Dr. Jones and the Spitting Camel - Link to Alaska Cruise TR 9/18

[eandesmom]

I have just spent the entire day reading your wonderful trip report! My family and I will be taking a trip at almost the same time you traveled last year. Our trip is reversed (Dark side first and THEN Disney). We are staying at YC and gthen RPR.

Hi and Welcome!

We originally planned to do it in that order and then my in laws had to change their dates and we ended up getting a better deal on HRH by moving it to later as the rates went down. You will the YC, it is by far my favorite resort. Which is not to say there aren't others I really like but I love love love the YC. RPH seems wonderful, I have a feeling we may stay there someday so if you do a report I'd love to see what you think of it! We loved our one meal at Jakes, that's for sure.

Loved your report and you totally helped me with how to approach dinner on DDP, days at the park, swimming at SAB. Traveling with DH, DS (16) and DS (10) and meeting DSis and DBIL, DNiece and DNephew at Disney. Thinking about booking the Cruise and ordering Pizza! Thank you so much for sharing. I found myself reading some of your entries out loud to my family.

You have a very similar mix to our crew, I'm so glad it was helpful, that's cool! I'd call on the cruise, it books up fast but you have until 3 days prior to cancel before it becomes non refundable (if memory serves). It was a GREAT group activity. The boat holds up to 9. The Africa Trek is a great group thing to (which I did with the girls in May) but In August I think it might be miserably hot and bang for the buck per person is far greater on the cruise.

You MUST do a TR for your cruise! Pretty please... I really want to see pictures and hear all about it. Mark really wants to do that someday.

Looks like you guys had a great last day..and fried chicken and waffles...sounds like a great ending.

I could go for waffles right now, though I'd need a nap after.

Hi Cynthia, I'm sorry I don't comment so often, but I really like your TR AND the PTR, so please write a cruise TR ans share your preparations with us here!

No worries Katharina, I'm just glad you are here (and envious of your recent Paris and Brittany jaunt).

I also wanted to thank you for quite a while for the coffee mug Magdalene passed along to me. It's my favourite weekend coffee mug (I usually make coffe only on the weekends, because I don't drink it in the morning). As I am quite a slow drinker, I had been used to drinking the last third of it quite cold. But now it stays warm and tastes so much better!

I'm so glad you like it! I'm the same way with my coffee so a good mug is important!

Yes, you should definitely do a PTR/TR for your cruise! I want to read all the details about it -- both the before and during and after!

we are moving into the planning mode for sure! Very exciting, I've been tweaking things this week (of course).

Great last night at IOA! Love all the shots of the fun you had!

Waffles and fried chicken? Yes, please!!! Now my stomach is growling! I guess it is time to go find some breakfast!

It was a wonderful last night, the only thing better would have been if we were all together but it was a pretty special mama and the E's night as it was. I'm with you, I could eat that right now as well. I'll have to settle for another cup of coffee for now.

 

[All7OfUs]

WOW! You guys packed an enormous amount of stuff into that last day! How fun it all sounded! And delicious to boot!

 

[MEK]

That sounds like such a great last night! Sounds like evening are the way to go at IAO. What time do they close? I remember going late August and they closed pretty early. But that was years ago, so it doesn't count.

You sure did go out big on your last night.

Pool hopping sounds like a great idea for the last day!

 

[GreatBiscuit]

As to a Cruise TR...the real question, if I start it before the trip is, what the heck do I call the darn thing.

I'm sure a situation will rear itself during the course of your journey that is worthy of a good title.

And the OTHER question is...when do we get another GB PTR????

I don't know. I haven't decided yet if I am going to do a PTR or just a TR.

I started a PTR in MS Word, but after an episode and a half, I realized I really didn't anything left to say about it. If I do wind up coming with more, it will probably not be until a little closer to our trip.

 

[Native NYer]

I can't believe your tr is almost over! And I can't believe it's been almost a year since the trip.

What a fun last night you had!

I say do a ptr for your cruise.

 

[eandesmom]

WOW! You guys packed an enormous amount of stuff into that last day! How fun it all sounded! And delicious to boot!

It was a MEGA day I'd say. On all counts. Definitely one for the memory books.

That sounds like such a great last night! Sounds like evening are the way to go at IAO. What time do they close? I remember going late August and they closed pretty early. But that was years ago, so it doesn't count.

They closed really early friday and saturday nights (maybe 6?) as I think both sides had it booked for private parties. I think one night it was Snap on tools and they were EVERYWHERE!


Sunday seemed to be open later but I'd have to check my photo time stamps to be sure. Seems to me we didn't eat dinner until 8:30 or later.

You sure did go out big on your last night.

Pool hopping sounds like a great idea for the last day!

Go big or go home! or in our case, go big and then go home.
Pool hopping is a very cool perk of the Universal resorts.

I'm sure a situation will rear itself during the course of your journey that is worthy of a good title.

Which would be the reason to wait until after. The cruise board is a bit funny, lots seem to do combo PTR/TR all in one and I don't think I have enough to say for a stand alone PTR (hard to believe I know).

I don't know. I haven't decided yet if I am going to do a PTR or just a TR.

I started a PTR in MS Word, but after an episode and a half, I realized I really didn't anything left to say about it. If I do wind up coming with more, it will probably not be until a little closer to our trip.

Ah, writers block. I'm sure that will work itself out

When are you guys looking at again? Is it next summer?

I can't believe your tr is almost over! And I can't believe it's been almost a year since the trip.

What a fun last night you had!

I say do a ptr for your cruise.

I know, a year, can you believe it????? I suppose I best start the cruise thread before I finish this one if I want anyone to follow me over there huh.

it was SUCH a fun last night.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Which would be the reason to wait until after. The cruise board is a bit funny, lots seem to do combo PTR/TR all in one and I don't think I have enough to say for a stand alone PTR (hard to believe I know).

I understand.

Ah, writers block. I'm sure that will work itself out

When are you guys looking at again? Is it next summer?

June. Got a nifty new ticker too.

 

[eandesmom]

I understand.



June. Got a nifty new ticket too.

OOH! I see the ticker! I didn't realize you had actual dates. Can you confirm if the First Lady Biscuit got her dream resort choice?????

 

[eandesmom]

Ok guys, join us as we WONDER up to alaska!

You'll never get me on a cruise. Unless it's to ALASKA!

 

[GreatBiscuit]

OOH! I see the ticker! I didn't realize you had actual dates. Can you confirm if the First Lady Biscuit got her dream resort choice?????

Oficially no. Not for the majority of the trip.

Unoficially, we shall see what discount cards we are dealt.

 

[eandesmom]

Oficially no. Not for the majority of the trip.

Unoficially, we shall see what discount cards we are dealt.

Now that's my kind of trip planning!

 

[MEK]

Your pictures are great and I can't believe you are doing a PTR. You are such an over achiever!

Just promise me you'll do our PTR for F&W 2012!

 

[eandesmom]

Your pictures are great and I can't believe you are doing a PTR. You are such an over achiever!

NOT!

It's a 3 week PTR at best so I'm not sure that really counts. BUT this one is about done and I do have a little fun pre-cruise stuff to share so more fun to start now. I think.

Though seriously I will be tickerless until we figure out out our F&W dates. SAD!

Just promise me you'll do our PTR for F&W 2012!

maybe.... : which would get me off the hook for the actual TR.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Love the picture! It would be a hard one to pass up, the boys are adorable.

Great after the ride/wet picture - you can tell how much fun they had!

The Marmaduke pics are hilarious! What a great photo op! Looks like it was a pretty great day to end your trip.

Heading over to the cruise PTR now!

 

[eandesmom]

Love the picture! It would be a hard one to pass up, the boys are adorable.

when they are making me crazy, looking at that picture helps.

Great after the ride/wet picture - you can tell how much fun they had!

The Marmaduke pics are hilarious! What a great photo op! Looks like it was a pretty great day to end your trip.

Heading over to the cruise PTR now!

they were soaked!!!!! I have to show Evan the Marmaduke pics, I'd totally forgotten about them

 

[MEK]

:Though seriously I will be tickerless until we figure out out our F&W dates. SAD!

OK - Well, We Can Always Change Them - Right?

 

[eandesmom]

OK - Well, We Can Always Change Them - Right?

True dat!

 

[eandesmom]

The last morning. The one everyone dreads. We were down to the last 4 standing and we were all wiped out. So what did we do? We slept in! I think I got up at 9, the kids maybe at 10. It had been a FULL day, the day before, and it felt good to catch up. We (I mean I) packed up and got our stuff to Bell services by 11 like good people. By then of course we were pretty darn hungry and decided to have our last meal at the Beachclub. No, not the Disney beach club of course but the pool bar at the Hard Rock Hotel. Being the Hard Rock, everything is music themed, even the menus and has just a lovely view of the pool.

It was a still a little early for lunch, and a Monday on which many would be going back to school so it was quiet. I tried to capture the bar sculpture but it didn’t turn out well.

I don’t remember what we ordered but it looks good in the pictures and it tasted good!

I went for one last drink, complete with souvenir glass.

After lunch we headed up to the concierge for their assistance in getting us checked in for our flight. They’d been very helpful with Jeff and Kendall. Our flight, however, was not so easy. I went to check us in and…they couldn’t find us! SEVERAL phone calls later, confusion compounded by the fact that it was an Alaska flight, booked through Delta that had flight times we learned that we did have an Alaska confirmation code which is what we needed to use, not the Delta eticket or confirmation code on our booking. And the only way to get that code was to call. Code in hand we could check in but then had problems paying for our baggage fees. All told it took a full hour to get us checked in and I was SO grateful to the HRH concierge who really helped us out. Amazing customer service.

Our plan had been to eat, swim, maybe take one last peek at City Walk and then head to the airport. We’d spent a fair amount of time already at the HRH pool and one of the nice things about the Loews Universal resorts is the ability to pool hop. We decided, despite the fact that the weather was threatening to rain, to hop over to Portofino and check it out. We grabbed the boat and headed that way. Such a pretty ride!

Such a pretty resort!

We weren’t really sure where to go so just started walking

Making progress

Ooh, that looks cool!

A couple of notes about the pools at Portofino Bay Hotel. It has 3 pools. I honestly couldn’t tell you which one we went to but the one we hit had incredibly cool themeing, sand around all the loungers, the usual things like towels and extra things like water out for anyone to drink and they’d go around passing out things like frozen grapes!

The boys (little ones that is) settled in to the pool and I wandered around taking pictures. I didn’t really feel like flying home after swimming, not being able to take a full shower and given the weather, was ok with that. Had it been a little nicer or hotter, I’d have been in and I did wade around but that’s about it. Taylor pulled up a lounger and just vegged out.

No one was in the hot tub but doesn’t that look inviting?

Evan, coming off of the slide and going back for more

Continued in next post

 

[eandesmom]

As with the HRH (and all the Disney Deluxe resort pools), they offered games.

Evan of course jumped into the crowd

It was some kind of relay, around the tower where the slide is

And then some kind of race involving noodles

It is a seriously cool pool!

Cheesball Eric thought so

I liked the detailing

The E’s decided to race each other

Apparently they all decided to chase the lifeguard!

And this poor woman?

This is about what Taylor was doing this whole time

Not really but he liked looking at him and got the boys over to check it out

It was 2:30 and our car was coming at 4:30. What next?

Head to City Walk.

By Vespa of course.

Bye bye Portofino Bay, maybe someday we will stay here! Having been to the real Portofino, they really did do a lovely job with it

A quick peek at one of the shops

Eric didn’t want to get off this ride

But we had to get on this one

I’d like to stay in one of those balcony rooms!

Pretty sure it’s not in my budget. As you can see, the Portofino (outside of the pool anyway) was practically deserted. And the pool wasn’t exactly packed either.

Next, one last stop in the City and the long ride home.

 

[natebenma]

What a royal checkin pain!!! So NOT what you want to be doing with last few precious hours.

I love the menus at the Beach Club! Great theming!

Your post brought me back to our time at the Portofino. It seems like just yesterday... Or maybe a couple of weeks ago!

It is really a pretty resort, but I think we would have preferred the Hard Rock or RPR- the theming is more to our style. We are more Rock-n-Roll and South Seas than Opera and gondolas!

The pool was a lot of fun. The slide was great! I liked that it was an open (not enclosed) tube slide.

The extra touches like the citrus water at the pools were really nice.

I can't imagine what those balcony rooms run! My research showed that only 9 % of the Portofino rooms have balconies, and only 2 in the concierge wing, where we stayed.