The Polite Traveler

It’s all About Ohana at the Polynesian Cultural Center Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, Realizing that I would lose an entire day of my trip to paradise has kept me from visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center for years.  However, it got to the point that I had to ask myself, “Why?”.  Why would I consider visiting a place so full of history and island culture a waste of my time when I highly value ohana (family/home)?  Silly and wrong thinking.  Thankfully, I finally made the commitment of a single day because I found the experience to be an enrichment of the soul and exciting to boot.  It is definitely not a waste of an entire day.  Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.   Getting there isn’t easy Unless staying on the north end of Oahu, getting to the cultural center takes time.  It takes over an hour to reach the Polynesian Cultural Center from Waikik...

Comfy and Friendly Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, Known primarily a business hotel, the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel is our new home-away-from-home when staying in Honolulu.  Its close proximity to the beach, zoo, shops and all the happenings makes this a great jumping-off spot as well.  Note: Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.   Our Comfy Room The rooms are spacious and well-appointed with a large flat-screen television, refrigerator , coffee maker, and lanai.  Since we are Hilton Honors members, we were automatically upgraded from a city view on the 5th floor to an ocean view on the 29th floor in addition to free Wi-Fi.  Hilton rocks!  It was a lovely room.  Check it out! What You’ll Find Inside The massive, lively lobby is adorned with numerous seating areas, welcome desk, bar/entertainment area, and hallways to the giftshop, Starbucks ...

What is Universal's King’s Cross Station & The Hogwarts Express Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, Channeling the excitement Harry must have had for his first ride on the Hogwarts Express – and finding platform 9 ¾ – I nearly ran through a wonderfully replicated King’s Cross Station to get to said train.  Totally unnecessary, but I couldn’t help it.  I am an old lady who still thinks she is a kid. Note : Follow CDC and Park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.    Let’s Make a Little Magic Attention to detail is on overload at King’s Cross, right down to the perfume ad Harry and Dumbledore stood in front of near the beginning of the movie Half-Blood Prince.  Slow down and try to appreciate the setting.  Gaze at the brick walls.  Appreciate the ubiquitous musician at the front of the station—very typical at the actual King’s Cross in London.  Platform 9 ¾ Once up a flight...

Priceless Entertainment Surprises At Universal Orlando Revised 4/2021 Where can one find performances by The Blues Brothers and Marilyn Monroe, not to mention singing frogs and break-dancers?   As a returning visitor to Universal Orlando, I have experienced some of the professional entertainment that springs up all over the park and was expecting some of the same.   However, I was pleasantly surprised during my most recent visit. Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.     Marilyn woos my hubby. Photos adorn the walls of my daughter's home, so it's safe to say she's a mega-fan of Marilyn.  Consequently, I took every advantage to get photos of this iconic figure.   The actress playing Ms. Monroe is always in character and a hoot to meet.   Checking our Universal Studios Florida park map, I found times – and place – where Marilyn and her “Diamond Bellas” would be performing and tug...

Inexpensive Dining Tips for Universal Orlando Revised 4/2021 Dining while visiting Universal Orlando could get expensive.  However, there are inexpensive and yummy options.  So, follow along for some great tips.  Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. It’s always good to have a plan. As is true with other parks, Universal Orlando offers a Dining Plan that provides a significant discount on meals, snacks and beverages.  The price varies so check with the website near the date of your arrival.  It’s just the two of us and we are not huge eaters, so this program wouldn’t have benefitted us much.  However, with hungry young children, you might want to consider it.   Speaking of children... On the whole, restaurants catering to children/families tend to be the least expensive.  Some of these establishments offer a variety of choices   One of our choices thi...

Sapphire Falls Resort Shines at Universal Orlando Revised 4/2021 Do you ever arrive at a vacation destination and feel as if you’ve been misdirected?  This is somewhat what I felt at first sight of Sapphire Falls Resort.  We are supposed to be in Florida.  Right?  Well, what I am witnessing appears to be a piece of the Caribbean dropped directly adjacent to a deep-blue river leading to Universal’s Parks.  Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. The Hotel Upon entering this Caribbean delight, I immediately felt tiny, as the lobby is impressively massive.  Tall ceilings, overly large light fixtures and a giant stone turret wall finished off this exquisite room.  The staff treated us like family, even to the point of the manager attending to us personally.  I had to ask myself if he mistook us for celebs.  Finding that our reserved room wasn’t quite ready, he upgraded us ...

Special Cookies Not to Missed in Universal Studios Florida Revised 4/2021 Visiting Universal Orlando is like reliving a childhood only realized in a fantasy world.  Since I am a vintage variety of child who thrives on fantasy, this is the place for me.  What follows is my list of favorite “cookies” found around the two parks. Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. Hooray for Hollywood and ... Turn to the right as you enter the park and you will find yourself in Hollywood—one of my favs and one of the best places to find iconic characters, like Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball.   One can also find...wait for it... Scooby-Doo and the Gang!  The gang even drove the Mystery Machine.  As a die-hard Scooby-Doo fan, I was ecstatic.   Not so fast, Hollywood isn’t just about actors dressed up, it is also about the setting.  The attention to detail is evident at every turn ...