Help me plan a Thanksgiving Trip

[ekatiel]

We have been looking for places to spend DH's conference funds for this new fiscal year and have tossed around several ideas, based on conference locations. After looking in to skiing -- PRICEY!, and considering some other options, we are now exploring Universal. The conference we are looking at is the weekend after Thanksgiving (Friday-Sunday). Here's what we're thinking:

Tuesday Evening 11/26: Depart Houston after DH gets home from work (he can leave a little bit early) drive to Baton Rouge (about 4 and half hours). Stay in cheap hotel for the night.

Wednesday 11/27: Drive from Baton Rouge to Orlando (about 10 hours). Stay in a cheap hotel near Universal-- Any recommendations?!

Thursday 11/28: We will check in to Portifino Bay (the conference location) early in the AM, before the park opens and get our keys for FOTL access. Play all day in Universal. Any recommendations for Thanksgiving dinner? It doesn't need to be traditional, just something yummy, preferably at a table service restaurant.

Friday 11/29: DH in conference until 12:40pm. Kids and I play in Universal early and then he meets us.

Saturday 11/30: DH in conference until 12:40PM. Not sure if we should take a break from the parks on this day or spring for an AP, since this day would make 5 days in the park total.

Sunday 12/1: DH in conference until 10am. Another Universal day.

Monday 12/2: Check out of Portifino. Play in parks until late afternoon, then start driving back (about 4 hours of driving). Stay in cheap hotel.

Tuesday 12/3: Drive back to Houston, 10 hours of driving.

The kids would miss 2 days of school with this plan. We would be responsible for all driving costs, the "cheap" hotel nights, all park tickets and some food. DH's work would cover Portifino for 4 nights, the conference fee, and his food. I'm not sure what to do for park tickets-- If we buy 4 day tickets we will need to take a pool/break day in the middle. Otherwise, we'd need APs. It looks like the cheapest AP would work for us, since Thanksgiving isn't blacked out (It would be about $150 more total). We will probably also return to Orlando for a Disney Trip next Thanksgiving, so in theory, we could use the APs again then, as long as we used them before Thanksgiving Day. Not sure if it's worth hedging a bet on future travel like that, though.

So, I guess my basic questions are: 1) To AP or not to AP? 2) Any recommendations on a cheap hotel near Universal that I won't be scared to stay in for one night?! 3) Any recommendations for Thanksgiving dinner in Universal? 4) We are not huge roller coaster people: DH and ODS get motion sickness, but we are all huge Harry Potter fans, so I know we'll love that portion of the park. Any rides in either park that are more on the "tame" side (IE-- We all love Big Thundar at Disney, but Expedition Everest made DH motion sick, and Tower of Terror made ODS sick) or any shows worth seeing? Thanks for any input!! I think this trip might be the one that "sticks"!!

 

[CareHeartsDisney]

We have been looking for places to spend DH's conference funds for this new fiscal year and have tossed around several ideas, based on conference locations. After looking in to skiing -- PRICEY!, and considering some other options, we are now exploring Universal. The conference we are looking at is the weekend after Thanksgiving (Friday-Sunday). Here's what we're thinking:

Tuesday Evening 11/26: Depart Houston after DH gets home from work (he can leave a little bit early) drive to Baton Rouge (about 4 and half hours). Stay in cheap hotel for the night.

Wednesday 11/27: Drive from Baton Rouge to Orlando (about 10 hours). Stay in a cheap hotel near Universal-- Any recommendations?!

Thursday 11/28: We will check in to Portifino Bay (the conference location) early in the AM, before the park opens and get our keys for FOTL access. Play all day in Universal. Any recommendations for Thanksgiving dinner? It doesn't need to be traditional, just something yummy, preferably at a table service restaurant.

Friday 11/29: DH in conference until 12:40pm. Kids and I play in Universal early and then he meets us.

Saturday 11/30: DH in conference until 12:40PM. Not sure if we should take a break from the parks on this day or spring for an AP, since this day would make 5 days in the park total.

Sunday 12/1: DH in conference until 10am. Another Universal day.

Monday 12/2: Check out of Portifino. Play in parks until late afternoon, then start driving back (about 4 hours of driving). Stay in cheap hotel.

Tuesday 12/3: Drive back to Houston, 10 hours of driving.

The kids would miss 2 days of school with this plan. We would be responsible for all driving costs, the "cheap" hotel nights, all park tickets and some food. DH's work would cover Portifino for 4 nights, the conference fee, and his food. I'm not sure what to do for park tickets-- If we buy 4 day tickets we will need to take a pool/break day in the middle. Otherwise, we'd need APs. It looks like the cheapest AP would work for us, since Thanksgiving isn't blacked out (It would be about $150 more total). We will probably also return to Orlando for a Disney Trip next Thanksgiving, so in theory, we could use the APs again then, as long as we used them before Thanksgiving Day. Not sure if it's worth hedging a bet on future travel like that, though.

So, I guess my basic questions are: 1) To AP or not to AP? 2) Any recommendations on a cheap hotel near Universal that I won't be scared to stay in for one night?! 3) Any recommendations for Thanksgiving dinner in Universal? 4) We are not huge roller coaster people: DH and ODS get motion sickness, but we are all huge Harry Potter fans, so I know we'll love that portion of the park. Any rides in either park that are more on the "tame" side (IE-- We all love Big Thundar at Disney, but Expedition Everest made DH motion sick, and Tower of Terror made ODS sick) or any shows worth seeing? Thanks for any input!! I think this trip might be the one that "sticks"!!

I would definitely plan on getting the AP since you are planning on at least 6 park days and you're thinking of going next year. The price to renew your AP's is less than the original AP price. We ate Thanksgiving dinner at the Kitchen at HRH a couple years ago. It was very good and they had a nice selection including carved meats, crab legs, shrimp, pasta and much more. They also had a large selection of desserts. It was pricy but if you have AAA you might be able to get a discount. We forgot to ask. Some APs also provide discounts but not the basic ones. Each of the hotels have a special Thanksgiving buffet. On our last trip at HRH, we had the breakfast buffet (served at every Universal hotel) at the Kitchen. It was great and they had the largest selection of any breakfast buffet I've ever been to.

I can't recommend a cheap hotel outside Universal as we haven't stayed at any. I did consider staying our first night at Hyatt Place since we've stayed at one before and loved the large room and free breakfast but we ultimately just stayed all our nights at HRH. My husband didn't want to change hotels.

My kids aren't big roller coaster/thrill ride types and they love Universal. On the Universal side, there's Men In Black, the Simpsons ride, Depicable Me, Transformers, ET, Shrek, the Mummy (although I'm not sure if you find it not mild enough). There's also the wonderful Horror Makeup Show (not scary, interesting and very funny). You might like the Terminator and Twister.

At IoA, you'll love the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff is a mild roller coaster that my kids like, the wand show, the Seuss area is great, Spiderman is one of the best rides anywhere, Storm Force Accelatron (like the teacups), Popeye (raft ride even better than Kali River Rapids), Jurassic Park, Dudley Do-Right (flume ride).

I just re-read your post and noticed that you mentioned motion sickness. There are a bunch of simulator type of rides inc. Forbidden Journey, Spiderman, Simpsons and Transformers. I would recommend that your family takes some dramamine/bonine because these are some of the best rides that I'm sure they won't want to miss.