We are here Live Report

[wayneg]

every time we stayed at OKW (in that dreamy 2 BR!!), we were over in building 56 i think it was.....also right next to a quiet pool...we never went over to the main pool (just way too far away).....we would pop into the quiet pool....
there were actually quite a few people in the pool, but it was still a lot of fun...we all got to know each other over the course of the stay, so it was very friendly - lots of chit chat as we cooled off in the water...

When we stayed in 55 the small pool was having a refurb so never got to use it. Down there I would expect most to use the small pool being so far away from main pool. Millers rd is only a 2 min walk to the main pool plus less buildings so makes for a very quiet small pool. Saying that we are going peak US holidays this trip so might be busier.

 

[catherine]

Anyone that like busy and lots going on then its a great pool. We don't, its like the large pool at OKW, been in once in 3 trips, not our sort of pools. The small pool on Miller's rd is perfect, some days you get it to yourself, other days another family or 2. Just hope we get a studio on Miller's rd in 2 weeks.

In all the times that we've stayed at OKW we've never been in the main pool! We're another family that prefer the quiet pools!

Have a great time at Universal!

 

[dixonsontour]

We loved the turtle pond pool at OKW - will be asking for there in october.

It was a really good pool for DD who was 4 - lots of 3ft shallow areas. There is also a playpark next to the pool and the snack bar to get a mug refill. We only went to the main pool once.

Enjoy your universal week

 

[starrysky]

When we stayed in 55 the small pool was having a refurb so never got to use it. Down there I would expect most to use the small pool being so far away from main pool. Millers rd is only a 2 min walk to the main pool plus less buildings so makes for a very quiet small pool. Saying that we are going peak US holidays this trip so might be busier.

We stayed in millers road last year and have made a request for that area this year. I went to the quiet pool a few times and only twice were there other people and even then it was literally two people. The rest of the time it was me on my own BLISS.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

we have 22 snack credits still to use.

I am still totally amazed by the amount of snack credits you have left ....... how on earth do you manage that ?????

 

[wayneg]

I am still totally amazed by the amount of snack credits you have left ....... how on earth do you manage that ?????

We had to use 25 up last year on our last day after 16 days on DDP.

We don't eat many snacks, too full with 2 meals a day. Rarely use them on drinks as we share a large soda at lunch and get 2 bottles for later in afternoon plus we take a bottle of frozen water out with us every day.
With refillable mugs this year we will be overrun with drinks so can't see us using many at all this year, we will have 63 snacks to use.

 

[crabbie1]

We stayed in millers road last year and have made a request for that area this year. I went to the quiet pool a few times and only twice were there other people and even then it was literally two people. The rest of the time it was me on my own BLISS.

We hv had building 25 and 16 and liked both as near HH but hv been hearing a lot about miller road and turtle pond areas.
What snacks does turtle shack do and does the refil machine do coffee?
Really Dnt know where to request.
Anyone know where the bus drops off first on the evening return from the parks?

Riad sounds a fab time. Hope u enjoy RPR. I loved it there. Rooms smaller than Disney but very tasteful.

 

[Cyrano]

I am still totally amazed by the amount of snack credits you have left ....... how on earth do you manage that ?????

We started off with 70 snack credits and I think in total we used 9 during the stay or maybe slightly more. So we probably used about 55-60 on candy and treats to bring home

 

[Cyrano]

Saturday 7 July

We wake up nice and refreshed after sleeping in the great bed at Loews Hotel.
Breakfast is fruit juice and croissants that we purchased in Walmart and keep cool in the cooler the troops will fill every day with ice.
Once we are showered and ready we walk along the waterfront to Universal Studios. We are in the park by 9.10 and already the Despicable Me wait time is 70 mins. It is a great ride while using the old mechanism from Jimmy Nutreon.
When you exit there is a dance off with a Minion just before the shop.
Next stop is The Simpsons and Men in Black. MiB is a family favourite and is so much better than Buzz Lightyear.
Our usual next stop would have been Jaws but this has been removed to allow for the next phase of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Just like the Fantasyland expansion it is good to see enhancements but it fairly puts a big whole in the park and has overtones of being a building site.
The Jaws attraction surprised us how much property it covered. To get to Disaster; not that we have any desire to revisit this attraction, means going back past Simpson's.
Robyn is keen to get a photo with Homer and stays for the return of Homer with Marge so this takes a few minutes.
We go to The Terminator 4D show for the first time and everyone really thinks this is well done.

Lunch-time is in the International Food Restaurant where we have various stir fry options.
We then head back to the hotel and spend a few hours at the pool. There are plenty of noodles and beach balls in the pool to keep us occupied.

For supper we initially are going to grab a pizza as we are going to Florida Mall to see about getting Morgan's Sanuks exchanged. After the Mall we decide on a change and head to Sweet Tomatoes nearby. Thankfully I still have my email on my iPhone with my birthday discount offer of 1 free adult meal
Suitably fed we then decide to head to Mall of Millenia and Hollister gets a good run in. We join the queue for the till as soon as we enter the shop as a tour group are in serious shopping model.

 

[alibeau]

LOVE reading your updates

Thanks for taking the time

Ali

 

[starrysky]

We hv had building 25 and 16 and liked both as near HH but hv been hearing a lot about miller road and turtle pond areas.
What snacks does turtle shack do and does the refil machine do coffee?
Really Dnt know where to request.
Anyone know where the bus drops off first on the evening return from the parks?

Riad sounds a fab time. Hope u enjoy RPR. I loved it there. Rooms smaller than Disney but very tasteful.

http://allears.net/menu/menu_tshack.htm is the link to the menu for the trutle shack.

The buses tended to go either HH first or if we were lucky millers road first. That being said others went all the way to the last stop and then all the way back to the front. It was bit random we felt. But being in millers road it was nice if it did stop at HH first as we could nip to the shop if we needed anything.

Cant help about the coffee at the trutle shack because we were not in that area.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Nice update Reid.... Mmmmm Sweet Tomatoes.... I LOVE this restaurant, sadly Cinderfella is a Carnivore in the extreme and no-way can I get him to this place I shall have to live vicariously through you

 

[wayneg]

Nice update Reid.... Mmmmm Sweet Tomatoes.... I LOVE this restaurant, sadly Cinderfella is a Carnivore in the extreme and no-way can I get him to this place I shall have to live vicariously through you

Until I found ST I couldn't imagine a meal without meat, one of our first meals next week will be in ST to meet Cast member friends, great fresh food.

 

[Cyrano]

Nice update Reid.... Mmmmm Sweet Tomatoes.... I LOVE this restaurant, sadly Cinderfella is a Carnivore in the extreme and no-way can I get him to this place I shall have to live vicariously through you

I am a practicing carnivore There is always the chilli.
On paper I should not like this restaurant but we hav always had a great time when we go to Sweet Toms.

 

[Cyrano]

Sunday 8 July

This morning is our first serious park morning.
Up at 6am and we all shower and have breakfast in the room. This is where the cooler box from Walmart and the icemachine serve us well.
We walk from the hotel to the park gates and are there bang on 7am for early entry. Other Muggles will have to wait till 8.00am before they can get in. This is still 1 hour earlier than last years opening of 9.00.
Since nothing else is open we are directed via Seus Landing to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Olivanders already has a good line developing and Forbidden Journey has a 10 min posted wait time. As Robyn has recently become a HP obsessive we retrieve our bags from the locker. Then promptly deposit them again and re-ride Forbidden Journey. The wait time is now showing 20 mins.
Next up is the Flight of the Hippogriff which Morgan sits out as it is twin rider seating. Then the 2 thrill seekers take me for their ride on Dragon's Challenge while Diane and Robyn re-ride Hippogriff.
We talk to a lovely family from Guernsey while queuing for Dragon's Challenge. The dad enjoys thrill rides as much as I do. His wife declares us whimps
The shops are perused for a little while longer and the troops try Butterbeer - cold rather than frozen. I try a taste and while not offensive don't have any more.

We walk through Jurassic Park and make our next stop Popeye & Bluto Bilge Rat Barges. We ride this twice in a row in case we have left any quarter sized dry spots
Then we all head to Spiderman which looks great with the High Def update.

Dr Doom was out posing for photos so Jack and Robyn pose while I scream like a baby indulging Morgan's desire to go on this ride.
Robyn and Diane scored another great ride on Spiderman while I sucked it up and got catapulted at speeds not designed for the human body on The Hulk. We laugh as we walk from the ride and Jack spots a hat. I do one better and spot someone's glasses. Who goes on Hulk and keeps their glasses on !

The troops are getting hungry and Robyn has in mind that there is only one place for lunch today...Three Broomsticks .
We order fish & chips, shepards pie, roast chicken and the rib/chicken combo.
The fish and shepards pie is the best of the choices.

We head back to the hotel and chill out at the pool

Supplies for breakfast are low so we head to Walmart and then land in a major thunder and lightening storm.
Supper tonight is McDonalds for Robyn and Jack. Salad for Morgan and a sandwich for Diane and I which we take back to the hotel.
We head over Prime Outlets and shop for an hour or so.

Back at the room we see that our view lets us see some of the Universal fireworks that go off around 9.15pm.

 

[disneyholic family]

I am a practicing carnivore There is always the chilli.
On paper I should not like this restaurant but we hav always had a great time when we go to Sweet Toms.

love love love love love ST!!! but i'm a vegetarian so it's not surprising i consider it heaven!!!!!
i wish they had an ST in the detroit area so i could eat there when visiting my family, but alas, no....closest one is in chicago somewhere....even restaurants avoid detroit

we were a bit dissappointed by the wizarding world....thought they could have done more....the main HP ride is good (or so i've heard - can't ride it), but the rest of it was just too small and underwhelming....olivanders was completely ridiculous....maybe with the expansion they're working on we'll like it more..

you didn't go on jurassic park??????? that's our favorite ride at IoA!!!!!!

 

[wayneg]

Who goes on Hulk and keeps their glasses on !

My glasses stay on from getting up to going to bed, rides, swimming, anything they don't come off

 

[disneyholic family]

My glasses stay on from getting up to going to bed, rides, swimming, anything they don't come off

waterpark slides?

you've never lost them?

do you wear something to keep them on your head?

 

[wayneg]

waterpark slides?

you've never lost them?

do you wear something to keep them on your head?

You reminded me, only place I take them off, when the big wave comes in the main pool at Typhoon Lagoon, don't really do water slides, just the family slide where I keep them on. Not water park fans, if we go we only go in for a couple of hours, not going in at all this year. No nothing to hold them on, they just stay.

 

[disneyholic family]

You reminded me, only place I take them off, when the big wave comes in the main pool at Typhoon Lagoon, don't really do water slides, just the family slide where I keep them on. Not water park fans, if we go we only go in for a couple of hours, not going in at all this year. No nothing to hold them on, they just stay.

makes sense - DH, DD and DS only takes theirs off on water slides....they keep them on everywhere else....(i'm not a four eyes yet, so i haven't had to worry...however, it appears my time is approaching fast )