Roller Coasters, Rides and Theme Parks!

[Blobcat]

HAVE A PLAN of what you want to achieve each day! There is no point getting Genie + and spending all day running back and forth and back again!

We did SO MUCH on our first Magic Kingdom day simply by focusing on one part of the park, we ended up riding more because of it and pretty much rode most rides we wanted to in the park that first day by keeping things simple! Rope drop! We rope dropped the People mover on our last MK day!

I had a small back pack and a bum bag. It wasn't sexy but it was perfect for my mobile, sunglasses and wallet. My bag I used for my bottled water, Gatorade sachets (seriously get some), USB battery, snacks and suncream.

TAKE A BREAK in the middle of the day, your feet and skin will thank you for a rest and a blast of air conditioning/ pool. Do not try and do all day, you will kill your feet for the rest of the holiday if you don't take a 2 hour break (we usually did between 1-4).

If you can ride the skyliner!

[Soundwave]

Well jel Neil enjoy it man.

Thanks man, I intend too

All I need to do is change my identity... steal the tickets....


10 year wedding anniversary last year was also a reminder of the clear decade it's been since I was last in the US. We're really going to push toward it within the coming two years

Ha ha don't change your identity to my one buddy...you don't want the rest of the **** that comes with it

Happy to give some advice on top of what I said in my top rides post here:

https://bordersdown.net/threads/99227-Roller-Coasters-Rides-and-Theme-Parks%21?p=2440649&viewfull=1#post2440649

Get Uber and Lytt apps on your phone. Use the hotel WiFi to book cabs to the parks and the park WiFi to get home.
We stayed at Universal so walked to those parks, Uber/Lyfft to Disney etc. as its' really cheap.

Get the Express passes. No point flying all the way out there and spending hours in queues.

Use sun lotion every day and top up.

Book the Disney parks in advance.

I could bang on, but let me know if you have any questions or need further suggestions.

Well Jel.

Thanks for the extra info buddy
We were using Uber last time but as there are 6 of us we had heard conflicting reports on whether an Uber XL will take us all at the same time because of them not having passengers in front seats anymore because of Covid

We are staying at a hotel called the Rosen Inn at Point which has free courtesy bus to Universal so only cabs to Disney & the malls here too

I think we have Genie on the tickets we bought but I can't be sure
We do have my dad signed up with D A S due to his problems with his feet which means we might be able to fast track some of the lines due to standing but we have to check because if they can loan him a wheelchair that might negate the skipping thing

I did look at the Halloween Express passes but they are pretty pricey but think I need to get them to skip the lines for the Houses...queuing in 2019 took forever lol

We have the sun tan lotion all set & pretty close to a Wallgreens to pick up more if needed

Have booked all the Disney parks already
Basically just looped the 4 parks every day for the 2 weeks lol We'll just fit the Universal & Sea World stuff in as we need to in between & cancel Disney as needed

I would just add, if you want to skip having to use WiFi and instead just have regular cellular access to the internet, there's an app named Airalo that lets you install and top up a local eSim with data for peanuts. I use it everywhere I go abroad.

I'm actually on an old Vodafone red bundle that still has free global roaming so I get to use my Data & minutes for free
Rinsed the crap out of it in 2019 & plan to do the same this time

Ooh, get a decent USB battery!
You're hammering your phone for photos, booking rides, hiring Ubers, swiping onto rides etc.
Juice up at lunch on in a bag.

Pack light!
We have a tiny rucksack that fit in a Universal refill cup (pay once, refill all day) and packed some snacks.
The free ride lockers are tiny, so the less you can carry, the better.

We did a shop at Walmart and made some wraps as eating in the parks really adds up.

Get there early! Rope-drop is possible! Sleep is for the WEAK!

Have a few Power banks ready so will be able to do the top ups & know the small bag & pack light strategy

Do wish Disney did the free refils thing that Universal do...that was a god send when we went last time

We have Breakfast included in our Hotel so we will be making the use of it & pigging out for Breakfast to hopefully go long through the day on snacks & biccies

I'll see how well we get in for rope drop...the child likes a good lie in...she's 10 going on moody teenager lol

One thing I do want to ask QC is was there much call for the NHS Covid app pass getting on the flights or anything?
Parents aren't tech savvy on the phones & don't have the apps so hoping to avoid if we don't have to put them on their phones as well

Neil

[QualityChimp]

Firstly, that Uber XL, it seemed like the rules changed in the 2nd week we were there.
The first week we had to get XLs so we were sat in the back, then later we could get normal cars, so I think that's out the window now, you should be fine.

As for the NHS app, I don't actually think we needed them, but we had to pay for a test to confirm none of us had Covid.
We had to do a video interview where we had to do a test for someone.
All a bit of a joke as you could easily fake it, but we had to pay for the privilege of the charade to ensure we could get on the plane.

My advice would be to speak to the airline and 100% check what the current status is as it's deffo changed since Easter when we went.

[wakka]

It's the opposite way round now, re: COVID. You don't need testing, you do need proof of vaccination:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/covid-19_testing_required_US_Entry.html

Chances are immigration won't ask to see it but I would get the NHS apps sorted on your parents' phones just in case. I think it should just be a case of signing in with their NHS patient numbers, their vaccinations will already be logged on the NHS system against those.

Alternatively the small paper cards handed out after vaccination should suffice:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#vaccine-proof

[Neon Ignition]

[Yakumo]

Saw this the other day.
This is a good channel with so many great videos on the history of theme parks around the world.

[QualityChimp]

I can't see this because Kenneth Chad Terry is unhappy about it.

What was the channel?

[Yakumo]

I can't see this because Kenneth Chad Terry is unhappy about it.

What was the channel?

Here you go https://youtube.com/c/ExpeditionThemePark
Looks like that Yellow Brick Road video was removed though

[Neon Ignition]

Wonder why that is? Surely those running the site didn't complain as it was a very positive and lovely tribute to it

[Soundwave]

One week & I'll be away from all this **** & hopefully still asleep for an hour or so before we venture to the Magic Kingdom for the first day of holibobs

Judging by the weather forecasts as well I'll be doing a lot of moaning because it will be too damn hot lol

Neil

[QualityChimp]

Don't think Disney do them, but Universal do these drinks cups that you can use at refill stations all day.
Next visit, you can "recharge" it for a smaller fee and use it again. We had one cup between all of us.

Take a water bottle (even a used one - don't bin it) and use the water stations in Disney parks.

Do a Walgreens run one day and get some Tupperware and make some wraps/sarnies so you're not forking out all day, but try and get into a couple of the swanky Diney eateries to balance it out.
We ate at the explorer's one in MK, the 50's Diner in Hollywood and the aquarium one in Epcot, but I really wanted to do the space one there.

[Soundwave]

Don't think Disney do them, but Universal do these drinks cups that you can use at refill stations all day.
Next visit, you can "recharge" it for a smaller fee and use it again. We had one cup between all of us.

Take a water bottle (even a used one - don't bin it) and use the water stations in Disney parks.

Do a Walgreens run one day and get some Tupperware and make some wraps/sarnies so you're not forking out all day, but try and get into a couple of the swanky Diney eateries to balance it out.
We ate at the explorer's one in MK, the 50's Diner in Hollywood and the aquarium one in Epcot, but I really wanted to do the space one there.

Yeah I know Disney don't do the cups but the Universal ones were a god send when we were there in 2019, still have them too

We were doing the free ice water thing when we were in Disney & just getting cups at a time & we have those Robinson squeezey thing so we can add fruit juice to them as well

We have free breakfast at the hotel so we'll fill up then & just grab a snack in the park or take crap in with us

Neil

[QualityChimp]

I'm really jealous of you about to go!

Have a blast, man!

[Soundwave]

I'm really jealous of you about to go!

Have a blast, man!

Ha ha thanks man
I won't lie I'm actually in a bit of a funk at the moment & really finding it hard to get into the spirit of going & just not that excited
It's so weird because I should be buzzing by now but I'm just not

I'll probably be fine when I do get there but just right now not really into it

Still need to buy my Universal Halloween Horror nights tickets as well.

Neil

[wakka]

It's ok if you're not feeling up to it mate, me and QC will take the tickets off your hands.