A Birthday Trip For Two: My First TR/PTR

[johnaalexis]

Welcome to my very first pre-trip report which I am hoping will turn into my very first ever trip report. I love reading trip reports here on the DIS and find myself frequenting the site a lot, so I decided to write my own trip report in my free time.

TRIP REPORT STARTS HERE!

Firstly, I would like to introduce myself, Hi I’m Johna!

I am 21 years old (at the time of writing this), I am in my 3rd year of college studying to be a middle school educator of science and social studies. I’m a bluegrass baby born and raised in the great state of Kentucky. This will be my second trip to Universal Orlando Resort, the first time being two years ago with my family.

Now, I am a crazy Potter Fanatic and I fell in love with the Butterbeer and everything in Hogmeade. My family was generous with our time here and I loved every second of it. Sadly, our visit was in May of 2014 and they were still doing construction on Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express so I missed that entire side of the Wizarding World. Oh well, just gave me an excuse to come back! I am most excited to the NEW Incredible Hulk Coaster, ride Escape form Gringotts and get a fresh cup of Butterbeer! The stuff made at home just never tastes as good.

For this trip, my traveling companion it my best friend, better half, and oh yeah fiancé. For this PTR & TR we will call him Day, my loving nickname for him. He is all 21 year old (We are 10 days apart, he being the older.)

This is Days very first trip to Universal and only his second trip to Orlando. He went to Disney before when he was 2 but remembers none of it. He loves roller coasters, Dinos, and all things superheros. He is most excited to ride the Incredible Hulk Coaster and ride Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

Thanks to my Travel Agent, Glenda, (My Good Witch) we will be traveling from September 11th to September 15th, 4 nights and 3 days. This is a birthday trip from each other, to each other. I know, that sound complicated but I paid for him and he paid for me. We will leave shortly after his birthday and we will fly home on my birthday. We are flying from Cincinnati direct to MCO then back. We are staying 4 nights and we will spend 3 days in the parks. Originally, well since booking in April we were staying at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. However... Day learned of the Unlimited Express Passes available and was planning to just buy them for use for each day. After some explanation of how much that would be we decided to switch hotels and are now staying at Lowes Royal Pacific Hotel. I am excited to see this resort, to have the Express Passes and to be closer to the parks with the water taxi transport option.

We haven't decided on eateries while we are there except Day would like to try Mythos and the Cowfish. We are fully open to suggestions, I've been warned against Bob Marleys from a family friend who has had several bad experiences. We also don't plan on eating at the Hot Dog HOF or The Breadbox as neither of those jive with us and we've marked Antojitos simply because we eat a lot of Mexican food here at home and are looking to branch out while we are on vacation. Anythings else you guys think we should know just let us know!!

I'll keep updating if we make anymore changes or if there are any questions!!

Just a little over two short months until we travel and I'll be back with a trip report!

 

[Raeven]

You're trip is the week before ours!

As for food Mythos and Cowfish are great choices. We loved Mythos, and are eating at Cowfish next time we go because we've heard a lot of good things about it. We also enjoyed Mama Dellas in Portofino Bay and Margaritaville.

 

[johnaalexis]

Good to hear Mythos was a good choice!! I've heard mixed reviews and it made me a little iffy. However I'm excited to experiment with Burgushi!

 

[Raeven]

We really liked the choices at Mythos especially the banana chocolate gooey cake

 

[tortilla24]

You guys are gonna have a blast! Mmmmm butterbeer

 

[johnaalexis]

We really liked the choices at Mythos especially the banana chocolate gooey cake

I will note that so I remember to try it!!

You guys are gonna have a blast! Mmmmm butterbeer

I think we will too, I'm honestly really excited to see Day's reaction to everything since he has never been!

 

[johnaalexis]

With 50 Days To Go…..Here’s what’s new!

We haven’t changed many plans since my first post, but a few additions I thought I might share.

First off, our flight time changed. When I saw this in my email, I started to worry. The Sunday that we leave, I still have to work. (My job is PRN, meaning as needed. I work every weekend but I don’t earn vacation time or PTO ) My gracious boss allowed me to shift my hours back so I’ll come in at 8am and leave at 1pm. Now, our original departure time was 7:59 (I always thought this was strange ) but what was our new departure time? Would it completely throw off our plans?

I clicked to see the changes and confirm that I was okay with them and what happens? My internet freaks out RIGHT AT THE SECOND… The universe is against me. After a router restart I was reloading the page… our new time was …….8:00pm. A whole minute later! All that worry for nothing! On the flip side our arrival time to MCO was 15 minutes earlier and out departure time home was now 30 minutes later, from 3:00 to 3:30.

In other news, we are eagerly counting down from this trip! I have a planning wall in my home office and one of my dry erase boards it’s dedicated to the Universal Countdown! We have 50 days left as of posting this, it’s getting harder and harder to contain my excitement! I feel like the little minion in the Illumination preview before the movies!

Day’s been searching for luggage like crazy, since we don’t have our own set of luggage. My grandmother (god love her) offered to let us borrow her set but they are nearly 30 years old, leather, black and it was one of the first things my grandfather bought for her. Since he passed nearly two years ago, I just don’t feel right about taking them for fear of any airline damage to them. The bags are replaceable, the sentiment and meaning behind them are not.

He has found a few sets on amazon that we are currently weighing the pros and cons about. We haven’t fully decided if we want soft-shell or hard case. They both have their ups and downs

What kind of luggage do you have? Is there a brand or style you prefer?

In life style new, Day is in the process of switching jobs. This new job has better hours and better pays doing the same work. He also gets MUCH better benefits so that's what really made him switch. Also I have 29 days until I return to school for my last full year of classes! I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but I am nearly finished with my education to be a middle school teacher!

If we make any other changes or updates, I'll let everyone know!

Bye!​

 

[Raeven]

With 50 Days To Go…..Here’s what’s new!

We haven’t changed many plans since my first post, but a few additions I thought I might share.

First off, our flight time changed. When I saw this in my email, I started to worry. The Sunday that we leave, I still have to work. (My job is PRN, meaning as needed. I work every weekend but I don’t earn vacation time or PTO ) My gracious boss allowed me to shift my hours back so I’ll come in at 8am and leave at 1pm. Now, our original departure time was 7:59 (I always thought this was strange ) but what was our new departure time? Would it completely throw off our plans?

I clicked to see the changes and confirm that I was okay with them and what happens? My internet freaks out RIGHT AT THE SECOND… The universe is against me. After a router restart I was reloading the page… our new time was …….8:00pm. A whole minute later! All that worry for nothing! On the flip side our arrival time to MCO was 15 minutes earlier and out departure time home was now 30 minutes later, from 3:00 to 3:30.

In other news, we are eagerly counting down from this trip! I have a planning wall in my home office and one of my dry erase boards it’s dedicated to the Universal Countdown! We have 50 days left as of posting this, it’s getting harder and harder to contain my excitement! I feel like the little minion in the Illumination preview before the movies!

Day’s been searching for luggage like crazy, since we don’t have our own set of luggage. My grandmother (god love her) offered to let us borrow her set but they are nearly 30 years old, leather, black and it was one of the first things my grandfather bought for her. Since he passed nearly two years ago, I just don’t feel right about taking them for fear of any airline damage to them. The bags are replaceable, the sentiment and meaning behind them are not.

He has found a few sets on amazon that we are currently weighing the pros and cons about. We haven’t fully decided if we want soft-shell or hard case. They both have their ups and downs

What kind of luggage do you have? Is there a brand or style you prefer?

In life style new, Day is in the process of switching jobs. This new job has better hours and better pays doing the same work. He also gets MUCH better benefits so that's what really made him switch. Also I have 29 days until I return to school for my last full year of classes! I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but I am nearly finished with my education to be a middle school teacher!

If we make any other changes or updates, I'll let everyone know!

Bye!​

We use my aunt's and it's a soft-shell. It's worked well for our trips.

 

[johnaalexis]

Thanks! We have narrowed it down between two sets and both are soft shell, typically we found you get more pieces for your money with a soft luggage. We many not need those extra pieces but Day likes to get his moneys worth

 

[macraven]

i used to always buy the soft sided luggage but after two sets of luggages being torn, i'm sold on the hard shell cases now.

 

[johnaalexis]

Day 36….. Time is beginning to tick slower…. Possibly backwards!

Not much about our plans have changed since my last update 2 weeks ago, but I felt the need to write.

There hasn’t been any update to our flight plans since the last time change so that’s good. On the flip side, I’ve been googling first time flyer guides. I have been on a plane before so I know I’m not afraid, I’ve just haven’t been on a plane since I was 12 and with my dad. My dad flies all the time, but he also works all the time and we don’t live in the same house anymore, it has become hard at time to catch him to talk about it. I’m just a nervous nelly who is positively sure something will go wrong! Haha this is me almost every day though.

I was talking to my dad a couple days ago about the trip (not flying) and he was telling my about his conferences at Universal. He work in security and his company every year send them to lots of places with major security as a learning tool. They go to Universal about every three years and get to see the entire behind the scenes stuff for security and general keeping the masses safe stuff.

On a different note, since we can’t make a reservation yet, (too soon) I am planning to make a reservation at Mama Della’s for our dinner on Monday or Tuesday. I was thinking Monday, since Studios closes at 6pm and IOA closes at 7pm that day. My plan for picking the few reservations we do have (aka, Mythos & Mama Dellas) is to choose a reservation time at or after park closing. We want to have as much park time as possible, and we are used to eating later dinners. Day wants Mythos for lunch so I’m not worried about that one, but I’m choosing a later lunch time around 1pm.

The luggage front is unchanged much. We have narrowed it down to two sets, one soft shell and one hard case. Both have their pros and cons, but I feel us leaning towards the soft shell. I only say this because the soft shell set is 5 pieces just over $110 and had raving reviews that are all 5 stars. The hard shell is more expensive and fewer pieces. We typically only travel one MAYBE twice a year, on trips longer than a 1 night stay, and most trips we drive. For the price, number a pieces and what we would use it for, the soft shell is just looking better. If I traveled more long distance or on planes, I would get the hard shell.

Lastly, I’ve been going back and forth about the meal and mini golf package (Sorry if I’ve already mentioned this) but I just can’t seem too decided. I keep thinking “maybe we should” then “what if we don’t like it”, it’s a cycle. What are your thoughts on the meal and mini golf? ​

 

[Raeven]

I am planning to make a reservation at Mama Della’s for our dinner on Monday or Tuesday.

Mama Dellas is sooo good

Lastly, I’ve been going back and forth about the meal and mini golf package (Sorry if I’ve already mentioned this) but I just can’t seem too decided. I keep thinking “maybe we should” then “what if we don’t like it”, it’s a cycle. What are your thoughts on the meal and mini golf?

We did it last time and thought it was a good deal!

 

[johnaalexis]

Mama Dellas is sooo good



We did it last time and thought it was a good deal!

Its funny you say that because I picked Mama Dells on your recommendation!

And for the price I think its a good deal, we just don't mini golf like ever so I'm not sure how we would feel about it lol I'm sure we'd have fun though

 

[Raeven]

Haha I thought I recommended it!

Yeah I get that. I don't love mini golf myself, and it was sooo hot during the day (we of course chose to play during the day for some reason). But the course was pretty cool.

 

[johnaalexis]

21 Days Lefts and a Million things to do!!!

Okay, so maybe not quite a million things to do but we do still have a lot to do before our trip. I do have lots of things I wish to share with everyone and I have decided to break them up over a few short posts rather than on long huge post.

To tie up a loose end from my last post, we bought luggage!

We purchased this Rockland soft shell set from Amazon and got it in the mail on the 15th of August. So far we really like it. The color is true to the amazon picture. I had read some review says the colors didn’t match but I found no problem with this. I like it, Day likes it and as long as it travels well we are happy with it. I think the craziest part of receiving the luggage was it really made our trip feel real. I know that probably sounds crazy but before we bought luggage, the trip just seemed to be number on a page. This made it tangible and made Day and I so much more excited!!

To finish tying up the last update, I have officially mad reservations for both Mama Della’s and Mythos, for the Monday of our trip. This is our first official day in the parks and the day we are choosing to celebrate out birthdays. Mythos is Day’s choice for lunch to celebrate and I choose Mama Della’s. I love Italian food! Actually, I think it’s really just a love for carbs… Pasta, Potatoes, Bread… they seem to be my main food groups.

Another restaurant we are hoping to attend is Toothsome Chocolate Emporium. I’ve been following the board here in the DIS of the same title. As of me posting this they aren’t officially open but are doing employee softs. I also have read about it opening to the public beginning Monday Aug, 22nd at 4pm. I keep drooling over the desserts! I mean just look at them…

That it for planning news this time! We are currently working on our “Bucket Lists”. The first time I went Universal my mom had us make a list of 5 things we HAD to do or NEEDED to buy above all else, just to make sure we did them. Day and I are doing the same! I will share those when we are finished.

In preparation news, I have begun going thru my travel and sample size things to determine what I have and don’t have. I receive samples and trial products thru an agent company in trade for my feedback and promotions on social media based on my social followers. As a result I have boxes of sample items, most of them go to friends and family members, but I do keep a lot. I take these on trips because I am notorious for leaving stuff in the bathroom of hotel rooms. Good news is I have all the essentials and just need to stock up on some more Bonine. Day is prone to motions sickness. If he takes is when he gets up in the morning he is fine all day, but if he waits once he starts to get sick it’s too late. So we are going to take plenty!

Otherwise not much is going on, I start classes tomorrow (Aug 22nd) and I can already tell that the week before our trip I’m going to really have to work and get ahead on assignments! I’m not crazy about that lol I would rather leave ahead and come back being on time than behind.

Thanks for reading!​

 

[Raeven]

I can't wait for Toothsome! We're going to Mythos and Toothsome on our trip too but saving Mama Dellas for Dec. We currently have 25 days so we're both so close!

 

[johnaalexis]

I think the excitement is really getting to Day, he hasn't even been yet and he is already talking about going back next year!!

 

[LowesChevy]

Good luck with your classes!

Mama Della's is way wonderful, def. worth the boat ride to Portofino alone!

Following along-living vicariously for now

 

[Lynne G]

Good luck with your classes.

The only thing I have to say, as I also have soft luggage, and mostly always have, is to pack what I don't want wet, in plastic bags. One time, Orlando airport very kindly left the luggage cart out in the rain. So, my bag, and many others' bags were nice and wet when we retrieved them at our destination.

Wahoo, time is getting closer!

 

[johnaalexis]

Good luck with your classes!

Mama Della's is way wonderful, def. worth the boat ride to Portofino alone!

Following along-living vicariously for now

Thanks so much! I'm carrying 20 hours for this semester and my clinicals. I haven't taken a vacation in the past three years of college, so I am welcoming this one!

I'm very cited to eat at Mama Dellas's!!! Speaking of boat rides to the Portofino... Can you take a boat directly from RPR to Portofino or do you have to go from RPR to Citywalk to Portifino? I booked the reservation about an hour and a half after the last park closing on the day we are eating there. I tried to do this to so if we did stay at the park till closing we would have time to change and go to dinner without being rushed.

I have briefly considered doing a live TR but I have decided to not take my laptop or iPad with me. We will be Vlogging this trip though, Day and I will be. So somewhere in my TR when I write it I can add a link to our blog videos. You can watch the trip too!