MAYBE A MAY TRIP?? 3 WEEKS SAPPHIRE FALLS 2021

[crabbymom]

Yes, I saw that about the Splash Mountain boat! Thankfully, we were able to ride with no problems. We were able to handle mask wearing with no real problems. Obviously, it was HOT, so that complicated things a bit. I realized that I had forgotten to pack all of my makeup, but it hardly mattered. I think any cosmetics would just melt off your face with a sweaty mask on!

The crowds were VERY low at Seaworld, Magic Kingdom, and Epcot. We had only planned to spend 1 day at Disney, but since crowds were so low, we spent an extra day there. Disney is great to enforcing the mask policy (I have heard Universal does a good job, too). Seaworld and Busch Gardens were another story. There was pretty much no enforcement, and we saw tons of folks with masks on improperly or not at all. If you are concerned about mask compliance, I would definitely stay away from the Seaworld parks for now. It's a shame. Busch Gardens was OK, but I don't think we will be returning any time soon. If you don't like roller coasters (I love them, but my husband and daughter don't), there is very little to fill the day. Lines were, surprisingly, very long at Busch Gardens. I suppose it was mainly because of decreased ride capacity and the mandatory hourly cleaning. Honestly, we didn't get a lot ridden there because of it. The drive to Tampa is a breeze, though, and we found a delicious Mediterranean restaurant and a great vintage toy store in town. We would probably return just for those!

I-4Bound - (With apologies to Carole) Can I ask if you did or saw advertised any of the tours at SeaWorld? I am headed down in September and we have reserved Walrus, Behind the Scenes, Beluga, and Killer Whale tours. Are all of those up and running if you know? The tours are still for sale on the website so I am assuming its still a go, just wondering if you had any firsthand information. Thanks!

 

[I-4Bound]

I-4Bound - (With apologies to Carole) Can I ask if you did or saw advertised any of the tours at SeaWorld? I am headed down in September and we have reserved Walrus, Behind the Scenes, Beluga, and Killer Whale tours. Are all of those up and running if you know? The tours are still for sale on the website so I am assuming its still a go, just wondering if you had any firsthand information. Thanks!

Hi there!

We did not do any of the tours, but I believe I saw signs for some. I do know that Busch Gardens is not having any of their animal encounters right now. My daughter REALLY wanted to do the cheetah encounter tour, but the website said it wasn't offered. Since you were able to book your tours, that leads me to believe maybe they are still available at SeaWorld. Sorry I could not be of more assistance!

 

[crabbymom]

Hi there!

We did not do any of the tours, but I believe I saw signs for some. I do know that Busch Gardens is not having any of their animal encounters right now. My daughter REALLY wanted to do the cheetah encounter tour, but the website said it wasn't offered. Since you were able to book your tours, that leads me to believe maybe they are still available at SeaWorld. Sorry I could not be of more assistance!

Thanks so much! I booked my tours well before this whole situation started, but if I go online today, they are still selling them. Fingers crossed they are a go, this is a surprise first time trip for my daughter and she will flip over all the animals as she is hoping to be a "Underwater Vet," as she calls it!

 

[schumigirl]

I-4Bound - (With apologies to Carole) Can I ask if you did or saw advertised any of the tours at SeaWorld? I am headed down in September and we have reserved Walrus, Behind the Scenes, Beluga, and Killer Whale tours. Are all of those up and running if you know? The tours are still for sale on the website so I am assuming its still a go, just wondering if you had any firsthand information. Thanks!

No apologies necessary crabbymom........

 

[luvdisdogs]

I finally got caught up. I'm so sorry that you had to cancel your Sept. trip. It is a crazy world we live in now. We cancelled our trip too once we heard no HHN. Not that we don't love Universal no matter what but we really love HHN. Hopefully your Dec. trip will be a go!

 

[KathyM2]

lol...wish I had been to Vegas.....only other place we`ve been in America is NY.....but Vegas is on our ever growing list of places we`ll visit.

Hmmm I don't know why I thought I had read in one of your TR's that you had been there...must be getting my TR's mixed up lol. Vegas is a lot of fun though, or was anyway...or at least it will be when the world returns to some semblance of normal!!

Niagara Falls is another place I`d like to see.....weirdly my first memory of seeing it is in the Niagara movie with Marilyn Monroe......of course seen it many times since, but it is certainly impressive and would be well worth a visit.......and Margaritaville with a patio sounds a fabulous idea for a trip........

Niagara Falls is like a mini Vegas lol I love going just to people watch and explore the tacky lol...right now though...not sure...I hear there are a lot of crowds and that's not what I want to see right now!! I even checked out the website for Margaritaville but they aren't taking reservations for the patio which is too bad. It's about an hour's drive from home for me so I'm not sure I want to take a chance on not getting a table and have to try to find something else spontaneously...this Covid thing has really wrecked any ability to do much spur of the moment!! But I hope you do get a chance to visit some day!!

 

[schumigirl]

I finally got caught up. I'm so sorry that you had to cancel your Sept. trip. It is a crazy world we live in now. We cancelled our trip too once we heard no HHN. Not that we don't love Universal no matter what but we really love HHN. Hopefully your Dec. trip will be a go!

Aww thanks....it`s going to be the first September we`ve missed in many years....it`ll be strange not being there.

Yes, I agree HHN is one of our main reasons for going at that time of year, we love that event as many of us do. So I can understand you cancelling as it`s not going ahead. Such a shame.

Have you an idea when your next trip will be? I know, it`s hard to plan anything right now. I`m sorry your trip has been cancelled too.

Not sure if we`re being hopeful or delusional about the Christmas trip.......time will tell......

Good to see you though.......

 

[schumigirl]

Hmmm I don't know why I thought I had read in one of your TR's that you had been there...must be getting my TR's mixed up lol. Vegas is a lot of fun though, or was anyway...or at least it will be when the world returns to some semblance of normal!!



Niagara Falls is like a mini Vegas lol I love going just to people watch and explore the tacky lol...right now though...not sure...I hear there are a lot of crowds and that's not what I want to see right now!! I even checked out the website for Margaritaville but they aren't taking reservations for the patio which is too bad. It's about an hour's drive from home for me so I'm not sure I want to take a chance on not getting a table and have to try to find something else spontaneously...this Covid thing has really wrecked any ability to do much spur of the moment!! But I hope you do get a chance to visit some day!!

We have a very good friend in Orlando who loves Vegas and often tells us about it and recommends places to stay when we do finally make it there....it does look like a whole lot of fun and somewhere everyone should experience! He makes it sound fabulous actually.......it`s such a long flight for us, so maybe we will incorporate 4 days at somepoint in one of our Orlando visits......hopefully!!

I actually have no clue what Niagara Falls and surrounding areas are like. And yes, I love people watching!!!! It could be on my resume as a qualification.....lol.....folks are usually so interesting.

Yes, that is a long way to drive if you`re not guaranteed a table. I agree it`s quite a thought to have to plan everything now. Spontaneity has gone out of the window now. We would love to visit it one day. I do know we plan to go back to visit family in Long Island and go in the City again, so we could take a few days to visit then. I sure hope so.

 

[KathyM2]

I actually have no clue what Niagara Falls and surrounding areas are like. And yes, I love people watching!!!! It could be on my resume as a qualification.....lol.....folks are usually so interesting.

Yes, that is a long way to drive if you`re not guaranteed a table. I agree it`s quite a thought to have to plan everything now. Spontaneity has gone out of the window now. We would love to visit it one day. I do know we plan to go back to visit family in Long Island and go in the City again, so we could take a few days to visit then. I sure hope so.

Niagara Falls USA is not that worth seeing...but hopping over to the Canadian side is well worth it ) Buffalo is kind of sketchy (but they do have good chicken wings lol) Niagara Falls (either USA or Canada) would be a long drive from NYC, I think about 7 hours or so? But if you have the time I've done that drive and there are some adorable towns to stop in and beautiful scenery along that drive if you wanted to make a nice road trip of it!!

It is hard not being able to do anything right now without planning. I am actually usually quite a planner in a general sense, and like to dream about vacations etc, but now you have to make plans for every minute detail even when at home...that's a little tough lol

 

[schumigirl]

Niagara Falls USA is not that worth seeing...but hopping over to the Canadian side is well worth it ) Buffalo is kind of sketchy (but they do have good chicken wings lol) Niagara Falls (either USA or Canada) would be a long drive from NYC, I think about 7 hours or so? But if you have the time I've done that drive and there are some adorable towns to stop in and beautiful scenery along that drive if you wanted to make a nice road trip of it!!

It is hard not being able to do anything right now without planning. I am actually usually quite a planner in a general sense, and like to dream about vacations etc, but now you have to make plans for every minute detail even when at home...that's a little tough lol

Everyone has told us to go to the Canadian side too......

Interesting about Buffalo.....didn`t know it was a little iffy....lol.......will definitely remember that little snippet of info. We do love us some wings though!!!!

I love the idea of making it a three day trip and taking our time driving and seeing the scenery properly.....staying over in a nice little place and enjoying a nice dinner or two somewhere.

I hear you. Dreaming of places and what we`ll do and where we`ll go is something we do a lot of......it passes some time during the day......but, yes, it`s not fun planning every detail.

For our Scotland visit this month we have reservations made in one of the restaurants in the hotel for two out of 6 nights, we always eat there our first and last night.....the other nights we`ll now need to plan, same when we spend the day somewhere......the thought of having to book lunch too is stressing me out as I have no clue where we`ll be for sure! First world problems for sure.....but it`s a big change as you say for us all.

Enjoy that meal when you do go........

 

[KathyM2]

For our Scotland visit this month we have reservations made in one of the restaurants in the hotel for two out of 6 nights, we always eat there our first and last night.....the other nights we`ll now need to plan, same when we spend the day somewhere......the thought of having to book lunch too is stressing me out as I have no clue where we`ll be for sure! First world problems for sure.....but it`s a big change as you say for us all.

Ugh yeah having to plan lunches as well as dinners would be a lot...I wonder if you'd be ok to just plan for one or two days lunches at a time as you go? Hopefully things aren't booking up way in advance...who knows these days though, it's impossible to predict anything!! Anyway...Scotland sounds lovely and you are lucky to be able to just pop over there!!

 

[schumigirl]

Ugh yeah having to plan lunches as well as dinners would be a lot...I wonder if you'd be ok to just plan for one or two days lunches at a time as you go? Hopefully things aren't booking up way in advance...who knows these days though, it's impossible to predict anything!! Anyway...Scotland sounds lovely and you are lucky to be able to just pop over there!!

I think nearer the time we`ll have a better idea of what we`re doing and who we`re seeing, so yes, ideally we`ll be in a better position to decide then. If we ever get up there of course....things are slowly getting worse in some areas it seems. Not directly where my family are, but it could easily change in two weeks.

My family are around a 7-8 hour drive away....we`re on the East Coast of England and they are West Coast of Scotland so it takes us most of the day to drive up there, but it`s a lovely drive and well, it`s home....I`d drive for longer to get home to visit right now.

Scotland is beautiful!!! No doubt about it......there`s nowhere quite like it......

Yes, I agree, it`s hard to guess how anything will be right now.

 

[Minnie17]

Please....please....please....please.....this could go on a while......lol......come back and tell us all about it......I do hope you have the most amazing time!!!! I am so excited for you.......when do you go??

Been back home for a few days, had the loveliest view of NSB. Enjoyed seeing the marine life lots of fish, birds, dolphins but couldn’t find a manatee. We played on beach and in the ocean, wore ourselves out. We even had a shark scare; it was a little nurse shark, so not really too scarey.

We had so much good food: JBs fish camp, Boston fish house, Norwoods, and Goodrich’s Seafood and oyster house. Each meal was better than the last, not one complaint. We did have a couple meals in the condo and tried some takeout.

Most everyone was respectful and kept their distance. The beach was busier than I’d hoped for but we never felt unsafe. Honestly the place I felt unsafe was Kennedy Space Center. We still enjoyed it but some people. Watching the rocket launch from the beach was awesome!

We did get a complementary ticket to return to KSC next year. With my son choosing virtual school this year we may be able to make short trip sometime early next year. Depending on how life is of course

 

[schumigirl]

View attachment 516275

Been back home for a few days, had the loveliest view of NSB. Enjoyed seeing the marine life lots of fish, birds, dolphins but couldn’t find a manatee. We played on beach and in the ocean, wore ourselves out. We even had a shark scare; it was a little nurse shark, so not really too scarey.

We had so much good food: JBs fish camp, Boston fish house, Norwoods, and Goodrich’s Seafood and oyster house. Each meal was better than the last, not one complaint. We did have a couple meals in the condo and tried some takeout.

Most everyone was respectful and kept their distance. The beach was busier than I’d hoped for but we never felt unsafe. Honestly the place I felt unsafe was Kennedy Space Center. We still enjoyed it but some people. Watching the rocket launch from the beach was awesome!

We did get a complementary ticket to return to KSC next year. With my son choosing virtual school this year we may be able to make short trip sometime early next year. Depending on how life is of course

Welcome home!!!!

I`m so happy you had such a lovely trip....NSB is gorgeous and that is a beautiful picture above....

The marine life sightings sound wonderful....how lovely to be so close to it all and be able to see them. We saw the manatees up at Bethune Beach park.....on the same side as JB`s....isn`t that the most amazing place!!! Food was incredible there.....and glad you can recommend those other places, we`ll definitely visit them when we can....

What a shame about KSC being uncomfortable with people.....don`t some people just ruin everything.......but glad you still managed to enjoy it and especially the rocket launch too.....we never miss them, but seeing them from that beach will have been phenomenal!!!!

Yes, it`s hard to plan for the future not knowing what`s ahead, but I`m sure you`ll get back again......

Thanks so much for the review of your time there.....I`m so happy you had such a lovely trip and I love the picture you posted......so good to see you back

 

[jump00]

Fantastic new title Carole!!! Fingers crossed you’ll get to visit Universal in December. Perhaps one day you will make a stop in Toronto!!!! Niagara Falls is only 2 hours from here.
Brenda

 

[schumigirl]

Fantastic new title Carole!!! Fingers crossed you’ll get to visit Universal in December. Perhaps one day you will make a stop in Toronto!!!! Niagara Falls is only 2 hours from here.
Brenda

Thanks Brenda......I have to thank worfiedoodles for it though......

Yes, we aren`t too hopeful but we still have some........

Toronto is another place I`d love to see.....and strangely I`ve always fancied going to Seattle.......even though it rains a lot.....lol.....well it does on Frasier......There are a lot of places in Canada I`d love to see......Banff is one I`ve been a little obsessed with since I was a child. Montreal for the F1 GP.......PEI is another place due to reading Anne of Green Gables as a seven year old........I do seem to have a VERY long bucket list.....

Now I have another reason to go to Niagara Falls.....you`re only two hours away!!! That`s an easy drive in a day......

 

[jump00]

Thanks Brenda......I have to thank worfiedoodles for it though......

Yes, we aren`t too hopeful but we still have some........

Toronto is another place I`d love to see.....and strangely I`ve always fancied going to Seattle.......even though it rains a lot.....lol.....well it does on Frasier......There are a lot of places in Canada I`d love to see......Banff is one I`ve been a little obsessed with since I was a child. Montreal for the F1 GP.......PEI is another place due to reading Anne of Green Gables as a seven year old........I do seem to have a VERY long bucket list.....

Now I have another reason to go to Niagara Falls.....you`re only two hours away!!! That`s an easy drive in a day......

You‘ve got a great list of places!!!!! We were hoping to do F1 this June as we are huge Lewis Hamilton fans!!! ( Montreal was cancelled pretty early). We might give it a go next year!!! Anne of Green Gables is such a lovely novel. Canadian classic.

 

[schumigirl]

You‘ve got a great list of places!!!!! We were hoping to do F1 this June as we are huge Lewis Hamilton fans!!! ( Montreal was cancelled pretty early). We might give it a go next year!!! Anne of Green Gables is such a lovely novel. Canadian classic.

lol.....we detest Lewis Hamilton......he is one of the reasons we have gone from from being the most maniacal of F1 fans to having the vaguest interest in the whole race ethos now......but we can still be friends......

Montreal is one of our all time favourite races to watch though......and such a beautiful looking setting too. Canada is such a gorgeous country.

Anne of Green Gables is one of many childhood books that I believe inspired me to want to do an English Literature degree......even as a young child I remember the vivid descriptions in that book and along with so many others educated me there was a huge world out there outwith our tiny little town.......and yes a Canadian classic for sure.

I know when I mention wanting to visit Seattle everyone looks at me funny......lol....not sure why!

 

[NancyLuvsMickey]

Love the new TR title!!! It made me laugh this morning... I Ho-Ho-Hope it happens too!!!

 

[jump00]

lol.....we detest Lewis Hamilton......he is one of the reasons we have gone from from being the most maniacal of F1 fans to having the vaguest interest in the whole race ethos now......but we can still be friends......

Montreal is one of our all time favourite races to watch though......and such a beautiful looking setting too. Canada is such a gorgeous country.

Anne of Green Gables is one of many childhood books that I believe inspired me to want to do an English Literature degree......even as a young child I remember the vivid descriptions in that book and along with so many others educated me there was a huge world out there outwith our tiny little town.......and yes a Canadian classic for sure.

I know when I mention wanting to visit Seattle everyone looks at me funny......lol....not sure why!

Yes we can still be friends We enjoyed watching the F1 documentary on Netflix- did you see it? I really like all these “new” young drivers. Did you ever watch the original TV movie Anne of Green Gables? The actress who played Anne was Megan Follows(80’s). It was such a great rendition of the book. Interesting side note I was one of her camp councillors in the early 80’s. We thought she was such a sweet kid!!!