Love is “Universal”: Our Awesome Anniversary Adventures in Orlando (May 2015 TR)

[Lynne G]

Ah, the best way to end vacation is sleeping in your own bed. As much as I like to travel, I am happy to be home, even if a little sad I have to wait until the next vacation.

Great last day. We too have to mini golf every time we're down in Orlando. Mind you, we have a mini golf less than a mile from our house, and several only a few miles, we never seem to golf at home.

October seems so far away, but I am sure the summer will fly by before I know it. I just wish we had warmer temps today. Still cool enough for a jacket. I hope the weather in October will be not too warm or cold. It tends to be warm at home that time of year.

 

[wiscbugs]

I can't believe you guys skipped the sledgehammer game...very disappointed

 

[wiscbugs]

Oh....bad landing...I would not have liked that.

 

[canadiankim]

I didn't know you could go and feed the gators! What a cool idea - so the $8+ that you spent was just to feed them - not to play the actual game? Think that might be something that the kids (including the big kids!) would like to do.

 

[BonnieP]

Whoops, my apologies for setting the stage for the Great Teak Leak 2015 .

One of my boss's favourite sayings is "Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional". I try to live by that motto every day . Life is short, and gosh darn it, we're gonna have fun with it!!

It's nice you have a boss that feels that way!

It's so hard to believe that the end of the construction at DTD is still a long way off ! Espeically when they have 12 months a year to work on it , not like our workers in the north... When we were there in February it was quite a mess.

We also like to try new restaurants, and your reports have given us some new food options. We have yet to try the Miller's Ale House on RT192, which is very close to the house we rent. We don't frequent chain restaurants much here at home, but we do like Bonefish, Bahama Breeze & Carrabba's, all on RT192.

Have enjoyed your trip report immensely, since I (we) hope to check out Universal next trip . Have learned a lot!

 

[RocketCityMama]

Aww, it's over! booo! I've really enjoyed following along, since we leave so soon (tomorrow!), it's been neat to see your experiences good and bad and some tips! There are soo many things I want to do/see but this trip is budgeted to a T so we'll have to leave those until next time! If we buy AP's we'll be back in the Spring or early Summer and then those things will be added to my list lol

I am thinking our shopping will be similar but luckily we're driving but still there is only SO much room LOL esp when traveling with 3 kids! I am going to go reminiscence through your pictures again

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Scary landing. I remember as a kid we went to back home to Ireland every summer for a month and I remember the plane would burst into applause upon landing both ways. People don't seem to do that anymore, but maybe we should!

Steve always says the same thing....he misses the days when travelers clap when the plane lands. Sometimes he's the oddball that throws caution to the wind and claps anyway .

I dislike landing at Syracuse at the best of times. The runway there is short, so when they land and put on the reverse thrust to stop the plane, its really, really abrupt. I much prefer arriving at MCO, where everything seems a little "gentler".

Ah, the best way to end vacation is sleeping in your own bed. As much as I like to travel, I am happy to be home, even if a little sad I have to wait until the next vacation.

Great last day. We too have to mini golf every time we're down in Orlando. Mind you, we have a mini golf less than a mile from our house, and several only a few miles, we never seem to golf at home.

October seems so far away, but I am sure the summer will fly by before I know it. I just wish we had warmer temps today. Still cool enough for a jacket. I hope the weather in October will be not too warm or cold. It tends to be warm at home that time of year.

In hindsight, I wish we had just got a hotel room and made the trip in the morning. Steve was incredibly tired, and I didn't want to sleep on the way home either knowing how exhausted he was. I know he found the journey home to be incredibly taxing, being so tired.

On our October trip, we have a similar evening arrival back in Buffalo, so we'll stay the night in Niagara Falls before coming home the following day. I already have it booked .

I am looking forward to some October warmth, too . Its usually pretty cool here at home by that point (with winter just around the corner), so a last burst of summer-like temperatures will be very much welcomed. I just hope the humidity has passed by then. Its much more fun to tour the parks when its not sticky outside.

I can't believe you guys skipped the sledgehammer game...very disappointed

lol, fear not....we'll be back in October. Multiple times if Steve gets his way! He's already said we need a Marge to go with the rest of the Simpsons family. And a Super Homer .

Oh....bad landing...I would not have liked that.

I think my heart skipped a beat or two. I must admit.....I'm curious to know what caused us to swoop so noticeably from side to side . I wish I knew someone who was a pilot so I could pick their brain.

I didn't know you could go and feed the gators! What a cool idea - so the $8+ that you spent was just to feed them - not to play the actual game? Think that might be something that the kids (including the big kids!) would like to do.

Yes ma'am, you can feed those gators without golfing . Its $4 pp, and you get a little baggie of wiener pieces plus use of the pole. I think I enjoy it so much, because it feels very "Florida-ish" ... its certainly not something we can do at home!

It's nice you have a boss that feels that way!

It's so hard to believe that the end of the construction at DTD is still a long way off ! Espeically when they have 12 months a year to work on it , not like our workers in the north... When we were there in February it was quite a mess.

We also like to try new restaurants, and your reports have given us some new food options. We have yet to try the Miller's Ale House on RT192, which is very close to the house we rent. We don't frequent chain restaurants much here at home, but we do like Bonefish, Bahama Breeze & Carrabba's, all on RT192.

Have enjoyed your trip report immensely, since I (we) hope to check out Universal next trip . Have learned a lot!

It was great to have you reading alone . Thanks for sticking it out allllll the way to the end! (well, almost the end....still a couple more posts to go )

Aww, it's over! booo! I've really enjoyed following along, since we leave so soon (tomorrow!), it's been neat to see your experiences good and bad and some tips! There are soo many things I want to do/see but this trip is budgeted to a T so we'll have to leave those until next time! If we buy AP's we'll be back in the Spring or early Summer and then those things will be added to my list lol

I am thinking our shopping will be similar but luckily we're driving but still there is only SO much room LOL esp when traveling with 3 kids! I am going to go reminiscence through your pictures again

Have an awesome, amazing and enjoyable trip! I bet you will be sleepless tonight in all the excitement!! Can't wait to hear all about it when you get back .

 

[rhondag508]

Great report! Thanks for sharing your love of Universal with all of us! (I'm much more ready for our first attempt at the Universal parks in October now.)

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Great report! Thanks for sharing your love of Universal with all of us! (I'm much more ready for our first attempt at the Universal parks in October now.)

Thank you!

I think you'll find lots to love about Universal.....they are fantastic theme parks! What are your October dates? We're there from the 10th to the 17th....our first time travelling to Orlando in the fall. I can't wait to see the parks all decked out for Halloween.

 

[Loves The Mouse]

[QUOTE="Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina, post: 53639672, member: 211Next entry: it’s time to get this show on the road. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7:50 am … complete with our own squad of cheerleaders .

Who wants muffins???

MUFFINS!!! WOOT, WOOT, WOOT!

[/QUOTE]

Just found your trip report, I'm really enjoying reading it. We are going to Universal and Disney next Jan, can't wait to hear how your couple only trip went. The biscuits at Cracker Barrel are so... Good. I can't believe you stopped at a half of one!!! Love how you ended this instalment of you trip, oh no...cheerleaders!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

One of the things we do after every trip is calculate up all of our vacation expenses. We factor in everything, from the park and fly hotel to food and everything in between. The only thing we don't add in is our shopping and souvenir costs (they really aren't trip expenses......just impulsive indulgences ). I print a copy of the cost summary and attach it to the back of the photo book for that vacation. As the years pass, its becoming more interesting to look back and see the difference in many of the costs (our first trip was 2009.....and even in that relatively short time frame, there are huge differences!). I figure someday our grandchildren will gasp incredulously and say "Nana, I can't believe you rented a car in 2015 for $146. It's three times that price now!!".


Here is the summary of the damage for May 2015...all prices include tax, and are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.


Ø Syracuse park & fly hotel: $ 152.00

Ø Trip cancellation, interruption and emergency medical insurance: $ 0.00 (a free benefit under our Visa card)

Ø Roundtrip, direct flights (Jetblue): $ 856.00
(includes round trip upgrades to Even More Space seating)

Ø Car rental (full size with Dollar): $ 146.00 (Cdn)

Ø Fuel for rental car: $ 56.00

Ø Skyauction – Vistana Accommodations $ 419.00

Ø Food, tips and misc. supplies: $ 625.00

Ø Universal Premier Annual Passes: $ 926.00

Ø Universal Photoconnect Annual Pass: $ 50.00

Ø Skeletons Animals Unveiled Groupon: $ 24.00

Ø Gator feeding at Congo River $ 9.00

Ø Orlando Eye Passes $ 38.00

Ø Parking – Universal & Daytona $ 27.00

Ø Travelzoo Hash House Vouchers x 2 $ 40.00

Ø Earl of Sandwich $20 Groupon $ 10.00

Ø The Knife Groupon $ 45.00


GRAND TOTAL: $ 3,423.00

$190.00 per person, per day: 8 nights, 9 days total


I was surprised it was that high, but Steve was surprised it was that low . Go figure.

I will be interested to see how October's expenses compare. We won't have costs for tickets or photos (we will use our AP's once again, and HHN admission will be free with our Premier passes) but we'll have other things like the RIP tour and an extra night on the way home at Niagara Falls. I am guessing the final total may be quite similar.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just found your trip report, I'm really enjoying reading it. We are going to Universal and Disney next Jan, can't wait to hear how your couple only trip went. The biscuits at Cracker Barrel are so... Good. I can't believe you stopped at a half of one!!! Love how you ended this instalment of you trip, oh no...cheerleaders!!!

Welcome aboard!

Ah, those excited teens.....I hope they all had a magical trip . They weren't on our plane home (which was the only non-stop flight of the day), so I'm guessing maybe they returned the day before. I sure wish my high school graduating class had planned a trip to Orlando in celebration of our achievements!! Lucky kids indeed!

 

[schumigirl]

Gina......I loved your trip report. So much fun to read along the way.........your last day was busy for a last day....I have to admit I zipped past the gator pics......hate them.....can't even look at them.......lol.......but glad you enjoyed it all the same.......they're the stuff of nightmares We are not DTD fans either and have no desire to go there until I saw the amphicars I have to go on one of those!!!

You are brave totting up the final cost.........I know what it roughly costs us but have never been brave enough to count it all up.......I would need to be sitting down I think.......lol.......I don't care actually what they cost......out trips are worth every penny no matter what the cost. As a very wise person once said....."it doesn't always matter about the money, sometimes it's about more than that".......and I live my life by that motto apparently......or so I'm told

As for your landing, could have been a sudden gust of wind that knocked the plane......has happened to us a few times on landing.......doesn't bother us actually but we are the people that turbulence doesn't bother us either....lol.......

I'm sad it's over but you have another trip coming up soon.......be here before you know it Gina......thanks for the report I really enjoyed it

 

[mrsabbott]

Excellent TR, Gina!! I really enjoyed it! Glad that you made it home in one piece! Sad about you not getting to bring home any citrus.. I hadn't even thought about it not being allowed! We brought home a big bag of oranges on our trip home.. and a watermelon.. and some pecans.. and some key lime jelly.. LOL!

I am going to have to look more into groupons and stuff on our next trip! What a great way to save some $$!

 

[ArwenMarie]

That's not a bad total at all for all of the stuff you guys did!

 

[ArwenMarie]

You are brave totting up the final cost.........I know what it roughly costs us but have never been brave enough to count it all up.......I would need to be sitting down I think.......lol.......I don't care actually what they cost......out trips are worth every penny no matter what the cost. As a very wise person once said....."it doesn't always matter about the money, sometimes it's about more than that".......and I live my life by that motto apparently......or so I'm told

I'm told that too sometimes lol

I agree though, worth every penny!

 

[dancin Disney style]

You absolutely must go back to Earl of Sandwich for either lunch or dinner. They are not really a breakfast place. It is probably our #1 favourite place. We usually eat there 2 or 3 times per trip. In March I got completely ripped off as on our first stop there for dinner I opted to try something new (which I always say I'm going to do but rarely have) with the promise from Paige that we were going back again at least once. Well, we never did go back and I didn't get my Holiday Sandwich If that $20 Groupon existed for one of my visits we'd be eating there daily.

The DTD construction project is H-U-G-E but should be much, much better by December.

 

[macraven]

it's been a great read !

i'll be on the lookout for future trip reports you make gina.

 

[dixonsontour]

Really enjoyed your report thanks for taking the time to do it.

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Gina!

I really enjoyed reading your trip report! You've given me some great ideas on new restaurants to try, and I love the Universal Studios details as well. We haven't been to Universal since 1997, and with Disney prices continuing to climb, we may decide to try it out next year. This year, we're still doing a few days in Disney, but we'll be heading to Sea World and Aquatica as well. The Orlando area really does have a lot to offer in addition to Disney.

Thanks for sharing your trip! Looking forward to hearing about your next one.