Earthquake! Youre right! There are so many new things to try in US that I cannot wait to go!!!
Ohhhhhhh. From Rocky & Bullwinkle! I used to watch that as a kid, but it was another one of those deals where I only watched it because nothing better was on 
I used to like Boris and Natasha, though. I wonder if my kids have ever seen any of the Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons? Doubt it. Anyway, back to the ride. So its a log flume, right? Any chance they have lap bars on it? True and I absolutely HATE that feeling of being thrown out of the log like in Splash Mountain but I know Coy will want to go on this. Give me a coaster any day! Spins, loops, drops, whatever! Bring it on! But log flume rides scare me silly! 
So this is basically Dumbo, but with water, right? Well, since it will be August, Im up for any water ride! Well, not Ripsaw Falls, but we already talked about that 
Oh well. If there are certain rides that I cant ride, I will admire them from afar 
I was looking for the Sinbad starring Brad Pitt. I really liked that one. I think I have that on DVD, actually. Coy and I used to watch it all of the time when he was little. True was just a baby, so I doubt she has ever seen it. Ill have to look through the box of DVDs that we never play. Anyway, I think this might be an interesting show because the kids and I like watching stunts! 
Well, the UO website had it listed under shows, so that is where I will put it!
It just seems like a really cool place and I think the kids will like it.
Mystic fountain is a show in the same way the singing trash can in MK is a show.
OK, gotcha!
And just so you know, the water rides are WET! Pretty sure Dudley has lap bars but absolutely positive that you will not walk away with a dry spot on you. They take the water rides seriously on the dark side. They even have lockers nearby to rent in case you have items that can't wet.
Oh wow! Well, you know what that means? A brand new packing list for the UO day packs!
Yep, the flyers are only for the littles. I pouted about that for a while! Especially since adults are allowed to ride with a child- so we could do it, it's not a safety issue or anything, they just won't let us!
I need to borrow a little kid! I really want to do that ride! Oh well
Can't wait to see your rite up on WWoHP!
Otherwise, if we ever did go to UO, it would have been for maybe a day or two. It was such a funny coincidence that I was on Pinterest earlier and what should I see but this meme?:
OK, let me regain my sense of composure and talk about the chorus. I don’t know what it is called, but there is a chorus that sings “Boil, Boil, Toil and Trouble” with the toads and everything! I’m so glad that they included this in the park! I listened to a couple of other songs that they sang, but I didn’t want to spoil it for myself. I also didn’t want to spoil it for the kids, so I haven’t showed them any of the performances either. Wait, I just looked at the IoA map and I saw that the Beaubaton/Durmstrang performance is called the Tri-Wizard Spirit Rally and the chorus is called the Frog Choir I know, I am corny! A tip I read was to buy the postcards and to have them stamp it with the Hogsmeade post mark, but to bring my own stamps because the Hogsmeade stamps were very pricey! Has anyone mailed a letter or a postcard at the Owl Post? But wait, we were talking about food! Is there any food item anyone would recommend at WWoHP? We definitely have to try a Butterbeer. So far, all but one of the reports I have read said the regular Butterbeer was much better than the frozen. I might have to tempt fate and try a frozen one, just to say I did it. How’s the Pumpkin Juice? To be honest, it sounds repulsive to me because all I can imagine is a pumpkin pie in juice form 
I imagine, that after we drink our fill of Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice, we’ll have to visit the restrooms – and hear Moaning Myrtle! Oh! I almost forgot about Pumpkin Pasties? Do they sell those at Honeydukes? No chance of that, though, huh? I’m just picturing that the wand chooses me and my hair gets blown back and my wand glows and I feel this sense of connection to the wand and everyone looks at me in awe as I start my journey to be the brightest which of my age! Yeah, the crazy runs deep over here Back to the shop – if we go to Ollivanders first, then we would have to go to Forbidden Journey right after that, right? Or is the line already too long after being open for 30 minutes? I want to visit each and every shop there! I heard that WWoHP gets much slower close to closing (I guess that’s typical of any park, though) and I hope that the kids and I can get some shopping done without being squished between all of the people in there 
Does anyone have any tips for shopping? Does anyone have any tips for getting picked…I mean, getting their kids picked for Ollivanders?
Lets be honest here. Harry is the only reason I am considering leaving the Disney Bubble for three days!
That was very fitting for todays post! Anyway, I have been waiting to go to WWoHP for so long and I dont even care that it only has a few rides and shows! Speaking of rides:
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey this ride doesnt have Express Pass, so is this best to do first thing?
Yes, pretty much. However, since you won't have early entry you might actually be better off waiting until later in the day but then you're taking the risk that the line will only get longer.
Dragon Challenge I just read today that the dragons are named for dragons that were in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Whenever we watch Goblet of Fire and they get to the dragon part, we always say along with Barty Crouch, Chinese Firebolt! Oooohhh!
Flight of the Hippogriff yup!
and thats it. Ugh, I wish this part of the park was bigger! Oh well, Im still excited about seeing everything!
The shops/ displays are all really part of the experience as well. The windows have actual movie props (Hermione's gown from the winter ball for example) and everything is created to JK Rowling's specifications to be as authentic as possible. I have a pin on my Orlando Pinterest board with a scavenger hunt of things to find in the shops. I'll link it in my PTR at some point or you can look for it on my board.
I also have seen a few shows on YouTube. They werent listed on the UO website, but I know the Beauxbaton ladies and the Durmstrang men have a performance at certain times of day! True and I love us some Durmstrang men! We call Vicktor Krum Vicktor Yum! I know the dude is 12 years younger than I am, but he is one fine piece of oops! Sorry! I wonder if I can come up with a reverse aging spell?
The UO website lists food next. Well, I heard the food is nothing to write home about which is a shame because I really wanted to go to the Owl Post!
Funny, I read just the opposite!
I think so, also cauldron cakes which I've heard are to DIE for!
While were on the subject of stores, it is my understanding that Ollivanders must be done first thing in the morning. I really want to see this! Sadly, Im not even hoping one of my kids gets picked Im hoping I get picked!
Yep, everything I've read says Ollivanders first, then FJ.
I want to visit each and every shop there! I heard that WWoHP gets much slower close to closing (I guess thats typical of any park, though) and I hope that the kids and I can get some shopping done without being squished between all of the people in there
There's supposed to be a magic spot near the stairs for getting picked but I'm not sure. My kids don't want to be picked so I haven't read up that much on it. I've also read later in the day is slower, but it seems risky to me- they will shut down the HP section of the park if it gets too full and then you have to wait in line and can enter as people leave.
You can always do the castle tour first thing in the morning (after Ollivander's) and then ride FJ later in the day.
Do you have the free UO app from Undercover Tourist? Watch the wait times at various points of the days for the weeks leading up to your trip to see if there's a time of day when the lines are shorter and try to plan to be there during that time for FJ (but still do Ollivander's first thing). For us it seems to be the hours before and after lunch (but not during) that the FJ line is shortest. I'm sure it's different during different times though.
I don't think I've seen your Orlando board, but I'll be sure to look out for the link to the scavenger hunt if you post it! That sounds like so much fun because it would be so cool to see the props from the movies. Ooh! Cauldron cakes? Mmm! I'm going to look up the secret spot by the stairs to get picked for the wand ceremony. I think Coy will act like he's too cool 
but I think True would enjoy the attention 
Thanks for that tip, too! I don't have the Undercover Tourist app yet, but I'll have to get that I agree, I love the strong female characters in the HP books I'm pretty sure an expansion is in the works but it will be years (maybe 2 or more) before its ready so I'm not waiting- it'll just be a good excuse to go back.
The UO website and I really dont get along! On Monday, I decided just to go ahead and give UO a call. Let me get the bad stuff off of my chest first: Besides the not-very-user-friendly website, I found that the customer service at UO left a lot to be desired. I called the Portofino Bay resort, not knowing if this was the proper place to contact for package reservations, but it was the only number I saw on the UO website. The woman who answered was pretty abrupt when she said she was going to transfer me to the right number. Admittedly, I thought I may have been calling the wrong place, but she was a little rude. On top of that, she transferred me to the wrong number! The woman who answered that line was a bit rude herself until I said that I was transferred to her. She lightened up a bit and gave me the correct number to call before transferring me to that number. Then things turned around because a very nice man named Lee answered my call and, subsequently, all of my questions. I know I am spoiled by the Disney CMs, but I have been in the customer service industry for years and years, and I know poor customer service when I see it. I wish I was asked to take a survey after I spoke to Lee because, as I said a second ago, he was great.
So I asked him how much it would be for me and my two kids (adults by the standards of WDW and UO) to stay at Portofino Bay from August 21st to August 23rd with three day park-to-park tickets. He did a few calculations and said, For August 21st through August 23rd at the Portofino Bay, in a Garden View room, with three day park-to-park tickets, unlimited front-of-the-line access and free early entry to the parks, your total would be $1139.03.
) but I have decided to stay at the Portofino Bay for the first two nights of the trip so that we can have the Express Passes all three days. Not to mention the early entry all three days! OK, Ill mention it! I think we will go to WWoHP each of those mornings to make sure we can really do it all. Then we can focus on the rest of the parks Well probably leave the parks around lunch time on August 23rd and go check into Pop, then go back to UO for the rest of the day. That way, when were in UO, we wont have to worry about transportation back and forth between there and WDW and we wont have to leave UO in order to make an ADR at WDW. Plus, once we lay our weary heads down at Pop that first day in WDW, we wont have to leave the Disney Bubble. Im worried that Ill spend a lot of time comparing UO to WDW and vice versa if we stay in WDW while we tour UO, so that takes care of that! Also, as I do more research on dining in UO, there are a lot of restaurants that I want to try and that I think the kids will like. Itll be easier to plan meals if I dont have to worry about using up DDP credits. Im sure I could use up those credits somehow (my kids and I are hardly ones to pass up a meal!) but this will make things flow a little smoother, I think. On top of all of this, I wont have to use up WDW low-attendance days in UO and I can plan my days at WDW accordingly Maybe Ill change my mind once I look a bit more at the Hard Rock, but I dont think so. Im curious about eating at Kitchen, though. The Royal Pacific Resort looks cute too, but I dont know much about it. Believe me, I was tempted to just go ahead and book the package with Lee, but I was able to keep my credit card safely tucked away this time! I have to redo my plans for WDW before Ill feel comfortable making any deposits, but since I have slept on this for two nights, I really do believe this is the best plan so far
Subbing and then going back to read everything haha. You have a gorgeous family! I love the name True.
Can't wait to read all about your plans, since you'll be there around the same time as my group.
Im glad another Aug 2013 tripper is here! Thank you for the compliments on my kids and on my daughters name! I have found that people either love the name True or hate it! 
). And the hotel looks just beautiful!
So are you thinking of just doing two days when you go?
We are still living out of boxes for the most part because it takes FOREVER to move a whole house! Ugh! The kids and I love it, though, so it is totally worth it! You know how on The Incredibles when Helen calls her hubby and says, Its official! We are finally moved in, because she just unpacked the last box? And remember how he says something like they moved two years ago? Yeah, Im afraid that is going to happen to me! Im doing my best not to let it be two years until I unpack the last box! Although, we lived in my last house for a little over three years and there were a few boxes that were still left from the last move! That was mostly because we didnt have the space to put out some of my stuff, though. We had a good sized house but it still wasnt big enough for the three of us. I actually considered buying the house because my kids and I loved it so much, but it was becoming clear that we were outgrowing it. So I did something crazy and I started looking for houses that were even farther out into the suburbs than we already lived. We moved about 45 minutes away from our last house and it has made all of the difference! We still have three bedrooms and three levels, but the square footage is bigger, the deck is bigger and the back yard is WAY bigger! There is even a little plot where the kids and I can start a little garden Im going to have to ask my mom for help with that because I am horrible with keeping plants alive! True is actually pretty good, so maybe I can have both of them teach me how not to kill plants The best part about the new house is that it is $200 cheaper per month! Oh yeah! Bigger and cheaper? Mama likes the sound of that! My commute is a little bit longer surprisingly, it is only about 15 minutes longer but I can still take public transportation. I also have to talk to my boss when he gets back into town and see if I can telecommute. A lot of the people at my job telecommute because the greenest commute is no commute It would be great if I could telecommute a few days a week. That would allow me to spend more time at home with the kids and it would take some of the pressure off of my mom to be with the kids every day. Staying on site for two night seems like the perfect option for your family- and with such an affordable rate it really seems like the best choice.
As for changing plans, well... That's half the fun! If you knew exactly what you were doing from the beginning what would be the point of the PTR, right? Yep, just remember that when I'm changing my mind for the eleventy-billionth time.
Yeah, changes are the best part of trip planning! It gives me something to do while I wait FOREVER for our vacation to come! I have no idea why I lost my subscription to your PTR Erin. I'm here and loving all of your posts! Fuzzy Disney Math is the best Math around!!
