HO-HO-HO..We`ll put the RUM in Pa-Rum-Pum-Pum-Pum! 16 holiday nights at SF & RPR. A Nov/Dec 2023 Trip Report

[schumigirl]

Thank you!

And yes how is it the end of february?!?!?!?!

I know!!!!

February has gone like a flash, although that may be a sign of getting older as my mother always used to tell us! Probably true!

 

[keishashadow]

Devious little weasel is another polite version!

Love it, not sure I could pull that off with a straight face

 

[Worfiedoodles]

What a wonderful day full of friends old and new! It seems like just the perfect mix for you, and of course very appropriate you were able to take a private moment to remember your sweet girl.

That late night packing lets you savor every moment and spend as much time with lovely people as possible. I will say I have a hard time sleeping my last night. For some reason I always just want to pack up and leave It makes me sadder for the fun day to start and me to realize I won’t get to enjoy it all.

I can’t believe we’re near the finish. It’s like the end of the old Carol Burnett show. It seems we’ve just got started and before you know it…

I’m looking forward to your last Park time!

 

[schumigirl]

What a wonderful day full of friends old and new! It seems like just the perfect mix for you, and of course very appropriate you were able to take a private moment to remember your sweet girl.

That late night packing lets you savor every moment and spend as much time with lovely people as possible. I will say I have a hard time sleeping my last night. For some reason I always just want to pack up and leave It makes me sadder for the fun day to start and me to realize I won’t get to enjoy it all.

I can’t believe we’re near the finish. It’s like the end of the old Carol Burnett show. It seems we’ve just got started and before you know it…

I’m looking forward to your last Park time!

It really was a good idea and yes, taking that time was important and I`m glad we managed it.

Yep, packing really doesn`t take long, our issue was making sure all the breakables and bottles were safely packed....not easy when we saw how many things that were delicate we had actually bought! Spoilers though.....everything made it home safe!

I know who Carol Burnett is but don`t know how she ended her show????

Last day was fun actually, and hot!!!

 

[schumigirl]

Love it, not sure I could pull that off with a straight face

lol......oh I think you`d manage!! I`ll need to teach you how to do it with a strong Scottish accent.......you`d be brilliant

 

[Worfiedoodles]

It really was a good idea and yes, taking that time was important and I`m glad we managed it.

Yep, packing really doesn`t take long, our issue was making sure all the breakables and bottles were safely packed....not easy when we saw how many things that were delicate we had actually bought! Spoilers though.....everything made it home safe!

I know who Carol Burnett is but don`t know how she ended her show????

Last day was fun actually, and

I hope this link works

 

[schumigirl]

I hope this link works

I`m almost crying!!!

That is so lovely Maria, I get it now, thank you for the comparison, I will take that as a huge compliment

We don`t ever get to see many shows like that over here. There was one from I think the 1960`s they used to show on some obscure channel years ago that had Goldie Hawn in it, I forget what it was called but we hear of these shows but rarely get to see them and some older shows are classics!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Carol Burnett is the best!

 

[keishashadow]

I’m thinking Rowan & Martin’s Laugh in. A great, then-current comedy anthology type show with so many great performers. wonder if it’s out in syndication?

 

[schumigirl]

Carol Burnett is the best!

I don`t really know much about her to be honest, but I have heard of her, she`s not someone who is overly publicised over here.

 

[schumigirl]

I’m thinking Rowan & Martin’s Laugh in. A great, then-current comedy anthology type show with so many great performers. wonder if it’s out in syndication?
View attachment 837021

That`s the one I was thinking about!

It did used to be shown over here, not at the time but many years later. I think it might have been in the 1980`s I watched it. Don`t remember too much about it, but I do quite like Goldie Hawn......Private Benjamin always springs to mind!

 

[keishashadow]

I don`t really know much about her to be honest, but I have heard of her, she`s not someone who is overly publicised over here.

Always admired her. Had a challenging childhood, raised by her grandma. Strikes me as a womderful, down to earth person

“For more than 10 years, The Carol Burnett Show ended with a song...and an ear tug. What audiences didn't know is that when the comedienne was pulling her left earlobe at the end of "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together," she was also sending a message to the woman who raised her: her grandmother.”

 

[schumigirl]

Always admired her. Had a challenging childhood, raised by her grandma. Strikes me as a womderful, down to earth person

“For more than 10 years, The Carol Burnett Show ended with a song...and an ear tug. What audiences didn't know is that when the comedienne was pulling her left earlobe at the end of "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together," she was also sending a message to the woman who raised her: her grandmother.”

Oh that is so lovely!! She sounds like a very lovely and genuine woman. I did read a little about her life last night, but just the basics and I was happy to see she is still alive.

We seem to be losing a lot of the genuine entertainers and talent from that generation now.

 

[keishashadow]

Oh that is so lovely!! She sounds like a very lovely and genuine woman. I did read a little about her life last night, but just the basics and I was happy to see she is still alive.

We seem to be losing a lot of the genuine entertainers and talent from that generation now.

You need to find a clip of her gone with the wind parody (went with the wind). Look for the iconic dress from the movie, reimagined by designer Bob Mackie, no less

 

[schumigirl]

You need to find a clip of her gone with the wind parody (went with the wind). Look for the iconic dress from the movie, reimagined by designer Bob Mackie, no less

That was a lot of fun!!

Harvey Korman is brilliant as Rat Butler....lol, he was a star, loved him in The Nutt House with the wonderful Cloris leachman. Dinah Shore too!

There are so many clips suggested to watch, I will get through a few of them. I asked a couple of my friends if they knew who she was and all but one said no.

I saw the dress you mentioned, I did have to Google Bob Mackie too

Those dresses were something else, I always wanted to wear something like that when I "grew up" lol....only managed it with my wedding dress to some degree!!!

 

[kbelle8995]

I love Carol Burnett. She is the first person who made me laugh so hard I rolled on the floor. I used to stay up late with permission from my mom and watch reruns of her show late on the weekend.

Also the best part of the "Gone with the Wind" sketch. "I saw it in the window and couldn't resist it." She also comes across as a performer who appreciates those around her. Her audio books are a hoot. She's had tragedies in her life but she remains a positive person. Sorry couldn't resist chiming in.

There's some great YouTube clips of her when she would see somebody she knew in the audience. There's one where someone states they knew a former boyfriend of her and says hello. Hysterical. If you can also find her guest starring on The Muppet Show. That's a lot of fun.

As you can see I am very fond of Carol Burnett

 

[schumigirl]

SUNDAY DECEMBER 3RD

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And it had finally arrived, our dreaded last day this trip although a day we were determined to enjoy to the fullest despite it being very emotional leaving every single time.

I think we slept like rocks last night, and felt amazingly refreshed today which was nice as sometimes you can sleep really well, but wake feeling like you`ve been dug out of the crypt!! I planned to go in the shower first but I moved the chair in the bedroom slightly and discovered some purchases I`d forgotten about and missed last night, not quite sure how I missed them, but I did!!

I wasn`t even sure what was in all the packages but some felt quite delicate and would have to be double and triple wrapped.....oops!!!

Tom had jumped in the shower before me so I began to wonder if I could squeeze them all in to our almost perfectly packed suitcases that apparently didn`t have any more room for anything bigger than a sheet of paper!!! Heck!!!

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I`m nothing if not relentless!!! Ask anyone who has tried to have a war of wills with me.....I don`t give up, ever!!!

Tom came out of the shower laughingly wondering why I was looking so flustered and very guilty......so I admitted I had found a large collection of purchases and had quickly fit them into the suitcases.

He was actually impressed I had managed it!!

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Once I had showered and dressed we went down to the lounge where we looked for the JP family, but immediately we saw they weren`t around so we left a message for them with Aspen letting them know we`d be in the lounge later and hoping we`d see them, after knowing them for this trip we`d hate to leave without saying goodbye.

Next up was something of a comedy of errors.....we ate breakfast and went down to the lobby to see Samuel, again in case we missed him when we checked out later, we got down to the lobby and Raphael came out to say him and Andrea had gone up to the lounge to see us....doh!!!

So we bopped back up the lounge and they had gone down the staff stairwell, we came back into the lounge and they said we had just missed them.....so we trooped back down and yep, you can guess what happened, they had come back up!!!! Raphael at this point through laughing, called up to the lounge and said keep them there we were coming back up!!

We managed to meet them this time.

Samuel without doubt is one of our favourite people, and yes we do have a very long list of favourite people, but he is one of the nicest guys we know, and Andrea too, we may not have known her as long, only about three years but she is lovely and we adore any time spent chatting to them and we did have a good chat about a few things that happened over the trip, they really are the best!!! We chatted for ages and then as we were leaving both said they`d be around when we went downstairs to leave later.

We saw Mr P and said if they were around we`d be in the lounge about 1pm and we`d be leaving around 2pm. Although our flight wasn`t till later, we had to have the car back before 4pm or we would be charged another day`s fee. So he said they`d see us, we were glad to hear it.

We headed to the park and we walked today and it was blazingly hot already and again, so humid!!! Even some locals mentioned to us how humid it was outside today, but we were loving this weather, back home was absolutely baltic and I may have again sent a pic of us in shorts in the sunshine to several friends back home who hate the cold like me!!! I did get a two word answer from one of them

It was beautiful and we stopped for some pictures along the way, the walkways are lovely to the hotels and perfect for some pictures.

The boats are ideal if you don`t feel like walking and they run frequently. I don`t have FaceBook, never been interested in it, but several friends saw a post a couple of years ago from someone who had come back from one of the hotels and said they hadn`t seen any boats, didn`t know about them and asked how you booked them!!!! Now that`s someone who is oblivious!!

It was hot. There wasn`t a huge line to get in this morning and we cut through the store just to cool down a little to be honest, we were glad we weren`t going to be in the parks all day. It`s something we never do and I admire folks than go from open till close, especially when the heat is excessive, we usually arrive early morning and are gone by lunchtime, or have lunch then leave to go do something else.

I`m always amazed I had been visiting Universal Orlando Resort for a lot of years before I knew there was a huge balloon in the store! Another Doh moment!!!

I remember asking Kyle if he was sure there was a balloon in the store, he was a little perplexed at my question which was in all seriousness...

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I think my words next time were......"but when did they put it there".....lol.....now I was being oblivious!!! But I do smile whenever I see it and always think of Kyle`s incredulous look towards me!!

And we got out without buying a single thing!

It is so beautiful and we almost forget in about 12 hours time we`ll be on a plane heading back to a freezing cold UK, this was like an alternate universe so we did amble very slowly taking it all in just a little bit more than usual this morning.

They had put this umbrella in front of the view over to the VC, it must have been a photopass opportunity, shame as it ruined the otherwise perfect view.

And if we did nothing else today we would ride the Velocicoaster.

We turned towards Seuss Landing this morning, arguably the most colourful of areas within the park and one of the most fun places to be especially when all the characters come out to play!

And again, there was hardly anyone around!

We were too early for any characters this morning but we did see the Grinch and CitH wandering around, but we didn`t stop for any character pictures today, it was more of a meander than anything today.

We passed the already growing line for the real talking Grinch, my goodness there were some very patient people in that line and everyone would say the same thing, to see their kids reactions when they interact with the Grinch is worth every minute they waited.

We hastily passed the line and headed towards the Lost Continent one of the most visually beautiful areas of the park. Mythos is stunning and the Poseidon Fury`s building is incredibly impressive, you certainly know you`re leaving one area for another.

My lovely husband who prefers to be behind the camera.

I joke and jest, but he is the most amazing husband, he couldn`t be more perfect if he tried to me. And he has a lot to put up with at times with me and he never complains, but does occasionally roll his eyes which is completely understandable now and again......lol.

Mythos is stunning, as far as restaurant appearances go this one is hard to beat, not fond of the food inside although I do always say one day we will try it again, but right now the menu doesn`t appeal and they may do a good burger, but we can get better burgers elsewhere, so it`s not on our agenda right now.

We will miss the Trident when they revamp this building!!

More to come......

 

[keishashadow]

It is so beautiful and we almost forget in about 12 hours time we`ll be on a plane heading back to a freezing cold UK, this was like an alternate universe so we did amble very slowly taking it all in just a little bit more than usual this morning.

110% hitting the nail on the head!

 

[SCDizFan]

I can't believe we are coming to the end of your Universal trip! We actually arrived Sunday December 3rd to Disney to celebrate our anniversary! I have a feeling we will cross paths at some point!

I get you not wanting to be late. I cannot stand to be late and it is a pet peeve. Someone once told me that the person who is late assumes their time is much more important than yours.

Wow in some of your photos the parks do look empty!

Florida is tricky that in the winter we can have a 10/50 degree day and the next day it is 25/80. Fortunately here in South Florida we rarely have to use our heat!

I have always been a big fan of Margaritaville! It is so much fun!

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such detailed, wonderful trip reports! You and Tom should have your own travel show!

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Your last day is off to a crazy start with all the misses, but you finally got to meet up! What a lovely wander through the Seuss area. I was shaking my head that people were waiting 6+ hours to meet the Grinch. He is awesome, but I’d much rather do the holiday tour and meet him without that wait

Tom is a wonderful husband and treats you like the queen you are — and I dare say you take incredible care of him, too.

I hope the new things in the Lost Continent give us something to really enjoy!