AmandaSparks730
<marquee><font color=purple> All shall know the wo
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2007
- Messages
- 36,919
Ok, so I technically already wrote a TR on my mom's account, but here it is in BIGGER, BETTER, SPARKIER form! So here's the Pre-Trip report. I'll figure out how to get the pics up on my computer, so you can all see our FABULOUS trip!
What: Birthday trip to USO/IoA!
When: July 28, 29, 30, 31, August 1.
Where: RPR in Orlando, FL ON Universal property!
Why: Uh, my birthday! The past 3 years, yes, THREE, we've gone on vacation. For my mom's birthday (May '05, Riviera Maya, Mexico) and my dad's birthday (June '04, Riviera Maya, Mexico and June '06, Punta Cana, Domincan Republic). So now, finally, after 13 birhtdays at home, it's my turn!
Background Info:
Mom announces it's Family Vacation Time. We researched many things, including California (DL/DCA, MM, etc), Disney World, among others. Finally, we decide on Universal Orlando (last trip for me, '99, for parents, Chuck E. Cheese convention, '02?) Now, for the tickets. After searching online, I stumble upon a deal. Mom gets all excited, and BAM! We have a vacation. $85 ticket deal, along with Meal Deal (two days), and roundtrip Southwest Airlines tickets. YES!
Mom had talked to me about taking along a friend. Wait, what? Taking along one of my best friends? On vacation? To FLORIDA?! YES, PLEASE! AHHH!! So, I call my BFF Sam (More about the cast later). Her response? "Wait, what? A trip to Florida? You're asking ME?!" A kajillion emails later, her dad convinces her mom to let her go! I was at dress rehersal for my dance recital at the time of the news, so I didn't know until my dad told me, upon picking me up, "Sam called. She didn't sound happy..." Panicking, I get out my cell, and call, expecting the worst. She started screaming. She could come! Dad laughed, saying that he had known the whole time. We were VERY excited!
THE CAST!
Mom, 42.
A "family services coodinator". Works 8-4 weekdays, and needs a vacation somewhere...relaxing. Has things planned for my birthday, apparently...Dad, 42.
General manager at Chuck E. Cheese. Works long hours 5 days a week (on average). Needs this vacation more than mom does!Me, 13 (turned 14 while there).
Love to listen to music, play guitar, dance, talk to friends, etc. Typical teenager. Honors student!Sam, 14.
Loves to draw, listen to music, sing, act, talk, play volleyball, etc. Girl's JV volleyball team at PHS our freshman year! Awesome drawer, singer, etc. In the Drama Club both years of AJHS. BIG dreamer, and BIG fan of anime!Anyway, we're all set for the trip! The cats will be cat-sat (LOL
) by the grandparents, and the dog is going to be under the care of family friends. Sam's parents will pick us up at 5:00-ish on Saturday (ugh), and will drive us to the airport. Which, by the way, is right down the street from our house. Seriously, it's only 5, 10 minutes away! From there, we will check in, and go to the gate for our 6:50 flight nonstop to MCO!Itinerary:
Saturday:
Arrive in MCO around 9:30-10:00. Get luggage. Take shuttle to RPR. Check in to room. Head out to whichever park we end up feeling like. Call it an early night.
Sunday: Start out with whichever park we did not do on Saturday. Spend a good chunk of the day there. Meal Deal Day! Go to the other park in the evening.
Monday: My birthday! Cabana by the pool. Dinner at Bubba Gump's.
Tuesday: Last full day. Spend time at both parks. Meal Deal Day!
Wednesday: Pack. Go to one (or even both) parks in the morning/early afternoon for "one more ride". Check out before this. Eat an early lunch. Leave hotel at 3:00. Flight time: 7:00-ish. Nonstop to PVD. Sam's parents will bring us back to our house.
Will pick up the dog on Thursday, unpack, etc.
Extra Info:
Does this sound familiar? There is a similar TR under scoobysmom (yes, my mom). And yes, I wrote it. But hated it. So hopefully, this one will be better (after reading many, many more awesome TR's, such as the ones by AlexandNessa, and bubba'smom, among others).
About my name here: Amanda Sparks is from a story I wrote in 8th grade. She is a teenage witch who saves the world with her friends, in addition to classes at Morrible's School of Witchcraft and Sorcery. There is also a sequel. Good times, good times.
So sit back
Grab some popcorn
And get ready to rock on!
p.s. Amanda Sparks is not a bad witch. That would be the villian in the stories, Haley.
ENJOY!
I'm a grammar Nazi, believe me (just ask any of my friends or family)! And now for some very sad news:
Very, very sorry.
We ate and played cards with Mom while waiting. Finally, they called our flight! We were allowed to preboard, as Dad can't sit towards the back of the plane (claustrophobia). We actually got the second or third row of the plane! 
We're on our way! Sam and I listened to our iPods and read magazines (mine). Sometime over North Carolina (I think? Halfway through the flight, anyway) we started playing cards again (with Mom). Gosh, it was a LOOOOOONG game of WAR we had going! Dad was diagonally across from us, reading the 7th Harry Potter book (lent to him by me, who read it in less than a week!). Sam had the window seat, then me, then Mom. When we began to decend, we looked out to see...FLORIDA! Wait, what's that? Oh, yes, palm trees! Now, you do NOT see those in N.E.! We were in MCO around 9:30 A.M. Not bad time at all! Sam called her parents to let them know that we had arrived in one piece, and we were on to my favorite piece of MCO-the tram thing! Yay! 
Luggage claim took a little while, but we got our luggage and went outside to get our shuttle to RPR! There were a few stops along the way, but we did get to go down I-Drive (my first time seeing it), and we saw some cool restaurants, shops, mini-golf, lots of cool things! Our arrival at RPR? Around 10:15. WHOOT WHOOT! It was BEAUTIFUL, and what was that? The HULK?! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!
We left the suitcases there, put on sunblock, got our passholders and room keys, and we were ready to go! Our family friends (the ones who were watching Scooby) went to USO/IoA previously this year for their daughter's dance competition (yes, I am friends with them), so they gave us their passholders! That saved us some money, so we were happy! (I still have mine with the key still in it, LOL. Great souvenir!) I had read here on the DIS that walking was a good way to get from RPR to the parks, so I insisted on walking (besides, the line for the water-taxi was long). We finally arrived at the "crossroads" and now had make one big decision: which park to do first? Sam said IoA, so I agreed, and we went left. She and I had our tickets from 
SOAKED! Then, we trekked over to Dudley Do-Right. I liked this ride. The first two smaller drops get you a LOT wetter than the final one, though! Also, I'm glad to have ridden it before they installed those dang LAPBARS! INJUSTICE! **Lapbar rant done** Of course, we just HAD to do JPRA after this. Gosh, this ride is so much FUN! The theming is great, as well. We actually got the front of the log, too! We then hiked back through towards POE. Looking at our dinner options, we decide on Confisco's. First, we headed into Suess Landing. First, Cat in the Cat. It was pretty cute, and definately zany and Suess-ish! Next, Caro-suess-El. Mom took pictures while the rest of us rode. Last was High in the Sky Suess Trolley Train. We rode the track that goes through Circus McGirkus. It was cute. Great photo ops! Dinner was between 5:30 and 6:00 P.M. Confisco's was nice, but the service was VERY slow (see a theme here?). The food was okay. After, we went to Lost Continent for those Henna Tattoos that I'd read about in Kelly Monaghan's book (great book, by the way! It really helped for this trip!). Mine was on my right ankle, and said "dream" in Japanese. Sam's was on her left wrist and said "luck" in Japanese. We were able to catch the rickshaw people on our walk back to the RPR. Much worth it. We went up to the room, and hung out for the rest of the night. We also called home to let family (Sam's parents and my grandparents) for the status report. Crawling into bed, we were happy, but tired. A great day!
We got the second row from the screen. That's right, SECOND row. Waaaaay too close. The effects were rather lost (well, at least on me). It was still cute, though, don't get me wrong. Especially funny were the preshow and signs (i.e. fastpass spoof, etc). The unanimous vote for next? ROTM! Of course, of course. This was our very first sprinkling of the mummy dust that I've heard about on the DIS, and we were all excited. So we put our bags in the lockers, and jumped in the EP line. Well, you know how they check the passes halfway through the queue? Well, the TM jumped out at us and yelled "EXPRESS PASSES!" He scared the ** out of us! 
LOL. Then, at the fake stop, Mom was like "I don't think it's quite over yet..." Of course not! ROTM was probably the best ride of the day. Onto SanFran/AMITY. Dad sat out Earthquake (didn't like it too much), so the girls went on. The preshow is long, yes, and not needed. The ride part was okay. I don't want to be in an earthquake now, though! (not that I ever WANTED to or anything...just saying...
I usually do horribly on these attractions (believe me!), and my score proved so. Not only do I not remember it, but it was really bad. Oh well! It was still really fun. We rode ET next. It was...strange. Very strange. Cute...but strange. Could possibly need a refurb? Time for our first Meal Deal Meal! Our choice was Food and Film Festival. It wasn't that bad. I liked that they were showing the Universal movies on the TV's. Then, we noticed that there were caricatures over near the lagoon. Sam and I got one done! It's hilarious. We STILL haven't framed it, but it's on my desk. Mom wanted to see the Animal Actor's show, so we caught the 2:15 show. It was really cute, but should've been longer! And the animals could've done more. The monkeys were adorable, though! It began to rain as soon as we got out (WHY US?!) so we ran for Mummy. Well, in the time we were in there (short short wait), rode the ride, and exited, the rain had stopped. Ok, cool. So we went on again! LOL. 
) We hiked to Lost Continent for our first spin on DD. We chose ICE as our dragon. Again, only the girls. Well, it was very jolting and discombobulating. I didn't care for it. I prefer to SEE where I'm going, thanks very much! I didn't want to do FIRE, so we left. Sam and I ended up going on Flying Unicorn. IMO, I liked this better than DD! 
NOT! LOL. The views were amazing from there. Then, we went on JPRA. SO much fun, as usual. But we were further in the boat, and didn't get wet! Neither did the people in the front of the boat! Also, the box wasn't working, the ultrasaur was down...needs a refurb! Now, it was dusk/twilight-ish, so we braved Dr.Doom and Hulk again. The views were really pretty! Ok, so I had my glasses off for Hulk, but still. Very nice. Around 8:30 P.M. (or so) we scuttled on over to USO again for Universal 360. This was an okay show. I did really like the projections on the buildings and the cool fireworks. We headed back to RPR (finally) and watched Fresh Prince of Bel Air until 11:30. Of course at midnight...
I woke up, and see that Mom had put streamers around our bed. Heh. We ate breakfast, and changed into our bathing suits. Around 9:00 or so, we headed down to the POOL! Checking in with a TM, we find Cabana #1! This is the one right in front of (or behind, depending on how you look at it) the hot tub. HOT TUB! We sat back in our lovely cabana. Sam and I checked out the pool and the ship. She called her family, and I talked to her twin sister, Courtney (identical, Sam's older by 6 minutes). She said Happy Birthday to me. Sam and I listened to my iPod on my portable speakers. Around noon, dad went to get the menu for the Bula Bar. They came over a little while later with our lunches. We ate, swam, hung out. Around 1:00...the rainclouds came. Doom and Hulk stopped going. Then...it began to...RAIN! We all huddled in the cabana, watching court shows on the TV. A very nice TM came over and told us that they are evacuating the pool due to lightening in the area, so we pack up and run off to our room. My BFF (another one of many), Aly, called at 3:00 (as she had promised me) to chat and say Happy Birthday. She really missed us! Then...the clock changed to 3:12 P.M. My EXACT birthday! YAY, I'm 14!
LOL. **off topic...forgot to mention, the hotel sent up a gift basket for me! It was filled with candy, a card from the front desk...and...a Dora the Explorer doll? WHAT?! I'm 14, not 4! My Dad even specifically said, "NO DORA." And what did they give me? Dora. So where is Dora now, you may ask? My dog has her! 
**Off topic-I KNOW for a fact that we ate lunch at Circus McGirkus in IoA. The thing is, I don't remember even GOING to IoA that morning! I seriously don't! Wow. Brain blockage at its worst! Anyway, off topic over...** But anyway, we rode Mummy again (5th time...) And the girls (Dad didn't want to) checked out Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue. I LOVED it! Sam LOVED it! Mom liked it. But what we really liked were Wolfboy and Vampire. They. Were. So. CUTE!! 
and it will be my birthday when we are there, although do not think i will tell anyone
