Cruise review of Disney Dream

Over the past week, I got to see my cousin get married on a Disney cruise. I have not been on a cruise ship since I was fourteen and I have never been on a Disney one so I was super excited to go. Not only was my cousin getting married, but on a Disney cruise to top it?! I was not missing it for the world. I will break down my five day cruise based on the food, drink, and experiences I had. I will also note now that this boat had so much to offer that I did not get to, so when you go pay attention to the itineraries so you can do what fits you! Well lets get sailing.

The first day had a few steps. We went through parking, security, checking in, setting up a payment for our room and getting our key to the world card. The card gets you on and off of the boat and links to your room for payment. My fiance and I had passports and kept them on us at all times, but for Disney you really just need their key to the world to buy things and to explore.

By linking a payment to your room like gift cards or a credit card, it helps you check out on the last day because you do not have to settle up. They give you a bill that last morning and you are set! you can also watch your tab on the television each day as well. I would highly recommend it and make sure to not lose that key that they give you. I also would get a lanyard of some kind to carry it for easy access.

Once we were on the boat and got through the security, we went over to Animator’s Palate for lunch. Overall, this was the beginning to the solid meals we would have for the rest of the trip. We had salads and split an oreo cheesecake and had some coffee! Then, we checked out our room.

My aunt had our room decorated, but we had an interior cabin with a virtual porthole and it was not too shabby. Clean room and shower, two closets, a table that opened up and a desk with a mirror. For two people it was great and there was a pullout bed, however I would not put three adults in there just two adults with a child. They offer bigger rooms for bigger families though so everyone has an option to fit their needs.

After the muster drill we went for drinks at the evolution lounge with our family and saw the strip of club and bar options on the third floor. They are open all night and have individual themes to each of them and are fun to check out if you are an adult, and some for kids.

We ran to the six o clock show after that called The Golden Mickeys which was an homage to the Disney classic movies. They have concessions all around as well before the show to stock up on popcorn buckets and specialty cups and once you are in the theater, you can relax and enjoy the Disney magic. The second night was Beauty and the Beast which was amazing and possibly better than the broadway version, the third night was a delightful magician who was on board through the cruise which was fun and the final was Disney’s Believe which I did not catch due to packing, but has great reviews from others. Each show is worth watching, so try and catch them either before your dinner if you have the late meal or after if you are the early meal.

For dinners, you are either assigned to 6:15 or 8:15 for dinner and you have a table and a restaurant each night. If you look on your Key, it tells you. There is E for Enchanted Garden, R for Royal Palace and A for Animators Palate.

These meals are included unless you want to buy any alcoholic drinks. There is desert every night as well and on pirate night, they have a themed meal. Overall, you cannot lose and you have the same waiter each night who will do magic tricks.

They also have upscale restaurants that you can reserve tables at called Remy and Palo. You do have to pay and dress fancy, but they seem to be worth it and have great service. Palo also has an amazing brunch (with a chicken parm you must have!) Also, go to the buffet as much as possible and enjoy all of the options while there.

There are also other places to eat throughout the day. For breakfast there is Cabanas along with the other dinner restaurants that convert as well. On the deck there is ice cream and a Cars themed fast food area with burgers, pizza, salad and fries for the kiddos or for a quick bit in general.

Now when off the boat, you have two beautiful stops at the Bahamas and Castaway Cay. While I did not get to do much in the Bahamas because of my cousin’s wedding, I did get off of the boat and it was fun. We stopped at local shops and had some drinks and if we had time there were some awesome excursion options.

For Castaway Cay, this is Disney’s private island. You have the main beach thats available for everyone and has all if the shops and there is an 18 years old + beach called serenity bay which is where we sat around. We walked through the shops and used the trams to get around and had a great time. Serenity Bay was very calm and quiet and had waiters walking up and down and you could rent chairs and floats. Overall a very relaxing day.

When we get done with castaway cay, that it was pirates day. People dressed up in pirate costumes and the restaurants had a special dinner. At night though, we had fireworks which was fun! Leave it to Disney to always have fireworks to end your night.

On your day at sea, we got the chance to check out the boat and see the things we had not seen yet. There is the shopping strip with all sorts of mouse gear and a pirate gift shop too, theres other more expensive jewelry stores as well, and of course the pools. The adult only area has a pool with a walk up bar and an upstairs bar as well if you do not want to get wet and in the family area there is a mickey slide and a raft ride called the aquaduck.

The aquaduck is a two person raft ride that takes you all around the deck to check out the water and everyone below (make sure to look for hidden mickeys in the pool!) You definitely want to take advantage of all there is to do on the boat that day, and make sure you pack to go home and follow the procedures!

They made sure we had bag tags in our room that assigned us to a section to pick up your bag the next morning in customs. You must have your bag out between 8:30-10:30

On the final morning, they assigned us to eat breakfast at the restaurant we ate dinner at the night before at either 6am or 8am and while its optional, going helps you take a moment and eat before you have to go through the customs process and spaces everyone out. Once we finished, we got off the boat and through customs with ease. It took a moment but we did not have any issues.

As we got back to our car in the garage, it was a bittersweet moment getting home. I enjoyed my time and had some great experiences. While Disney cruises are more expensive, if you are a Disney fan I would definitely put it on your bucket list. The memories you will make will never be forgotten and they truly make it easy for you to have an amazing vacation.

Well I hope you enjoyed my review. Feel free to like and comment below if you have gone as well. Thanks so much for reading! Until next time, see you in the parks!

Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail with Ominous Descent Haunted Attraction review

Last weekend, I decided to go with some friends to experience Plant City’s finest haunt, Sir Henry’s featuring Ominous Descent. This was my second year going, but I enjoyed every minute of it. These local haunts have a very unique and interesting way of making you feel you are really right in the action, and it can make it that much more fun. If you scare easy though, Beware! Lets get into the things to do when you go.

There are three trails, a lazer tag game and a really fun escape room. Each trail has a unique story to it and have a very good length to them. The trail names are The Breed which is a hillbilly family gone crazy, Reaper’s Haunting which was about a funeral home and The Harvester which was about a family who survived famine by killing people and using them. I enjoy the spacing they give you between each group so you really feel the intensity as you walk through and each house has an amazing cast that gives everything. Personally, I had a few of them come up right in my face and one even got so close I almost fell trying to get away! Truthfully, I enjoyed the jumps.

The other things to do while you are there are also equally fun. Lazer Tag is fun as usual and they put a fun twist on it having clown felons chasing after you. The other theme is in their escape room which is titled, “Vanished: Where’s Clara?” where you must solve the mystery of the missing girl in five minutes while people are outside the cabin attacking you while you are searching for the answers. I truly love the suspense of the escape rooms and each are $5 if you decide to do them separately from a regular ticket of they can be combined in your pricing.

I also enjoy the midway area between the houses where you get to see quite a bit as well. Sir Henry himself wanders around with his band of miscreants who are ready to scare you and take plenty of ph0tos. They also have snacks and drinks to enjoy and reasonable prices and merch to take home too. I have shirts myself and even got a bottle of the apple cider too! Take a look around while you are there and support your local haunts and communities.

For additional information and to buy tickets, check out https://www.sirhenryshauntedtrail.com before they seasons out.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading my brief review! Please feel free to like and comment below on you experiences!

Howl o Scream Tampa review

Its the wonderful haunt season and Busch Gardens is celebrating scaring its Tampa natives and tourists for 20 years this year. I have been going for quite a few years myself and I always enjoy it, and this year was no different. They had a new house, scare zones and the annual Fiends show, so lets talk about the fun that is”The Dark Side of the Gardens” this season.

Their newest home was called The Residence and personally, I enjoyed it. The theme was of a suburban home gone wrong and the family in this house was out for blood. They had some strong scareactors walking through terrorizing people and I love how close they would get without touching. We also had one of my all-time favorites Death Water Bayou: Wrath of the Queen, The Black Spot:Bloodshed also came back which I always enjoy, plus 3 others Simon’s Salughterhouse, Motel Hell: Infestation, and Insomnia: Patients’ Revenge. I always enjoy getting to go through houses multiple times so its nice they repeat some houses each year and add new effects.

The Scare Zones add some life to the streets, but there is still a lot of space to cover so they also have people hiding in the bushes which is fun. I personally got my best scare from one of them once when I was distracted and not expecting it. The zones are intense though and fun to go through. The newest additions are First Fear which gives you reminders of the 20 years of HoS past, Little Nightmares which has a classic Halloween vibe and Carpe Noctem which is a gothic roman cemetery that is being attacked by vampires which personally this was a fun one to see.

Some others came back like Camp DOA which is attack of a campground, Hell on Wheels which is an apocalypse attack and people trying to survive, Dia De Los Meurtos which is a day of the dead themed area that is great for photo ops, Maniac Midway which is all around the game area and well spread out, Meat Market which is before Simon’s slaughterhouse and it has fun interactions throughout and deadly toys where your childhood toys come to life and not in a good way.

The next thing we will talk about is Fiends. The theme this year was everyone was coming to the Doctor’s castle due to an apocalypse coming and affecting everyone who doesn’t make it in. Each year this show ties in some new music with classic monsters and current trends/topics throughout their jokes. I have always found this show to just be okay, but if you are looking for something to do that gets you off your feet and has a few good laughs, you can’t go wrong.

The final bit of this is the food, drink, merchandise and rides. While no specialty food was out they do have some neat drinks which I found the Embalming to be tasty. I also felt though that if you are looking for a buzz though, stick to the basics since these are premixed. They also have some cool merchandise in the front of the park in the gift shops so make sure you don’t forget to pick something up to remember the night! Also take a look and see which coasters are open because you can get a thrill that way too and possibly sit next to a scareactor.

Overall, Howl o Scream is a fun time. I would definitely take a night out and go check out what Busch Gardens has to offer for Halloween, because you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to comment below with your thoughts if you have been this year! Until next time, see you in the parks!

Halloween Horror Nights update: Final Houses

As the clock strikes closer to the witching hour, Halloween Horror Nights Orlando made some announcements to give us a final taste of what is in store over the past week. They gave us the final three houses and all of the scare zones, and in this review I will talk about the houses. Personally, I am excited for two of these final house announcements and the third I know they will do a good job with and will bring in the crowds because it was so popular. I will dive right in and tell you all about US, Graveyard Games and House of 1000 Corpses.

So after having such a positive review in theaters this past year, Jordan Peele and Universal paired up and gave us, well, US. According to the review, in this house you will walk through the Wilson family beach house and Santa Cruz Pier “where you might spot a familiar character outside of the Fun House.” Rumors seem to be going towards The Lost Boys which was famously set at the Santa Cruz Pier or it could everyone’s favorite clown Jack, and personally I would love either one. We will also go through the tunnels that are apparently below America and come face-to-face with “The Tethered” who are doppelgängers of every living person.

The concept will be as if you are in the footsteps of Adelaide Wilson when she meets and deals with her tethered double, Red. After that you will be transported to modern-day and we will see “The Tethered” come up and try to kill their look-alike from above ground. Overall, I am hoping that this will be a good house but since I had low expectations and experiences with this movie, I will wait until I see it.

Next up we go to another original IP to play some games. In the Ascension Parish Cemetery we will end up seeing the aftermath of two teens who were disrespecting the dead and they are mad and seeking revenge. As we walk through the cemetery we will be going through mausoleums and decaying piles of coffins and we will see ghosts of every shape and style. By the end of this house, they say you will learn not to mess with graveyards anymore.

One cool feature of this is house though will be the social media aspect before you enter the haunted house. With Facebook messenger you can talk with a few of the local teens and storytellers of the town by having it opened to the Halloween Horror Nights page. You’ll learn the history and background of the story through this feature which will definitely be cool. I think this extra feature will be cool and it has been a while since they have done a graveyard so having that vibe back will be awesome.

Last but not least, Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses was announced. We will apparently be able to come face to face with the firefly family and their home of horrors. We will get to be victims of Dr. Satan this go around and as if that is not enough, we will get to go through Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen. pay attention though to his newest addition which is a certain fish boy we know and love! Of course, according to them that is if we survive all of this and make it to the end. While it might the least detail from the three I have discussed tonight, I remember watching this movie as a child and being terrified. I cannot wait to see how they portray this and I am excited to get to go through some of Rob Zombie’s most twisted thoughts that he put on screen.

So after tonight, we finally have all of the houses. Starting September 6th we will get to see all of these fun and scary mazes. Make sure to get your tickets before it it sold out at https://orlando.halloweenhorrornights.com/site/hhn/products/event-tickets and make sure to come find me opening night!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Comment below and tell me what house you are looking forward to the most this year! Until next time, see you at the parks!

An Epic new Theme Park has been announced!

This morning, Universal Orlando Resort announced its all new fourth gate. While we only learned the name, they also gave us a map to show how close it will be to the other parks, some concept art and a name: Universal’s Epic Universe.

In the map they posted, it shows that it will be just down Kirkman road past where Wet N’ Wild was and where Endless Summer Resort now is. It is also the plot of land they bought a while back that everyone has known about and rumored this would be where they would put the fourth gate.

They stated at this park you will have not only the attractions, but an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. The end goal would be that while it is not directly connected, you could bus or shuttle to the other parks if you wanted. In the press release, they gave us concept art as well.

This image shows color, coasters, and nightlife. They did not set a date or confirm or deny any rumors of what lands and rides will be at this new site, but it is still exciting to finally have confirmation of what their next step is going to be.

Hopefully we hear more soon and I will keep you all posted. Comment below with any thoughts or rumors you have on possible lands they could have!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my quick review. Until next time, see you at the parks!

The Killer Klowns have returned!

This afternoon, Universal Studios told everyone the seventh house in it’s lineup for Halloween Horror Nights. They announced that Killer Klowns from Outer Space will be back after the popularity of the scare zone. While most people were expecting this to be a house this year, people are excited and I believe it will be entertaining.

In the announcement, it states that we will be getting some new experiences with the Klowns including baby Klowns, Boco, and Klownzilla. We will also get scenery like the Klowns’ circus-tent spaceship and the cotton candy cocoon storage room where they keep the bodies. They also stated we will have scents and smells too like cotton candy, stale buttered popcorn and ice cream, so it will be a treat for all senses!

After finally getting the announcement, I couldn’t be more excited. I liked the scare zone last year and felt that it would be an even stronger house if they ever did it. I think that the concept of scarezones turning into houses the next year is a fun concept that I hope they continue to do. The event will be going from September 6th-November 2nd, so make sure to check out the event and go see the Klowns!

Thanks for reading and make sure to comment below with your thoughts and opinions on this house announcement! Until next time, see you at the parks!

Passhole Announcements!

These past couple of weeks have had a few announcements and updates. Although I have been writing about Halloween Horror Nights and going on Motorbike Adventures, I have not missed them. Lets take a look at the parks and see whats been going on.

At Busch Gardens, they have made some announcements towards their Halloween event Howl-o-Scream. The event is running from September 20th until November 2nd and they have a ticket promotion going on until 07/21. Depending on group rates, single night or multi-night you can find a ticket ranging from $24-$59. This is very exciting and new and although there were rumors of free entry with a park ticket had circled around, this is still a very reasonable price and I cannot wait to go. Right now they have only announced two repeat houses “The Black Spot” and “Simon’s Slaughterhouse” but stay tuned as they announce more.

In the house of mouse, Disney has a lot going on too. Magic Kingdom is celebrating its 64th anniversary and the construction for Tron is going up fast. We also have announcements for when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open the second installment in the lands in California and Florida. Rise of the Resistance will open in Hollywood Studios in Florida on December 5th 2019 and in Disneyland in California on January 17th 2020. So while California got the whole land first, Florida will get the second installment first which seems fair. Overall it is an exciting time there too.

Last but not least, Universal has had some openings as well as their Halloween Horror Nights announcements. The first installment of the Endless Summer Resort called “Surfside Inn and Suites” is now open and has been getting good reviews for a value hotel. They also had a restaurant open in CityWalk as well. Bigfire American Fare is now where Emeril’s used to be and it has also opened to good reviews and I cannot wait to try it.

So as you can see there is quite a lot to do and explore in the parks and a lot of things coming up as well. Stay tuned here for more updates and reviews as I venture around the parks and try new things.

So that’s it for now folks. Thanks for reading and feel free to like and comment below. Let me know what you are looking forward too most or where you have gone that’s new and enjoyed! Until next time, see you at the parks!

HHN29 Announcement…who you gonna call?!?!

Today Halloween Horror Nights Orlando announced the sixth house in their lineup for this year. Grab your proton packs, because Ghostbusters has finally been announced! This has been a rumor for a while this year, so it is exciting to see it finally official. In this house we will follow Peter, Ray, Egon and Wiston in the streets of New York after the rip between worlds has opened. You will watch them fighting specters, spirits and other ectoplasm-covered creatures of all shapes and sizes. They also confirmed that we will see Slimer, Gozer the Gozerian and even the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man!

Many people are questioning whether this falls under the category of “horror,” or “comedy,” but with the 35th anniversary this year and Universal having strong ties to the franchise, it makes sense and I look forward to it. Plus with Stranger Things having a house this year, it will cool to see them together. In season 2 of Stranger Things the boys dress up as the Ghostbusters crew for Halloween so it will tie the eighties theme in a neat little bow. Plus, if they utilize the different creatures from the franchise right it will have a creepy factor while you are walking the streets of New York.

This event starts September 6th and ends November 2nd. Make sure to get your tickets while they are available. We now have four more houses to go, so stay tuned as they are announced!

Thanks for reading and feel free to comment below with your opinions! Also, stay tuned for another article this week for more updates about the other parks.

Until next time, see you at the parks!

Happy Anniversary Diagon Alley!

This week we have a lot to celebrate! Universal Studios Florida replaced Jaws and Amity Island with a new land five years ago that was themed to one of the most magical places on earth…and it includes one of the safest places as well. Lets take a trip down memory lane of the second phase of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley!

Diagon Alley opened July 8th, 2014 and became the second phase of the Wizarding Word of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida. This land has shops, food, shows and pretty incredible rides. Plus, with the addition to interactive wands, it was and still is one of the most advanced lands in the theme park industry. It has even gone through some changes over the years, but it is truly fun to venture in and experience it all.

For dining, you have the Leaky Cauldron which has many british-inspired meals like “Bangers and Mash” and “Shepherds Pie.” They have some deserts there, but if you are looking for a special treat, there is always Florean Fortescues Ice Cream Parlour or The Fountain of Fair Fortune for your drinks, beer and butterbeer alike. You also have a few other spots and carts to get drinks like “Gilly Water” and butterbeer too.

You also have many shops you can get all the Wizarding World gear to get ready for school. There is an Ollivander’s wand shop where “the wand chooses the wizard,” and there is a part where someone is chosen to pick their wand in front of a group which everyone gets excited to be picked. You can even take the wands and do spells all throughout the land and a map shows you where you can perform them.

You can also get your robes and many character outfits at Madame Malkin’s Robes for All and at Quality Quidditch Supplies. They even have Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes where you can get all of your gags and you can get your school pet at Magical Menagerie. If you are feeling bold and into the dark arts though, take a tour down Knockturn Alley and check out Borgin and Burkes. Of course though, you will need money for all of this so do no forget to see the goblins at the Gringotts Money Exchange where you can talk to a teller and receive your wizarding bank notes.

Lets not forget the shows that are put on in the courtyard like the amazing Celestina Warbeck and two puppet shows based on stories from within the book “Tales of Beetle the Bard” called “The Fountain of Fair Fortune” and “The Tale of Three Brothers.” They even have an interactive show with the Knight Bus located on the London waterfront that hides Diagon Alley from muggles. Overall, if you need something to relax these shows can help and give you a moment to check out the scenery while getting an experience.

The ride “Escape from Gringotts,” is the main attraction of the land and it truly is a fun dark ride/coaster. You basically enter the vaults of the goblin-run vaults with Bill Weasley and things go wrong when Bellatrix sees you and thinks you entered her vault. Harry and his gang are there at the same time and Voldemort ends up showing up alongside Bellatrix and they try to kill you for answers about why muggles are at Gringotts. At the end, Harry and his crew save you and fly you out on a dragon and all is well. While this is not my favorite ride of the park, I do love it and enjoy the effects every time. There is even a dragon on top of the ride that goes off every few minutes and scares unsuspecting guests and delights others that know its coming.

They also built the Hogwarts express at this time that helps you get back and forth between the two parks (provided you have a two-park ticket). You have situations arise throughout the ride like dementors, the knight bus, the flying car and many more. Both rides have a different story going to and from London or to and from Hogwarts. Truly find this to be cute and a nice way to relax instead of having to walk all the way to the other park.

Overall, as a Harry Potter fan I love going in and feeling the magic. To this day, I still get chills when I first walk in and see the dragon and the Weasley’s bright orange building. I think that this is just one of the steps in the direction that helps make theme parks better by having so much interaction and options and not just attractions. Here’s to another five years for Diagon Alley and many more!

Thanks for reading my article and I hope you enjoyed. Please feel free to comment and follow my posts as I write weekly. Until next time, see you at the parks!

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure full review

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to get in line with my cousin and try to ride “Hagrid’s,” for the first time. After four and a half hours in the sun, another hour and a half inside the ride queue and becoming part of the nice family in front of us who was in town from Ireland, we made it! I have to say that while I would not wait six hours again, the ride was amazing,

First off, I would like to say that Universal has an operating system for waiting that may need some fine tuning and better shade but overall works in this situation. They are not opening the ride until the afternoon after they test it a few times and each day that opening time varies. In order to accommodate people who want to wait and be in line for the moment it opens, they have a roped off section over by Poseidon’s Fury and behind the talking water fountain.

They had water coolers set up and passed out water and they had a food cart with snacks so everyone could stay hydrated and fed. Now yesterday they estimated two o’ clock, so after four rolled around, they gave everyone in line a fast pass for the inconvenience. I cannot speak to this being a regular thing, but it was nice of them to acknowledge those of us that waited. They basically kept us there until it was open, then they moved some barriers around and closed off a section while we walked over. Once you put your stuff in the lockers that are for the ride, you get in the queue and that is where the ride truly begins.

We walked up the long path up to the queue entrance that was full of homage to the dueling dragons coaster and showed Hagrid’s creature collection all throughout the halls. While we did not get to see the pre-show for the ride with Arthur and Hagrid, we did see Fang the dog walking around on the screen. We also were stuck in a room with all sort of eggs from different dragons and different pictures and creatures all across the wall. Then we walked through the halls and got to the pre loading dock area that had all sorts of effects going on too. Personally, the queue is fun in certain spots but bland in others. Once the ride has the kinks worked out and the pre-show is consistant it will be better. Not to say that is bad though, plus it leads to a great ride with a fun story.

So once you board and are either on the motorbike or sidecar (I was on the Motorbike) you take off through the forest to find Hagrid. Now being on the motorbike gives you the higher spot to see, but I think having the height difference helps get different perspectives, but next time I will ride sidecar. You also have an interactive part on the motorbike having to hit a button which is fun. Personally I can see where the sidecar would feel more secure but the motorbike is more fun.

Now the ride starts with you finding Hagrid and he has a Blast-Ended Skrewt standing next to him. He starts his lesson of running you through the forest. You see fluffy the three-headed dog and then the Ford Anglia covered in Cornish Pixies and the bike stalls. You fly backward and you run into a centaur and while trying to dodge him, you end up in some Devil’s Snare. Hagrid teaches you an incantation to say and once you both say it, the bike drops. As the motorbike driver, you hit a purple button and the bike blasts through and Hagrid ends the lesson and gets you out of the forest.

The technology is so advanced on this ride that I can see why it takes some time to get this thing running. The track has amazing speed and the feeling of the ride is smooth. I also like the different forces you feel going backward and when you drop, so if you like coasters, you cannot go wrong. I also love the story and how it feels perfectly Hagrid as you go through all of the different scenarios. Hagrid would put himself in these situations but would also remain calm and manage to get out, and I totally love and felt like this would be a class with him if he had control.

Overall if you can get out there and ride it, go. This is a great coaster and a great addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As if you needed me to tell you…

Well that is going to be it for today folks. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my review! Please feel free to comment and tell me how you felt about my review and the ride itself if you have gotten to go. Until next time, see you at the parks!