Flowers and Star Wars and Harry, oh my! TR started, link inside!

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

if you cut down on the cheese at lunch time, and eat more green veggies, you wont have to sit in the bathroom for that long.

How did you guess that was the real reason I spent so long in the bathroom that night?

You could just grab a nice QS at DTD for lunch on check-in day. Then you would be less dependent upon time as you try to get all settled into your HOME.

We might do that. I guess we will be ruled by our stomachs that day. I do want to go back to Wolfgang Puck and try Earl of Sandwich.

Do you guys have T.G.I. Friday's back in Canada? It's a favorite choice of ours. Have you eaten at T-Rex before? We really enjoyed it.

Nope, at least not that I know of, if we do it is only in Toronto. We like Friday's. The food is good and the prices are decent.

Never been to T-Rex, we were saving it for when Alek and Erich could come with us.

You should grab CS lunch and hang out at the pool.

We will definitely be hanging by the pool, if the weather cooperates with us for once.

I feel like the spring season of Survivor usually ends on Mother's day. Crap, that's when I'll be heading home. Am I just crazy or has the season finale been on that day in the past? I hate to miss a good episode of Survivor! Will have to double check my DVR 10 million times before we leave for Disney now to make sure it's set to record!

I'm not sure. I think in 2009 Mom and I watched the finale in WDW and that was mid-May.

We (I) love Survivor. There have only been a few seasons that I have not watched. This past Fall season was disappointing but I have a feeling that Redemption Island will be excellent.

 

[KatGarcia]

I know it gets mixed reviews but when we stayed at CSR we ate at Pepper Market almost every day! The portions were HUGE and easily sharable between 2 people and the choices were great.

 

[englishrose47]

I agree with Kat Pepper Market was great!!!

 

[oOJulieOo]

I am the same when it comes to sleeping the first night in a new place. It drives me crazy!!!

It's funny that you stop in the Disney and Universal shops in the airport when you arrive. I think I'm always too excited to even notice what's in the airport!

 

[ddstratton]

How is is possible that I haven't found this PTR until now?? I absolutely loved your other trip reports, so I am definitely IN!!

Oh, and if you guys are HUNGRY, keep that T-Rex ressie. Their portions are HUGE!!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I know it gets mixed reviews but when we stayed at CSR we ate at Pepper Market almost every day! The portions were HUGE and easily sharable between 2 people and the choices were great.

I'm sure we will eat at Pepper Market at some point. I don't think we will be going over to the main building very often though since we don't plan on getting the mugs this year.

I agree with Kat Pepper Market was great!!!

I am the same when it comes to sleeping the first night in a new place. It drives me crazy!!!

It's funny that you stop in the Disney and Universal shops in the airport when you arrive. I think I'm always too excited to even notice what's in the airport!

I love the Orlando airport. When we first saw it it was so pretty compared to other airports we have been in so we can't help but look around and see what is there.

How is is possible that I haven't found this PTR until now?? I absolutely loved your other trip reports, so I am definitely IN!!

Oh, and if you guys are HUNGRY, keep that T-Rex ressie. Their portions are HUGE!!!

I really want to eat at T-Rex. If we don't make it there on our first day we will definitely go at some point during the trip.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

One week of school down, 11 more to go! This first week started off at a run, they did not ease us in slowly at all. We have already started our clinical placements and nursing labs. One class had us reading 6 chapters for the first lecture alone! I will really need this vacation by the time May rolls around!

On top of the busy school schedule my computer decided to die on me. Apparently the power box or whatever it is called died and so now my computer is in the shop waiting for the required part to come in so it can get fixed. Luckily it is not going to cost too much to fix and I have access to Erich's laptop and the computers at school and work so I am not totally bereft.

In trip related news I saw that CAA (AAA) is offering a ticket deal for Sea World/Busch Gardens. You get admission to both parks for the price of one, about $80 a person. I am considering whether we should add those parks into the trip. We do have three no park days in the schedule but those were meant to be relaxing by the pool days but this deal is really good. If we add them in then we will be hitting every major theme park in Florida on the trip. What to do?!

 

[marvali]

Nice sounding plans so far! I understand about having the car! It helped a lot on our recent trip. When we go back in June we will do more eating in the room and less in the restaurants. We have used that Publix before, but last time we went to the new Super Target that isn't too far from Kidani. I guess I need to figure out where we should go to shop that is closer to OKW this time, though!

 

[englishrose47]

One week of school down, 11 more to go! This first week started off at a run, they did not ease us in slowly at all. We have already started our clinical placements and nursing labs. One class had us reading 6 chapters for the first lecture alone! I will really need this vacation by the time May rolls around!

On top of the busy school schedule my computer decided to die on me. Apparently the power box or whatever it is called died and so now my computer is in the shop waiting for the required part to come in so it can get fixed. Luckily it is not going to cost too much to fix and I have access to Erich's laptop and the computers at school and work so I am not totally bereft.

In trip related news I saw that CAA (AAA) is offering a ticket deal for Sea World/Busch Gardens. You get admission to both parks for the price of one, about $80 a person. I am considering whether we should add those parks into the trip. We do have three no park days in the schedule but those were meant to be relaxing by the pool days but this deal is really good. If we add them in then we will be hitting every major theme park in Florida on the trip. What to do?!

If we had 2 weeks I would go for it !!!!

 

[Phibbles]

Might be worth it. Sea World is really cool!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Nice sounding plans so far! I understand about having the car! It helped a lot on our recent trip. When we go back in June we will do more eating in the room and less in the restaurants. We have used that Publix before, but last time we went to the new Super Target that isn't too far from Kidani. I guess I need to figure out where we should go to shop that is closer to OKW this time, though!

Where is the Super Target? CSR is not too far from AKL if I remember correctly.

If we had 2 weeks I would go for it !!!!

Might be worth it. Sea World is really cool!

I think I'm going to talk it over with the family this week. We are celebrating Alek's birthday at some point this week so good opportunity to talk about it while we are all together.

 

[emmaca]

I think I'm going to talk it over with the family this week. We are celebrating Alek's birthday at some point this week so good opportunity to talk about it while we are all together.

I'm game, as you know we had already talked about it earlier in the week, the price is a good deal, as for time for some R&R, we have two weeks... need I say more, we can make time each day to leave the parks and relax. I still have the SeaWorld and Busch Garden pamphlets, a bit outdated but then I do not think the parks have changed all that much over the past few years, I will pull them out to share with Alek and Erich.

Alek is turning the the big 25 next week!! The years have flown by so quickly.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Once again, comments and suggestions are welcome!

Day 2

Our first day in the parks. I chose Hollywood Studios after a careful examination of the park hours. The only park I had ruled our for the day was Magic Kingdom as it has Extra Magic Hours. I always try to avoid the EMH parks when possible. I chose DHS for this park day as Fantasmic is scheduled to be performed and we love Fantasmic!

I'll probably be awake bright and early as I anticipate going to bed early the night before and I can never sleep in while at Disney! Mom will already be awake but I'm sure that Alek and Erich will still be snoozing away. Hopefully I will be motivated enough to go for a quick jog around the resort and then be back and showered before the two lazy boys wake up. Breakfast will be in the room, probably cereal or whatever else we picked up at the grocery store the day before.

Once we are all dressed and fed it is off to the Studios!

We will be there for rope drop as per usual and will follow one of these two plans of attack.

1) We all head to Toy Story Mania. Get in the stand-by line and then grab fastpasses or vice versa.

2) Send Mom and Erich to Toy Story with our tickets to grab fastpasses while Alek and I head over to Rock N' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. Mom and Erich won't ride these two rides so I figured Alek and I could ride them while they went to get fastpasses to cut down on the amount of time they spend waiting around for us.

After that I don't have a set schedule for how we should proceed. We are pretty go with the flow type of people once we get into the parks. Here is what I would like to do that day.

Starring Rolls Cafe - CUPCAKE! I have read so much about the cupcakes here that I must try one.

Animation Academy - I usually can not draw even a stick figure but these classes produce amazing results for me.

Star Tours - The new version should be opened just before our trip or during our trip. If it is open I would like to check it out before the Star Wars Weekends crowds descend upon it.

Muppets 3D - Haven't seen this since our trip in 2007 so I'd like to give it another whirl.

Fantasmic - The whole reason I chose the park for this day. Hopefully they will add a second show.

I enjoy other attractions but they are not "must-do's". If we fit them in great but if we don't I won't be heart-broken.

Beauty and the Beast

Little Mermaid

Indiana Jones

Great Movie Ride

I would also like to see some of the Streetmosphere actors, I have only ever seen glimpses of them in the past.

I have an early lunch ADR for 50's Prime Time Cafe. We have never eaten here before but it sounds like fun and there is something for everyone on the menu.

In the afternoon we might head back to the resort to spend some time in the pool or maybe take a nap and then head back to the park in the evening to catch Fantasmic and to ride Toy Story again, either with our fastpasses if not already used or on standby if the line is not too ridiculous.

I don't have dinner planned out for the night. It will either be counter service in the park or at the resort, food from the room or at a restaurant off-site.

 

[englishrose47]

Plans sound good Lessa !!I am facing the same dilemma with TSM and RnR & ToT!! The girls love the thrill rides , the rest of us don't so maybe we will send them to the Thrillers and we go to TSM and get us all FP's for later !!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Plans sound good Lessa !!I am facing the same dilemma with TSM and RnR & ToT!! The girls love the thrill rides , the rest of us don't so maybe we will send them to the Thrillers and we go to TSM and get us all FP's for later !!

I don't like splitting up but I also hate making Mom and Erich wait around for us.

 

[marvali]

Where is the Super Target? CSR is not too far from AKL if I remember correctly.

I'll have to double check, but if I remember correctly from CSR you would go to Hwy 192 (West Irlo Bronson) and take a right. They built a new shopping center just before the toll road (Hwy 429), on the left. I have seen reports that you can actually see it from the upper floors of either AKL or Kidani.

 

[Mysteria]

My first trip to Raglan Road was this past October. We liked it so much we ended up fitting in a second visit on the trip. I had: Slow Ribs - braised double shortribs with horseradish mash, roasted carrots and parsnips. To die for!! I don't like horseradish but you couldn't taste it in the mash.

I remember the rain of May 09 all too well. Ugh! The MMM was awesome though.

Sounds like it's going to be a crazy school semester. With work on top of that you really will be ready for this vacation. I will be crossing everything for no rain for guys!

The TSM/ToT/RnR thing...I would send 2 to TSM and you and bro go ride ToT and RnR. If your mom and other bro (yes I can't remember which one will be where ) are fast enough at rope drop they may be able to ride stand-by after getting fp's and then you all meet back up.

 

[YukiPhnx]

Sounds like a nice and easy plan so far!

Mmmm, I went to Starring Rolls but never got a cupcake, but their sandwiches are really good!

Fairfax fair has great bbq foods you can get. Andrew and I grabbed a pulled pork sandwich for dinner on our way out of the park.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I'll have to double check, but if I remember correctly from CSR you would go to Hwy 192 (West Irlo Bronson) and take a right. They built a new shopping center just before the toll road (Hwy 429), on the left. I have seen reports that you can actually see it from the upper floors of either AKL or Kidani.

I'll have to take a look at my map.

A view of Super Target, definitely the desired view when staying Deluxe!

My first trip to Raglan Road was this past October. We liked it so much we ended up fitting in a second visit on the trip. I had: Slow Ribs - braised double shortribs with horseradish mash, roasted carrots and parsnips. To die for!! I don't like horseradish but you couldn't taste it in the mash.

I remember the rain of May 09 all too well. Ugh! The MMM was awesome though.

Sounds like it's going to be a crazy school semester. With work on top of that you really will be ready for this vacation. I will be crossing everything for no rain for guys!

The TSM/ToT/RnR thing...I would send 2 to TSM and you and bro go ride ToT and RnR. If your mom and other bro (yes I can't remember which one will be where ) are fast enough at rope drop they may be able to ride stand-by after getting fp's and then you all meet back up.

Yes, I'm praying for very little rain as well.

Sounds like a nice and easy plan so far!

Mmmm, I went to Starring Rolls but never got a cupcake, but their sandwiches are really good!

Fairfax fair has great bbq foods you can get. Andrew and I grabbed a pulled pork sandwich for dinner on our way out of the park.

I am all about the cupcakes. Now the decision will be should I get the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake or the Butterfinger cupcake?

 

[jenbear123]

Nice plans so far! I hope they put in another Fantasmic show. It really cuts down on the crowds. I have never tried the cupcakes from Starring Rolls. Will have to give that a try next time.