We (me Ian - 28 and girlfriend Becca 26) are leaving from Manchester UK on Virgin, should arrive in Orlando 3.15pm local time. Staying the first week at ASMusic and the second at Hard rock hotel Universal. Its our 4th time in Orlando but only our second real vacation for 2 weeks as the other 2 were visits for 7 nights only. This was a christmas gift for Becca and watching her wait a whole 10 months for it to arrive has been like training our puppy all over again! From random excitement bursts to grade A sulking that it was a number of months away - She's took some managing!!
Big thanks to people in the dining forum especially for the great updates with Cali grill and BOG - Thanks to this forum we got reservations for both!
Will post a big trip report/photos when we return but below is our plans for the 2 weeks. Hope you all get around to reading the TR upon our return
Wednesday - Land, reservations at Portobello at 9pm after check in at hotel. Planning a nice margarita at the margarita bar at DD before our dinner and watch the sun set over DD lake. Depending on jet leg may have a wander around afterwards and just generally be happy to be there!
Thur - MK day, gonna be a LONNG one but we're a long time home so why not! Character breakfast at crystal palace 10am, the day at MK with lunch at BOG (hopefully) and then stay for MNSSHP. Never imagined a 26 year old would be so excited for trick or treating!! Where as Im really looking forward to Hallowishes!
Fri - DHS. General fun day at the theme park with plans to hit the major attractions before heading to DD for a reservation at T-Rex (we have heard great things and never tried it in previous trips) DD to break the day up a little. Head back to DHS for fantasmic after lunch. I have never seen fantasmic despite being to DHS twice before and cant wait!
Sat & Sun - Epcot food and wine. We have heard weekends are real busy, and hopefully strecthing it across 2 days will allow us to hit every both and complete the passports. Heard so many good things about this and is the joint reason with horror nights that we are going in October after being previously in Sept (x 2) and June.
Monday - Pool day. Plan to do not alot other than re charge our batteries a little during the day, and then in the night we have reservations for Cali grill at 8pm. Really hoping to get a window seat to view the fireworks and enjoy some good food and a bottle of wine
Tuesday - AK - The major attractions and especially the Lion King show. Lunch reservation at Rainforest cafe at midday with a plan to leave AK around 4pm to return the hotel and get ready for a dinner res at Chefs de france Epcot at 7.30pm. Story behind this is we really wanted Cali grill on this night as its our last night on Disney, but with the uncertainty of when it was opening we researched and decided that Chefs de france, and illuminations afterwards (after being showered and changed from the day) would be a nice way to end things. When Cali grill res opened up, we opted to book the monday as we had both talked ourselves into looking forward to our AK/epcot plans way too much.
Wed - Change to Hard rock hotel Universal for the last week. We have reservations at Hard rock cafe with a VIP tour including the John Lennon suite that night.
Thur - Universal Studios / HHN. Similar to the previous thur, another long day but why not! Hit the major attractions, really looking forward to the new simpsons area and trying a Duff beer at Moes, before grabbing some late lunch/early dinner and returning for HHN. Becca is petrified! Non stop youtube clips havent helped and she's already threatened my permanent relocation to the sofa should I let go of her hand once during the whole night! Hopefully wont be too busy and can hit most houses.
Fri - IOA. Becca again is a huge HP fan, so this is one of her favourite parks. Beauty of staying on site is that we can take an afternoon rest and return if we are feeling the effects of the previous long day.
Sat - Chill day at the hotel. Heard good things about HRH so planning on enjoying the resort and pool area before a bonus trip back to MK for dinner at BOG. Having tried daily for 3 months for a BOG reservation during our first day at MK, we had give up an decided that lunch would have to do. Then to our surprise park hours were extended and a 9.20pm reservation came up. Hopefully catch wishes and then hit BOG for some good food and a nice evening strolling around afterwards.
Sunday - Again chill day, plan to pop over to IOA again and do some rides in the evening at a slow pace, and just get some really good pics of WWOHP.
Monday - Busch gardens. Quick walk to wet and wild, i ride to seaworld and transport to Busch. We LOVE this park, and plan on doing the Safari and feeding the giraffes which is unreal! Back and possibly a drink/dinner at city walk.
Tuesday - Seaworld. Again I ride down to seaworld and really looking forward to Antactica. Have dine with shamu planned for 4-6pm before returning to Universal and spending our last night watching the fabulous cinematic show.
Wed - we return home, overnight flight into thursday morning with yours truly back in work the following day (friday). There will be some serious holiday blues but hopefully recapping it all with a big trip report will get us through the first few days home.
See you all soon
Big thanks to people in the dining forum especially for the great updates with Cali grill and BOG - Thanks to this forum we got reservations for both!
Will post a big trip report/photos when we return but below is our plans for the 2 weeks. Hope you all get around to reading the TR upon our return
Wednesday - Land, reservations at Portobello at 9pm after check in at hotel. Planning a nice margarita at the margarita bar at DD before our dinner and watch the sun set over DD lake. Depending on jet leg may have a wander around afterwards and just generally be happy to be there!
Thur - MK day, gonna be a LONNG one but we're a long time home so why not! Character breakfast at crystal palace 10am, the day at MK with lunch at BOG (hopefully) and then stay for MNSSHP. Never imagined a 26 year old would be so excited for trick or treating!! Where as Im really looking forward to Hallowishes!
Fri - DHS. General fun day at the theme park with plans to hit the major attractions before heading to DD for a reservation at T-Rex (we have heard great things and never tried it in previous trips) DD to break the day up a little. Head back to DHS for fantasmic after lunch. I have never seen fantasmic despite being to DHS twice before and cant wait!
Sat & Sun - Epcot food and wine. We have heard weekends are real busy, and hopefully strecthing it across 2 days will allow us to hit every both and complete the passports. Heard so many good things about this and is the joint reason with horror nights that we are going in October after being previously in Sept (x 2) and June.
Monday - Pool day. Plan to do not alot other than re charge our batteries a little during the day, and then in the night we have reservations for Cali grill at 8pm. Really hoping to get a window seat to view the fireworks and enjoy some good food and a bottle of wine
Tuesday - AK - The major attractions and especially the Lion King show. Lunch reservation at Rainforest cafe at midday with a plan to leave AK around 4pm to return the hotel and get ready for a dinner res at Chefs de france Epcot at 7.30pm. Story behind this is we really wanted Cali grill on this night as its our last night on Disney, but with the uncertainty of when it was opening we researched and decided that Chefs de france, and illuminations afterwards (after being showered and changed from the day) would be a nice way to end things. When Cali grill res opened up, we opted to book the monday as we had both talked ourselves into looking forward to our AK/epcot plans way too much.
Wed - Change to Hard rock hotel Universal for the last week. We have reservations at Hard rock cafe with a VIP tour including the John Lennon suite that night.
Thur - Universal Studios / HHN. Similar to the previous thur, another long day but why not! Hit the major attractions, really looking forward to the new simpsons area and trying a Duff beer at Moes, before grabbing some late lunch/early dinner and returning for HHN. Becca is petrified! Non stop youtube clips havent helped and she's already threatened my permanent relocation to the sofa should I let go of her hand once during the whole night! Hopefully wont be too busy and can hit most houses.
Fri - IOA. Becca again is a huge HP fan, so this is one of her favourite parks. Beauty of staying on site is that we can take an afternoon rest and return if we are feeling the effects of the previous long day.
Sat - Chill day at the hotel. Heard good things about HRH so planning on enjoying the resort and pool area before a bonus trip back to MK for dinner at BOG. Having tried daily for 3 months for a BOG reservation during our first day at MK, we had give up an decided that lunch would have to do. Then to our surprise park hours were extended and a 9.20pm reservation came up. Hopefully catch wishes and then hit BOG for some good food and a nice evening strolling around afterwards.
Sunday - Again chill day, plan to pop over to IOA again and do some rides in the evening at a slow pace, and just get some really good pics of WWOHP.
Monday - Busch gardens. Quick walk to wet and wild, i ride to seaworld and transport to Busch. We LOVE this park, and plan on doing the Safari and feeding the giraffes which is unreal! Back and possibly a drink/dinner at city walk.
Tuesday - Seaworld. Again I ride down to seaworld and really looking forward to Antactica. Have dine with shamu planned for 4-6pm before returning to Universal and spending our last night watching the fabulous cinematic show.
Wed - we return home, overnight flight into thursday morning with yours truly back in work the following day (friday). There will be some serious holiday blues but hopefully recapping it all with a big trip report will get us through the first few days home.
See you all soon
