12/1-12/5 trip- updated below

[Jridou]

Hi there. I'm usually just a lurker but I drove myself insane looking for trip reports before our last trip so I'm popping out to give one myself. I hope it helps someone.

This trip was me and DH (late 30's) DS (8 1/2) and DD (6) We left the 2 year old home with Nana. This was our 3rd trip to IOA and 4rth to US, the last being about 3 years ago.

We arrived in Orlando Friday night, rented a car from Hertz and drove over to the RPH. We stayed there once before when it had just opened (5 years ago?) and we were equally pleased this time. We had a AAA rate of $159 / nt for 2 queens, no view. (We were in tower 3, 4rth floor)

Check-in was very quick, and the front desk gave us passion fruit punch and lanyard / key/ wallet thingees. They were actually very helpful for our FOTL passes. Some kids got Loews sandbuckets, ours didn't, but didn't mind. Our Loews gift was the fruit basket and water, and even though we had to remind the front desk the second night, I think this is the best gift. It was 2 bottles of Fiji water (in an ice bucket) and a huge fruit bowl with 2 kinds of grapes, strawberries, 2 kinds of apples, 2 oranges, a banana and a pear. He seems appropriate there, I think.

It was dinner time and we were too tired to go to City Walk so we just went down to the Islands Dining Room. It was seafood buffet night, $35 for DH and $18 for DS. There were King Crab legs, shrimp, mussels. . . I'm not much on seafood but my DH and DS loved it. DD had the kids buffet ($4) with mac and cheese, chix nuggets, pb&j uncrustables, brownies and cookies. I had some kind of Thai chicken and veggie dish, it was easily enough for 2 people. There were Hula dancers and they invited DD to dance with them and taught her a dance. She followed them throughout the restaurant "performing" and later listed that as one of her trip highlights.

I'm going to make sure this posts properly and then post each day separately (as my attention span allows) I'm happy to answer any questions, too.

 

[Jridou]

For our first day (Sat) we went to IOA. We had stopped at Goodings on International Drive and bought cereal which we ate dry out of the box, along with coffee from the little machine in the room. None of us are big breakfast eaters anyway.

We actually got up at 6am, when the alarm clock went off. What a rookie mistake, not checking the clock. It's a tricky clock though, without an indicator light, so check carefully.

We caught the water taxi and were at the front gates by 8:35. We picked up our tickets ($85 deal) from the kiosk and went to the front gates. There was a short line to get in, and they actually picked the kid in front of us to "open" the park. Posted opening was 9 but it opened instead at 8:45.

We went first to Suess Landing. We met the Cat in the Hat in front of Confiscos (he's pretty cheeky!) did Cat in the Hat ride (2X) Carosel (2X) the trolley (just once, pretty lame IMHO) There were no lines for any of those attractions. We moved over to Spiderman, (my fave IOA atraction, but not a kid favorite) We wandered by Pterndom flyers, there was a 20 minute wait, so instead the kids just played in the dinosaur playground for 1/2 hour while I checked on my baby (who did great without me for the first time, btw!)

We made our way back to Suessland, this time with bathing suits on. We did 1 fish 2 fish (2X) and then Pluto bilge barge. DD was too short for Dudley Do Right and neither kid wanted to do Jurasic Park.

I had bought DS some dramamine when he got nauseus on our first ride (cat in the hat) and it made him very cranky and tired. He started falling apart on Pluto and he never really pulled it together again that day.

We changed back into dry clothes and DD did Flying Unicorn. This was our first line of the day (all of maybe 5 minutes) because it had just opened at 11. She would have riden that all day. We killed a little time talking to the fountain (too funny that fountain!) and were off for our noon ressies at Mythos.

Seriously, are you amazed at how much we've done by noon? We've done by now everything (and some things twice) that DD was tall enough for and DS wasn't afraid of (and some he was)

We'd been to Mythos before, and enjoyed it again this time, but (and sorry) I don't think it's *all that* My pad thai was good, my DH's steak sandwich was good (although the chips were excellent) and my kids had fish shaped ravioli, drowning in butter. Total bill with AAA discount and tip was about $50. We ate outside, which was nice, although those tables put off a glare.

So now it's 1 :30. Dh takes a very cranky and sleepy DS cack to the room. DD does 2 more rides on Unicorn (first car, no hands) that spin-ny ride by Spiderman and meets Thing 1 and thing 2, Captain America, Spidey, the Grinch and Betty Boop. (not all in one placce, obviously)

We just missed the boat so we took a rickshaw back to the hotel. We swam for a few hours, showered and had dinner at Amigos on International drive (a steak fajita platter for 2, a cheese quesadilla and some combo platter, along with a yummy sangria margarita, total about $40) We went to Walgreens in search of non-drowsy dramamine and were in bed, asleep by 9.

Tomorrow: Universal Studios!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Thanks for the trip report! This section used to be a lot more bumpin' a few months back but I guess we all get tired of writing. I'm guilty of it too. haha

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your report ~ Thanx for posting.

 

[Katy]

Great report. Thanks for posting. I check everyday here for a trip report and was very excited to see one. I'm definately going to write one when I get back in January. Keep them coming. Sounds like you had nice weather!

 

[Melisa1]

Great report - look forward to the rest!

 

[Jridou]

In retrospect, we should have done US before IOA, and worked up to the larger rides, but we wanted to take advantage of the better weather for IOA (although it turned out to be nice both days)

We slept a little later on Sunday and ate more cereal and our yummy fruit basket. We waited a little longer for the boat launch that day, and by the time we arrived at US at 8:50, it was open.

We hightailed it over to Shrek 4D which I thought was fantastic. (It was new since our last visit) We then did Jimmy Neutron twice. There were no lines for any of these, and we were finished there before 10 am. We made our way to MIB which we did probably 5 times in a row, without waiting. I'm pretty much stuck at 225,000 points. Ds did get 260K once, making us galaxy defenders.

My advice: We had a hard time fitting our backpack into the free locker. Actually, I guess that isn't really advice is it? Here's a tip, locker area 7, all the way to the right is less crowded and it's easier to get your bag back within the 40 free minutes.

We had an icee and then stood in a very long line at the funnel cake place to be told they were out of diet coke. I think that may have been the lonly line we stood in all day!

Next was Mummy ! I was terrified, but absolutely loved it. I would have like to go with someone but DD was too small and DS was afraid. DH and I baby swapped, alhough in retrospect I wish we'd riden together and let DD and DS wait in baby swap. for everyone on the fence about Mummy: do it ! the roller coaster part is nothing worse than space mountain.

I want to go get my map so i can try to remember the rest of our day (I'm so anal about keeping things in the right order!) Later !

 

[mumzie2three]

I am loving your report! We are taking two kids (close in age to two of yours) in April for their first time.
Can you leave kids in the swap rooms? Are there attendants in the rooms? That might be what DH and I will do when we go on Mummy.

 

[Lady V]

I am loving your report! We are taking two kids (close in age to two of yours) in April for their first time.
Can you leave kids in the swap rooms? Are there attendants in the rooms? That might be what DH and I will do when we go on Mummy.

no-you must have someone in there to watch your child. The main idea behind child swap is that only one parent actually has to wait in line. so once the first parent has gone the other parent can go right on and then the first one watches the child. Hope that made sense.

 

[silverhaze269]

Thanks for your trip report! It's getting me excited. I'm leaving the land of snow and ice in 3 more days for USO and I can't wait!

 

[tlinus]

Thank you for the trip report!! I SO miss IOA/US. We were there 10-19 thru 10-23 and won't be back until last week of August 2007.

The only issue we had while there was the PACKED US because of HHN. But we still mamaged to do alot of rides.

Keep the report going!

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

great report thanks. we go in February, 1st time at RPH. How far is the walk from park to RPH? rather than waiting for the launch.

 

[Disney owl]

thanks for sharing

 

[Jridou]

great report thanks. we go in February, 1st time at RPH. How far is the walk from park to RPH? rather than waiting for the launch.

It's about a 15 minute walk. We've done it in the past when we traveled with a big-ol double stroller we didn't feel like unloading and collasping for the launch.

On the way home thou, we were always WAY too tired to walk anyway.

 

[lindalinda]

Thanks for the report.