EAT, DRINK, & BE MERRY! Celebrating the suite life at the HRH.

[Minniespal]

Excellent ~ Thanx for posting

 

[AlexandNessa]

Thanks, everyone, for staying with me!

Jodie,

great trip reporting!! we are itching for a trip....we are dropping hints like mad for an October revisit without kids - or a cruise

I love my hubby!!

Waiting for more

Come join us for early October! I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to do a cruise though --- we loves cruisin!

 

[AlexandNessa]

We got up early and decided it would be a pool day.

OK, fine, I got up early, and decided it would be a great day to spend at the pool.

When we return to the HRH in October, I think I will take the dresser in the “living room.” It’ll be easier for me to get changed while Mike is sleeping, and I’m trying not to wake him.

I don’t think I ever posted it, but here is the view from our room:

I got into my swim suit, leaving Mike sleeping, and left for the pool to enjoy the day.

It was quiet and uneventful, and it would be a few hours before I knew Mike would be joining me, so I settled into a chair on the beach close to the pool, with my Entertainment Weekly magazine.

The servers walked around with orange slices and asked if I wanted any. I passed.

I don’t really have any pics from that morning. I don’t think I could find the camera in the dark when I was trying to get ready.

Anyway, Mike eventually decided to come down and join me, and after a bit more of relaxing, we decided we’d shower and go have some lunch at The Kitchen.

Man, this place was D-E-A-D dead. We were one of two occupied tables in the whole joint. I don't know why. I mean we've never had a bad meal here.

Mike had the fish & chips. I had a white pie with shrimp. Our server didn’t understand “pie.” Woops. I had to explain that’s what we call pizza.

Mike was repulsed that I’d get shrimp on a white pie, but he did have a slice anyway, and said the shrimp didn’t go. I liked it. Mike loved his fish & chips, but there aren’t many fish & chips he doesn’t like. We had a 2-for-1 entrée coupon with our APs, but our server only wanted to give us the 10% discount. I pushed back on this one as that silly coupon was the only reason we decided to have lunch there in the first place.

So, I don’t know what the deal is … but the AP Appreciation month was not communicated well to the servers and various venues that we supposed to be offering up the goods that month. If May is AP Appreciation month, I shouldn’t have to fight for the extra 10% discount off food at Margaritaville or the free entrée (with coupon) at The Kitchen. We did get the 2nd entrée free after a bit, so no worries there. But still. Nothing like having May as AP Appreciation Month, and then have no one know what you’re talking about when you try to tell them you get extra discounts.

We left to go to the parks after that.

We went to the Studios First and did a round on Jimmy Neutron:

We did The Mummy next, followed by Jaws.

Mike jinxed it when he said, “You know, we’ve been really lucky not getting wet on this ride.”

What happened next scarred Mike for life against riding Jaws again.

Now, for the first time ever, Jaws really was a Water Ride. We were wondering why we hadn’t included it yesterday in our Water Ride adventure.

I am not sure if there were just some technical difficulties or what, but poor Mike was the last one to enter row 5, and was stuck on the starboard side of the boat. When we went into the boathouse, the water cannon pointed itself on Mike.

We had time for only a brief second of looking at each other, and going “Oh Crud” before it unloaded entirely on Mike.

We didn’t mean “Crud.” But this is a family board.

I didn’t fare much better. I am telling you, Mike could not have been wetter if someone unloaded a 30-gallon cooler full of water right on his head. He was soaked! And I do mean just absolutely drenched.

I thought that THAT much water was a little uncalled for, but I reminded him:

“Well, you know, they do warn you that you might get wet!”

Really, the boy had stayed dryer on the Bilge Rat Barges.

Jaws suffered technical difficulties for the rest of the ride. The shark did not come up in the boathouse; there was no explosion at the gas station. We didn’t see the shark during the electrocution part. We only saw the fried shark at the end.

Our captain gave everyone a code word to come back for another ride and use the express line.

We literally waddled off the ride. Mike actually had to ring out his clothes. My entire right side was drenched. I was very glad I was wearing a dark shirt that day, or some unsuspecting people would have been in for a very nasty wet T-shirt contest. There are underage children at the parks. I could’ve risked a charge of corrupting a minor if I’d been wearing a white Tee.

I was annoyed; however, that of all days, I had worn white shorts and unnerpants. I kept pulling my shirt down to prevent a wet bum contest that would have been equally unpretty.

That ruined Jaws for us the rest of the trip, and Mike wouldn’t go on it again for the rest of our stay. I don’t think he’ll ever go on again, unless he’s dressed for Water Ride day or we’re in the front rows.

We were so wet, we thought about going back to the room to change, but decided just to suck it up and pray for no rashes or swamp butt.

I had never seen that happen before. I hope that’s not a new and permanent part of the ride. The least they could’ve done was sprayed the water to share the wealth. Not target it directly at my poor hubby. Even folks in the front of the boat were pointing at Mike saying that he got all the water. They were thanking him for taking one for the team!


So, yes, if you were on The Mummy that day (cuz we did ride it again) and sat in very wet seats after us, don’t blame us. Blame Jaws.


Now, we used to love Happy Hour in the parks, but now it’s not so good for us anymore since most of the bars that we popped into only offered $1 off Bud drafts (or well drinks), and we don’t drink Bud.

But, NBA City has 2-for-1 Miller Lite, Coors Lite, or Yeungling Drafts. Much better deal for us!

Here we met Axe, who looked exactly like Steve Nash. We tried to watch the Suns game there, but some guy was at the bar and he was watching golf.

Golf at NBA City. Hmmpph.

Later the guy started talking with us. He worked for Goldman Sachs. His buddy worked for Ernst & Young. They decided to go to Orlando to discuss business on the golf course, and they bet their hotel stays on whatever golf tournament was on that day. Whoever lost had to voucher the other’s hotel bill.

Hmpphh. I explained American Idol phone routing to that poor lady at Margaritaville our first night. Perhaps I should voucher our trip too?

For the record, Ernst & Young lost, and they were both staying at the Hard Rock for 10 days. The guy's hotel bill, he told us, was already up to $1700, and they had a few days left yet.

Eventually, the guy left, and we were able to switch over to the game in time for me to see Steve Nash’s face run into Tony Parker’s knee. Suns, of course, lost that game and subsequently the playoffs.

We headed back to the room for showers, and I humored myself with these pics:

On our way out, I shot this of Mike:

I wanted to photoshop it so that it looked like he was holding his cigarette in front of Mickey Mouse. But I’m not that smart.

Poor Mike is in a perpetual state of trying to quit smoking, but that all goes out the door once we’re on vacation.

We went to Nascar first, because our buddy Jason was working, and we like him:

The place was empty that night, and Jason and his manager and us two goofballs had a very lively conversation on the Don Imus/Rutgers Women’s Basketball controversy. Well, it’s not so lively when you all agree on the issue, but we all had a lot of fun that night. We also discussed the merits of how much The Sopranos suck this season followed by Heroes theories. We wound up spending all night here.

Jason snapped this one of us there:

I was disappointed in the turn down service trinkets that night. They were some silly temporary tattoos.

 

[bubba's mom]

thanks for another day Jodie! I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting quite that wet on Jaws...poor Mike! Oh well, ya know what they say....it'll be a cherished memory you will look back on and laugh at! (not funny at the time, but funny later)

 

[Claymax]

Your reports are thoroughly entertaining and well written. I always go with the intent to keep notes to provide something like this but always fail. It takes a lot of work to keep track of things, nice job!

Just looked at my cards from HRH in 12/06. We had the club level but no 1's after the A on the card. You are more important than me apparently (which is of no surprise to me)!

 

[phamton]

When we went into the boathouse, the water cannon pointed itself on Mike.

It's a chum barrel not a cannon.

Jaws changed the ride a few months ago and added the chum barrel. The chum barrel tips over in the boathouse and sloshes water on those on the right side of the boat (from row 4 through row 7) You will get very wet.

 

[Motherfletcher]

It's a chum barrel not a cannon.

Chum? Yuck! I'd rather be spit on! Have did you ever get it out, Jodie? Or did Mike have to do laundry when ya'll got home too?

 

[AlexandNessa]

Do I exaggerate some things? Only slightly, but I can promise you that that chum or churn or schrum or whatever it's called only hit row 5 that day. Honest, the guy in row 4 was the one who turned around and thanked Mike for taking one for the team. The lady in row 6 pointed and laughed. It was entertaining, but a bit much. There was no "sloshing" about it. It was a bona fide dump job! I should make Mike get an ID and describe it himself, but I don't want him to read this whole trippie and make me stop posting!

 

[Motherfletcher]

Did someone get soaked after the Al and Jen" Your affecting my vacation" Jaws ride?

 

[AlexandNessa]

Hmmmm... why would you think THAT?!

Seriously, I think Mike could give this incident some shrewd justice, but he's an "Al" at work today so I'll have to ask him later to put it in his own words.

 

[phamton]

True about the chum barrel. It does just hit one row but that row can be different depending on the exact place the boat stops. I got soaked on row 7 and no one else did. But it was all good as I was riding it specifically to get the water effect. I was on a fact finding mission.

One good thing to know is it is fresh water and not water from the lagoon.

 

[AlexandNessa]

True about the chum barrel. It does just hit one row but that row can be different depending on the exact place the boat stops. I got soaked on row 7 and no one else did. But it was all good as I was riding it specifically to get the water effect. I was on a fact finding mission.

One good thing to know is it is fresh water and not water from the lagoon.

Ahhh, so they do that on purpose! Wait till I tell Mike that our skipper had it out for him and chose to stop the boat there solely for his benefit! Don't get me wrong, it was rather funny, if unexpected and we were totally unprepared for it.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Ah, our last full day. Always sad knowing that we have to pack that day.

We assessed our club situation. This was all that remained:

Well, that and 4 beers, which we figured we could polish off without any problems.

We packed a bit, and then headed off to the parks.

We avoided Jaws.

And went right to MIB:

Fine, you caught me. I think that's a pic Mike took in 2004.

Here on this day in 2007, however, Mike reached an all-time high score of 713K. He hit the opposing exhaust port so many times, I didn’t stand a chance. I wanted to go on again, but he wanted to end on a high note, and I let him. Good wives do that for their hubbies, I guess.

We did The Mummy, of course, and Jimmy Neutron, except that our little party of 2 got separated, and I didn’t like being in separate cars. It just wasn’t as fun. In fact, it sucked, and I couldn’t wait for my favorite ride to be over. Yes, I know, I am 35 years old and I still get separation anxiety. I’m dealing with it.

We went to IOA for some Dueling Dragons, and here is where, I am embarrassed to say, I turned into a prude. I didn’t mean to. Honest.

It’s just that there was this group of 5 teenaged boys, and they were acting up in the area where you choose your fate. At first, it was just 2 boys hitting each other and kicking each other. Soon it was 3. Turned into 4. Then all 5 were rough housing. Kicking and hitting and grunting.

“Honestly, boys. Just stop.”

One boy turned around and said, “Oh, I’m sorry.”

And they all stopped.

Woops. I had not realized I said that out loud. Honest. I thought it had just been an exasperated thought. I don’t normally "discipline" other kids. That’s really out of character for me.

Mike told me that was my sign that I’d officially grown old. I tried to rationalize my harsh discipline by the usual “it’s dark and it was only a matter of time before someone’s head cracked open. BTW, did he call me ma’am? I think he called me ma’am.”

No, that would just be your midlife crisis, Mike informed me.

So, tail between my legs, and feeling like an old fogey, we simply went in the opposite direction of those teenage boys to ride Fire.

And you, know, I think I may have gotten my days mixed up (another sign of my impending midlife crisis), because it was either Sunday or was it this Monday that we got caught in a bad thunderstorm just as we were about to board The Hulk and it shut down due to the weather?

We figured it was pouring so we might as well wait it out inside The Hulk, undercover. That was the longest we’ve ever waited for Hulk! An hour and 15 minutes.

Whatever day that storm was, we went back to the Studios for the 4pm Horror Make Up Show on Monday. Now, I know there are a lot of fans of the show on the boards. And I was a fan too for the first 10 times I saw it, but I really didn’t need to go see it again, but Mike wanted to go, and I humored him.

Of course, as most veteran viewers of the show do, we guess who the “volunteer” is going to be.

This one was easy: Asian lady, hot pink jacket. And of course, we were right on the money. Poor lady though, didn’t speak a word of English, and she had a difficult name to pronounce (a name that the actors had such trouble saying that at times she wasn’t sure they were speaking to her). She was scared and didn’t know what was going on. Which didn’t help the toddler that some uninformed parents brought into the show with them and refused to remove from the theater.

After the show, her family was concerned, and the actors spent time with them afterwards. I mean, I do get the reason why they try to pick someone who looks like they could be foreign. The show has hardly changed in the 3 years we’ve been seeing it and you want to have someone “volunteer” who’s never seen it before.

This was the first show, however, where an audience member heckled the actors. Not on purpose. I really think she just didn’t get that it was a show, but when Alex wanted to see what was behind the curtain, an older lady got upset with Mark and yelled, “C’mon! Let her see it!!”

I don’t mean to bash the show by any means. It is a good show. Mike could see it over and over. I’m just ready for them to change it up a bit, that’s all.

We headed to the City Walk Universal Studios Store for some shopping. Mike wanted a new baseball hat, and we usually pick up something for our niece. We were bummed when we only got a 10% discount there. The list of discounts on the AP website still has that at 20%. We got 10%. If it’s supposed to be 10%, fine, but why can’t the discounts be properly communicated and documented or at least kept up-to-date? This was the 3rd time and place we had an issue with getting the correct discount. Obviously, it by no means ruined our trip, but seriously, it’d have been nice if everyone could keep the correct discounts straight. It was a minor annoyance that shouldn’t have been.

We headed back to the hotel, and I wanted to get checked in for our flights for the following afternoon. I thought we were going to have to find business services, but turns out the concierge desk in the front lobby can check in for you. The poor girl had some trouble printing our boarding passes since she didn’t realize she needed Adobe Reader so she graciously called Jet Blue and offered to run our passes up to our room when she was done. So, it cost us nothing but a tip for her.

While we waited for the concierge to bring us our passes, as robvia calls it, we pregamed while packing:

Don’t I look happy?

It was a chilly night that evening, and we decided that since it was still Happy Hour at NBA City, we’d go there first. How can you turn down 2-for-1 drafts?

We were happy to see Axe again, and he made sure we had fresh beers at 6:59:59 just before happy hour ended even though we didn’t ask.

We tried Bubba Gump’s next, but didn’t stay long. We just weren’t in the mood for that. So, off we went to Margaritaville, where we had one of the most fun nights EVER!

There was some kind of convention in town, and a large group of Chinese men were there, and they were very boisterous and happy.

I wanted to snap some pictures:

But, as soon as I started, they all wanted to be in the picture with the token “blonde” girl. Mike took the camera, and I wouldn’t be exaggerating much if I told you there was a small line for a photo op:

Those are just the pictures that I felt like uploading!

Ok, fine, those are the ones that I don’t look like a total fat face.

I wound up talking to the president of the Boles Corporation for part of the evening. I think I still have his business card somewhere. It was just lots of laughing and trying to understand each other and lots of yelling CHEERS and spilling beer.

It all ended though when a man, obviously in charge, came into the bar, yelled something in Chinese, and clapped his hands twice. The group stood at attention, put their drinks on the bar whether they were finished or not, and left the bar single file. I had never seen anything like it in my life!

We headed to the HRC to grab something to eat.

We were disappointed that they changed their nachos. We used to like them better than Margaritaville’s, but they skimped out and down on them:

Nonetheless, a great last night. Plus, tonight, our turn down trinket was a cute little blue yoyo with a smilie face on it.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Sunday was the big thunderstorm/ tornado warnings.
How did you get Mummy separated? Single riders line?
Those DD boys could have put someone's eye out, ma'am.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Thanks for keeping me straight ... it was Sunday then that we were stuck inside the Hulk for over an hour. It was very funny though ... there were a group of young adults (I'm guessing very late teens/early 20s), and it had stopped raining, but the ride wasn't going just yet. One of their group had gone outside to check the progress of the storm and reported that the rain had stopped. One of the girls said, "Well, someone should tell them (pointing to the TMs) because THEY'RE JUST SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING!" As if the Hulk would automatically resume running just because the rain had stopped for the moment. And, for the record, as soon as the cease in operations was announced, the TMs all did a sweep of the area, picking up garbage and emptying the trash etc.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear. It was Jimmy Neutron that we were separated on. I should be old enough to handle that. But I hated it!

OMG, I can't believe I forgot to mention this, but the TMs on DD were very funny on Monday ... there were running only one each of Fire and Ice, and they were trying for a record as to how many loads they could do in an hour with one car on each track. Their record was 17 (I believe), and they were trying to break it. The stuff that they came up with was funny. They sent Ice on its own once because Fire was taking too long to load. They excused Fire for the indiscretion though because they had 4 child swaps and Ice didn't have any. They were very amusing!

 

[goofy!]

We headed back to the room for showers, and I humored myself with these pics:

LOVE your trip report so far!
Loved the "brown eyed" on the tv after all the "brown-eyed" requests at Pat O'Brians.

We have had a "1" on our room cards our last few stays. Had no idea what it meant. I don't think we ever got anything special (except for the upgrades to the Villa Suites - so I guess that counts ) for having the 1's. Nobody has ever commented on it at least

Can't wait to read the rest!

 

[AlexandNessa]

Thank you for getting my humor, goofy!

And, ahem, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE?


Mike just informed me he scored "731K + change" on MIB, NOT 713K. Apparently, my dyslexia is growing with my middle age......

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Your report has been fun. We've noticed The Kitchen is always dead at lunch too. I'm guessing it's because most people are at the parks midday. Occasionally, we go in for lunch, but more often we order take-out at the bar & take it back to the room for lunch. Maybe, others do that too.

Your HRH view wasn't quite as good as the RPR view. Didn't they know who you were??? I wonder if the "1" on the card means Platinum Loews 1st member.

Note to self.... Make sure to ride Jaws & attempt to assure DH sits on the right side in one of the back rows. Also, make sure DS sits between us. lol Now, how can I make sure he's in the right row?

Side note, the Spurs really did play dirty in that series.

I totally know what you mean about getting seperated on rides. I'm older than you, & hate it when we get seperated. The rides aren't as fun, when we don't get to experience them together.

We've never seen the Horror Make-up show. I'm definitely going next visit.

It's good that you told those boys to knock it off. If my son was one of them, I'd want someone to put a stop to it. It was better for you to do it than someone who would yell & be mean to them. Obviously, they weren't bad boys or they wouldn't have apologized & stopped. You did good.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Now, you are middle aged, Jodie? Just this morning I was asking how old do you have to be before they list the cause of death as old age?

So Mike is pretty proud of that 137K?

Jimmy is about the only attraction where they can split you up isn't it? You could still see Mike in the next car right? We are pretty dysfunctional but my kids love it when we are split especially MIB.

You got the female Alex Ross? I like her. Our's was new and wasn't that good. I've been there when they were heckled from people that had seen the show before. A guy and his kid. I felt like an *** because I was sitting next to him and he was a jerk. My daughter always hollers out ET when they ask what movie the moon scene is from but that's as far as I let them go and I've had to talk to her about timing because she would barely let them finish the question. They haven't changed the show much since it had the Fly routine.

I was talking to a TM at the entrance to DD once while the kids rode and he told me that he rode it 16 times in a row. He was my age. He went on to Lead for the opening of Fear Factor. I know that I would be puking after 3 times if that.

 

[loribell]

Great report Jodie!

Not so sure I like the idea of the water cannon on Jaws.

Love to do the chicken dance with Jimmy! Sorry you guys got split up. I wouldn't like that either.