Notices
Walt Disney World and Florida Trip Reports Trip Reports and Videos

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 20 Mar 22, 01:28 PM  
Link to this Post
#1
Rescuer
VIP Dibber
 
Rescuer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 12

Rescuer's Reviews
Hotel Reviews: 6
Across the Universe - highs lows and future plans

Highs, lows and future plans

Index is here

Overall we had a brilliant trip, it was so nice to be back. It all felt so familiar and so normal.



Highs

Sapphire falls - such a beautiful resort with an amazing atmosphere. Facilities were great. Rooms were spacious and gorgeous. Staff were friendly and helpful. It was big though and there were a few times we got a bit mixed up as to where we were going. I love it’s just across the street from Aventura which is another one of our favourites.



Universal in general - we had a great experience with a mix of having express pass and not. Might have been a better idea to have planned the other way round but it meant we could totally relax during the sapphire but as we’d done everything. Loved the pace and the team members were great. All helped by the fact our annual passes had been frozen and reactivated.




Mardi Gras - I love all the extra wee touches, riding in the parade was brilliant and they’ve really upped their game in terms of food offerings. Plus the Mardi Gras food cards were a great deal.


Food, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the low carb diet but staff were so happy to suggest changes I could make easily. I think my food at Lombards, big fire and longhorns were my favourite. Plus I could have normalish type snacks from the supermarkets like tortilla chips and sweets.




Velocicoaster - has to be the best coaster I’ve ever ridden. So smooth, brilliantly designed from start to finish, even the locker set up impressed me.


Lows

A wee one - Building work at Hard Rock, not a big impact but not nice to look at or have people wandering past your room on scaffolding.

A huge one - The return home - these things happen but the lack of customer service and just being fobbed off by BA staff is what annoyed me the most. Still waiting for any kind of response.

A couldn’t be helped one - The mummy refurb - we knew it was shut but still missed it!

Future plans

Summer -2022

So I’d booked 8 nights at Port Orleans with the dining credit offer on a bit of a whim really. I’d ideally wanted to fly out a few days before the Disney stay but when flights came out it was cheaper to have that as our arrival day.

Along with the flights I booked 9 nights staying at cabana Bay in a family suite for a price cheaper than endless summer with BA and our last 5 nights at Portofino Bay, we weren’t that bothered which express pass hotel and Ds was really keen for Portofino so we went for that, hard rock was coming in the most expensive.




Fast forward to this holiday and the fact it needed pretty much zero planning and was a fairly chilled pace got us tang about the Disney nights we’d booked. This combined with some of the reviews of mouse keeping, dining issues, the cost, genie + and Ds really wanting to try out more coasters, helped us come to the decision to shelve Disney for just now, although I’ve not cancelled it yet.

I’ve booked 8 nights at dockside which will cut our costs significantly and we will just spend more time at Seaworld, Busch gardens and aquatica. We also have discovery cove. I’d like a Disney springs trip or an after hours event if one pops up.


So 22 nights all at universal accommodation with universal annual passes and discovery cove ultimates. Really looking forward to it.

Halloween 2022

I had booked our first hhn for last year which was then cancelled. Same day I checked the virgin Edinburgh route with a stay at the hard rock and it popped up with a decentish price but just for 6 nights. I only get a week in October. I’m beyond excited to try HHN. Express pass will be great as HHN will be the priority so we will just dip in and out the parks and Hard Rock location will be a blessing after those long nights




So 6 nights with direct flights, I won’t be getting used to that luxury, at hard rock for hhn and general universal with maybe a boo bash or MNSSHP thrown in.

Hoping for a frequent fear pass to cover HHN but not sure if we should get the express option or maybe do one night at an RIP tour, still debating this bit. Id be grateful for any thoughts or advice.
__________________
Rescuers Reports Lots of food and trip reports

Edited at 01:29 PM.
Rescuer is online now Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 Mar 22, 07:27 PM  
Link to this Post
#2
4fromsuffolk
Very Serious Dibber
 
Join Date: Mar 16

4fromsuffolk's Reviews
DIBB Villa Reviews: 1
As always I enjoyed reading all about your stay and your future plans. Thank you for sharing. You look amazing. I love the photo of you all above 😍.
4fromsuffolk is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 Mar 22, 07:40 PM  
Link to this Post
#3
rafjen
Apprentice Imagineer
 
rafjen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 18
Location: Manchester

rafjen's Reviews
Hotel Reviews: 1
Restaurant Reviews: 2
Future plans sound great- I completely understand why you might skip Disney.
rafjen is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 Mar 22, 07:50 PM  
Link to this Post
#4
mason1
Imagineer
 
Join Date: Feb 12

mason1's Reviews
Restaurant Reviews: 2
DIBB Villa Reviews: 3
Loved reading along with your trip report. We were booked for 10 nights at Yacht Club in August for 10 nights, but cancelled it last week. After visiting at Christmas, we’ve decided we’re not bothered with Disney at the moment. Instead, we’re doing 7 nights at HRH (hoping the works are nearly finished). Would love to go in October.
__________________
Got the Florida bug annual visits since 2012
mason1 is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 Mar 22, 07:59 PM  
Link to this Post
#5
Lily8
Very Serious Dibber
 
Lily8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 18
What a great trip you've had, reads like a perfect combination of thrill and chill and Sapphire Falls looks so beautiful and relaxing.
Lily8 is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 Mar 22, 09:11 PM  
Link to this Post
#6
Goldia
VIP Dibber
 
Goldia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 16

Goldia's Reviews
Hotel Reviews: 5
Restaurant Reviews: 43
Thanks for sharing your full trip report with us. I've loved reading it. Only a few little niggles and you're headed back twice again! No Disney at all. You're nearly into double digits on your countdown, it will fly by now I reckon.
__________________
Abby
New pre trip report - Summer 2024

Link to all my completed trip reports
2017: NYC and Orlando. Salzburg. Boston.
2018: Orlando. Berlin.
2019: DLP. Orlando. Washington DC.
2020: DLP.
2021: Jamaica. Rome.
2022: Orlando.
2023: Orlando. Niagara and Toronto.
Goldia is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 Mar 22, 11:05 PM  
Link to this Post
#7
caitlinsmummy
Imagineer
 
caitlinsmummy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 11
Location: Durham
A lovely trip as usual just a shame about BA really. So exciting to read about your new trips. 22 nights in the summer holidays is amazing I cannot wait to follow along, but I also get the shelving Disney part for now. I'm even more excited to see an October HHN trip too, I would absolutely love to do this but I have no chance for quite a few years yet cannot wait to follow along again x
caitlinsmummy is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 21 Mar 22, 07:20 PM  
Link to this Post
#8
Rescuer
Thread Starter
VIP Dibber
 
Rescuer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 12

Rescuer's Reviews
Hotel Reviews: 6
Originally Posted by xuntitledx View Post
We loved Velocicoaster too - and all of the Mardi Gras offerings at Universal.

It was our first time at Universal but we fell in love!

How exciting to have some other fantastic trips to look forward to this year ☺️
Thanks. Mardi Gras is a great time to visit universal and the crowd levels were pretty good at the start of our trip.

We are big fans of universal, the more time we spend there the more we love it!

Originally Posted by 4fromsuffolk View Post
As always I enjoyed reading all about your stay and your future plans. Thank you for sharing. You look amazing. I love the photo of you all above 😍.
Thanks so much for the compliment. ❤️

Originally Posted by mason1 View Post
Loved reading along with your trip report. We were booked for 10 nights at Yacht Club in August for 10 nights, but cancelled it last week. After visiting at Christmas, we’ve decided we’re not bothered with Disney at the moment. Instead, we’re doing 7 nights at HRH (hoping the works are nearly finished). Would love to go in October.
A bit like us. I hope universal and HRH meet your expectations. You’d think they’d be nearly or actually done with the building work by August.

Originally Posted by Lily8 View Post
What a great trip you've had, reads like a perfect combination of thrill and chill and Sapphire Falls looks so beautiful and relaxing.
It was lovely, thanks for reading. I think you summed it up nicely and Sapphire Falls was a lovely resort to end our trip with.
__________________
Rescuers Reports Lots of food and trip reports
Rescuer is online now Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 20 May 22, 10:52 PM  
Link to this Post
#9
annedawso
Apprentice Imagineer
 
annedawso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 09
Have just binge read your report and loved it. Thank you. We are going staying at Aventura for 14 nights in September with our 19 year old son. Won’t have express passes but hopefully a quieter time of year and being there 2 weeks we should easily do everything.
Also going to Seaworld and Busch, have bought the 3 day pass with free dining as only worked out £8 each extra per day compared to 14 day tickets, thanks to brilliant advice by M2K00. My son is desperate to do Busch for the rollercoasters, so depending on how much we enjoy it will decide if we go twice or not. Will get the free shuttle.
__________________
Anne

LBV Resort and Spa- 2009
Emerald Island Villa -2013
OKW -2014 YC -2015
Tenerife and cruise in Med 2016
Easter 2017. BCV 7 nights, 6 nights GFV. 3 Portofino Bay
August 2017. YC 14 nights. 4 days Portofino Bay
August 18 -5 nights NY, 11 nights PORFQ
August 2019 10 nights AKL 6 nights Universal
AUG 2020 CSR 15 nights?
annedawso is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Old 21 May 22, 12:05 AM  
Link to this Post
#10
Rescuer
Thread Starter
VIP Dibber
 
Rescuer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 12

Rescuer's Reviews
Hotel Reviews: 6
Originally Posted by annedawso View Post
Have just binge read your report and loved it. Thank you. We are going staying at Aventura for 14 nights in September with our 19 year old son. Won’t have express passes but hopefully a quieter time of year and being there 2 weeks we should easily do everything.
Also going to Seaworld and Busch, have bought the 3 day pass with free dining as only worked out £8 each extra per day compared to 14 day tickets, thanks to brilliant advice by M2K00. My son is desperate to do Busch for the rollercoasters, so depending on how much we enjoy it will decide if we go twice or not. Will get the free shuttle.
Thanks.

Aventura is a fab resort, it’s a great location and the food court is brilliant.

Sounds like you got a great deal for the dining at Seaworld. My Ds is getting super excited by the big coasters at Seaworld and Busch. So far we’ve booked the shuttle for 2 days in July.
__________________
Rescuers Reports Lots of food and trip reports
Rescuer is online now Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin - Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
DIBB Savings
AttractionTickets.com

Get £10 off each Disney Ticket with the code ATDIBB10

Get up to £50 off per room at Disney or Universal with the code DIBBHOTELS


theDIBB Blog
One of the the five worlds found in Epic Universe, How to Train Your Dragon... Read More »
Disney announced that a new nighttime show, “Disney Dreams That Soar,” will run nightly at... Read More »
Walt Disney World Resort guests can get ready to have a “glowing’’ good time when... Read More »


theDIBB Menu


Exchange Rates
US Dollar Rates
ASDA  $1.2354
CaxtonFX  $1.2297
Covent Garden FX  $1.2545
FAIRFX  $1.2350
John Lewis  $1.2380
M&S  $1.2178
Sainsburys  $1.2354
TESCO  $1.2364
Travelex  $1.2353
Updated: 23:00 28/03/2024
Euro Rates
ASDA  €1.1447
CaxtonFX  €1.1406
Covent Garden FX  €1.1513
FAIRFX  €1.1432
John Lewis  €1.1457
M&S  €1.1263
Sainsburys  €1.1440
TESCO  €1.1445
Travelex  €1.1435
Updated: 23:00 28/03/2024

DIBB Premium Membership
Did you know you can help support theDIBB with Premium Membership?

Check out this link for more information and benefits, such as...

"No adverts on theDIBB Forums"

Upgrade Now



X