Just back from Potter Paradise.....AGAIN! April 2017 trip report starting post #28

[theSurlyMermaid]

Yes, it's difficult to get out of the mindset of commando-ing the park rides. I did know about mystic fountain but we just didn't get around to it....and it occurred to me the other day I barely rode anything in Universal Studios....only RRR, Mummy and Gringotts. I didn't even visit the Simpsons area. We didn't do Jimmy Fallon's ride. We missed out on a lot!

 

[schumigirl]

Yes, it's difficult to get out of the mindset of commando-ing the park rides. I did know about mystic fountain but we just didn't get around to it....and it occurred to me the other day I barely rode anything in Universal Studios....only RRR, Mummy and Gringotts. I didn't even visit the Simpsons area. We didn't do Jimmy Fallon's ride. We missed out on a lot!

You can catch up on next trip

I agree with mystic fountain........he is hilarious! Especially the humour that's beyond the little ones.......

 

[ChipDale]

Thank you for taking the time to share your family's experiences! Sorry about your "downs" but it sounds like you had plenty of "ups". I agree with you about the service at Disney vs the service at Universal. I feel that Universal really does try harder and give better service overall. I have been reading all of the Toothsome reviews that I can get my hands on, and your review sounds very familiar (why if the restaurant is practically empty does it take so long?). We are still deciding whether or not to try it in a few weeks. Glad that overall you had a good vacation and those of us who read these reports really do appreciate the time that it takes to do them. They really are very helpful!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Thank you for taking the time to share your family's experiences! Sorry about your "downs" but it sounds like you had plenty of "ups". I agree with you about the service at Disney vs the service at Universal. I feel that Universal really does try harder and give better service overall. I have been reading all of the Toothsome reviews that I can get my hands on, and your review sounds very familiar (why if the restaurant is practically empty does it take so long?). We are still deciding whether or not to try it in a few weeks. Glad that overall you had a good vacation and those of us who read these reports really do appreciate the time that it takes to do them. They really are very helpful!

Regarding Toothsome, if you enjoy desserts, I really would try and go for the desserts even at a weird time so you don't have to wait in line. They are good and at the very least, a huge conversation starter. Hopefully one day the kitchen will work out it's kinks and the service will speed up.

 

[Seeker615]

Nice review

We have a bit of an inside joke that day 3 is always the "everyone is cranky and crabby day". Happens on almost every trip that the 3rd day everyone fall apart for some reason.

Glad you all had a nice time!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

It must be theme park fatigue, exacerbated by larger than expected crowds.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We refer to "the Day 3 Curse" too!

I think we may have finally solved it last week at Disney. We planned Typhoon Lagoon on Day 3, so it was both a late start (doesn't open until 10:00) and a lot of time in water. It really helped!

 

[jagafen]

I remember our "hell trip" to Disney several years ago. I'm being a tad bit dramatic, but that was the year DS discovered his attitude...I think he was 8 or so....that was the year I discovered the attitude adjusting vanilla ice cream cone. Whenever he decided to get in a funk, I decided we needed a between meals ice cream...and we'd wander around until he found someplace that served it. Vacations are for bending and breaking some of the home rules...but I totally get how challenging it can be to vacation with a difficult child...love DS to death, and he's mostly a good kid, but when he's in a mood, it's a real mood killer.

All in all, it sounds like you had a good time, ups and downs included, and that with the exception of Kong for your DH, everyone got to do a bit of what they wanted. It's hard to balance everyone's vacation wants sometimes. It was nice to read that you and DH would each take a kid and go off separately with them!

When we go, I'm a fan of staying for a week. It's nice just knowing that you have plenty of time, and don't have to have that rushed feeling to fit it all in. You live and learn. And, there's always the next trip!!

 

[nouvellefleur]

Man, the more reviews I read about Toothsome, the further down I push it on my Places To Eat list. At this point I'm really hoping none of my party decides they really want to eat there. I'm not proud of this, but my main failing as a person (an adult person, no less) is a tendency to get hangry when my food is taking years to come out for no apparent reason.

Great trip report, though! We're doing four days in early June with no EP, so trip reports are going a long way to help me figure out how to manage the heat and crowds without it. Having a split-day plan really seems to be the key.

 

[Lynne G]

Thank you for this report. My kids are now older, but older teens are another ball of wax to deal with. And I too have a picky DD. It's gotten better as a older teen. Still, we have to go to a restaurant all will eat something at.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Man, the more reviews I read about Toothsome, the further down I push it on my Places To Eat list. At this point I'm really hoping none of my party decides they really want to eat there. I'm not proud of this, but my main failing as a person (an adult person, no less is a tendency to get hangry when my food is taking years to come out for no apparent reason.

It really did take a long time and there was no crowd. I was prepared for it but it was still extremely irritating. In the future I would do dessert only but there's no way I'd do a lunch or dinner here again unless I wasn't that hungry and had a lot of time to kill.