Canadian Buffoon's Semi-EPIC Vacation - 10/29 - Link to new TR!

[afwdwfan]

Hope things are better than now than when the trip started!

 

[buddha112]

LOOKS LIKE A FUN TRIP

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Yikes. Looks like a rough start. Hope things are rapidly improving!

 

[franandaj]

Holy crap...
I'd just changed my very
expensive Universal tickets
for an Annual Pass.
A Seasonal Annual Pass...
With blackout dates.

Ooops! Good thing there was nothing to worry about!

We got in line for rope drop
and there weren't too many
people in front of us.
Maybe... 4-6 people at each tapstyle?

Much better than when we tried for rope drop there!

We didn't have long to dally, though.
While I hadn't been here in over 25 years...

25 years!!


Whoa...

That's almost how long it's been since I've been to the Universal here. I think it's been 18 or 19 years.

And... a word about the wait times.
A Universal Express Unlimited pass
will run you about $90... per day!
Each!

The cheapest on-site resorts start
at $85/day while Royal Pacific
rooms start at $230/day.
So staying at a "deluxe" Universal
resort costs $145/day more than
their least expensive resort.

But!
Two Universal Express Unlimited
passes cost $180/day.
So if you want the passes...
it's actually cheaper to stay
at the deluxe resort.

I think I actually did that same math when we went there and it worked out that we stayed at that same hotel as you did.

Let me tell you...
When you first walk into
Diagon Alley... you stop
dead in your tracks.
You're not just in a
Theme Park anymore.
You are actually in the
same land that Harry trod upon.

I do have to agree, they nailed it!

And sorry about the quality of
the photos in this and the next
update.
I wanted to experience Universal
as much as possible without
having to lug a camera along.
So my phone will just have to do.

I thought they came out just fine.

Wow! What a ride!
We immediately turned
right back around
and rode it again!

I'd like to give it a go again. Sometime we should do Uni in the middle of a Disney trip, by always doing it first, I usually arrive worse for weat because of the day of prep and the flight.

You climb and then descend
almost vertically before
immediately doing a spinning loop.
We're not crazy enough to do that!

Okay. We are. We did.

I wonder if this one would make me sick.....

Like a fair amount of Uni's
rides, Minions is a motion
simulator.
But it's a fun one.
We both liked it.

I've not seen enough of the Minion movies, so not sure if I would even get this ride.

Transformers was quite possibly
our least favourite ride in
the park.
In both parks.

I had to read this several times and by the time I was getting to the end of the first time, I really wanted to know which one was the worst, when I went back to quote it, I'm glad I found this cause I was curious just which one was the worst when so many were, "not the best, but not the worst."

The ride was... not bad.
Not in the same league
as Mummy, but better
than Transformers.
You get in a bus and
you drive to the various
scenes that take place.

Now another friend of mine rated this as the worst ride in all the parks and said, "that's time I'll never get back."

We ordered the Ploughman's
lunch to split and two Butterbeers.

That looks like a ton of food! I've never had a Scotch Egg, and I'm not sure if I want to. I like my egg yolks runny and always give fran the yolks in hard boiled eggs.

On the way, we stopped to shoot
some Aliens at MIB (Men In Black).
Sorry, no photos. Too busy shooting.

Also I thought they made you check everything on your person in a locker.....

The Simpson's ride was fun,
if a bit nausea inducing.

I'm wondering if i should try this one again, or in my old age my positional vertigo has gotten worse and just leave it alone....

And it was the only ride
in the park that was still
around from when I first
came here more years ago
than I care to remember.

I wonder if this one is even still at mynlocal park. It used to be on the "tour". I wonder if they even do that any more....

And we were back in Springfield.

And you didn't get a donut as big as your head?

I had an overwhelming urge
to make a crank call while in Moe's.
Ever do that when you were a kid?
(Before call display... ahem...)
"Is your refrigerator running?
Better go catch it!"
Ah yes... that and other equally
intelligent lame duck gags.
We were such rebels.

I'm trying to remember all the stupid crank calls we made. Before there was caller ID and all that other crap.

And in case you forgot...
Yes, it was still stupid hot out.
I found myself in need of
a refreshing beverage before
I should expire from dehydration...

And you don't even like beer!

INCOMING!!!!

Nice shot!

<C-R-A-A-A-C-K-K-K!!!!>

The show was abruptly cut
short with a very close
(and very loud!) lightning strike!
Moments later, the skies opened
up and it began to pour.
Gotta love Florida weather.

No, you don't gotta love Florida weather, but you do have to put up with it if you want to enjoy the parks.

Eventually, we were told we
had to leave.
As we left, the rain stopped
and we were able to stay dry.

But that was short lived as...

At one point, some kid in the
audience said or did something.
(She'd asked for volunteers.)
Her response was:
"Watch it. I don't have to
be nice to kids...
this isn't Disney."

Love that!

This ride was okay.
Again, not the best,
but not the worst.

There seems to be a lot of that going on.

to Sugarplum's Sweet Shop...

OMG! That looks so good!

grab some Butterbeer
(and really... why wouldn't you?)...

It's too sweet for my taste.

Elle ordered fish & chips...

Winner! Winner! Fish and Chips Dinner!

We rode it over to IOA and back.
Tomorrow we were going to visit
Hogsmeade and the rest of that
park, so this was just to experience
the train.
It was a lot more interesting than
I thought it would be!

I thought the same thing. I didnt expect to be so entertained.

We headed back out to our resort.
But not without a quick stop for
a little treat.

Well, what did you get?

But that one had a young couple
occupying it.
Sorry, single girl. But I'll choose
to leave the couple alone.
Which would you have chosen??

Depends on how handy and touchy feely the couple was....There could have been one single girl in each hot tub five minutes before, and the first guy picked the tub with the cuter girl.

I kept thinking "He's going to
figure out that he's annoying
everyone around him, right?"

People like that don't notice anything but themselves.

I headed back up to our room
where Elle was already fast asleep.
It had been a long day
and another one was coming up
tomorrow.

I don't know how you do this stuff and get up the next day. If I did that much for that long for a day, I would need a couple days in bed to recover.

Did you see it in this chapter?

Yes, I did! He was ahead of you in the queue and got on the ride while you were waiting to board. Then he was trying to order a beer, either that or high fiving a bar patron. And then he got caught up in the downpour.

Did you see all three???

I appreciate you clueing us in to how many to look for!

No more than Star Tours, for instance.
I don't know if it's the visuals?
It's not that bad.
Maybe combined with all the
other rides I'd done already...

It's not as bad as Mission Space Orange.

I don't agree with this at all! I can totally do Mission Space Orange with no problem, but I got super nauseous on the Simpsons.

 

[KathyM2]

Oh no...I hope you didn't have to wait too long to get on another flight...ugh!! That stinks!

 

[franandaj]

Sorry, kids.
I had hoped to get another update
in before I left, but... that's just
not gonna happen.
Too many photos, too much to say
and too little time to do both.

Well, I'm glad you didn't get in another update, it gave me a chance to catch up!

I'm working the midnight shift tonight,
and tomorrow and then have to be
up and out of the house by 2:30am
the next day.

See ya'll when I get back!

I was gonna say "Have a great trip!" But after reading the chatter I'll just say, "I hope you made it there safe, and are having a good time."

Okay, kids.
Play nice while I'm gone.

Do we have to?

Wish I could say that the vacation
is starting well...
Was hoping to get some sleep
before the cab picks me up at 2:30am.
But looks like that's not going to happen.
Unfortunately that's paired with not sleeping
the last two nights (worked the night shift)
and really not sleeping very well for over
two weeks (some personal issues

Ugh sorry about that....

But soon I'll be winging my way to Florida
where I'm sure the house the Mouse
built will have me smiling and my
worries will be behind me.

Besides...
No sleep like a Disney sleep, right?

Yeah, I wake up at all hours of the morning.

See you later, gators!
(I can say that 'cause they
have 'em down there, ya know.)

Stay away from them!

Whelp...
there goes my flight.
Without me.

Oh no!

Well... I seem to suddenly have
time to do more shout-outs...

I'm re-booked on a later flight.
Well... flights actually.

I missed the connection
in Toronto.

I'm not happy about it.
Reasons...

Well since you haven't checked back in, I'm going to assume that you made it and are having a lovely time.

When are you coming back?

 

[pkondz]

@suse66

 

[disneyAndi14]

@suse66

View attachment 437544

Yummy! I think you are at Yak and Yeti!!

 

[franandaj]

Yummy! I think you are at Yak and Yeti!!

Are we playing "Where's Pkondz?" I was thinking Nomad Lounge!

 

[suse66]

@suse66

View attachment 437544

The pie of sublime deliciousness!!! And you are sitting exactly where we did. Hope you enjoyed it!

 

[mustinjourney]

Sorry, kids.
I had hoped to get another update
in before I left, but... that's just
not gonna happen.
Too many photos, too much to say
and too little time to do both.

I'm working the midnight shift tonight,
and tomorrow and then have to be
up and out of the house by 2:30am
the next day.

See ya'll when I get back!

hope your trip was great!!!

 

[mustinjourney]

In the cab... 2:40 am. On my way!

View attachment 436207

God I’m tired. Do I look tired? I look tired.

live TR! Is this the constipated look you mention all the time?

 

[irene_dsc]

The pie of sublime deliciousness!!! And you are sitting exactly where we did. Hope you enjoyed it!

These two quotes combined seem to imply that you *did* actually arrive in Orlando. Just the photo could've been some other yummy dessert somewhere...

 

[docsoliday1]

The pie of sublime deliciousness!!! And you are sitting exactly where we did. Hope you enjoyed it!

Okay, I'm guessing y'all talked about this before hand, but I must have missed it...
What pie is this and where?

 

[suse66]

Okay, I'm guessing y'all talked about this before hand, but I must have missed it...
What pie is this and where?

It's the mango pie at Yak and Yeti....so good!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I'm glad you gave Yak and Yeti another chance! (I'd recognize that mango pie anywhere!)

I hope your trip ended up to be magical despite its less-than-magical start!

 

[thumper*]

Hope you finally made it to Orlando and finally able to get some sleep.

Love this pose

Her response was:
"Watch it. I don't have to
be nice to kids...
this isn't Disney."

 

[buzzrelly]

Hey, there! You haven't been around in a while! I thought surely you'd be back by now, I hope everything is ok!

 

[pkondz]

Hi folks!

Just got back on Sunday.
(Well, technically Monday morning.)

Been busy catching up
on stuff around home.
Hoping to maybe start
shout-outs and the next
update (and the new TR)
in the not too distant future.
Maybe even tomorrow.

 

[pkondz]

Hey, there! You haven't been around in a while! I thought surely you'd be back by now, I hope everything is ok!

I think I just answered that.