Happy Birthday, Dear Dude - A Sept 2010 PTR - 9/22 Trip Report Started p34

[swwake]

Hurray for being able to plan park days!!!

Yes. It makes me feel better to at least have some sort of plan.

Serenade leaves from San Juan, Puerto Rico and stops in St. Thomas, Curacao, Dominica, and Aruba. When I went on Serenade, it left from San Juan and stopped in St. Thomas, St. Martin. St. Lucia. Antigua, and Barbados.

If I go, I'll definitely send you a cruise report! I really like Royal's Med itinerary.

I love your plans! I can't wait to hear about HRH and WWOHP.

Oh that sounds awesome. I have been to San Juan, St Thomas, St Martin and Barbados, but not the others. Are there may sea days? I sometimes like them best! I hope you end up going.

Yeah, we can't wait to try out US and IOA. We haven't been to US since 1997 and have never been to IOA. Plus, the whole Harry Potter thing thrown in there!

Wow - 1 month and 7 days! Your trip is coming so quickly, Jen!

I would have a real hard time not to plan as well! I think checking the best days for each park makes a lot of sense even in slow season. During my January visits, I always noticed a huge difference between the recommended parks and the avoid parks. The recommended ones had wait times like 10 minutes for Space Mountain at 2 pm!!

For the rental car: Do you know that Alamo at the Car Care Center comes and picks you up from your resort if you rent from them? We did this once and it worked great.

I can't wait to see how it is with low lines!

Thanks for the tip on Alamo. I will need to check into that very soon.

 

[swwake]

Am I allowed to do a 2 month dance? I am pretty excited about my ticker. I want to wish it would come faster, but I am pretty sure the time will fly anyway.

2 months seems like a weird time to do a dance, but it also seems like a nice milestone.

I think I'll dance.

 

[Native NYer]

2 MONTHS!!!!
It'll be here before you know it

They'll be at sea for 2 days on Serenade.

I can't wait to get to Disney. It seems like the last few weeks DRAG!

 

[swwake]

2 MONTHS!!!!
It'll be here before you know it

They'll be at sea for 2 days on Serenade.

I can't wait to get to Disney. It seems like the last few weeks DRAG!

Thanks for the dancing. I think they drag until about the last week, then you stay busy, like Jackie is doing! I hope you'll tell me a little about your Disney trip when you get back. You're taking both nephews now, huh? How old is the youngest one?

 

[Charleston Princess]

I believe in dancing for all Disney ticker milestones!!!

 

[Native NYer]

Thanks for the dancing. I think they drag until about the last week, then you stay busy, like Jackie is doing! I hope you'll tell me a little about your Disney trip when you get back. You're taking both nephews now, huh? How old is the youngest one?

I'll definitely tell you all about my trip. Both nephews are going. The youngest is 2 and the older one is 6. Should be interesting

Are you doing the sunrise safari? I can't remember if you mentioned it or not. During the summer, I can't remember much.

 

[swwake]

I'll definitely tell you all about my trip. Both nephews are going. The youngest is 2 and the older one is 6. Should be interesting

Are you doing the sunrise safari? I can't remember if you mentioned it or not. During the summer, I can't remember much.

Oh those will be such fun Disney ages. Since I dropped off for a year or so, I don't know - will this be the youngest's first trip? Yes, we are doing the sunrise safari on Thursday of our trip. So looking forward to that. that you can't remember much during the summer! I don't blame you.

 

[Native NYer]

Oh those will be such fun Disney ages. Since I dropped off for a year or so, I don't know - will this be the youngest's first trip? Yes, we are doing the sunrise safari on Thursday of our trip. So looking forward to that. that you can't remember much during the summer! I don't blame you.

This will be the youngest's second trip.

I've read that the sunrise safari is reason enough to book AKL CL. I hope you take lots of photos!

 

[Flossbolna]

I missed the two months dance, but here are some dancing bananas for the "less than two months dance"!:

 

[swwake]

This will be the youngest's second trip.

I've read that the sunrise safari is reason enough to book AKL CL. I hope you take lots of photos!

We are pretty excited about the sunrise safari. I will be sure to take and share lots of photos!

I missed the two months dance, but here are some dancing bananas for the "less than two months dance"!:

Thanks so much!!!

 

[swwake]

Yesterday we took Katie and her boyfriend, my niece and nephews to Six Flags in Arlington, TX. We also met my cousin and her two kids, so we had a huge party of 12.

We did this in 2008 before we went to Disney World that year. In '08, it was a fun experience. Yesterday, it was really, really hot there. They had misters running, but it wasn't too helpful. We ended up doing some of the water rides to cool off.

The lines weren't bad at all, but the park was dirty and felt run down. I am not sure how much longer Six Flags will last. They really don't hold a candle to Disney's cleanliness, theming, or overall experience.

We were also pretty frustrated because, on several rides, we weren't allowed to take small bags or backpacks. In some areas, lockers were provided (for a $1 single-use fee), while in others, cubbies were provided. However, there is a notice above the cubbies saying Six Flags is not responsible for your belongings. So, we weren't allowed to take a bag (with our money, credit cards, iphones, etc) on a ride, but if we left it in a cubby, they weren't responsible for it. It was a really ridiculous rule. And the $1 lockers were nothing but a money-maker for the park. Also, when we went on Batman (where your legs hang freely below the seat), they used to have cubbies for your flip flops, but they have removed them. So I left my flip flops on the side and they told me I couldn't, that I would have to SIT on them!

My cousin, my sister and I were talking about how different this is from Disney. Disney obviously faces the same issues with carrying items on rides, people wearing flip flops, etc, but they somehow have figured out how to handle it without nickle-and-dimeing you, and without horrible customer service with ride attendants being rude, demanding, and even yelling at us.

We will not return to Six Flags, even if it is just a couple of hours from our home. We'll find something else to do for recreation.

In the meantime, we are now looking forward to our trip EVEN MORE!

 

[MHTeacher]

I totally agree with you, Susan!

We went to Six Flags in Atlanta last summer, and I found myself comparing it to Disney the entire trip---and there's really no comparison!

The locker thing really irked me too!

 

[omghidanielle]

We will not return to Six Flags, even if it is just a couple of hours from our home. We'll find something else to do for recreation.

I live less than 45 minutes from Six Flags Great Adventure
I could not agree with you more!!!

When we were WDW last year, there was a group of kids ahead of us in line for TOT and all they could talk about was how excited they were because in a month, they were going to go NEW JERSEY to go to SIX FLAGS! We debated whether or not to burst their bubble, but decided to just stay out of it, and laugh at them.

 

[swwake]

I totally agree with you, Susan!

We went to Six Flags in Atlanta last summer, and I found myself comparing it to Disney the entire trip---and there's really no comparison!

The locker thing really irked me too!

Just awful. My cousin said "neither Disney nor Universal has this locker policy thing, and they aren't going bankrupt like Six Flags!" I am not sure if they are going bankrupt, but it is such a horrible experience, I don't know how they continue to draw enough crowds to break even.

I live less than 45 minutes from Six Flags Great Adventure
I could not agree with you more!!!

When we were WDW last year, there was a group of kids ahead of us in line for TOT and all they could talk about was how excited they were because in a month, they were going to go NEW JERSEY to go to SIX FLAGS! We debated whether or not to burst their bubble, but decided to just stay out of it, and laugh at them.

I feel like such a whiner, but I'm a bit spoiled with Disney. That's so funny that you stayed quiet and just laughed. I'm sure they figured it out.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ugh, what a bad experience at Six Flags. We have one here in Atlanta, but we have never taken the kids -- I just know I would spend the entire time comparing it (and not favorably) to Disney. Not to mention, I am so not a thrill-ride person, so I would spend a lot of time holding everyone's stuff, I am sure.

 

[swwake]

Ugh, what a bad experience at Six Flags. We have one here in Atlanta, but we have never taken the kids -- I just know I would spend the entire time comparing it (and not favorably) to Disney. Not to mention, I am so not a thrill-ride person, so I would spend a lot of time holding everyone's stuff, I am sure.

Don't take the kids! Haha - it will not be fun after so much time at Disney. And who wants to be a "stuff holder"?

 

[swwake]

Hi everyone. I am just checking in. We just got back an hour ago from Memphis for my 25th High School Reunion and visiting lots of great friends. I'm wiped out from the long weekend. But my next holiday is WDW! Yippee!!!

A little less than 6 weeks from now. It will fly by.

This week, I have to go to San Francisco/Napa for my partner "advance" (we never retreat ). Then in 2 weeks we're off to Colorado! After that, I get to calm down a bit and get into my workout for Disney World!

 

[Marshay]

Yeah, that definitely stinks about charging you $1 for a single use locker. Were people really using it?

I wouldn't want to waste that $1.

We have a six flags over in Maryland that we can go to but I agree with all of you -- it is just not as nice and where is the FastPass and all the details in the queues, etc!

But as you said, it does give you practice for Disney...we did that earlier this year, too and it certainly helped us out (we have 2 small kids).

 

[Charleston Princess]

I saw the pictures and such over on Facebook -- looks like you had a great time in Memphis!

Can't believe your trip is less than six weeks away -- with your busy schedule, that is sure to fly by!

 

[swwake]

Yeah, that definitely stinks about charging you $1 for a single use locker. Were people really using it?

I wouldn't want to waste that $1.

We have a six flags over in Maryland that we can go to but I agree with all of you -- it is just not as nice and where is the FastPass and all the details in the queues, etc!

But as you said, it does give you practice for Disney...we did that earlier this year, too and it certainly helped us out (we have 2 small kids).

Yes, people were really using it. We used the lockers twice!! We didn't have a choice. My sister walked off a water ride because they wouldn't let her ride with her (small) backpack. Don't go to the one by you. You'll be disappointed! Save your money for Disney!

I saw the pictures and such over on Facebook -- looks like you had a great time in Memphis!

Can't believe your trip is less than six weeks away -- with your busy schedule, that is sure to fly by!

Yes, we had a great weekend with old, but not "old" friends. Time is flying by. Now down to just a month and a day!