Paradise Falls FLAGS Trip Report May 28 - Jun 12

[gingerSnaps543222]

My phone was at 6% with my backup charger in my big purse in the car so I had to stop posting for a bit but we got our Cowfish, a voodoo donut for dessert and are at the airport where daughter realized she left her AirPods behind. We called the resort but no one turned them and she cried. Poor thing. I tried to tell her it’s just stuff and stuff can be replaced. She has some leftover spending money so we can get her another pair.

I had some quick comparison thoughts on the way out of Universal. One is Universal wins on better quality TP. Two is Disney wins on cleanliness. And last I used to love that Universal never felt as crowded as Disney but given my last two visits I think those days are gone. This is probably good for Universals bottom line but it makes me nostalgic for the good ole days.

We had a really good day and accomplished a lot. EP lines got 20-30 min around lunchtime on. And Velocicoaster is now our unanimously favorite ride at Universal. It’s amazingly smooth. It won’t last in the Florida sun but for now it didn’t make me sick at all. It was pure fun and the second launch is great. We all like Hagrids and Mummy next in that order but they’ve been demoted with the new ride for now.

[bay_loftis]

Words fail me.

How can any parent possibly think this is OK?

Totally gobsmacked here.

I’m so sorry you had to withstand that. Yikes. I’m so sorry!!!

[gingerSnaps543222]

Some more post trip thoughts about Universal:

EP at Universal will no longer allow you to do it all in one day. From 1130am on I timed from locker line to retrieving things from the locker and it took 40-45 min to accomplish a lot of rides from Dudley Do Right (no lockers here, just line and ride) to Mummy and Gringotts. Hulk and Fearfall were faster.

Even with some of the new locations for lockers; locker stations are a mess and obnoxious and tiny (both the lockers and the areas). When employees would yell only one or two people per party allowed in the area and yet we needed a locker per person because of the size I just shook my head and ignored them.

Lanyards are a must to keep some kind of paper barcode in to open lockers and you need your Express pass printed and in there for rides you cannot take your phone on. You can tuck lanyards inside your shirt on all rides.

Even ponchos won’t keep your butt dry on Dudley and Popeye so wear quick dry shorts.

I wouldn’t pay for photos here again. I was not able to retrieve them on over half the rides because I refused to wait in a line 5-20 people deep that took forever to move and I imagine would take 10-20 min just to collect your ride photo. Their system is a mess imho when it comes to ride photos.

Sit down meals are my preferred way to dine at Universal. I think the quick service food quality suffers compared to Disney and there are long lines.

Service is slower here than at Disney for both food and hotels from answering phones to bringing forgotten blankets and pillows to your room, to checking in, to delivering food. If you want to eat quickly if traveling with littles or on a short schedule, look at the menus and know what you want to eat when drink orders are taken.

There are some funky smells in multiple locations in Universal so be prepared for that and dirty bathroom stalls on the regular.

Things are 100% back to normal with preshows returning, filling in all available space, cramming lots of people into very confined indoor spaces and hardly anyone wearing masks since it’s optional including small children whom it’s nearly impossible (unless they were part of a study) they are fully vaccinated since the vaccine is not available for under 12s. We saw visibly sick people in the parks in Universal.

The Orlando Informer Meetup is great for staying out of the sun, very short lines (literal walk ons for everything but Hagrids) that are shorter than EP for attractions and less crowded walkways in most areas though HP areas still felt crowded. It’s a great way to ride rides but I would not do it for the food. There are lines that are just as long as during the day for Florean Fortescues and longer for Bumbleman Tacos. No lines for the crummy stuff IMO like hot dogs and churros so if that’s all you want go for it but given how short attraction likes were it’s a better use of time than EP’s during the day so that’s what I’d use it for. However, given early ride cut off times/restaurant closing times and it not being consistent across attractions it’s a very short period of time to ride rides or eat food. You can accomplish a lot but you will walk a lot and need a plan to be as successful as you want to be. It’s not a bad event but it was a bit stressful for me and I went 24 hours without eating so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have.

I don’t think I’ll be coming back to Universal in Florida until they open Epic park or maybe for HHN though as DH and I agree it’s missing something Disney has.

[missoverexcited]

I’m sorry it wasn’t the best experience for you. We’ve never had such bad experiences pre pandemic - last Aug 2019 - so hopefully things will improve as they get fully back to normal.

[gingerSnaps543222]

I had a better time yesterday than during the event which some of that may have been a couple of days off! ;-). Rest is important in happiness.

Also DH and I were discussing. We think it feels as though Universal has increased crowd levels before increasing staffing. It takes time to rehire and retrain and maybe they want to pocket some profits to pay for that. It feels that service is slow, bathrooms are dirty, etc because they are understaffed.

[gingerSnaps543222]

Ack I keep deleting posts. I think it should ask if you’re sure or something because I have clumsy fingers. Here it is back….
Post Trip thoughts on Disney:

Overall, I really enjoyed my slow two week pace at WDW. Four days in Epcot was the best and I enjoyed my time there the most. I am at a different stage of life than most of the other trip reports I was following so my experiences and needs were very different. This was my first trip where I did do some days, attractions and meals with the kids and those moments were great but I also had significant adult time with just the DH. I got pregnant with my son less than a year out of college and my last trip alone with DH was in 2016. Like most parents everything is always about the kids. This trip was different some of the time where it was about the adults but with a nice mix of quality kid time too. I LOVED it! We rode every ride and saw every show in WDW that’s currently offered. I did the scavenger hunts in Epcot and those couple of days at Vero Beach were priceless. I really loved that resort and want to go back. It will go down as one of the best trips in hindsight I am positive.

I had fun doing the photo pass locations and I tried to do all the ones I saw unless there was a huge line. I really enjoyed FLAGS and hope Epcot brings back more live entertainment soon.

I don’t miss the mass fireworks and parades for crowds and it does still feel less crowded than pre-pandemic in the walkways most of the time which I enjoy. I get really stressed trying to navigate large crowds. I do think the fireworks and end of day shows are amazing though but I will only do them from the paid locations to avoid the trampling crowds at this point so I really enjoy the smaller park crowds. I wish that could stay and we could get back all of the live entertainment too. Though I know that’s not possible.

I don’t really have many complaints about Disney other than what is their problem with having nightstands on both sides of the bed. How much more a night would the cost of that nightstand cost me? I’d pay it.

The food we ate was mostly good and sometimes great. Here is my attempt at rating them.

Exceptional:
Topolino’s Terrace (both breakfast and dinner)
Le Cellier

Great:
California Grill
Wind and Waves (Vero Beach)
Sanaa
Tiffins
Tutto Italia

Good:
Ale & Compass
Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen
Biergarten
Teppan Edo
Yak n Yeti
Homecomin

Average:
Sci-Fi Dine-In
Mama Melrose’s
Tony’s Town Square
Be Our Guest (which is a shame because when this first opened it was really good)
Beaches & Cream

Hotels:

I love the Boardwalk Resort but prefer the Inn Rooms to the DVC side for the theming of the room. The location is everything but it’s also my favorite for theme despite the nanny chairs! The pool slide was great. More things are opened on the Boardwalk including the games and most of the food carts. The busses were better here than our brief trip to Yacht Club and I have no complaints. I still think a car or Uber/Lyft is nice for BB/TL and for resort dining.

I loved Vero Beach. The layout and beach and the activities, service, food quality. All top-notch.

And real quick since I’m in hotels…Back to Universal. I do not love the Royal Pacific. It’s still my least favorite of the three resorts that give EP. The fountains are nice and the layout airy but it’s overcrowded and doesn’t have the same feel as Portofino to where I can accept the overcrowding. However, the walk is amazingly short to the parks and citywalk and it is a pretty resort. And most importantly the value of the EP’s is insanely cheaper than purchasing them though they don’t save as much time as they used to I cannot imagine waiting even longer than the 20-30 min I’d wait in Express lines.

I may add some thoughts if they come to me and I’m not as organized about it like some of the other reporters.

Final thought Disney is great for solo adults. Imho even better than with little kids. ;-).

Our next trip is DLR and maybe HHN at Universal Hollywood if they bring it back for Columbus Day weekend.(post withdrawn by author, We’ve also booked a three day Disney Wish cruise will be automatically deleted in concierge for next August so I imagine with the possible addition of the Star Wars hotel and some new WDW rides we may throw in a few days there and I really really want to visit NASA which I forgo’d for Universal for DD this trip.Here’s to hoping next summer is the year for that. Be back soon.24 hours unless flagged)

[gingerSnaps543222]

Calendar reset for Disneyland!

[amvanhoose_701479]

I think it should ask if you’re sure or something because I have clumsy fingers.

I second this!

[galuchies_463555]

LOL I have 120 days until Disneyland

[gingerSnaps543222]

This showed up in the mail today. I was admiring it in the art store at The American Adventure when I needed to use the ladies room. Hubby secretly bought it and had it sent home. I lost my Ariel (my soul mate dog) a couple of months ago at only 4 years old to her heart condition all of a sudden and I’ve been very devastated. Sometimes DH is very sweet.

Edit: and now I can see that I need to dust that shelf as that’s not her hair supposed to be stuck to the bottom of her. It’s the top shelf on my bookcase so hard for me to see! Lol. I do have some of Ariel’s hair and as you can see she was not black furred but a red head like her namesake.

[missoverexcited]

That’s beautiful and so sweet of DH! I hope she reminds you of all your happy memories with your Ariel, as well as all your happy times at WDW!

[LTinNC82]

He’s a keeper!

[kjsprouse_577366]

I never judge as a parent because I get it when you have little ones how hard it can be, but both ways on the plane I witnessed some truly sad parenting moments. The first was a little boy about two who was afraid during the turbulence on the plane and cried and screamed for a large portion of the flight. His mom started to threaten him that she would throw him out of the window of the plane if he didn’t stop crying. Of course this made him cry harder.
The second was on our late night flight home. The flight was delayed and didn’t land until close to 11 PM. As we were getting off the plane a little three-year-old looking toddler kept asking why we had to wait to get off the plane. His mom lost it and started loudly announcing that this has been the worst trip of her life and dropping F bombs for all to hear. Once the line started moving we all let them exit as quickly as possible.
We have flown a lot and have never experienced such before. Maybe people are still not feeling stable in the world yet?

[gingerSnaps543222]

Yes, I’ve had my parenting moments too. I get how kids and life can simultaneously push us especially now I have a teenagers who sometimes says mean things LOL. But some of it is really hard to witness as it’s borderline abuse.

I am the daughter and granddaughter of teacher’s so I also honestly have a hard time with parents who let their kids behave publicly in ways I wouldn’t such as that child trying to feed the squirrel a Frito and I’ll straight up parent/teach these kids LOL. I told that girl as I walked by the squirrel could bite her and to leave it alone as she was trying to feed it out of her hand as her parents ignored her.