No zombies here, just 10+ years of trip reports!!!

[AirGoofy]

I'm sure many of you have thought to same question, why June? Well, that is the ONLY time in the year that BIL can go on vacation. And, it is hotter than .... well, there are a lot of jokes that can be inserted there. We definitely were not ready for the heat, but did have jumbo case of water from Sam's Club and drank it all by the time we left.

Sunday morning, we missed Mass at the usual church we go to, and quickly found another in the area. Holy Family Church.



We were woefully underdressed, but it was a nice Father's Day message. Happy Father's Day to all those reading.

Next, onto Cabana Bay Resort. It is a Disney Value Resort, minus the Disney quality with a smaller food court. Most all of the staff were amazingly friendly, the resort was very clean, the activities were very nice, and the alcohol was very cold. The suite we stayed in was nice as well, bigger than the studios, smaller than the 1 BR. I did like that there was a separate place to sit on the couch than the sleeping area. There is a parking garage, which keeps your car cooler. Those were some of the nice parts.



That's all the photos I have of the resort, because, that is where it ends and where Disney just makes it so much better. Cabana Bay has that parking garage, but you pay to park every day, whether you use the garage or not. Cabana Bay has free Wifi, but you can't upload pictures unless you purchase the premium wifi package. There is a second pool with a fun lazy river. To get a tube to float in, you have to purchase it. Fortunately, we were blessed with a free vacation. It seemed like there was an extra charge for everything.

 

[AirGoofy]

We spend that Sunday by the pool at the lazy river. We eat lunch when BIL decides to eat lunch. We get out of the pool when BIL decides to get out of the pool. We are going to City Walk to eat when BIL decides we are going to eat. After a shower, I go to the bar and drink. After one bourbon, one bourbon, one beer, one beer, the vacation has started.

Then, it is the twelve of us on to City Walk. I guess the best way to describe City Walk is that it is the dark side version of downtown Disney, er um, Disney Springs, except a lot smaller. And, it connects to the two theme parks - Universal on one side and Islands of Adventure on the other - with the Harry Potter train to connect between the two parks. There are no free rides here, and one can't travel by train unless purchasing their park hopper ticket to go to the other park. City Walk is nice and there is a lot of energy. But, when I want to go to the park, I just want to go to the theme park, not thru a bunch of restaurants and shops. But, tonight is fun and it gives us something to do.




Anyway, back to City Walk. So, with no reservations or plans on a crowded Sunday night, DW has a Landry's membership, we go to Bubba Gump Shrimp and have about a 15 minute wait.



Of course one can't sit 12 people in a restaurant on a crowded Sunday night, especially with no notice and the two tables are divided into two groups of 6. I get to sit at the kids' table with 5 girls age 14 and under. And yes, only two of those girls are my children. So, a couple more beers for me.

After dinner, we take a walk on the City Walk and I get this picture.



Day 1 has ended. Everyone is still alive. Monday will be the first day of theme parks. Are you ready?

 

[AirGoofy]

Universal and IOA have their express pass available for purchase (limited numbers, so buy them ahead of time) and you get the FP cue for every ride that has it. This was really a great idea. I'm not sure how much it cost, but it was well worth it as there was little wait for everything in the express pass line. We also bought the meal plan with this package.When we went to Cabana Bay Resort and printed all these things out, there are no magic bands. You get a theme park ticket, an express pass ticket, and a meal plan ticket per person. Yes, that would be 11 multiplied by 3. Wait, if you buy the express pass for each day, then you get a more express pass tickets as they are only good one day at a time. Yes, there are lots of tickets. And, when you buy your meal, each individual meal plan ticket has to be swiped.

Monday morning and time for the theme parks. Today, we are all going to Universal. FIL has said that everyone can go and do whatever they want to do on vacation and doesn't need to stay together. Only thing is that he and the 5 grandchildren all want to stay together. The sixth child is a 1 year old.

So, DW wakes us all at 6:00 AM, breakfast at the Cabana Bay cafeteria, and off to the parks. There are three bus entrances, but they only go to City Walk where you then walk to Universal or Islands of Adventure. We go inside the park and four of the grandchildren, FIL, FIL's girlfriend, and DW and I are going to ride the Minions ride. We are waiting on BIL & SIL. As you can see from dd's shirt, she really likes Minions. It is a really fun ride. Universal does have great queue for their rides.



The dds ride the rocket roller coaster. I barely squeezed into the test seat, so I decided to sit this one out. Onto the Transformer's Ride.



What an awesome ride. Of course, I am a big nerd and remember the cartoon show on tv. The animation and 3d effects are awesome. Another lengthy delay to discuss who is getting on the ride. The express pass line is non-existent.

Later, we end up at the backstage tour, and FIL's girlfriend gets selected to be an audience participant. She has never been to a theme park outside KY, so this I a big deal. I didn't get any pictures, but DW video recorded it from her phone. She had a blast.

 

[AirGoofy]

Another part of the meal plan was the Park refillable mug. I initially thought this was a good idea since the concrete is on fire with the June heat. However, I quickly realize that I now have to carry this thing everywhere for the rest of the day. That isn't fun. Some of the rides, it has to be stored in a locker. And, some of the refill stations are not conveniently located, and not all locations will refill them. Too much hassle on vacation.

Next, onto Springfield and the Simpsons, which turns out to be my favorite ride at both Universal parks. I have always been a fan, the simulator is great, the story line is funny, the queue is great, but the humor is what makes it the best. Here are some pictures.



They have the Simpsons meet n greet characters in a couple different locations. If you wear a Disney shirt with Bart Simpson, he will cover his eyes and shake his head at you. Then, we go to Krusty Burger to eat. The burger is gross - frozen patty reheated - but the chicken n waffles are excellent. Once you enter, there are several stations themed from the Simpson's to choose from and then, the staff will help find a seat for everyone. I also had a Duff beer. It was beer, but not a great beer.

While we are eating, BIL and SIL leave their other children with us and just go ride another ride. After we finish, FIL says he and his girlfriend are done and are going back to resort. So, we wait and find BIL and SIL, return their other children, and then we go our separate ways.

 

[AirGoofy]

With just my family, we are able to knock out the remainder of the Universal report quickly, especially with the express pass. MiB is a shooter game, with the ride cars spinning and jerking you around. But, you can't carry on any of the mugs and you are sent to the lockers. We didn't stay and do any of the shows at Universal. It was a bit overwhelming with all the confusion and early rise from the AM as well as the excessive heat. We made it all the way around the park by 4:00 PM.

 

[AirGoofy]

Tuesday morning takes us to Islands of Adventure. We sleep in a bit later, but are still there when the park opens. We have our express passes for today. BIL and his family are somewhere in the park, and FIL stayed behind at the resort.

On the way thru City Walk.



At the entrance.



Time to start the day.

 

[AirGoofy]

Universal and IOA are not the best parks for big people. I could not fit on the Mummy ride at Universal. There were some others that were really tight fits - Rocket, Hulk, Dr. Doom Fear Factory. Some of them I did, some I didn't, some I wish I hadn't. The Hulk has a modified seat.

First up, the Mad Hatter Tea Cups on Steroids - Storm Force. I guess the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.



Future car.



Dr. Doom Fear Factory. Guys, be afraid for your boys. Maybe skinny men don't have that problem, but that seat design didn't work for me.



Onto Spiderman 3D. This may be the best 3D action and storyline at Universal/ IOA. It will be my 2nd favorite after the Simpsons. If you weren't a Simpsons fan, then I would put this one first.




The express pass is definitely worth it.

 

[AirGoofy]

There is some really nice theming here. Many cartoons and places to pose.



Many of these action shots for the children to play with. The plunger operates so you think igniting the bomb.



Jurassic Park from the opposite side we were touring, with two water rides and a smaller, flying ride for younger children. The Jurassic Park music is playing. I was absolutely soaked with water after the ride.



We went to eat lunch afterwards and dry off. Still, incredibly hot. I wanted to try the Dagwood Sandwich in the restaurant with the comic strip from Blondie. However, youngest dd is in chicken nugget only mode, so we couldn't eat there.

 

[AirGoofy]

Next, onto Harry Potter. We didn't do the other side at Universal, but did check it out here. The theming is terrific.



There are several rides. One inside the castle, a smaller roller coaster outside the castle, and then the double dragon roller coaster down a bit further. I have never read any of the Harry Potter stuff and didn't get any of the names, so I'm not much help. The one inside the castle had the talking hat in the queue. The express pass is not eligible for this ride, so we used single rider.



Of course, I got some butterbeer. It's good, but could use some vodka or rum.

 

[AirGoofy]

We wrapped up the day in Dr. Suess land with a train ride. No one wanted to do the carousel here or at MK this trip.



More pictures in AdventureLand, or whatever it is called.



Again, we were done around 4:00 PM. All that heat really wears out the young ens. The bus ride home.



I am glad to have traveled on the dark side. Universal/ IOA were fun, but just don't compare to WDW. The express pass was a great bonus. The next level up resort gets boat transportation and hopefully some better dining options, but we just enjoyed WDW so much more. I probably should have taken the time to plan out some more stuff and places to rest and recharge like we do at WDW. Maybe we'll be back one day, probably not. Good bye from the dark side.

 

[AirGoofy]

Wednesday is Sea World. Again, no planning and no expectations, but I am excited. My family really enjoys aquariums. We get there right when the park opens. We had to drive this one, and the $5 extra was worth it for preferred parking. We will meet up occasionally with BIL and SIL, but are not touring with them. FIL and his girlfriend will go to the park later, but will not stay long. We don't see them.

Does this count as a topiary?



First up, the Manta. This my new favorite roller coaster. For those that don't know, you are a Manta Ray, as the chair rotates 90 degrees backwards so you are seated and staring at the sea floor like a Manta Ray. Then, you get to spin on the track. Amazing!!! No cameras allowed on this ride.



Then, a little visit next door with an aquarium for some fish viewing. The queue was warm as I didn't get a lot of AC or fan, but it was still cool to be in the aquarium.

 

[AirGoofy]

We then went and did the three main shows - dolphin, sea lion, and killer whale in their different theatres. The shows were spaced out for 10, 11, & 12. In retrospect, we could have spaced them out as we ended up walking the park twice. However, all four of us really wanted to see those shows and it was worth it. My phone camera stinks, so no decent pictures of the first two shows, but I did get this one of the killer whale show.



Both dds were able to feed the Manta Rays ($5).



Pet dolphins. This picture is the under water viewing area, but there is both a young dolphin nursery (no touching) and a dolphin cove where you can pet a dolphin. There is an additional pay experience to be able to spend more time with the dolphins and pet them.



DW tried to kiss the eel through the glass.



And, there was a shark experience. No, you can't pet the sharks. The only problem is that the aquariums and coves are spread out, and one has to do a lot of walking to get there.

 

[AirGoofy]

We did get to see Shamu. He is in his own aquarium and doesn't perform anymore. I couldn't get a picture as he was really deep in the water. We almost missed the "Wild Arctic" simulator on the way out. The simulator is old and really needs a refurb, but the animals afterwards were excellent. We saw a beluga whale, walrus, and seals up close and doing tricks.



We skipped the Space Needle as DW doesn't like heights, the Penguin Adventure had a 60 minute wait, and the Kracken ride broke down while we were in line. We had a late lunch at the restaurant nearest the bridge, and it served fajita sandwiches. I had a Cuban sandwich on French Bread, which was an odd combination but good food. We got done around 7:00 PM, and would have knocked out the park with those last three rides, but there was a thunderstorm rolling in and rained on us in the parking lot. We will definitely return to Sea World as it was a whole day park and had even more pay excursions we could have done. They also have the quick queue express pass system. That might be worth the cost as well. The only downside was that we drove there instead of using Disney transportation.

 

[AirGoofy]

Day 4 takes us to the Happiest Place on Earth. Or, maybe it's the most magical. For me, it's both. We are going to the Magic Kingdom. It turns out FIL hurt himself, which was why he was absent the last two days. So, DW called and rented a wheelchair, and they delivered it to Cabana Bay Resort. Went over to MK around 11:00 AM in two separate vehicles with FIL and his girlfriend. BIL made it for RD. FIL wanted to have a picture made with his whole family, ride Hall of Presidents, IASW, and Haunted Mansion. So, that was what we did. We started the day with a picture with Mickey with all 12 of us.



After a quick bathroom break, there's the parade exiting. Great timing and view from the shade.



Cinderella's Castle. How I missed you.



It's always a wait for Mickey, so after the Hall of Presidents, I torture the children.



Then, onto lunch at Columbia Harbour House. The lobster roll is NOT as god as the one on Boardwalk Bakery.



We ride IASW and Haunted Mansion. I am super impressed with Disney's attention to those guests with disabilities. This is my first experience. FIL could not walk without assistance, but could transfer with help. At Haunted Mansion, the CM even went and found a stronger, male CM to help. Super impressed.

 

[AirGoofy]

We get a Pineapple Dole Whip Float, although I do prefer the vanilla swirl.




We then ride Spaceship Earth. Not really sure FIL could handle it, but he wanted to go on it again. Then, Carousel of Progress, where it started raining when we exited. We waited there for it to clear, and he decided he wanted to go back to the resort and not stay in the rain. We went for one more picture in front of the castle.



I offered, but FIL wanted DW to help him go back to the truck with girlfriend. So, I stayed and fed my dds while they walked and she returned from parking lot. I know that an ice cream dinner isn't healthy, but I think they will survive.



Edy's ice cream outside the Plaza. Unfortunately, no ADRs and no openings.

 

[AirGoofy]

Back to Tomorrowland for the People Mover and the Laugh Floor. Looks like I found a new avatar.



I tried to catch the Train, as it had been refurbed and I hadn't rode it in years. Unfortunately, we just missed the last one around 9:00 PM. So, we did the rides in FantasyLand, ate a Candy Apple, and watched Wishes.



We had never been behind the castle for Wishes before. Yes, it was much louder, your head is on a swivel, and you can smell the gunpowder. It was a different perspective, and easy to find seating 15 minutes before Wishes started. Then, we did the new Belle's adventures. This was the first time we experienced this since they relocated over to Belle's castle. It was a cute show. We finished with the electrical lights parade, but BTMR and Splash Mountain were both long lines, so we headed on back to the car and drive back to the Cabana Bay Resort. I really missed staying Disney property with that drive.

 

[AirGoofy]

The next and final day was Epcot. Again, we toured with FIL and FIL's girlfriend, using the wheelchair. Both my dds and FIL's girlfriend wanted to do the Duffy/ Perry tour the country and obtain travel stickers. So, that was exactly what we did. We started in Mexico, did the boat ride, and got some margaritas to go from le Cave del Tequila. It was the worst Margarita I ever had. Yuck.



Then, to Norway for stamps and pictures. We met BIL in China. While the dds got their stamp there, I got a beer to wash down that disgusting Margarita, and met up with BIL's family. They decided to go to Germany for lunch. BIL went ahead to get us reservations, but by the time we got there, he and his family were eating on the Quick Service side. FIL wanted to eat the buffet on the restaurant side. So, we ate at the Biergarten, and hadn't been there since our Disneymoon. It was better, but we have a much better German food restaurant closer to home. The beer was good.



No drinks in Italy, but more stamps. The Grey Goose Slush is very good. I drank a lemon all my own, as the adult were silly enough to want to split them.





We toured all the countries, watched the France movie, and watched the Canada movie. The Canada movie claims it isn't all snow and penguins up there. Propaganda.

 

[AirGoofy]

After invading Canada, we headed to Future World where we finished out the Day with Living with the Land and Soarin'. FIL's girlfriend was raised on a farm, so she really enjoyed the Land ride. And of course, Soarin' is just one of the top rides at WDW.



We finished with Spaceship Earth, printed out some pictures of the trip, and then rode he monorail to TTC and back again. It was about 7:30 PM and we decided to go ahead and call it a day as youngest dd fell asleep on the monorail. Everyone was tired and hot, and we only had another 1.5 hours until the park closed.



FIL and FIL's girlfriend were appreciative of us staying with them and help push him around in the parks. He asked if he was holding us up. I had two thoughts. Yes, we usually tour non stop around the parks and do more rides. However, my dds also had an opportunity they will probably not ever get the chance to do again, and that is to tour WDW with their papaw. I remember my grandfather taking me on his sailboat one time before he sold it. It was just the two of us before his health declined. I hope this is a trip and experience my dds will always remember.

 

[AirGoofy]

Well folks, that is another trip report in the books. And, we planned next year's trip on the car ride home. Looks like we are doing two trips next year. I'm hoping to get VGF or Poly for Spring Break vacation and back to the Boardwalk for Fall Break trip. I'll post more once we are booked. Thanks for reading along on this 18th Disney trip.

 

[psac]

Well folks, that is another trip report in the books. And, we planned next year's trip on the car ride home. Looks like we are doing two trips next year. I'm hoping to get VGF or Poly for Spring Break vacation and back to the Boardwalk for Fall Break trip. I'll post more once we are booked. Thanks for reading along on this 18th Disney trip.

Thanks for the surprise update! Definitely with you on the Simpsons ride. Absolutely loved it, I wish Disney had something like it. Star Tours may be close, but not really. Too bad the Kracken ride was down at Seaworld, it's been a while, but I remember really liking that one. I don't think they had the Manta open when we went. It sounds really cool. Also being a big guy I remember having problems in some of the Universal rides. It's part of the reason I haven't rushed to go back. The only ride I've had a problem with at WDW has been the Mine Train. Just uncomfortable (so no desire to ride again), but still fit.

We're heading down to BLT in a few days for mostly a resort and monorail restaurants long July 4th weekend, with maybe some short MK visits thrown in since we have APs. My wife hates weather over 80, and with the 95+ temps, I don't think we'll spend more than an hour or two in the park.