'Twas the Week Before Christmas... Done & where to find us next!

[PrincessV]

No! Was he feeling okay

I wondered the same thing - I even took his temperature, lol!

I took a long hiatus away from the DISboards and dropped all the TRs I was reading like a bag of flies. (Did that metaphor work?)

Unfortunately, yes. HUCIFER! I'm so glad you came back - it's good to "see" you!

Oh, and I'm a huge Wolfgang Puck Express fan myself. Their food is excellent.

I keep waiting for the inevitable bad-ish meal there, and just hasn't happened!

I'm here and so happy you have another TR in the works.

Yay, thanks so much for joining in again!

The start looks good so far. The picture of your Mom and Leo is beautiful and you have great talent with your picture taking and story telling. It is fun seeing Leo grow through your trip reports.

Thank you! I just love going back through old sets of WDW pics to see Leo through the years; it's amazing how much he changes yet stays the same.

I bow down to your ability to embrace the rain at Disney. I am one of those guests who will hang at the resort until it goes away.. so... You're welcome!

I'll let you in a little secret, though... I HATE rain. HATE it! But, living with daily rain storms half the year as we do, I've just plain had to find ways to manage in it. We own no less than 10 unbrellas of varying size, 6 rain jackets, 12ish pairs of water sandals, and one pair of lime-green-with-white-daisies wellies.

Love Leo's new necklace.. great purchase!

He's worn that thing EVRY day since he got it!

Glad you had a great meal at Tutto... you'll have to hear about ours... I was so disappointed...

NOOOOO????!!!! What did my peeps do to you?!

The Condo?!?! HOLY COW!! It looks so beautiful, comfortable, homey.... it's tempting...

"Tempting" is right... it's tempting ME to sell my DVC points and rent at Reunion until I can buy my own piece of the pie!

V!

How goes it! I hope you and Leo had a fantastic Christmas.

GB! We did, thanks - hope you and the Biscuits had a great one, too!

I can’t wait to hear how this trip turned out. And I’m full on stoked that you brought the big camera! ROCK ON V! Great photos so far!

Thank you! Alas, I did manage some nice shots, but not all conditions were cooperative. You'll see.

DUDE. That condo looks BOMBDIGGITY!!! I smell a "Girls Only, it's T's 40th Birthday" trip in the coming future. Well, 2012 to be exact. Ahem.

Woooo hooty, I'm in! I'll even wait to turn 40 with you!

Tutto? *big, heavy, lusting, sigh*

Can I just say how wrong it feels eating there without you anymore, lol?!

For $129/night, you can't go wrong with that place, it's great!!!

Right?! I kept waiting for a catch - it felt way to good to be true! No catches, though; it was very nearly perfect!

 

[lovealldisney]

Hey V!
I'm so glad I saw you TR! You are my favorite TR writer here on the DIS! And Leo is getting so big! His looks are changing to he looks older than your last report. And that condo amazing! Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Yay V! I'm so happy you are writing another TR. They are so much fun and easy to read along with and feel like you are right there. You, your mom and Leo come across as very nice and welcoming people.

I love your "fireplace". I live in MN so that really made me giggle. But it's cold to me too when in the 20's so I don't think lighting that puppy up was a bad idea!

Great start to your TR. I love the photos so far taken on the good camera! DTD at night is really striking. Hooray for decent Epcot crowds! Cannot wait to read more!

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Thank you! Alas, I did manage some nice shots, but not all conditions were cooperative. You'll see.

Oooooo......foreshadowing! Nice!

 

[DisneyJo]

V your condo looks lovely, I can definitely see the attraction, may have to look into that if we ever go back, only downside I can see is we'd have to drive

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

V your condo looks lovely, I can definitely see the attraction, may have to look into that if we ever go back, only downside I can see is we'd have to drive

I used to think driving would suck, but driving back and forth to the parks is sooooooo much better, Jo. No waiting for buses, no sitting next to strange people... I love it!

 

[DisneyJo]

I used to think driving would suck, but driving back and forth to the parks is sooooooo much better, Jo. No waiting for buses, no sitting next to strange people... I love it!

Yeah but T I meant driving full stop, you know on the wrong side of the road with your silly stop signs and being able to turn on red lights It scares me

 

[annmarieda]

hope you don't mind another follower.... I thought I would say hi and not just lurk

I love the condo, BTW. I contemplating going next Christmas and I kinda wonder if a condo stay wouldn't be easier than one on property. It does mean renting a car though... but after our last trip and the bus situation...that might not be such a bad idea.

 

[PrincessV]

Hey V!
I'm so glad I saw you TR! You are my favorite TR writer here on the DIS! And Leo is getting so big! His looks are changing to he looks older than your last report. And that condo amazing! Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing

Hi! I'm glad you're here, and thank you so much for your kind words! Leo's looks are changing, aren't they? Gone is that baby-look, I'm afraid. He's all big-kid now!

Yay V! I'm so happy you are writing another TR. They are so much fun and easy to read along with and feel like you are right there. You, your mom and Leo come across as very nice and welcoming people.

Aw, thank you! We try for nice, but you're a long-time reader... you know we have our moments, lol!

I love your "fireplace". I live in MN so that really made me giggle. But it's cold to me too when in the 20's so I don't think lighting that puppy up was a bad idea!

THANK you! 20 is 20, right? It matters not what state!

Oooooo......foreshadowing! Nice!

LOL, thanks! Sadly, it's true. If you have tips for combating flat skies, I'm all ears my friend.

V your condo looks lovely, I can definitely see the attraction, may have to look into that if we ever go back, only downside I can see is we'd have to drive

Jo, it made for such a different - and amazing - vacation! Didn't you drive once when you were down? To do shopping? Trust V - the Interstate highway is much easier than the main roads around WDW.

I used to think driving would suck, but driving back and forth to the parks is sooooooo much better, Jo. No waiting for buses, no sitting next to strange people... I love it!

If it weren't for Leo's insistence on taking a WDW bus once in a while, we'd NEVER take them.

hope you don't mind another follower.... I thought I would say hi and not just lurk

Mind?! Never! Thanks for not lurking - not that there's anything wrong with that! - I love being able to actually converse with people between updates!

I love the condo, BTW. I contemplating going next Christmas and I kinda wonder if a condo stay wouldn't be easier than one on property. It does mean renting a car though... but after our last trip and the bus situation...that might not be such a bad idea.

It was honestly very, very easy staying off-site; no problems getting anywhere we wanted to be on time. I just read some reports about the buses during the time we were there and people were waiting HOURS for buses back to WDW resorts!

 

[AshClan]

I'm here! Thanks for the heads up, as I haven't been around the TR board (or the DIS) much at all lately!

Great start, V. Those photos are fabulous!! Can't wait to see more. Leo is so handsome....

Isn't that Werther's shop amazing?! I could, seriously, LIVE there. Yum. I just love caramel and chocolate. And pretzels and apples and strawberries...

You can add me to the list of WPE and Tutto lovers. We're trying Via Napoli in February (Maelstrom Meet!). I can't wait!!

Oh, and that condo looks A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! Still not enough to make me give up DVC, but I'm so happy you found such a happy home for this visit!!

 

[Sleeping*Beauty]

What a great Christmas present, a new V trip report!

 

[PrincessV]

Great start, V. Those photos are fabulous!! Can't wait to see more. Leo is so handsome....

Hiya Ash! Thank you!

Isn't that Werther's shop amazing?! I could, seriously, LIVE there. Yum. I just love caramel and chocolate. And pretzels and apples and strawberries...

UN. BE. LIEVABLE. Really, I jsut wanted to "check it out", but I was sucked in, hook, line and sinker!

We're trying Via Napoli in February (Maelstrom Meet!). I can't wait!!

Ooo, will you give me your review of it? We still haven't given it a try yet!

Oh, and that condo looks A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! Still not enough to make me give up DVC, but I'm so happy you found such a happy home for this visit!!

I admit, I was kinda torn... but then I added up what it would cost me to rent for the number of nights we use per year in villa-type accommodations vs. my DVC dues... it turns out, my best bet is to keep using DVC and rent the condo when my points run out, lol!

What a great Christmas present, a new V trip report!

Aw, thanks! Hoping to add an installment over lunch today...

 

[glennbo123]

Okay, I'm caught up. I'm so glad you brought the good camera -- your pictures are great! I like the one of the ornaments in DTD and the one of Leo and Gramma at Epcot (I think).

That dragon necklace is pretty cool. My son James would like that, I'm sure.

The condo looks really nice.

 

[PrincessV]

It was Day Two of our holiday trip, but it was no longer a “WDW” holiday trip… our plan for Dec. 19 was to explore Islands of Adventure, and especially the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWOHP). For the first time. EVER.

Can you believe that? EVER. I’ve lived in Florida almost 20 years and not once have I been to either Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure (IOA). Bizarrely, Gramma’s the only one of us who has been to Universal… but she doesn’t remember it.

So, for the first time in a long, long time, we were first-time park visitors. Yeah, it made me a little nervous; I enjoy the comfort of knowing there are few surprises left to me at WDW. V doesn’t like surprises.

But we weren’t completely unprepared – I’d spent some time on IOA’s website, judging the merits of various areas and rides for our group. And I’d spent lots of time reading the Harry Potter Crowd Report thread in the Universal section of the DIS. So I knew enough to have a rough plan in mind:

1. We needed to be there when the park opened to non-Universal resort guests. Which happened to be at 8:00 a.m. Ugh.

2. Sundays are currently the slowest day of the week for WWOHP. Sunday, Dec. 19 also happened to be the lowest crowd level predicted for our trip by Touring Plans, so that’s the day we chose for IOA.

3. Based on reports from others, we all three agreed not to bother with the endless wait for the wand-choosing show at Ollivanders.

4. Also based on reports from others, I knew the Forbidden Journey was a no-go for Gramma, who gets sick easily on rides, and Leo wasn’t sounding like he’d ride it either. So my plan was for us to stand in line when the wait was around 30-45 minutes; that way, we’d have ample time to explore the inside of Hogwart’s and I could give the ride a try.

5. Our focus would be WWOHP; when we’d had enough there, we’d check out Jurassic Park and the Spiderman ride.


So how did the plan work?

Well, for starters, we did not get there when the park opened. The drive was quick and easy; getting my fellow travelers up and out the door was not.

On top of that, I was totally unprepared for how much time it would take to get to a park gate. I chose regular parking, rather than Preferred or Valet. This will henceforth be known as “Steerage.” Steerage guests parked on the roof of what might be the world’s largest parking garage. On the Steerage roof was an elevator, but it said not where it went. All signs reading “To Parks” pointed toward an escalator. Which took us down a level, where more signs reading “To Parks” led us to another escalator, which took us down a level, where more signs reading “To Parks” led us to another escalator, which took us down a level, where more signs reading “To Parks” led us to another escalator… and so on, until we reached… a big ol’ round room. From which we boarded a conveyer belt that took us to another big room, from which we boarded a conveyer belt that took us to another big room, from which we boarded a conveyer belt that took us to… City Walk. We then had to hoof it through City Walk to the IOA gates.

Let’s talk about City Walk, a visitor’s first glimpse of the Universal/IOA park experience. It’s LOUD. Like, really, really loud. As in music blaring at top volume. As in the Marshall amps turned all the way up to 11. At 8ish a.m.

Listen, I get it – Universal/IOA is the hip, young theme park resort, whereas WDW is the mellow, family theme park resort. But really – at 8is a.m.? Justin Bieber screeching at the top of his hairy little lungs at 8ish a.m.?! Too much for us.

Things quieted down some, though, when we got to IOA to pick up our tickets. I’d bought FL resident annual passes for Leo and me online. The cost of these is less than two one-day tickets, and I was certain we’d be back before the year is out. Plus, I can pay for them monthly. Gramma just wanted a one-day, one-park ticket. This confused the heck out of the poor ticket seller, adding to our delay. Didn’t Gramma want to see Jaws? That’s in the OTHER park! No. Just IOA, please.


With our tickets finally in hand, we entered. And followed the directives given by the IOA staff to go left for WWOHP. But I’d studied the map, and going right was the shorter route! No matter, left was our only option. We circled through the superhero land and comic strip lane and passed through all of Jurassic Park. THERE! There was Hogwart’s, right in front of us!

Alas – so close and yet, so far. We were directed around the back gate into WWOHP, circling back up and to the right to the front gate. It made for a very long walk, but a better first impression, I must admit. We walked through the entrance to Hogsmead and, folks? We were completely and totally immersed in the place we’ve come to know and love through the amazing storytelling of J.K. Rowling!

We spent a good half-hour to 45 minutes just looking and shooting pictures. There was SO much to see! The details are just incredible. Adding to the impressive themeing, the weather could not have been better for experiencing WWOHP; it was chilly, drizzly and overcast. Quite the opposite of what we’d typically enjoy for theme park touring, but seriously – perfect for feeling like we were really in Harry’s world!


We eventually came up to the line for Forbidden Journey and it was around 35 minutes, so we jumped in. I’m going to skip ahead a bit here to explain something… we absolutely did not need to stand in the ride line to see the inside of Hogwart’s. Now, I’d been told here on the DIS that there is a secondary line that goes through the castle for non-riders who want to see it, but that it skipped a lot. That’s why Gramma and Leo stood in the ride line with me. The DIS informer was a little off; we went back later and did the non-ride line and it only skipped a few things – things that were really unimportant and not worth standing in a long ride line. And in the non-ride castle line, you can stop and really look and listen to what’s going on, whereas the ride line moves along at a pretty good clip through the very areas in which you’d want to stop for a few moments. I managed to grab some decent pictures form the non-ride line, so they’re in the following description.

Okay, back to the Forbidden Journey(FJ) line. It began outdoors, through the gate to Hogwart’s…

… and led into the castle entrance, where we were quickly informed that we were persona-non-grata…

The line then went back outdoors, through Prof. Sprout’s greenhouse…

That was actually the longest section of our wait; they pack a LOT of Muggles into that greenhouse! Once we got through, it was back inside castle walls, where we saw the latest House tallies and the entrance to Dumbledore’s office…

After that, it’s something of a blur – I can’t remember the exact order, but we went through the portrait hall, where the portraits of Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor were moving and conversing among themselves. Very, very cool!

We entered Dumbledore’s office, where we saw his pensieve and then – Dumbledore himself! We took the time to listen to all he had to say when we returned through the non-ride line… I highly recommend doing this!

Next (I think), we entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where we were met by Harry, Hermione and Ron…

… and on to a final chamber, where the non-riders exited the building and riders continued on to the Sorting Hat…

I continued on to the ride, while Leo and Gramma headed out. I wish I’d gone with them. But then, I wouldn’t be able to give my review here.

In a word… meh. I’d describe the motion as something akin to Soarin’, but on a moving track and with side-to-side motion added to the flying, swaying feeling. This is accompanied by INTENSE visuals of both the simulated (video) and real-life (animatronic) varieties. The technology is interesting, but I didn’t find it all that earth-shattering. But I’m an art history major, so what do I know? The motion made me very, very nauseous. This is important and weird because I have a cast iron stomach; hardly anything makes me feel sick. Why FJ did, I’m not sure, but it did. The storyline’s hard to follow, but there were lots of scary elements – dragons, dementors, he-who-shall-not-be-named… within seconds I knew Leo made the right decision. FJ would terrorize him! Leo has an extraordinary imagination; he’ll take something semi-scary he’s seen and mentally twist it into something altogether worse. This ride would have just about un-done him.

Still, I do recommend trying FJ and seeing for your selves. A lot of people rave about it, so it must be good for some! And you can rest assured that one less person will be taking up space in the line – me!


With my ride squared away, it was off to do some things for Leo…



Next: WOHP Part Two: a wand chooses Leo and we fly with the Hippogriff

 

[PrincessV]

Okay, I'm caught up. I'm so glad you brought the good camera -- your pictures are great! I like the one of the ornaments in DTD and the one of Leo and Gramma at Epcot (I think).

Thanks! It's heavy and cumbersome and a PITA at times, but worth it when the right shot comes out! Yep, Gramma and Leo were on the bridge in Japan.

 

[glennbo123]

Hey, I was caught up a few minutes ago and then in comes another chapter! Well, now I've read that one too!

Wow, it sounded like a pain to get to Hogwarts, but once you got there you found it to be a very cool and special place. Would the elevator have gotten you there faster than the myriad of escalators?

I haven't seen any pictures before of some of the indoor things you took, such as the Portrait Room, or Dumbledore's, or the Sorting Hat....so thanks! I think the Portrait Room would be really cool, I'd love to see it.

 

[Sooze]

Why I am I so excited?!?! Let me list the reasons:

#1 I feel SO much less guilty about not going to Universal knowing that you, someone who lives SO much closer it to it than I do, JUST did her first trip there. Thanks, V!

And, BTW, I HAVE been to IOA... Matt and I went there several years ago for one day. I have NO idea why... we were in the youth of our Disney obsession, so we were clearly confused! We quickly vowed not to return unless there was a very good reason to do so. And.. WWOHP is a VERY good reason to do so!

#2 The GOOD camera ROCKS!!! What AWESOME pictures! Totally print-worthy.

#3 The FABULOUS review of FJ. Thank you SO much... very informative!

 

[Sooze]

Oh.. and I forgot... The description of how you got from steerage to IOA is Hi. Lar. I. Ous!! Loved it!

 

[annmarieda]

I had to laugh at your description on how to get to the park from the parking lot at universal. It has been about 7 years since I was there...but I remember that same thing...and thinking..."ok we have to be just about there now".

WWOHP looks interesting. I really do think someday I might want to go... somday.... for now though I always seem to be planning my next WDW trip.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Ok, I am far from a HP fan but seeing your pictures makes me want to go see just because of all the detail! You are right, I bet the weather fit the mood perfectly. Great update V! Sorry the ride wasn't so hot but now it's on your "done" list.