The FrenchFry takes on the Caesar Salad - DREAM COME TRUE GOT TO MEET PODCAST TEAM!

[irishdancer86]

Nice end to the day!

The hotel looks really nice. However, I do have to agree with your DBF. I love Hampton Inn's! But there is something to be said about being able to stay at your dream hotel.

Hard Rock was way fancier than our Hampton but I can see DBF's point, at Hampton we had a fridge in our room and a lovely free breakfast with fresh waffles etc, at Hard Rock we got charged $8 for a bottle of water in the room that DBF drank by accident when he woke up thirsty in the middle of the night, and breakfast was about $15 for cereal milk and a donut! that we ate with plastic cutlery as we walked to IofA!

 

[irishdancer86]

A perfect end to a perfect day

HRH looks lovely, shame DBF wasn't as impressed Looking forward to more

I think DBF had just got used to Florida and the Hampton and was really enjoying it and then i mixed him up again with the Hard Rock! he liked it but the expensive prices put him off a bit whereas I never worry about prices, oh dear, bad girl!

It was such a good day! and lovely to get a romantic meal by ourselves!

 

[irishdancer86]

Sounds like a perfect night! I'm glad both of you got to do what you wanted-- pool and RRRI! I love roller coasters but I don't know if I could do that one! Looks terrifying!
HRH does look beautiful but the price is pretty steep-- you do get terrific perks staying onsite at Universal, though!! Love the Express pass!!

Don't wear a flippy skirt if you decide to go on it, I was so worried about flashing I found it hard to really relax and enjoy the ride, and geeez it is a scary coaster...but exhilarating too!

The express pass, early entry and proximity made it more than worth the price for me as well as just the experience of staying somewhere so fancy but DBF can get a bit fixated on prices, I'm trying to beat it out of him! we're prob a good balance to each other, I need someone to rein my crazy ideas in!

 

[Cat0727]

I was watching videos of the Universal/IoA rides the other day, particularly RRR (although I didn't gather the courage to go on last trip I'm still interested in riding!) because I was having a Universal withdrawal! Ellen DeGeneres taped two of her shows there this week and watching her go on all the rides made me miss it

Horray for more Harry!

 

[irishdancer86]

I was watching videos of the Universal/IoA rides the other day, particularly RRR (although I didn't gather the courage to go on last trip I'm still interested in riding!) because I was having a Universal withdrawal! Ellen DeGeneres taped two of her shows there this week and watching her go on all the rides made me miss it

Horray for more Harry!

Glad your enjoying Harry, more to come from our second day when I realised I could bring my camera into hogwarts with me!

RRR was so scary I need another go to enjoy riding it because the first time I was just terrified! I hope you get to ride it!

 

[irishdancer86]

Hey folks!

I've just been in contact with memories by Betsy but as I'm typing this I'm thinking I better warn my mum not to read my trip report as there may be a spoiler in it!

I ordered a basket with 4 silver necklaces for my mum nana aunt and cousin, each with a little diamond mickey and their initial! a Disney pen each and a Disney photo album for all those happy memories! I am sooooo excited to surprise them, my granda and I are going halfers!

 

[Cat0727]

Hey folks!

I've just been in contact with memories by Betsy but as I'm typing this I'm thinking I better warn my mum not to read my trip report as there may be a spoiler in it!

I ordered a basket with 4 silver necklaces for my mum nana aunt and cousin, each with a little diamond mickey and their initial! a Disney pen each and a Disney photo album for all those happy memories! I am sooooo excited to surprise them, my granda and I are going halfers!

Awww that's such a sweet and thoughtful gift! Will there be pictures once your mum receives her gift?

 

[klacey1]

What a sweet surprise!! I love the idea of Memories by Betsy-- I'd like to have her deliver something for DBF when we arrive, but it'd obviously be easier (and cheaper!) to just pick up whatever he wanted at the parks ourselves-- even if it means no surprise!

 

[Stefy]

Hey folks!

I've just been in contact with memories by Betsy but as I'm typing this I'm thinking I better warn my mum not to read my trip report as there may be a spoiler in it!

I ordered a basket with 4 silver necklaces for my mum nana aunt and cousin, each with a little diamond mickey and their initial! a Disney pen each and a Disney photo album for all those happy memories! I am sooooo excited to surprise them, my granda and I are going halfers!

What a lovely surprise to have waiting for them

 

[irishdancer86]

Awww that's such a sweet and thoughtful gift! Will there be pictures once your mum receives her gift?

I've got the picture already, this lady is amazing! I am trying to decide whether to post it, I've warned my mum not to come on here but in case she sneaked that would totally ruin the surprise and I've probably already made her a bit suspicious, but she would never guess I'd arranged something like this! I am sooo excited for them to get it, and I can post it on here as soon as they leave!

What a sweet surprise!! I love the idea of Memories by Betsy-- I'd like to have her deliver something for DBF when we arrive, but it'd obviously be easier (and cheaper!) to just pick up whatever he wanted at the parks ourselves-- even if it means no surprise!

Her service has been excellent and prices were really really reasonable I thought, so if you had something in mind that your bf would really like the surprise element would be pretty cool, but like you say cheaper to pick it out yourselves plus he can pick something he really wants!

What a lovely surprise to have waiting for them

Can't wait! my nana and mum are so good to me so wanted to try and make their holiday special, the basket is so cool! I was thinking today of other potential surprises I could do for them, like maybe book and pay for a surprise ADR but don't want to takeover their holiday either, because they are on the quick service plan and have their days pretty much mapped out!

will post the photo as soon as they depart!

 

[Jazzabelle508]

great surprise

 

[stitch09]

Hey girl!

I know I'm way late in reading your trip report, and I'm only on page 3, but I wanted to comment on your love for Mountain Dew!! I am in love with it too! My mom doesn't like it when I drink it because she thinks it makes me even crazier than I already am, but I can't resist it's deliciousness!

Loving the report, and loving all the pics!

 

[irishdancer86]

great surprise

Thanks, I am so excited, my sisters think I'm totally bizarre for organising this but I know my mum nana etc will think its cool!

Hey girl!

I know I'm way late in reading your trip report, and I'm only on page 3, but I wanted to comment on your love for Mountain Dew!! I am in love with it too! My mom doesn't like it when I drink it because she thinks it makes me even crazier than I already am, but I can't resist it's deliciousness!

Loving the report, and loving all the pics!

Hi!

Mountain Dew is soooo good isn't it?! DBF kept trying to persuade me to drink water instead and I was like uh no I can only drink mt dew for 2 weeks of the year I'm not gonna waste any fluid intake on boring old water!

Glad your liking the report and the pictures, I wish I had kept a journal, but theres always next time!

 

[disneygeeks]

I have zero photos from our departure day until we reach Downtown Disney! A cardinal sin for a DIS-er I know, I guess excitement got the better of me!

Our aeroplane journey wasn't too eventful, consisted of Professor Lleyton on the DS and Breaking Dawn whilst Ray played a football game on his DS! Time seemed to go quicker than previous flights, must be getting better at occupying myself!

Ok remember when DBF was late to pick me up from work and then got his toiletries confiscated at security, well prepare for the momentous and terrible 3rd piece of bad luck!!!

Line for security was medium, we managed to get in the slowest moving line but about twenty minutes of queue-ing we were on our way to the Alamo centre...I had my little binder out and the greeter said to DBF

'O look how organised she is, thats so cute! all you need is your confirmation email and your driving licence!'

DRIVING LICENCE...DBF's eyes met mine in horrified silence!

All that planning and we forgot his driving licence...

I went outside and cried, just couldn't believe the holiday we'd planned for over a year was spiralling out of control...we rang home and mum said to go back in and ask would they accept a fax of the licence...so back in we went...and the manager said they would accept a fax BUT only from the Northern Ireland vehicle licensing agency! well this was Saturday evening and that office wouln't be open til monday morning so off we headed to the bus...

Mum told me when on the phone to sort out as much as I could and then just focus on enjoying the holiday! so a $50+ bus journey later we were the first stop and hopped out at our hotel where the lovely reception staff began to brighten up our day! man i love the american accent!

We jut dropped off our bags in our room which was cvery pleasant and headed straight back out...no car as we had imagined so we got the i ride trolley to sea world and then switched to a lynx to DTD, and after way too much writing ...here we are!

It was rainy, we had no car and we were late but we didn't care we were in DISNEY!!! So excited to be standing outside this store but we only literally had 2 mins to run through on our way to Raglan Road! and I never made it back! good excuse for another trip maybe?

And this is the only photo of me and DBF in Raglan Road, don't want to post any of the others incase they aren't happy about being on the web but there were 9 adults at one table and 10 kids and the waitress ran 4 tabs for the 4 different families and was absolutely astounding! and the food was delicious!

we sang along with the Irish songs and drank a few too many beers and vodkas but left just after 12 as we had been up for 24 hours!

NEXT UP: DISCOVERY COVE!!!

Just started reading your TR and it's great so far....Crappy that you left your drivers license at home but nice that they would take a fax copy of it....well take care and can't wait to read more

 

[IheartDDuck]

That's such a sweet gift that you ordered!

 

[disneygeeks]

Day 6 in Orlando:

We got up early and started the drive down to Tampa, DBF had to stop twice to stretch his legs as his knees get very sore when driving and when we eventually arrived at Busch gardens he followed the exact directions of the Sat Nav and we entered the Busch Gardens car park from a side road that meant no queue and no parking charge...very very weird!

We then went to join the huge crowd of people in front of the turnstiles, after about half an hour we reached the front, this seemed by far to be the hottest day of the holiday and we were roasted and very glad to have reached the end of the line, I have over my flexticket to the CM and he passed it through the machine, it didn't work...neither did DBF's, the CM Looked at our flex tickets and said...'Sorry guys these flex tickets don't cover Busch gardens, you need the 6 park flex ticket to cover entry to Busch Gardens.'

I was stuck by horrible realisation, normally with my mum Busch gardens has been on our flex ticket, but I had chose Busch Gardens as the add on option to my Discovery Cove Tickets...which were in the hotel safe in Orlando!!! I was in a total panic and explained the situation to the CM who sent us way back past all the lines to join the queue for the customer services house...45 minutes later, roasted alive with very little shade we reached the window for Custopmer Services, I told them our story on the verge of tears, I was so upset at my own stupidiy, cancelled out DBF's mistake for forgetting his licence for sure! Luckily they were able to verify our tickets online somehow and printed us out paper tickets that would allow us entry! Relief

By this time we had watch hundreds of people pass us by, the crowds were really huge so we invested in an express pass an additional expense of $45...and then rejoined the queue for the park which was another half an hour...a very costly mistake indeed!

So by the time we got into the park, my head was nearly away with the stress worry and heat! Mountain Dew got me refreshed a little bit...we enjoyed watching the massive croc but he was sleeping so w moved on to the elephants...their keeper was feeding them and giving a talk...

Oh dear...possibly the most gross photo of me evr! but also a true reflection of how I was feeling...

Our day consisted of about 6/8 rides:

Montu...a good rollercoaster

Sheikra, a really wide (maybe 10-12 seats across) rollercoaster that drops you straight down, pretty scary but nice and smooth

The log flume...DBF really enjoyed this

Kumba...an 8 loop coaster, both thought this was good, we wnt on twice

The Rhino Rally and edge of Africa both nice for seeing the animals.

Gwazi...both tracks, a wooden rollercoaster, I was feeling a bit sick from being so warm and this coaster felt like it was going to shake my brain right out!!! also just as we pulled back into the station, one of the trains got stuck, full of people, on the first hill, it was just so hot me and DBF both were worried they'd all be getting sunstroke if they weren't rescued soon.

We ate a mediumly ok buffet munch of pizza pasta and salad, was good to be airconditioned!

DBF tried a few fairground games...

This day just seemed like such a struggle after the bad start and the immense heat and neither of us felt it had been worth the long drive, but OTOH I think we would have enjoyed it under cooler more relaxed circumstances. Some of the highlights were a big brass band we watched playing Michael Jackson songs and spending time watching the white tigers!

We were sooo ready to go home at about 4.30 but we had arranged to meet my aunt and her daughter who live in Orlando and my dad's cousin who was in Tampa in business for dinner, so we ventured into Tampa and met up with my family. This was probably the highlight of our day...

We went to Maggiano's and it was great! Everyone on the table ordered family style, 2 starters, 2 salads, 2 pasta dishes, 2 main courses and 2 desserts and they brought ourt more of anything that the table really likes, I ordered a steak because I'm such a plain eater but it was great for DBF to get to try all this great food that we wouldn't normally choose, like chiken parm, lasagna etc. I tasted the garlic bread with Parmesan and the profiteroles and they were gorgeous! The wine was flowing, My dad's cousin is from New York and him and my aunt kept us entertained the whole night, a lot of laughter and my aunt paid the whole bill which was very kind of her, we drove home after a long day that had a really cheerful, good company ending!

My wife and myself went there in 2008 and at that time BG had a hospitality house that served nothing but different types of bud beers. Not sure if it was still there when you guys went but your DBF would of loved it being that he likes bud light and the excellent thing was that it was all free beer and you could have 2 to 3 glasses of each kind. I felt the same way when I got off of gwazi...it seems to feel like it's going to fall apart and shake your brains out all at the same time. Anyways enough of my blabbering...take care. Jeff.

 

[disneygeeks]

I was just watching a show here and they just reported that there was an accident somewhere in Ireland that 2 guys were stuck in a car and some guy came buy in a milk truck and dumped milk on the car fire and put oiut the fire and saved the 2 guys from dying in the car. Nice of the guy to do that.

 

[onescgirl]

Hi, I'm a little late answering, but yes, Lexi & Levi have read all the Harry Potter books. Brad has not read them & I doubt he ever will.
I've just bought the last HP movie to put in their Easter basket.

Looks like you had a great day at the pool!
Your Hard Rock room looks really cool. Is that a Twister Sister poster above the bed?

 

[irishdancer86]

Just started reading your TR and it's great so far....Crappy that you left your drivers license at home but nice that they would take a fax copy of it....well take care and can't wait to read more

Thanks for reading along! I've stalled a bit but only a little more to finish up...

My wife and myself went there in 2008 and at that time BG had a hospitality house that served nothing but different types of bud beers. Not sure if it was still there when you guys went but your DBF would of loved it being that he likes bud light and the excellent thing was that it was all free beer and you could have 2 to 3 glasses of each kind. I felt the same way when I got off of gwazi...it seems to feel like it's going to fall apart and shake your brains out all at the same time. Anyways enough of my blabbering...take care. Jeff.

DBF would have LOVED a bud beer tasting, I'm not sure if its still there, I'm leaning towards no because I think if it was he would've sniffed it out!!!

I was just watching a show here and they just reported that there was an accident somewhere in Ireland that 2 guys were stuck in a car and some guy came buy in a milk truck and dumped milk on the car fire and put oiut the fire and saved the 2 guys from dying in the car. Nice of the guy to do that.

I never heard that story, but anything's possible in Ireland! I recently lost my phone and some guy found it and rang our house got my address and posted it home, Ireland is a pretty friendly place!

 

[irishdancer86]

That's such a sweet gift that you ordered!

I'm about to post a photo, they arrived on Thursday and received it upon check-in!

Hi, I'm a little late answering, but yes, Lexi & Levi have read all the Harry Potter books. Brad has not read them & I doubt he ever will.
I've just bought the last HP movie to put in their Easter basket.

Looks like you had a great day at the pool!
Your Hard Rock room looks really cool. Is that a Twister Sister poster above the bed?

I'm continuing the trend with an even later reply, apologies, life as got in the way of my love for disboards!

DBF will likewise never read the books, he has just started reading novels for the first time in his life and is galloping through John Grishams, he likes factual type books where I like a bit of imagination! just bought him the Lincoln lawyer book as we loved the film, did you see it?

When we saw the last HP movie my little 5 year old god-daughter announced just moments before the closing scene, at the top of her voice...'This here is the bit when poor Dobbi dies!' she had already seen it and really loved Dobby, however I'm not sure our fellow cinema goers appreciated the plot revelation!

I dont know the Twister sisters...could be! I loved the decor and vibe of the resort!