Walking on Sunshine : Celebrating Spring at Universal & SeaWorld - an April/May 2016 PTR

[ArwenMarie]

Coming up soon!

So who is going on the October trip?

 

[tgropp]

I can only imagine on how excited that you must be for Steve to be finally free of shift work. I worked in the automotive industry for 36 years doing shift work. This is so hard on a family. Then after 10 years of working shift work I changed jobs within the company and got steady days. My oldest child had just started school so I got to see my children grow up and partake in all celebrations/ milestones in their lives. Most people who have a steady day job take this for granted. Congrats to both of you!!! Your life will change so much for the better. How blessed that you both must feel.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Have you considered going to Busch Gardens while in Tampa? I am sure the boys would love the coasters there.

We've always considered it, tried to plan it several times, and still never been there. I think we are going to need to plan a whole Tampa trip sometime in the (hopefully not-so-distant) future. There are a whole list of places I want to visit there....BG, Adventure Island, The Florida Aquarium....!

Coming up soon!

So who is going on the October trip?

It's just Steve and I for the October vacation. After our December trip for three, and this spring getaway for four, we are excited for two whole weeks in the autumn to enjoy as a couple .

I can only imagine on how excited that you must be for Steve to be finally free of shift work. I worked in the automotive industry for 36 years doing shift work. This is so hard on a family. Then after 10 years of working shift work I changed jobs within the company and got steady days. My oldest child had just started school so I got to see my children grow up and partake in all celebrations/ milestones in their lives. Most people who have a steady day job take this for granted. Congrats to both of you!!! Your life will change so much for the better. How blessed that you both must feel.

Thank you, my friend!! We are excitedly counting down the remaining night shifts.....two more this week, three more next weekend.....then the celebration begins!

 

[RocketCityMama]

Well, it was a busy weekend here. Jake worked three night shifts in a row at the group home, Sunshine was in CPR training both Saturday and Sunday, and Steve and I managed to accomplish the grocery shopping, house cleaning, laundry, an assortment of household chores for my mom, and even squeezed in a Saturday night of euchre with a couple of friends, a Sunday afternoon swim at the Y, and a family pizza and movie night in with the kids earlier this evening (Despicable Me 2 ... the movie choice courtesy of Sunshine, who loves those adorable minions as much as I do!).

Steve and I were chatting yesterday on the way to my moms, and we have decided to go ahead and book the Behind the Scenes tour for our final day of the trip. That day (Monday, May 2nd) was already slated for SeaWorld on the unofficial itinerary, and we thought it will be a really nice way to end off our vacation. This tour has always been one that drew Sunshine and Jake's attention.....hers for the opportunity to pet the penguin, his for the chance to touch a shark....and with it being offered BOGO to pass members, it really does seem crazy to pass it up. So, that's my task for tomorrow (I am not sure if I will book via the website or via phone....I guess it will depend on whether or not I remember to bring my AP with me to work!!) but we're not telling the kids just yet. I may work it in as part of Sunshine's birthday surprise, I'm not sure. We are super excited, though, to add this little extra special, and unexpected, feature on to our trip.

I also spent some time today seeking out some swimwear options.....I need a couple of new suits (not only for this trip, but for my aquafit classes at the Y), and can usually find a much better selection and prices in the States versus here at home. I usually try to order at least a couple about two weeks before we travel and have them shipped to our park and fly hotel. While its not my favourite pre-trip to-do item (hello, insecurities and body image issues! It's nice to see you again....NOT!) I think I found a couple of different suits that I don't hate (those which will hopefully disguise some of the ... um .... less attractive features of my physique ) and at a very reasonable cost, even with the exchange factored in. So, that's a bit of a victory for the day.....hopefully it will still be considered a win when I try them on 7 weeks from now .

48 days to go!

hahah I knew you would do the tour! It was too good of a deal to pass up, I mean 4 for 2! I would have booked it too! I am still debating Sea World as an add on, also since we're going the week of Memorial Day (our AP is up June 8) we wanted a full week, we are debating whether to add on 2 nights at resort hotel to get express pass for 2 days (we'd leave bright and early the 3rd day) at the end of our timeshare week. I just don't know. We need to check prices to see if it's doable.

I am happy to report this morning that Sunshine's other plane ticket has officially been purchased ... as we had been so hoping and praying, the fare from Buffalo to Orlando finally dropped to a very reasonable $208 (from $279). Not as cheap as the return fare (which, after sitting at $195 then dropping to $128 on Friday when we snatched it up, dropped even further to $117 ... so Jetblue credited us back the difference to our Travel Bank), but still very reasonable nonetheless. That $71 USD saved is more like $100 when converted to Canadian funds, so her parents are very happy with that.

That was really the final "big" thing for our spring vacation. Cue the sighs of relief and contentment.

I got a text message from our tax accountant yesterday that our returns are all completed and ready to be filed. There were refunds all around this year (though a couple of them are small to tiny....Jake gets back a whopping $7.34! ) which is a huge relief. We were hoping and praying that we wouldn't owe the government our first born right before our trip. I don't know why, but taxes always create a certain amount of stress and anxiety for me.

It almost killed me to let my 50% off Groupon code expire without being used yesterday. I was almost, nearly, virtually on the verge of buying admission for 4 to Skeletons: Animals Unveiled or the Lost Caverns Mini Golf & Gator feeding offer, but my better sense kicked in at the last minute and I realized we have enough on the itinerary. Much as the deals would have been superb and the savings huge, I really do think there's a point of over-doing it. We want to have a little bit of downtime, and some opportunities to shop without a schedule. With just 9 days to fill (our 10th day, departure day, doesn't count when we have a morning flight home) we are already packing a LOT in: 3 days at the Universal parks, 2 days at the SeaWorld parks, a day at Aquatica, and our day in St. Petersburg for the baseball game. Our arrival day is always left open (just in case we don't get much rest the night before we fly ... twice bitten, many times shy! ) and then we have our sole "down day" where we will enjoy our Disney character brunch and meal and mini golf at Citywalk.

The only other thing I am seriously toying with is adding on a character breakfast at Universal on the Friday of our trip. At $110 with tax, it would be a rather splurgy thing to do at this point (especially since I already splurged with adding on the Behind the Scenes Tour at SeaWorld), so definitely I will be holding off on deciding on that one for a while. That $110 US would be more like $155 when converted to Canadian, so its admittedly on the pricier side but yet......the minions would be there . That might just be worth it, all on its own: there's a lot of minion love among my crew, even the guys. For now, though, I'm just letting the idea dangle in the far reaches of my brain until I see what the next few weeks bring.

We've had some milder temperatures here the last few days (and today, a LOT of rain) so I am happy to report our snow is finally gone! It almost feels like spring is around the corner.....though I'm sure that winter has another couple of punches to throw before the worst is behind us. For now, though, I will happily take what we are currently enjoying....even the rain . If nothing else, it helps to wash away some of the salt and grime that winter has left behind.

44 days to go .

Breakfast with the Minions?? Ahh I need to read up on this! That is one of the things I love about Disney is the character meals!

We have had some good news this weekend that I thought I would share with you all . Not at all trip related but still pretty awesome nonetheless.

Back before our Christmas vacation, a job opportunity arose at the company for which Steve works that caught his eye. We talked about it quite a bit at the time, and I knew he really wanted to apply for it.......it wasn't any more money, but the position itself was more the type of role that he wanted to focus his future in: more technically oriented than the mid-management position he's held for the last several years. As an added bonus....this job was straight days. After almost 22 years of being the wife of a shift worker (which is second only in awfulness to actually being the shift worker) this was music to my ears! He asked me if I thought he should apply for it and I told him I would wholeheartedly support him no matter what he decided. He pondered his options for a few days, then decided he wanted to go for it: nothing ventured, nothing gained (and if he didn't get the position, aside from being disappointed he would remain in the job he was currently working). I helped him to his resume and cover letter, and he submitted his formal application for consideration by the powers that be.

Then we waited. And waited.

Toward the end of January, the company sent him to their plant in Michigan for some specialized training courses within the specific focus area for the job he applied for. He was away for a week, then home for a week before they sent him back for a second (and more detailed) session. Over the next few weeks that followed, he took several tests and competed an assortment of evaluations based on the training sessions and practical application. We were optimistically hopeful.

Then....nothing . Cue the crickets.

Friday at noon, I am sitting at my desk when my cell phone rings and I see that its Steve calling. He was working that day, so getting a call from him on his personal phone (not from his work cell) had me a bit alarmed when I answered.....the last time he did that, he was calling to let me know he was on the way to the hospital. Despite my initial bout of panic, it turned out he had some good news to share:

HE GOT THE JOB!!!!!

Not only did he get the position he had so been hoping for, but it also came with a small raise in pay (which was totally unexpected....he was under the impression that it was a lateral move as far as that went).

I cannot tell you how happy this has made us.....it is an answer to our prayers in so many ways! Not only is this the career move he had been longing for, the fact that it is straight days AND at a slightly higher rate of pay were above and beyond what we could have hoped for.

I am so excited that we will be sleeping at the same time every night. Having dinner together every night. Be able to spend EVER SINGLE WEEKEND together too. A normal family life for the first time in more than two decades!

So, as of April 3rd, my Steve will officially be a Moulding Manufacturing Engineering Technician, and I will no longer be a Shift Work Wife . We wanted to do something to celebrate this weekend, but both Steve and Jake are working, so the party would just have been attended by myself and Sunshine . We'll have to defer the festivities until sometime later this week.

Our reasons to celebrate on this April trip just keep piling up....Sunshine's birthday, Jake's graduation, Steve & I's wedding anniversary, and now the big guy's promotion. Today, we are feeling very blessed .

WOOT WOOT! Congrats to Steve and you! My dad did shift work (swing shift at that) for many many years, it's hard on family and marriages. I am so happy for you guys! Imagine a nice little pay raise - I think that equals breakfast with the Minions!??

74 days to go!!!

 

[JaxDad]

Hi Gina!

I don't know if you have filled all your time for the upcoming trip, but you might want to consider the Escape Game. I just noticed there is a Groupon...

https://www.groupon.com/deals/orlando-escape-game-1

It is very fun!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Two weeks in October...So jealous! I know you love having your family there too but that will be awesome

 

[bankr63]

Time for another hijack update, and maybe a bit of a rant.

We are having a great time, and the weather has been cooperating. As expected, we have been having a fairly quiet and laid back vacation. Monday was our one big day with a trip to MK. I must say that the blush has been fading for the Disney rose for us for a while, but Monday was a particularly good example of why. We did still have a great day, but maybe not as Magical as one comes to expect from Disney.

Now granted, Monday is generally not the best day to go to Disney unless you are pin trader; and A+ is an avid pin trader. Monday crowds at MK are generally heavy as that is where many people start their week. For a pin trader, that makes Monday a good day as there are lots of CM's to trade with. And A+ had a fantastic trading day, finding several long sought after treasures. I am a minor trader, but even managed to complete a couple of series that I had been working on over the last couple of years.

But I must say that Disney is slipping a bit on the experience front. It really strikes me that while Universal is riding a thoroughbred horse, Disney is still too busy milking their cash cow to see what they are doing. We started out early and did very well with our 3 FP+ experiences; riding all three mountains in short order. But starting around 10:00 the Disney gremlins started getting into the works. At some point in the day, EVERY headliner attraction was down, sometimes two at a time, some more than once, generally for an hour or so. The surge in crowds got really unmanageable as people struggled to find things to ride. Wait times from 1 to 2 hours were posted everywhere.

We got into line for POTC with a 50 minute standby time showing. We finally exited the ride 105 minutes later. It had been down earlier in the day, and all the returning FP+ holders completely stalled the standby line. I like the ride, but I would never knowingly wait an hour and 45 minutes to ride POTC! A CM dealing with the unhappy crowd mentioned that Disney cutbacks in the maintenance department were leading to more breakdowns. Can we quote this guy in a court when someone is hurt because of cutbacks in maintenance? I was shocked at the comment because I know that kind of comment is reason for dismissal. Based on all the rides that were going down that day, I am inclined to believe there was some truth in it. Disney, if you are going to keep increasing prices, you MUST keep the quality up. How big a mansion does Michael Eisner need anyway?

And a thought on FP+. Yes, the first three went well, but I don't understand the kiosk idea for getting more. People were standing in line for 40 minutes to get one more FP+ selection that might save them 30 minutes in the standby line? And face it, there aren't going to be a lot FP+ selections for headliners left at 3:00 pm on the day of. They really have to allow people to select their 4th+ selection from the MyDisney app. Everyone seemed to have their noses stuck in their smartphones, so we (mostly) all have the app. Don't make people stand in a line to avoid standing in a line; that is just a stupid waste of time!

And a final rant on Disney prices. It is sometimes hard to compare prices on the overpriced goods at MK because they are exclusively Disney. But I picked up a nice pair of Oakley sunglasses at the shop in Adventure Land. I had minor heart palpitations looking at the $400 price tag. (That's about $1MM Canadian). Checked the Oakley site this morning. Disney's price was 20% higher than Oakley's list price on their website. Really? $80 more for the privilege of buying in Disney?

Again, I rant, but we will still return to Disney. I just think that Disney is going to price themselves out of the market, and with Universal's increasingly attractive product, I can tell you who is going take Disney's cash cow out to the pasture and shoot it...

Here endeth the rant.

Oh, and sorry, no pictures yet. Haven't taken the camera out of the bag yet. Tried some phone selfies on BTMRR; total fail! Today is another quiet pool day. Signing off so we can go snag a nice sunny lounger...

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

hahah I knew you would do the tour! It was too good of a deal to pass up, I mean 4 for 2! I would have booked it too! I am still debating Sea World as an add on, also since we're going the week of Memorial Day (our AP is up June 8) we wanted a full week, we are debating whether to add on 2 nights at resort hotel to get express pass for 2 days (we'd leave bright and early the 3rd day) at the end of our timeshare week. I just don't know. We need to check prices to see if it's doable.

Yeah, I'm rather predictable that way .....I just can't pass up an opportunity for a significant savings, especially when its on something we have always wanted to do before but couldn't justify in the midst of the other non-negotiable costs. This was just the "nudge" we needed!

Hopefully your AP rate would get you a couple of nights at one of the Universal hotels at a reasonable price. The Express pass is sooooo nice. We have always found RPR to be the cheapest whenever we were looking at prices. Don't forget to keep your eye on cheaptickets.com as well, as they often have some great discount codes.

Breakfast with the Minions?? Ahh I need to read up on this! That is one of the things I love about Disney is the character meals!

Here's the link to the character meal details:

https://www.universalorlando.com/Restaurants/Character-Breakfasts.aspx

I bet your girls would LOVE IT!

WOOT WOOT! Congrats to Steve and you! My dad did shift work (swing shift at that) for many many years, it's hard on family and marriages. I am so happy for you guys! Imagine a nice little pay raise - I think that equals breakfast with the Minions!??

74 days to go!!!

LOL.....its tempting isn't it. Realistically, without stepping outside of my budgetary comfort level, I am having to decide between the dolphin cruise in St. Petersburg or the Superstar Character Breakfast. There's only about a $20 overall difference in price. I am thinking of adding one of the two splurges to our trip since Steve's pay increase will have kicked in by then, but I'm just not sure which one would be the best use of our money. Two totally different (and potentially awesome!) experiences makes it VERY hard to choose.

Hi Gina!

I don't know if you have filled all your time for the upcoming trip, but you might want to consider the Escape Game. I just noticed there is a Groupon...

https://www.groupon.com/deals/orlando-escape-game-1

It is very fun!

Thanks for the link! Its probably not a possibility for this trip, but I'm hoping to make this something we do on our October vacation. With having two full weeks at our disposal and not wanting to visit theme parks every single day (LOL....we are too old for that kind of pace!) I am thinking that Groupon is poised to become my newest best friend!

Two weeks in October...So jealous! I know you love having your family there too but that will be awesome

Yes, we love travelling with Jake (and I'm sure we will say the same about Sunshine after our trip concludes in May) but its also very special to have time alone as a couple, especially when we both work full time and Steve's wonky shifts have always limited how much leisure time we get to spend together. When its just the two of us, its very VERY easy: there are less people's opinions and tastes to factor in on each decision, especially where dining is concerned.

We are enjoying making a list of the things we still want to do (or dine) that we know are just not Jake's interests or taste. Like the dinner shows....they're not Jake's thing at all, but we love that kind of cheesy entertainment. And you can rest assured you'd never see Jake dressing up as a pirate and dragging his booty around MK for an MNSSHP. He's too cool for that right now.....but as us wise older folks all know, that will change .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Time for another hijack update, and maybe a bit of a rant.

We are having a great time, and the weather has been cooperating. As expected, we have been having a fairly quiet and laid back vacation. Monday was our one big day with a trip to MK. I must say that the blush has been fading for the Disney rose for us for a while, but Monday was a particularly good example of why. We did still have a great day, but maybe not as Magical as one comes to expect from Disney.

Now granted, Monday is generally not the best day to go to Disney unless you are pin trader; and A+ is an avid pin trader. Monday crowds at MK are generally heavy as that is where many people start their week. For a pin trader, that makes Monday a good day as there are lots of CM's to trade with. And A+ had a fantastic trading day, finding several long sought after treasures. I am a minor trader, but even managed to complete a couple of series that I had been working on over the last couple of years.

But I must say that Disney is slipping a bit on the experience front. It really strikes me that while Universal is riding a thoroughbred horse, Disney is still too busy milking their cash cow to see what they are doing. We started out early and did very well with our 3 FP+ experiences; riding all three mountains in short order. But starting around 10:00 the Disney gremlins started getting into the works. At some point in the day, EVERY headliner attraction was down, sometimes two at a time, some more than once, generally for an hour or so. The surge in crowds got really unmanageable as people struggled to find things to ride. Wait times from 1 to 2 hours were posted everywhere.

We got into line for POTC with a 50 minute standby time showing. We finally exited the ride 105 minutes later. It had been down earlier in the day, and all the returning FP+ holders completely stalled the standby line. I like the ride, but I would never knowingly wait an hour and 45 minutes to ride POTC! A CM dealing with the unhappy crowd mentioned that Disney cutbacks in the maintenance department were leading to more breakdowns. Can we quote this guy in a court when someone is hurt because of cutbacks in maintenance? I was shocked at the comment because I know that kind of comment is reason for dismissal. Based on all the rides that were going down that day, I am inclined to believe there was some truth in it. Disney, if you are going to keep increasing prices, you MUST keep the quality up. How big a mansion does Michael Eisner need anyway?

And a thought on FP+. Yes, the first three went well, but I don't understand the kiosk idea for getting more. People were standing in line for 40 minutes to get one more FP+ selection that might save them 30 minutes in the standby line? And face it, there aren't going to be a lot FP+ selections for headliners left at 3:00 pm on the day of. They really have to allow people to select their 4th+ selection from the MyDisney app. Everyone seemed to have their noses stuck in their smartphones, so we (mostly) all have the app. Don't make people stand in a line to avoid standing in a line; that is just a stupid waste of time!

And a final rant on Disney prices. It is sometimes hard to compare prices on the overpriced goods at MK because they are exclusively Disney. But I picked up a nice pair of Oakley sunglasses at the shop in Adventure Land. I had minor heart palpitations looking at the $400 price tag. (That's about $1MM Canadian). Checked the Oakley site this morning. Disney's price was 20% higher than Oakley's list price on their website. Really? $80 more for the privilege of buying in Disney?

Again, I rant, but we will still return to Disney. I just think that Disney is going to price themselves out of the market, and with Universal's increasingly attractive product, I can tell you who is going take Disney's cash cow out to the pasture and shoot it...

Here endeth the rant.

Oh, and sorry, no pictures yet. Haven't taken the camera out of the bag yet. Tried some phone selfies on BTMRR; total fail! Today is another quiet pool day. Signing off so we can go snag a nice sunny lounger...

Sorry to hear about your frustrating Disney day. Most of the things that you have listed off are the exact things that I *know* will cause us endless frustration....and why we have opted to skip the regular park days and only visit for their hard ticket events (not that it solves all the annoyances for us, but at least it lessens some of them).

A day by the pool sounds like just what the Vacation Doctor ordered . I recommend a fruity beverage served in a monkey-faced coconut . Its a good antidote for Disney stressors.

Do you have any other park days planned for the balance of your week? Disney, Universal, or otherwise? Here's hoping they are a little less challenging than your Monday at MK!!

 

[dsmom]

Yeah, I'm rather predictable that way .....I just can't pass up an opportunity for a significant savings, especially when its on something we have always wanted to do before but couldn't justify in the midst of the other non-negotiable costs. This was just the "nudge" we needed!

Hopefully your AP rate would get you a couple of nights at one of the Universal hotels at a reasonable price. The Express pass is sooooo nice. We have always found RPR to be the cheapest whenever we were looking at prices. Don't forget to keep your eye on cheaptickets.com as well, as they often have some great discount codes.



Here's the link to the character meal details:

https://www.universalorlando.com/Restaurants/Character-Breakfasts.aspx

I bet your girls would LOVE IT!



LOL.....its tempting isn't it. Realistically, without stepping outside of my budgetary comfort level, I am having to decide between the dolphin cruise in St. Petersburg or the Superstar Character Breakfast. There's only about a $20 overall difference in price. I am thinking of adding one of the two splurges to our trip since Steve's pay increase will have kicked in by then, but I'm just not sure which one would be the best use of our money. Two totally different (and potentially awesome!) experiences makes it VERY hard to choose.



Thanks for the link! Its probably not a possibility for this trip, but I'm hoping to make this something we do on our October vacation. With having two full weeks at our disposal and not wanting to visit theme parks every single day (LOL....we are too old for that kind of pace!) I am thinking that Groupon is poised to become my newest best friend!



Yes, we love travelling with Jake (and I'm sure we will say the same about Sunshine after our trip concludes in May) but its also very special to have time alone as a couple, especially when we both work full time and Steve's wonky shifts have always limited how much leisure time we get to spend together. When its just the two of us, its very VERY easy: there are less people's opinions and tastes to factor in on each decision, especially where dining is concerned.

We are enjoying making a list of the things we still want to do (or dine) that we know are just not Jake's interests or taste. Like the dinner shows....they're not Jake's thing at all, but we love that kind of cheesy entertainment. And you can rest assured you'd never see Jake dressing up as a pirate and dragging his booty around MK for an MNSSHP. He's too cool for that right now.....but as us wise older folks all know, that will change .

I can't really say why, but if I were you I would do the St Petersburgs dolphin cruise if I had to choose between the two.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Time for another hijack update, and maybe a bit of a rant.

We are having a great time, and the weather has been cooperating. As expected, we have been having a fairly quiet and laid back vacation. Monday was our one big day with a trip to MK. I must say that the blush has been fading for the Disney rose for us for a while, but Monday was a particularly good example of why. We did still have a great day, but maybe not as Magical as one comes to expect from Disney.

Now granted, Monday is generally not the best day to go to Disney unless you are pin trader; and A+ is an avid pin trader. Monday crowds at MK are generally heavy as that is where many people start their week. For a pin trader, that makes Monday a good day as there are lots of CM's to trade with. And A+ had a fantastic trading day, finding several long sought after treasures. I am a minor trader, but even managed to complete a couple of series that I had been working on over the last couple of years.

But I must say that Disney is slipping a bit on the experience front. It really strikes me that while Universal is riding a thoroughbred horse, Disney is still too busy milking their cash cow to see what they are doing. We started out early and did very well with our 3 FP+ experiences; riding all three mountains in short order. But starting around 10:00 the Disney gremlins started getting into the works. At some point in the day, EVERY headliner attraction was down, sometimes two at a time, some more than once, generally for an hour or so. The surge in crowds got really unmanageable as people struggled to find things to ride. Wait times from 1 to 2 hours were posted everywhere.

We got into line for POTC with a 50 minute standby time showing. We finally exited the ride 105 minutes later. It had been down earlier in the day, and all the returning FP+ holders completely stalled the standby line. I like the ride, but I would never knowingly wait an hour and 45 minutes to ride POTC! A CM dealing with the unhappy crowd mentioned that Disney cutbacks in the maintenance department were leading to more breakdowns. Can we quote this guy in a court when someone is hurt because of cutbacks in maintenance? I was shocked at the comment because I know that kind of comment is reason for dismissal. Based on all the rides that were going down that day, I am inclined to believe there was some truth in it. Disney, if you are going to keep increasing prices, you MUST keep the quality up. How big a mansion does Michael Eisner need anyway?

And a thought on FP+. Yes, the first three went well, but I don't understand the kiosk idea for getting more. People were standing in line for 40 minutes to get one more FP+ selection that might save them 30 minutes in the standby line? And face it, there aren't going to be a lot FP+ selections for headliners left at 3:00 pm on the day of. They really have to allow people to select their 4th+ selection from the MyDisney app. Everyone seemed to have their noses stuck in their smartphones, so we (mostly) all have the app. Don't make people stand in a line to avoid standing in a line; that is just a stupid waste of time!

And a final rant on Disney prices. It is sometimes hard to compare prices on the overpriced goods at MK because they are exclusively Disney. But I picked up a nice pair of Oakley sunglasses at the shop in Adventure Land. I had minor heart palpitations looking at the $400 price tag. (That's about $1MM Canadian). Checked the Oakley site this morning. Disney's price was 20% higher than Oakley's list price on their website. Really? $80 more for the privilege of buying in Disney?

Again, I rant, but we will still return to Disney. I just think that Disney is going to price themselves out of the market, and with Universal's increasingly attractive product, I can tell you who is going take Disney's cash cow out to the pasture and shoot it...

Here endeth the rant.

Oh, and sorry, no pictures yet. Haven't taken the camera out of the bag yet. Tried some phone selfies on BTMRR; total fail! Today is another quiet pool day. Signing off so we can go snag a nice sunny lounger...

I really want to add my 2cents but will do so when I get home. I don't love typing on my phone. I've noticed that the shine is off the WDW penny too.

 

[dancin Disney style]

All right a little morning photo spread....

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I can't really say why, but if I were you I would do the St Petersburgs dolphin cruise if I had to choose between the two.

That makes timing my big question, then. I could potentially book either the 1 pm or 3 pm dolphin cruise before the game. I think 3 o'clock would leave us pretty tight for time for a 6 pm game (90 minutes on the water then we want to eat before heading to the field). We don't work well under pressure and the boys would rather die than be late for this game. Jake reminds me daily that its the thing he's most looking forward to out of the whole trip!!

What time would you suggest leaving Orlando in order to make it to the pier in time for the cruise, allowing enough time for parking, getting lost at least once along the way, etc? We plan to have breakfast at Sweet Tomatoes before hitting the I4.

I really want to add my 2cents but will do so when I get home. I don't love typing on my phone. I've noticed that the shine is off the WDW penny too.

I will be waiting to hear your thoughts as well .

All right a little morning photo spread....
View attachment 156839
View attachment 156842

Gorgeous photos! Even I have to admit that no one does fireworks like Disney does fireworks.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

So I splurged and ordered myself a little accessory today for our trip:

(sorry the photo is so HUGE, I can't seem to figure out how to reduce it down!! )

I am trying to reduce the amount of stuff I need to haul around with me while we're in the parks, and I am justifying this little impulse purchase (which was under $10 including shipping and tax....I guess it pays to have an older iPhone sometimes ) by saying that now I won't have to carry both a phone and a wallet. I can take the cash we need, a credit card, and the phone all in one nifty little folder. My purse just got infinitely lighter.

The fact that its a minions case had no bearing on the fact I fell in love with it . It's all about practicality.

Oh, who am I kidding. It's the minions . 'Nuff said.

Unfortunately, it must be making its journey right from the manufacturer in China, because they are estimating a delivery date of between April 14th and May 2nd . If its after April 22nd, then I won't be able to use it on our trip. Looking on the bright side, though, if it doesn't arrive in time for our vacation it will be waiting for me when I get back to the office on May 5th (while we are back on the evening of the 3rd, I have tentatively booked off the 4th for a laundry and unpacking day).

I am not usually prone to making these kinds of fun little needless purchases, but I allowed Sunshine to talk me into it. If she is having this kind of effect on me, I fear for Jake.....he doesn't have a chance!! LOL

 

[dancin Disney style]

I've been using a wallet case for a few years. I love it. The only thing is that it doesn't fit all that well in your pocket...if you carry it there. With my new 6 I got a glass screen protector so the wallet case will be for travel only.

On the phone subject...of course didn't I get a text from home saying that my oldest has a friend selling a 6S that Grumpy Cat can have for cheap and has someone lined up to buy her 5S. So Grumpy Cat is now Happy Cat.....but I like calling her Grumpy Cat

 

[ArwenMarie]

Love the case! Hey even if it's there as a Welcome Home present, that will be fun.

Love those pictures of the cupcakes at BOG...Mmm! And I agree, no one does the nighttime shows like WDW.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I've been using a wallet case for a few years. I love it. The only thing is that it doesn't fit all that well in your pocket...if you carry it there. With my new 6 I got a glass screen protector so the wallet case will be for travel only.

On the phone subject...of course didn't I get a text from home saying that my oldest has a friend selling a 6S that Grumpy Cat can have for cheap and has someone lined up to buy her 5S. So Grumpy Cat is now Happy Cat.....but I like calling her Grumpy Cat

Yay for Grumpy Cat!! Technology is important to our young'uns, so I am happy that she is getting the upgrade she was hoping for.

I am looking forward to the new wallet case, its a little more girly than the one I have now. My current case is very protective and practical but not at all fun or pretty.

Love the case! Hey even if it's there as a Welcome Home present, that will be fun.

Love those pictures of the cupcakes at BOG...Mmm! And I agree, no one does the nighttime shows like WDW.

Have you heard about the new cupcake ATM at Disney Springs? The podcast really seemed pleased with it.

 

[dsmom]

That makes timing my big question, then. I could potentially book either the 1 pm or 3 pm dolphin cruise before the game. I think 3 o'clock would leave us pretty tight for time for a 6 pm game (90 minutes on the water then we want to eat before heading to the field). We don't work well under pressure and the boys would rather die than be late for this game. Jake reminds me daily that its the thing he's most looking forward to out of the whole trip!!

What time would you suggest leaving Orlando in order to make it to the pier in time for the cruise, allowing enough time for parking, getting lost at least once along the way, etc? We plan to have breakfast at Sweet Tomatoes before hitting the I4.



I will be waiting to hear your thoughts as well .



Gorgeous photos! Even I have to admit that no one does fireworks like Disney does fireworks.

I would give yourself two hours driving time to be safe. I would do the earliest cruise available. You'll want to get to the stadium early to check everything out.

 

[Lynne G]

So cute. I hope you get the minion case soon. I'm a lifeproof fan. While I used to use otter boxes, liked this one before, and well, the it does a great job. When I went from my 5 to 6 iphone, the salesman was shocked how new my 5 looked. Yeah, and I caught DD using my phone in the shower, as her cover doesn't protect from water. I read her the riot act, as I never really tried the waterproof yet. I have dropped it several times, and last time, I cracked my 5 case, but no harm at all to the phone. I admit, not fashionable, but oh so conservative. LOL

Time is a ticking.

My 2 cents on the dolphin tour. If you get motion sickness, I'd make sure you use some medicine, as sea sickness may set in. All I can say, is we went on a whale watching cruise out of SD, and well, on the way back, even with my taking my medicine, I was glad to use a bag. The sea was choppier than what they thought it would be. When we were in Florida, we saw dolphins right from the beach. The breakfast with the minions was fun, and decent food. However, if you are doing another character meal, then maybe pass it this time, and hit it during your October trip. Either is not cheap, so I understand that. You're doing so much already.

oh and since you like minions:

 

[tortilla24]

Gina, have you heard the big news from SeaWorld. I'm sure the rumors we're looming before but I didn't pay much attention. They're stopping all orca breedings and switching (gradually I guess) to no orca performances. What say you?