Vacation Archives - Page 4 of 26

Our Hollywood Studios Itinerary

June 17, 2019 No Comments

The first park on our schedule was Hollywood Studios. The last time I visited Hollywood Studios it was called Disney-MGM Studios! The Sunday we went had Extra Magic Hours for Disney Hotel guests, so the park opened at 8 a.m. for us. Since it was our first day at the parks, it was not too difficult for us to wake up early.

Our pre-booked FastPass schedule looked like this:

9:30-10:30: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
10:35-11:35: Star Tours
7:15-8:15: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Our plan was to “rope-drop” Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land. However, we found out that the ride was down for maintenance issues and would not be open at 8 a.m.–doh! When I have a set plan in place, it is difficult for me “go with the flow”. However, I tried to have a good attitude about it and we went on Toy Story Mania! instead. We had been on this ride at California Adventure before so I had not planned on riding it here.

The queue is mostly indoors and had a lot of cute oversize toys to look at. I’m not really a fan of these shooting for points rides because inevitably someone in our family ends up feeling sad that they lost or did not do well.

It did not seem like many other rides were open before 9 a.m. We ended up just walking around and taking in some of the sights of “Hollywood Boulevard”.

We decided to check out the Star Wars Launch Bay, even though we were not quite sure what it was. There are currently no rides here. It is more of a museum and theater. However, we saw a group of people getting in line, so we followed them. It turned out to be a meet and greet for Chewbacca!

These Stormtroopers marched up and down the park and put on performances periodically throughout the day. I felt bad for how hot they must have been!

Using our first Fastpass for Rock ‘n’ Roll Rollercoaster was a success! We tapped our Magic Bands at the entrance and had a minimal wait time. This ride is kind of like Space Mountain in that it is a dark indoor roller coaster (but this one does go upside down!) n said he closed his eyes the whole time. We ended up riding it a second time in the evening, and he said he was able to open his eyes for more of the ride.

We also used our Fastpass for Star Tours. This was another ride that we were already familiar with from Disneyland.

We ate an early lunch at Backlot Express.

Our lunch:

Cuban Sandwich (Classically-pressed Roasted Pulled Pork, Sliced Ham, Swiss, Pickles and Mustard served with French Fries)
Backlot Burger (1/3 lb Angus Beef Burger topped with Barbecued Pork, Pepper Jack Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato and Pickles served with Carrot Sticks or French Fries)
Southwest Salad With Chicken (Mixed Greens topped with Grilled Chicken Breast, Crisp Wonton, Black Bean Relish and Avocado served with Vinaigrette Dressing)

We started to notice a trend with the use of pulled pork at the various park restaurants. Ordering three entrees to split between the four of us seemed to work out most of the time for our family.

As we were leaving the restaurant, a cast member that was passing by asked n if he wanted a cupcake. n was not quite sure how to react, but D said he would take it so we ended up with a free dessert! The kids liked the buttercream frosting.

After lunch we watched the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, Muppet Vision 3D, Frozen Sing Along, and the Beauty & the Beast Live Stage Show.

It was nice to be able to sit down and rest our feet during the shows. While the indoor shows were especially comfortable due to the air conditioning, the outdoor shows were not too bad because they had shades to block the sun. D and the kids liked the comedic aspect of the Frozen show while I enjoyed the singing, dancing and costumes for Beauty and the Beast.

For dinner we ate at Fairfax Fare:

Fajita Combo Platter (Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken and Flour Tortillas served with Black Beans, Cilantro Rice, Peppers, Onions, Sour Cream and Fire-roasted Corn Medley)
Fairfax Salad (Pulled Pork, Wedge Salad, Bacon, Fire-roasted Corn Medley, Crispy Tortilla Strips and Cheddar served with a Jalapeño Ranch Dressing)

The salad ended up being the better value here. I am not sure if our serving was an anomaly, but it had a huge portion of pulled pork (as well as a lot of cheese, as you can see).

We checked our app and saw that the wait time for Slinky Dog Dash was not too bad so we headed back to Toy Story Land. The theming for this land is really bright and cheeful. I am looking forward to seeing Toy Story 4!

We had to wait in line for a little under an hour for Slinky Dog Dash. This was probably the longest line we waited in during our five days at the parks! I really wanted to go on it since we do not have it in California. It was a smooth, cute and easy roller coaster.

I used some of my Starbucks gift cards for an after-dinner treat.

We were planning to use our last Fastpass of the day for Tower of Terror after dinner. However, our plans were once again spoiled because the ride was not operating due to maintenance issues. Since we have been on this ride at California Adventure, it was not too big of a disappointment. Since we had a Fastpass that we could not use, we were allowed to use it on another ride. That is why we were able to ride the Rock ‘n’ Roller coaster another time at night.

We grabbed seats in the Fantasmic amphitheater about an hour before the show started. It was nice to have actual seats instead of having to fight for space as you do at Disneyland. Fantasmic is one of my favorite shows, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I compared it to the one at Disneyland. I have seen the show countless times from when I worked at Disneyland twenty-plus years ago, so the differences jumped out at me. I think the show is still pretty spectacular for those who have never seen it before, so I would still recommend staying to see it if you can.

Although this was a long day for us, starting out with Hollywood Studios was a good way to ease in to our Disney World vacation. The park is relatively compact, so going from one land to another is not too much of a trek. Our afternoon consisted mostly of watching shows, so our wait times were minimal and we were able to “rest”. I felt like we saw everything we wanted to see in one day. Once the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge expansion opens (end of August 2019), this place is sure to become crazy!

Products that helped us to keep cool!

The heat and humidity in Florida during our stay was no joke! The temperatures were in the low 90’s even though it was often overcast. Keeping hydrated is essential, but we were also brought along a couple of products that helped keep us cool(er)!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

D bought a 6-pack of these cooling towels before our trip, and I am so glad that he did! We wet them at the drinking fountain or restroom and sink, and they provided instant cooling relief. I wore them on my shoulders as a scarf and D put them on his head underneath his hat.

I like how this misting fan is compact. n was able to carry it in his backpack. They sell larger ones at the park but they seem too bulky to carry around (and I am sure they are a lot more expensive!) The mist of water combined with this fan really works!

Reviews, Vacation

Pop Century Resort Is A Great Choice For Families At Walt Disney World

June 13, 2019 No Comments

We had an early flight to Orlando out of John Wayne airport. Can I just say how much I love SNA? So quick and easy!

We packed three carry-ons and checked one piece of luggage. Disney mailed us luggage tags beforehand since we were staying at a Disney property and we gave them our flight information beforehand. Once we checked the bag, it was delivered straight to our hotel room about three hours after our plane landed. So convenient!

Before we landed, I had everyone put on their Magic Bands. (Make sure you do not pack them in your checked luggage). After we landed, we followed the signs to the Magical Express shuttles. They scanned our Magic Bands (no other paper/receipt necessary) and directed us to the Pop Century/Art of Animation shuttle.

I checked my phone and I had a text that our room was ready, along with our room number. We were able to bypass the front check-in desk and go straight to our room. The Magic Band acted as our “key” to the room. Wow, these Magic Bands did feel like “magic”! And of course, the kids loved being able to open the room by themselves and had to take turns doing so.

The Pop Century rooms recently received a makeover, and I really liked the modern, tasteful decor. The carpetless floors made it feel cleaner as well. Although the rooms are not large, they utilize the space well. One neat feature is the desk that turns into a second queen-sized bed. I ended up sleeping on both beds during the course of our stay, and while the regular bed is more comfortable, the murphy bed is not bad.

Here are the kids demonstrating how the desk turns into a bed.

The bathroom had a good amount of storage space despite its small size.

I failed to take a picture of the cabinet to the left of the television/dresser. It contained a nice glass-front mini refrigerator, a coffee maker and additional shelving.

After settling in a bit, we ate dinner at the Pop Century cafeteria. This is n enjoying his kids’ salmon plate. We also shared a grilled chicken sandwich and chicken parmesan. The food was just ok, nothing special. However, this was the only meal we ate at the hotel (aside from a partial breakfast on our last day) so this was not a big deal for us.

After dinner we headed for the Hippy Dippy pool. Almost as soon as we arrived, it started to rain! Welcome to Florida in June, I guess. The pool was quite warm so the cool rain actually felt nice.

Our room was in the 60’s building. “Take a right at the giant Duncan yo-yo!” We were fairly close to the cafeteria and most importantly, the buses!

There is a nice lake right behind the hotel with a 1.3 mile running trail. This is D looking sad because he was not able to do much running during our vacation.

We saw the Skyliner project in progress. Eventually this will be a gondola system that connects Pop Century (along with some other hotels) with Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Once the Skyliner project is completed (estimated Fall 2019), this will be another good reason to consider Pop Century!

National Parks, Vacation

Discover A Whole New Underground World in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

April 29, 2019 No Comments

Carlsbad Caverns National Park marks our 23rd national park visit as a family. I failed to make reservations in time for a guided hike, so we did self-guided hikes. I think we could have seen everything we wanted to see in one day, but we opted to spread out our visit over two days. This allowed us to take our time and not feel rushed.

Before you enter the Natural Entrance, the park ranger gives a short spiel to everyone about not touching the cave formations and safety precautions. On our first day we decided to hike down through the Natural Entrance and take the elevator back up to the visitor center.

Once you enter the caverns, the temperature is in the mid 50’s. There are several lights showcasing the different formations, but much of the path is fairly dark. The path is well-paved and there are handrails throughout.

There is an underground snack bar near the elevators!

This was a ladder they used to use to climb down into the caverns. Can you imagine??

I could not believe how big the caverns were. They seemed to be endless. I commented that they looked like the Knott’s Berry Farm Mine Ride, but k reminded me that it is actually the Mine Ride that was made to look like the caverns.

The second day we took the elevator down. We were planning to take the elevator back up as well. However, D overheard a ranger say that hiking back up was only for those in “good shape”, which D took as a personal challenge. The kids were up for the challenge as well and I reluctantly went along. D struck up a conversation with a solo hiker who was also making her way out of the caverns. It turns out that she is a 5th grade elementary school teacher and has visited many national parks as well. By the end of the hike the kids and D were racing her to the top.

Visitors are encouraged to touch this piece of stalagmite while they are waiting for the elevators so they are less tempted to touch things once they are inside.

It was a relief once we made out of the caverns, but it really was not too bad if you take rest breaks.

We certainly worked up an appetite for lunch! The cafeteria served up some surprisingly good Mexican food made with local fresh ingredients.

We shared a plate of the tostadas, soft tacos and nachos. I would say the carnitas were the standout protein.

Since the restaurant options outside the park near our hotel were nearly non-existent, we thought we would be smart and return to the cafeteria for dinner to go (it closed at 4 p.m.) One of the employees told us that was not possible, but a couple of other employees took pity on us and provided us with a couple pieces of foil and paper trays so we did end up eating there twice in one day!

We all agreed, Carlsbad Caverns National Park landed on the Lim Family’s Top Five List of Best National Parks!

Vacation

Sledding at White Sands National Monument

April 2, 2019 No Comments

Did you know you can go sledding down the sand dunes at White Sands National Monument?

The gift shop sells sand disks, along with small blocks of wax. Note you can buy either new or used disks, and that you can also sell the disks back for a refund after you are done using them.

We were hoping to buy a used Sand Disk, but they were all out so we ended up with a new one.

The park is not that big, so we just drove around and found what looked like a good spot for sledding.

The parking lots had a lot of these picnic tables with wind shelters if you want to bring food.

It was so much fun sledding down the dunes, but it was not easy climbing back up! It was a good workout after sitting in the car for so long. The gift shop employee recommended putting the wax on the back of the sled every other time to make it slide easier.

The gypsum sand was cool to the touch and so fine.

If you are within the vicinity of Las Cruces, New Mexico, I would definitely recommend making a stop at White Sands National Monument.

Food, Restaurant Reviews, Vacation

Cheap Eats in Tuscon + Las Cruces

March 27, 2019 No Comments

We spent the first night of our spring break road trip in Tuscon, Arizona. After resting in our hotel room for a bit, we headed out to grab some dinner.

We decided to try BK Tacos so that we could compare their Sonoran Hot Dogs to the ones we had at El Guero Canelo the last time we were in Tuscon.

It is difficult to compare a dish to a memory of another dish, but I feel like I preferred the Sonoran Hot Dog at El Guero Canelo (even though BK Tacos came out on top on The Food Network’s Food Wars show). However, k and I both enjoyed the chicken caramelo (quesadilla) and D liked his carne asada torta. Also, BK definitely wins in the ambience department.

Our next stop was Juice N Fruit Raspados, which was just a few minutes away.

I knew that we wanted to try the raspados, but we debated whether to split two mediums or two larges between the four of us. The raspados are made of layers of fruity syrup with chunks of fruit, shaved ice and optional vanilla ice cream and condensed milk.

We ended up ordering a large strawberry raspado and a large mango raspado. Good thing too, since we were fighting over the last bites–ha! I would also highly recommend going for the ice cream and condensed milk for just a little over a dollar extra. Totally worth it! Now we need to find a local place that serves raspados like these.

Free breakfast at the hotel was okay…We continued our drive to Las Cruces, New Mexico. There we stopped at Bosa Donuts.

I had read good things about their brisket burritos and apple fritters (kind of an odd combination, right?). Alas, they were out of apple fritters by lunchtime, but we did order a couple of brisket burritos.

This may not be the most appetizing picture, but I wanted to show you the inside. It was chock-full of tasty brisket. The kids loved it!

To top it all off, we made a stop at Whataburger. We saw this regional chain everywhere during our trip, so D had to try it.

We ordered a green chile hamburger, since we were in New Mexico, after all. It was a tad too salty for my taste, but D liked the chopped green chile. We also shared a chocolate shake (that’s allowed when you’re on vacation!). Tummies full, we continued our drive to White Sands National Monument.

Celebrations, Family Field Trips, Food, n, Vacation

In Search of the Superbloom in Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve

March 26, 2019 No Comments

It has been a while since I have done a vacation post. Well, last week we went on a road trip with stops in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas during spring break. That means I have a lot to share!

We left early in the morning on what was coincidentally n’s 10th birthday! Our first stop was Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve because I had heard you could see some Superbloom action there.

We arrived before 8:00 a.m., and the parking lot was pretty empty. Nothing like the crowds in Lake Elsinore!

There is a small visitor’s center, but we did not go inside. There was a friendly volunteer/docent who directed us on the main path to McCallum Pond. He told us that if we went just past the pond, we would see a lot of flowers (toward Moon Country).

At the beginning of the trail there was a boardwalk. k noted there was a small placard showing that it was an Eagle Scout project–nice!

I have never seen such massive palm trees!

During our hike, we came across this small patch of flowers. I could not believe how they look like a bouquet that was put together by a florist!

McCallum Pond is where the palm trees are, off in the distance.

We continued on the path as directed and found the Superbloom!

Not sure why D is doing the tough guy pose.

I was not planning on hiking as much as we did, but it was good for us since we were about to spend another six or so hours in the car.

On our way back to the 10 freeway, we drove by this amazing field of flowers and I had to ask D to stop so I could take a picture. Superbloom 2019 is for real!

We continued our drive along 10-E. It was much more picturesque than usual thanks to the flowers that were blooming along the highway. We also found ourselves in the midst of the Painted Lady butterfly migration. Several smashed right against our car as we were driving, leaving bright yellow stains on our windshield and wings in our grill–yuck. Soon we would arrive in Tuscon for the first night of our road trip…

Family Field Trips, Vacation

Following the Footsteps of Huell Howser

January 10, 2019 2 Comments

After checking out Griffith Park Observatory, we drove to Ferndell, which is also located in Griffith Park. Several years ago, I watched an episode of Huell Howser’s California’s Gold where he visited Ferndell. It’s funny how certain things stick with you: I kept Ferndell in my mental filing cabinet of places that I would like to visit one day ever since watching that episode.

For those who are not familiar with Huell Howser or California’s Gold, he was a local icon. I liked his show (which aired on public television) because he explored places in California that were somewhat off of the beaten track. He had an affable on-screen personality and was always curious about everyone and every place he encountered.

So that is how we ended up at Ferndell. First we ate lunch at The Trails Cafe, which is located right by the trail. There is a cute little seating area outside with picnic benches. Perfect for a pre- or post-hike snack or meal.

The kids each had a Snake Dog (hot dog wrapped in puff pastry) with a small side of fruit. They both gave it a thumbs up!

D and I split an egg salad sandwich. We were still pretty full from the breakfast at the Sheraton.

The trail itself is more of a walk than a hike.

The trail follows along a small creek. There are a lot of ferns (hence the name Ferndell), which gives it a shady, tropical feel.

It is not a place that you would expect to find near the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

On our way back to the car, I had to stop and take some pictures of the lovely trees.

Even though this staycation was only one night and just over an hour away from our house, it was nice to get away. Thank you, Huell Howser, for inspiring us to explore California’s Gold!

Vacation

A Visit to Griffith Observatory

January 3, 2019 No Comments

After eating a mediocre breakfast at the Sheraton, we headed out to Griffith Observatory. I was the only one in our family who had been there before. It is one of those iconic places in Southern California that everyone should visit. I wonder how much the visitor count went up after LaLaLand came out?

Taking in the view, somewhat obscured by what we like to call the “marine layer”.

I had planned for us to watch a show at the Planetarium, but unfortunately it was closed due to “technical difficulties”. We had already pre-paid parking by the hour so that was a bummer.

However, we were able to check out all of the cool solar system exhibits.

I always like going on educational field trips. Wherever you live, I am sure there are a lots of places to discover. Make 2019 the year you go out and explore!

Vacation

Staycation at Sheraton Universal Studios

January 3, 2019 No Comments

The nice thing about staying overnight when visiting a theme park is the ability to take a break at the hotel room to recharge. We made reservations at the Sheraton Universal Hotel, conveniently located about five minutes from Universal Studios. From the outside, the hotel did not look too impressive. They were doing some construction, so maybe they will be working on a facelift.

The interiors and the room itself were quite nice, minus the odd odor that greeted us every time we got off the elevator.

Somehow, D has maintained his Platinum status at Marriott, so we had access to the Club Lounge. We filled up on the evening appetizers (pizza bites, cheese and crackers, veggies, etc.) so that we would not have to buy a full dinner!

Waiting in the lobby for the shuttle to take us back to Universal Studios.

At nighttime, Universal City Walk felt like a PG version of Las Vegas!

We splurged on a large boba drink from Mini Monster. Thankfully, security let us bring in the empty glass jar (I didn’t think about it until after I had already bought the drink). I am not sure if that is standard protocol, or we just got lucky. The mason jar says California, and does make a nice souvenir!

The periodic snowfall in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter added even more magic to the ambience.

The lighting of Hogwarts Castle was pretty spectacular! Our viewpoint from the stand where they sell Pumpkin Juice was nice because it was not too crowded.

We were also able to catch one of the Whoville Christmas tree lightings. What a fun way to start off our winter break and celebrate k’s birthday!

Vacation

Visiting Universal Studios During Christmas, Part II

January 2, 2019 No Comments

While we enjoyed trying out all of the newer rides at Universal Studios, the tram tour is still one of our favorites. It is nice to just be able to sit back and relax for an extended amount of time.