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Heading over to Studios in 1/2 hour. Do I need anything from PBH for EP or is everything facial recognition on each ride?

4:21pm on 4/26/26 by hodg

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Just your room key for EP initially

5:28pm on 4/26/26 by clyde4242

Thanks. Waiting for boat now- I made them miss one as I forgot my sunglasses.

5:34pm on 4/26/26 by hodg

Have fun. You will love PB. Make sure u pay Mama Della a visit

6:52pm on 4/26/26 by clyde4242

Tomoro! Have done PBH in 2022 w our kids- it's so nice.

7:05pm on 4/26/26 by hodg

It is truly the best. Our next trip will be at HR with a night at Helios. I'll be a little disappointed we will not be at PB but we will make our trip to Mama Della's for dinner.

9:37pm on 4/26/26 by clyde4242

Bring the room keys always in case they need to scan

8:33am on 4/27/26 by kateschmidt

Volcano bay today. Had bfast at trattoria- very chill by the waterside. Got ourselves over to VB earlier than necessary so we're good for RD. I didn't check on towel set up, presumed it'd be included at VB like at wdw WPs so will have to rent.

9:09am on 4/27/26 by hodg

Silly as we cldv got sone from the hotel pool yday I'm sure.

9:09am on 4/27/26 by hodg

How much they charge to rent them?

10:27am on 4/27/26 by clyde4242

$7. Expensive mistake.

5:18pm on 4/27/26 by hodg

Anyway had a nice chill day, I did a few slides without DH, he did coaster & rivers. Pretty quiet but so much better not stressing about booking slides on the tapu system.

5:20pm on 4/27/26 by hodg

Was it crowded? Is tonight Mama Della's?

8:37pm on 4/27/26 by clyde4242

VB was quiet. Yep last night was mama della- was all a bit loud for us really- cldv done without the accordion & we shldve shared entrees! Authentic Italian wld be sat out by the water edge w staff hustling you to come in.

6:29am on 4/28/26 by hodg

Food was v good but felt a bit claustrophobic for me.

6:31am on 4/28/26 by hodg

RD ioa this morning. Into hagrids line, "slight delay" :-( Hoping not much longer- they announced was starting up once, then back to delay. Trains were running as we came in

8:39am on 4/28/26 by hodg

Dfil will never ride that again- lol.

9:16am on 4/28/26 by hodg

Rut row rooby!

2:01pm on 4/28/26 by ladyortramp

They had a long pool break back at hotel while DH & I rode most of IOA other than wet rides. Nice to have some us time! Now we're all sat in DA w a fortescues ice cream so all is well

4:22pm on 4/28/26 by hodg

Now he has a cocktail by the pool so dfil is happy again. They did villain con with us- what is that about??

6:17pm on 4/28/26 by hodg

I love following along, sounds like a great trip! We have only done villain con once. None of us were fans of it. Felt liked they cheaped out with the standing.

7:43pm on 4/28/26 by WendyMarie

Think they've wasted a lot of $$ on guns but not much else. And knowing what my kids loved about minion mayhem when they were little- it doesn't really have any minions in it.

10:01pm on 4/28/26 by hodg

Dinner was Antojitos so dfil had a margarita to round off his day. Love the guac there- Tried to order less food but still over did it.

10:02pm on 4/28/26 by hodg

Not a fan of that ride. Too chaotic &can never really get the hang of it or quite figure it out. MIB 1000 better IMO. Opportunity missed. I think they overreached in trying to add in too much extra w/phones and intricacies the casual user will never use.

6:19am on 4/29/26 by Buckeye86

Sorry for delay, trying to catch up. LOVE reading/following along too! Thank you so much for posting. Sounds like you're having a great time!! I'm not a fan of Villain Con either, but will still do it at times for something different. :)

8:45am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

Agreed, they overreached. I have zero interest in messing with my phone during a ride personally. MIB is 1000x better.

8:46am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

MDellas: good place but agreed it's tight in there. Also too expensive, lol... Speaking of, paying for towels at a water park is wild to me. I don't think I'm a "cheap skate" but I think they should be providing towels, personally. Just me?

8:48am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

"Now we're all sat in DA w a fortescues ice cream so all is well" << reading this made me so happy for you. Talk about "living in a dream" here. GOOD VIBES!

8:49am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

I did think that if we were paying to stay onsite we'd get towels - yes. And dfil had his poolsode cocktail plus a blood orange margarita at Antojitos and ate plenty of good do was all good!

11:03pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

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So this thread seems to be the trip report now- today was a later start into studios. Did minions, abandoned in-laws do we cld ride transformers & mummy, did Bourne, Fallon, lunch, ET, MiB(too much spinning for dfil) then HE to IOA

11:06pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

Tried to do VC but it went down as we got there, did Kong then headed out to hotel. DH & I had nachos at pool, plan was pizza at Sals but we were too full! In-laws got pizza then back to see cinesational from better spot.

11:08pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

DH & I will RD hagrids agsin tomoro, we'll meet in-laws later. Then hopefully they'll actually ride a bit more in IOA- planning Seuss & the wet rides anyway. Then I do have to go register at my conference to justify being here..

11:09pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

Hodg mega 3 week trip starts here. Got limping DH with his dodgy hip & mid 80s in-laws thru Heathrow & mco ok & just checked into SN. Do cool to see it all after watching YouTube's for so long! Going to pop to epic for a few hours & for dinner.

3:21pm on 4/23/26 by hodg

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Oh boy you are gonna have a blast. Do you stay at SN the entire trip?

3:54pm on 4/23/26 by clyde4242

Nope- 1 night here, check in Helios tomoro for 2 nights- too expensive to do 3! Then PBH 7 nights- 3 days are a conference for me, then wdw, then Wish.

4:11pm on 4/23/26 by hodg

You made it ! Vacation is here ! So fun ! Happy to travel along with you.

7:32pm on 4/23/26 by snelvis

Awesome, we just had a short trip and did similar, 3 nights Portofino and 2 nights Helios

9:36pm on 4/23/26 by clyde4242

Epic is so pretty & theming amazing. Nice to arrive late afternoon & take it slow to look around not RD rush. Did MU, SR - 1st time front row, 2nd in dark- just fantastic! HWG & met toothless. Ate at stakehaus- was v good.

10:04pm on 4/23/26 by hodg

Need to set up TPs to work out time frame for next 2 days without pushing dmil too hard- she fell in garden last week so is sore & slower than DH & his hip.

10:06pm on 4/23/26 by hodg

Have a great trip - excited to follow along and take notes for our first UOR trip in July! We also have an afternoon start at Epic which sounded so much more relaxing than RD! Wld be interested in your thoughts on best RD approach from Helios!

2:20am on 4/24/26 by NTEI

Moved over, dropped bags, hot coffee in Helios lobby all easily. Very straight forward down the path to the rope. Stunning hotel! We may not be best parameter for RD strategy as in-laws are not walking quick after dmil fall last week. DH can motor w stick

8:28am on 4/24/26 by hodg

IT'S TIME!!!!!! WHOO!!! FOLLOWING ALONG!!! Thank you for posting! This is going to be an amazing vacation! 7 days at PBH sounds like an absolute dream!! ENJOY! Smell the roses, friend!

9:46am on 4/24/26 by browndalmatian

Loving Epic but we have enough time that there's no pressure. Currently sat watching fyre drill with a cider in hand. Going to leave Mario till tomoro RD, then do ministry agsin sun am before we move to PBH

11:58am on 4/24/26 by hodg

Did BatM, CotW, MU, carousel, early links at spitfire grill, heading to dragon show now. Not sure if I'm up for getting wet on fyre drill after that

12:00pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

I'm so excited to follow along!

12:11pm on 4/24/26 by mmmartin

Loved dragon show. Now we're sticking it thru a longish line for fyre drill. Think plan will then be ice cream, see if rooms ready at Helios & pool

1:37pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

Hooray! I'm closely following along!

4:06pm on 4/24/26 by popupcamper

In laws got soaked on FD, DH & me did ok for once. Came out of park after, got our rooms at Helios- sadly opposite ends of same floor as yhere aren't many king rooms but all good. Now poolside with a froze until dinner at flora taverna later

5:22pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

Planning on watching fountain show from the room and tomoro we need to hit Mario at RD

5:23pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

Happily following along on this adventure!

5:34pm on 4/24/26 by brerbeer

Also interested! Traveling with your group sounds fun and I like that you are enjoying the experience!

6:59pm on 4/24/26 by whenuwish

Had a nice chill few hours at the oool, dinner was good. But they can't put the music into the Helios rooms for the "fountain" show yet. So we watched from lobby level- it's just lights thru the park & fountains back by carousel currently so a bit meh.

9:48pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

Ready for RD again- much busier at Helios gate today & MoM is down so sadly that's going to push up the Mario crowd. Oh well, guess we'll do a bit of a line today.

8:47am on 4/25/26 by hodg

Here we go

8:59am on 4/25/26 by hodg

Have a fantastic day! So fun to follow along.

9:01am on 4/25/26 by WendyMarie

Dfil survived minecarts- just. Mario carts is down so doing yoshi. Not what TP tells us to do but we're def on the minimise walking approach

9:45am on 4/25/26 by hodg

Starbucks break to let DH sit a bit. Mario back up so we're braving the line- we weren't quick enough spotting it reopened & getting over so likely 60. Hoping not more!

12:01pm on 4/25/26 by hodg

Hmm. This was an error. Over 90 minutes & we're not quite to 1st preshow. None of us are this into Mario!

1:08pm on 4/25/26 by hodg

So late lunch at gobelet noir- decent & nice & quiet. Cirque arcanu- we queue jumped as they saw DH's walking stick & put us into EP line & in with wc users- not sure why but not complaining! Now back for a swim, Bar Helios tonight.

4:07pm on 4/25/26 by hodg

Doesn't look like MoM is coming online today- we weren't planning to ride but so tough if this is your 1 day here.

4:09pm on 4/25/26 by hodg

Sounds like a great start to the trip!!

1:22am on 4/26/26 by NTEI

Last epic RD this am. Got main luggage into bell service last night, dropped small cases in now, all set to hopefully get MoM, couple of dragon rides, SR & off to PBH. Have 2 physical EP given by a passing stranger yday so that's cool.

8:41am on 4/26/26 by hodg

I hope your day is great! Can't wait to hear your next report.

9:11am on 4/26/26 by TenMileMom

RD worked well today- on & off MoM quickly, we just don't keep up to the front of the crowd but even so it's fine. Chilling a bit now so we're sat at Cafe Sirene streetside with breakfast. They have done Paris so well :-)

9:45am on 4/26/26 by hodg

Sat watching the offsite tidal wave come through- very amusing. Surprised the crowd reached Paris by 9.50am tho- seems unfair on onsite guests looking to enter another line before the 10am rush. Tho I guess other portals opened at 9.45.

9:59am on 4/26/26 by hodg

Left the in laws chilling in Paris while we rode SR again- love that ride! Then did HWG and used paper fastpass on dragon racers. Now sat at PBH pool but heading into studio for a couple of rides, dinner at LC & night show.

4:23pm on 4/26/26 by hodg

@hodg, how did you like Bar Helios?

10:47am on 4/27/26 by PrincipalTinker

It was really good. Only thing was the beef was sl over cooked- we'd asked for medium rare. Prob shldv sent it back but it was the last thing to arrive. Shame the fountains not working-we'd seen lights night before so didn't go out as not much to see atm.

5:16pm on 4/27/26 by hodg

Other issue i wldv had is the green balustrade around the terrace blocks lower 1/3 of the view of the fountain circle for my height. As no fountains it wasn't a problem tho.

5:17pm on 4/27/26 by hodg

But we did love it & had lovely evening :-)

5:17pm on 4/27/26 by hodg

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"Have 2 physical EP given by a passing stranger yday so that's cool." Awesome! "Dis---UNI MAGIC?" LOL :) "Now sat at PBH pool" < again... sounds like a dream come true. :) SO HAPPY.

8:54am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

Sounds like such a great time! Glad you enjoyed EPIC. And the multiple trips on SR... you are brave!!! I think I may have mentioned here I am officially "done with SR for the rest of my life" LOLOL (3 times total for me, that's enough :D )

8:55am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

SR still less intense than VC to me as less inversions. And Hulk still the hardest to ride as bangs you around so much tho love the launch.

11:01pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

Doing this as a separate thread re Dfil ability to cope w rides. He's ridden HPFJ in past but won't go in now. Sort of rides SpiderMan but not sure if he ever opens his eyes. Didn't like old 3d minions.

10:08pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

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TBH I can go and not even do those (just walk around, eat, etc.) and still be happy. I hope he's still having a great time!!

9:02am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

He did hagrids having told us he'd watched it on YouTube. Luckily we were back 2 rows. He thought he wasn't going to make it off alive, sat for an hour feeling awful, had a cup of tea at 3BS & went back to hotel till 3pm.

10:59pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

So no to coasters! Tho he tells us he's going to ride BTMRR next week. And SpiderMan tomoro

10:59pm on 4/29/26 by hodg

How to start plan?

10:13am on 4/29/26 by oberlevb

Are you looking to create a plan or are you looking to use a plan you created?

5:04pm on 4/29/26 by PrincipalTinker

Oh! Welcome to chat!

5:04pm on 4/29/26 by PrincipalTinker

I usually order groceries through water butlers but doesn't look like they deliver to Universal. Where do y'all order from? Looks like Garden Grocer delivers but I have to be there to accept.

4:19pm on 4/24/26 by popupcamper

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But I use water butlers too at Disney following liner recommendations.

11:50am on 4/25/26 by madamelynn

We used Amazon at Yacht Club once (it was fine) but never did this at UO. If you have a car you could go pick groceries up. (I'd rather do delivery too though.)

9:05am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

We use walmart+

2:34pm on 4/29/26 by Faeriesxist83

Question regarding the Universal app accounts. There are 8 of us on this our 1st Universal trip. Do we all need our own Universal app account? Specifically for the Mario land games.

3:44pm on 4/26/26 by winnie79

If you're talking about the power bands I believe so. We set ours up and I never really followed thru with it

10:28am on 4/27/26 by clyde4242

I'm sorry but I don't know about the Mario stuff. :( For just getting in, etc. no you don't all need your own account. My kids and wife are all tied to my app under me and everything works good. But we haven't messed with the Mario stuff much. :\

8:56am on 4/29/26 by browndalmatian

I am looking for liners with experience staying at Stella Nova. The website states that all rooms have in-room safes. Did your room have one? I ask because Aventura says the same thing and in Oct. my room did not have one.

7:21pm on 4/4/26 by PrincipalTinker

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Thanks @hodg.

11:58am on 4/25/26 by PrincipalTinker

Yes safe. 2 bedroom queen room if it matters

12:07pm on 4/25/26 by snelvis

All the rooms are the same I think.

6:32pm on 4/28/26 by Buckeye86

Is there a better place to watch the cinesational show? And is 30 min early enough to stake out?

6:05pm on 4/26/26 by hodg

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Enjoyed the show but I got it wrong and had us too far up the water- thought it was all the way along the lake not just the bottom end. We were close to opposite ghiradelli. So for future reference better to be closer to transforners end!

9:07am on 4/27/26 by hodg

Sorry just now seeing this! We stand pretty much in the middle but that far up you can see everything easily.

9:24am on 4/27/26 by sneezy93

I thought I'd put us in the middle! Misjudged how small the fountain area was. My fault!

5:19pm on 4/27/26 by hodg

It's a while since I used the amazing picture website. Have a photo package, can log in & see photos, but can't work out how to get into photos on my phone. I can click & it downloads- but I don't know where to! iPhone.

12:11pm on 4/25/26 by hodg

I see mine on my iPhone if I search "downloads". - it's a little search option near the bottom of the screen.

1:32pm on 4/25/26 by WendyMarie

That works- thanks! Sure it wasn't that difficult before.

3:04pm on 4/25/26 by hodg

Important question. Is frosty moon squirty soft serve or proper scoop ice cream like honeydukes?

1:44pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

Or even fortescues

2:24pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

No experience but in looking at reviews it appears Frosty Moon is soft serve, Fortescues has both.

4:08pm on 4/24/26 by popupcamper

It was soft serve. We went for poolsode frozes instrad :-)

5:20pm on 4/24/26 by hodg

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