Motherfletcher
<font color=red>Proud Redhead<br><font color=peach
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2003
- Messages
- 3,823
Drove up Friday afternoon with the DW, DS15, and DD9. I rented 3 Simpsons videos from Blockbuster to play in the van so DD and DS wouldn't kill each other. I allowed enough time to get there by 6 at the latest but arrived at Hard Rock at 4 PM. At check-in I told them I couldn't find my the Entertainment Book(probably since I never had one). They gave me the rate anyway. Jess- The room was a pool view on the 6th floor. We had a good view of the Hulk just on the other side of the huge guitar on the landscaped nole. I had expexted the all white linen but it was a golden pattern to this color blind eye. The vanity had a lighted pivoting mirror like those at Portofino. The bathroom had a seperate sink which I liked. The face soap was brownish clear like Nuetragena but read Hard Rock as did the bath soap. I finally persuaded my DW to use the soap,shampoo, conditioner, Q-tips, etc. instead of taking them home. The room had a CD player but we didn't get a CD that other have reported. My DS quickly turned the Hark Rock into Hard Rap. He noticed that the elevator didn't have any music. Elevator music at the Hard Rock? Never! I hope I covered the room well enough Jess? Oh, there was a chair that you could really sink into.
The family went hotel exploring and was quickly diverted at the pool by a hair wrap station. DD and DW stayed there while DS and I did a lap walking around the pool. We decided that if we hustled we could hit MIB before the kids had to get in costume for Mickey's Hot So Scary Halloween Party. I was already dressed as a WDW Cast Member with badge, service pin, lanyard,and big D/tink GUIDE badge. I could tell that Universal employees were looking at me funny. I was surprized how close US is to HRH. We fast walked back to MIB and rode twice. He beat me once and I took the other. We never lost to the other car the whole trip though. On the way out we stopped at Shrek and I told "Henchman" that WDW sent me to see if it was true that they were using unathurized images of Pinnochio and Tinkerbell. She actually got nervous and stuttered. We returned to HRH to find out the wrap was $24 (I had no idea, but thought that was high). The HRH had delivered beer and nuts to the room which made us laugh since I'm an alcoholic (20 years sober) and my wife was just diagnosed with Diverticulitous (which means 'no nuts'). My DS dressed as Martin Gramatica complete with the rubber fan mask sewn to a Buccaneer's cap. He thought he looked like a mexican wrestler. DD had a mask from Scary movie, the one after he gets high with the tongue sticking out and a goofy smile. She put that on with a hooded MNSSHP jacket. We went the back way on Turkey Lake and the drive, tram and ferry took 45 minutes to the turnstile at MK. FYI, the parking attendant waved me threw because of my Wilderness Lodge parking pass which is 6 months old. I didn't argue. The ferry played music fro the Haunted Mansion. Since this is a US thread I won't go into MK but I have to say that everything was a walk on. Even the Indy Speedway which I haven't been on in 12 years because of long lines. The Park stayed open until midnight. If you go skip the Riverboat ride and watch the perimeter fireworks.
Sat AM I got up at 5. Went to the gym at 6. The sauna and steam room were nice but I couldn't get any hot water to shave or take a shower. When I left the attendant told me that you have to leave the water running for about 10 minutes. It must be coming from Portofino? The locker room had shaving cream, disposable razors, talcum powder, hair spray, etc. THe DW said that the women's locker room didn't. After my cold shave I drove to McDonalds on Sand Lake and brought the family breakfast to wake them up. You know that you have been to Shrek too many times when you hear your son say, "Who dare disturb my slumber?" and your daughter say, "It's me Pinnochio." and I chime in with "Hey Hey!" and my wife looks at us all wondering why we talk this way. We ate breakfast and the kids and I hightailed it to US. We saw our pals Con and Dick at the turnstiles and Con asked if we were staying at Portofino again and I told him HRH last night and RPR tonight. FYI on every Saturday morning a guest named Leo is there at opening time and they usually let him in early. Don't worry though because Leo doesn't ride anything he just walks around and talks to people. We rode the first Jimmy Nuetron ride of the day and each had our own Mark IV in the front row. We all did the chicken at the end and made the ride op laugh. We sat in the front row of Shrek in the last moving seats. The first 8 move and the second 8 are stationary. You get alot wetter in these seats and the seat movement is more intense. On the way to MIB the kids rode Back to the Future and got car #6 which thrilled them. I guess it is in the center and you can't see other cars as easy. They met me in front of MIB which we did 5 times. FUN!!
The kids wanted to get back to HRH and hit the pool before our 2 PM checkout. I was disaapointed that they wouldn't let me stay to meet Fly Fly. But when I asked they said they wanted to Swim Swim. I told the kids that I had to go to IOA to get our HHN at Guest Services. THey reluctantly came with me. I waited inline and sent them to the Hulk. They rode it 3 times while I waited to be told that I had to return at 4. We took the water taxi back to HRH.
At 2 we drove all the way to RPR and checked in. We had the worst room ever at RPR for view, but it was close to the elevator, water taxi, lobby. After we settled and grbbed a burger at Jake's ($55 with Grade A Kids) DS and I were off to HHN. I stood in line again for the tickets. The hotel said I should have called them directly. We rode Spidey and had time to walk back back and ride JP before they started running off the day guests. Dark Maurader is right about ScreamHouse, you have to get there right when it opens. Do not miss Bill and Ted's! With Express we did everything and alot of things twice before 10:30. I was amazed at how well staffed it was. There will be a bunch of posts on HHN so I won't go into it.
Sunday AM I visited the RPR gym. It was actually a litte nicer than HRH. It shared a whirlpool spa with the Ladies locker room that was very nice. The sauna and steam room never got hot enough for me to break a sweat though.
We went to ISO for about 4 hours of high intensity touring before I drove home totally exhausted.
I am so happy to get back to work to get some REST!!!
My wife called to thank me for the trip and I asked her if I should take my daughter for her 10th birthday. My DW said, "Yes". That is only 2 weeks away!!! Where to stay? What do ya'll think?
The family went hotel exploring and was quickly diverted at the pool by a hair wrap station. DD and DW stayed there while DS and I did a lap walking around the pool. We decided that if we hustled we could hit MIB before the kids had to get in costume for Mickey's Hot So Scary Halloween Party. I was already dressed as a WDW Cast Member with badge, service pin, lanyard,and big D/tink GUIDE badge. I could tell that Universal employees were looking at me funny. I was surprized how close US is to HRH. We fast walked back to MIB and rode twice. He beat me once and I took the other. We never lost to the other car the whole trip though. On the way out we stopped at Shrek and I told "Henchman" that WDW sent me to see if it was true that they were using unathurized images of Pinnochio and Tinkerbell. She actually got nervous and stuttered. We returned to HRH to find out the wrap was $24 (I had no idea, but thought that was high). The HRH had delivered beer and nuts to the room which made us laugh since I'm an alcoholic (20 years sober) and my wife was just diagnosed with Diverticulitous (which means 'no nuts'). My DS dressed as Martin Gramatica complete with the rubber fan mask sewn to a Buccaneer's cap. He thought he looked like a mexican wrestler. DD had a mask from Scary movie, the one after he gets high with the tongue sticking out and a goofy smile. She put that on with a hooded MNSSHP jacket. We went the back way on Turkey Lake and the drive, tram and ferry took 45 minutes to the turnstile at MK. FYI, the parking attendant waved me threw because of my Wilderness Lodge parking pass which is 6 months old. I didn't argue. The ferry played music fro the Haunted Mansion. Since this is a US thread I won't go into MK but I have to say that everything was a walk on. Even the Indy Speedway which I haven't been on in 12 years because of long lines. The Park stayed open until midnight. If you go skip the Riverboat ride and watch the perimeter fireworks.
Sat AM I got up at 5. Went to the gym at 6. The sauna and steam room were nice but I couldn't get any hot water to shave or take a shower. When I left the attendant told me that you have to leave the water running for about 10 minutes. It must be coming from Portofino? The locker room had shaving cream, disposable razors, talcum powder, hair spray, etc. THe DW said that the women's locker room didn't. After my cold shave I drove to McDonalds on Sand Lake and brought the family breakfast to wake them up. You know that you have been to Shrek too many times when you hear your son say, "Who dare disturb my slumber?" and your daughter say, "It's me Pinnochio." and I chime in with "Hey Hey!" and my wife looks at us all wondering why we talk this way. We ate breakfast and the kids and I hightailed it to US. We saw our pals Con and Dick at the turnstiles and Con asked if we were staying at Portofino again and I told him HRH last night and RPR tonight. FYI on every Saturday morning a guest named Leo is there at opening time and they usually let him in early. Don't worry though because Leo doesn't ride anything he just walks around and talks to people. We rode the first Jimmy Nuetron ride of the day and each had our own Mark IV in the front row. We all did the chicken at the end and made the ride op laugh. We sat in the front row of Shrek in the last moving seats. The first 8 move and the second 8 are stationary. You get alot wetter in these seats and the seat movement is more intense. On the way to MIB the kids rode Back to the Future and got car #6 which thrilled them. I guess it is in the center and you can't see other cars as easy. They met me in front of MIB which we did 5 times. FUN!!
The kids wanted to get back to HRH and hit the pool before our 2 PM checkout. I was disaapointed that they wouldn't let me stay to meet Fly Fly. But when I asked they said they wanted to Swim Swim. I told the kids that I had to go to IOA to get our HHN at Guest Services. THey reluctantly came with me. I waited inline and sent them to the Hulk. They rode it 3 times while I waited to be told that I had to return at 4. We took the water taxi back to HRH.
At 2 we drove all the way to RPR and checked in. We had the worst room ever at RPR for view, but it was close to the elevator, water taxi, lobby. After we settled and grbbed a burger at Jake's ($55 with Grade A Kids) DS and I were off to HHN. I stood in line again for the tickets. The hotel said I should have called them directly. We rode Spidey and had time to walk back back and ride JP before they started running off the day guests. Dark Maurader is right about ScreamHouse, you have to get there right when it opens. Do not miss Bill and Ted's! With Express we did everything and alot of things twice before 10:30. I was amazed at how well staffed it was. There will be a bunch of posts on HHN so I won't go into it.
Sunday AM I visited the RPR gym. It was actually a litte nicer than HRH. It shared a whirlpool spa with the Ladies locker room that was very nice. The sauna and steam room never got hot enough for me to break a sweat though.
We went to ISO for about 4 hours of high intensity touring before I drove home totally exhausted.
I am so happy to get back to work to get some REST!!!
My wife called to thank me for the trip and I asked her if I should take my daughter for her 10th birthday. My DW said, "Yes". That is only 2 weeks away!!! Where to stay? What do ya'll think?
and scaring the poor Universal employees with Disney lawyers. I say go to a different hotel if you haven't been to the others and try them all out.
and it was nice of you not to make a fuss over your daughter's hair wrap - they can get expensive
Maybe some other time!! Tell your kids I'm not half bad. 
Glad you had a great trip too! 
