Mom-Hugs and Magic: Planning our Summer 2021 Vacation - Updated - Completed, TR Started! 9/14

[vamassey1]

But for that pic, I had to be right in the middle of Main Street!

It's a great picture!

It's such a charming ride, isn't it? Very classic Disney.

I love it. The que is really cute now but the ride is very short.

Nuggets at Pecos Bills?! That is so strange. I guess they gotta do what they gotta do right now. It might be worth braving Pecos Bills for. Or if I spy that it's actually empty in there...

I hope you get your nuggets. My youngest loves them so we're going to try to get them.

I do think Henry would like it though, and I think it's one he hasn't tried yet!

Let me know if her tries and what he thinks. I have heard from others that it's too sweet.

Have fun at WDW!!!!! I'm sure you in are in all those last-minute to do's!!

Thank you! Just finishing up packing.

 

[brookelizabeth]

That Ohno reminds me of a slide they had at River Country. My husband foolishly went on with his glasses, and our son had to dive to the bottom to retrieve them!

Oh man!! Joe lost his sunglasses in the TeAwa River on our last Universal trip. Henry went scrambling for them, and got them... but they were totally scratched up! Makes you really wonder how many glasses / sunglasses they lose at waterparks, huh?

Thank you! Just finishing up packing.

And now you are there!!!!!!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Son - Henry, age 13

HOWWWWW?!

We have rented cars during many trips, and I love having one at Walt Disney World since I am NOT a fan of those busses….but this trip we have decided to try and avoid a rental.

While I kind of wanted to do ME one more time, the biggest draw for me was always the luggage transport and airline check-in. Now that that's gone, I dunno. I love driving myself around WDW and being able to make a grocery stop for water and breakfast stuff but the price tag for a six day rental was initially GROSS. Then I got a 50%+ discount thru Undercover Tourist for combining with my ticket purchase, so the decision was made!!

Blue & Green Milk will be had

I've seen so many people try this and make the 'Beverly' face. One person described it as 'Pepto if it tasted like flowers."
HARD PASS

The Writer’s Stop and the delicious Carrot Cake Cookie. RIP.

The Starbucks-in-its-Trolley-Car-Cafe-outfit has it

Spaceship Earth - when does it's refurb start? I haven't looked into that...

I do not want to speak of this.

I can still recite the ride by heart.

Samesies.

Except…. Living with the Land! How could I forget?! We adore this ride. Just something about it.

Mhmmmmm.

however, the boys haven’t ridden the Skyliner yet, so I can very much seeing this our choice for a hop! Or just for something fun to do.

since my DH and he has not seen Riviera yet, I am certain we’ll end up there at some point exploring the resort

I really wish our trips were at the same time. All three of these things are on my to do list!

Today we will find ourselves at AK! While we all find this park beautiful, it is still our least favorite of the four.

I always find it interesting to hear what parks are people's favs. Epicot and AK are tied for the top spot for me.
Then MK.
Then it-will-always-be-MGM-Studios. And preferably after 4pm. I think the evenings are when that park really comes into its own.

I might see if I can convince the family for a Walk-Up at Nomad Lounge. I’ve heard so many good things, and I think it’s something we’d all really enjoy.

I am here to say do it. If you can get one of the lounge-y sitting areas, even out on the patio where there is always a delightful breeze, go for it. I've enjoyed time here (and many a delicious meal at Tiffins) and it is one of my favorite places in the World (and the world).

Clang-clang!

Ding ding ding went the bellllll!

THE PEOPLEMOVER! This is my favorite, favorite, favorite ride!

We are the kindred-est of kindred

Is the Dole Whip stand an attraction? Might be.

Y.E.S.

For whatever reason, in this park we almost always stop at the Main Street Bakery. Which I liked so much more before it was Starbucks.

RIP French Toast Loaf

I will very likely stand in line at the spring roll cart if they are doing the Cheeseburger or Pepperoni Pizza rolls.

I really want to try the Cheeseburger ones but I'm getting mixed reports on if the cart is open. It was for sure during Spring Break, but I saw more recent pics with a closed cart. If they aren't available, I will just drown my sorrows in a pineapple float, or seven.

So, if we eat another meal in the park, might be at Pinocchio's, or perhaps we’ll wander back to the Grand Floridian on the new walking path. Wingin’ it!

I despise the QS meal offerings in MK. I'm going to head over to the Poly and mobile order from Kona!!

I am SO SO SO excited for our day here!

I'm not a big water park gal but it looks like a fun park. I went back and forth on doing a US/IOA day with the 2-park pass just for HP but I'm really limiting park time this trip. MK will probably be a partial day, and Epicot and AK full days because it's mostly outdoor time. My other three days are all about relaxing by the pool, resort hopping, and Disney Springs. I'm going to have to live the dream of the "other" parks through your report!

I'm so excited for you and your family! This is shaping up to be a great trip.

 

[Flossbolna]

Love your plans!

I had no idea Casey‘s was closed, but could see that that’s one “attraction“ that being closed could nearly ruin your whole trip!!! Hope the substitute will work out.

Volcano Bay sounds so awesome! Can’t wait to visit. Not sure I will be able to drag Michael there for early opening though. We will see… Maybe I need to figure out which days of the week would be less crowded.

 

[brookelizabeth]

The Method Behind the Madness
Park Day Six​

Today and on Park Day Seven we will be hopping between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, so today I’ll cover Islands and next post I’ll cover Universal.

One thing (of many) that I just ADORE about Universal is the ease of park hopping. It's even easier than Epcot and DHS. It's literally a 3 minute walk between the parks, but of course taking the Hogwart's Express between the parks is a must. I love grabbing a Butterbeer and relaxing on the train while I sip it... which is probably no longer allowed during COVID times! Oh well! I am VERY curious how Epic Universe will connect to everything.

Islands Attractions:

Hulk - a favorite for Henry. I think that kid could ride this 20 times in a row!

Spiderman

Jurassic Park River Adventure… and wait for another raft to come down for an extra splash! We got SOAKED doing this last trip and it felt sooooo good in that hot July sunshine!

Velocicoaster!!! SO SO SO EXCITED and SO SO SO SCARED to ride this. Where, oh where is the shoulder harness?! Seriouslyyyyy. I will do it, but I'll be screaming for my Mommy the entire ride.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure - one of the best coasters I’ve ever been on, CANNOT wait to ride again! We will be beelining there at one Early Park Admission and grabbing another ride off the Virtual Queue. (Of course, with Velocicoaster being online by then...those plans may change - but for now, this is the plan!)

Yes, he had green hair on that trip.


Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

We will also just take time to explore Hogsmeade

These pics are pre-park opening, hence no crowds!


Henry will absolutely want to chat with the Mystic Fountain again, he got such a massive kick out of this in 2019, we probably spent an hour chatting with the Fountain!

Does this link work? Video with the Fountain (15 seconds) A short video clip of the Fountain trying to guess where we were from in NYC... (spoiler, he was WRONG!)

I would like to make sure we get on a couple of the Suess Landing Rides that I haven’t done yet. The boys haven’t done ANY in Suess Landing and they are just a nice break from the major motion rides that Universal offers.


Islands Food:
On Park Day Six, we the discussed doing a sit down lunch. We went back and forth over things and I encouraged us to do something that we haven't done as a family yet. But.... the boys chose Mytho's again, and who am I to complain?! Their food is just excellent and it's in park, which makes it nice & easy. So, the other day I made the official reservation. It will be a nice break mid-day!

The Fork, Knife and Spoon Grilled Cheese. Both Joe and Henry got this last trip and they almost licked the plate!

My Fish Tacos.

While at Universal we will be staying Club Level, so we'll utilize that for a few of our meals and do more snacks in the park or share meals. (The cost for Club Level versus a regular room at Universal Premier Hotel is pretty minimal when you weigh the value!) We will definitely do breakfast in the lounge, and depending on park hours, we will very likely return to the resort for an afternoon break & swim where we will use the lounge again. They offer a Happy Hour in the early evening with beer & wine and some hot snacks - which generally becomes a light dinner. Then we grab something smaller in the park...like Auntie Anne's pretzels! *drool*

I know this seems weird. And yes, I live in Bavaria, Germany - land of the pretzel (or Breze / Brezel in German!), but they are different. They are wicked delicious, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes, I miss the good ‘ol American Mall Pretzel paired with a Diet Coke that is larger than the size of my head.


Butterbeeer! Oh, how I love you! I like it anyway it comes (except soft serve), so I’ll just go with however I’m feeling that day, but will likely choose frozen.

Joe will certainly seek out some sort of baked good from one of the bakeries. It will be interesting to see if our tastes have changed at all. Baked goods here are generally a lot less sweet than in the USA... so will we go into sugar comas or be loving all the sweet goodies?? We'll see!

Up Next: Universal Orlando & Departure Day Plans

And even though this post is about Universal...

May the 4th Be With You!​

 

[brookelizabeth]

I've seen so many people try this and make the 'Beverly' face. One person described it as 'Pepto if it tasted like flowers."
HARD PASS

Why HELLO YOU!!!

That's hilarious! I like them both. Blue is just too sweet to me. I do understand the flowers-vibe. Green is a bit on the earthy side... but I likey.

The Starbucks-in-its-Trolley-Car-Cafe-outfit has it

So I've learned! I don't think Joe knows of this tidbit.

I really wish our trips were at the same time. All three of these things are on my to do list!

ME TOO. Would be sooo nice to see you again!

Then it-will-always-be-MGM-Studios. And preferably after 4pm. I think the evenings are when that park really comes into its own.

And DHS is my favorite! Has been for years, even before all the additions. Just because it's always been an easier day, slower paced... Now, not so much, but I still love it.

RIP French Toast Loaf

Ooooh, I forgot about that! (How could I?! )

Love your plans!

I had no idea Casey‘s was closed, but could see that that’s one “attraction“ that being closed could nearly ruin your whole trip!!! Hope the substitute will work out.

Volcano Bay sounds so awesome! Can’t wait to visit. Not sure I will be able to drag Michael there for early opening though. We will see… Maybe I need to figure out which days of the week would be less crowded.

Yes! Such a shame it's closed.... I will still stand in front and wave,

Tapu Tapu helps a lot there with being able to get on the attractions without hassle. Of course the bigger the slide, the longer the wait. But if you can either go on a day it's projected to rain and just tough it out and hope for the best, or a day where it's slightly cooler, or manage to pull Michael out for the early morning... it's the best for the lines. And of course any day locals are blocked out! You guys will love it, it's a great water park. Please take time to walk through the Volcano and record the conversation Michael has with the Volcano. I will NEED to hear it.

 

[starousse]

Loving your pre-trip plans......We're going in August and doing Disney first and two nights at Universal. Can I ask which private car service you hired to take you to Portofino?

 

[brookelizabeth]

Loving your pre-trip plans......We're going in August and doing Disney first and two nights at Universal. Can I ask which private car service you hired to take you to Portofino?

Yes - it's a furloughed CM... I am not sure if I'm allowed to share his contact info here though. Are we Facebook friends already? I don't know people's real names from DIS names. If we are, PM me there and I'll share his details! He is on the (Ear for Each Other group, if you are.) Feel free to PM me here too if we aren't connected on FB. Also, if you are booked through a travel agent for your Universal portion, ask your agent about the "Take 2" transfers that are offered.

Edit: He actually cannot do our transfer between WDW and Universal, he's booked that day already. But he is doing our return to the airport.

 

[brookelizabeth]

The Method Behind the Madness
Park Day Seven - Universal Studios....
and Day Eight, Departure Day ​

We've arrived. It's our last day in the parks. We will be sad, but eager to take the day on! We will conquer anything that is on our "must do" list that we haven't done, hopping between the parks. If we are ahead of schedule, we might even dip into Volcano Bay. For this day in the PTR though, we'll focus on Universal Studios Must-Dos.

Attractions:
Rip Ride Rockit - and I have to check out the Secret Music List to make sure I know the number for Rainbow Connection! I always panic and forget it.

Minion Mayhem

Escape from New York with Jimmy Fallon

The Mummy

The boys will want to ride Fast & the Furious - they actually LIKE it... I mean, it's okay... but definitely not on my must do list!


Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts - LOVE this one!

We'll spend plenty of time exploring Diagon Alley as well.

Men in Black - my favorite ride!

On the immigration floor!

Throughly explore The Simpsons Land. Joe is a big Simpsons fan and we missed out spending much time here last family trip, he was a bit bummed. So this will be a priority! I’m not a huge fan of the ride, but we’ll do it.



ET - the boys haven't ridden! I don't know how we missed it last trip!!

The Bourne Spectacular - we obviously haven’t seen this since it's new, so it’s definitely something I want to try and catch.

The boys also haven’t seen the Hollywood Horror Makeup Show and it’s just hilarious, so hoping we can catch that.

I’d love to catch a set from the Blues Brothers.

Henry also has an interactive wand, so we’ll be spending some time in both sides of the Wizarding World with that. And we’ll certainly ride the Hogwart’s Express in-between at some point.

WHEW! That is a LOT. We'll see how much we actually conquer!

Onto the Eats!!:

Florean Fructuse ice cream! I look forward to this every.single.visit. Mmmm

We will probably eat at the Simpson's Fast Food Blvd. It has a nice selection for everyone and then Joe will get to experience more of the land. I’ve kind of always wanted to try the Bumblebee Man's Tacos, too!

After a full day of fun in the parks, Joe and I have a "date night" set for Toothsome's. We are going to get a bit of dessert and an Old Fashioned. They have a couple DELICIOUS Old Fashioned drinks on the menu, and that is one of Joe's favorite drinks.


Departure Day

The saddest day of all. We will try to wake up fairly early, finish packing and get things ready for our looooong return home. If we are able, we will run to City Walk for VooDoo Donuts, and maybe some last minute shopping.

Our first flight is domestic, so generally we wouldn’t have to arrive extra early to the airport; however, if we need a negative COVID-19 test to fly, that might throw a wrench in the plans a little. I’m not stressing about this now / yet, we’ll figure it out as we get closer because we ALL know, things can change overnight when it comes to the pandemic! But, if we need a test, we’ll work it into the trip. They sell "Schnelltests" (quick tests) on the shelves of the grocery stores here, so if those are allowed for the flights, I'll be sure to pack some of those with us.

Again, I’ll figure this out as we get closer. It's not worth stressing over now.

First flight completed, we have a short layover, then the long flight over the ocean and a second layover. Airplane food will be eaten. Sleep will be rare. A short hopper flight brings us to our home airport. From there, we can take a cab or a quick ride on the U-Bahn (subway) home. We arrive home early in the day, which works out nicely since we can take the full day and try to recover from jet lag before Joe returns to work the next day. But, I'd still rather have more time in Orlando and suffer with jet lag on the return!

It's hard to believe the trip is coming up so quickly! We are SO excited!

Up Next: Changes. Of course, there are always changes!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Hello there! So nice to see you back on these boards! I am SO rarely on the trip report boards but I happened to be tonight, saw your name, and thought .... wait, I know her! I cannot even believe H is 13. What!? Where does time go? All of your plans sound fantastic! Looking forward to hearing more!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Hello there! So nice to see you back on these boards! I am SO rarely on the trip report boards but I happened to be tonight, saw your name, and thought .... wait, I know her! I cannot even believe H is 13. What!? Where does time go? All of your plans sound fantastic! Looking forward to hearing more!

Why, hello there!! It's been a long time since I've been here too, but it's been REALLY fun to type out the plans and get excited about the trip!

And yes... 13. It's unreal. He's only a few inches shorter than me too!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Changes. Of course, there are always changes!​

Just a short update here, but what would trip plans be without changes?!

Thankfully, our changes are just slight and mostly involve our day at AK. I mentioned walking “at least one of the trails” on our AK day, buuuuut, I’m pretty sure we’ll be doing all three (Gorilla, Maharaja and Discovery Island), as we just finished up the AMAZING Disney+ series “The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” and we fell in love with so many of the animals! If you haven’t seen this yet, definitely take the time to watch. It’s a great show. We are eager to catch a glimpse of some of the animals we “met” throughout the series.

One of my favorites was Popcorn the chicken:

Has anyone seen Popcorn before? In case you don’t know what I am talking about, apparently in Affection Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch there are chickens! I had NO idea. I’ve only ever seen goats here from what I can remember…. Though it’s been years since we’ve trekked out there. Unfortunately, I had read that Popcorn has passed away since the filming of the series. But, we do hope to see some of the other animals on the trails! Henry is especially looking forward to the gorillas.

Over at Epcot, we will be taking some time to watch the manatees.We have done this before, but not in many years. Henry doesn’t really remember them. I would love to catch them at a feeding time, I think that could be really fun.

Aside from the animal adventures, the other change is that the transportation I was planning on between WDW / UOR and MCO has fallen through. This is a disappointment, because I had planned to use a furloughed CM that has started his transportation company, but I guess the fact that he’s busy is a good thing!! So… we will likely just use Lyft for our transfers. I’m still watching rental car prices though, and if they drop a bit - I might snag one for the Disney part of the trip. Te current price tag for rental cars is outrageous and my pocketbook is screaming at them.

There is also some small discussion about bringing a cousin along on this trip. This would be a surprise for Henry. I would LOVE this to happen...just the thought of it makes me SO excited. I can hear the kids laughing together already. I need to get serious and talk about the logistics with Joe.

Up Next: Purchases Made, Purchases Planned

 

[Flossbolna]

Having a cousin come along for Henry would be a great treat for him for sure! Would you be comfortable with letting the two roam on their own at WDW? Then it would also be a great bonus for you and Joe to get more couple time.

And more times with manatees is always a good decision. They are just such lovely animals!

 

[vamassey1]

I'm finally caught back up and so excited for your trip. Bringing a cousin for Henry would be great. Love sharing Disney with others.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Having a cousin come along for Henry would be a great treat for him for sure! Would you be comfortable with letting the two roam on their own at WDW? Then it would also be a great bonus for you and Joe to get more couple time.

And more times with manatees is always a good decision. They are just such lovely animals!

I would totally be comfortable with letting them roam a bit. Not for a full day or the like, but a bit of freedom for sure!

I'm finally caught back up and so excited for your trip. Bringing a cousin for Henry would be great. Love sharing Disney with others.

How was your trip??? Welcome back! Always so bittersweet....

Sadly... the cousin cannot come. I was SO bummed when my SIL told me. They have state competition that week, so they can't commit to something when he might be there. I am REALLY glad we didn't tell Henry! But man, I was already dreaming of them laughing together, running around and being silly together.... Hopefully another time!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Purchases Made, Purchases Planned​

What's a Disney trip without some pre-vacation purchases??? And - since we'll be back in the USA, we have a number of things we want to pick up while there (mainly food items ) that are also on our list!

Shoes! Of course we have to talk about shoes! Walking at Disney is such a massive part of the trip, you have to have decent shoes. I have terrible feet with very high arches. I've worn Vionic shoes (orthopedic) for years now and they help me avoid pain. They are a bonus in that they at least have some style to them, versus many orthopedic that don't. So naturally, I went on the hunt for a new pair or two for our trip!

I have almost always ordered them from Amazon; however, on Amazon.de (the German site) they were pricing REALLY high. They are already expensive shoes to begin with, but this was outrageous. So, I moved over to the US site and found a pair on discount and have them shipped to my MILs home, where we will be the first week of our trip.

They are BLUE, which contributed the lower price tag, I'm sure - but I love interesting / unique colored shoes. Plus, I don't think it's an awful blue.



I could not find another pair I liked for a reasonable price, even on the US site, so I am also going to try a new brand... I hope they work! They were about half the price of Vionic, so my hopes aren't too terribly high. The brand is Aerothotic. The first style is bit like a Birkenstock and the second one is waterproof, which will be nice for Volcano Bay!






They do get good reviews... so we'll see! I'll be testing them out heavily in Minnesota before I trust them at Disney!

I will add - when I ordered these, shoe stores here were not open yet. They are now (finally they were deemed essential), so I'm very curious to try some other German brands of orthopedic shoes, as you see them far more often here displayed in windows and things.


Next up... Apple Watch bands!
I have an old Apple Watch... Series 2 I think? But, it does the job. No desire to upgrade. I bought a few cheap bands off Amazon years ago, but some of them have really worn out. I found a few on the German Amazon (again, no stores open here at the time - they JUST opened today!! ) but they were more expensive than the ones I have bought in the past AND not as nice. So, I ordered a couple more from the Amazon US site and shipped to my MIL.





The scrunchie ones are kinda fun! And I really like the blue of the 'normal' one. The ones I shipped here to my home in Germany are just boring - white and black. But... useful.

Next are swimsuits!
I really wanted to purchase a couple more suits so I had options because with us getting on the other side of Mountain Covid, I fully plan on swimming and living my best life anytime I'm near a pool or lake this summer!

Once again - no stores, so Amazon won my dollars. Both are Cupshie brand and quite nice for how affordable they are! I had those shipped here, just in case I had to return them and re-order. I really like them both!







In addition to these purchases, I also ordered a Stitch Fix box to be delivered to my MILs, asking for summer clothing. I really love doing Stitch Fix and I miss that service! In case you don't know, it's a clothing subscription box. There are a dozen of them out there, but Stitch Fix and Amazon Wardrobe are the only ones I have tried.

In the USA we plan to buy a few things:

• A new purse for me! I might buy that here, now that stores are open and if I find something I like. My trusty old simple black Roulette Hobo Kate Spade bit the dust. I bought her on the Fantasy a few years ago on sale! I got a nice deal and she always reminded me of our trip. Anyway, the purse served me well. I wore it almost daily, so she got a lot of use! I'd like something similar... so probably no Disney Dooney in my future.
• And... USA food. Everything But the Bagel seasoning, Stove Top stuffing, decent salsa (which will be interesting traveling with, but I'm gonna try it!), Annie's White Cheddar Mac & Cheese, Starlite Mints. I'm sure this list will grow as we think about it and shop in the US, but that is where it's at for now.
• I also plan to buy some nice candles! Now granted, the stores have been closed here, but I haven't found nice candles at the stores I have been in... I don't think it's much of a "thing" here? (@Flossbolna - you can chime in and correct me if I'm wrong!)

At Disney we'll just see what strikes our fancy, but I do have my eyes on possibly some new oven mitts. Mine are from 2012 and they have seen better days... but I still really like them!

Disney also often has shoes that I can slide my orthopedic insoles into, so I'll be on watch for those. My current ones are black with big red Minnie bows on them. They are slip-on Ked style and incredibly comfortable. I'll be looking at their selections while in the parks!

And finally... there is a tie-dye WDW shirt I've seen and I really liked it! It's out of stock online, so maybe the parks will have it or something similar.

We will also try to find a magnet from the Grand Floridian, we aren't BIG souvenir buyers, but we always get a magnet! I might also buy an ornament.


Oooh, small update...our flight departing Orlando changed AGAIN and is now even earlier! I still need to call Delta so they can separate our PNRs, and I'll also see if we can bump our time back a bit.

We are quickly approaching our ADR day, I can't believe it!! Just thinking about being back has me all teary eyed!

 

[lovealldisney]

There is also some small discussion about bringing a cousin along on this trip. This would be a surprise for Henry.

I think this would be so much fun for Henry!

but we always get a magnet

We do to! We must have a bazillion of them!

Love the swimsuits! Shoes I love Keens! They're great sandals!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I think this would be so much fun for Henry!
We do to! We must have a bazillion of them!

Love the swimsuits! Shoes I love Keens! They're great sandals!

Sadly, it didn't work out with the cousin. He has state championship for a sport he plays at that time... in July! I was so bummed!!

I used to love Keens! But now my feet require orthopedics, so I cannot wear them. I still have a pair for when we camp, or go in a river, etc. They are such GREAT shoes. Joe still wears them.

 

[franandaj]

Joining in! I'll be back later to catch up! It's been a busy week!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Joining in! I'll be back later to catch up! It's been a busy week!

Welcome!!! I need to catch up on your report as well!