brownie
12-15-2010, 04:53 PM
On Tuesday, November 30, we made our first foray to Universal Studios Orlando. Our neighbors planned to meet us there since we left a little early to drop our laundry off at Best Cleaners on Kirkman Rd, which is right around the corner from Universal Orlando. Dropping our laundry off was well worth the investment. If you're able to do it, I'd recommend it over trying to do it yourself.
We dropped our laundry off and headed over to Universal Studios. We went to Islands of Adventure so we could go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Our neighbors were running late, so we went to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey without them. Universal has done a fantastic job with Hogsmeade and the rest of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We zipped right along in the line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey until we got into Hogwarts. Even then, the line really kept moving. I think we spent about 30 minutes in line. The ride is absolutely fantastic! I love how they blend audio-animatronic action with film.
Our neighbors arrived at Islands of Adventure while we were riding Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey; they got into line for it. I texted them to warn Bob about the motion of the ride. He suffers from motion sickness. While we were waiting, Sharon, Justin, Mark, and I rode Flight of the Hippogriff. Justin, Mark and I rode it a second time. We then grabbed some Butterbeer from Hogsmeade. :beer: It's good stuff! Bob & Michele met up with us; Zach and Nick were riding Flight of the Hippogriff. Bob was not doing well. He had decided to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey despite the warnings. It took him most of the day to recover. If you suffer from motion sickness at all, I'd seriously consider skipping Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
After we all reunited, Zach, Nick, Mark, Sharon, Michele, and I rode Dragon Challenge. We rode the red side. Mark, Zach, Sharon, and I then rode the blue side. I liked Dragon Challenge, and I think the red side was slightly better than the blue side (but the lines were longer for blue.) Even if you don't want to ride Flight of the Hippogriff or Dragon Challenge, go through the queue lines. You can see Hagrid's cottage and the Ron's flying car.
We headed to lunch at the Three Broomsticks next. I liked how they had employees directing people to the cashiers and helping people get tables. It was nice not having to hunt for a table because people who didn't even have food yet were saving tables. We enjoyed our lunch; I had the Shepherd's Pie.
After lunch, we got some pictures in Hogsmeade. You have to check out the bathrooms in Hogsmeade, even if you don't need to use them. I'll leave the rest as a surprise (it is something related to the movies.) Hogsmeade was the busiest area in Islands of Adventure.
We headed over to Jurassic Park and rode, with the exception of Bob, Jurassic Park River Adventure. We walked right on. The boys rode it a second time. We continued counter-clockwise around the park and rode Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls. Bob sat this one out, too. I was soaked after the ride, so it's a good thing this was the warmest day of our trip (the temperature was up around 80 degrees F.) The boys all rode it a second time.
We went to Marvel Super Hero Island. All of us but Justin and Bob rode The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. We walked right on. After that, Mark, Zach, Nick, Michele, Sharon, and I walked right on to the Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster. It was okay. I liked Dragon Challenge a lot better. Mark, Zach, and Nick rode it a second time.
We went to Seuss Landing and rode the Cat in the Hat, which we walked right on to. We waited in line for 20-30 minutes for the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride. That was a mistake! It was definitely not worth the wait.
We returned to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The line for Olivander's was short, so we got in it to see the wand pick the wizard. We had to wait 15-20 minutes. It was neat to see but I would not wait in a long line for it. Also, I couldn't imagine browsing any of the shops when Universal is busy. They are small and cramped.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was showing a 20 minute wait, so all of us but Bob got in line for a second go at it. It was 25 minutes from the time we got in line to the time we walked out of Hogwart's after riding it.
We met up with Bob outside of the arena for the 8th Voyage of Sinbad Epic Stunt Show. He introduced us to Cosmo, the talking water fountain, whom he'd been talking to. It was great. Cosmo knew everyone's names and was talking to us personally. We got into Sinbad a little late, but had no problems finding a seat. The show was sort of cheesy, and not to the level of the Disney shows.
After the show, Bob & Michele took all the kids back to Pop Century while Sharon and I had dinner at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in City Walk. We enjoyed the dinner, and I enjoyed my Land Shark beer, too. I like City Walk, and would like to see it when it's a bit busier. I think Universal has done a good job with City Walk, although I don't know that I'd go there if I was just going there and had to pay to park.
Sharon and I returned to Pop Century and found the boys in the pool. The forecast was for colder weather the rest of the week, so we let them swim longer since it would probably be their last opportunity (and it was.) They had eaten dinner at Everything Pop. We turned in around for the night around 10 pm.
We dropped our laundry off and headed over to Universal Studios. We went to Islands of Adventure so we could go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Our neighbors were running late, so we went to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey without them. Universal has done a fantastic job with Hogsmeade and the rest of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We zipped right along in the line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey until we got into Hogwarts. Even then, the line really kept moving. I think we spent about 30 minutes in line. The ride is absolutely fantastic! I love how they blend audio-animatronic action with film.
Our neighbors arrived at Islands of Adventure while we were riding Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey; they got into line for it. I texted them to warn Bob about the motion of the ride. He suffers from motion sickness. While we were waiting, Sharon, Justin, Mark, and I rode Flight of the Hippogriff. Justin, Mark and I rode it a second time. We then grabbed some Butterbeer from Hogsmeade. :beer: It's good stuff! Bob & Michele met up with us; Zach and Nick were riding Flight of the Hippogriff. Bob was not doing well. He had decided to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey despite the warnings. It took him most of the day to recover. If you suffer from motion sickness at all, I'd seriously consider skipping Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
After we all reunited, Zach, Nick, Mark, Sharon, Michele, and I rode Dragon Challenge. We rode the red side. Mark, Zach, Sharon, and I then rode the blue side. I liked Dragon Challenge, and I think the red side was slightly better than the blue side (but the lines were longer for blue.) Even if you don't want to ride Flight of the Hippogriff or Dragon Challenge, go through the queue lines. You can see Hagrid's cottage and the Ron's flying car.
We headed to lunch at the Three Broomsticks next. I liked how they had employees directing people to the cashiers and helping people get tables. It was nice not having to hunt for a table because people who didn't even have food yet were saving tables. We enjoyed our lunch; I had the Shepherd's Pie.
After lunch, we got some pictures in Hogsmeade. You have to check out the bathrooms in Hogsmeade, even if you don't need to use them. I'll leave the rest as a surprise (it is something related to the movies.) Hogsmeade was the busiest area in Islands of Adventure.
We headed over to Jurassic Park and rode, with the exception of Bob, Jurassic Park River Adventure. We walked right on. The boys rode it a second time. We continued counter-clockwise around the park and rode Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls. Bob sat this one out, too. I was soaked after the ride, so it's a good thing this was the warmest day of our trip (the temperature was up around 80 degrees F.) The boys all rode it a second time.
We went to Marvel Super Hero Island. All of us but Justin and Bob rode The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. We walked right on. After that, Mark, Zach, Nick, Michele, Sharon, and I walked right on to the Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster. It was okay. I liked Dragon Challenge a lot better. Mark, Zach, and Nick rode it a second time.
We went to Seuss Landing and rode the Cat in the Hat, which we walked right on to. We waited in line for 20-30 minutes for the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride. That was a mistake! It was definitely not worth the wait.
We returned to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The line for Olivander's was short, so we got in it to see the wand pick the wizard. We had to wait 15-20 minutes. It was neat to see but I would not wait in a long line for it. Also, I couldn't imagine browsing any of the shops when Universal is busy. They are small and cramped.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was showing a 20 minute wait, so all of us but Bob got in line for a second go at it. It was 25 minutes from the time we got in line to the time we walked out of Hogwart's after riding it.
We met up with Bob outside of the arena for the 8th Voyage of Sinbad Epic Stunt Show. He introduced us to Cosmo, the talking water fountain, whom he'd been talking to. It was great. Cosmo knew everyone's names and was talking to us personally. We got into Sinbad a little late, but had no problems finding a seat. The show was sort of cheesy, and not to the level of the Disney shows.
After the show, Bob & Michele took all the kids back to Pop Century while Sharon and I had dinner at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in City Walk. We enjoyed the dinner, and I enjoyed my Land Shark beer, too. I like City Walk, and would like to see it when it's a bit busier. I think Universal has done a good job with City Walk, although I don't know that I'd go there if I was just going there and had to pay to park.
Sharon and I returned to Pop Century and found the boys in the pool. The forecast was for colder weather the rest of the week, so we let them swim longer since it would probably be their last opportunity (and it was.) They had eaten dinner at Everything Pop. We turned in around for the night around 10 pm.