Hijinks & Shenanigans but not much Mayhem@The Dark Side+Disney:Link to DL/Hawaii TR

[MEK]

That's a lot of stuff to carry around, but if it gives you front of the line access then who cares!

Fun PP pictures (or whatever you want to call them).

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Haha, I think my statement would be, "Yeah you can go to Universal... Just don't use the lockers!"

I have to admit, that Photoconnect is a pretty darn good deal.

Good call on getting rid of the paper tickets ESPECIALLY if you're riding the Barges.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Oops, double posted... SORRY

 

[ProudMommyof2]

On our last trip we ventured to the dark side and wow! I get it now too! We actually stayed in a 2 bed condo at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for $95 a night (awesome) and got the cheapest room on site at Universal for 1 night so we had 2 days of Express Pass. We never slept in the room but instead used it as a day room for a mid day pool break.

After 2 days at Universal with Express pass, my MK day starting off in Fantasyland wasn't received so well. LOL, my son thought it a bit ridiculous that he was on Winnie the Pooh 24 hours after being on Spiderman

We love both, but i think the men in the house would choose Universal over WDW if it was an either/or. Thankfully, DS has a chorus trip to WDW next year

BTW- we also took a day and went to Kennedy Space Ctr. Well worth the time and your congressperson can get you comp tickets.

Cant wait to try and catch my breath trying to keep up with your touring style- bring on he parks!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Reading your park schedule exhausts me, but then I remember I'm just sitting in my chair reading and I'm no longer exhausted.

LOVE seeing your family photos, so keep 'em coming.

Ditto this

Keep up the good work Dee-I'm loving every second of it (even in my exhausted state )

 

[TPTraveler]

Love the pictures and the update so far, looking forward to the rest.

 

[MickeyT]

Ninja mom forbade me from writing “We went on this ride and it was fun, then we went on that one and it was fun” But that is a lot of what our US/IoA visits were like. And we had a lot of repeat rides. There are a few stories, but not a lot, so a chronological and even day to day reporting about the trip really wouldn’t work well.

Thank you for doing it this way Dee.

I know very little to nothing about Universal and am seeing this through total newbie eyes. Now I know how a lot of folks on DIS feel when they are asking question about WDW. I had to go back and search several times before I could figure out what the heck RRR meant!

Keep up the good work!

 

[natebenma]

I have a little room in my life for both parks too, Dee. Though there is so much about Disney that I prefer, Universal has its upsides (especially the Wizarding World, for this Potterhead that's the real draw!) They have some awesome rides. I usually find that one day is enough for me, even for two parks. I can see how it's a much more appealing place for thrill ride junkies!
LOVE the pics, especially the Jurassic Park!

We had just about the right amount of time at US/IoA.

I could have used maybe a half-day more: One more Despicable Me, Ben/Mark only did Transformers once, RRR a couple more times and I'll never be sick of Mummy...

And of course, keep the Butterbeer coming until the money runs out!

But no complaints!

We have stayed at HRH many times but the last three times have been in the Graceland Suite. The view from that suite is the best view I've ever seen from a room in Florida. It also comes with a reserved cabana at the pool. The problem on the last two trips was that after the first day, I couldn't get my kids or their friends to go back to the parks. All they wanted to do was stay at the hotel and in the cabana at the pool!!!!

I'm intrigued. I would love to see that view!!! Theme park? If you email a picture, I could post it here if that is ok with you.

beachclubdee at yahoo

Love the family pictures. You look like a fun family having a great time.

Thanks! We really did have a great trip together!

Just discovered your trippie! I'm in, can't wait to read more!

So glad you are in for the ride!

Love all you family pics. Looks like you had a lot of fun!

I found out this year that I just don't really like US/IOA that much. Maybe it was b/c we weren't staying on property. I feel like I do a LOT of sitting and waiting there. I HATE simulator rides and it seems that's all they have except the BIG coasters.

I used to LOVE BIG coasters, now.... Not so much. I said I was gonna try RRR this year but I chickened out again!
I saw so many woman older than me getting off the Hulk. I felt like such a wimp!!

While at IOA I went on I think 2 rides. HP and JP. I had no desire to wait in the long lines for the water rides and I didn't feel like getting soaked. It's a long ride home when you're wet lol. So for me I think US/IOA is a waste of $$$. I think next time we go it'll be minus me. DH could just take the boys. Not sure what ill do yet, maybe shopping at DTD and the outlets?? We 'll see.

I understand that kid saying we go to US/IOA now instead of Disney. My DS16 would rather go to US/IOA than Disney and won't even go on the big coasters!!! Lol
I know he still likes going to Disney b/c of the smiles in my pics but he doesn't want to be there day and night like me.

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Take out the thrill rides and the wet rides, Islands of Adventure is definitely much less attractive. There's still the Wizarding World, and that is its own kind of amazing, but I can definitely see how you may want to sit out the next trip.

I like/tolerate the big coasters. Hulk and Dueling Dragon are ok for me, but Mark and Nate really love them. Rip Ride Rocket was SO cool, especially at night!

Nate still enjoys Disney, and what I loved about this trip was he wasn't afraid to show it like on past trips.

Reading your park schedule exhausts me, but then I remember I'm just sitting in my chair reading and I'm no longer exhausted.

LOVE seeing your family photos, so keep 'em coming.

Not bad for a couple of old farts approaching the half-century mark!!!

I also want to note that most of my Universal days were done on about 4 hours of sleep. I was waking up around 2 am and couldn't get back to sleep, or just for an hour or so, even after heavy doses of Benedryl and Tylenol PM.

Hope you are resting up in preparation to read more. I'll try to update on Sunday.

That's a lot of stuff to carry around, but if it gives you front of the line access then who cares!

Fun PP pictures (or whatever you want to call them).

We actually had fun with the PP (Universal Connect) pictures. I was really happy that Mark wanted to play along and we had very minimal whining from the boys.

Oh, yeah, we also needed a credit card and our AAA card for discounts, too.

Between my lanyard and the waterproof pouch Mark wore, it wasn't too bad carrying the stuff, though.

Haha, I think my statement would be, "Yeah you can go to Universal... Just don't use the lockers!"

I have to admit, that Photoconnect is a pretty darn good deal.

Good call on getting rid of the paper tickets ESPECIALLY if you're riding the Barges.

Amen on the lockers!!! We didn't use them once on this trip!

Loved the Photo Connect. Such a deal! The word is just starting to get out, so the lines to add pictures onto the card after rides were not too bad, but I think in subsequent months it is going to get busy.

On our last trip we ventured to the dark side and wow! I get it now too! We actually stayed in a 2 bed condo at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for $95 a night (awesome) and got the cheapest room on site at Universal for 1 night so we had 2 days of Express Pass. We never slept in the room but instead used it as a day room for a mid day pool break.

After 2 days at Universal with Express pass, my MK day starting off in Fantasyland wasn't received so well. LOL, my son thought it a bit ridiculous that he was on Winnie the Pooh 24 hours after being on Spiderman

We love both, but i think the men in the house would choose Universal over WDW if it was an either/or. Thankfully, DS has a chorus trip to WDW next year

BTW- we also took a day and went to Kennedy Space Ctr. Well worth the time and your congressperson can get you comp tickets.

Cant wait to try and catch my breath trying to keep up with your touring style- bring on he parks!

That is funny about the Spiderman to WTP time lapse. My son did Hulk and WTP within a 6 hour period.

Ditto this

Keep up the good work Dee-I'm loving every second of it (even in my exhausted state )

Thank you!!!

You rest up, too!

Love the pictures and the update so far, looking forward to the rest.

Thank you! So glad you are enjoying the report.

Thank you for doing it this way Dee.

I know very little to nothing about Universal and am seeing this through total newbie eyes. Now I know how a lot of folks on DIS feel when they are asking question about WDW. I had to go back and search several times before I could figure out what the heck RRR meant!

Keep up the good work!

You are welcome, my friend! Always glad to share info.

 

[natebenma]

Thanks so much for the really nice comments about our family pictures. I was so pleased that Mark was willing to play along with some fun pictures and the boys really tolerated most of my photo requests with minimal whining.

Here are a couple of bonus tracks.





As my FB friends know, when I was reviewing my pictures a few days ago, I discovered that I had actually captured a picture of Mark and Nate riding the Hulk when I took this picture. That's them, 4th row from the front, on the left.





Here's a crop of the picture:





ETA- the guys didn't add their ride photo to the card, because I had it, so I am especially glad I have this picture! Although it would have been neat to compare. I don't know where they take the ride photo for the Hulk.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Thanks so much for the really nice comments about our family pictures. I was so pleased that Mark was willing to play along with some fun pictures and the boys really tolerated most of my photo requests with minimal whining.

Here are a couple of bonus tracks.





As my FB friends know, when I was reviewing my pictures a few days ago, I discovered that I had actually captured a picture of Mark and Nate riding the Hulk when I took this picture. That's them, 4th row from the front, on the left.

That is so cool!! Was that luck or were taking pics each time until you got them?
I would always look hoping I would see DH & DS12.

 

[natebenma]

That is so cool!! Was that luck or were taking pics each time until you got them?
I would always look hoping I would see DH & DS12.

Just luck. Ben and I had just returned from taking pictures of the park icons (Hogwarts Castle, Mythos, Jurassic Park) from the Port of Entry and we were taking pictures of the Hulk. I wanted that one closeup of the car from the bridge and that was the shot that I got.

Just took one.

And it happened to be when Mark and Nate were riding.




ETA- the guys didn't add their ride photo to the card, because I had it, so I am especially glad I have this picture! Although it would have been neat to compare. I don't know where they take that photo.

 

[dtr_angel]

Those pictures are crazy cool! Can't believe you got a picture of DH & Nate!

The dark side doesn't look so bad anymore...

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Good job on getting a picture of Mark and Nate on the Hulk!

Just wondering if Ben is going to do a wee mini report on this trip? He did such an awesome job the last time he did a report I bet he could write a small one (to give his mum a run for her money maybe ).

 

[tiggerfan77]

Love the Jaws pic! We got a pretty awesome Jaws pic as well, can't wait to share it in my TR!

 

[wiigirl]

Great pics!

 

[DrMomof3]

The amount of detail you are able to put into your trip reports is astonishing to me. I can't remember half as much!!!
I only stayed at the Hard Rock for 1 night but Nathaniel and I really liked it there. The pool slide is really fun and we spent a lot of time in the pool.

Amanda

 

[ddluvsdisney]

The amount of detail you are able to put into your trip reports is astonishing to me. I can't remember half as much!!!
I only stayed at the Hard Rock for 1 night but Nathaniel and I really liked it there. The pool slide is really fun and we spent a lot of time in the pool.

Amanda

This is exactly why I wouldn't be able to write a TR. lol I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday.
You do a great job Dee!!!

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[hill6]

Great report. Can't wait for the rest.

 

[333disneymom]

Awesome pic of the Hulk ride! Talk about good timing. The family pics look great too.

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[natebenma]

Those pictures are crazy cool! Can't believe you got a picture of DH & Nate!

The dark side doesn't look so bad anymore...

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Thanks so much!

I couldn't believe it when I looked at the picture. I called Mark and Nate over "I took a picture of you when you were on Hulk"

They didn't believe me. But doggone it, the proof's right there!

Now I am looking for them in the Rip Ride Rocket pictures I took while they were on. So far, no luck!

The Dark Side is not so bad, but there is definitely a time for it. There are some areas for young kids, but truly, I think the parks are better suited for older kids and/or true Griffindorks who need to experience the Harry Potter area, which is absolutely amazing!

Good job on getting a picture of Mark and Nate on the Hulk!

Just wondering if Ben is going to do a wee mini report on this trip? He did such an awesome job the last time he did a report I bet he could write a small one (to give his mum a run for her money maybe ).

He really wants to write his own report, but not sure he has the time. He has some summer reading to do, still needs to write thank you notes for his birthday gifts from May/June and his social calendar is pretty full between camps, sleepovers, the beach and a planned trip to the water park.

BTW- I haven't mentioned this bit of ugliness, but there is a dispute over who actually took that Hulk picture. Ben insists it was him because he took a similar one. I'm pretty sure it was me. I'll have to check to see which camera it came from. There was a lot of switching of cameras and memory cards during the trip which is making the task of organizing my photos a nightmare!

Love the Jaws pic! We got a pretty awesome Jaws pic as well, can't wait to share it in my TR!

I am excited to see it!!!

We couldn't get near the Jaws shark on our last trip, but now that it is a little out-of-the-way, it was easier to take some pictures without any hassle or wait in line.

/)

attempt at shark fin above.

Great pics!

Thanks so much!!!

The amount of detail you are able to put into your trip reports is astonishing to me. I can't remember half as much!!!
I only stayed at the Hard Rock for 1 night but Nathaniel and I really liked it there. The pool slide is really fun and we spent a lot of time in the pool.

Amanda

Thank you!

I take some notes at the end of the day, but my handwriting is SO bad that sometimes I can't read what I wrote!

Reviewing the pictures helps a lot too.


Isn't that sad! You were there for 1 night, in December, and actually spent time in the pool while my family did not even dip a toe in during our 3 night stay!

This is exactly why I wouldn't be able to write a TR. lol I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday.
You do a great job Dee!!!

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Thank you so much!

I have a pretty good memory/sense of recall- not photographic, but more connective. I connect things that happen to other things. I am really bad remembering names and recognizing people, though.

Great report. Can't wait for the rest.

So glad you are joining us!!!

Awesome pic of the Hulk ride! Talk about good timing. The family pics look great too.

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Thanks so much!!!

I was really pleased with the family photos this trip. The boys were actually cooperative which I appreciate so much!