Newsies: From Scratch - May And September 2024! - FINISHED! 09/07

[Newsies]

Come to the Dark Side, We Have Donuts​

The dark side... DUN DUN DUN!

​

Okay, so I won't be going to Halloween Horror Nights, but I'll still be spending a day at Universal Studios Orlando on this trip... which many, many folks over the years here on the DIS have jokingly (or not-so-jokingly) referred to as "the dark side." Love it or hate it, Disney's neighbor may not be as friendly or magical as the Mouse, but it still has so many great attractions and IPs to explore.

My love affair with Universal started when I was 15 and a massive Harry Potter nerd. We were on a family vacation to Daytona Beach and my one request was to visit Universal for the day so I could visit Hogsmeade. Diagon Alley wasn't open at the time, but my parents also really wanted to see the new Despicable Me ride, so we bought a 1-Day Park Hopper pass and enjoyed a day at UO/IOA. Well, I enjoyed the day. I got selected to participate in the Ollivander's Wand Show, got to go on Forbidden Journey, tried Butterbeer for the first time, and was totally enamored with the theming of Hogsmeade. It felt like I was achieving my childhood dream of attending Hogwarts for a day and I cried when we left. My parents and sister were less than thrilled with Universal's lack of shade, air conditioning, and just felt like it wasn't as clean or family-friendly as Walt Disney World, and said they didn't want to ever go back.

This was 2012, and we haven't been back into the Parks as a family since then (except for a quick trip to CityWalk in 2017 for dinner at Toothsome Chocolate Factory), but I got to continue exploring UO/IOA a few times on my first DCP with my roommates and friends. I loved Diagon Alley, it continues to be one of my all-time favorite theme park lands. I also loved The Mummy, the Blues Brothers show, and dancing with Minions at the exit of the Despicable Me ride. In general, I think I just liked that it was "different" than Walt Disney World but still "the same." Both parks have IPs that I really love, both parks have rides that I really love, both parks have lands that I really love.

Now, Universal has changed a lot in the past 12 years, and dad actually wants to give it a second chance now. But I've been itching to head back to Universal since December 2016. And that's an itch I'm gonna scratch 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!

​

I still have a few concerns. Mainly that I'll have to Uber/Lyft alone and leave the Disney bubble. And as a follow-up to that concern, I'm worried about the September heat and rain/storms impacting my day, especially because it's not really going to be possible for me to take a mid-day break here. The Park closes at 5, so I really want to rope drop and get my money's worth of my day. And make sure my heart is full of Universal magic until I can come back again.

This is another day where I have a couple of things I really want to do, so I'm mapping it out the best I can now:

• 7:00 AM -- Would like to Uber from DAKL around 7 to get to UO before it opens at 8, but no rush to get in gates because our first stop is...
• 8:00 AM -- VooDoo Donuts when it opens alongside CityWalk. Going to grab a VooDoo Doll donut to start my day, then it's off to Universal Orlando!
• 8:30 AM -- Single Rider Line for Hollywood Rip Ride n Rockit
• 9:00 AM -- Jimmy Fallon Race Through New York
• 9:30 AM -- Maybe Single Rider Line Mummy? If line is under 30 minutes? Haven't done enough research on early morning wait times at Universal
• 10:30 AM -- Blues Brothers Show
• 11:00 AM -- Time to meet Poppy at DreamWorks Land! And "troll around" (hehe) that area for a bit. Want to meet Shrek and gang too.
• 11:45 AM -- Minions Land, definitely want to get Minion Tots from the cafe but nothing else on that menu is really calling out to me. Want Minion popcorn bucket as well. Photos with Minions at Illumination Theatre Will likely do the Blast ride but not if I have to wait more than 10 minutes for it.
• 1:00 PM -- Back to Hollywood to see what characters I can meet and walk around shops, maybe another snack if anything calls to me
• 2:00 PM -- UNIVERSAL MEGA MOVIE PARADE! This is what I'm most excited to see, so I'll start to scope out a spot closer to 1:30 towards the beginning of the parade route.
• 2:30 PM & ONWARD -- After the parade is when things become more go-with-the-flow. I'll make my way towards Diagon Alley for lunch at Leaky Cauldron and to get in the Single Rider Line for Gringotts. Definitely going to have frozen Butterbeer (my BELOVED), would like to have ice cream at Florean Fortescue's but if there's no stomach space after lunch it is what it is. Will certainly be getting a Pumpkin Pasty to go. I'm also anticipating that this is where I'll do the bulk of my shopping -- want Cedric's wand from the wand shop here, want to check out some of the stationery at the Quills shop, and I'm going to get some pins for a coworker while I'm here. Going to be a big afternoon, so once I'm done here, I think I'll feel good to wrap things up and head back to DAKL.

My hope is that I'll be on the way to DAKL by 4:30. The Park will close to day guests at 5, so there might be some guest traffic coming in and out of the park as HHN people start to arrive. If I can get back to my room by 5:30, I'll be happy as a clam -- enough time to shower and relax before dinner at 7:55 PM at Sanaa.

As always... thoughts on my plans? As I'm reading these out, I realize it probably makes more sense for me to do Diagon Alley before the Parade and do the DreamWorks stuff and Minions Land on my way out, since they're closer to the park exit. But also, do you think that's what the bulk of people are going to do? Let me know. And if you're a Universal Studios pro, pleeeeeease let me know if this is too ambitious and I need to cut something. Or if I'm underestimating myself and there's something I need to add!

 

[LoveToDisney]

Enjoy your frozen Butter Beer!!…YUMM!
Totally love Diagon Alley. Have a great time at Universal.

 

[Lynne G]

From experience, I can tell you City Walk starts getting busier and busier starting around 3 pm onward. Many, many come to wait outside the gates to be the first when they reopen.

I suggest getting dropped off at the Hard Rock hotel, and walk to the Studios, and get picked up there too, as much easier to get through security on the waking path, then being dropped off at City Walk. Particularly when you are leaving, will be much easier from the hotel. Walking through the crowds coming to the Studios closer and closer to closing time, not my idea of fun.

We enjoy Universal. Have had an AP for more than 10 years there. Hate to say it, but don’t care for butter beer. But we have several wands and maybe too many pictures of the dragon. HHN fan for many years too. Used to be a horror scared weenie, but then started to really enjoy it. Doing it the night we swap hotels.

 

[Newsies]

I suggest getting dropped off at the Hard Rock hotel, and walk to the Studios, and get picked up there too, as much easier to get through security on the waking path, then being dropped off at City Walk. Particularly when you are leaving, will be much easier from the hotel. Walking through the crowds coming to the Studios closer and closer to closing time, not my idea of fun.

Thank you so much for the advice!!! I'll look into getting dropped off/picked up at the Hard Rock Hotel. Have you done this from a different hotel/off-Universal Property stay before? I hesitate to get dropped off at hotels like this because Disney security is so tight re: people getting dropped off at the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Contemporary, etc. without a reservation. This is so helpful, thank you again!

 

[Newsies]

Enjoy your frozen Butter Beer!!…YUMM!
Totally love Diagon Alley. Have a great time at Universal.

I'm so excited!!!

 

[chri3060]

Come to the Dark Side, We Have Donuts​

The dark side... DUN DUN DUN!

​

Okay, so I won't be going to Halloween Horror Nights, but I'll still be spending a day at Universal Studios Orlando on this trip... which many, many folks over the years here on the DIS have jokingly (or not-so-jokingly) referred to as "the dark side." Love it or hate it, Disney's neighbor may not be as friendly or magical as the Mouse, but it still has so many great attractions and IPs to explore.

My love affair with Universal started when I was 15 and a massive Harry Potter nerd. We were on a family vacation to Daytona Beach and my one request was to visit Universal for the day so I could visit Hogsmeade. Diagon Alley wasn't open at the time, but my parents also really wanted to see the new Despicable Me ride, so we bought a 1-Day Park Hopper pass and enjoyed a day at UO/IOA. Well, I enjoyed the day. I got selected to participate in the Ollivander's Wand Show, got to go on Forbidden Journey, tried Butterbeer for the first time, and was totally enamored with the theming of Hogsmeade. It felt like I was achieving my childhood dream of attending Hogwarts for a day and I cried when we left. My parents and sister were less than thrilled with Universal's lack of shade, air conditioning, and just felt like it wasn't as clean or family-friendly as Walt Disney World, and said they didn't want to ever go back.

This was 2012, and we haven't been back into the Parks as a family since then (except for a quick trip to CityWalk in 2017 for dinner at Toothsome Chocolate Factory), but I got to continue exploring UO/IOA a few times on my first DCP with my roommates and friends. I loved Diagon Alley, it continues to be one of my all-time favorite theme park lands. I also loved The Mummy, the Blues Brothers show, and dancing with Minions at the exit of the Despicable Me ride. In general, I think I just liked that it was "different" than Walt Disney World but still "the same." Both parks have IPs that I really love, both parks have rides that I really love, both parks have lands that I really love.

Now, Universal has changed a lot in the past 12 years, and dad actually wants to give it a second chance now. But I've been itching to head back to Universal since December 2016. And that's an itch I'm gonna scratch 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!

​

I still have a few concerns. Mainly that I'll have to Uber/Lyft alone and leave the Disney bubble. And as a follow-up to that concern, I'm worried about the September heat and rain/storms impacting my day, especially because it's not really going to be possible for me to take a mid-day break here. The Park closes at 5, so I really want to rope drop and get my money's worth of my day. And make sure my heart is full of Universal magic until I can come back again.

This is another day where I have a couple of things I really want to do, so I'm mapping it out the best I can now:

• 7:00 AM -- Would like to Uber from DAKL around 7 to get to UO before it opens at 8, but no rush to get in gates because our first stop is...
• 8:00 AM -- VooDoo Donuts when it opens alongside CityWalk. Going to grab a VooDoo Doll donut to start my day, then it's off to Universal Orlando!
• 8:30 AM -- Single Rider Line for Hollywood Rip Ride n Rockit
• 9:00 AM -- Jimmy Fallon Race Through New York
• 9:30 AM -- Maybe Single Rider Line Mummy? If line is under 30 minutes? Haven't done enough research on early morning wait times at Universal
• 10:30 AM -- Blues Brothers Show
• 11:00 AM -- Time to meet Poppy at DreamWorks Land! And "troll around" (hehe) that area for a bit. Want to meet Shrek and gang too.
• 11:45 AM -- Minions Land, definitely want to get Minion Tots from the cafe but nothing else on that menu is really calling out to me. Want Minion popcorn bucket as well. Photos with Minions at Illumination Theatre Will likely do the Blast ride but not if I have to wait more than 10 minutes for it.
• 1:00 PM -- Back to Hollywood to see what characters I can meet and walk around shops, maybe another snack if anything calls to me
• 2:00 PM -- UNIVERSAL MEGA MOVIE PARADE! This is what I'm most excited to see, so I'll start to scope out a spot closer to 1:30 towards the beginning of the parade route.
• 2:30 PM & ONWARD -- After the parade is when things become more go-with-the-flow. I'll make my way towards Diagon Alley for lunch at Leaky Cauldron and to get in the Single Rider Line for Gringotts. Definitely going to have frozen Butterbeer (my BELOVED), would like to have ice cream at Florean Fortescue's but if there's no stomach space after lunch it is what it is. Will certainly be getting a Pumpkin Pasty to go. I'm also anticipating that this is where I'll do the bulk of my shopping -- want Cedric's wand from the wand shop here, want to check out some of the stationery at the Quills shop, and I'm going to get some pins for a coworker while I'm here. Going to be a big afternoon, so once I'm done here, I think I'll feel good to wrap things up and head back to DAKL.

My hope is that I'll be on the way to DAKL by 4:30. The Park will close to day guests at 5, so there might be some guest traffic coming in and out of the park as HHN people start to arrive. If I can get back to my room by 5:30, I'll be happy as a clam -- enough time to shower and relax before dinner at 7:55 PM at Sanaa.

As always... thoughts on my plans? As I'm reading these out, I realize it probably makes more sense for me to do Diagon Alley before the Parade and do the DreamWorks stuff and Minions Land on my way out, since they're closer to the park exit. But also, do you think that's what the bulk of people are going to do? Let me know. And if you're a Universal Studios pro, pleeeeeease let me know if this is too ambitious and I need to cut something. Or if I'm underestimating myself and there's something I need to add!

I recently did a solo trip to Disney, and was a little nervous about taking a rideshare by myself. Lyft has safety tools under the settings section and you can share your location with family and friends while your in your ride and you can set up check-ins for every ride that allow you to confirm with Lyft that you reached your destination safely. I also opted in to the "Women+ Connect" feature. Per the app "As a woman or nonbinary rider, you can choose to be matched more often with women and nonbinary drivers when available." Lyft will do their best to match you with a woman or nonbinary driver when they are available.

Lyft is my preferred rideshare platform, but Uber has similar safety features as well in their settings. Hopefully this will make you feel a bit more comfortable!

 

[Newsies]

I recently did a solo trip to Disney, and was a little nervous about taking a rideshare by myself. Lyft has safety tools under the settings section and you can share your location with family and friends while your in your ride and you can set up check-ins for every ride that allow you to confirm with Lyft that you reached your destination safely. I also opted in to the "Women+ Connect" feature. Per the app "As a woman or nonbinary rider, you can choose to be matched more often with women and nonbinary drivers when available." Lyft will do their best to match you with a woman or nonbinary driver when they are available.

Lyft is my preferred rideshare platform, but Uber has similar safety features as well in their settings. Hopefully this will make you feel a bit more comfortable!

Thank you so much!! I love the idea of Women+ Connect on Lyft and I also prefer Lyft to Uber. I think I'm moreso nervous about just having to rely on a car service to move me in between the Disney bubble. I know it's not realistic that there won't be a car available to pick me up when I need it, I think its just overwhelming for me to think about being so far away from my hotel without my own car. IDK. I think I'm just spoiled by having dad's truck to get us around Orlando

 

[Lynne G]

Thank you so much for the advice!!! I'll look into getting dropped off/picked up at the Hard Rock Hotel. Have you done this from a different hotel/off-Universal Property stay before? I hesitate to get dropped off at hotels like this because Disney security is so tight re: people getting dropped off at the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Contemporary, etc. without a reservation. This is so helpful, thank you again!

Nope. They don’t have any guards at the entrance to the hotels. I have done so when at another Universal hotel, I took the boat over. Also have met friends there in the lobby, when I had my daughter drop me off, and also walked over from the Portofino to meet up with friends staying there. We go there sometimes to eat at The Kitchen, even if we are not staying there and not at another Universal hotel. Since my AP gives free parking at the city walk garages, we park and take boat or walk if not staying at Universal to eat at The Kitchen.

No one cares who enters the hotel lobby or restaurants. Must go through lobby, down stairs and when down there, should see an arrow sign showing you the direction where the path is to the boat and walking path. Can always ask where to go too.

It’s a very quick walk to the Studios. Where you do have to go through security at the end of the path. But once you are through security, no need to do again, unless you fully leave the city walk area. To go back, you just walk past the security. Most likely, you will not be the only one walking on the path the times you will be on it.

I hope you have a great day there. I’ll be staying at the Hard Rock the week after.

 

[Newsies]

Nope. They don’t have any guards at the entrance to the hotels. I have done so when at another Universal hotel, I took the boat over. Also have met friends there in the lobby, when I had my daughter drop me off, and also walked over from the Portofino to meet up with friends staying there. We go there sometimes to eat at The Kitchen, even if we are not staying there and not at another Universal hotel. Since my AP gives free parking at the city walk garages, we park and take boat or walk if not staying at Universal to eat at The Kitchen.

No one cares who enters the hotel lobby or restaurants. Must go through lobby, down stairs and when down there, should see an arrow sign showing you the direction where the path is to the boat and walking path. Can always ask where to go too.

It’s a very quick walk to the Studios. Where you do have to go through security at the end of the path. But once you are through security, no need to do again, unless you fully leave the city walk area. To go back, you just walk past the security. Most likely, you will not be the only one walking on the path the times you will be on it.

I hope you have a great day there. I’ll be staying at the Hard Rock the week after.

Love it, love it, LOVE IT! Thank you so very much for all of this info, this is so useful. I hope you have the absolute best time at Universal!

 

[Newsies]

My FIRST EVER LLMP Selections!
​

A week from right now, I'll be at my happy place!

It's very cool to be wrapping my May PTR up on a four-day weekend, because I remember the four-day weekend I had back in January where I basically sat down and planned out this trip. That was the weekend where I figured out I could upgrade to DAKL! And look at us now.

​

Friday was mostly quiet, but I got 99% of my packing done. If you know me, you know it's very rare for me to be all packed up over a week in advance! I also made my appointment for Saturday morning, my usual pre-trip manipedi.

Yesterday, I got a cute little haircut in the morning, and in the afternoon, I got my COVID shot. I got my Flu shot a few weeks ago and tried to get the COVID one done then, but the 2024-2025 vaccine wasn't out yet. I found out yesterday that they were finally available and I made a quick appointment to get that done. Two of my friends just visited WDW and got knocked onto their butt from COVID two days into their trip, causing them to have to cancel the rest of their park days and their MNSSHP -- I am not claiming that energy for next week

Today was all about the last piece of planning for this trip... LLMP and ILL selections!

LLMP functions similarly to FP+, it's just... not free anymore. Now, as a solo traveler, the cost wasn't too absurd for the three days I booked today, but the pricing is going to cause issues for my family when we go back together (potentially next March), as you're looking at about $100 for a family of four to do MK. However... I hated Genie+/LL/ILL. So the fact that this is priced the same as the previous LL/ILL service BUT it works out all of the kinks and gives us what we've been asking for, AKA the ability to pre-book 3 attractions in advance so we at least know how to plan our day and are guaranteed to get three rides we want... I just can't be mad at this system, even if it's more money than we can reasonably pay sometimes.

Like I said, I booked 3 days today: Monday (Epcot), Tuesday (Magic Kingdom), and Wednesday (Animal Kingdom). I bought LLMP for all three days, and I also caved and bought the GotG ILL for Epcot and 7DMT ILL for MK.

It was very, very easy to get everything I wanted at 7 AM Today. I booked Tuesday first because I really wanted an early morning time for TBA, and then I booked Epcot to get a morning time for Remy. Everything worked out incredibly!

MONDAY
9:40-10:40 AM: Guardians of the Galaxy - Cosmic Rewind
10:40-11:40 AM: Spaceship Earth
11:40-12:40 PM: Living with the Land
12:50-1:50 PM: Remy's Ratatouille Adventure

Can't be mad at this lineup, I just might not make it to Living with the Land, as I'll want to move as quickly through the festival booths as possible when they open at 11. Looks like that 10:40 Spaceship Earth FP+ will be a perfect way to close the loop on World Discovery before moving on to World Showcase! I know some people may argue that it's not necessary to use LLMP for Epcot, but I really wanted that Remy LL and it's actually at a perfect time. If I start in Mexico at 11, I'll probably be wrapping up my afternoon in France around 1:30 and I'll take the Skyliner to DHS/transfer to a bus to DAKL from there for a mid-day break.

TUESDAY
9:15-10:15 AM: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
9:25-10:25 AM: Pirates of the Caribbean
10:25-11:25 AM: Haunted Mansion
11:30-12:30 PM: Tiana's Bayou Adventure

THIS. DAY. CHEFS KISS. CHEF'S KISS! This panned out exactly how I wanted it to pan out for my first MNSSHP day. I can rope drop Gaston's Tavern for that luscious creme brulee croissant, get on 7DMT, and then head right over to Adventureland to knock out PotC. Then I'll spend the rest of my morning in Frontierland with CBMJ, River Belle, HM, and finish the morning with TBA. I'll leave around noon for a nice break, then head back to MK around 4. I'm so excited that this worked out the way that it did.

Now, for an additional $10, I originally didn't expect to book the 7DMT ILL. After all, I've been there, done that, and can do it during the party if I really want to. However... I'm really curious to see how I fit now that I've lost some weight 7DMT has been really tight and painful, particularly in the knee area, for a few years. It's actually been kind of the first "red flag" for my weight and one of the motivators behind all of the work I've been doing. I want to see if I have a pain-free ride on 7DMT this trip. I don't know what I'll do if I can make it through the ride without wanting to cry in pain. Maybe I'll cry in happiness.

WEDNESDAY
8:15-9:15 AM: Kilimanjaro Safaris
9:05-10:05 AM: Expedition Everest
10:20-11:20 AM: DINOSAUR

Nothing really special to call out here. Glad I have the earliest Safari time possible and glad I get to say goodbye to DINOSAUR.


So, overall I am delighted beyond delighted with how this morning worked out for me. This gives me so much clarity on how to tour the three "true" Park days of my trip and makes me feel as confident in my vacation as I was when FP+ was still around. Now we can reeeally start planning... I'll do some more in-depth day-to-day tour planning here this week!

 

[DJFan88]

My FIRST EVER LLMP Selections!
​

A week from right now, I'll be at my happy place!

It's very cool to be wrapping my May PTR up on a four-day weekend, because I remember the four-day weekend I had back in January where I basically sat down and planned out this trip. That was the weekend where I figured out I could upgrade to DAKL! And look at us now.

​

Friday was mostly quiet, but I got 99% of my packing done. If you know me, you know it's very rare for me to be all packed up over a week in advance! I also made my appointment for Saturday morning, my usual pre-trip manipedi.

Yesterday, I got a cute little haircut in the morning, and in the afternoon, I got my COVID shot. I got my Flu shot a few weeks ago and tried to get the COVID one done then, but the 2024-2025 vaccine wasn't out yet. I found out yesterday that they were finally available and I made a quick appointment to get that done. Two of my friends just visited WDW and got knocked onto their butt from COVID two days into their trip, causing them to have to cancel the rest of their park days and their MNSSHP -- I am not claiming that energy for next week

Today was all about the last piece of planning for this trip... LLMP and ILL selections!

LLMP functions similarly to FP+, it's just... not free anymore. Now, as a solo traveler, the cost wasn't too absurd for the three days I booked today, but the pricing is going to cause issues for my family when we go back together (potentially next March), as you're looking at about $100 for a family of four to do MK. However... I hated Genie+/LL/ILL. So the fact that this is priced the same as the previous LL/ILL service BUT it works out all of the kinks and gives us what we've been asking for, AKA the ability to pre-book 3 attractions in advance so we at least know how to plan our day and are guaranteed to get three rides we want... I just can't be mad at this system, even if it's more money than we can reasonably pay sometimes.

Like I said, I booked 3 days today: Monday (Epcot), Tuesday (Magic Kingdom), and Wednesday (Animal Kingdom). I bought LLMP for all three days, and I also caved and bought the GotG ILL for Epcot and 7DMT ILL for MK.

It was very, very easy to get everything I wanted at 7 AM Today. I booked Tuesday first because I really wanted an early morning time for TBA, and then I booked Epcot to get a morning time for Remy. Everything worked out incredibly!

MONDAY
9:40-10:40 AM: Guardians of the Galaxy - Cosmic Rewind
10:40-11:40 AM: Spaceship Earth
11:40-12:40 PM: Living with the Land
12:50-1:50 PM: Remy's Ratatouille Adventure

Can't be mad at this lineup, I just might not make it to Living with the Land, as I'll want to move as quickly through the festival booths as possible when they open at 11. Looks like that 10:40 Spaceship Earth FP+ will be a perfect way to close the loop on World Discovery before moving on to World Showcase! I know some people may argue that it's not necessary to use LLMP for Epcot, but I really wanted that Remy LL and it's actually at a perfect time. If I start in Mexico at 11, I'll probably be wrapping up my afternoon in France around 1:30 and I'll take the Skyliner to DHS/transfer to a bus to DAKL from there for a mid-day break.

TUESDAY
9:15-10:15 AM: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
9:25-10:25 AM: Pirates of the Caribbean
10:25-11:25 AM: Haunted Mansion
11:30-12:30 PM: Tiana's Bayou Adventure

THIS. DAY. CHEFS KISS. CHEF'S KISS! This panned out exactly how I wanted it to pan out for my first MNSSHP day. I can rope drop Gaston's Tavern for that luscious creme brulee croissant, get on 7DMT, and then head right over to Adventureland to knock out PotC. Then I'll spend the rest of my morning in Frontierland with CBMJ, River Belle, HM, and finish the morning with TBA. I'll leave around noon for a nice break, then head back to MK around 4. I'm so excited that this worked out the way that it did.

Now, for an additional $10, I originally didn't expect to book the 7DMT ILL. After all, I've been there, done that, and can do it during the party if I really want to. However... I'm really curious to see how I fit now that I've lost some weight 7DMT has been really tight and painful, particularly in the knee area, for a few years. It's actually been kind of the first "red flag" for my weight and one of the motivators behind all of the work I've been doing. I want to see if I have a pain-free ride on 7DMT this trip. I don't know what I'll do if I can make it through the ride without wanting to cry in pain. Maybe I'll cry in happiness.

WEDNESDAY
8:15-9:15 AM: Kilimanjaro Safaris
9:05-10:05 AM: Expedition Everest
10:20-11:20 AM: DINOSAUR

Nothing really special to call out here. Glad I have the earliest Safari time possible and glad I get to say goodbye to DINOSAUR.


So, overall I am delighted beyond delighted with how this morning worked out for me. This gives me so much clarity on how to tour the three "true" Park days of my trip and makes me feel as confident in my vacation as I was when FP+ was still around. Now we can reeeally start planning... I'll do some more in-depth day-to-day tour planning here this week!

We booked this morning and have the same exact starting 3 park days as you! Looks like at MK and a couple of the others at the other 2 parks could even be on rides same times!

 

[Newsies]

We booked this morning and have the same exact starting 3 park days as you! Looks like at MK and a couple of the others at the other 2 parks could even be on rides same times!

Yay!! It would be so fun to run into you Did you get what you wanted? Looked like everything had great availability.

 

[DJFan88]

Yay!! It would be so fun to run into you Did you get what you wanted? Looked like everything had great availability.

Yeah! Was very pleased with availability, tweaked 2 later for earlier times. All the heavy hitters were great. We overlap EXACTLY on all 3 MKs Tuesday!!! On Monday Epcot my SE is 1055 and Remy 140 so similar. Wed AK our Safari starts as yours end. I feel like since you’re going to the same Halloween party I’m bound to run into you at some point on Tuesday lol I’m gonna go back in the front. Make sure I look at your picture good so I can pick you out. I’ll be with three other women we’re all in our 50s or so, and will basically have shirts with ears with like pirates or cat themes

 

[HappyGal]

Is it safe to say we’re skipping BTMR this trip?

 

[Newsies]

Yeah! Was very pleased with availability, tweaked 2 later for earlier times. All the heavy hitters were great. We overlap EXACTLY on all 3 MKs Tuesday!!! On Monday Epcot my SE is 1055 and Remy 140 so similar. Wed AK our Safari starts as yours end. I feel like since you’re going to the same Halloween party I’m bound to run into you at some point on Tuesday lol I’m gonna go back in the front. Make sure I look at your picture good so I can pick you out. I’ll be with three other women we’re all in our 50s or so, and will basically have shirts with ears with like pirates or cat themes

Oh, you did great too then! That's crazy that we're overlapping for basically our entire MK day!!! I'll be on the lookout for four women with pirate and cat ear t-shirts at the party! I'll be in pink shorts and a shirt with pink and orange Mickey jack-o-lanterns!

Is it safe to say we’re skipping BTMR this trip?

HAHAHA! Yes! We're gonna put a pin in Big Thunder for the next few trips!

 

[Newsies]

Arrival Day & Day 2: Epcot Plans and Priorities
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5 days away from being back at Disney! I can't believe how fast the time is flying by... I'm just now realizing I never did the single digit dance here last week! That's so unlike me! Here... we can have a mini single-digit dance party now as I watch "A Goofy Movie" while I finish planning up this week.

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So I finally have things figured out (I think!) and I've decided I'm gonna go ahead and plan to use visit Epcot on my arrival day. There's just so much to eat at the Food & Wine Festival and I know I'd rather be at Epcot than at Springs while I kill time waiting for my room to be ready. So finally, here are some of the day-to-day plans I've been meaning to cook up:

Day 1
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• Wakey-Wakey at 3:30 AM! Then it's a quick ride to the airport... thanks dad!​
• Wheels up at Newark - 6:00 AM​
• Wheels down in Orlando - 8:30ish AM​
• On Mears bus by 9:15? Haven't done this in a while, but I remember the process of getting on the faux-norail and grabbing my bag before heading to the check-in station being a pleasant and quick one.​
• Arrive at DAKL by 10:30. Need to drop off bags and put in my contact lenses, since I'll probably wear my glasses on the plane (I have a fear of sleeping in my contacts... don't judge)​
• Bus to Epcot, arrive just in time for the booths to open for the day! Grab one of those tres chic keychain/wristlet gift cards first.​
• Maccatizers - Mac & Cheese + Wine Flight to really get my day going!​
• Meet Moana, walk through Journey of Water, Living with the Land​
• More booth dishes: Grilled Bison (Bramblewood Bites), Toasted Coconut Float (Swirled Showcase), Toastada de Camarones (Mexico)​
• Meet Asha, maybe Gran Fiesta Tour​
• Check out the Festival Merch and whatever is at Creations... just to look!​
• Back to DAKL​
• Unpack room, rest, get ready for dinner​
• Jiko reservation - 7:15​
• Enjoy the rest of my evening at the Lodge!​

Day 2
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Things get a little messy in the morning before the World Showcase/Festival booths open. My plan is to rope drop Soarin', then I have my ILL at Guardians and two LLMP selections at Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land. It's kind of a lot of going back and forth between east and west, so I'm trying to consolidate as much as possible.

• Rope Drop Soarin', do Land without LLMP if time looks good and move around Land LLMP for something else later.
• Spaceship Earth LLMP
• GotG ILL
• How are we doing at time at this point? Do we have 30+ minutes before WS opens? Okay, go back to Land LLMP if we haven't done it yet OR do Nemo. Are we less than 30+ minutes from WS? Let's see what the wait time is at Mickey & Friends M&G.
• A lot on our plate starting at 11:00. Quite literally. Top foodie priorities of the day in order of appearance: Crispy Duck Bao Buns (China), Samosas/Mango Lassi (India), Chocolate Pudding Cake (America), Beer Braised Beef (Belgium), Pao de Queijo (Brazil)
• Pad that early morning time out with characters, shopping, a visit to the FloridaBlue Lounge, and peeking into the Portraits of Courage exhibit at the American Adventure pavilion.
• Remy LLMP
• I will hate Epcot after 5-6 hours in the sun, if I make it that far. I will then take the Skyliner to DHS and transfer to a DAKL bus from there.
• Enjoy my life in my air-conditioned room for a few hours or visit the pool
• Back to Epcot to hang out with my friend Em for a few hours!
• Will I still be alive? If yes, say goodbye to Em while I hang around for Deluxe EEH.

 

[DJFan88]

I want to try that chocolate pudding cake too! Also will check out that Florida blue lounge-should be a small breather from everything for a minute or two. Thanks for the reminder on the George Bush paintings! Great idea on traveling through the back to return to your resort. One of the ladies with us will have a harder time walking and day one our Remys will be right before a resort break, so that should work nice, or even the boat depending on what they want to see. I think 2 of them have never seen that resort area.

 

[Lynne G]

So close now for both of us. Your plans look great.

Bought pumpkin Mickey ears to wear this coming Tuesday. Looking forward to the party. Heard to score that sipper, have to be in line around 5:30 to get one or two of the 250 available each party night. I think I’ll try to remember to find a line around then. She is so cute. And my DD is looking forward to the concert the day before. We switched restaurants, as picky eater her, was stressing about the menu at Coral Reef that we had booked. Hence a big increase in the price for the new restaurant, but happy kid eating what she likes, is worth it to me. Bought enough discounted gift cards that should cover the cost. And glad to see it still had availability for that ticket with meal at that restaurant, that I did not see before, when we had to settle with the closest menu to one I know she would at least eat some.

And yay, we both leave around the same time. Though my 6:05am flight got changed to 6:50 am not too long after I booked, but we are still leaving by 3:30 or so too, thought at PHL, the security doesn’t reopen until 4:30 am, but we like to get there before then. We have seen long lines to drop off bags at that time of day. But we like coming on vacation, on those crack of dawn flights. I’m sure my DD will be sleeping not much after we take our plane seats. As she will be arriving from concert the night before, that is around 2 and a half, or so hours drive from our home. Sports room, here we come. Again. Though we did enjoy the BC the last time we were there. Three weeks ago. Hehe. AP seems to make more trips happen. Though I have always met up with friends in end of September into October, though due to crowds and higher prices, we have pushed back the dates. So now we arrive the beginning of September. DD decided to join me this time.

But yay again too, as flights this weekend. Time has surely gone by fast.

 

[Newsies]

I want to try that chocolate pudding cake too! Also will check out that Florida blue lounge-should be a small breather from everything for a minute or two. Thanks for the reminder on the George Bush paintings!

Definitely had to reconfigure some of the dishes on my list after watching all of the coverage on the festival... the chocolate cake is now high on my list of must-tries! And yes, I am very excited to sit down in the air conditioning with some free water. The Florida Blue lounge fills a need that World Showcase was absolutely desperate for (don't forget to screenshot the PDF "ticket" you get from signing up on their website! My screenshot is in my phone's favorites folder so I can access it easily). Even just walking through the Portraits exhibit in the American Adventure should provide a little bit of an AC break that I'll really need.

I don't know if you can tell, but I'm a little nervous about how brutally the weather at Epcot and DAK are going to treat me, so in the middle of this comment, I caved and bought my first ever Frogg Togg

Great idea on traveling through the back to return to your resort. One of the ladies with us will have a harder time walking and day one our Remys will be right before a resort break, so that should work nice, or even the boat depending on what they want to see. I think 2 of them have never seen that resort area.

The thought of walking all the way back to the Epcot resort buses from any point in the World Showcases is a big ol' "nope" from me Been there, done that when I stayed at OKW in 2021, it almost made me cry. I love the idea of heading to the Boardwalk or even the Beach Club after a long morning/afternoon in Epcot... maybe I'll check out the Boardwalk for a little bit and bus to DAK/transfer to DAKL from there instead!

So close now for both of us. Your plans look great.

Soooo close!!!

Bought pumpkin Mickey ears to wear this coming Tuesday. Looking forward to the party. Heard to score that sipper, have to be in line around 5:30 to get one or two of the 250 available each party night. I think I’ll try to remember to find a line around then. She is so cute. And my DD is looking forward to the concert the day before. We switched restaurants, as picky eater her, was stressing about the menu at Coral Reef that we had booked. Hence a big increase in the price for the new restaurant, but happy kid eating what she likes, is worth it to me. Bought enough discounted gift cards that should cover the cost. And glad to see it still had availability for that ticket with meal at that restaurant, that I did not see before, when we had to settle with the closest menu to one I know she would at least eat some.

Same here, going to try to get in line for the Sipper closer to 5:30-5:45. Thankfully, I've heard they also have CMs monitoring the line at Sleepy Hollow that can tell you if you're likely to get the sipper based on your position in line, so that should cut some stress. You're going to have to let me know your thoughts on the Eat to the Beat package at your new restaurant!!!

And yay, we both leave around the same time. Though my 6:05am flight got changed to 6:50 am not too long after I booked, but we are still leaving by 3:30 or so too, thought at PHL, the security doesn’t reopen until 4:30 am, but we like to get there before then. We have seen long lines to drop off bags at that time of day. But we like coming on vacation, on those crack of dawn flights. I’m sure my DD will be sleeping not much after we take our plane seats. As she will be arriving from concert the night before, that is around 2 and a half, or so hours drive from our home. Sports room, here we come. Again. Though we did enjoy the BC the last time we were there. Three weeks ago. Hehe. AP seems to make more trips happen. Though I have always met up with friends in end of September into October, though due to crowds and higher prices, we have pushed back the dates. So now we arrive the beginning of September. DD decided to join me this time.

They did the opposite to me -- originally was supposed to leave at 6:50, now leaving at 6:00. JetBlue changed a ton of times for their Newark flights (inbound and outbound) back in April or May, but only by less than an hour for everything... I wonder why. And I feel for your daughter! I always tell myself I'm going to "sleep on the plane", particularly when I have long or morning flights, and then I'm always too excited to sleep

But yay again too, as flights this weekend. Time has surely gone by fast.

Seriously, where did the time go??? See ya real soon!

 

[ExpeditionEmily]

Come to the Dark Side, We Have Donuts​

The dark side... DUN DUN DUN!

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Okay, so I won't be going to Halloween Horror Nights, but I'll still be spending a day at Universal Studios Orlando on this trip... which many, many folks over the years here on the DIS have jokingly (or not-so-jokingly) referred to as "the dark side." Love it or hate it, Disney's neighbor may not be as friendly or magical as the Mouse, but it still has so many great attractions and IPs to explore.

My love affair with Universal started when I was 15 and a massive Harry Potter nerd. We were on a family vacation to Daytona Beach and my one request was to visit Universal for the day so I could visit Hogsmeade. Diagon Alley wasn't open at the time, but my parents also really wanted to see the new Despicable Me ride, so we bought a 1-Day Park Hopper pass and enjoyed a day at UO/IOA. Well, I enjoyed the day. I got selected to participate in the Ollivander's Wand Show, got to go on Forbidden Journey, tried Butterbeer for the first time, and was totally enamored with the theming of Hogsmeade. It felt like I was achieving my childhood dream of attending Hogwarts for a day and I cried when we left. My parents and sister were less than thrilled with Universal's lack of shade, air conditioning, and just felt like it wasn't as clean or family-friendly as Walt Disney World, and said they didn't want to ever go back.

This was 2012, and we haven't been back into the Parks as a family since then (except for a quick trip to CityWalk in 2017 for dinner at Toothsome Chocolate Factory), but I got to continue exploring UO/IOA a few times on my first DCP with my roommates and friends. I loved Diagon Alley, it continues to be one of my all-time favorite theme park lands. I also loved The Mummy, the Blues Brothers show, and dancing with Minions at the exit of the Despicable Me ride. In general, I think I just liked that it was "different" than Walt Disney World but still "the same." Both parks have IPs that I really love, both parks have rides that I really love, both parks have lands that I really love.

Now, Universal has changed a lot in the past 12 years, and dad actually wants to give it a second chance now. But I've been itching to head back to Universal since December 2016. And that's an itch I'm gonna scratch 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!

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I still have a few concerns. Mainly that I'll have to Uber/Lyft alone and leave the Disney bubble. And as a follow-up to that concern, I'm worried about the September heat and rain/storms impacting my day, especially because it's not really going to be possible for me to take a mid-day break here. The Park closes at 5, so I really want to rope drop and get my money's worth of my day. And make sure my heart is full of Universal magic until I can come back again.

This is another day where I have a couple of things I really want to do, so I'm mapping it out the best I can now:

• 7:00 AM -- Would like to Uber from DAKL around 7 to get to UO before it opens at 8, but no rush to get in gates because our first stop is...
• 8:00 AM -- VooDoo Donuts when it opens alongside CityWalk. Going to grab a VooDoo Doll donut to start my day, then it's off to Universal Orlando!
• 8:30 AM -- Single Rider Line for Hollywood Rip Ride n Rockit
• 9:00 AM -- Jimmy Fallon Race Through New York
• 9:30 AM -- Maybe Single Rider Line Mummy? If line is under 30 minutes? Haven't done enough research on early morning wait times at Universal
• 10:30 AM -- Blues Brothers Show
• 11:00 AM -- Time to meet Poppy at DreamWorks Land! And "troll around" (hehe) that area for a bit. Want to meet Shrek and gang too.
• 11:45 AM -- Minions Land, definitely want to get Minion Tots from the cafe but nothing else on that menu is really calling out to me. Want Minion popcorn bucket as well. Photos with Minions at Illumination Theatre Will likely do the Blast ride but not if I have to wait more than 10 minutes for it.
• 1:00 PM -- Back to Hollywood to see what characters I can meet and walk around shops, maybe another snack if anything calls to me
• 2:00 PM -- UNIVERSAL MEGA MOVIE PARADE! This is what I'm most excited to see, so I'll start to scope out a spot closer to 1:30 towards the beginning of the parade route.
• 2:30 PM & ONWARD -- After the parade is when things become more go-with-the-flow. I'll make my way towards Diagon Alley for lunch at Leaky Cauldron and to get in the Single Rider Line for Gringotts. Definitely going to have frozen Butterbeer (my BELOVED), would like to have ice cream at Florean Fortescue's but if there's no stomach space after lunch it is what it is. Will certainly be getting a Pumpkin Pasty to go. I'm also anticipating that this is where I'll do the bulk of my shopping -- want Cedric's wand from the wand shop here, want to check out some of the stationery at the Quills shop, and I'm going to get some pins for a coworker while I'm here. Going to be a big afternoon, so once I'm done here, I think I'll feel good to wrap things up and head back to DAKL.

My hope is that I'll be on the way to DAKL by 4:30. The Park will close to day guests at 5, so there might be some guest traffic coming in and out of the park as HHN people start to arrive. If I can get back to my room by 5:30, I'll be happy as a clam -- enough time to shower and relax before dinner at 7:55 PM at Sanaa.

As always... thoughts on my plans? As I'm reading these out, I realize it probably makes more sense for me to do Diagon Alley before the Parade and do the DreamWorks stuff and Minions Land on my way out, since they're closer to the park exit. But also, do you think that's what the bulk of people are going to do? Let me know. And if you're a Universal Studios pro, pleeeeeease let me know if this is too ambitious and I need to cut something. Or if I'm underestimating myself and there's something I need to add!

This post immediately made me think of that trip to Universal we went on together right after move in. Can you believe it was EIGHT years ago? We're old Hagrid's is a much better replacement for that dueling coaster we did.

These plans look solid - I highly recommend Florean Fortescue's if you end up there and have the stomach space. The butterbeer ice cream is AMAZING!

Have you been on Jimmy Fallon before? Personally, I'll skip it every time we're at Universal. It can be a lot of waiting / pre-show and for me ties with Fast and the Furious for my least favorite ride in Universal. Gringott's is a 10/10 and I LOVE E.T. in a nostalgic kind of way.