April 2012: NY & Orlando - Take 2

[Toy Story]

Our last day of triple figures, we hit the 100 days to go today. Christmas presents today included travel items, including great polka dot disposable rain coats.

I received a book on Markets in NY and short stories on NY, my plan for the next week is to write a to do list.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hooray for breaking into double figures.

 

[arje]

Our last day of triple figures, we hit the 100 days to go today.

It's great when you get there isn't it? We're down to about 94 I think now, and it makes you realise how close it's getting. The time will be here before we know it.

 

[Mum from oz]

99 days to go! Time will fly by now!

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Let the countdown begin

 

[Luisa]

Love the sound of the Greenwich Village walking tour. Looking forward to hearing how it went, will add it to my list of things to do next December. So far your trip plans sound fantastic.

 

[OziJo]

Your trip sounds wonderful! We would have loved to go to NY but couldn't stretch it for this trip. One day...

Christmas presents today included travel items, including great polka dot disposable rain coats.

Nice. Where did you get those from?

 

[Toy Story]

I rang Disney to see if I could apply the current room discount promotion to my reservation and was told no as we have a Royal Room booked, and there are no more allocations under this promotion for the Royal Room. My choice is to swap from this room or hang out for a different promotion. As the Royal Rooms will be new when we go, we have decided to wait and hope for another promotion. On our last trip we received the $500 gift voucher which we used to pay all our tips - it was great.

I also ordered our Universal tickets today from Undercover Tourist, so I can tick this off my list.

For those who stayed at Universal, I would love to know how easy you though the transportation options were. We had originally thought we we rent a car, but it would mean paying parking fees for a car that would not leave the car ark for two days. Is it easy to get to the Premium Outlets? and how did you transfer to Disney? Last time we hired a car.

 

[Toy Story]

Where did you get those from?

The polka dot disposable rain coats are from a store upstairs in Haymarket (Sydney) that sells Japanese items - everything on one side of the store is $2.98 (I think). They also have some Disney items - mainly stationary.

 

[Toy Story]

Who did you book flights with.

I booked with Flight Centre through one of their Travel Shows. There is another one coming up in February. We live in Canberra and the 'show' was on in Sydney, we were still able to book their deals.

 

[Anne_Aus]

I also ordered our Universal tickets today from Undercover Tourist, so I can tick this off my list.

Did you opt to pick up the tickets from the kiosk?
I am thinking of booking the mears/ticket deal they have but wasn't to sure about the kiosk pick up

Ignore this, I was thinking of dreams unlimited not undercover tourist...

 

[arje]

For those who stayed at Universal, I would love to know how easy you though the transportation options were. We had originally thought we we rent a car, but it would mean paying parking fees for a car that would not leave the car ark for two days. Is it easy to get to the Premium Outlets? and how did you transfer to Disney? Last time we hired a car.

I can answer all your questions. We stayed at Royal Pacific December 09 and are going back in April. We hired a car for a day and went to the outlets etc. Royal Pacific has a hire car desk, so it was quite easy. We also had a booking for the MVMCP in Magic Kingdom as well that day so the car was handy. That's the only time we had the car because when we went to Seaworld, they had a free shuttle which we used going there and then got a taxi home. We used a taxi to go to Discovery Cove and when we transferred to WDW after our stay we also got a cab that was big enough to take us and our bags. The bellhops and concierge will assist here with this and they helped us greatly. We found taxis so cheap and easy to use, and they're quite good too, that we plan to use them again this time. Might even use a cab from WDW to the ship.

Transportation within the resort is so easy with the boats as well as their bus service which are both free. But walking is also very easy too.

 

[alicia1506]

we were onsite at Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios just this November past, and we loved it. we didn't want to mess around with car hire/petrol/deposits etc, so we just went to the attendants at the main drive and asked to use the car service. instant service, no wait and $40 including tip later, we were at the premium outlets... no fuss, no muss, and we had has card to arrange a pick up at our leisure, so no messing around with parking etc. he just asked that we give him approx 20 mins lead time for his return.. which was great... we called when we were at one end of the mall and by the time we got to the other end, he had arrived at the designated spot. lovely service, and quite relaxing not dealing with traffic.

RPR's onsite transport is awesome. we caught the boat each morning... lovely way to start the day to travel via these lovely little canal/waterways

 

[Toy Story]

I can answer all your questions. We stayed at Royal Pacific December 09 and are going back in April. We hired a car for a day and went to the outlets etc. Royal Pacific has a hire car desk, so it was quite easy. We also had a booking for the MVMCP in Magic Kingdom as well that day so the car was handy. That's the only time we had the car because when we went to Seaworld, they had a free shuttle which we used going there and then got a taxi home. We used a taxi to go to Discovery Cove and when we transferred to WDW after our stay we also got a cab that was big enough to take us and our bags. The bellhops and concierge will assist here with this and they helped us greatly. We found taxis so cheap and easy to use, and they're quite good too, that we plan to use them again this time. Might even use a cab from WDW to the ship.

Transportation within the resort is so easy with the boats as well as their bus service which are both free. But walking is also very easy too.

Thank you for the tip about the car hire being at Universal, this would be good for our Universal to Disney (via Super Target) transfer.

we were onsite at Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios just this November past, and we loved it. we didn't want to mess around with car hire/petrol/deposits etc, so we just went to the attendants at the main drive and asked to use the car service. instant service, no wait and $40 including tip later, we were at the premium outlets... no fuss, no muss, and we had has card to arrange a pick up at our leisure, so no messing around with parking etc. he just asked that we give him approx 20 mins lead time for his return.. which was great... we called when we were at one end of the mall and by the time we got to the other end, he had arrived at the designated spot. lovely service, and quite relaxing not dealing with traffic.

RPR's onsite transport is awesome. we caught the boat each morning... lovely way to start the day to travel via these lovely little canal/waterways

Thanks Alicia, the car service sounds great for the Outlet shopping, I need to make sure there is a lot of space in the boot

 

[Toy Story]

We have had an eventful planning week - our tickets to Universal Studios arrived Four day park to park, our plan being to try and go to HP each day, the difference between the 3 day and 4 day was too small to not buy the 4 day.

I also received an email from Delta (they have out internal flight from LA to NY) advising of a flight change, no biggie arriving 5 minutes early - then I realised our Virgin flight time had changed from 10am to 1pm, leaving us 1hour and 4o minutes for our transfer at LAX I spoke to our TA and he said the transfer time is within the timeframe allocated.... so I will be spending the whole flight to LA with my fingers crossed. How long before the flight time can I check into Virgin for seat allocation?

I have started a bag of items to pack (all the travel items from Christmas) as well as new markers for character signings and i will try to add each week.

 

[Toy Story]

Days are flying by, time to update our ETSA and organise some phone sims.

I still need to do some day to day itinerary planning. I have started window shopping on the Disney sight

 

[Toy Story]

While I have done our ESTA forms I feel I need a move on with some other organising.

We went to the travel show on the weekend and the tickets where about $5 more than what we paid. I spoke to the VAustralia guy about our LAX transfer and he said don't worry about it, as they are in the same terminal now it should be fine.

 

[Toy Story]

Following on from aussietravellers thread about asking the universe for a discount, I thought I would give Disney a call this morning to see if the Universe had responded - the CM pixie dusted a 10% off discount for me. So really the odd $400 in saving will now pay for our table service tipping.

There is the rumour of a discount coming on 1st March, so I may have to make another call.

With the discount added, I only had $190 left to pay, so I setteled the account. Disney is officially paid

 

[dabecs]

Disney is officially paid

Good feeling I bet

Not long to go now

 

[Toy Story]

27 days

As Lion King is returning to Australia, we decided to book tickets to Wicked on Broadway.

I have also submitted request for Martha Stewart tickets again, we would really like to do this again as it is interesting to see the 'behind the scenes' of the production of a television show.

The house sitter is organised, and we have purchased pharmaceuticals (we struggled with horse tranquilliser size cold and flu tablets on the last trip). We will probably pull the suitcases out of storage this weekend.

We still have about 8 hours at LAX on our return trip - not sure if we should plan something or not. Is there any luggage storage for our hand luggage at LAX?