Florida Vacation - Disney & Universal WWHP
I finally had some time to write about my recent family trip to Orlando, Florida and upload a few pictures. I took almost three hundred pictures and that doesn’t even include the video files. Please let me know if you have trouble viewing the pics. This vacation was a birthday present from my parents and they gave me free rein to plan the whole itinerary for all of us. It was a little daunting since I have specific interests that we don’t all share, but it worked out. Pic spam can be found here!
Tuesday, June 22: Flight from Bay Area to Orlando
Our flight left the Bay Area around 1:15pm. After an hour stopover in Las Vegas, we arrived at Orlando’s MCO airport shortly after midnight. Plastered all around the airport were dozens of signs advertizing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. If I hadn’t been so tired, I probably would have been bouncing off the walls jumping up and down. As it was, the very first vacation picture I took was of a WWHP ad that was right by baggage claim.
I picked up the rental car from an extremely disengaged clerk who didn’t seem to know what he was doing. I had a reservation and he screwed up some of the paperwork. It took such a long time to undo the mess he made. *sigh* Perhaps that was sign of things to come.
The moment we stepped out of the building to go to the parking garage, the super heated air almost knocked me over; it was intense and I was already cranky with the paperwork delay. The clerk also had horrible handwriting and my mom and I had problems deciphering the looping numbers that indicated our parking bay. When we finally found the correct car, a silvery blue Toyota Camry hybrid, I had a problem starting it. Prior to that point, I had never driven a hybrid and that keyless thing was just weird. I couldn’t figure out how to start the car. You have to press the ignition button and step on the brake to get it started. I kept pressing the wrong brake. It also took a few minutes to figure out the controls for the AC and seat and mirror adjustments. By the time we got back to the area where we left my dad with the luggage, he was working himself up into a temper tantrum. He thought something happened to us, plus he was also hot and grumpy.
After loading the car, I bring out the GPS and start programming it to map out the route to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, thus beginning another round of extreme vexation. For some reason, the GPS thought I was doing a driving trip from home and plotted a route from California to Florida. O_o Nothing I tried would change the coordinates and I was about ready to scream my head off. Thankfully, I was thorough and asked for paper maps and directions from the clerk. I also printed instructions from Disney before leaving home.
We finally leave the parking garage and the GPS starts to work. *cue angels singing* I knew that parking structures affect the performance of the GPS, but the signal strength was good in the garage. Whatever. I was just grateful the thing was working because my mom was really tired and would have had a hard time navigating for me.
The turnpikes were annoying. It seemed like there was a toll every couple of miles. I’ve driven in Florida and in the East Coast before, so I’m familiar with turnpikes. I’m just not used to them because aren’t a part of California highways. I hope they don’t become a part of the future, but with transportation departments clamoring for more funds to fix the roads, who knows.
The drive to our resort was thankfully uneventful, but more headdesking things were in store for us. I did the express check in online. Everything was fine until they told me where our room was located. I was beyond angry. My dad has a bit of a hard time walking, so I always request appropriate rooms. The resort is only two stories high and they put us on the second floor. The hotel clerk tried to cover by saying we wanted a view of the lake. WTH? This trip was planned months in advance and I was there when my travel agent made sure that our room was accessible. To us, that is way more important than the view. We had no choice but to accept the room and my dad was able to make it up the stairs by walking slowly. The porter had the nerve to blame AAA (my travel agent) for the mistake. No. If you can’t honor the requests put in my legitimate agents, you shouldn’t be doing business with them. Excuses, excuses. I think he was grumpy because he had to haul luggage upstairs. It certainly didn’t warm me to the resort, especially since I know Disney is known for their customer service.
They offered to switch rooms for us in the morning, but after discussing it with my dad, he decided he could gut it out. It would have been more of a hassle to switch because all we wanted to do was settle in, unpack, and sleep.
On the upside, the room was nice and deliciously cold when we got there. It was decorated with accessories from the Finding Nemo film and the layout was great.
Wednesday, June 23: Epcot Center
After about five hours of sleep, we got up in anticipation of visiting Epcot Center. I’ve only been there once previously and it was pretty awesome. We rented a chair for my dad for the duration of our stay in Florida. He’s mobile, but it just made things easier for him. Between lack of sleep, exhaustion, and the unforgiving sauna-like heat, we were all a bit short tempered that day-especially my dad. Sometimes the heat almost overwhelmed me. The AC in the restrooms made me want to stay inside and relax for a while. I know it’s bizarre, but it’s true.
I was impressed with Epcot’s chair access. We were directed to different and often shorter lines for the attractions. The only one we had to wait a long time for (over an hour) was for Soarin’, one of their newest rides. The hang glider-type ride was my favorite of the day. It’s like you are gliding around various vistas in California, and it does a really great job with the simulation. It was also fun to walk through the various country sections.
One of the other highlights was the Light and Sound show that capped the evening. The fireworks and light display was every bit as amazing as I remembered it. We had great seats by the lagoon. My feet hurt so much by the end of the day and I wasn’t the only one who had that problem. I saw people taking off their shoes and massaging their toes. I didn’t do that, but I almost fell asleep while sitting on the ground and leaning against the fence and waiting for the show to start.
On the shuttle ride back to our resort, I heard a five-year-old telling his mother that he wanted to go to the pool when they got back. O_O This was around 10:30pm. After a full day of walking around in the hot sun, I was ready to go to bed; I was completely exhausted. Of course I didn’t do that though. I was busy doing other things and there was no way I would go to bed without having a shower.
Thursday, June 24: Magic Kingdom
This was by far my favorite day spent at the Disney World resort. By this time, we were somewhat acclimatized to the heat and we got enough rest. All of the rides were great, but my favorites are still the ones from childhood-It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, all of the roller coasters, and the “tale” rides. We had lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern-excellent salmon cakes and beef stew. Our snack was refreshing and delicious concoction of fresh pineapple juice and pineapple ice cream.
The Electrical Parade was absolutely mesmerizing. I hadn’t seen it in years and it is still every bit as magical as I remembered it. My favorite was of course the Cheshire Cat. I tried to get a picture of him, but he would light up at different intervals and sometimes all that was visible was his grin. I got a picture of his stripes, but it’s a “behind” shot. :/
I was so impressed with the fabulous fireworks display that followed the parade. It told a little story with the explosive lights; it veritable feast for the eyes and ears and quite amusing to boot. I liked the pink and blue argument-it’s classic Sleeping Beauty. This is one of the best fireworks displays I’ve seen.
Friday, June 25: Disney Hollywood Studios
This day was low-key and unrushed. It was great to see some of my favorite films and characters come to life. We had a reservation for a character lunch buffet. We saw Manny, the Tool Guy and several of his friends. Though it’s geared for children, the characters hammed it up with the adults as well. I have a hilarious picture of my dad with one of the characters. All of our meals were prepaid because we were on the meal plan. The people next to us were in sticker shock when they received the bill for their meal. For a table of four, it was over $100.
Highlights: Seeing my mom get doused with water during the backlot tour. Her expression was so funny and it was quite unexpected. On that same tram ride, there were two women in front of me who just couldn’t stop talking and we had difficulty hearing the information. The man directly in back of them shouted at them to shut up and they still continued to speak. Their topic of choice? A family member’s “dying” preparations from burial to making out a will, etc. O_O They were rude. Another highlight and my favorite attraction was the live performance of The Little Mermaid. It was interactive that it was like being there right in the middle of the action. I also enjoyed Tower of Terror, but it wasn’t as scary as they make it out to be.
I was disappointed in the Prince Caspian show. I loved that movie, but the attraction hardly did it any justice. The moving/talking room did little to simulate the climactic queen scene in the movie. I was also disappointed that Fantasmic wasn’t showing that evening. I heard so many good things about that show. *sigh*
On the shuttle ride back to our resort, I saw the cutest thing. I saw a younger brother (about five) with his older sister (about seven). She was so tired. Little brother allowed his sister to rest her head in his lap while she snoozed. It was so cute that I wanted to take a picture of the scene. The brother was calm and patient and cared for his sister’s comfort.
Saturday, June 26: Last Day at Disney and an Airboat Tour
Happy birthday to me! :P
We were so fixated on the parks, that we hardly had any time to enjoy the amenities at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. With only one thing planned for the day, we were able to sleep in before heading out to brunch at our resort. We stayed a while at dock and pool area after lunch and then said adios to Disney.
As for Disney souvenirs, I got a lot of pins, two T-shirts, postcards, tree ornaments, magnets, and beach towels. I was so tempted to get a Cheshire Cat teapot and mouse ears, but I managed to restrain myself. The beach towels were bulky enough as it was and I already have three sets of mouse ears (one from Disneyland, one from Disneyworld, and one from Tokyo Disney).
I wish we could have stayed longer. I would have loved to spend more time in Downtown Disney and the Animal Kingdom. I love Cirque du Soleil and I would have loved to see La Nouba.
Most of the afternoon was spent out on water in an airboat. It was great to get an up close view of local flora and fauna. We saw a couple of alligators along with various birds and insects. I got a few nice pics of the mangroves, lily pads, and other vegetation. The water is dark and reddish because the tannins in the sycamore trees stain it like tea.
It was quite an adventure to drive to airboat place relying solely on the GPS. They changed a couple of the names of the roads and at one point, the GPS insisted I make a left turn into a ditch. After studying the road for a bit, I finally saw the little path for cars that met up with the train tracks. It was a bizarre road and intersection.
Later, we checked into our new hotel that I had reserved online and my parents took me out to a steak and seafood place for dinner. International Drive is where our hotel was located and that area is filled with so many things to do and see. Mom and I went shopping after our early dinner while my dad relaxed by the pool.
I had thought about driving to the Kennedy Space Center on this day, but I had to give some consideration to my dad. The parks wore him out and he needed a little break to prepare for Islands of Adventure.
June 27: Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
It was an exceptionally hot day, but I was filled with so much anticipation and wonder. Based on the advice we received from the ticket seller, we decided to tour the rest of the park before seeing WWHP later in the afternoon. I couldn’t help but resist a peek when our meanderings took us to that section and it was completely overwhelming. There were lines to get into Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, and Dervish & Banges, and one particularly long line for butterbeer. We scooted out and continued wandering around the rest of the park. I loved the roller coasters of course and any of the fast rides. The theme of the park seemed to be water because they just wanted to douse you at any opportunity. I was completely soaked within an hour of being there and it was uncomfortable walking in we shoes.
I was very disappointed with the chair access in this park. They really don’t take these things into consideration and it was extremely difficult to maneuver. I was very frustrated and angry with Universal. Also, after Disney’s stellar customer service, Universal royally sucked in that department. Two employees ignored us when we were at the access gate to see one of the performances. Yes, we complained because there was no excuse for that. Also, after an abysmally long and hot wait in line to order food, the guy spills diet Coke all over my entrée. And he was surprised when we asked that it be replaced. WTH? Why are you surprised? I don’t want to eat food soaked in soda that wasn’t even mine.
WWHP was everything I expected it to be; it was so well done. I had a lot of fun exploring Hogsmeade, but the best was the Hogwarts Castle. I wanted to stay and go to school there. With the frosted buildings and the snowman with the Gryffindor scarf, it looks like it is perpetually winter in the village. The HP series has always reminded me of winter for some reason and that is why I don’t like it when they released HP films in the summer. They deserve cold weather viewing experiences. I had a picture taken with the Hogwarts Express and I sipped my butterbeer while waiting in line to enter the shops. For a place that huge, the shops are exceedingly TINY. Even late in the afternoon, it was still wall-to-wall with customers. I picked up my postcards, pins, stamps, and scarves and got out of there as fast as I could. It was not a pleasant shopping experience, but I’m quite happy with the stuff I got. I just wish the scarves were made out of natural fibers like wool or cotton. They are acrylic and the texture doesn’t feel as nice as the original wool scarves that I got from the WB online shop.
Loved, loved, loved Hogwarts (can’t say enough about it) and the dueling dragon roller coasters. We were also lucky enough to be able to have dinner at the Three Broomsticks. More butterbeer for me. We ordered the ribs, fish and chips, and Shepherd’s pie and shared the food with each other. The food could have been better, but I can’t complain about the ambiance. There is an excellent view of the castle from the patio. The butterbeer is so foamy that it gets all over you when you drink it. It tastes a bit like a butterscotch cream soda (but much better) and you can get frozen (slushy), regular, or spiked with alcohol.
I am such a geek and I fully appreciated my parents for putting up with my geek out. *laughs*
We had a lot of Brits and other European tourists staying at our hotel. On the shuttle ride back to the hotel, I heard this Scottish guy (I think he was Scottish based on his accent) telling his friends, “I had fun today. I had fun.” The reason why this sticks out in my head is because I could tell it was a heartfelt sentiment despite his low-key, understated words. It was equivalent to a child screaming with enthusiasm when asked about his day.
Monday, June 28: Flight Home
Shortly before we were due to leave, there was an emergency and an ambulance parked right in front of our car. Though I always give plenty of time to make it to the airport, I was really worried that we’d be stuck there. We were delayed about half an hour. The person had to be taken to the hospital and I hope she was okay.
I was impressed driving back to MCO airport. They color code the roads to make it easier for drivers. I dropped my dad off with the luggage at our airline and drove off with my mom to return the car. It was a simple and straightforward process. After a two hour layover in Houston, we made it back to California around 7pm.
I loved this trip and we all had a great time!
Tuesday, June 22: Flight from Bay Area to Orlando
Our flight left the Bay Area around 1:15pm. After an hour stopover in Las Vegas, we arrived at Orlando’s MCO airport shortly after midnight. Plastered all around the airport were dozens of signs advertizing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. If I hadn’t been so tired, I probably would have been bouncing off the walls jumping up and down. As it was, the very first vacation picture I took was of a WWHP ad that was right by baggage claim.
I picked up the rental car from an extremely disengaged clerk who didn’t seem to know what he was doing. I had a reservation and he screwed up some of the paperwork. It took such a long time to undo the mess he made. *sigh* Perhaps that was sign of things to come.
The moment we stepped out of the building to go to the parking garage, the super heated air almost knocked me over; it was intense and I was already cranky with the paperwork delay. The clerk also had horrible handwriting and my mom and I had problems deciphering the looping numbers that indicated our parking bay. When we finally found the correct car, a silvery blue Toyota Camry hybrid, I had a problem starting it. Prior to that point, I had never driven a hybrid and that keyless thing was just weird. I couldn’t figure out how to start the car. You have to press the ignition button and step on the brake to get it started. I kept pressing the wrong brake. It also took a few minutes to figure out the controls for the AC and seat and mirror adjustments. By the time we got back to the area where we left my dad with the luggage, he was working himself up into a temper tantrum. He thought something happened to us, plus he was also hot and grumpy.
After loading the car, I bring out the GPS and start programming it to map out the route to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, thus beginning another round of extreme vexation. For some reason, the GPS thought I was doing a driving trip from home and plotted a route from California to Florida. O_o Nothing I tried would change the coordinates and I was about ready to scream my head off. Thankfully, I was thorough and asked for paper maps and directions from the clerk. I also printed instructions from Disney before leaving home.
We finally leave the parking garage and the GPS starts to work. *cue angels singing* I knew that parking structures affect the performance of the GPS, but the signal strength was good in the garage. Whatever. I was just grateful the thing was working because my mom was really tired and would have had a hard time navigating for me.
The turnpikes were annoying. It seemed like there was a toll every couple of miles. I’ve driven in Florida and in the East Coast before, so I’m familiar with turnpikes. I’m just not used to them because aren’t a part of California highways. I hope they don’t become a part of the future, but with transportation departments clamoring for more funds to fix the roads, who knows.
The drive to our resort was thankfully uneventful, but more headdesking things were in store for us. I did the express check in online. Everything was fine until they told me where our room was located. I was beyond angry. My dad has a bit of a hard time walking, so I always request appropriate rooms. The resort is only two stories high and they put us on the second floor. The hotel clerk tried to cover by saying we wanted a view of the lake. WTH? This trip was planned months in advance and I was there when my travel agent made sure that our room was accessible. To us, that is way more important than the view. We had no choice but to accept the room and my dad was able to make it up the stairs by walking slowly. The porter had the nerve to blame AAA (my travel agent) for the mistake. No. If you can’t honor the requests put in my legitimate agents, you shouldn’t be doing business with them. Excuses, excuses. I think he was grumpy because he had to haul luggage upstairs. It certainly didn’t warm me to the resort, especially since I know Disney is known for their customer service.
They offered to switch rooms for us in the morning, but after discussing it with my dad, he decided he could gut it out. It would have been more of a hassle to switch because all we wanted to do was settle in, unpack, and sleep.
On the upside, the room was nice and deliciously cold when we got there. It was decorated with accessories from the Finding Nemo film and the layout was great.
Wednesday, June 23: Epcot Center
After about five hours of sleep, we got up in anticipation of visiting Epcot Center. I’ve only been there once previously and it was pretty awesome. We rented a chair for my dad for the duration of our stay in Florida. He’s mobile, but it just made things easier for him. Between lack of sleep, exhaustion, and the unforgiving sauna-like heat, we were all a bit short tempered that day-especially my dad. Sometimes the heat almost overwhelmed me. The AC in the restrooms made me want to stay inside and relax for a while. I know it’s bizarre, but it’s true.
I was impressed with Epcot’s chair access. We were directed to different and often shorter lines for the attractions. The only one we had to wait a long time for (over an hour) was for Soarin’, one of their newest rides. The hang glider-type ride was my favorite of the day. It’s like you are gliding around various vistas in California, and it does a really great job with the simulation. It was also fun to walk through the various country sections.
One of the other highlights was the Light and Sound show that capped the evening. The fireworks and light display was every bit as amazing as I remembered it. We had great seats by the lagoon. My feet hurt so much by the end of the day and I wasn’t the only one who had that problem. I saw people taking off their shoes and massaging their toes. I didn’t do that, but I almost fell asleep while sitting on the ground and leaning against the fence and waiting for the show to start.
On the shuttle ride back to our resort, I heard a five-year-old telling his mother that he wanted to go to the pool when they got back. O_O This was around 10:30pm. After a full day of walking around in the hot sun, I was ready to go to bed; I was completely exhausted. Of course I didn’t do that though. I was busy doing other things and there was no way I would go to bed without having a shower.
Thursday, June 24: Magic Kingdom
This was by far my favorite day spent at the Disney World resort. By this time, we were somewhat acclimatized to the heat and we got enough rest. All of the rides were great, but my favorites are still the ones from childhood-It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, all of the roller coasters, and the “tale” rides. We had lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern-excellent salmon cakes and beef stew. Our snack was refreshing and delicious concoction of fresh pineapple juice and pineapple ice cream.
The Electrical Parade was absolutely mesmerizing. I hadn’t seen it in years and it is still every bit as magical as I remembered it. My favorite was of course the Cheshire Cat. I tried to get a picture of him, but he would light up at different intervals and sometimes all that was visible was his grin. I got a picture of his stripes, but it’s a “behind” shot. :/
I was so impressed with the fabulous fireworks display that followed the parade. It told a little story with the explosive lights; it veritable feast for the eyes and ears and quite amusing to boot. I liked the pink and blue argument-it’s classic Sleeping Beauty. This is one of the best fireworks displays I’ve seen.
Friday, June 25: Disney Hollywood Studios
This day was low-key and unrushed. It was great to see some of my favorite films and characters come to life. We had a reservation for a character lunch buffet. We saw Manny, the Tool Guy and several of his friends. Though it’s geared for children, the characters hammed it up with the adults as well. I have a hilarious picture of my dad with one of the characters. All of our meals were prepaid because we were on the meal plan. The people next to us were in sticker shock when they received the bill for their meal. For a table of four, it was over $100.
Highlights: Seeing my mom get doused with water during the backlot tour. Her expression was so funny and it was quite unexpected. On that same tram ride, there were two women in front of me who just couldn’t stop talking and we had difficulty hearing the information. The man directly in back of them shouted at them to shut up and they still continued to speak. Their topic of choice? A family member’s “dying” preparations from burial to making out a will, etc. O_O They were rude. Another highlight and my favorite attraction was the live performance of The Little Mermaid. It was interactive that it was like being there right in the middle of the action. I also enjoyed Tower of Terror, but it wasn’t as scary as they make it out to be.
I was disappointed in the Prince Caspian show. I loved that movie, but the attraction hardly did it any justice. The moving/talking room did little to simulate the climactic queen scene in the movie. I was also disappointed that Fantasmic wasn’t showing that evening. I heard so many good things about that show. *sigh*
On the shuttle ride back to our resort, I saw the cutest thing. I saw a younger brother (about five) with his older sister (about seven). She was so tired. Little brother allowed his sister to rest her head in his lap while she snoozed. It was so cute that I wanted to take a picture of the scene. The brother was calm and patient and cared for his sister’s comfort.
Saturday, June 26: Last Day at Disney and an Airboat Tour
Happy birthday to me! :P
We were so fixated on the parks, that we hardly had any time to enjoy the amenities at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. With only one thing planned for the day, we were able to sleep in before heading out to brunch at our resort. We stayed a while at dock and pool area after lunch and then said adios to Disney.
As for Disney souvenirs, I got a lot of pins, two T-shirts, postcards, tree ornaments, magnets, and beach towels. I was so tempted to get a Cheshire Cat teapot and mouse ears, but I managed to restrain myself. The beach towels were bulky enough as it was and I already have three sets of mouse ears (one from Disneyland, one from Disneyworld, and one from Tokyo Disney).
I wish we could have stayed longer. I would have loved to spend more time in Downtown Disney and the Animal Kingdom. I love Cirque du Soleil and I would have loved to see La Nouba.
Most of the afternoon was spent out on water in an airboat. It was great to get an up close view of local flora and fauna. We saw a couple of alligators along with various birds and insects. I got a few nice pics of the mangroves, lily pads, and other vegetation. The water is dark and reddish because the tannins in the sycamore trees stain it like tea.
It was quite an adventure to drive to airboat place relying solely on the GPS. They changed a couple of the names of the roads and at one point, the GPS insisted I make a left turn into a ditch. After studying the road for a bit, I finally saw the little path for cars that met up with the train tracks. It was a bizarre road and intersection.
Later, we checked into our new hotel that I had reserved online and my parents took me out to a steak and seafood place for dinner. International Drive is where our hotel was located and that area is filled with so many things to do and see. Mom and I went shopping after our early dinner while my dad relaxed by the pool.
I had thought about driving to the Kennedy Space Center on this day, but I had to give some consideration to my dad. The parks wore him out and he needed a little break to prepare for Islands of Adventure.
June 27: Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
It was an exceptionally hot day, but I was filled with so much anticipation and wonder. Based on the advice we received from the ticket seller, we decided to tour the rest of the park before seeing WWHP later in the afternoon. I couldn’t help but resist a peek when our meanderings took us to that section and it was completely overwhelming. There were lines to get into Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, and Dervish & Banges, and one particularly long line for butterbeer. We scooted out and continued wandering around the rest of the park. I loved the roller coasters of course and any of the fast rides. The theme of the park seemed to be water because they just wanted to douse you at any opportunity. I was completely soaked within an hour of being there and it was uncomfortable walking in we shoes.
I was very disappointed with the chair access in this park. They really don’t take these things into consideration and it was extremely difficult to maneuver. I was very frustrated and angry with Universal. Also, after Disney’s stellar customer service, Universal royally sucked in that department. Two employees ignored us when we were at the access gate to see one of the performances. Yes, we complained because there was no excuse for that. Also, after an abysmally long and hot wait in line to order food, the guy spills diet Coke all over my entrée. And he was surprised when we asked that it be replaced. WTH? Why are you surprised? I don’t want to eat food soaked in soda that wasn’t even mine.
WWHP was everything I expected it to be; it was so well done. I had a lot of fun exploring Hogsmeade, but the best was the Hogwarts Castle. I wanted to stay and go to school there. With the frosted buildings and the snowman with the Gryffindor scarf, it looks like it is perpetually winter in the village. The HP series has always reminded me of winter for some reason and that is why I don’t like it when they released HP films in the summer. They deserve cold weather viewing experiences. I had a picture taken with the Hogwarts Express and I sipped my butterbeer while waiting in line to enter the shops. For a place that huge, the shops are exceedingly TINY. Even late in the afternoon, it was still wall-to-wall with customers. I picked up my postcards, pins, stamps, and scarves and got out of there as fast as I could. It was not a pleasant shopping experience, but I’m quite happy with the stuff I got. I just wish the scarves were made out of natural fibers like wool or cotton. They are acrylic and the texture doesn’t feel as nice as the original wool scarves that I got from the WB online shop.
Loved, loved, loved Hogwarts (can’t say enough about it) and the dueling dragon roller coasters. We were also lucky enough to be able to have dinner at the Three Broomsticks. More butterbeer for me. We ordered the ribs, fish and chips, and Shepherd’s pie and shared the food with each other. The food could have been better, but I can’t complain about the ambiance. There is an excellent view of the castle from the patio. The butterbeer is so foamy that it gets all over you when you drink it. It tastes a bit like a butterscotch cream soda (but much better) and you can get frozen (slushy), regular, or spiked with alcohol.
I am such a geek and I fully appreciated my parents for putting up with my geek out. *laughs*
We had a lot of Brits and other European tourists staying at our hotel. On the shuttle ride back to the hotel, I heard this Scottish guy (I think he was Scottish based on his accent) telling his friends, “I had fun today. I had fun.” The reason why this sticks out in my head is because I could tell it was a heartfelt sentiment despite his low-key, understated words. It was equivalent to a child screaming with enthusiasm when asked about his day.
Monday, June 28: Flight Home
Shortly before we were due to leave, there was an emergency and an ambulance parked right in front of our car. Though I always give plenty of time to make it to the airport, I was really worried that we’d be stuck there. We were delayed about half an hour. The person had to be taken to the hospital and I hope she was okay.
I was impressed driving back to MCO airport. They color code the roads to make it easier for drivers. I dropped my dad off with the luggage at our airline and drove off with my mom to return the car. It was a simple and straightforward process. After a two hour layover in Houston, we made it back to California around 7pm.
I loved this trip and we all had a great time!