Daily blogs - if they are of interest

I love Neve’s little wave in the Daisy Duck picture - her expression is so adorable - so knowing…

Thank you! :grinning:

#allergytoddler

Day 15 - Universal

I was awake at 3 and didn’t really get back to sleep. Up at 6:30 and in an Uber by 7:15. Get to new hotel Loews Royal Pacific and hit a stumbling block. Can’t remember pin for credit card!! Got it on the 3rd attempt and it declines :rage::woman_facepalming:

Have to use current account, hopefully I can swap it later. This caused much faffing around and himself declares that he also doesn’t know his pin for his credit card either. Believe it or not, we both work (or worked in my case) in financial services. What a fail. Pick up express pass and park tickets and get Neve dressed (she was asleep when we were getting ready so put her into Uber in her pjs). First impressions are lovely. Subtle fragrance and looks very nice. Neve loves the umbrellas.

We walk to the parks, it’s a short stroll and less than the busses to park entrance in Disney. Go to universal park as this is open early for hotel guests. Decided to head up to Diagon Alley first as we’ve never seen it before. Think we were there about half 8. Neve needed food - she doesn’t eat much at once but needs feeding often and the we spoke to a chef at the leaky cauldron and got her pancakes and sausages. We shared a traditional breakfast. Was a shock to the system to have to pay for it (via the blooming debit card as credit card still declining and we can’t charge back to the room until the room is ready. I miss my Disney band and it’s been less than 2 hours :disappointed_relieved:)

Anyway, our food was ok. Neve didn’t like the pancakes (far too much cinnamon) but did eat the sausages. I went to do Gringotts ride while she finished her breakfast with himself. Loved it. Really smart. Swapped with himself - we have express passes so are just going in the express queue and the other one is entertaining Neve as opposed to using the child swap room.

I loved it all, Neve especially loved Hagrid’s motorbike (the model one, not the ride!) The dragon went off while we were practically under it and it gave Neve the fright of her life!! From here we went clockwise round the park. I took her on twirl n hurl while himself did MIB and himself took her on ET while I did MIB. I had a rubbish score on it and Neve didn’t like ET (too dark). I took her on woddy’s rollercoaster and himself did the Simpson’s. Neve again didn’t like it (too fast) but himself was impressed with Simpson’s. Again we switched round, me on Simpson’s and himself had her in Curious George. She ended up soaking. After here we did transformers and used the child swap room which works well. It was a good ride but really a variation of a simulator theme

Next up was Rip Rocket. Wow. The most intense ride I’ve done but loved it and will def do again. We didn’t use the child swap room as Neve wanted to watch her dad do it. However by the time it was my shot she was getting twitchy. So himself took her back to the playground. He also had my bum bag and phone. Queue me going off to meet them after ride and couldn’t find them. I spent a good 20 mins in the scorching sun looking for them and starting to panic but found them eventually (not where they should have been :rage:)

We were all hot and bothered and went to I think it was Mel’s diner but could be wrong. Got her burger and fries and we had a chicken burger to share. Despicable me next as we still had our room ready next. Again was good.

Foolishly decided to keep going at this point even though it was about 3. We’d been in parks since about 8 and on the go since 6:30. Neve wasn’t happy and disaster struck. Tried to get her out of pram to go to child swap room at the Mummy (was really hot) and she wasn’t for it and the iPad went flying. Yup it got proper smashed. Cross words were said and blame was flying all the place (we’ve don’t well to do 2 weeks without a major incident to be honest). We silently went back to hotel via water taxi and room still wasn’t ready but she got us another one.

Room is lovely. Much nicer than CBR but obviously much more expensive. We chilled out while waiting for the bags and then hit the pool. Himself went for towels and came back with some cocktail glad that you can get ‘cheaper refills’. I had a mai tai and it was strong! Enjoy the pool and was needed. Quick shower and changed and we walked to City walk. Ate at big fire and it was LOVELY. Neve has burgers and smashed potatoes which she loved. We had steak. Half the price of Paddlefish and much nicer. Best meal so far. Some nice wine too

Home via the bar - wine for us and fruit for Neve (her choice). A rather full on day but enjoyed it. Def feels like the adult part of the holiday. We are flying home in less than 2 days so want to make the most of it. Hardly any photos as we don’t have the universal photo pass.

Islands of adventure tomorrow and maybe volcano bay…

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Love your report— thanks for writing!

Sorry about the iPad! Rooms are ready so late at Universal, it’s very annoying.

#allergytoddler

Day 16 - Universal and Islands of Adventure

Seems my body clock is trying adjust to UK time in preparation for flying home - awake at 4am

We had a slow start and had breakfast at the hotel. They sorted Neve allergy waffles, sausages and strawberries and we had the buffet breakfast. Was lovely and allergy info on the labels for everything in the buffet. Highly recommend

Didn’t get to Universal until 10am and much much busier than yesterday. Only had a couple of rides left to do. Started with Jimmy Fallon ride. It broke down while himself was on it so it took ages for us to do this one. It was good but it’s a bit samey as the other rides. Mummy next and the express queue was long. I do like the child swap rooms - air con and a chance to sit and Neve watched iPad. I have to say this wouldn’t have worked so well at the start of the holiday when she was full of beans but def working out now that she’s tired!!

Decided we would skip Fast and Furious as heard it not that great and there are lots of rides we want to do at Islands of Adventure. Also heard that Hagrids was open. It never opened until 7:30pm last night apparently :weary:. At 11:30 the wait time was 120, hopefully it goes down

Hogwarts express over to Islands of Adventure and went to see if could do single rider on Hagrid’s. NOPE. 3-4 hour wait by now. So went to Suess land and did everything there a couple of times with Neve. Storm

Force acceleration next and did that a couple of times in a row and decided to head back.

Plan was to rest for a bit then volcano bay but Neve said no. Had a dilemma, do we just go and risk a tired meltdown or just stay in room longer and hopefully go back to parks for dinner, rides and the castle show? Decided to go for the later option and himself went to get us a cocktail. Think it’s all getting a bit tiring for Neve, she asked about going home last night. It’s been a really full on holiday, feels like it was a very long time ago we were in the lounge at the airport but I’m really sad about going home tomorrow. What will I look forward to now that’s we’ve had the holiday???

We got some wine and snacks and got her an ice lolly in the hotel shop (first place I’ve seen lollies in universal!) and we stayed in room until about 6. Off to islands and himself did hulk while we went on storm force. Got round to the hulk family room just as himself was riding and swapped over. Love that ride. Much smoother than rip rocket!! Back to suss land for a Neve - the train ride and big fish (or baby shark as she called it!)

Round to see the hogwarts castle show and o got a butterbeer. Enjoyed it but not sure I’d rush to see it again. Followed the masses out and thought we’d chance it to see what the wait time was Big Fire. Massive queue so just went back to hotel and Captain’s jack could accommodate her. A late night which has thrown our plans for tomorrow. Original thinking was volcano bay, back for showers and check out, parks, lunch then leave for airport around 2:30. However it’s now likely Neve will sleep in. Will see how we go. In 28 hours we will back home :disappointed_relieved:

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It goes so fast doesn’t it :cry:

Thank you so much for your reports, they have been really fun to read and Neve is adorable!! You gave me some good ideas for our trip also! Glad you had a fun holiday!!!

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