Walt Disney World: It's Not Just for Kids » PTR Universal10

My Cruise Docs came!

Hedy — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:15:04 +0000

My documents came yesterday! Is there a nice view than seeing an envelope from DCL or WDW in your mailbox? I don’t think so. I have to say, I really like the way Disney Cruiseline does their documents. Rather than the mass of paper WDW sends you, DCL’s documents are in a pretty spiral bound booklet. I do have to admit that I am missing the pockets that my WDW Passporter has to keep it in, though.

I know it’s probably because I haven’t been on a cruise in years, but the fact that I know where my cabin is, and that the luggage tags I have say my cabin number, is new to me. (You have to check your luggage when you go onto the ship, as you would for a flight). I really like how complete the documents are-they list that I already completed online check-in, as well as my Palo reservation.

Trip Planning Updates: July 25, 2010 (including my WWoHP Touring Plan)

Hedy — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:51:53 +0000

OMG! Less than TWO weeks to go until Universal-w00t!

I ended up moving around my DTD day in order to do a DIS meet. I’ve also added lunch at Emeril’s Tchoup Chop to my agenda. I may be canceling my Paradisio 37 reservation as I’ll be using my OpenTable check to fund the lunch, I think.

WWoHP touring plan wise, here’s what I’m thinking. I’m starting off at FJ as soon as possible after checking to see if I’ll fit, otherwise I’m just doing the queue. I’ll probably hit up the shops after that-you can’t ship stuff to the front of the parks in Hogsmeade, but you can have stuff you buy in Hogsmeade shipped to the front of the park from the gift shop at Sinbad’s: I’m planning on picking up a few Christmas and birthday gifts while I’m there. From there, I’ll probably do Flight of the Hippogriff and buy some Butterbeer.

I did end up swapping my plans for Sunday and Monday in order to do a DISMeet, which I am excited for.

If any of my readers are interested in a meet when I’m in Orlando, e-mail me or DM me on Twitter!

Shall we take list at the planning list:

* Continue to check car rental rates (I’m pretty sure I’m just using cabs though.) Forget about rental cars, cabs are how to get to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
* Once vacation time is finalized check Hotwire for the Hyatt MCO. Done!
* Cash out Opentable cheques. . Done! One $20 one for Tchoup Tchoup, another $20 one for Paradiso 37.

* Confirm plans
* Get singles from bank
* buy hooks for door hanger
* Print out coupons
*Order water from Staples (I’m doing this next Friday)
*Pick up packets of Emergency-C at Wholefoods

Trip planning updates July 10, 2010

Hedy — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:55:45 +0000

I’m tracking the rates for the Hyatt MCO on Hotwire for my August Universal Orlando trip, but I am hesitant to pull the trigger until my vacation time at work is finalized. However, it appears I have a very good chance of getting the Hyatt for $69 for the night. I called them today to verify that they will get my bags from baggage when I land. I will need to check in, give them my luggage claim stubs, and they will go get them from the baggage carousel. There is a $10 fee for this, which is fine with me.

Also, I have decided to stop thinking about renting a car, as car rental places are not open at early o’clock i the morning. Score one for cabs.

I picked up the water bottle lanyard and Mouse Strap from Glamour Mouse and have recieved them. Should I review both items both before and after my trip?

Trip planning updates, June 29, 2010

Hedy — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:30:35 +0000

I am now thisclose to being one month out from my Universal Orlando trip. As such, I’m going to chat a bit about planning and share my to-do lists.

As the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP)is now open, I have begun a more fleshed out touring plan. I had been pretty settled on not going to Islands of Adventure (IOA) my first day. But let’s get real-patience is not one of my virtues. Besides, who sleeps on an Orlando vacation? If you want to, that’s what Sinbad’s is for (I speak from personal experience). I toyed with the idea of staying at an on-site Universal Orlando hotel for the night I’m scheduled to be at the Hyatt MCO, but I found that prices range from arms to legs. I’m sticking with the Hyatt MCO for now. Here’s the plan:

Thursday: Go to Logan after work. Have dinner at Johnny Rockets. Fly to MCO. Land. Check into the Hyatt.

Friday: Get ready to go around 6am. Take taxi to Royal Pacific Resort (RPR) . Check in, get keys for FOTL. Be in line to enter IOA by 7:30. Hit WWOHP. Do more IOA. Grab lunch at Pastamore (new!). Head over to catch a few shows at US. Head to RPR for Torch Lighting. Grab dinner at the pool bar (new!)

Saturday: Start at US for Mummy, MIB etc. Lunch at Finngans. Head over to do some stuff at IOA (by which I mean Spiderman a zillion times). Diner at Bice, possibly (new!).

Sunday: Shopping day! Go to Premium Outlets (and possibly Prime as well). Take cab to DTD. Have lunch at Paradiso 37 (new!). Go up in Characters in Flight (new!). Head home. Eat at the Kitchen at HRH.

Monday: IOA early. Lunch at ?. US in the evening. Dinner at Tchoup Tchoup.

Tuesday: Breakfast at Three Broomsticks. A little IOA, a little US. Cab to MCO to go home. :(

To do list:

Continue to check car rental rates (I’m pretty sure I’m just using cabs though.)
Once vacation time is finalized check Hotwire for the Hyatt MCO.
Cash out Opentable cheques. . Done! One $20 one for Tchoup Tchoup, another $20 one for Paradiso 37.
Cash out at Sunshine Rewards. Done for the $40 I earned in June.
Confirm plans
Get singles from bank
buy hooks for door hanger
Print out coupons

Trip planning updates June 6

Hedy — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 13:07:05 +0000

For my Universal Orlando trip:

*I’m holding off on making my touring plan until the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP) officially opens on June 18. It is looking extremely likely that I’m not going to fit on the Forbidden Journey, just as I had worried. This throws a couple of curve balls my way: Do I skip it all together? If I do, I may be ok showing up at 9am and just checking out the shops and doing The Flight of the Hippogriff. Do I try to see if I can fit (good blog fodder,LOL)?

*I am flip-flopping on what day I want to spend at Downtown Disney, I feel like I will know more once the WWoHP is really open.

*I bought a new suitcase yesterday! I’m very excited to try it out on both my Universal trip and my cruise. I got it at TJ Maxx for about 1/2 of its real price! I am going to call a couple of Marshalls/TJ Maxx in my area to see if they have the carry-on. However, my current carry-on matches it, and is fine. My old big suitcase was old enough that it was made by American Airlines (I find the fact that I would need to pay to check it on American Airlines hysterical).

*The Hyatt MCO is currently not showing up on Hotwire. Thank goodness I have my Costco rate.

For my cruise: My ADR window opens on Thursday. As I am staying at the Swan, I don’t get 80 days+10. I am currently changing my ADR plans like my underwear-I think this is what happens when a hotelpickaphobe choose to stick with a hotel. At the moment, my plans are:

Friday: Get up. Check out Epcot resort areas Christmas decorations, grab snack at Boardwalk Bakery. Hop on bus to MK and go over to monorail resorts. Grab linner at Captain Cook’s. Head into MK for 4pm admission to MVMCP and meet.

Saturday. Get up. Head to Epcot-hit Soarin’, Journey into Imagination, Test Track. Lunch at Chefs de France(?). Chill around WS. Evening meet at Boardwalk.

Sunday-Cab to AKL for Boma breakfast meet. Cab back to swan.

I picked up water shoes from Lands End-they looked more wearable than my cheapo old ones, and were 40% off.

I had my travel agent add the fact that I am a vegetarian onto my reservation. Vegetarian options look pretty plentiful, but I figure it never hurts to add it.

A couple of quick trip planning updates…

Hedy — Tue, 25 May 2010 23:50:56 +0000

1. My MVMCP ticket arrived. Thank goodness for Disney Visa points, because that was not cheap.
2. I am having an internal struggle about decorating my cabin door. I was all pumped about it (I’m thinking about going with a Santa Minnie theme for my door and fish extender, as I’ll bring my Santa Minnie hat. However, Santa brought me some wicked cute Santa Tink stickers last year….), then it kind of occurred to me. If I decorate my door, then I’m pretty much being a massive hypocrite. I’m thinking I’ll be ok if I hide my stuff at night, as it will most likely announce “Oh hi! Hedy is solo!” I am participating in a Fish Extender exchange, but I’ve asked that my stateroom not be posted on the DIS. Thoughts? Am I being too paranoid or lax?
3. Am trying to decide between buying a Fish Extender on eBay, and using the no-sew method to make my own-possibly incorporating some Vera Bradley napkins. I might also just use a gift bag (cloth) or something.
4. I have learned that the Starbucks at Citywalk Orlando does not accept gift cards, so that kills my idea of using Mypoints to pay for a giftcard there for extra vacation money.
5. I am wicked antsy over the fact that people with Harry Potter packages can go in on Friday! Looks pretty cool so far.

Just booked my MCO room for August….

Hedy — Sun, 02 May 2010 02:32:43 +0000

For my late arrival when I go to Universal this summer, I’d been debating between an off-site hotel near Universal, or an airport hotel. On my trip to Universal in 2008, I stayed at the airport Hyatt via Hotwire and loved it. I’d been planning on trying to re-Hotwire closer to my trip. However, today I stumbled upon a great code for the Hyatt at MCO, which is in fact less than the Hyatt looking hotel* on Hotwire. It was through Costco. I’m very excited to go back there!

In many people’s experience, Hyatt is a 4 star with the trip adviser rating of 4.5 with over 100 reviews

Some good old pre-trip shopping…

Hedy — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:42:57 +0000

I am certain that the fact that I am a big shopper in my pre-trip planning is wholly unsurprising to you at this time. Anyway, I recently picked up a few things (mainly for my Universal trip in August).

I got this Muggle T-Shirt from Hot Topic to wear in Harry Potterland. It won out of all the Harry Potter shirts because it was not black, as I’m going in August.Avon was recently having a sale on their Skin So Soft sunscreen products. As they have done the trick for me to avoid my foot being weird, I picked some of them up.

Also, please allow a brief interlude to discuss Things I Learned the Hard Way. Last August, I got an airbrush tattoo on my forearm at Citywalk (yes, despite being old enough to get a real tattoo, I still like getting airbrush and henna ones on vacation). AFTER I had paid for it, I was cautioned by the artist not to put lotion on it, as it would smear. It was August-you will be unsurprised to learn that my tattoo was not long lived.