Universal Today...Disney Tomorrow!

[cyberbox2]

Well we pulled into Orlando yesterday around 4:00pm to start our 9 day adventure. The rain started just as we passed St Augustines and didn't stop until about 6 or 7pm but we went to Universal Studios anyway. Hey when you have a schedule to stick to rain or no rain, we have to do it or loose it.

So after a few rides at U.S. including the Simpsons ride (which was a must do!) and a great dinner at Bahama Breeze we headed back to the Comfort Inn on Sand Lake and finally dosed off just past 1:00am.

I woke up to the sound of my iPhone alarm and looked outside immediately to find........A bright sunny sky

Can't wait to check out of this hotel (which was quite a nice place for $60 a night, beds were great and Cont breakfast in the lobby) and hit Islands of Adventure today. Margaritaville ressies at 2pm

Sometime after 4pm we'll head to DIsney's All Start Sport and check in to start our week in WDW and a three night Dis cruise following that

Life is good this week I'll post updates as I get time and a connection. And because of the new Photobucket app, I can not only post live updates from the parks on my iPhone, I can include photos too

Me and Krusty!

The Fam as we arrive at City Walk, a little wet.

Not bad for an iPhone camera!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

WooHoo! Live report! Thanks, cyberbox...great pics, fantastic looking family.

 

[drakethib]

Looks like a lot of fun going on there. !

 

[cyberbox2]

I know I like live reports myself so I like to contribute when I can
We ride front row on the Hulk in less than 30 minutes, either the end of August us a great time to visit or Fay chased everyone away!

Photos coming later today.




Via iPhone...while in line for Dr Doom.

 

[cyberbox2]

what is so amazing tome is that when we stayed at a $60 a night hotel near Universal we got free WiFi. But when I check into a Disney hotel (ok so it's only the All Star Sports) it's $10 for a24 hour period and even then it's not WiFi, you gotta plug in!

You know a little Disney magic here and there would be nice just you we don't feel like they are trying to squeeze ever last penny out of us every time. I can't be asking for to much here, I mean we are in a time where WiFi is given away.

So I said all of that to say that I wasn't able to post photos of our fun yesterday from my laptop in our room last night.

Guess I'll at some point have to give in a pay $10 just to update this thread. Today we are at MK. We had breakfast at the Poly with Lilo and Stitch. Now I'm actually on Space Mountain!

 

[cyberbox2]

For anyone who is checking in on this thread, I did indeed just pay $10 for some internet access, well I gotta do what I goota do to get online

We spent 13 hours at the parks yesterday between MK and EPCOT. It started with a character breakfast at the Poly with Lilo and Stitch then migrated over to EPCOT around 4:30pm for a 5 o clock ADR at San Angel. then we had to wait out a heavy rain and thunder show for about an hour after dinner Although we love the theming in Mexico, it was way longer than we wanted to spend in there. Anyway we then headed back to MK at about 9pm, rode the Mad Hatter and then secured a spot for Wishes. It was wonderful and magical of course. After that we made a fast break for the gate, to no avail we finally got to our car about 45 minutes later.

Today is our 'Chill' day we spent most of it at the pool and are now washing up for a 6:55pm ADR at Boma. Then we will surprise the kids with a round of putt-putt at the Winter Summerland course.

The breakfast in my opinion was nothing more than a shoneys buffett brought to you in small portions, and nothing special(I prdered the Tonga Toast and this by far saved the morning). At this place you are definitely paying for the atmosphere, which was awesome and the character interaction which was good too.

San Angel was really good food but what confused us is the fact that is was in no way mexican. The menu is very limited and again not very authentic. I had the roasted lamb which was very good and my wife and children had the chicken, but where were the tacos, burritos and enchilada?

Here are some photos of our adventures yesterday.

My incredible Tonga Toast!

The inside of my incredible Tonga Toast!

Mickey and Fam

DW and DS at San Angel.

My iPhone framed this one up!

Me in all of my P.O.T.C. glory...Yes Iam a pirate, 200 years to late

And last but not least, our fun by the pool today, no rain so far

 

[cyberbox2]

We ate at Boma tonight at the A.K. Lodge. We have never been to this resort and I must say it was breathtaking. From the minute you pull into the parking lot, the theming never stops and you really feel like you in Africa.

Now I can eat just about anything and love to try new foods. However I have an extremely picky DS who will only eat certain foods. I was worried that he wouldn't do so well.

We arrived for our 6:55pm ADR and were seated almost immediately. My DS and I went up to get in line and he started telling me how he saw things that he knew he would like, man did I feel relieved to hear that!

The food was great! the atmosphere was incredible and we all left VERY full.

After walking around the A.K. Lodge a little while longer, we surprised the kids with a round of golf at Disney's Winter Summerland. This place was also an incredible sight. We arrived and as we walked up to the counter, we heard Christmas music and saw all of the lights and snow and Christmas trees and all of the sudden, it felt like Christmas in August.

We paid our $11.75pp and got to it. Our DD loved reading each tip from the candy cain sign and we really got into the Christmas spirit. At the end we totaled our scores and low and behold, our DS got a 32 and when we told the lady at the putter return counter, she wrote him up a certificate and she wrote his name and score on the big board for todays highest score. We all walked away with a free limited edition golf ball, a candy cane and a pocket sized Sharpie for FREE, wow something for free at Disney. We really loved this place.

A.K. Lodge

Boma from the third floor

The kids

Winter Summerland

 

[LMO429]

enjoying the live report!!! thanks!

 

[CinderellasSister]

Thanks for posting a live trip report. Sounds like a great time so far. Can't wait to read more! Have a wonderful time!!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I adore AKL. Wish I could afford to stay there more often.

Did I say you have a beautiful family? Looks like you're having a fantastic time.

 

[backinoz]

This is great! I've never followed a live report before, and am so very much enjoying yours. Looks like we have another 'thing to do in WDW to add to our list' - mini golf @ Winter Summerland. It looks like it'd be at it's best at night - more 'magical'??

Enjoy the rest of your trip. Can't wait for the next update.

 

[cyberbox2]

Woke up later than we wanted to this morning in part because the kids were at the pool until 1:00am. Today is our last full day and we will be heading to Hollywood Studios.

We have a dinner ADR at Hollywood and Vine. Despite the mixed review on this place, I thought I would give it a try for myself and see.

I hope to be able to post photos of our day tonight when we get back.

A.K. Lodge was so incredible, we are all trying to figure out how to stay there next year, maybe we just won't get park tickets to offset the cost. Their really is enough to do in the resort itself to keep us busy for a week.

We always feel that because we are running for one park to another every day, that we totally miss just chilling out at the resort and using it to it's fullest.

 

[bcvdreamer]

Love the live trip report and photos. Enjoy your last day.

 

[cyberbox2]

Got to Hollywood Studios around noon. The weather was great, about 90, blue skies and white fluffy clouds. This would be the case for the while day. So once we got through the turnstiles, we grabbed a park map and zeroed in on Toy Story Mania. The wait was 75 minutes but we all agreed that it was a good time investment.

All through the line their was so much to look at and Mr Potato head kept us company with his BIG moving head, lips and arms. I would say it took just under an hour to get on the ride.

When it was over, we all loved it and wanted to get right back on, but the wait had risen to 90 minutes and we had other rides we wanted to make sure that we had the chance to do. Fast passes for Toy Story Mania were all out.

So while we were in the neighborhood we figured, why not pay a visit to Prince Caspian and see the newly redone Narnia attraction. The wait was only 15 minutes. The Meet and greet was nice but the attraction itself was nothing more than a big trailer (preview) for the movie and at this point the secrets out. It did let out into an area that had some original wardrobes incased in glass to look at.

From here we hit T of T and Rockin Roller coaster, had just enough time to hit the Back lot Tour before our dinner ADR at Hollywood and Vine.

We were seated almost immediately, drink orders taken and instructed to go ahead to the buffet. Now I must say that as I was walking down the buffet line, the food was looking real good. Needless to say, I loaded up.

I started with a caesar salad and it was a good average salad. I then moved onto my main plate and started with the penne pasta, this was not good at all and had some kind of after taste that I couldn't handle.

The rest of the food and desert was just your average Golden Coral/Shoneys buffet but at a Disney premium. Our total for the four of us was $104
All I can say is thank God we were on the DDP and as a result this meal only cost us a $20 tip and I can say that the buffet was worth that price.

Not much to say about the atmosphere here either, just your normal diner theme.

But after our Animal Kingdom Lodge experience last night, I don't think anything would have lived up to that.

So we left dinner and walked around a little, rode R.R. again
and headed over to Fantasmic. It was 8pm and the show started at 8:30. Cast Member were informing guests that Fantasmic was now at 'standing room only' capacity. At this point I whipped out my trusty, green Fantasmic dinner package card. This provided us a seat to the front right of the amphitheater. Their was no wind to speak of what so ever so the images on the water screen were very sharp. The show was great as usual but to beat the overflowing crowd level, we headed for the exit right before the fireworks at the end.

Jumped right on a tram and were at our car within 15 minutes of leaving Fantasmic.

We are back at our room now packing up for tomorrows departure and trip over to Port Canaveral. This portion of our vacation has gone by way to fast and as usual I'm trying to find the rewind button

I'm just thankful that we get to end our magical Disney vacation with a 3 night Wonder cruise. I don't know how picture posting will go on the ship but if I can I will update this thread.

Thanks to all that have peeked in on our 2008 Disney family adventure.

 

[cyberbox2]

WOW! This cruise has been So MUCH FUN.

We are docked at Castaway Cay Right now and we are getting ready to spend the day in paradise. Bike rides are first in our list. Last night was Pirate night and boy I really got into it. Pictures will follow, I promise.

The biggest thrill so far is the fact that we are on this ship with Zack and Cody, Mr. Mosby, London and the newest Disney cast edition Debbie Ryan. We all got to see the world premier of 'The Suite Life One Deck' and after that the stars did a Q & A I also got my picture with Ernie D, the Radio Disney DJ.

And to boot Mitchell Musso is here to and will be doing a show tonight. This is such an experience, they are all walking around this ship and just spendning time being kids and for the most part, everyone is letting them do that.

Last night my son was playing BBall at the court and was Blocking Mitchell.

AT .75 cents a miinutes I cant upload photos right now but when we get home I will update this thread with some awesome snapshots.

Their is so much to say but I better cut it off here, for now.

 

[Goobergal99]

I am sooo glad you wrote this, we just got back today and I was going to comment about how we saw Mr Mosby with his family at Aloha aisle on Wed getting dole whips... I didn't notice but he was with a disney cast member and the cast member insisted that he "pay" for their dole whips because he would need his money for the ship....

My DH kept looking at me and looking at him and I had no clue at all, when they walked away DH said to me and DD "That was Mr Mosby from suite life"

 

[cyberbox2]

O.K. I was wondering if any of the Suite Life cast made it to the parks before the cruise. Was he having a Dole Whip for Bob?

I can't even begin to tell you how awesome this 3 night cruise was. For me it seemed to last a while (which is always a good thing) of course it could always be longer but as much excitement as was going on, I just feel like we did enough to fill a week.

We had had a heads up (thats to Pete and the podcast crew) that the Suite Life cast would be on our sailing, but we didn't know for sure who it would be and how it would play out.

With in the first hour, by daughter comes running to me to say that she spotted Mitchel Musso on deck 6 walking around. Of course I doubted her simply because he isn't part of the Suite Life, but I said "Cool, lets try and find him again" Next we saw Brenda Song on deck 9 shooting a short TV spot with one of the ship officers about recycling plastic bottles or something along those lines.

The twins were spotted next playing video games in the Quarter Masters arcade on deck 9 along with "bob" the red headed kids in The Suite Life.

The next morning I was walking into the lobby on deck 9 and as I swung the door open, Mr Mosby walked out and thanks me for holding the door And I was like, "Hey your Mr. Mosby" to myself of course. at 4:00pm on Friday Ernie D (The DJ for Radio Disney) took the stage under the jumbo tron, at the Goofy pool area to announce the World Premier showing of the all new Suite Life on Deck After about 20 minutes of hyping everyone up, They played the show. When it was over all of the cast came out to do a Q&A which was fun. Afterwords it was time for dinner.

The crazy thing is that at no point did any of the cast try and hide or conceal themselves from the rest of the ship. For the entire cruise, we would see them all just walking around and doing their own thing. As we were walking to dinner at Parrot Cay the first night, we saw Dylan and Cody Sprouse with their parents waiting in line at Animators Palate for dinner just like everyone else.

Saturday after a fun day at Castaway Cay snorkling with the cast and bike riding with my family, Mitchel Musso put on a concert at the Goofy Pool stage with his band (which explained who these three other guys were that followed him around for the last two days) The music was surprisingly good and he sounded great. Saturday night was formal night and we dressed up and got nice portraits taken of the family. After dinner we went to Shutters and spend $100 bucks on photos I then hit the stateroom changed into more conformable cloths and took my book so that I could finish the last chapter up on the top deck, it was Tresure Island so I thought it was only fitting to finish it on the ship, in the Caribbean I just couldn't bring myself to call it a night and ended up wandering the top deck until almost 1:00am. turns out Mitchel Musso's dad needed some help locating his son and I told him the last place I saw him and then tried to keepo my eye out for Mitchel. As I was going to my stateroom, I saw Dylan and Cody still out on the top deck walking around with what I believe were 2 of Brenda Songs younger brother.

Sunday morning as we waited in line to disembark, we saw all of the cast at different times walk right by the line and off the ship, waving bye as they left. In the terminal they also got front row through customs and the guard checking them out wanted photos with each and every one of them.

Here are some photos of the cruise.

Look in the background behind Mitchel, who is that?

Hope this isn't to many photos, I have more if you want