I volunteer with our local humane society fostering kittens. They have been completely out of adoptable cats many times during the pandemic and a few times out of adoptable dogs. I think this pandemic was a great time to add a new dog to the family! Animals really can ease a lot of emotional distress … which we’ve all experienced this last year!
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Dogs are awesome! I can’t imagine life without this love bug. He never leaves my side. Seriously follows me to the bathroom and sleeps on a dog bed at the side of by my bed, or if he is lucky, at the bottom of my bed. Sometimes, he guards the stairs though. When he gets the shoes, he wants to play chase.
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We were in no rush to hurry out since it was a cooler morning. Arrived at Volcano Bay at 11:30. They have you park in the lowest parking garage floor for VB guests. Then the buses are just nearby to transport you there. The pathways to enter the park are well themed and gorgeous.
After temp check and security we arrived at the gates for the team members to scan our tickets. There was at least 3 open lanes with people working the ticket scanners and biometric scanners for your finger. The family went left to 2 team members and I went right to a different one. I held out my ticket (photo up thread post 319) and she said, I can’t take that sir it’s not your whole ticket. Say what??? She said yeah, the bottom of your ticket is cut off. OK? So I can just use my mobile ticket right?
(This is my email)
“Oh no sir, you must have a full page printed ticket”. So, I proceeded to give her a confused look and just walked over to another team member and got scanned right in. I can’t make this stuff up folks.
When comparing WDW to UOR, there is always something that you observe that you can say, Disney is more organized and UOR has some quirks and inconsistencies. We experienced something similar 3 years ago.
We rented a standard locker and was able to fit in our back pack and 1 sling bag. Remember to set up your mobile wallet at home first so you don’t have to deal with it last minute. As soon as they linked our tickets to our Tapu wrist bands it was good to go. The wrist bands opened the locker and when you buy, food, drinks, rent towels, you just tap to pay.
We did everything we wanted. 4 hours was enough because there were no waits. Feasting Frog was not open so we ate at Whakawaiwai. The pizza was surprisingly very good. The air temp (72-74) was a little chilly for DW and DS, but perfect for me and DD. DD is a water nut and has no fear. She could do the trap door slides all day. I’m so glad we took a little time for VB this week!
DW just did Krakatau and Honu besides the fearless river. Me and the kids also did Ko’okiri, Ohyah and Ohno, and Tai Nui. Kids didn’t do Punga. Our family favorite was the Fearless River, we were on that long, multiple times. It was great, water temp in the upper 80’s. Sorry, not many photos!
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I had zero interest in VB until the Super Liner Bros. trip report and now this. We might have to try it someday!
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Beautiful shot of DS at sunset. And your meal looked delicious!
Thanks for the UOR tips!
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I wasn’t sure if parking at the VB marked parking would make for more walking when going to CW afterwards, but it didn’t. Same garage, just down below.
We always enjoy Bubba Gump’s shrimp!
Eta: this was the first place on our trip that actually had menus you could hold.
I may not have mentioned yet…I printed menus ahead of time for every place we planned to eat at. It was nice to get them out when we were waiting in ride lines or just on a break before a meal. Not always the best to look at menus on the phone!
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Since we’re talking dogs, this is our Milo. From my in-laws the first part of our trip:
Here he is looking for us
And with my parents currently
(Yes they have to share him) 
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The printed menus is the level of extra I aspire to in my planning. Well done sir.
Adding a dog pic. My first dog, Duke.
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My neighbor has a couple of boxers. Best babysitters I’ve ever seen. Sweet to strangers until they approached the kids. Never left the kids’ sides on walks. Perfectly behaved and instinctually protective.
I’ve never seen anything like it.
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Oh man, I remember looking at this like 20 years ago and getting kind of angry about it because it seems to have no significance and looks weird 
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I will not give in and get a dog. I will not give in and get a dog. I will not give in and get a dog
I don’t care how many SUPER cute photos you post /sniff.
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In 2012 before smartphones took off, DSIL, who is 12 years my junior, was incredulous that I printed menus. I still print some menus because they are hard to read on my phone.
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One night, when DS was about a month old, our entire closet rod fell off the wall in our crappy rental house. It scared me and mom to death (DH was on nights), and the dogs JUMPED the baby gate I was using to keep them in the guest room and flanked DS’s baby swing on either side. Stood guard until i made them move. Somehow DS stayed asleep in his little swing of happiness.
Also, Duke liked to bring offerings to DS to welcome him to the pack, like the dead baby possum I stumbled upon in front of the fridge at 3 am trying to mix formula. My first thought, oh, I’m finally tired enough to hallucinate. And then I realized I could smell it so it was real.
GET A DOG! GET A DOG!
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I had the same experience 5 years ago. I had printed the tickets, cut them and laminated them. When we went to go in, we were told the same thing. The ticket needed to have all the terms and conditions and other legal disclaimers. I also had un-altered (and un-laminated) copies as a backup, so we used those. They were pretty beat up by the end of a couple days, though.
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I love this!!
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My DH said totally.
Just as soon as we find a place with a guest house. Then me, the kid, and the dog get the guest house, and my DH and his yet to be adopted cat get the main house.
(I’m allergic to cats and he thinks dogs are smelly, slobbering messes. I honestly don’t know how we’re still married tbh 
)
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Thanks for sharing. I guess I can understand this? Except 99 percent of the cast members aren’t strict about it.
But the part that still really has me dumbfounded is my ticket clearly says it can be used as a mobile ticket. (I didn’t question any more, just moved on).
I forgot to describe VB more yesterday. It really is a beautiful tropical oasis. The plants are amazing. I am surprised that ALL the lounge chairs scattered around the park are in sand, so beaches everywhere. The low water sprayers everywhere along the walkways do two things. Rinse the sand off your feet and keep the hard walking surfaces cool and not burning your feet.
Definitely keep a map with you. Any new park gets a little confusing. Especially walking around with your glasses off. All we basically kept with us was our towels, masks, flip flops, glasses, map. We felt comfortable leaving all these things on lounge chairs when we all went on a ride.
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Here is the plan for today. We’ll do whatever the kids want to do at UOR. Later on, not sure if we’ll do the Reagle Eagle. Depends if we want to brave some of the food stands. 78 for a high and sunny today!
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Love Cinnabon breakfast sandwiches. Through gates at USF at 8:53. Kids did RRR. All waiting in line for Minions before heading to IOA. We expect a good wait for Hagrids today.
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