Holidays and extra projects have kept me from posting quite as much as I’d like…plus we recently came back from an AMAZING vacation!
After winning a couple free JetBlue tickets in the spring, we decided to make our way down to Orlando to fulfill a dream vacay the kids have held for some time now.
This was their first time flying. Flying JetBlue is fantastic…they’re one of the best airlines out there for families. Love their extra legroom and they took careful COVID19 precautions with wiping down seats, armrests, etc. between flights.
How I wish I’d taken a video of my youngest daughter during takeoff…her squeals of glee, shrieks of delight, shouts of amazement, all for the entire plane to hear…:)
We stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort and loved the accommodations.
Staying on resort allowed us EPA (Extra Park Admission) to beat crowds for any of the more popular rides, plus it was simple and convenient to grab the shuttle to and from the park.
We were there the week before Thanksgiving and the hotel and park were all decorated for the holidays. Christmas music and 75 degrees…didn’t quite go together, but we still appreciated it!
Universal took plenty of precautions to promote safety and well-being for us in the midst of COVID19.
- An announcer gave us a detailed safety spiel each morning as we waited to enter the park early.
- Signs were located throughout the park regarding washing hands, social distancing, and wearing a mask.
- They were vigilant about the masks, keeping on top of visitors who might have pulled theirs down for the moment.
- Stickers were placed in the queues to strategically keep parties 6 feet apart.
- Hand sanitizer was mandatorily given before boarding rides and almost always available right after the ride, as well.
- In addition, they had designated areas in the park in which you could sit with you party and take of your masks to rest.
- Crowds were not bad for us. We went to the parks on weekdays, the week before Thanksgiving ,and enjoyed reduced capacity. Universal is maintaining a cap on how many people they allow in the park daily, but we didn’t hit that max during our visit. Resort guests are automatically considered in the number.
Seriously, the highlight of our trip was hitting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
We’re all big fans and it was nothing short of magical to enter Diagon Alley for the very first time – the apex of the trip!
I was amazed at the detail Universal put into replicating the world of Harry Potter…
from the hidden entrance, colorful storefronts, intricate wands at Ollivanders, vanishing on platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross, the characters you meet on the Hogwarts Express, Hogsmeade in the snow and the castle lit up at night –
Such time and care was placed into each and every facet of this unique world. We were walking a dream as we meandered blissfully from shop to shop.
The rest of Universal was a blast, as well. Minions, Marvel, Dr. Seuss…. they had a plethora of different areas and rides. My older daughter, who’s my biggest thrill seeker, loved the Hulk Coaster. My younger absolutely adored Pteranadon Flyers.
During our weeklong stay, we were able to take a trip to Homosassa Springs and swim with manatees! Curtis County is the only place in the US where it’s legal to do this and we were thrilled to take advantage of this on one of our mornings. The water was COLD, but we all took a dip in the springs.
This trip was covered in many prayers for good health and travel mercies and we felt exquisitely blessed in numerous ways –
down to very last portion of our week, the flight home.
We missed our plane by minutes, but the JetBlue rep was fantastic in booking us on a morning flight free of charge.
God providentially secured us a fabulous hotel room in the airport – Hyatt Regency Orlando – ended up being completely for us, due to us being Hyatt cardholders, plus our room was on the top floor, overlooking the airfield! We had the perfect view to watch the airplanes take off and land all the afternoon and evening.
And after such a busy week in Orlando, it was an absolute treat to just sit and enjoy movies as a family – Harry Potter, of course!
This was an incredible trip – a dream trip for our kids. They’re already talking about when we can go back!
Thank you for posting, I agree, Jetblue is the best! I went here a couple years ago: so fun!
Yes! We flew on JetBlue again this year – can’t wait to post about our new journey!
So glad you were able to make it to Universal and enjoy it 🙂