It was a Horror-ible, and then Not-So-Scary (but exhausting!), October/NovTrip!! Completed 3/13!!!

[ariane37]

I don't know if I'll do a PTR, but we are heading back to the Poly October 16th-21st, and then cruising on the Dream October 22nd-16th

I knew you were cruising but didn't realize he was taking the bus/train again. Brave man!

I know I've said this before in another TR, but CW just isn't my thing. I don't even really like any of the stores there. It's funny that the whole time we were in UO, I never felt the urge to buy anything because non of it really appealed to me, but the minute I stepped foot on WDW property (we started at DS), I wanted to buy EVERYTHING. It just goes to show where my heart lies

I feel the same way about CW. I mean, if you don't have other plans for the evening it's ok to walk around, once. But none of the stores do anything for me either and it's just not as fun nor does it have the same vibe as DS.

 

[buzzrelly]

I am really enjoying your report! We have been to Universal, but never stayed on property. I would really like to someday.

Thanks! I really think staying at one of the three resorts on-site that give you the Express Pass is pretty great. Whether you need that EP or not, once you have it, you don't want to go without it!

Looking forward to your TR! We've been to Universal once, but it was springtime. We have a trip booked over fall break for 2018 (at RPR). thinking of trying Horror Nights too. Excited to hear all about your trip.

Side note: We went to Cowfish too and really loved it. I got the cheeseburgooshi which is basically a cheeseburger in sushi form. It was DELISH. 10/10 would recommend!!

and thank for joining!

HHN was really well-done, but honestly, I couldn't fully appreciate it…I was so scared! I'll talk more about it in that post…stay tuned!

We would definitely go back to Cowfish also!

 

[buzzrelly]

Following! Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

Thanks for following!

I knew you were cruising but didn't realize he was taking the bus/train again. Brave man!

Brave?! If he were brave, he'd get on the 2.5 hour plane ride!! I guess I should just be happy that he doesn't totally mind taking the train and we can actually make this work!

 

[buteraa]

following along!

 

[Templemom]

Following!

 

[buzzrelly]

following along!

Following!

and Thanks for following along!

 

[kastoney]

I'm here and not too terribly late for me. Looks like a great trip so far (sans the whole train thing so far). Side note if you have pre-check and book the rest of your family on the same reservation they should get it too. I get it through my work and have had it for a few years. As long as we are on the same reservation, Jason and Casey always get it too.

 

[buzzrelly]

I'm here and not too terribly late for me. Looks like a great trip so far (sans the whole train thing so far). Side note if you have pre-check and book the rest of your family on the same reservation they should get it too. I get it through my work and have had it for a few years. As long as we are on the same reservation, Jason and Casey always get it too.

and

That's great to know, it'll save me a bunch of money! This trip was the first time I've flown with it, but I'm loving my TSA pre-check so far!

 

[evre13]

I cannot imagine taking the train 25 hours — i get anxious between DC and NY. More power to him! Can’t wait to read about your trip.

 

[Raeven]

Following along!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I hate to fly, but do it just so I can get to WDW faster!!! Off to a great start!! I have never been to Universal, but I really should because I love Harry Potter and rollercoasters....I just can never seem to plan a day off of Disney in my trips. Some day, I guess!!!

 

[buzzrelly]

I cannot imagine taking the train 25 hours — i get anxious between DC and NY. More power to him! Can’t wait to read about your trip.

It's a mystery to everyone why he prefers the train

Thanks for joining!

Following along!

Thanks for following!

I hate to fly, but do it just so I can get to WDW faster!!! Off to a great start!! I have never been to Universal, but I really should because I love Harry Potter and rollercoasters....I just can never seem to plan a day off of Disney in my trips. Some day, I guess!!!

I don't love flying either, but Hartford to Fl is 2.5 hours…so easy!!

Universal is fun for a day, maybe two. My kids never went until they were 11 and 13 and totally rollercoaster kids. We added on a couple days at the beginning of our WDW trip, so as to not take away time from WDW. We are doing the same this coming April, except that we were going to do 3 nights but after this trip I realized two nights is MORE than enough

Thanks for reading!

 

[buzzrelly]

So we got up super early the next morning and went to Universal for early morning hours. If you are not a morning person and have the EP, I find this perk totally unnecessary now that all the HP rides are included on the EP. But since we were up anyway, it wasn't a big deal for us to get up and go.

It was nice that it was fairly low crowds and we got some cool dark pics in DA…















I did got back on Escape from Gringott's while Mike just hung out in DA. We did go into the wand show at Ollivanders and it was cute. The little girl they picked was around 10-11 and she seemed really excited to participate. Weirdly, we went in search of coffee and someone told us to go to the ice cream shop…I think it's Florean's?? It was kind of weird getting coffee in there since they didn't really seem prepared to serve coffee…it was like they just set up a road-side stand and had like one pot in the back. There were no coffee fixins' out, and we had to ask for cream and sugar so the girl went over to the fridge and gave us a couple little creamers each, and no stirrer so we ended up using straws to stir. It was really just odd. maybe we are the only people who want coffee at 7 am, instead of butter beer

When we were done in Diagon Alley, we went over and rode MIB where I took an illegal picture of the picture…

We are serious about killing those aliens



We continued to make our way around and went on The Simpsons…I was snap-chatting (is that actually a verb??) with the kids and asking them to guess where I was. Spoiler alert…they guessed right


And then, since we were still snap-chatting with the kids, we took this little beauty…


So stupid…nothing was even scary so I don't know why I wrote, "Yikes!"

Also, ladies, you'll notice how gorgeous my hair was this day

This was a transitional weather day and it was actually turning REALLY COLD. It really misty and gross out, kind of like we were walking through a super cold cloud. I do not have the kind of hair that can walk through misty clouds and survive

I've reached my picture limit, so, TBC…


CLICK HERE FOR NEXT CHAPTER​

 

[missjackiemcg]

Awesome dragon pictures!! I didn't even realize Universal had early morning hours, but I think your pics are the best I've seen--better than daylight for sure!

Very weird on the coffee--I'm not a coffee drinker, but I'd imagine there would be lots of people looking for it that early in the a.m.!

Snap-chatting=most definitely a verb!

I like to call that "vacation hair" LOL Messy hair, really don't care!!

 

[buzzrelly]

We started to head out of the park because we needed to go back to RPR and check-out by 11.

We couldn't resist stopping for a donut on the way…









I think I prefer the look of this area during the day







Around 9 am, and there were no crowds in sight…or men with chain-saws!



Since we hadn't gone on Despicable Me, we decided to go on our way out.


Mike was nervous so he sat in the Stationary Seats up in front, which I thought was funny


Afterwards he said he could have sat in the normal seats, but we never did make it back on.

We took the boat back to RPR for the last time…




We got back at about 10:30 and threw our stuff in the car so we could head to our new home…for the next two nights anyway. TBC...






​

 

[buzzrelly]

Awesome dragon pictures!! I didn't even realize Universal had early morning hours, but I think your pics are the best I've seen--better than daylight for sure!

Thanks! It did look pretty cool. I guess it's worth getting there early just for that!

Very weird on the coffee--I'm not a coffee drinker, but I'd imagine there would be lots of people looking for it that early in the a.m.!

We earned our lesson and didn't make that mistake again the next day!

Snap-chatting=most definitely a verb!

Good to know

I like to call that "vacation hair" LOL Messy hair, really don't care!!

Ugh…I wouldn't care except that awful look is forever commemorated in pictures

 

[buzzrelly]

It was too early to check-in to Cabana Bay, so we walked back and went to Islands of Adventure…


I wanted to go back on Forbidden Journey, but Mike did NOT. I think I forgot to say earlier that the day before he went on with me and HATED it. I didn't remember it being so intense and I told him it was like Soarin', which he likes. I forgot that it kind of throws you around and makes you almost go upside down. Oops

Anyway I really like that ride, much more than EFG, so Mike poked around in the SuperHero stores and I walked over to Hogsmeade…




I love that ride, but it's not as much fun going by myself so after one ride, I was done.

Mike and I were going to meet by Skull Island, Reign of Kong. I was SO excited to ride this since it was new from the last time I was there. Can I just say, this was such a huge disappointment. It's a terrible ride, I can't even believe it's made by the same people who made EFG and FJ. If I never go on again, it'll be too soon. Which stinks, because I am sure I'll have to go on again with the kids in April since they've never been on.


I don't recall doing much else in IOA, and in fact, we were kind of bored. We started heading out and took some of these along the way. The little signs are pretty cute, I guess.



Well, this is ironic





Of course, we had to channel our inner Betty Boop...




It was getting to be lunchtime and since the only food we had today was a shared order of pretzel bites earlier, (here's a blurry pic of Mike holding the pretzel bites for anyone who can't imagine what they look like )






I knew where we were heading for lunch...


​

 

[shannie102]

Excited to follow along! Thought the same thing about the Kong ride, big disappointment!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I love your Betty Boops LOL

 

[Tiana4]

Following along! Looks like a fun adult trip so far!

I got a chuckle out of your hubby's t-shirt "Hard Hittin NB", my mom grew up there and my grandmother still lives there, lol!