We Don't Play Nice With Others. (Complete!)

[natebenma]

I love your review and enthusiasm for Diagon Alley!

We frozen butterbeer, but I suspect we will try the warm version during our trip in February.

I keep forgetting about the walking through the wall at 9 3/4 effect at the train station. Cool!

Woo-hoo!

Or should I say Choo-Choo!

IMG_3782 by teekathepony, on Flickr

Dragon challenge going in the back.

Great picture!!!

CAN'T WAIT...

 

[LuvEeyore]

Wendy,
I just love the new paintings. They are gorgeous.

Love your photos. I hope mine with my phone come out as well. We are so looking forward to seeing both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for the first time. The attention to details amazes me. We really want to catch Grinchmas while we are there. A friend of mine son is this years producer. I hope we can catch it.

 

[eandesmom]

oh wow wow wow wow wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I am literally green with envy at the moment. Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley....Hogwarts Express

I want I want I want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh it looks so incredible and magical.

I might die between now and when we can get back there.



No seriously.

LOVE the paintings, especially the snowman series

 

[Clarf]

Your artwork is beautiful!


Love all the Harry Potter stuff. It all looks so amazing and detailed. I can't wait to go there in a few years. If only the 5 year old would grow a little.

 

[IheartDDuck]

Okay I'm playing catch up since being on vacation! Sorry for falling behind, and if this post is huge....oh well.

Oh man, I remember the entire lost bag situation on FB! I just can't even.

DTD is definitely under a lot of construction right now, but I'm looking forward to how it's going to turn out.

Okay, that Ice Age indulgence is literally reason enough for me to go to T-Rex.

Good on you jumping in the pool fully clothed! I would totally have done it too.

Oh man, leaving an hour behind schedule! Man, I've been there. I've been there on this past trip that I just got back from! It stinks.

I was going to say, a 55 minute not too bad!

Yay cowboy!

Kathy and Mark are truly awesome people. I'm so glad you had the opportunity to meet them.

The Golden Girls house! Man, I remember that from the 90's too.

Meeting Rob too. I told him the other day, someday we will overlap. And someday you and I will overlap!

Wait. You book a cruise to take you to the Bahamas, but it's in for repairs, and they have no backup plan!? I'm sorry, that's completely unacceptable. They wouldn't have wanted me to be there, I would have tore them up!

The concealed entrance at Diagon Alley is super clever. It confused me too.

Love your paintings, you are just super talented.

Completely agree about FJ being better than EFG. But you saw my spoiler alert post on FB, so you know what my opinion is already.

 

[JessM]

Just started following along on your report!

Ahh what a bad start to the trip but at least you can find it humorous now, you had me laughing.

It would drive me insane to have to wait around for family members in the morning. We went with my aunt and uncle once and we had to wait around every morning for the coffee to start working. After one morning of that we went without them

The new Harry Potter looks amazing! I'm a huge HP fan but I haven't made it over to Universal since they opened either side. Just too big of a Disney fan to spend the extra cash.

 

[teekathepony]

I am sorry about being behind on everything. Again. This is becomming a habit! I just never find time to Dis much any more and now with Christmas coming it's getting busier and busier, both at work and at home. I will, yet again, try to catch up on all of your reports, and I will do another update on mine and try (again!) to make some more time for the Dis.

Enjoying your HP updates -- can't wait to see it in person someday!!
It's really awesome, I hope you do get to see it in person!

And, your artwork is really beautiful!!
Thank you!

I love your artwork! You are definitely talented ... the ones with the snowman are very cute.
Thank you so much! Those snowmen will have a new home after Christmas, my sister-in-law asked for only one thing this year, and that was it!

Very impressed you have your Christmas shopping done! We haven't really even started thinking about it (I have trouble thinking about Christmas until after Thanksgiving) but am impressed by the people that are organized enough to be done already. Maybe that is why my wife suggested we get a professional organizer in as our Christmas present to each other
It helps when your Thanksgiving is in early October. I really start thinking about it early because I love it and this way I can enjoy the season more. No stress when my shopping is all done! (But a professional organizer would be awesome too!)

Nice HP pictures - love all the detail, even the Owl Poop
Hahaha it's really amazing the detail on everything.

That seems to be a fairly consistent opinion I have seen - EFG is very good but not as good, nor the "game changer" Forbidden Journey was.
Yes, I've seen the same from everyone I've heard a review from.

As I've told you on FB Wendy, I LOVE your paintings. You are very talented. Thank you for sharing them again.
Aww thanks Kathy!

I love all the detailed pictures (and the explanations for us non-fans).
The details there are really great! I was impressed.

I have a feeling that Mark would love a Butterbeer, but I'm not sure it's worth the price of admission.
I could make an argument that it is...

I can't wait to hear where your nose leads you for lunch.
Coming up, hopefully soon! lol

Your paintings are beautiful!
Thank you!

Wow Universal looks awesome!

Being a Harry Potter nerd I really hope to visit there some day.

Love hearing about what you thought!
I wouldn't love Universal much if there was no Harry Potter, but seriously, they did do a great job on those parts. I hope you get to visit some day too! Every Harry Potter nerd should.

Hope meeting up with the rest of the family works out smoothly
Family + Smooth is not a valid equation.

Thanks!!!!

I'm doing fine!! This is completely surreal, though. It's actually snowing again right now!!
At this point I know you're all cleaned up but seriously, that was crazy.


I love love love your artwork!!!
Thanks Sue

I know next to nothing about Harry Potter, but I'm so glad you enjoyed that part of your trip!! I've heard that it's just absolutely perfect for people who are fans, which is awesome!

That train looks really cool!!
For fans, it's really amazing. Literally walking straight into my favourite franchise. Maybe Disney will counter with a really awesome Star Wars land.

 

[teekathepony]

Geez Wendy, you're painting is just getting better and better . WOW!!! Beautiful!!! Absolutely beautiful!!
Thanks Rob!!

AHHH seeing your Potter Pictures, it feels like I was just there. I mean I kinda was, but it feels even nearer for some reason. They really did equal, and in some ways surpass, HP part one!
They did, thank goodness. I was afraid of some high hopes being let down. Luckily that was not the case!

I am upset with myself in that apparently Universal added Wi-Fi which I wasn't aware of, so I had left my phone behind. WHOMP WHOMP
My in-laws all did too. Only Johnny and I had our phones. The Wi-fi actually wasn't bad either.

I thought the wall effect was pretty neat. I couldn't get a picture, but I did see how it looked. Very cool addition.
It was cute, and I kind of liked that they did it so simply.

I too liked the train, especially since it eliminated having to go all the way around to the other park.
Yeah especially since both Harry Potter sections are at the very backs of the parks!!

I was in the same boat regarding Escape vs FJ. But I did the exact same order this trip and upon leaving FJ, yeah, it definitely is the better of the 2.
Yep. I still like Escape a LOT, and I'm ok with not having to replace my old favourite ride with a new one.

Love your snowman artwork! Makes me get into the holiday spirit.
Thanks Alicia!

A butter beer from the Leaky Cauldron? That sounds AWESOME!
Delicious and awesome to be in THE Leaky Cauldron! Hahah

Good to know that Forbidden Journey is still a better ride than Gringotts, overall. I haven't ridden either but I like having that kind of info in mind for when I do get to go.
Both are awesome rides, but yeah, FJ just edges Escape out a little.

Bummer on the timeshare fiasco. Denny and I did a TS tour in Williamsburg and this salesperson was emphatic that we could trade our points anytime we wanted for DVC. I don't know WHY they push that so hard when its simply not that easy.
I don't care so much for Johnny and I, but I'm broken hearted for my parents who really wanted this to work. It's awful the way they scam people.

Anyway - I am sure you will get something, just might not be an Epcot resort.
Oh we will, we've been saving up for the Yacht Club since last December so it's a definite go no matter what.

Love your paintings and you totally are the Christmas queen. You can come decorate my house anytime!
Thank you! Ahhhh we decorated our house a lot last night. I love it! I love every aspect of Christmas.

I have heard so many great things about Daigon Alley (did I spell that right? - obviously not a HP groupie) and the train. So glad you found all the details so amazing. And yay for the shout out to FJ.
As a huge Harry Potter fan, I will say it was really awesome.

Amazing update! Your HP photos are incredible, they really got it spot on, huh?! My youngest sister lives in England (and is also Harry Potter obsessed) and I've had quite a number of Harry Potter "tours". Forgive me as I've only read the first book and watched the movies so my "descriptions" will be lacking, haha. She's actually working on her PhD at the university which is home to the formal dining hall - she eats there for "formal" dinner regularly and I got a chance to go back in April! I had to wear a robe and everything! It was so cool. She can actually study in a spot that overlooks that hall as it's connected to their library. We also went to the spot (I believe it's in York) where they based Diagon Alley on. Also her old school (when she was studying abroad at Worcester College) had steps that were also a big deal in the movies. Again, forgive my amateurish descriptions but I thought you'd be happy to hear about these things. Last spring when I was visiting her, we made a quick jaunt up to Scotland and went to the Elephant Café (I think that's what it's called) where J. K. Rowling wrote a lot. It was so cool!!!
Aaaaaahhh!!!! That's all so amazing! Wow, how incredible. Some day I will visit England and see a lot of those places.

Also, your paintings are AMAZING - absolutely incredible, really Wendy.
Awww thank you!

I'm finally here

 

[teekathepony]

I would have had a meltdown if this all happened to me.

I was so close

I had to ask to get the cowboy scene hehe

I still prefer the gangster though hehe

I love the cowboy. I like cowboys anyway, and the fire is cool.

All caught up! How lucky that you got to meet Kathy and Mark! What a great meet
We were very lucky to have some great Dismeets!

I would have been so frustrated with a morning like you had before universal! I've never had a desire to go there until they built the HP stuff. Your photos are awesome, I can only imagine how great it must be in person.
I'm the same, I didn't care much for Universal before Harry Potter. It really is incredible!

Great job on your paintings, too. They are so pretty! Do you guys have snow yet? We sure do here!
Nope, no snow yet. We had some flurries and one little snowfall that lasted a few hours and then melted. Today it's 11 degrees! (52F) so... pretty warm for December!

I love these, Wendy!!!

I need to spend some time on your FB page and figure out what to get.


Thanks Dee!



GRRR!!!

I'm no DVC/timeshare expert, but I'm pretty sure even DVC members with BCV as their home resort can't book until 11 months out, 7 months for non-DVC members. So the year thing was never going to happen!

Hope you get an acceptable answer in 2 months.


I'm also no expert and I was pretty sure of the same thing you said so I knew it wasn't going to work. I doubt it will work in 2 months either, because at that time they'll probably tell us we need to wait until the 7 months before. I can't see this working, I really can't. My poor parents are heartbroken over it.

I love your review and enthusiasm for Diagon Alley!

We frozen butterbeer, but I suspect we will try the warm version during our trip in February.
I like the regular better than the frozen, but I would love to try the warm version. Let me know how it is!

I keep forgetting about the walking through the wall at 9 3/4 effect at the train station. Cool!
It's really cool, you have to watch the people ahead of you, but I loved it.

Woo-hoo!

Or should I say Choo-Choo!



Great picture!!!

CAN'T WAIT...
I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

 

[teekathepony]

Wendy,
I just love the new paintings. They are gorgeous.
Thank you!

Love your photos. I hope mine with my phone come out as well. We are so looking forward to seeing both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for the first time. The attention to details amazes me. We really want to catch Grinchmas while we are there. A friend of mine son is this years producer. I hope we can catch it.
Oh that's cool! I hope you catch it too! And enjoy Harry Potter as much as I did!

oh wow wow wow wow wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I am literally green with envy at the moment. Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley....Hogwarts Express

I want I want I want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh it looks so incredible and magical.

I might die between now and when we can get back there.



No seriously.
Oh Cynthia, not to make it worse on you but seriously the whole thing was just incredibly amazingly perfect.

LOVE the paintings, especially the snowman series
Thank you! The snowman series was the one thing in all the world my sister-in-law asked for for Christmas. (So you know what's getting a new home soon!)

Your artwork is beautiful!
Thank you!


Love all the Harry Potter stuff. It all looks so amazing and detailed. I can't wait to go there in a few years. If only the 5 year old would grow a little.
It really is amazing, the details are fantastic. Hehehe hoping for a growth spurt for you!

Okay I'm playing catch up since being on vacation! Sorry for falling behind, and if this post is huge....oh well.
No worries, of course! And welcome back!!

Oh man, I remember the entire lost bag situation on FB! I just can't even.
So much fury. It was awful.

DTD is definitely under a lot of construction right now, but I'm looking forward to how it's going to turn out.
Me too, I'm really bad at envisioning something during construction (learned that when we built our house... lmao) so I can't see their vision yet. Can't wait to see what they do.

Okay, that Ice Age indulgence is literally reason enough for me to go to T-Rex.
It will make me go back, that's for sure!

Good on you jumping in the pool fully clothed! I would totally have done it too.
Gotta do what you gotta do, right?

Oh man, leaving an hour behind schedule! Man, I've been there. I've been there on this past trip that I just got back from! It stinks.
Made me feel like my eyes were going to pop out of my head.

I was going to say, a 55 minute not too bad!
Not for Disers, or any Disney vets, that's for sure!

Yay cowboy!


Kathy and Mark are truly awesome people. I'm so glad you had the opportunity to meet them.
Me too, what a sweet couple.

The Golden Girls house! Man, I remember that from the 90's too.
In the 16 year gap that my parents and I didn't make it back to Disney, that house was the one thing my dad talked about more than anything except iasw.

Meeting Rob too. I told him the other day, someday we will overlap. And someday you and I will overlap!
It was good to see Rob IN Disney! Yes Danielle, pure numbers indicate that the chances are good of you and I overlapping some day! How are you feeling about next November???

Wait. You book a cruise to take you to the Bahamas, but it's in for repairs, and they have no backup plan!? I'm sorry, that's completely unacceptable. They wouldn't have wanted me to be there, I would have tore them up!
Right?? Awful!

The concealed entrance at Diagon Alley is super clever. It confused me too.
I felt a tiny but frustrated at first, but then I loved it so much when I finally figured it out.

Love your paintings, you are just super talented.
Thank you! (And so are you, I'm always game for seeing more of your work!)

Completely agree about FJ being better than EFG. But you saw my spoiler alert post on FB, so you know what my opinion is already.
I did, and agree with it entirely!

Just started following along on your report!
and thanks for joining!

Ahh what a bad start to the trip but at least you can find it humorous now, you had me laughing.
After the fact it made for some stories, that's for sure!

It would drive me insane to have to wait around for family members in the morning. We went with my aunt and uncle once and we had to wait around every morning for the coffee to start working. After one morning of that we went without them
We would have liked to! I think the hardest part was sharing a car.

The new Harry Potter looks amazing! I'm a huge HP fan but I haven't made it over to Universal since they opened either side. Just too big of a Disney fan to spend the extra cash.
I get that, I probably get to Universal every second trip, on average. Only for Harry Potter though!

Whew! Replies done. Now to catch up on all of your reports. I'll get there! I promise!

 

[STLMickeyMom]

Your time at universal looks so amazingly fun!!!

 

[THiiNKTiiNKx0]

Joining in!

 

[momabbate]

Hey Wendy, I just caught up!! I laughed every time I read you been to busy for Dis. That is how it has been with me for way to long. One day things might slow down.
I know I am going to miss a lot I wanted to comment on,but here is a small try. OMG What a travel day. It is reading these type of stories that make me glad my 18 (22 now) daughter. It was an easy travel day.
I understand to well on traveling with groups that can't stay with a time schedule. Hope they get better on getting out on time.
I really think we will be trying TRex on our next visit. (Wish I knew when that will be.) I keep readying great reviews.
Love reading about Universal. Hope to visit one day.
Can't wait to read the rest of your trip.

 

[MEK]

Just checking to make sure I haven't missed an update!

 

[teekathepony]

Oh dear. Remember me?

No Mary Ellen, sadly you haven't missed anything. I haven't had two minutes to rub together since my last update on November 20th.

I do work in a retail store of course, so Christmas is always our busy season. Add to that the fact that we do the Santa photos at the mall and we have been very, very busy. I haven't had my Thursday off lately and have been working every Saturday too. I have never, in 7 years at my store, seen us this busy. Yesterday I spent the entire day in the vault (our store is in an old bank) where we keep the heat press. The whole 8 hour day I made mugs, ornaments and key chains and never got out of the vault!

I miss the Dis and all I'm missing with your reports, but I won't make promises I can't keep -- I probably won't get back here again until January. As it is I'm late getting ready for work just by writing this! Whew, I'll be so glad in 5 days from now when we are almost home free.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! See you in January!

 

[natebenma]

Oh dear. Remember me?

No Mary Ellen, sadly you haven't missed anything. I haven't had two minutes to rub together since my last update on November 20th.

I do work in a retail store of course, so Christmas is always our busy season. Add to that the fact that we do the Santa photos at the mall and we have been very, very busy. I haven't had my Thursday off lately and have been working every Saturday too. I have never, in 7 years at my store, seen us this busy. Yesterday I spent the entire day in the vault (our store is in an old bank) where we keep the heat press. The whole 8 hour day I made mugs, ornaments and key chains and never got out of the vault!

I miss the Dis and all I'm missing with your reports, but I won't make promises I can't keep -- I probably won't get back here again until January. As it is I'm late getting ready for work just by writing this! Whew, I'll be so glad in 5 days from now when we are almost home free.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! See you in January!

No worries, Wendy!!!

The DIS is for fun. Do not let it cause you any stress, we totally understand the December pressures you are facing!!!

I hope you are able to make it out of the vault today!

So, because we don't know when you can peek back in,

Merry Christmas to you and Johnny!

 

[Tracy161]

We completely understand, Wendy! Happy Holidays to you both!!!

 

[KatMark]

We understand, Wendy.

Wishing you and Johnny a very Happy Holiday.

 

[MEK]

 

[teekathepony]

Your time at universal looks so amazingly fun!!!

It was, we had a great time!

Joining in!

I am sorry you joined at a busy time for me, but I promise it isn't a dead thread!

Hey Wendy, I just caught up!! I laughed every time I read you been to busy for Dis. That is how it has been with me for way to long. One day things might slow down.
My slow season starts in January so I am hoping to have a little more time to myself! Hope you get the same.

I know I am going to miss a lot I wanted to comment on,but here is a small try. OMG What a travel day. It is reading these type of stories that make me glad my 18 (22 now) daughter. It was an easy travel day.
Ours was really, really crazy! I think back on it now and can't believe what we went through.

I understand to well on traveling with groups that can't stay with a time schedule. Hope they get better on getting out on time.
Ahhh it's hard to please everyone I guess! Spoiler alert... they don't! Hahaq

I really think we will be trying TRex on our next visit. (Wish I knew when that will be.) I keep readying great reviews.
We really loved the place, great selection!

Love reading about Universal. Hope to visit one day.
It was fun, something different. I just really love Harry Potter!

Can't wait to read the rest of your trip.
Coming up, I promise!

Just checking to make sure I haven't missed an update!

You're sweet to check in.

No worries, Wendy!!!

The DIS is for fun. Do not let it cause you any stress, we totally understand the December pressures you are facing!!!

I hope you are able to make it out of the vault today!

So, because we don't know when you can peek back in,

Merry Christmas to you and Johnny!

Thanks Dee!! I spent a very large portion of the last two weeks in the vault. Sounds rough, but at least I was hiding from the stressed-out customers!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and Happy New Year!

We completely understand, Wendy! Happy Holidays to you both!!!

Thank you for understanding! Happy New Year to you, hope the holidays were very good to you!

We understand, Wendy.

Wishing you and Johnny a very Happy Holiday.

Thanks Kathy! I hope yours was wonderful too, and Happy New Year!

Cute! Hope your Christmas was great Mary Ellen, Happy New Year!