So I’m going to try to create a trip report. I’ve never attempted it, but I love reading them, so here goes.
The participants: myself (age 44, manager in Industrial Distribution), DH (43, high school guidance counselor), K (oldest daughter, 8), and D (youngest daughter, 6)
First trip to universal studios for the three of them. I last went in early 90’s (?) Just studios existed, and I remember ET ride & psycho house on the hill.
Our flight from Indy to MCO has a 2 hour delay already this morning. Arriving 3:14 pm, previously 1:10 pm. We hired Tony Hinds for transport so I emailed him this morning to notify him of the change. Let’s hope that’s the only major hiccup of this trip (better than wheels falling off, amirite @QwertySC ? )
Staying at RPR for express passes. Wednesday we have a pool cabana rented and let’s be honest, that’ll probably be the girls favorite day. Ironically, Indy is forecast to be as hot or hotter than Orlando this week.
Well, I just mobile ordered some Starbucks since we have t minus 2 hours to go until we can board. I give the over/under on the amount of times my 6 year old uses the bathroom in the next two hours as 9 times.
I am so ready to leave this airport. My girls have “ridden” the moving walkway several times, the last time with their hands in the air and screaming “woooo!!!” This is my 6 year old’s velocicoaster substitute.
Woohoo, excited for you! Thanks for sharing your trip with us!
If you don’t mind, could you put this thread into the Trip Reports Category? Edit the first post and scroll down to the Universal Trip Reports category. That way it will be saved there and others will find it easier, now and for future reference.
Now we’re delayed in baggage claim because of lightning
I’m seriously glad we had no real plans for tonight. I was hoping to hit up Ollivanders & Three Broomsticks for an “early” dinner, but that went out the window when our flight was delayed 3 hours. We’re honestly lucky it was only a 3 hour delay since travel in 2022 is stressful.
I’ll feel relieved when we can get in our room and will only need to rely on our feet for transportation.
Okay, so after delays at baggage claim, we finally got our luggage. The driver loaded us up & we left MCO a few minutes after 5.
We picked up an instacart curbside order at Publix en route & arrived at Royal Pacific around 5:35. We did online check in the night before, so we were off to our room & luggage was delivered around 5:50. We dropped stuff off, (Tower 1, floor 3, which is equal to lobby) got our Annual Passes at the vacation desk in the lobby, and walked over to IoA for dinner at Three Broomsticks. We. Were. Starving.
A quick wait to order and we had our food— gluten free rotisserie chicken meal for me, along with fizzy pumpkin juice. Shepherds pie for DH (also fizzy pumpkin juice), and Mac n cheese for the girls, along with frozen butter beer.
I’m irritated no one got fish & chips, because it looks delicious, but my gluten free self can’t have it. Actually, maybe it’s better no one in my family got it & made me drool over it.
After dinner, it was time for Ollivander’s. IoA was showing a 50 minute wait, so we walked to USO since they showed a 5 min wait. Literally walked in for the show. Girls wore their robes but a boy around 10 was selected (as per Harry Potter-esque age) and we watched the quick & delightful show.
Afterwards, the girls & I picked wands. K (8) selected Dumbledore’s elder wand, D (6) picked Hermione, and I bought Luna Lovegood’s. We walked out to everyone looking up at the dragon, waiting for him to breathe fire on the 10’s. Waited two minutes and nada. No time to practice with the wands because it was late and we were exhausted.
Headed to the boats to rest our feet. Back at the hotel & ready for bed at 10 pm, which is late for my girls. I’m still wired at 11:15 pm and will hate myself tomorrow morning. First night in a hotel is usually rough for me though, have difficulty sleeping without my heavy blankets and cat crowding me in bed.
Tomorrow we’re starting out at USO, doing a more thorough exploration of Diagon Alley, some wand fun, Gringott’s, and Leaky Cauldron breakfast.
Waiting in line for Minions currently. This morning we went to Diagon Alley & rode Gringots first. My 6 year old cried on it and kept her eyes shut, so a “mother of the year” award for me.
Afterwards, drinks & spells & Knockturn alley. Girls bought Pygmy puffs, and we had breakfast at Leaky Cauldron. So good.
Pics of the fire-breathing dragon before the ministry of magic telephone booth. Then we watched Marilyn & the Bellas en route to Jimmy Fallon. It’s hot & sunny, like it’s June in Florida.
After Minions we will go to Seuss Landing, hit up a water ride, and drip back to our hotel room.
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you sleep well. 
