about how to pick locks and about how bugging technology has developed over the years. In another section of the museum, there was a mini theater that showed the propaganda films that used to be shown in movie theaters during WWII. Does “propaganda film” have a negative connotation to it? I don’t know what else to call those types of films. Anyway, They showed a few shorts and wasn’t I surprised when I saw Donald Duck in one of them??? The film was called “The New Spirit” and it was about how Donald Duck became convinced that paying taxes was a good thing so that he could do his part to help the war effort. You never know when you’ll have a little bit of Disney in your life! Disney Every Day, right? Right? So we sat through a few more shorts and cartoons until we had seen them all. The kids had a lot of questions about why those films were made and they were also surprised by some of the language used in them like H E Double Hockey Sticks! Then we saw how wars and spies influenced pop culture through movies, board games and toys. Coy was intrigued by the board games and True was fascinated with the 007 Barbies.

By the time we got to the end of the museum, we had been there for a good three hours! The time passed very quickly, but we looked at almost every single display. I’m not exaggerating because I think there were maybe five displays that we didn’t look at. I will definitely take the kids back one day. It is well worth the time and the money. The tickets were normally $20 for adults and $15 for kids, but I got a Groupon for half off a couple of months ago and brought tickets then. I hope the museum does another special with Groupon or Living Social soon because $50 is a lot to spend for a museum. At the same time, I spend about that much when we go to the movies, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. The Groupon deal was good, though, because it also gave us 10% off at the gift shop. That’s how they get ya! I knew we had to make a stop at the gift shop anyway, so it was cool. We did a little shopping and left, but not before I got some pictures of the kids outside of the museum. If there aren’t any pictures, it didn’t happen, right? I should preface these pictures by letting you know that True picked up a set of moustaches in the gift shop. So, no, she didn’t suddenly grow facial hair:







After taking a few pictures, it was time to head home. We were taking the Metro, so I decided to throw in a little lesson about getting around in DC. I used to get so lost in DC when I first started driving. I used to get lost everywhere! Who am I kidding? I still do! But DC is fairly easy to navigate if you know how the streets are situated. There was a Metro right around the corner, but I decided we were going to walk to one that was about five blocks away. I told them that the streets were in numerical and alphabetical order, we were at 8th and F streets and we needed to get to 13th and G. Coy took that information, looked at the street signs on each corner and pointed us in the right direction I was really proud of him. When we got to the Metro, the down escalator wasn’t working, so we had to walk down several flights of stairs. Coy wanted to slide down the railing:







Luckily, he stopped when he got to a steep part! We rode the Metro home and we were exhausted! They did play with their souvenirs for a while, though. True, as I mentioned before, got a set of moustaches:



She also got a Secret Journal that had a pen that used regular ink and invisible ink. The ony way to read the invisible ink was to use the blacklight that was also on the pen:



Coy got a shocker pen that was basically like one of those trick hand buzzers.



And he got this book:



I won’t be surprised if he tries to catch me or True in a lie later! Overall, we had an awesome weekend. So, Timothy Green – wait for it to come out on DVD. Better yet, wait for it to come out on basic cable. Don’t waste your money on it. International Spy Museum – a MUST DO if you are ever in the DC area!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I don't really have any to share but I love cracked!! I knew about the piping in smells but the way they worded it is hilarious! I know it's all marketing but I don't care- I still live the sights, sounds and SMELLS of MS.

I know, right? It is genius level marketing and I fall for it every time!

 

[Alysa]

Sounds like a great day!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Sounds like a blast!!! I have more to say, but I'm out of time, so maybe I'll remember what I was going to say next time I post! Don't hold your breath, I'm not known for the best memory!

 

[-Hope-]

The spy museum looks amazing! I love it. And how cool that you had a Disney moment there.

I guess True's photobomb moment was your mini-meltdown for your mini-vacation.

That's disappointing about Timothy Green but I've found that Disney just doesn't do live action as well as they do animation. :

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Sounds like a great day!

It was! We had so much fun

Sounds like a blast!!! I have more to say, but I'm out of time, so maybe I'll remember what I was going to say next time I post! Don't hold your breath, I'm not known for the best memory!

We had a great time!

The spy museum looks amazing! I love it. And how cool that you had a Disney moment there.

I guess True's photobomb moment was your mini-meltdown for your mini-vacation.

That's disappointing about Timothy Green but I've found that Disney just doesn't do live action as well as they do animation. :

The museum was so cool. You’re right! That was our meltdown for the trip! I’m trying to think of the last live action film that I really enjoyed. The first two Pirates of the Caribbean movies, I think. Oh, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I have a lot to learn about UO, so I started a PTR over on The Darkside!!! Dum dum dum!!! Don’t worry, though, because I am posting the same posts over here, but I am not posting the WDW planning stuff over there. You’re not going to miss out on any of the UO planning fun! I feel like I am cheating on the WDW boards, though! “Don’t worry about that other board! I’m just getting information, that’s all! You know you are the only board for me!”

From here on out, I’m posting about UO in sienna to distinguish it from the WDW posts in purple. Here is what I posted on the UO boards today:



It’s time to do some Universal planning! I was on the UO website and I realized that I know little to nothing about these parks! First, I looked at the rides, shows and restaurants offered at each park. Then I took a peek at City Walk, but I don’t think the kids and I will be doing anything in that area this time around. Finally, I toyed around with the onsite resorts, but I quickly realized that it makes more financial sense to stay in WDW on the DDP while we take a few days off to visit UO. I would love to stay at Portofino, but a split stay between UO and WDW isn’t in the cards right now. It’s entirely possible that I am not working the numbers the right way – Disney has fuzzy math, so I am sure that UO does too – but I think that getting two or three day park-to-park tickets is the best bet. Yes, I am considering three day tickets. I can’t believe that I would allow myself to be out of the Disney Bubble for that long, but I’m starting to wonder if the kids and I could really experience all that we wanted to in only two days The extra day will probably replace my “relaxing” day. I mean, who needs to relax on vacation, right? I am also wondering if getting the Universal Express Pass is worth it. Or is it the Universal Express Plus that goes with the park-to-park tickets? In any case, I like the idea of skipping the lines. I’m definitely going to be seeking advice as I go along with my UO plans.

As I stated in the intro to this PTR, we are staying at a Disney resort and we will most likely be going to UO on Saturday, August 24th and Sunday, August 25th. I chose these days because – according to touringplans.com – WDW will have the lowest crowd levels on those days. I figured that, by extension, the crowds would be lower at UO on those days too. Am I completely off base here? I’d welcome some opinions on what days are best to go to US and IoA. Now, when I went to the Express Pass website, I put in my dates and I saw that the passes were only available on August 23rd, 25th, 28th, 29th and 30th. What’s up with that? Are passes only available on certain days or do passes sell out that quickly? Also, while on the subject of touringplans.com, are there any other websites that Darksiders frequent? For instance, I also use allears.net and mousesavers.com in my travel planning. Are there any sites similar to those for UO that anyone would recommend? I am the kind of person who hates not knowing something, so not halving all of the information about UO that I would like is driving me nuts! At the same time, I love the researching part of trip planning, so I am having fun while going nuts!

It’s been at least 20 years since I have been there and the only attraction I can remember with any real clarity is ET. I looked at the UO website and decided my first step in planning would be to get familiar with the rides and shows. I am a list maker, so what did I do? I made a list! I listed all of the rides, all of the shows and I marked if they took Universal Express Passes or Universal Express Plus. I also listed the play areas but hopefully, my kids won’t want to actually play there and I can just get some pictures of the areas if they have cool theming. Finally, I listed all of the restaurants and categorized them into Fine Dining, Casual Dining and Quick Service. Dining is a whole different topic and I am not even close to ready to discuss that yet! Based on my lists, I think the kids and I will want to do everything! Ride all the things!

I’m going to start off with the rides at Universal Studios:

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem – I am so glad this is open! The kids and I love Despicable Me and I can’t wait to do a movie night for this movie. For those who haven’t read any of my past PTRs, I like to have what I call Dinner and a Disney Movie nights. Well, I have only had one in recent months, but I need to get on the ball and start having them again so that the kids can get familiar and/or reacquainted with some characters we will see at UO. I guess I will have to call those theme nights “Dinner and a Universal Movie Nights”

Disaster! – this is the only other ride that I think I remember from when I was a kid. I’m not totally sure I have ridden this since so much has changed over the years.

ET Adventure – I know that I rode this years ago and I really liked it. The kids have seen the movie several times, but I think it would still be fun to do a movie night for this one too.

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – the kids and I love coasters and I am so glad that they are both tall enough now to ride them all. The height requirement for some of the rides was what prevented me from planning a UO trip before now. The kids are more than tall enough at this point since my baby boy is about 5’9” now (half an inch taller than me! ) and my little girl is about 5’ even!

Men in Black Alien Attack – The kids have seen the MiB movies too. I liked the first one but wasn’t all too into the second. My kids loved both. I smell another theme night coming on! Maybe when the new MiB comes out. Oops! I just checked IMDb and saw that it already came out! In May! Shows how much I wanted to see that movie!

Revenge of the Mummy – None of us have seen any of the Mummy movies, so what do we have to do? You guessed it! Have a movie night! I checked Netflix, though, and they don’t have those movies available for streaming. They are available for DVD, but I don’t really want to mess up my queue Maybe I can borrow them from someone or maybe I can catch them on cable and record them.

Shrek 4D – we have all of the movies (including the Halloween and Christmas specials) and we have watched them all several times! Shrek said the quote I have for my title to this PTR! Movie night!!!

The Simpsons Ride – the kids really like the Simpsons. I LOVE The Simpsons! I have watched them from the very beginning and I cannot wait to go on this ride. We don’t really need a movie night for this one, considering that The Simpsons comes on every Sunday night, but I think it might be fun to watch The Simpsons Movie since the kids really enjoyed it when we watched it before.

Terminator 2 3D – I loved the Terminator movies when I was younger, so I was happy that the kids liked The Terminator when they watched it a few years ago. Funnily enough, the kids have seen Terminator, Terminator 3 and even The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but they have never seen Terminator 2! I am a terrible mother! I have to make it up to them. How? Say it with me: Movie night!

Twister – this was on basic cable just the other weekend! This is one of my all-time favorite movies because of the strong female lead. I love the part when Helen Hunt’s character – Jo – and Bill Paxton’s character – Bill (LOL) – get caught in the twister, they take cover and her truck gets tossed. After it is over, Bill goes to his fiancé – who is very shaken by what she saw – and Jo passes by her, looks at her and asks calmly, “You OK?” and just keeps walking as if getting caught in a tornado is no big deal. Love it! Unfortunately, I only have this movie on VHS and I no longer have a VHS player. I might have to buy it on DVD because the kids would LOVE this movie! I know you all are tired of hearing it by now, but: Movie night!

Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster – to be honest, I’m not sure how familiar my kids are with Woody Woodpecker. I’m guessing not very. I mean, when would they have had the opportunity to watch Woody? I wasn’t too into Woody myself when I was a kid. I mostly watched him because there was a limited selection of cartoons back in the day! I looked on Netflix and they have the old cartoons on DVD, but I am most definitely not screwing with my queue for those! What’s this called “The New Woody Woodpecker Show”? That is available for streaming. I’ll check it out one day, but I have a feeling that I’ll just end up looking for a few Woody Woodpecker cartoons on youtube. No, I will not be doing a movie night for this guy

Next are the shows at US:

Animal Actors on Location – my kids are both animal lovers, but True especially loves anything to do with animals. I think we will enjoy this show.

Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Review – oddly enough, Coy asked me who Beetlejuice was the other day. I think he was watching something on TV and a commercial came on for a movie or something. In any case, I think they might find that movie to be interesting. I always thought that movie was a little weird, but we’ll see what the kids think.

The Blues Brothers Show – my kids have no idea who these people are and I don’t really have an interest in stopping to seek out this show. I heard it’s a good show, though, so we might stop if we happen to pass by during a performance.

A Day in the Park with Barney – Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need I say more? I never ever liked the purple dinosaur and I was so thankful that my kids never got into that show either!

Fear Factor Live – Coy discovered Fear Factor on Netflix a few weeks ago and has proceeded to gross out his sister by making her watch with him I never cared for the show, but I have a feeling that Coy will want to stop to watch this at US.

Lucy – A Tribute – Imagine my surprise when I saw my 9 year old daughter watching I Love Lucy on TV a few weeks ago! At first, I thought that she was asleep on the sofa and the TV was just on Lucy, but no, she was actually watching it! She finds Lucy to be hilarious and she couldn’t believe that I used to watch reruns of it when I was her age too! I think she will really enjoy seeing Lucy in the park and I hope she gets a chance to meet the character too!

Universal Orlando’s Horror Make Up Show – I think all of us will enjoy this. The kids like seeing the “behind the scenes” parts of movies, so this make up show should be pretty cool.

US Play Areas:

Curious George Goes to Town – I just want to see what is over there and maybe take a few pictures because I really liked Curious George as a kid. The kids like him too, but I don’t think they will actually be interested in playing in that area.

Fievel’s Playland – what the heck is a Fievel? Oh, I looked it up. He’s from An American Tail. Well, I doubt the kids have ever seen those movies, but I know I haven’t. Movie night? Maybe. I have so many other ones to do that I don’t know if I’ll have time to do one just so that the kids and I can be familiar with the theming of a play area.

In any case, it looks like I have quite a few movie nights to plan! This is only US! I haven’t even gotten started on IoA yet! Oh, and a Harry Potter marathon is definitely in the works! But, shhh! I don’t want to spill the beans on that one yet!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I have a lot to learn about UO, so I started a PTR over on The Darkside!!! Dum dum dum!!! Don’t worry, though, because I am posting the same posts over here, but I am not posting the WDW planning stuff over there. You’re not going to miss out on any of the UO planning fun! I feel like I am cheating on the WDW boards, though! “Don’t worry about that other board! I’m just getting information, that’s all! You know you are the only board for me!”

From here on out, I’m posting about UO in sienna to distinguish it from the WDW posts in purple. Here is what I posted on the UO boards today:



It’s time to do some Universal planning! I was on the UO website and I realized that I know little to nothing about these parks! First, I looked at the rides, shows and restaurants offered at each park. Then I took a peek at City Walk, but I don’t think the kids and I will be doing anything in that area this time around. Finally, I toyed around with the onsite resorts, but I quickly realized that it makes more financial sense to stay in WDW on the DDP while we take a few days off to visit UO. I would love to stay at Portofino, but a split stay between UO and WDW isn’t in the cards right now. It’s entirely possible that I am not working the numbers the right way – Disney has fuzzy math, so I am sure that UO does too – but I think that getting two or three day park-to-park tickets is the best bet. Yes, I am considering three day tickets. I can’t believe that I would allow myself to be out of the Disney Bubble for that long, but I’m starting to wonder if the kids and I could really experience all that we wanted to in only two days The extra day will probably replace my “relaxing” day. I mean, who needs to relax on vacation, right? I am also wondering if getting the Universal Express Pass is worth it. Or is it the Universal Express Plus that goes with the park-to-park tickets? In any case, I like the idea of skipping the lines. I’m definitely going to be seeking advice as I go along with my UO plans.

As I stated in the intro to this PTR, we are staying at a Disney resort and we will most likely be going to UO on Saturday, August 24th and Sunday, August 25th. I chose these days because – according to touringplans.com – WDW will have the lowest crowd levels on those days. I figured that, by extension, the crowds would be lower at UO on those days too. Am I completely off base here? I’d welcome some opinions on what days are best to go to US and IoA. Now, when I went to the Express Pass website, I put in my dates and I saw that the passes were only available on August 23rd, 25th, 28th, 29th and 30th. What’s up with that? Are passes only available on certain days or do passes sell out that quickly? Also, while on the subject of touringplans.com, are there any other websites that Darksiders frequent? For instance, I also use allears.net and mousesavers.com in my travel planning. Are there any sites similar to those for UO that anyone would recommend? I am the kind of person who hates not knowing something, so not halving all of the information about UO that I would like is driving me nuts! At the same time, I love the researching part of trip planning, so I am having fun while going nuts!

It’s been at least 20 years since I have been there and the only attraction I can remember with any real clarity is ET. I looked at the UO website and decided my first step in planning would be to get familiar with the rides and shows. I am a list maker, so what did I do? I made a list! I listed all of the rides, all of the shows and I marked if they took Universal Express Passes or Universal Express Plus. I also listed the play areas but hopefully, my kids won’t want to actually play there and I can just get some pictures of the areas if they have cool theming. Finally, I listed all of the restaurants and categorized them into Fine Dining, Casual Dining and Quick Service. Dining is a whole different topic and I am not even close to ready to discuss that yet! Based on my lists, I think the kids and I will want to do everything! Ride all the things!

I’m going to start off with the rides at Universal Studios:

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem – I am so glad this is open! The kids and I love Despicable Me and I can’t wait to do a movie night for this movie. For those who haven’t read any of my past PTRs, I like to have what I call Dinner and a Disney Movie nights. Well, I have only had one in recent months, but I need to get on the ball and start having them again so that the kids can get familiar and/or reacquainted with some characters we will see at UO. I guess I will have to call those theme nights “Dinner and a Universal Movie Nights”

LOVE THIS RIDE! If you remember Jimmy Neutron's ride, this is in the same building and along the same idea! After the ride you can dance with the minions!!

Disaster! – this is the only other ride that I think I remember from when I was a kid. I’m not totally sure I have ridden this since so much has changed over the years.

I think what you remember is Earthquake. I don't think Disaster was there 14 years ago. But, again, it's pretty much the same thing. You will be in the subway when a fire and flood breaks out. It's pretty cool!

ET Adventure – I know that I rode this years ago and I really liked it. The kids have seen the movie several times, but I think it would still be fun to do a movie night for this one too.

Hasn't changed. Still fun

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – the kids and I love coasters and I am so glad that they are both tall enough now to ride them all. The height requirement for some of the rides was what prevented me from planning a UO trip before now. The kids are more than tall enough at this point since my baby boy is about 5’9” now (half an inch taller than me! ) and my little girl is about 5’ even!

We didn't dare......

Men in Black Alien Attack – The kids have seen the MiB movies too. I liked the first one but wasn’t all too into the second. My kids loved both. I smell another theme night coming on! Maybe when the new MiB comes out. Oops! I just checked IMDb and saw that it already came out! In May! Shows how much I wanted to see that movie!

An absolute MUST DO!!! Think of Buzz Lightyear's space ranger spin!

Revenge of the Mummy – None of us have seen any of the Mummy movies, so what do we have to do? You guessed it! Have a movie night! I checked Netflix, though, and they don’t have those movies available for streaming. They are available for DVD, but I don’t really want to mess up my queue Maybe I can borrow them from someone or maybe I can catch them on cable and record them.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one although it's way too short! You don't need to see the movie to love it.

Shrek 4D – we have all of the movies (including the Halloween and Christmas specials) and we have watched them all several times! Shrek said the quote I have for my title to this PTR! Movie night!!!

This is ok. The seats move, so it's kind of bumpy, but still cute.

The Simpsons Ride – the kids really like the Simpsons. I LOVE The Simpsons! I have watched them from the very beginning and I cannot wait to go on this ride. We don’t really need a movie night for this one, considering that The Simpsons comes on every Sunday night, but I think it might be fun to watch The Simpsons Movie since the kids really enjoyed it when we watched it before.

This one is the old Back to the Future ride. Love it.

Terminator 2 3D – I loved the Terminator movies when I was younger, so I was happy that the kids liked The Terminator when they watched it a few years ago. Funnily enough, the kids have seen Terminator, Terminator 3 and even The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but they have never seen Terminator 2! I am a terrible mother! I have to make it up to them. How? Say it with me: Movie night!

This one is good. It's a movie and stage show put together. We liked it.

Twister – this was on basic cable just the other weekend! This is one of my all-time favorite movies because of the strong female lead. I love the part when Helen Hunt’s character – Jo – and Bill Paxton’s character – Bill (LOL) – get caught in the twister, they take cover and her truck gets tossed. After it is over, Bill goes to his fiancé – who is very shaken by what she saw – and Jo passes by her, looks at her and asks calmly, “You OK?” and just keeps walking as if getting caught in a tornado is no big deal. Love it! Unfortunately, I only have this movie on VHS and I no longer have a VHS player. I might have to buy it on DVD because the kids would LOVE this movie! I know you all are tired of hearing it by now, but: Movie night!

LOVED IT!!! Love the movie, so I had fun. Peter says he was expected more umph.

Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster – to be honest, I’m not sure how familiar my kids are with Woody Woodpecker. I’m guessing not very. I mean, when would they have had the opportunity to watch Woody? I wasn’t too into Woody myself when I was a kid. I mostly watched him because there was a limited selection of cartoons back in the day! I looked on Netflix and they have the old cartoons on DVD, but I am most definitely not screwing with my queue for those! What’s this called “The New Woody Woodpecker Show”? That is available for streaming. I’ll check it out one day, but I have a feeling that I’ll just end up looking for a few Woody Woodpecker cartoons on youtube. No, I will not be doing a movie night for this guy

Never been. We were "too old".

Next are the shows at US:

Animal Actors on Location – my kids are both animal lovers, but True especially loves anything to do with animals. I think we will enjoy this show.

Awesome show. It's amazing what they train those animals to do....and yes, THERE IS A CHICKEN!!!!

Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Review – oddly enough, Coy asked me who Beetlejuice was the other day. I think he was watching something on TV and a commercial came on for a movie or something. In any case, I think they might find that movie to be interesting. I always thought that movie was a little weird, but we’ll see what the kids think.

Please DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!!! It is fantastic and has nothing to do with Beetlejuice. He's just the host. The kids will love it. Victoria did.

The Blues Brothers Show – my kids have no idea who these people are and I don’t really have an interest in stopping to seek out this show. I heard it’s a good show, though, so we might stop if we happen to pass by during a performance.

Great performance!

A Day in the Park with Barney – Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need I say more? I never ever liked the purple dinosaur and I was so thankful that my kids never got into that show either!

Fear Factor Live – Coy discovered Fear Factor on Netflix a few weeks ago and has proceeded to gross out his sister by making her watch with him I never cared for the show, but I have a feeling that Coy will want to stop to watch this at US.

It was closed both last year and this year when we went.

Lucy – A Tribute – Imagine my surprise when I saw my 9 year old daughter watching I Love Lucy on TV a few weeks ago! At first, I thought that she was asleep on the sofa and the TV was just on Lucy, but no, she was actually watching it! She finds Lucy to be hilarious and she couldn’t believe that I used to watch reruns of it when I was her age too! I think she will really enjoy seeing Lucy in the park and I hope she gets a chance to meet the character too!

Universal Orlando’s Horror Make Up Show – I think all of us will enjoy this. The kids like seeing the “behind the scenes” parts of movies, so this make up show should be pretty cool.

OMG!!!! Best show of any park I've seen.

US Play Areas:

Curious George Goes to Town – I just want to see what is over there and maybe take a few pictures because I really liked Curious George as a kid. The kids like him too, but I don’t think they will actually be interested in playing in that area.

Fievel’s Playland – what the heck is a Fievel? Oh, I looked it up. He’s from An American Tail. Well, I doubt the kids have ever seen those movies, but I know I haven’t. Movie night? Maybe. I have so many other ones to do that I don’t know if I’ll have time to do one just so that the kids and I can be familiar with the theming of a play area.

In any case, it looks like I have quite a few movie nights to plan! This is only US! I haven’t even gotten started on IoA yet! Oh, and a Harry Potter marathon is definitely in the works! But, shhh! I don’t want to spill the beans on that one yet!

Ok, Erin.....there are my opinions!!