It's Long Overdue.....Now the IIIEEEEEEEE Trip Report!! Come Find Me!

[DizNee Luver]

Love your Disney tats. I have 5 myself. LOL!

For the motion sickness, has he tried the bands that he can wear on his wrists? My son has horrible motion sickness. Whenever he's in the car he can't look at his phone or play his game systems because he gets sick. However, when he uses them, it makes it to where he can at least use his phone. He also said that it was easier to do the motion rides.

I don't think you really need to see Avatar before you go. I saw it once. I say saw, it was more like I kinda listened to it while my son watched it. It just wasn't my type of movie. That being said, I loved Pandora. It was amazing. Especially at night. My son and his friend loved it.I could take it or leave it. LOL!! I was exhausted by that time of night and just wanted to go back to the hotel quite honestly. LOL!!

He hasn't tried anything cause he figures he'll just skip all those types of rides but then he wouldn't get to do the Flights of Passage (is that the right name) which we've heard is a must do and he'd miss out on a few of the Harry Potter ones at Universal. I'm hoping to get him to at least try once with some motion sickness remedy(?).

I was told that Avatar is Pocahontus but blue......lol I'll check it out....if I get too bored, I'll just post on here!!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Hi Laurie! I'm so excited for you and Mike. Let me know if you have any Universal questions and I'd be more than happy to answer them. Also, here's my most recent trip report:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/delays-excitement-burnin-up-performers-wbpc-2017-tr.3603411/

 

[DizNee Luver]

Hi Laurie! I'm so excited for you and Mike. Let me know if you have any Universal questions and I'd be more than happy to answer them. Also, here's my most recent trip report:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/delays-excitement-burnin-up-performers-wbpc-2017-tr.3603411/

Oh my gosh.....Kaitlin!!!! How are you???

 

[DizNee Luver]

Let's talk FOOD!! This trip is trying new places and food and revisiting some favorites......it's also about enjoying a cocktail now and then....something we refrain from doing around the kids.

Derek has a burger place he really enjoys and we've seen the pictures, so he will be taking us to Teak Neighborhood Grill.....check these out!!





We have a couple places at Universal CityWalk we want to check out:





Those milkshakes look SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD!!

We also want to enjoy a margarita from Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville!





The only thing I keep hearing about actually in the parks at Universal is the Harry Potter drink ~~ Butterbeer. Sounds like a split on who likes it hot and who likes it frozen. Guess I'll have to try both!




As for WDW, we will be revisiting 2 places and trying 1 new one (for sit down meals). We loved Ohana (dinner) and Be Our Guest (dinner). I'm glad we are going before they totally change the dining experience at BOG in July. Our new place is California Grill (dinner).....I've wanted to try this the last 2 trips but time, money and too many kids in tow has kept us from a meal there.

Ohana is just a meal full of goodness!!





Be Our Guest has always been really good food (we've been reading reports that the food has gone downhill, so I hope that's not true. We've eaten in the Main Ballroom (by the windows.....AWESOME) and in the Music Box Room. That is a quiet room, which is pretty but nothing like being by the windows and watching it snow. Maybe we will get the West Wing this time......I know this room would not have worked for the kids and their sensory issues.





We hope to get an earlier California Grill reservation, right now our time is like 9:45, but hoping to get it closer to the Fireworks time so we can watch them from their patio. I also will be trying my 1st Sushi.....yup you heard right.....I've never had Sushi.





We also will be there for the Flower and Garden Festival at EPCOT, so we aren't doing a Sit-Down that day.....gonna taste food and drinks from all the different Kiosks.



Very excited with our plans!!


ONCE AGAIN, GOOGLE IMAGES HAVE PROVIDED A MORE COLORFUL POST. THESE PICTURES ALL CAME FROM GOOGLE IMAGES AND I DON'T CLAIM ANY OF THESE PHOTOS TO BE MY OWN.

 

[kaoden39]

Have one for me at Margaritaville!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Have one for me at Margaritaville!!

For you, I'll have 2!!!

 

[kaoden39]

For you, I'll have 2!!!

Yay!! And I shall have 2 for you on our Carnival Cruise!!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Oh my gosh.....Kaitlin!!!! How are you???

Been busy, but overall pretty good. Let me know if you and Mike have any questions that Derek hasn't answered. Based on the last time I was there, they had butterbeer ice cream May need to suggest Derek's burger place to my sister's Orlando food list

 

[kelmac284]

Love the updates. I think you will like Cabana Bay. We stayed there and liked it. It def wasn't super fancy but it was along the same lines as the all stars in my opinion. They had a nice food area and nice pools. You are eating at a lot of the places we have done. CA grill is amazing and we did the fireworks there once. There is a walkway you can go out and stand outside and watch too. The food is great! We weren't able to go last time because of it being xmas but def love. Also love Ohana and have done that a few times. We did lunch at BOG and it was just ok. Didn't try for dinner I hope you guys get a good experience! We went to Toothsome and the shakes are good but super expensive. I would recommend sharing. Margaritaville has some AMAZING margaritas. They had one that was like raspberry or something and we sat outside in some adirondak chairs and enjoyed them. LOVE! You will love the flower festival. The very first time we went they were doing that. Didn't have the food booth then but it is SO beautiful. My 2nd fave time after food and wine. You are going to have a great time!!!

 

[kelmac284]

Oh and the butterbeer IS amazing. I prefer the cold frosted version. Never tried the warm. Enjoy!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Yay!! And I shall have 2 for you on our Carnival Cruise!!

NICE!!

Been busy, but overall pretty good. Let me know if you and Mike have any questions that Derek hasn't answered. Based on the last time I was there, they had butterbeer ice cream May need to suggest Derek's burger place to my sister's Orlando food list

Ooh, Butterbeer Ice Cream sounds good!! Teak Burgers look insane and he says they are as good as they look!!

Love the updates. I think you will like Cabana Bay. We stayed there and liked it. It def wasn't super fancy but it was along the same lines as the all stars in my opinion. They had a nice food area and nice pools. You are eating at a lot of the places we have done. CA grill is amazing and we did the fireworks there once. There is a walkway you can go out and stand outside and watch too. The food is great! We weren't able to go last time because of it being xmas but def love. Also love Ohana and have done that a few times. We did lunch at BOG and it was just ok. Didn't try for dinner I hope you guys get a good experience! We went to Toothsome and the shakes are good but super expensive. I would recommend sharing. Margaritaville has some AMAZING margaritas. They had one that was like raspberry or something and we sat outside in some adirondak chairs and enjoyed them. LOVE! You will love the flower festival. The very first time we went they were doing that. Didn't have the food booth then but it is SO beautiful. My 2nd fave time after food and wine. You are going to have a great time!!!

Oh and the butterbeer IS amazing. I prefer the cold frosted version. Never tried the warm. Enjoy!

Cabana Bay kinda reminds me of Pop Century with the retro look. We got a Poolside Family Suite, so a little bigger room than Pop and All Stars. (also queen bed vs doubles)
We've always had a good experience at BOG, but I have read some not favorable reviews but sometimes I think it depends on who's in the kitchen that night. So far we are 2 for 2 with excellent food.
I see that Margaritaville has a margarita flight which is what I enjoy sampling. We've done the one at Tortilla Joe's in Downtown Disney (California).
We've done the Food & Wine and ate our way around the world too.....I think with all the character topiaries that I will favor this over the Food & Wine. (We aren't wine drinkers so we just did the food and none of the classes, etc) We aren't planning on any of the events or tours available for the Flower & Garden but with only 1 day.....I think we will be doing good getting around the World Showcase.
......butterbeer........can't wait!

 

[kaoden39]

This should be fun for so many reasons! Yay for all your grown up time! I’m very happy for you guys!

 

[DizNee Luver]

This should be fun for so many reasons! Yay for all your grown up time! I’m very happy for you guys!

I'm just hoping that the kids (Derek and Sara) are able to get that time off. We'd be ok for a day maybe two but not the whole time. I'm doubling up on reservations to work around their schedules if they work. Hopefully that way, they will still be able to do the dinner with us. So far I have 2 dinners for Be Our Guest, 2 dinners for California Grill and 1 for Ohana.....but I'm still looking. (that is if the WDW website would work.......ugh)

 

[kaoden39]

It’s a whole new world for planning isn’t it? Disneyland is laid back compared to WDW. This cruise for Scotty and I is almost no planning and for that I have a travel agent. I have to keep myself from micromanagement.

 

[DizNee Luver]

It’s a whole new world for planning isn’t it? Disneyland is laid back compared to WDW. This cruise for Scotty and I is almost no planning and for that I have a travel agent. I have to keep myself from micromanagement.

I like the way WDW does the dining reservations.....I think Disneyland is doing it too now. What I wish Disneyland offered was the dining programs. I like to prepay as much as possible. This trip since we aren't staying on WDW property, we won't be able to do it, so we did gift cards for both WDW and Universal to cover food and souvenirs.

Even though I did the Disney Travel Agent Training.....I'd be clueless on how to do the cruises and the excursions. I'd be doing a TON of research before booking. I'm not sure I can put myself on a big metal thing and be surrounded by water and no land in sight without my anxiety doing me in. BUT! I'm still considering it for maybe our 40th (6 years from now and the twins would be 16 almost 17) Glad you have someone helping you out on your trip.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

You will LOVE the Flower and Garden, especially with the characters as flowers. The last time I was there during that time was in 2003. Does Derek have any favorites at Universal?

 

[kaoden39]

I like the way WDW does the dining reservations.....I think Disneyland is doing it too now. What I wish Disneyland offered was the dining programs. I like to prepay as much as possible. This trip since we aren't staying on WDW property, we won't be able to do it, so we did gift cards for both WDW and Universal to cover food and souvenirs.

Even though I did the Disney Travel Agent Training.....I'd be clueless on how to do the cruises and the excursions. I'd be doing a TON of research before booking. I'm not sure I can put myself on a big metal thing and be surrounded by water and no land in sight without my anxiety doing me in. BUT! I'm still considering it for maybe our 40th (6 years from now and the twins would be 16 almost 17) Glad you have someone helping you out on your trip.

I really prefer a lot of things in planning for WDW. I really wish they’d add the meal plans to Disneyland. Even going to Disneyland I research for months. The offsite hotels are changing all the time. Cruising is a whole new monster and although I would love to cruise Disney we chose Carnival. Believe me when I say I researched every cruise line and I have second guessed everything. I finally settled on the one I did because I’m thrilled at the thought of Catalina Island. We are looking at different excursions.

I’m very excited to see your trip planning and the actuall trip!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

You will LOVE the Flower and Garden, especially with the characters as flowers. The last time I was there during that time was in 2003. Does Derek have any favorites at Universal?

I'm excited to see everything!! As for Derek......who knows He isn't really talkative....I'm guessing we'll figure out his favorites once we are actually in the parks with him.

I really prefer a lot of things in planning for WDW. I really wish they’d add the meal plans to Disneyland. Even going to Disneyland I research for months. The offsite hotels are changing all the time. Cruising is a whole new monster and although I would love to cruise Disney we chose Carnival. Believe me when I say I researched every cruise line and I have second guessed everything. I finally settled on the one I did because I’m thrilled at the thought of Catalina Island. We are looking at different excursions.

I’m very excited to see your trip planning and the actuall trip!!

Oh I agree, the Cruises are complicated or at least the first time you plan one it would be. I feel way more comfortable with the parks after I went the first time and had an idea on how things worked and where they were located.......being on a cruise ship is like going to a huge city and trying to find your way around. Then you add in, getting off the ship and venturing into touristy towns. The thought actually makes my anxiety rise and I'm not even planning a trip at this point!!

 

[kaoden39]

The cruise is wonderful if you have someone helping you! But, unlike Disney there aren't a bunch of books about it. I wish there were books to refer to but, unless it's a Disney Cruise pfft! but, I will survive!

 

[DizNee Luver]

The cruise is wonderful if you have someone helping you! But, unlike Disney there aren't a bunch of books about it. I wish there were books to refer to but, unless it's a Disney Cruise pfft! but, I will survive!

I'm sure there has to be threads somewhere on all the other big named cruises??