FINALLY getting to my trip report... sorry guys... - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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FINALLY getting to my trip report... sorry guys...
Yeah, I just plain gave up on fighting the Universal photo guys, and I will remember to preorder the PhotoPass CD BEFORE I go the next time, so here goes, folks. Sorry about no photos this time.
I will give you the first 2 days as a bonus in exchange for no photos.
Before I start: P-Sha, what was the “Got Ears?” smiley code? I need to get that one for one of my Disney days for a very particular reason.
BJ’s First Trip in 3.5 Years, And Trying More Things Than Ever Before!--TR
Intro to me:
BJ, 24
Multiple-Trip vet of WDW and overall Disney freak! Donald is my favorite character, and my favorite rides are Test Track, Pirates, and Muppets! This was basically a school group trip, and had several firsts for me, including my very first time EVER inside IOA, a feat that actually impressed a few cast members!
Day 1: It is WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY too early!
My 4:30 alarm came far too quickly. It actually was 4:40 by the time I awoke, and I was immediately glad that I'd had almost everything packed the night before!! I immediately went and got myself ready for the journey, and then I left my dorm room and struggled down the hill (because my dorm is literally on the very top of this big, big hill) with my suitcase and my book bag. I was glad I'd had the idea to bring my book bag too because I had a much easier time of making it down the hill!
It was drizzling a little bit, so we loaded our suitcases into the bus and headed inside to the University Center, where it was warmer as well as being dryer. We also had to wait for a couple of folks, because one of the dorms had the audacity to hold a fire drill THE day we were leaving!
So, after we waited awhile, we got a short briefing/introduction and we headed out to the bus. Thankfully, it'd stopped drizzling by then.
So, while they showed that awful new Karate Kid movie (still an abomination to me that they remade that film), I read my new Universal Orlando 2011 book by Seth Kubersky and Kelly Monaghan from The Intrepid Traveler (using my iPhone as a booklight, LOL).
After I'd finished reading this book, it was a matter of watching The Princess and the Frog (decent film) and then we stopped for lunch. It was a Love's truck stop in Jackson, GA that also had a McDonald's in it!
So, after satisfying my immense McDonald's craving, I browsed the store a bit... and found something remarkable.
First, a bit of background: On this trip, my mission was to find really simple ways of saving a bit of money, basically seeing if someone could feasibly go to Disney, Universal, and the outlet malls for $50 per day (not including hotels or most of my meals).
So, when I saw authentic Indiana Jones fedoras for $20 including tax (about half of what you pay for the same hat at Disney), I found my first money-saving tip, and I stumbled upon it for all practical intents and purposes!
So, we all got back on the bus and got back out to I-75 (I'll be totally honest, I was never expecting for them to come this way, I'm far too used to going I-26 to I-95 to I-4 and not pick up I-75 in Georgia!), and started to watch Up (yes, it's great if you can get through the sad parts).
Then we got to the I-75 Florida Welcome Center. I'm perfectly willing to be wrong, but I don't believe I've been in this particular welcome center before.
I took the opportunity to snag a bit of free orange juice (remember, I'm going for $50 per day on this trip for the most part) as well as some free informational brochures with a bonus free awesome Donald Duck image on the back of the one free mag I picked up, "I (heart) Orlando" (which had my very favourite Sesame Street character, Grover, on the front, LOL), and got my trip report as up-to-date as it was at that point, and then turned off my phone, as my battery was on its last legs.
Then we got to our hotel, the Springhill Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista, and I took the opportunity to try and charge my iPhone just enough to get me through dinner as well as turn it back on (which sadly didn’t happen as I had planned it).
So, while leaving my iPhone plugged in, I left for an optional TGI Fridays visit (we were at the Crossroads shopping center, and I hit my second McDonalds that day), and didn't get back till nearly 11! So, after watching the WDW resort TV loop a couple of times and showering, I went to bed ready to officially start my vacation!
Day 2: Universal Orlando-bound!
Today's alarm came with much less of a fight, and my vacation is officially underway!
So, after some breakfast, we were off! My goal for today was to hit both IOA as well as CityWalk during our one Universal day this trip.
That goal was met but good today. So, my first order of business upon entering IOA (after getting the first of what would turn out to be many photo claim tickets throughout the day) was to hit the one ride that I would need a poncho for: Popeye & Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges. So, after acquiring said poncho for a mere $8, I steeled myself to get my poncho 100% soaked, which is exactly what happened!!! Didn't get the unsoakables soaked, so I'd consider that a success!
After that, the poncho hit the trash bins (so as to continue to avoid getting anything drenched), and then, it was off to the main attraction: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The place was absolutely JAMMED, but I snagged a Frozen Butterbeer (which was 100% delish, by the way) at the Hogs Head Pub, where I had to endure one heck of a nasty line, and then escaped the area with my dignity slightly intact and made my way back to the Toon Lagoon and the Comic Strip Cafe, one of the IOA restaurants that was covered on the meal vouchers we were using today, to have lunch. That was... interesting, at best. Food was nothing to write home about, but I did have both my lunch and my dinner there, so maybe it wasn't that bad either.
After that, I started to hang out more toward the Marvel Super Hero Island area. I must preface this next section of today's TR by saying that, knowing Disney had bought Marvel, it was really weird to see Marvel characters in a Universal theme park. But then again, it really brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart.
So, my first of many encounters with Earth's mightiest heroes on Marvel Super Hero Island was with Captain America not once, but twice!!
My first encounter with Cap was as he was greeting folks outside of the Marvel Comic Book Shop, and I remember having had to go around them! So, I decided to get a few character autographs & pics while I was at it.
I next decided to get my picture taken with everyone's friendly neighborhood Spiderman!
While I was in line to meet Spidey, I got to see a portion of the parade. Several families actually hopped OUT of the line to try and get a pic with Spidey right then!
One of the things I'd done was buy a couple of pens as well while I was at it, one for the "face characters" at Disney as well as Earth's Mightiest Heroes at Universal, and a bigger pen for the more cartoony characters to sign at Disney.
The autograph "book" was actually a spare reporter's notebook I had smartly brought with me that day, and made for one heck of a Spiderman character interaction!
Spidey told me as I walked up, "I thought you were a reporter for a minute there!" I told him that it was my autograph book, and he cracked, "Well, as long as you're not Eddie Brock, we're fine!"
(BTW, for those of you not in the know, Eddie Brock is the alter ego of Venom, one of, if not the best Spidey villains ever!)
After that (and after learning that all my years of using the ASL "I love you" sign paid off handsomely with regard to shooting Spidey webs), I hung around for awhile longer, and got a really incredible souvenir cup (PROTIP: the souvenir cup in question was made even more incredible by the $0.79 + tax refills).
After awhile, I watched the little parade on Marvel Super Hero Island and then got my final interaction with two of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Rogue and Storm.
Storm was incredibly nice, and Rogue was a bit soft-spoken. And BTW, my pose in the pic was actually borne out of a little tang soo do training as well as a lot of tae kwon do training. I never knew that would come in handy in that fashion, LOL.
So, after that I had a nice dinner at Comic Strip Cafe and then started for the exit. After looking for a restaurant in Seuss Landing and for a specific Universal pin (which I never found; I was looking specifically for a Nickelodeon Studios pin), I hit the exit and took in an 80s cover band called Switch at CityWalk and browsed a couple of shops.
Right before I left for our bus, a very nice blonde woman passed me and raised her beer cup, and I said, "Hey, how are you guys?". I figured out just as soon as her group left that the blonde woman was what I thought to be a PassPorter board member! If that WAS you, my sincere apologies! I was pretty far gone at that point, and while I thought that I recognized you, I wasn't at my most optimal, and I may have been a little bit loopy at that point!
So, shortly after that, I made my way back to our group's bus and wrote my trip report for that day.
After returning to the hotel, I got the sofa bed I'm sleeping on for the duration of the trip ready, hit the shower, and conked out, preparing for my first Disney half day tomorrow.
Up next: Whoa, that VideoWave system is TOTALLY WICKED!! And a really amazing happening on Pirates too, which made my trip...
Great start! And I am SO with you on the Karate Kid remake. I refuse to see it. I'm absolutely offended by it (lol) because the original was MY movie, and it does NOT need to be redone or revamped or anything of the sort.
With that said, I love your TR so far! I'm going to WWOHP in Feb and I'm so nervous it's going to be dreadfully packed, and will ruin my experience. I hope that's not the case!
Great start! Can't wait to read more! I can never sleep the night before we leave, glad you were able to sleep!
Yeah, I slept rather well, once I actually GOT there! I tend to have a rather hard time actually getting to sleep anyway, and especially right before I leave...
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great start!
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Great start!
Thanks.
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Originally Posted by Principessa_di_Fata
Great start! And I am SO with you on the Karate Kid remake. I refuse to see it. I'm absolutely offended by it (lol) because the original was MY movie, and it does NOT need to be redone or revamped or anything of the sort.
With that said, I love your TR so far! I'm going to WWOHP in Feb and I'm so nervous it's going to be dreadfully packed, and will ruin my experience. I hope that's not the case!
Why, thank you! Yeah, I was so abhorred that Jackie Chan was Miyagi and Jaden Smith was Ralph Macchio's character in that movie. I'm sorry, that movie really did stink, and you are right not to watch that movie. EVER.
As far as WWOHP goes, if it is as packed in February as it was in October, I'd actually stay in that area ALL day. You'll stand in lines even in the Hogs Head Pub even for something as simple as a Butterbeer because people want to take video of the hog's head in the pub. I am SO not kidding when I say that. There was actually a Harry Potter superfan in our group that basically stayed in that area all day.
Also, I would at least try to recommend that if you are going to go to Universal/IOA, even for a day, I would actually recommend that you get a room at one of Universal's on-site hotels, even if Universal (in their infinite wisdom) didn't have Forbidden Journey as a Universal Express ride when I was there.
Staying as far off-site as I did, I actually felt like by the time we actually got to Universal/IOA, the place was already jam-packed, and the E-ticket at the Wizarding World (The Forbidden Journey) was already a 90 minute wait at that point. I don't personally recommend staying anywhere near where I stayed (Springhill Suites Orlando/Lake Buena Vista Marriott Village) if you are going to go to BOTH Disney AND Universal/IOA. I would actually personally recommend, if you are going to stay off-site to Universal, that you get there about 30 minutes to an hour BEFORE park open so that you can be one of the first regular park people back there if need be.
Anywho, sorry I went so off there, but that crowding in WWOHP was pretty bad, and I'd probably need way more time (and way fewer crowds) to really explore that part of the park.
I may have my next day by Sunday, so as to give those of you who need it time to read all of that info.
Day 3: Outlets + Disney!
Woke up and got a really measly breakfast in the hotel and then made it to the outlet malls after a trip to Wal-Mart and a slight ticket mishap.
Went to several different places, including my first ever trip to Five Guys (and my first ever bacon cheeseburger) and a trip to the Bose store, where I got to see the Bose Theater Show featuring the new Bose VideoWave system! STILL picking my jaw up off of its permanent spot on the floor! I've seen that show one other time since, and it was just as incredible!
Then, it was finally time to go to Disney!! So I tried to go from MK to DHS via Epcot, going for the first time ever on the IG walkway, and somehow found myself at Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf...
In any event, I eventually found my way (after swearing that I'd take the boat back to Epcot) to DHS, and went to Indy after getting a PhotoPass photo.
Indy was fun as it always is, and then I went to see the AIE finale show. Oh man, that was so cool!!! I really liked Maria from Puerto Rico, but a sultry songstress named Kristin Rose (who had a combination of Janis Joplin's and Ann Wilson's voices, as unlikely a combo as that sounds) was the winner, though neither my seatmate nor I voted for her.
My seatmate actually got the honor of screaming "What are you talking about, judge?" to the "Simon" character. The "Randy" character was way too negative and was not impressed by any of the contestants' performances (and I remember booing Randy quite a bit... My limited training in theatre came in really handy projecting my boos to the right places! ). The "Paula" was quite blonde and quite complimentary, and I only booed her once to my recollection.
Of course, I think I'll audition for AIE on an upcoming trip, but I wanted to see the show first!
So, after that, DHS closed, and I made my way to the DHS boat dock. I had a little time, so I chatted up the two nice ladies behind me. They were on their way to Boardwalk's ESPN Club to watch their beloved Phillies play. They were both from Pennsylvania, but one of them had a connection with Asheville, NC: One of their friends, who the one lady hadn't spoken with in a number of years, was the owner of The Laughing Seed, a vegetarian restaurant in Asheville I've been to at least once!!
So after that, I got back to Epcot, and then made my way to MK. Of course, I made a total beeline for Cosmic Ray's and my first-ever time seeing Sonny Eclipse. After eating, I went to take in a bit of Main Street USA and then went and got myself a Dole Whip (my fave dessert treat at WDW, sorry Mickey Bar fans)!
And then, the best possible thing happened. I took the opportunity to ride Pirates during Wishes... And I got a full boat to myself!!!! Man, was I ever thrilled to have that happen!!
And then I took in MSEP. I had tears of joy coming down my face the entire time!
After that, we got out of MK, and I immediately went to bed after my return to the Springhill Suites LBV.
Up next: A near mirror image of a previous trip to Epcot (at least meal-wise), and waiting a looooooooooooooooooooooong time on TSMM...
Yes, it indeed was! Having to mess with exams, so maybe I'll go ahead and post the final two days tonight when I've just had to deal with two in a day, one being really, REALLY early!
Day 4: Disney ALL DAY!
I woke up with the realization that this amazing trip was coming to its end far, far too soon.
Once we got to Epcot, I immediately took a bus back to MGM to take in a few that I missed the day before, but not before I got some PhotoPass photos.
After dodging Mulch, Sweat, & Shears's moving (bad pun, sorry) preshow, I got over to Muppets. I have to say, it was the first time I saw the entire preshow (or close to it), and it is really interesting that I'd never seen the construction Muppet Whatnots before.
After seeing MV 3-D, I stopped into the Stage 1 Company Store (which will REALLY benefit from that rumored Muppet Whatnot Workshop, because there was VERY little Muppet stuff to be had, and the awning DOES say "Muppet Stuff" on it, but there was far more Disney & Star Wars stuff than Muppet stuff) and getting one Star Wars C5 pin they still had left over and my first Vinylmation (Beaker, of course!!), I made my way over to TSMM, which had a 80 min wait! Gah! So I got into the line because it's my personal policy to never use FastPass my first-ever time thru an attraction.
Saw the Mr. Potato Head barker (which is nothing short of impressive, by the way), and then got on the ride after standing behind a couple of dopey families that didn't speak much English, and they didn't have much control over their small children, either.
First score on TSMM was over 104000, but with < 30% accuracy, so not too bad for my very first time, right? And BTW, I was really happy I got on when I did because the wait when I exited was 120 mins!
After that, it was a matter of dodging MSS again and getting my sorry rear end out of the park! Managed to catch the boat to Epcot, and then, after entering the park, I went right and made my way to The Gran Fiesta Tour, being sorely tempted by the food booths!! And the wait wasn't that bad either! I was in a "front row trivia winner's boat" where the “winners” were wearing Mickey ears... :gotears:
After experiencing one of my new favourite rides (for obvious reasons, bc The Three Caballeros is one of my very favourite Disney movies ever), I went and spent the rest of my day in Future World. After hitting the Electric Umbrella for the first time in 10-11 years, I went to the Character Spot. BTW, I tried to get a pic w/ Donald twice that day, but the Photopass gods weren't smiling on me, no PP at Mexico nor at Epcot Character Spot!
After that, I went to Club Cool to try and get another Build-A-Cup filled with frozen Coke, but the lady said they didn't make them anymore. Not sure about Goofy's Candy Company, tho, as I didn't go there this trip.
So I got a regular cup with frozen Coke & hit SSE for the first of 2 times today. It was SO WEIRD for me to see a line, much less a wait for SSE! I walked on the previous few times, so I was kinda surprised.
After that (and after getting the video postcard sent to me), I went thru Innoventions, which wasn't terribly much (sadly, Toon Tag is no more ), and hit Test Track!
Test Track had more brakes than ever on my trip, surprisingly, and I think that this is the fastest I've ever gone on TT's outer part as well! Not too bad, and I got a diecast model of the TT ride vehicle for myself as well! Score!
After that, the next place I went was to my most-anticipated attraction on this trip, CAPTAIN EO!! That show was FANTASTIC.
I'd told the CM at the EO merch cart as I got my most expensive souvenir on this trip (a Captain EO winter hat) that EO was the only reason I had made it over to Imagination at all, especially since the Dreamfinder was no longer there, and she told me something I'd actually never heard before (I know, imagine that!!).
She told me that Imagination was going to undergo refurb in January and (fingers crossed) we'll get to keep Captain EO as well as get the Dreamfinder back!!!
So, after that, I went to check on the Soarin' wait time, and 70 minutes is just too doggone long to wait sans single rider lines. So I went to Living With The Land, because it had a 5 minute wait time! SCORE!
I barely waited even that time, it was basically a walk-on for all practical intents & purposes!
And after that, I went to eat at Sunshine Seasons Food Fair for the first time in 10-11 years! I had a delicious Key Lime Pie that I was sorely tempted to eat first, some chicken legs (my favourite way to eat chicken), a tiny bag of baby carrots, and some mashed potatoes.
After that, I went to Mouse Gear, which was still under refurb when I was there, and after that, I hit SSE for one last time that day and left Epcot and felt like I never wanted to leave. My legs and feet, however, were altogether too glad to leave, LOL!
Day 5: Over far, far too soon...
Yes, it's true: I'm leaving WDW as I write this on my iPhone.
But thankfully, there was a coffee shop near my hotel that served Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos, so that took at least part of the ache away.
So, on our way back we watched several films and stopped for lunch at Lake Park, GA (McDonald’s again, LOL).
We also stopped for dinner at a Burger King in Clayton, GA that was totally deserted save for our group and the employees, and finally got back to Cullowhee at almost 10:00 pm!! Aack!
I was SO glad I had had my computer in the shop, because I was in absolutely NO mood to watch my absolute favourite show, Castle on ABC (Monday nights at 10:00 pm). I headed off to bed and felt like I had had a wonderful trip (and cannot wait to go back again, LOL).
And this completes my TR! Yeah, it's fairly short, but whaddya expect when the trip is 3 days long for the actual trip?
I do have pics, but I'll preface that by saying I don't have very many. Maybe a couple that are remotely usable.
I think you did very nicely for your first time on TSMM. I this ride! I can't imagine a wait for SSE; that would have felt very strange to me, too. Sounds like you accomplished a whole lot in just 3 days. for sharing your adventure with us.
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If that WAS you, my sincere apologies! I was pretty far gone at that point, and while I thought that I recognized you, I wasn't at my most optimal, and I may have been a little bit loopy at that point!
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this ride! I can't imagine a wait for SSE; that would have felt very strange to me, too. Sounds like you accomplished a whole lot in just 3 days. 
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