Robo56
Look into my eyes
- Joined
- May 8, 2015
I LOVE EVERYTHING POTTER.......THANK YOU JK AND UNIVERSAL.
Welcome friends
A little background information here.
I’am a retired RN and I loved my job. After a couple of joint replacements it was time to sadly say goodbye to my career in Nursing and retire. Once a Nurse always a Nurse. My older sister and younger sister are also Nurses.
I’am married to a wonderful man. We have the best time laughing together and enjoying life in general. As the years have rolled by and our hair has grayed ( I color mine LOL) ......He seems more handsome to me everyday. It’s funny how we look at each other sometime and say it only seems like yesterday we were married. He is the love of my life.
I started vacationing with our two youngest grandchildren many moons ago. We started doing split stays initially between WDW and Universal and then we exclusively made Universal Orlando our destination every May at the end of school.
It was my way of having fun one on one time with my grandchildren. I highly recommend it to all grandparents. It has been a great joy to me to spend time having fun with them at the parks.
M graduated with her MBA in December and just got engaged. P is Junior now and is the varsity center for his high school football team. Sadly like others I had to cancel trip with grandson to Universal in May do to Covid.
My wonderful husband knows what a kid at heart I’am and he has been supportive of my vacations with the grandchildren as well as my solo trips to my happy place USO.
My husband and I are older. I’am over 60. He is not interested in the parks anymore, but understands my need to getaway for some me time to my happy place.
While I’am here I just let the world stay outside and the little kid come out and enjoy herself. No cooking, no cleaning no grocery store runs, just fun.
I feel I need to touch on the Covid crisis a bit. As this has affected so many. I know that there have been many touched my this tragic virus. Whether it has caused you to have to cancel a trip of a lifetime or you have lost a love one like our family did.
There are many people in the parks and hotel Industry that have lost their jobs or been furloughed do to the changing economics that have been caused by the virus. It has been hard for everyone.
Things will eventually get better. We are all in this together hang in there.
I have never owned a sewing machine before and when Covid started heavy here in the States back in February I decided to start making masks and give them away. I have perfected a design of my own and have shared them with family, friends, schools and hospitals. It was my way of contributing in some small way to help others. I finished a batch of smaller children size character masks before I left for this trip. I hope it brings a smile to the faces of all the children who wear them. They were Potter character masks, Minions and Marvel Super Hero’s and NASA masks.
I believe we can all do our part in someway to help each other.
I have been attending HHN since 2016. I was so sad it was cancelled this year, but understand the need to do so by Universal. That being said Universal has tried to add some HHN touches here to help.
SOLO TRIPS TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
I have seen a few posts by folks on the boards asking about solo travel here on the boards.
Solo travel here is easy, safe and fun. I have had the pleasure of meeting a few people here on my vacations from the Disboards. They are other ladies like myself who travel here solo for a break from their jobs etc...just to be a kid and enjoy the parks.
The parks and resorts are secure and safe. You have to go through security screening (bags are sent through X-ray machine) before entering CityWalk from the garages, before getting on boats to leave from the Resorts to go to parks etc.
There are security people in the parks and at the Resorts.
So your thinking WoW that’s a lot of security......not at all.......they are there if you are looking for them, but they are not distractingly obvious.
Eating at the restaurants is not an issue solo.
Riding rides is not an issue solo.
Just go and have a good time.
COVID PRECAUTIONS
I have seen a number of questions on the boards about how Universal Orlando is handling Covid precautions.
The answer is.........they are doing a wonderful job.
When you check into the Resorts there is someone stationed at the door once inside that checks your temperature and you are given a wrist band designating you have been checked. The color of the bands change everyday. If you remove your band and try entering the resort for instance after returning from the parks you will have your temperature checked again and will be issued another wrist band.
Everyone is required to wear a mask.
There is hand sanitizer located everywhere for you to use.
In the parks there is a TM that squirts a small amount of hand sanitizer in your hand before you get on the rides and there are hand sanitizer dispensers for you to use after the rides.
There are blue lined markings on the ground at the rides and water taxis to help people stand the appropriate distance apart.
There are TM’s with signs in the parks making sure folks are wearing their masks appropriately.
On the water taxi’s every other bench is empty. They have plenty of boats running to accommodate seating less people on the boats.
On the rides they are spacing you far enough apart.
On Hogwarts Express families are seated together in their train compartments and if you are solo you go in one by yourself.
There are plenty of designated areas that have been set aside for you to go and remove your mask for a break. Inside these areas are TM’s cleaning tables and chairs after you leave.
There are plenty of characters out in the parks, but they are on stage mostly. There are designated areas marked on the ground were you can stand for selfies with the characters in the background.
Universal is doing a wonderful job of doing everything they can do to make sure your vacation here is as safe as possible. This Retired RN is very impressed with the measures they have taken.
Now onto the trip report
Tuesday......September 29th
Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Check in day.
My usual home away from home Resort is Portofino Bay. We all have our favorites. I also like staying at Sapphire Falls, but they are both closed. So I changed my plans to stay at Royal Pacific. I have stayed here before and it is a beautiful Resort. I’am so glad I had the opportunity to stay here again.
I haven’t stayed here since the remodel and they did a wonderful job. It’s beautiful.
Some pics of Orchid Lounge
Check in was a breeze. Masks are required everywhere unless you are eating and drinking or are in your room. As I noted above you have your temperature checked at the door on your arrival and you are given a colored paper wrist bracelet to put on. Then you go to check in desk. There is plexiglass between you and desk staff. Hand sanitizer is on the counters for your use.
There are no bellmen to help with your bags. There are plenty carts for you to use to transport your luggage if needed. You are able to pull your vehicle up in the front under the covered loading areas to unload and load your luggage conveniently.
On check in a nice young man named Nicholas was very kind and helpful. My room was ready shortly and I went up and got settled in.
While you are here the maids will not enter your room. You place used towels and bagged garbage outside your door and it is collected every morning.
The hallways are clean, the rooms are spotless.
If you need additional towels etc....all you have to do is call Star services on your room phone and they are put in bags and delivered outside your door.
The maids will not enter your room until you check out. Fresh linens will be delivered in a bag outside your room when requested as well as fresh towels, shampoo, shower gel, lotions, soap, coffee pods, creamer, extra coffee cups etc...just call Star Service and it will be delivered in a bag and hung on your door.
Everything seems very well thought out and running smoothly.
After I was settled in room It was time to hit the parks.
I went to Universal a Studios and then decided it was lunch time although a little late for lunch. I was near Lombards and decided to have lunch there. When I walked in the guy at the counter said, I see your an AP holder (I wear a lanyard). He told me the upstairs dining room was specifically designated for AP holders during AP appreciation days and to the upstairs dining room I went.
I was the only one there.
I had the fish tacos and they were very good. The clouds opened up and it started pouring outside. I was happy to be inside for sure.
After I finished lunch and the rain had subsided I ventured out to go to one of my favorite places Diagon Alley. No matter how many times I walk through the wall into Diagon Alley and see the Dragon on top of Gringotts bank I’am always amazed. It’s fun watching other people waiting for the Dragon to breath fire for the first time. I remember timing it once and the Dragon breathed fire every 10 minutes. I have heard it can vary between 10 to 15 minutes. You can hear it churning up before it goes so keep those cameras ready.
The park was closing at five so I decided to take the Hogwarts Express over to IOA. It was not busy at all. Once you reach the platform you see there are distancing markers on the floor to keep everyone spaced apart. Once you reach the row assignment the TM squirts some hand sanitizer in your hand and then tells you which row to stand in.
I looked over once I was in my row and saw a fellow SANS thread poster Lynne in the distance. We were boarding and once I was in my compartment I texted her. Lynne, my younger sister K and myself were in one of Macs VIP RIP Tours together 3 years ago at HHN. It was a haunted house evening full of fun. If you are a fan of haunted houses you would love HHN.
We met up after the train unloaded. It was so nice to see her again. We walked over to Kong and basically walked on. Again the TM’s squirt hand sanitizer in your hand and then you are assigned a row to stand In until you board the the ride. I really like Kong. One of my favorite things to do is remove the 3D glasses at the end and look at the huge Kong head. The animatronics are awesome.
After this ride it was time to leave the park and head back to Resort. Lynne and I parted ways once we returned to Resort and I was ready for a shower and a rest. It was hot and muggy and I was looking forward to getting into the air conditioning and removing my mask.
I have seen people on the boards asking about wearing the masks in the heat. My answer is, you get used to it.
Take breaks from wearing the masks in the assigned U-Rest areas in the park, drink plenty of fluids. There are cups of ice water for free in the parks.
To be continued.
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