Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures

Author Archives: taryngirl

• Universal’s Aventura Hotel

  Posted at 9:38 am by taryngirl, on May 3, 2019

  1/8/19

  As part of our training with Universal Orlando, we had a few on-site hotel tours planned.  The first stop was Universal’s Aventura Hotel.  Incidentally, we were checking out from the Hard Rock Hotel and checking in here!  So we were able to have someone drive us with our luggage in a van.  You also have the option of them transferring your luggage for you if you wish instead.

  Aventura is one of the newest hotels on-site, opening in 2018.  It’s in the Prime Value category, meaning it is economically friendly, and it’s a short walk to Volcano Bay (the waterpark).  The theming is very modern.

  This small bar is located just inside the front doors.

   

  

  There’s a Starbucks in the lobby as well.

  The food court area called the Urban Pantry offers a good variety for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

  We then headed out towards the pool area.  These rooms overlook the pool area (and it’s actually where our room was located!)

  

  The pool bar.

  

  Next up, we checked out some of the different room types.

  

  KIDS SUITE

  This 575 square foot room sleeps 5 and features a special interior area for the kids that includes two twin beds. You can put the little ones to sleep securely while you enjoy a few hours of downtime in a separate area that offers a king bed and a couch that converts into a deluxe, foam bed. Upgrade to a Skyline View for sweeping views from the highest floors of this sleek tower.  (Taken from Universal website.)

  

  Just beyond that curtain to the right is where you can find the area with two twin beds.

  And then beyond that is a little sitting area separate from both sleeping areas.

  These next photos are kind of standard in all of the rooms.

  Each room comes with an iPad for in-room controls.  There are so many things you can do with this!  Control the television, air conditioning, request items from front desk or housekeeping, check park hours, restaurant menus from the parks, etc. etc. etc.  

   

   

  The next room was a Standard Double Queen Room.

  The view from the room!  That’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort…another Universal hotel, and just beyond that where the volcano can be seen, is Volcano Bay, the waterpark.

  

  From there, we went up to Bar 17 Bistro.  This is a rooftop bar with spectacular views!

  

  Overall I loved this resort.  It’s new, fresh, clean, and inexpensive!  I would definitely return in the future.  One thing of note, they do not bring luggage up to your room.  You are responsible for your own.  However, they do store luggage for you at Bell Services if you need to.  To get to the theme parks or City Walk, you can take a bus located just outside of the hotel, or walk over to take the boat from another hotel.

  Posted in Aventura Hotel, Uncategorized, Universal Orlando | 0 Comments | Tagged Aventura Hotel, Hotel Room, Universal, Universal Orlando

• Another Stroll Through Diagon Alley (Universal Orlando)

  Posted at 1:42 pm by taryngirl, on April 17, 2019

  1/7/19

  It was time to head back to the Universal side, and to do this, we took Hogwarts Express.  If you want to do this ride, you must have a Park-to-Park ticket!  Otherwise, you will not be permitted to ride the train.  IT IS SO COOL!  

  

  I seriously could not get enough of Diagon Alley!  It was so realistic.  I loved looking at every detail of the buildings.  Here you can see The Hopping Pot, where you can buy some Butterbeer, or regular beer.

  In this same area (Carkitt Market) is where you can see The Tales of Beedle the Bard or Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees do live performances throughout the day.

  Eternelle’s Elixir of Refreshments is a small beverage kiosk also located in Carkitt Market.  here you can find elixirs that you combine with water, and it transforms into a colorful beverage.  

  This cute little shop is the Magical Menagerie.  All kinds of stuffed animals and creatures can be found here.  In the side window on the outside of the shop you can try out your Parseltongue and peek at the snake.

  

  Possibly the most exciting part is the fire breathing dragon on top of Gringott’s Wizarding Bank.  Hang around for a little bit because he usually breathes fire every 10-15 minutes or so.

  

  Many thanks to my friend Jason for these close up amazing photos!

  Some others in my group were talking about how good the ice cream was at Florean Forescue’s Ice Cream Parlour.  Well….ice cream is one of my favorite things ever, so I knew I wanted to try it!  And I had a snack credit left that I could use.  Everyone was rattling off their favorite flavors and I honestly couldn’t decide.

  

  I ended up with Strawberry Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chili.  Both were SO GOOD!  The Chocolate Chili had a little bit of a kick to it, but it was yummy!  As soon as I was done eating it, I remembered that I forgot to take a picture of it.  Boo!

  I did actually ride Escape from Gringotts!  I have really bad motion sickness.  Especially with rides that are simulators.  I knew this had some screen action, but I HAD to try it and just close my eyes at certain parts.  It was really cool and I’m glad I did it!

  Gringott’s Money Exchange is a neat little place where you can interact with a goblin and exchange Muggle money for Gringott’s Bank Notes to use at participating locations throughout Universal.

  

  Knockturn Alley!  Don’t miss this.  It’s kind of hidden but definitely neat to walk through.

   

  

  One last picture on my way out of Diagon Alley.  This statue and fountain are located just outside of the secret entrance.

  

  Posted in Diagon Alley, Uncategorized, Universal Orlando | 0 Comments | Tagged Diagon Alley, Universal, Universal Orlando

• Islands of Adventure–The Lost Continent and Seuss Landing

  Posted at 8:52 am by taryngirl, on April 16, 2019

  So sorry I had to put this Universal trip report on hold!  I had two very close trips and wanted to do the most recent first.

  1/7/19

  In my last Universal report, we were just leaving Hogsmeade and heading toward The Lost Continent and Seuss Landing.

  SO many great photo opportunities and perfect weather!

  

  This is Poseidon’s Fury.  Here you can explore the ruins of his ancient temple in a special effects guided tour.  

  I did ask if I could walk in to Mythos Restaurant to take some pictures, as I heard it was amazing!

  Another perspective of Poseidon’s Fury.

  Our main goal was to get to Seuss Landing because someone wanted the ginormous cotton candy.

  Here’s the entrance to this “land”:

  

  I had to go inside here and check out the sweet goodies!

  This donut though…think Simpsons!  It was HUGE!

  Inside Honk Honkers:

  

  You can get this HUGE cotton candy for a reasonable price!

  I had been to Islands of Adventure before and never had the chance to ride The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride.  Now was my chance!  We did stand in line for about 20-25 minutes.  These pictures were taken while I was on the ride.

  It was a really cute ride and it went a little bit faster than I was expecting!

  After this, we headed back to the Hogwarts Express Station to go over to Diagon Alley.

   

  Posted in Islands of Adventure, Seuss Landing, The Lost Continent, Uncategorized, Universal Orlando | 0 Comments | Tagged Islands of Adventure, Seuss Landing, The Lost Continent, Universal, Universal Orlando

• An Afternoon at Hollywood Studios–The Incredibles at Pixar Place, Baseline Tap House

  Posted at 12:00 pm by taryngirl, on April 12, 2019

  2/27/19

  Because we were near the front of Epcot, we opted for the bus to take us to Hollywood Studios vs. walking to the back of Epcot and getting on the boat to DHS.  So we waited, and waited, and waited.  A bus finally came!  It was also raining at this point.  BUT…we were headed to ride Slinky Dog!

  Here you can see the Disney Skyliner system that is under construction.  It is scheduled to open this fall!

  

  Once inside we headed directly to Slinky Dog Dash to use our FP+.    From there, we stood in line for 20-30 minutes so I could do Toy Story Midway Mania!  On the way out of Toy Story Land, we stopped to check out The Incredibles at Pixar Place.  This is set to be in place on Pixar Place until September 30th.  There’s a dance party, character meet and greets including Edna Mode, and some special treats for purchase.  They also have a really awesome “Wall of Disney!”

  You can see they do have some items that are snacks on the Dining Plan.

  

  Chrissy was getting hungry, so we made our way to Baseline Tap House.  Neither of us had ever been here!

  (The currently closed ride.)

  

  They have a limited food menu here.  But all options that pair nicely with beer!

  

  Chrissy ordered a beer flight.  And I ordered the Black Cherry Soda, which apparently I forgot to take a picture of!

  This was all REALLY GOOD!  And I would definitely come here for a quick snack and drink.  The outdoor seating is really nice and the atmosphere cozy.

  There was one more show for the Frozen Sing Along, and we decided to hit it on the way out!  We were almost in the front row and the show was less than half full.  Our favorite actor was there so that definitely made it fun!

  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Hollywood Studios, Snacks, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Baseline Tap House, Disney, Hollywood Studios, Pixar Place, Snacks, The Incredibles

• Epcot Morning Touring

  Posted at 12:29 pm by taryngirl, on April 9, 2019

  2/27/19

  After breakfast at All Star Movies, we headed to Epcot.  We got there around 11:30 a.m.  We were in no rush.  We had some FP+ scheduled and were really having a leisurely day.

  

  We noticed that Spaceship Earth had been down all morning, but when we walked through the gates they must have just opened up.  So we hopped right on it with no wait!  It was my most unusual ride this time.  Our car was very jerky and squeaky, and our little interactive screen on the way down wasn’t working correctly.

  From there we needed to head to our Frozen Ever After FP+.  We cut through the walkway to the left and got some good views of the scenery being set up for the Flower & Garden Festival.

  

  It really was a perfect day weather wise!

  We didn’t eat here, but I snapped a quick picture of the current Quick Service Menu at La Cantina de San Angel.  This is located right on the water outside of the Mexico pavilion.

  

  This is the menu for the Mexico table service restaurant that is open for dinner, La Hacienda de San Angel.  This is located outside of the Mexico pavilion on the water, and is only open for dinner.

  

  Much to our delight, some of the topiaries were up!  In Norway:

  

  After riding Frozen Ever After, we were deciding what we wanted to eat for lunch.  We planned to snack around at some quick service places, but we weren’t TOO hungry yet.  We had eaten in China last time and I LOVED IT!  So that was on my mind…

  

  We took a quick jaunt through the shops here.  It’s one of my favorite…maybe because I am part Chinese?  Maybe because I love what they offer?  I’m not sure!

  When exiting out the back, we came across this neat find:

  

  I was trying to ask the man questions, but he was taking pictures and trying to get people to purchase.  I didn’t know if it was a temporary thing, part of Flower & Garden that would be starting, etc.  Later on, he actually was carrying one through the Lotus Blossom and showing people who were eating there.

  Of course I decided I wanted to eat at the Lotus Blossom Cafe. This was the current menu at the time.  It had different things on it since we had eaten there in January!

  

  I went with the Beef Noodle Mongolian Style.  This has a little kick, so be aware!  But it was so good!

  

  After that, we continued through the countries until it was time to head to our Nemo FP+.  We took the boat back to the other side.

  

  We had time before our FP+ and wanted to shop, so we went to MouseGear first.  This is one of my favorite shops anywhere!  (I made a purchase but had absolutely NO room left to take anything back since I only had a backpack.  I had it shipped directly to my house for somewhere around $7!)

  After our Nemo FP+ we went over to the Land pavilion for a snack.  On the way down to Sunshine Seasons, we stopped at this little counter area at the exit of the Living With the Land ride.  They had these super cute plants!

  

  If I had space in my luggage, I would have purchased one of these!  It’s the perfect gift for my youngest daughter, and so neat to think we have a piece of “the Land” in our home!

  We were in the dessert mood, and couldn’t decide between these two things:

  

  A fabulous piece of Carrot Cake.

  

  A Whoopie Pie.

  The Carrot Cake was the for sure winner!  It was SO GOOD.  Moist and amazing frosting.  The Whoopie Pie was just ehhhh.  I doubt I would get it again.

  We had one more FP+ to use here at Journey Into Imagination With Figment.  As soon as we used it, Chrissy was on the app securing another FP+.  We decided to head over to Hollywood Studios because she was able to get SLINKY DOG DASH!!!

  In case you wondered…here are three different flavors of popcorn located near the entrance to Figment!  To my knowledge, you can get the refills in your bucket with these flavors.

  We stopped at Guest Services on the way to the bus to Hollywood Studios to see if they still had any Figment magnets for Annual Passholders…SCORE!  They did.  We did have to show our AP and he did look us up online.

  

  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Epcot, Quick Service, Snacks, Touring Plan, Uncategorized, World Showcase | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Epcot, Flower & Garden Festival, Lotus Blossom Cafe, Quick Service, Sunshine Seasons, The Land, Touring Plan, World Showcase

• Breakfast at Disney’s All Star Movies

  Posted at 2:42 pm by taryngirl, on March 19, 2019

  2/27/19

  I really try to eat Mickey waffles every time I go to Disney.  This trip was no different!  I checked the online menus before staying here and was super happy to see them listed!

  We were heading to Epcot today and weren’t in a super hurry.  We had some FP+, but they were for later and we weren’t planning on rope dropping anything.

  We stopped at the food court on the way to the bus stop.

  Here are the various menus for the different “windows.”

  

  There really is something for everyone.  They also have the grab and go cases available, cereal, bagels, pastries, etc.

  Chrissy opted for one of the Breakfast Flatbread Pizzas and a side of Potato Barrels.  I tried a bite and it was yummy!  

  This is my go-to meal.  Mickey Waffles with Sausage (no bacon, so extra sausage) and Breakfast Potatoes.  SO GOOD!  I don’t know what it is about Disney sausage, but it’s my absolute favorite.  Especially with the waffles.

  

  I would also have this the next day for breakfast…

  Posted in All Star Movies, Dining Review, Disney, Quick Service, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged All Star Movies, Dining Review, Disney, Foodie, Quick, Walt Disney World

• Magic Kingdom V.I.Passholder Event

  Posted at 9:29 am by taryngirl, on March 12, 2019

  2/26/19

  The V.I.Passholder Event is the entire reason we took this quick trip!  It was advertised we could check in from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.  However, we noticed this set up in Fantasyland and had a chat with the Cast Members.  They said we could check in starting at 5:00 p.m.  So we did!  There were a few different check in areas around the park so we didn’t have to go all the way out to the entrance to get our wristbands.

  

  They actually were having technical difficulties with the iPads that were scanning our Annual Passes or MagicBands.  She ended up having to manually input our numbers.

  

  You can see the time of the even was 10:00 p.m. until midnight officially.

  

  After we got our wristbands, we headed to use our next FP+ that Chrissy secured immediately after Winnie the Pooh.  This would make FP+ #5 for the day.  It’s a Small World!

  

  I swear I see something different every time I ride this!

  Right after we scanned in to the ride, my friend secured our 6th FP+…Pirates of the Caribbean.

  We were getting hungry for dinner, and we had discussed previously that neither of us had ever eaten at Casey’s Corner!  So that’s where we decided to go.  It’s located on the corner at the end of Main Street, and you can definitely smell it when you walk past!  We knew we were going to share something and decided on…

  

  Buffalo Chicken Loaded Fries (These were AMAZING!  I loved them!)

  

  Footlong Chili Cheese Dog (Also AMAZING!)

  

  The fries were so good.  I can’t imagine Buffalo chicken on a hot dog though!  I despise the yellow squeeze cheese.  So was super happy that this was shredded cheese on the top!  This was plenty of food for two of us.  They did allow us to upgrade from regular fries that come with the meal, to the specialty fries for a slight uncharge.

  From dinner we headed to Adventureland.  We had a little bit of time to kill before our FP+ at Pirates, so we went into Tortuga Tavern to have a seat and do some work on our phones.  It was starting to become a more regular rain so we had to poncho up!  (I never take a Disney vacation without a poncho.)

  

  After Pirates, we hit our 7th FP+ Splash Mountain.  It had started raining and we were wet anyway, and we had ponchos to wear the entire time!  So off we went.

  

  After Splash Mountain, we headed towards the castle.  We had reservations for the After Fireworks Dessert Party, so we had to check in first at Tomorrowland Terrace.

  We received our wristbands and were escorted to one of the grassy areas.

   

  

  Even though it was raining, the fireworks were still amazing!

  Posted in Disney, Magic Kingdom, Quick Service, Touring Plan, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Annual Passholder, Casey's Corner, Disney, Event, Magic Kingdom, Quick Service, Touring Plan, Walt Disney World

• Magic Kingdom Afternoon Touring

  Posted at 9:42 pm by taryngirl, on March 5, 2019

  2/26/19

  After checking out the room, we headed to the bus stop.  There were only 2 other people in the bus line for Magic Kingdom.

  We arrived around 1:30 p.m.  The weather was perfect!  A little overcast, not raining yet!

  

  We made our way towards Tomorrowland.  We originally were going to ride the Peoplemover, but the line was ridiculously long!  So we skipped it and hit Carousel of Progress instead.  

  Next we hit Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin with our first FP+. 

  We both hit some great targets!  And got stuck in the Zurg room.

  From there we decided to get a snack on the way to our next FP+.  I had been eyeing some new ice cream cones that were announced!

  

  ALOHA ISLE

  They had just added a new cone here called the Hei Hei cone, which I just had to have.  My friend opted for this masterpiece, which has also been on my snack list forever!

  Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Dole Whip!  You can pick vanilla, pineapple or swirl.

  

  I had a bite and it was really delicious.

  Hei Hei Cone–pineapple dole whip with raspberry soft serve in a blue cone.

  

  This was good.  It was a little more sour than I was expecting!  But it was still good.  We found a spot in Frontierland to watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade that was going on.

  

  After the parade, we headed to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to use our FP+.  Then, for the first time since the new presidency, we checked out the Hall of Presidents.  My friend, who is a history lover had never seen it and she was excited!

  Onto our third FP+…the Haunted Mansion.

  

  Right after we scanned through with our FP+, we secured a 4th FP+.

  We took a quick jaunt through Fantasyland and went straight for Pooh to use our 4th FP+.

  

  I had to check out the shop that has tons of ears!  I love these Small World ones!

  A good option for boys!

  And a good option for those that prefer Villains.

  

  Super cute graduation ears!

  

  Up next…Magic Kingdom PM Touring!

  Posted in Disney, Magic Kingdom, Touring Plan, Uncategorized, Vacation, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Disney, Magic Kingdom, Touring Plan, Walt Disney World

• Disney’s All Star Movies Resort

  Posted at 9:35 pm by taryngirl, on March 2, 2019

  2/26/19-Part 2

  We made our way to the room after lunch, so we could drop off some stuff from our backpacks, and to get good pictures and videos of the room!  Prior to the trip, I had requested a specific room through Touring Plans.  I really wanted a refurbished room and had read that they for sure were finished with the Love Bug section, so I chose one there facing the “garden” area vs. the parking lot.

  This was the Love Bug section:

  

  Our room was in this specific section, but not facing this courtyard area, rather we were facing the parking lot.  It was no big deal at all though…WE GOT A REFURBED ROOM!

  The sleeping area.  The table folds down when you pull the queen sized Murphy bed down.  It’s a regular mattress!

  

  The beverage center.

  

  That door slides closed to section off the bathroom sink area.

  

  Separate toilet and shower area with another sliding door.

  

  Property map

  Some other pictures from around the resort.

  The Fantasia section

  

  The pool

  

  The pool bar

  

  The arcade

  Overall I was very pleased with this resort!  I’ve never stayed at any of the All Stars.  I was expecting it to be completely crowded with people and noisy.  It was the opposite!  I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again in the off season, or for a quick trip!

   

  Posted in All Star Movies, Disney, Room Review, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged All Star Movies, Disney, Resort, Room Review, Standard, Value, Walt Disney World

• A Quick Getaway – All Star Movies!

  Posted at 2:57 pm by taryngirl, on March 1, 2019

  2/26/19 Part One

  I received an email invitation for a Disney Annual Passholder after hours event.  In checking my calendar…I was free. In checking flight prices…they were dirt cheap!  In checking with a travel buddy…she was free to attend also!  What start out as a 1 day trip, ended up being 2 days. 

  The first step was getting reservations for the event.  They are extremely limited in number and it’s first come first served.   Success for us both! 

  The next step was booking a resort.  I was able to find a room at All Star Movies with an Annual Passholder (AP) rate.  Total cost…$238 including tax for 2 nights in a Standard room.  And finally, I had to book my airfare.  I fiddled around with Philadelphia and Harrisburg.  I was able to get good pricing on way down to Orlando from Philly with my friend.  But my return flight would be to Harrisburg. Total cost for airfare was about $90 TOTAL on Frontier.  (I usually fly Southwest form Philadelphia.  Just last August Frontier began service from Harrisburg.  I also recently became a Den Club Member.  Harrisburg is actually closer to me and an easier drive, so I was excited to try it!). We also realized this would be a birthday trip for both of us!  

  I was up at out the door at 4 a.m. for the drive.  Our flight was smooth and we arrived a half hour early into Orlando.  Since we were only coming for two park days, we packed everything in a backpack to use as our personal item.  With Frontier Airlines, the flight is usually cheaper but you pay for each “add on”.  Carry on baggage, checked baggage, choosing a seat…these all have costs.  See HERE for full information on Frontier’s policies.  

  We headed for the Magical Express which is located on the B side of the airport.  From landing until arrival at our resort, it was about an hour.  Our Magical Express had stops at Coronado Springs, All Star Sports, All Star Music and finally our resort, All Star Movies.  It was a packed bus!

  

  Our plan was to check in at the desk even though we had the room number texted to us.  We wanted to get our birthday buttons, decline mousekeeping so we could get a gift card, and make sure my Magicband worked since it didn’t at the airport.  (I had completed online check in and got the text that our room was ready while we were on the Magical Express.). We also wanted to get lunch at the food court and then head to the room to drop things off.  

  Here are some pictures of the food court!  We made it there at about 12:45 p.m. which is prime lunchtime and it was surprisingly EMPTY!  The food court has several different “bays” that you can order from.  Here is an overall menu featuring all of the bays:

  

  Grab and Go section

  This surprised me!  A wine display!

  

  (Dining Plan Eligible)

  

  We both decided to order from here!  I honestly couldn’t decide.  I get too overwhelmed with too many choices.  I was running around from bay to bay trying to narrow it down.

  I opted for the Meatball Sandwich and it came with 2 sides.  I could pick from chips, a roll or a side salad.  This was actually a lot of food for the cost I though!  The chips were amazing and the meatballs were really good.  The castmember was also very friendly and talkative. 

  My friend ordered the Spinach Artichoke Pasta and also got two sides.  I’m assuming it was good because she ate it all!

  Overall I really liked the variety and the quality for it being a “value’s” food court!

  My friend decided she really wanted dessert so she went back up for this Cookie Dough.  Since she was wearing her birthday button, they gave it to her for free!  It was also very good!

  

  Part 2 up next…the actual resort and our room!

  Posted in All Star Movies, Dining Review, Disney, Quick Service, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged All Star Movies, Disney, Disney's Magical Express, Food Court, Food Picture, Foodie, Magical Express, Walt Disney World

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