Now Approaching... Sleepingbooty's Sept. PTR (We're BAAACK! 9/26)

[Sleepingbooty]

OMGosh! That sounds absolutely heavenly!!! This even sounds like it would be a PERFECT camping meal!! I am SO remembering this!

I'm surprised you didn't know about it before!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Just okay. Marlene is our swimmer, our only kid on the team. (The others stayed home). Judy and I were at the snack bar and missed her first event, the 50 meter freestyle. The loudspeakers suck and we couldn't hear which events they were on, and I thought they were still doing the medley's since they take a while. Anyway, Marlene comes over in tears because her goggles filled with water, she couldn't breathe because of the goggle issue, she couldn't do a flip-turn...a general fiasco. She was slated to do the 100 free next and she was refusing to do it. Judy had to comfort her the whole time and basically escort her to the starting area, and tightened up her goggles. She swam it, and was thiiiis close to placing 3rd, just missed it. We found out afterward that she didn't know that her team gets points for 2nd and 3rd place <slaps head>, otherwise I think she would have tried a little harder at the end. Doh! She was slated to swim the 50 backstroke later, but got replaced by a girl who had only swum in one event up to that point. Marlene was actually very happy with that. This was the first meet of the year for Marlene, because of our vacation and then a church youth group event, so I think she'll get back to form having gotten this one behind her.

We've had meets like that. Sometimes nothing goes right. Tuesday night, Lucy jumped in and started swimming freestyle. It was supposed to be 25meter breast. Well, the coaches down on the other end started yelling, "Breaststroke, breaststroke!" When she finally heard them about halfway down the pool, she stopped completely, grabbed the rope, and shook her head. Well, finally she took off and did breast the rest of the way down, but she wasn't happy about it! No ribbons on that one!

 

[All7OfUs]

I know, I know... I'm pretty slow on the uptake, but I JUST finished watching Nemo, and now your "Eat my Bubbles" reference. Never noticed it before!

 

[eandesmom]

July 15th? Wow what seems so soon to go back to school I can't even contemplate it. We just got out!

VBS is in 2 weeks for us, I forgot about the songs, selective memory I think but am quite sure once it gets here I'll have a few new ones stuck in my head.

Eat my bubbles. I love it!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

I know, I know... I'm pretty slow on the uptake, but I JUST finished watching Nemo, and now your "Eat my Bubbles" reference. Never noticed it before!

Wait, did that expression come from Nemo? How cool!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

July 15th? Wow what seems so soon to go back to school I can't even contemplate it. We just got out!

VBS is in 2 weeks for us, I forgot about the songs, selective memory I think but am quite sure once it gets here I'll have a few new ones stuck in my head.

Eat my bubbles. I love it!

I know. It does seem early. But we are on a ' year round' schedule. They only get 6 weeks off for summer. The cool part is, we have a 3 week break in the fall, hence the September Disney trips!

 

[klacey1]

Ooo enjoy your lake vacation-- sounds fun and relaxing! How do you/your girls feel about the year round schooling?? My teacher friend is all about it and wants to get a gang of teachers together to go to the board and request they change the 10-month program.
Your girls look like they really enjoy the swim team! I can only imagine how special VBS was-- there's something so encouraging about working with youth, especially when you are getting them closer to God and each other!!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Chapter 35. Shhhh...Its a Surpise!

I've been contemplating this for a while, and I think after the article I read the other day, its a go. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that is. My older daughter, Jenna, is a huge fan of the books and movies (as am I), and would SO love to go. I had estimated that it would add about $300 to our trip to squeeze in a day trip to Islands of Adventure, what with tickets, transportation and lunch. I just wasn't sure if it would be worth it. I mean, don't get me wrong - it looks amazing. But my girls don't go in for thrills. What if they wouldn't do any of the rides?

I think, no matter what, I can safely say we will NOT be going on the Dragon Challenge:

However, I finally saw a good pic of the Flight of the Hippogriff, and I think we can take it. Well, they're going to have to. No choice.

What I read in this very enlightening article, which I can no longer find and can't remember what website I read it on, is that the lines for the various shops and food experiences are as long or longer than the lines for the 3 rides. Yes, they are only letting a preset number of people into the shops at a time. They are currently only using one entrance and exit into each shop, so that they can post employees with counters. When someone goes out, someone else can enter. Universal is working very hard at crowd control - they want each guest to have a quality experience once inside the Wizarding World. So, therein lies the rub, I guess. Things aren't too crazy once you make it in, but you have to wait to be allowed in the area.

I read horror stories about the first day, with people waiting 8 or more hours and still not making it in. Of course, that dropped off dramatically. And will continue to do so, I'm sure - especially by late September when we are there. But, I still think it will be important to arrive at the park very early. Which leads me to the question of transportation.

I was initially planning to use a taxi. But after researching rates I found that would be pretty pricey. Probably run us about $75. Which is comparable to a shuttle service - but a taxi would be on our time schedule, which makes it infinitely preferable to a shuttle. We want to get there before opening, and we need to make it back for a 6:00 ADR.

I looked into renting a car for a day, and that would run us about $35 from National. Obviously, thats a much better price, but do I want to hassle picking up and dropping off? We'd need to pick it up the night before, so that would cut into our park time that evening, and it'd need to be dropped off before our ADR, which would lessen the time we could spend at Universal.

What to do? I know one thing, The girls are going to be flat out stunned when they find out we are going there. I'm so bad at keeping secrets, but I'm going to try to keep this under wraps until the morning of.

I probably need to start a savings account just for the souvenirs they're going to want!

 

[eandesmom]

I your surprise.

A couple of thoughts.

1. A towncar through FL tours is as cheap (ok not cheap at all but you know what I mean) as the shuttle and on your time frame. When I priced it for a single leg trip (no tickets included) for 6 of us it was $65. Those shuttle prices are each way, as it a taxi.
2. I'll know a LOT more when we get back from our trip and can FB mail you some info (so I don't spoil anything on my TR since it's toward the end of my trip lol!).
3. I know you are talking about one day but you may want to consider one night at the resorts there. If you do that you get FOLP which will really help. Again, I'll have a ton more info when I get back.

The shops and 3 broomsticks sound just as cool as the thrill rides. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Ooo enjoy your lake vacation-- sounds fun and relaxing! How do you/your girls feel about the year round schooling?? My teacher friend is all about it and wants to get a gang of teachers together to go to the board and request they change the 10-month program.
Your girls look like they really enjoy the swim team! I can only imagine how special VBS was-- there's something so encouraging about working with youth, especially when you are getting them closer to God and each other!!

You must have ninja posted while I was doing my update!

We LOVE year round schooling. 6 weeks is plenty long enough for summer, IMHO, and its so nice to have 3 weeks off in the fall, winter, and spring. I really do think that the kids retain more this way. Unfortunately, our school board is considering going back to a traditional calendar, after 30 years of doing it this way (we were the first year round district in the nation!) because of budget shortfalls. Apparently, it costs an extra 900,000 a year in transportation costs. See, our elementaries are year round, but the middle and high schools are traditional. So anytime school is in session, the bus drivers get paid a full day, even if they are only picking up elementary.

 

[YukiPhnx]

WOOOW! A suprise trip! Sounds exciting!

I'll be taking my sister there on a split Universal/Disney trip for Peepfest. I just can't handle waiting that long for just a few experiences. It's not worth all the money we'll be spending just to be there.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Okay, this is weird - I already replied to this, but I come back and it's not there! So, I'll try again!

I your surprise.

A couple of thoughts.

1. A towncar through FL tours is as cheap (ok not cheap at all but you know what I mean) as the shuttle and on your time frame. When I priced it for a single leg trip (no tickets included) for 6 of us it was $65. Those shuttle prices are each way, as it a taxi.
2. I'll know a LOT more when we get back from our trip and can FB mail you some info (so I don't spoil anything on my TR since it's toward the end of my trip lol!).
3. I know you are talking about one day but you may want to consider one night at the resorts there. If you do that you get FOLP which will really help. Again, I'll have a ton more info when I get back.

The shops and 3 broomsticks sound just as cool as the thrill rides. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! I've been counting on learning a lot from your trip down in August. I'll definitely be picking your brain!

FOLP?

Can't wait for butterbeer!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

WOOOW! A suprise trip! Sounds exciting!

I'll be taking my sister there on a split Universal/Disney trip for Peepfest. I just can't handle waiting that long for just a few experiences. It's not worth all the money we'll be spending just to be there.

Well, not a surprise trip so much - it'll be in the midst of our September trip to WDW - so more like a surprise destination. But a major surprise nonetheless!

It was difficult for me to justify all that expense for one day - well, actually only part of one day! But, seriously, Jenna is a FREAK about HP. She's read each book several times. She's such a fast reader - she can get through one of the books in a couple days. I honestly think she reads faster as a third grader than I do as an adult, and I'm no slouch. Anyway - she's SOOO into the HP books/movies that it would be really special to her. And I don't know if that will be the case in a year or two. So we're just going to bite the bullet. The way I looked at it is this: I can pay for it with 3 extra sub jobs. Am I willing to devote 3 days work to making this dream come true for her? Absolutely!

 

[Dancegrl624]

Hooray for a surprise destination! I think I saw somewhere, awhile back, about a shuttle w/tickets that would pick you up at a Disney hotel. I don't know how reliable it is (time-wise) but that could work.

 

[YukiPhnx]

Awww, that's so sweet.

My experience of HP fans? If they're REAL fans like my sister is, they don't outgrow it. I'm sure she'll still love it in a couple of years.

It's so great of you to do this for her. I'm sure she's going to love it

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Hooray for a surprise destination! I think I saw somewhere, awhile back, about a shuttle w/tickets that would pick you up at a Disney hotel. I don't know how reliable it is (time-wise) but that could work.

Yes, there is currently a deal from Universal that includes shuttle service with a 2 park/1 day hopper pass. But we definitely won't have time to hop - so that won't work for us, considering it is $30 more per person than the base ticket. If we were staying 10 days or so, I'd maybe even consider staying at a Universal resort for a night. But 8 nights just isn't enough for us to give up more than one day at Disney, you know what I mean?

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Awww, that's so sweet.

My experience at HP fans? If they're REAL fans like my sister is, they don't outgrow it. I'm sure she'll still love it in a couple of year.

It's so great of you to do this for her. I'm sure she's going to love it

You know, you are probably right, Yuki - I mean, I'm a fan after all, and I'm no kid!

 

[YukiPhnx]

Oooh! I also know what you mean about saving for souvenirs. I saw a sweater they sell that I know will look great on my sister! I can't wait to get it for her!

There's going to be so many things...... I went to Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Toronto, and the merchandise alone blew me away. I bought her a Slytherin tie for $40! That's in Canadian dollars though, I'm sure the price is lower at WWoHP

 

[MHTeacher]

I love your surprise! My oldest daughter is not much on thrill rides, either. She would take one look at that dragon coaster and say no way.

 

[ladybugmom]

Oooh--I just LOVE surprises!!! How exciting!! Your girls are going to be thrilled!!