Something Wicked this MAY Comes! 18 nights @ RPR & SFR. An April/May 2025 TR

[schumigirl]

Along to another Carole-n-Tom Trip Report!!!

It was pointed out to me a week or so ago that we are now under 8 weeks till we travel so why haven`t I started a TR yet, well, it was a good question and I had no real reason not to begin, why not, almost 7 weeks is as good a time as any to start, although I did remind her I had only just finished the last one!!

This one is slightly shorter than our usual trips, we wanted to be back in the UK for my nephew`s 40th birthday celebrations, and with flight availability for our first trip this year, our 28th overall to Orlando we are here for 18 nights.

If you don`t know us, well, heck...where have you been

This is Tom and I last year on a drive over to New Smyrna Beach, beautiful beach with some amazing restaurants to choose from, too many at times as we are always spoiled for choice.











The title of this TR is partly down to one of my friends.

I adore Macbeth, it`s my ultimate Shakespeare play or the Scottish play as it is universally known, I adore Wicked the stage show, it`s my absolute favourite show that I have seen and she rather cheekily addresses me as a wicked woman on occasion, said in jest of course, I won`t add the other word she uses if she`s being really funny but she sang the famous lines from Macbeth the way the Harry Potter Frog Choir sing it and altered the word Way to May.....and we had it, Trip Report title decided!!!!

We like Orlando in May, we have been here at this time of year several times now and this month and September are definitely two of our favourite months to travel and spend time in Florida.

There is nothing special running this time of year for us, much as though we enjoy Christmas, we felt we had done it enough times, we have stopped doing HHN in September and Mardi Gras isn`t enough to tempt us to go back to that, so this month is perfect, although it does have Mother`s day. So once again I get to celebrate twice as our Mother`s Day in the UK is the end of March this year, it is much later than usual but looking forward to both celebrations

This trip we don`t have a whole lot planned, it`s a trip that`s going to be about relaxation and spending time together. We do have a plan to meet up with our friend D who is flying down to visit with us for a quick visit, but the rest of the time, just us.

Park time, restaurant time, pool time and certainly some driving around time, there are some places we haven`t been for a time and want to go back and as always we love to try new places whether it be a restaurant or a new town to try out for the first time and recommendations are always nice, we do always listen to locals or other regular visitors for all those little gem places we might not normally come across.

So, come along and as always I hope you enjoy this one too, for me, it`s always wonderful to read any and all comments along the way, makes it more fun!!

​

 

[keishashadow]

Woohoo! Always a good read

Here’s to a wicked good trip report.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

We are hoping to spend a week in May 2025 at Universal replacing the trip we didn't get to take last September because of my husband's heart attack & quadruple bypass - fingers-crossed we get to go this time!

Looking forward to another of your wonderful trip reports !

 

[schumigirl]

Woohoo! Always a good read

Here’s to a wicked good trip report.

along Janet!!

Ah, like it......lol....yes, hope it`s a good one too and you do enjoy it! And you made it first!!!

Good to see you here

 

[schumigirl]

We are hoping to spend a week in May 2025 at Universal replacing the trip we didn't get to take last Spetember because of my husband's heart attack & quadruple bypass - fingers-crossed we get to go this time!

Looking forward to another of your wonderful trip reports !

DoryGirl, I`m happy to see you along too.

Oh I do hope you get a trip sorted, I do remember that with your husband last year, so yes, a trip like that would be lovely.

Is he doing much better now? Must have been such a worrying time for you, absolutely fingers crossed!!

Hope you enjoy this one too, always enjoy seeing your posts

 

[DoryGirl1963]

DoryGirl, I`m happy to see you along too.

Oh I do hope you get a trip sorted, I do remember that with your husband last year, so yes, a trip like that would be lovely.

Is he doing much better now? Must have been such a worrying time for you, absolutely fingers crossed!!

Hope you enjoy this one too, always enjoy seeing your posts

He's doing better thank you so much for asking. It's a slow recovery especially because he also has COPD and PAD (peripheral artery disease), so we're just celebrating the little victories as they come . He is actually starting to accept that we may need a scooter or wheelchair for him this time around - he was completely against it at first - so we'll just see how that goes.

We're not Park Warriors at all, LOL, so we're just hoping to be able to wander the parks for a few hours and hang out at our happy place. Shooting for the first full week of May pending how he's feeling & weather - we're local so we have tremendous flexibility!

 

[keishashadow]

It's a slow recovery especially because he also has COPD and PAD (peripheral artery disease), so we're just celebrating the little victories as they come

That’s the right attitude, it’s not a race, it’s a marathon.

 

[disneyseniors]

I'm # 3!!!
Can't wait for another Carole and Tom Trip Report.
You are the reason I am spending so much money going to Universal
My husband thanks you(me too)

 

[schumigirl]

He's doing better thank you so much for asking. It's a slow recovery especially because he also has COPD and PAD (peripheral artery disease), so we're just celebrating the little victories as they come . He is actually starting to accept that we may need a scooter or wheelchair for him this time around - he was completely against it at first - so we'll just see how that goes.

We're not Park Warriors at all, LOL, so we're just hoping to be able to wander the parks for a few hours and hang out at our happy place. Shooting for the first full week of May pending how he's feeling & weather - we're local so we have tremendous flexibility!

That is so good to hear, what a time it must have been for you and your DH too of course. I agree, the little victories along the way should be celebrated, it`s a long road with things like that.

Glad he is happy-ish about using some kind of aid to help him, it will be so much easier on him and you too if he does use a scooter/chair and your park time sounds lovely, we`re very similar, no need to be commando anywhere and you do have the luxury of being local and yes can go when the impulse takes you.

Oh if you see us, you have to say hello, we`ll be there then too!!! I hope he feels well enough so you can both have some fun!!

 

[schumigirl]

That’s the right attitude, it’s not a race, it’s a marathon.

So true

 

[schumigirl]

I'm # 3!!!
Can't wait for another Carole and Tom Trip Report.
You are the reason I am spending so much money going to Universal
My husband thanks you(me too)

along Ruth and first page too!!

Thank you, always happy to see you and I`ll happily help spend other folks money too...Tom does say I have a talent there....what could he mean

Anytime Ruth and glad you`re along for this one too

 

[jump00]

Hello Carole!
Love the trip report title!
So looking forward to your adventures

Brenda

 

[SCDizFan]

WooHoo! I can't wait!

I always get the best ideas from your trip reports. Have you ever thought about doing a blog?

Like I've said, the start of your vaycay means I am right behind you!

We've decided to do Italy in January then Ireland in late fall.

 

[keishashadow]

Have you ever thought about doing a blog?

I’m lobbying for a novel

 

[schumigirl]

Hello Carole!
Love the trip report title!
So looking forward to your adventures

Brenda

back Brenda!!

Happy to see you and glad you like the title, I had nothing for this one truth be told, glad my friends are quite imaginative!!

Glad to have you along for this one, I do hope you enjoy it, always good to see your comments along the way

 

[schumigirl]

WooHoo! I can't wait!

I always get the best ideas from your trip reports. Have you ever thought about doing a blog?

Like I've said, the start of your vaycay means I am right behind you!

We've decided to do Italy in January then Ireland in late fall.

And another back to you too SCDizFan

Well, no I haven`t actually, I am told I should, but maybe at some point in the future I might, not sure though. I think I`d prefer to write a book, I have dithered with a couple of ideas for several years, but it`s getting round to doing it.

Woohoo, always good to get close to a trip!!!

I`ve never been to Ireland, it`s never been on my places to visit as it`s so similar in weather to Scotland lol but Italy is beautiful. We`ve only been to a couple of places there, not too many and years ago. We did make the mistake of going to Portofino when the drains were playing up, it did not smell nice, so we didn`t hang around. We always said we might go back but right up North away from most tourist areas.

You can`t really go wrong with most places.

Glad to see you along again too

 

[schumigirl]

I’m lobbying for a novel

lol....I wish!!!

But, you never know, I probably should have written one years ago

 

[schumigirl]

​

 

[schumigirl]

I do convince myself every trip I am not a planner nor will I ever be, but there are things that need to be organised for our trips and I do admit, I do quite enjoy the little planning we do have to prepare.

For us to be allowed to travel to the USA, every two years we need to fill in the ESTA forms on the Government website which is now around $21 each and worth every cent, the website is easy to use and doesn`t take long. Your authorisation is usually instant or within an hour or so. Global Entry is every five years and I think we have another 3 years before that needs updating again.

The results are electronically added on to your passport, but I always write down the authorisation number and keep all emails, just in case!!

Our car service is something we do instantly when our flights are booked as they fill up really quickly and have cut back on the amount of people they do take to the airport anymore due to the cost of fuel and so on, so we were pleased when they said they could take us. We could take the train, it is a bit of a shuffle between trains/stations, especially with luggage, but having the car service makes a huge difference on the way home after a night flight, being able to just get in the car and snooze is the way to do it.

I guess we are creatures of habit in where we stay and what we do and sometimes for very good reason. If we find somewhere we love and is convenient for us, we tend to stick to it, whch is why once again we have the same overnight hotel booked once more.

Radisson Blu is directly attached to the airport through the very convenient Skywalk and it is our first choice for an overnight hotel and has been for many years.

For convenience it can`t be beaten, you can walk directly down to all the terminals without going outside, all other hotels you have to walk outdoors or use their shuttle facilities which I have to say are all excellent, but a five minute walk is our preference.

This is the view from the airport itself with the Executive Lounge windows whoing prominently in the centre of the hotel on the top floor and from that you do get some nice airport views, we always enjoy our time in there.





​

By car, you do get dropped off around the other side of the hotel and it is a busy area coming in and out as the train station is off the same area, but from here we head inside to what is basically their conference area and get the elevator up to the guest check in area.

They do have a very nice little lobby area, it`s rarely crowded and it`s a nice little area to meet up or pass some time if need be. The check in desks are either deserted or mobbed here, we`re usually lucky as we check in at a quietish time and it`s never been busy.

Check in is usually 2pm, but we are given early check in due to the number of stays we`ve had and it`s ideal as we usually arrive in time for lunch, so we can normally get our luggage up into the room and back down for lunch which is ideal, if the room isn`t ready, we drop the luggage with them till it is available.

​

There aren`t many food options around, Little M Bar is open for lunch through till late, so we always have lunch here and it`s always nice and it`s tradition to start with a bottle of fizzy

​

The bar is very nice, they have changed their menu and there isn`t a great deal of choice anymore, but there are more than enough options for us to have something nice to keep us going till snack time in the Executive Lounge.

Executive Rooms are no different to any other room, they are all on the 9th floor and it just gives you access to the lounge which is very nice, rooms are standard and we do like them, they are spacious and always immaculately clean.

Comfy beds too!

The lounge itself is open all day from around 6 or 6.30am till 9 or 9.30pm, during the day you can help yourself to soft drinks and many tea and coffee options as well as light snacks. We always enjoy spending a good part of our day and evening in here, it`s good to chill out, spend some time on the ipads of course and chat about the trip ahead of us which is always fun.

Alcohol begins around 5pm till close and they serve an assortment of hot and cold snacks till 7.30pm then some desserts. We find it more than enough for us to eat as lunch is always adequate to keep us going.

And grumpy as this may make me sound, we like that there are no kids allowed in after 5pm, I agree most folks kids are well behaved but we all know there are some who aren`t quite the little angels their parents would have us believe!!!

​

​

When we leave the hotel in the morning we head out from level 3 and onto the Skywalk, we turn left for Terminal 2 usually and it`s a five minute walk down to where the VA check in desks are.

​

More to come!



​

 

[keishashadow]

lol....I wish!!!

But, you never know, I probably should have written one years ago

I know there’s one in you!

And grumpy as this may make me sound, we like that there are no kids allowed in after 5pm,

Haha I’m imagining the parents arm wrestling to see who gets to enjoy the lounge.