Life’s too short...to never sleep in a treehouse! 8/27 TR is up! Link in siggie

[KathyRN137]

Hot off the press from Mugglenet....

"The theme park will host the Three Broomsticks restaurant and the Hog's Head Pub, where Holt said guests can buy “very old liquor, and we'll have animated hog's heads on the wall that will interact with you while you drink your old beer...

Shades of the old Adventurer's Club *sigh*


Kathy

 

[glennbo123]

I wonder what the butter beer will taste like?

Thanks for the pics to help us see the options you're weighing. That pool looks nice!

 

[Sunset Cliffs]

Hi there! I've been gone for a few days and I was 6 pages behind!! Caught up now. You have a lot of choices ahead of you. The HRH pictures are beautiful. I've never seen any pictures of the hotel, & I think it would sway me to stay there.

It's really too bad that people don't understand how much work goes into planning. I know they aren't meaning to be difficult, but for them to suddenly say that they are not going to stay w/ you at HRH is a sucker punch that you didn't need. I would be concerned for my budget too. They are all very lucky that they have you doing all of this for them!

Good luck on your 2nd interview. Fingers crossed for you!!

 

[jordanyosh]

did you just hear that explosion? it was my head! all the FDM! too much for this numbers challenged asian

i hope it all works out for you.

your 2nd interview is when?

 

[All7OfUs]

Those pix are gorgeous!! I can totally see why the kids would have picked that one!! But I have to say, honestly I can't understand why Sandy and Paul are opting out (is that a done deal?) . It really looks like her, if I'm getting the right feel for them. YOu know, kinda upscale, ritzy types, and HRH certainly fits the bill for that!!

We are not doing DDP either for the POP part. Will save us money not to, esp. since Mary has the TWI card. I'd opt for fewer desserts and more salads/ apps. too. Just the way I eat.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hard Rock is a gorgeous hotel! What a fun place to stay for part of your trip! Are all the Universal hotels within walking distance of Universal? I know so little about that theme park.

 

[eandesmom]

Shades of the old Adventurer's Club *sigh*


Kathy

Isn't it though? The more I read, there are SO many touches that sound like the Adventurers Club. I can't wait! I hope it lives up to my expectations as I have to admit, they are rather huge!

I wonder what the butter beer will taste like?

Thanks for the pics to help us see the options you're weighing. That pool looks nice!

No clue but Jeff plans to find out! It was funny though, Universal was very clear to clarify that the Three Broomsticks will only have non-alcoholic butter beer but that there will be a kiosk outside with a "hard" version.

I'm looking forward to the talking Hog's Heads!

Hi there! I've been gone for a few days and I was 6 pages behind!! Caught up now. You have a lot of choices ahead of you. The HRH pictures are beautiful. I've never seen any pictures of the hotel, & I think it would sway me to stay there.

It's really too bad that people don't understand how much work goes into planning. I know they aren't meaning to be difficult, but for them to suddenly say that they are not going to stay w/ you at HRH is a sucker punch that you didn't need. I would be concerned for my budget too. They are all very lucky that they have you doing all of this for them!

Good luck on your 2nd interview. Fingers crossed for you!!

HI!

I thought of you last weekend at Kendall's first full VB tournament. It was a bizarre experience for us, kind of an alternate reality. After knowing how things work in soccer for so long, we felt lost! It was interesting to say the least..and very different from soccer!

Oh my gosh, that's not what happened at all. Sandie and Paul have never been in on the Universal part of the trip, just the Disney. We've always been footing that whole part of the bill. Sandie thinks Paul will max out at 7 nights so isn't willing to commit to more and wants it all at the YC. We however suspect it's more that she doesn't want to go to Universal but who knows.

We could possibly convince them to do 3 at Universal, 4 at Disney as an option, which would save some. We'd still have the 2 room situation but it'd be less thanks to our PIN.

did you just hear that explosion? it was my head! all the FDM! too much for this numbers challenged asian

i hope it all works out for you.

your 2nd interview is when?

FHRM Fuzzy Hard Rock Math in this case...though I suppose there is some FDM tosses in there as well.



I have one on the 1st (several, hours actually, about 7 different people) and then sometime after that with 2 other folks, probably on the 4th or 5th.

 

[eandesmom]

Those pix are gorgeous!! I can totally see why the kids would have picked that one!! But I have to say, honestly I can't understand why Sandy and Paul are opting out (is that a done deal?) . It really looks like her, if I'm getting the right feel for them. YOu know, kinda upscale, ritzy types, and HRH certainly fits the bill for that!!

We are not doing DDP either for the POP part. Will save us money not to, esp. since Mary has the TWI card. I'd opt for fewer desserts and more salads/ apps. too. Just the way I eat.

They've always been opting out. We think it's b/c Sandie has no desire to check out Universal but she says it's b/c Paul won't do more than 7 nights.
Jeff is convinced he can get her to change her mind, we will see. In a way I really want them there, they would LOVE the HRH, especially Paul. On the other hand I was excited about days without them too since it's a different dynamic...ya know?


The other 2 hotels are just as lovely I must say. If it was adult only I'd go for Portofino but we really liked the Royal Pacific as well. They are all at the deluxe level, many say they are nicer than the Disney Deluxe hotels. I don't know about that part but I have stayed at a Loews property before and it was pretty darn fabulous.

What the pictures don't show well is that there is a stage at the pool and there is often live music. Plus there is music underwater!!!

Hard Rock is a gorgeous hotel! What a fun place to stay for part of your trip! Are all the Universal hotels within walking distance of Universal? I know so little about that theme park.

They are all in walking distance to the parks and to City Walk. If we stay here we avoid a car entirely which is something we would like to do. It is actually 2 parks. Universal Studios and then Islands of Adventure. We went to IOA in '04 and LOVED it. Very very different from Disney but top notch in its own way. It is more of an adult and teen park but there was plenty for the little kids too. We wanted to go on our '08 trip but it was really cost prohibitive to do one day tickets plus rent a car....it would have cost us $800 for the day! We have not been to Universal Studios in FL but have gone to the one in CA.

If we can keep our great tickets I have a feeling we will end up doing 1.5 days at IOA and one at Universal depending on our flight times.

 

[Happydog]

Seriously, the concept of 5 desserts instead of 9, with 4 salads out of pocket is really really appealing! I don't think we ate our desserts in full more than once on the last trip. 99% of the time when we go out, we don't get dessert at all.

I have spreadsheets. Stupid ridiculous overly detailed spreadsheets. Far Far too many of them. They give me some kind of illusion of control.

Oh yeah, I get that -- neither do we. This trip so short, we didn't do the DDP, we paid OOP and used our TIW card... We got an app got a dessert once I think, drank plenty , and ordered entree's some we split, b/c we got two or three apps, - which was nice to nosh on whatever suited our fancy... I think the only traditional meal we had was our night at Jiko's... Anyhow, you can really do so much more that way!

I have spreadsheets too, but working with one family is not the same as NINE extended family members! So you keep your sanity I am sure!

 

[MaryAz]

Wow, that was a lot to look at much less figure out. If it is under $300 I would stick with the Hard Rock. I think that was around the difference for us between the BC and the Poly with our pin. We are also doing the DDP. Our kids would rather eat salad then "kid food" We figure we will use their credits for grapes,apples etc.
Good luck with your interviews.

 

[eandesmom]

Oh yeah, I get that -- neither do we. This trip so short, we didn't do the DDP, we paid OOP and used our TIW card... We got an app got a dessert once I think, drank plenty , and ordered entree's some we split, b/c we got two or three apps, - which was nice to nosh on whatever suited our fancy... I think the only traditional meal we had was our night at Jiko's... Anyhow, you can really do so much more that way!

I have spreadsheets too, but working with one family is not the same as NINE extended family members! So you keep your sanity I am sure!

Yeah it's lots of fun math to figure out how we breakdown the costs between the two groups, what's "fair" and if we are picking up Doug's costs, or not, etc!

It really hasn't been bad, you should have seen the original ones before we landed on YC comparing all the different Disney options!

Wow, that was a lot to look at much less figure out. If it is under $300 I would stick with the Hard Rock. I think that was around the difference for us between the BC and the Poly with our pin. We are also doing the DDP. Our kids would rather eat salad then "kid food" We figure we will use their credits for grapes,apples etc.
Good luck with your interviews.

One thing I did do last time for the ADR's was really look at the kids menu's as some are better than others and it helped a lot. I actually don't think either boy had a true kids food meal that whole trip, they had steak at Teppan, fresh Mahi at Kona....can't remember what at PTC and the rest were buffets so we definitely worked the kids menu system! PTC was the only place they complained about a little but the fact that it came with a chicken noodles soup "appetizer" helped.

I just really need to sit down with Sandie at this point, "live" far to confusing to do via email or the phone so hopefully she will really visit in march so we can firm things up.

We are leaning towards either a big change or not at all, the $255 isn't quite enough to make it worth the downgrade. Part of me wants to book a back up reservation so we can change if we want to but then again, it's a deposit I don't need to pay so...

 

[englishrose47]

I have been looking at a split stay next year !!! As I am not interested in staying at Universal and the girls want ot take a friend ,this will make sense as it would be Judy the girls plus friwnd and Kyle , and 5 are allowed in the room !! We are looking at 3 or 4 nights for them !! Iwill do solo at Pop . Judy says I can do my DIS MEET stuff then !! They will join me at Pop for 5 nights and they wantta do the Wtaerparks this time !!! The girls also want to do a cruise , but something will have to give !!!! Any good tips on Universal for me !!! I did think I might get a 1 day ticket just to check it out with them !!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Well, I've never been to Universal (or anywhere in Orlando off Disney property), so I don't have much of a frame of reference to give advice on the US dilemma. But your hubby's plan sounds like a winner. The Hard Rock hotel looks fantastic! I can see why you don't want to give up staying there.

OMG, butterbeer at the Hogshead? How cool is that? My Jenna really wants to go there - I may be asking you for advice as I know nothing about IOA - or wherever the Harry Potter land is.

I imagine butter beer to taste like a carbonated butterscotch schnapps. But hot.

 

[eandesmom]

I have been looking at a split stay next year !!! As I am not interested in staying at Universal and the girls want ot take a friend ,this will make sense as it would be Judy the girls plus friwnd and Kyle , and 5 are allowed in the room !! We are looking at 3 or 4 nights for them !! Iwill do solo at Pop . Judy says I can do my DIS MEET stuff then !! They will join me at Pop for 5 nights and they wantta do the Wtaerparks this time !!! The girls also want to do a cruise , but something will have to give !!!! Any good tips on Universal for me !!! I did think I might get a 1 day ticket just to check it out with them !!

When are you looking to go? Do they want to stay on-site or off-site? I think it would really depend on the time of year, how important onsite would be. Because we are going summer (peak) and HP will have just opened, it's a big deal to us but you can get nice spots for a lot less. If they want to be on-site, Royal Pacific is the best value.

Dreams unlimited has a package that includes round trip from Disney to Universal through FL tours I think with a 1 day, 1 park ticket for $109 so that's a very good deal if you will be at POP.

 

[eandesmom]

Well, I've never been to Universal (or anywhere in Orlando off Disney property), so I don't have much of a frame of reference to give advice on the US dilemma. But your hubby's plan sounds like a winner. The Hard Rock hotel looks fantastic! I can see why you don't want to give up staying there.

OMG, butterbeer at the Hogshead? How cool is that? My Jenna really wants to go there - I may be asking you for advice as I know nothing about IOA - or wherever the Harry Potter land is.

I imagine butter beer to taste like a carbonated butterscotch schnapps. But hot.

I think it will be like a creme soda but buttery? For the kids version anyway. Who knows. Should be interesting although it doesn't necessarily sound very good!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is at Universal's Islands Of Adventure. The kids are SO excited, Eric is about halfway through book 2. Evan stalled out in book 5 but both Kendall and I have read them all and we've all seen all the movies though Jeff did NOT like the last one at all and was way too vocal about it so little parrot Evan has the same opinion. UGH. I'm thinking those who have not read the books shouldn't get to complain about how slow it is.

Even though it was.



I just want to see what kind of wand will pick me at Olivanders!

 

[All7OfUs]

So, what do you think? Is it the more than 7 days factor OR the fact that they just might not want to do HRH/ Universal??

I totally understand the different dynamic on things when more get involved!! I really do! It'd be a hard thing to have had our heart set on doing your own (your fam.) then having them join on.

By the way, I would never have thought of doing the 1/2 on the DDP 1/2 off. You are amazing at this stuff!!

 

[Angies1274]

Got a little behind...but all caught up now!!

Ahh...I missed all the excitement of ADR day!! But, it looks like you did really great!! Especially since you are trying to plan for 9 people! That's not an easy task.

Good luck with your 2nd interview!! I'm sure you will do great!!!

Wow!! A lot of decisions to be made! The pics of Hard Rock are really beautiful! I can definitely see why you want to stay there!!!!!!

 

[englishrose47]

When are you looking to go? Do they want to stay on-site or off-site? I think it would really depend on the time of year, how important onsite would be. Because we are going summer (peak) and HP will have just opened, it's a big deal to us but you can get nice spots for a lot less. If they want to be on-site, Royal Pacific is the best value.

Dreams unlimited has a package that includes round trip from Disney to Universal through FL tours I think with a 1 day, 1 park ticket for $109 so that's a very good deal if you will be at POP.

We are planning on August 2011 !! The girls turn 16 on the 22nd so that will be included in the dates !! That deal for a one day pass sounds great I will have to check it out !! I was looking at the Pacific !!It looks really nice !!! I would check it out on my day there !!

 

[winkers]

HRH looks lovely!

I'm afraid we'll be spending a day at universal on our next trip just for Harry Potter world.....or whatever it's called.

Actually, maybe I'll send dh and kids there and I'll enjoy a day by myself in WS....

 

[All7OfUs]

HRH looks lovely!

I'm afraid we'll be spending a day at universal on our next trip just for Harry Potter world.....or whatever it's called.

Actually, maybe I'll send dh and kids there and I'll enjoy a day by myself in WS....

That's the ticket, Cherie!!