Hoosiers, Hard Rock and Harry PTR

[HoosierJoy]

Hi and welcome to my PTR. On July 17 in just a few short days my family will be traveling to Orlando to stay at HRH for 7 nights. We have been to WDW several times and have been to Universal and IOA for day trips while visiting WDW. Out last trip to Orlando was in 2008 and we are excited to return. Let me introduce you to us. My DH, Tim and I are 45. We have 2 kids Alyssa is 20 and a rising junior at Indiana University and Evan is 16 and a junior in high school. My kids are as different as night and day so it is hard to keep everyone happy. Two things thatTim told me when we came back from our last Orlando trip 1. We are never driving again and 2. We are never going to Orlando in July again. Well at least he got one thing right! We are flying Southwest I have been wanting to do this trip since the Wizarding World opened. My DD and I have been Harry Potter fans since the first book and we hooked DH also. She was the perfect age to grow up with Harry and it is something I feel is a special connection between us. My DS isn't a roller coaster guy but he loves water parks so we are checking out Aquatica and Wet N Wild while we are there. The Hard Rock seems perfect for the age of my kids and my DH is a music lover too. He seems to think he is still hip! I just let him believe it. We had a family meeting to make plans. I had our days written on separate pieces of paper and sticky notes with the icons from each park. We moved them around planning put a morning and afternoon for most days. Then we all picked a restaurant we wanted to try. These were our choices:
Alyssa: Bob Marley (going on Wed. arrival day)
Evan : NBA City (Friday night)
Me: Pat O'Briens (Tues. night)
Tim : Margaritaville (Sunday night)
We also all agreed to hit Mythos on Thursday, Cinematic Spectacular dining at Lombardis and Hard Rock Cafe on Wed. our departure day.

Here is our plan:
July 17: arrive, using *********** to get to HRH, eat atBob Marley
July 18: IOA, WWOHP for early entry, Mythos for dinner
July 19: Wet N Wild, NBA City for dinner
July 20: Universal Studios, Cinematic Spectacular dining for dinner
July 21: Theme park we want to return to or City Walk, or HRH fun, Margaritaville for dinner
July 22: Aquatica no ressies anywhere
July 23: Repeat favorite park activities, shop, HRH pool, Pat O'Briens for dinner
July 24: check out of HRH, lunch at Hard Rock Cafe and get picked up bt *********** at 2:30 to go back to airport for 5:00 flight.

I am learning to add pics so hoping that will be next.

 

[Choozee]

Thank you for sharing, it sounds like a terrific plan you have too! Enjoy your trip!

 

[Metro West]

I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

[macraven]

you will have so much fun on this vacation!

 

[HoosierJoy]

This trip is really going to happen! just 4 days from now we will be in flight. I have always had motion sickness and it seems to be getting worse with age so I will take Damamine before we get on the plane and hopefully sleep through the flight. I can handle about one hour flights but longer than that and I am in trouble! Our flight is 2 hours. Dramamine has always worked for me but it makes me very sleepy. I will have the less drowsy kind to use in the parks. Simulator type rides never made me sick before but I have gotten worse so I don't want to take chances.
I like to keep it real and I thought it was funny so I will share what Evan my 16 year old son said yesterday. He wants to make a melt down prediction for the trip. He predicts that I will have 5 melt downs and Alyssa his 20 year old sister will have 8 on the trip! He says mine will be focused around one day where lots of things go wrong but Alyssa's will be at least one a day! We are both a little intense and need to be reminded to go with the flow and not be rigid. I'm determined to prove him wrong. I am mellow. I am calm. It will all be ok.:

 

[Choozee]

I can't wait to read your trip report!

 

[indimom]

Hello fellow hoosier!!! Nice to meet ya!

I had to say hello now because we will just miss you on our trip. We are traveling to Orlando on the 19th, but are spending five days at Disney first, followed by three at Universal, so we'll arrive there on the 25th.
I can't wait to hear how your trip goes.

Our family sounds a bit like yours, just slightly younger kids. DD and I are the major Potter fans. (DH read the books and enjoyed them also, so I can't leave him out, but he's not the junkie that we girls are.) I'm still working on my son, he's all boy and would rather toss the football than read a book any day of the week. Someday, I'm going to Velcro that kids butt to a chair.

Anyway, I hope you guys have a great trip and I can't wait to read all about it!!

 

[-Hope-]

Love your plans and can hardly wait to read your trip report when you return. FWIW I don't think it's possible to have a vacation without at least one meltdown. And learning to go with the flow is my life's ambition.

 

[carmelhp]

Last December we did 5 days in WDW and then 3 days at RPR and the Universal Parks. We flew AirTran from Indianapolis to Orlando and I love their non-stop flights. I like that you're doing a week at Universal. The Universal Parks and Resorts I find much more relaxing that Disney. We would have done a week at Universal this year, but my DD who will be 9 wanted to do another Disney vacation. She is a Harry Potter fan too and was picked for the wand show at Ollivanders last trip. I hope you enjoy your vacation.

 

[HoosierJoy]

Thanks for the comments! Great to hear from my neighbors. Y'all are so nice! Packing is in full force today. Laundry and such is going strong and pulling lots of odds and ends together. I have never mastered the skill of packing light. I find packing a little stressful but I'm into the go with the flow mode. I am a teacher so I am off right now. Props to all of you who work and have to get ready for a trip. That must be hard.

Like I said I want to be real here so I will confess one of my worries is fitting on the Harry Potter ride. I am a big girl and I have already talked to my family about it so they know it is a possibility. It won't ruin my trip and I have been trying to beat this food addiction. I have lost 40 pounds by walking and using The Simple Diet. I feel good and hopeful that I'm on the right track. I just know those feelings that will creep up if I can't ride. I wear a size 22/24 loosely now!!!! Part of the power of it is not speaking about it so there you go I said it! Must get back to packing .

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[HoosierJoy]

Welcome everyone! We are leaving tomorrow and I'm as busy as can be so this will be a short update. Checked into Southwest and got in loading group A so that is wonderful. Printed our boarding passes and have been packing and doing last minute errands all day. So many last minute details but I am slowly checking them off my list. Supper for the family is almost finished and the last load of clothes are in the dryer. In 24 hours we will be in City Walk having already checked into the HRH. It is finally here!

 

[macraven]

 

[indimom]

Welcome everyone! We are leaving tomorrow and I'm as busy as can be so this will be a short update. Checked into Southwest and got in loading group A so that is wonderful. Printed our boarding passes and have been packing and doing last minute errands all day. So many last minute details but I am slowly checking them off my list. Supper for the family is almost finished and the last load of clothes are in the dryer. In 24 hours we will be in City Walk having already checked into the HRH. It is finally here!

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[HoosierJoy]

I am so excited that I haven't slept all night. I hope that allows me take a long nap during the flight. All bags are packed we just need to get the things we need to get ready in the morning packed and we will be ready to go. My dad is taking us to the airport in Louisville. He is picking us up at 9:45 for our 12:20 flight. I hope there is room in his car for all our luggage. I did mention that I do NOT pack light. We will be picked up at the airport by a car service. My DS is excited to see the driver standing there with a sign with our name in it. This afternoon after we check in to HRH the kids mIght want to swim or just explore the area. I know I will just want to settle into the room. We have a dinner reservation tonight at Bob Marley's. my DD wanted to check out the Carribean food and music. Is it time to go yet?

 

[-Hope-]

Have a fantastic trip!

 

[HoosierJoy]

The HRH is fantastic! Quick update from here in the lobby. Last night we ate at BobMarley. The food was great and the atmosphere was fun. This morning at IOA I was BLOWN away from the theming in the Wizarding World. It brought tears to my eyes at the true immersion into the book that I felt. I rode Flight of the Hypogryph and my kids did all 3 rides. Alas even after losing 40 pounds the castle ride was not to be. ButI did walk through the line with them and that was a huge thrill. We also tried Butterbeer both frozen and regular and found it ok but a little too rich and sweet. I will update later because we are headed back to IOA for a Mythos ressie.

 

[coastgirl]

Looks like I found your TR at just the right time! So happy you are loving the WW, it is very special. I can't wait to go back in 3 short weeks!

Congrats on your weight loss. It's too bad you missed FJ, but honestly, the castle to me is better than the ride because you get to take your time and look at all the fabulous details. And imagine how much easier your visit is, NOT lugging around that extra 40 in the heat. Next time (and there WILL be a next time, you know it) you will be able to ride the ride itself.

I also laughed at the meltdown prediction--how's that going? I won't ask my family for a similar estimate, I might not like what they tell me!

More updates please! (But you know, don't miss anything 'cause we want to know what's going on!)

 

[-Hope-]

I'm glad you're having a good time! Sorry about FJ. I'm trying not worry or stress about it but I may end up with just a castle your as well. But it's HOGWARTS so I think I'll live if I "only" get to walk through.

 

[carmelhp]

The HRH is fantastic! Quick update from here in the lobby. Last night we ate at BobMarley. The food was great and the atmosphere was fun. This morning at IOA I was BLOWN away from the theming in the Wizarding World. It brought tears to my eyes at the true immersion into the book that I felt. I rode Flight of the Hypogryph and my kids did all 3 rides. Alas even after losing 40 pounds the castle ride was not to be. ButI did walk through the line with them and that was a huge thrill. We also tried Butterbeer both frozen and regular and found it ok but a little too rich and sweet. I will update later because we are headed back to IOA for a Mythos ressie.

Any updates? It's been a while. Don't feel bad about FJ, I don't think I'm all that out of the ordinary and the FJ fat police rejected me too.