Metro West
On the west side of Orlando
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
OK...here's a brief report on my experience at the Studios this morning and The Simpsons preview...with pictures. 
I arrived at the garage at 7:49am and parked in Jaws 213. I made my way up the escalators (which were not turned on at this hour) and followed the surprisingly large throng to the Studios. They had a sign posted for AP holders to enter through the side gate...behind Guest Services. After standing in line for about 15 mins, my pass was scanned and I was given a wristband for ID purposes. The only two attractions open at 8am were MIB and The Simpsons. Once I arrived in front of the building, I saw the wait time was posted as 35 minutes. The queue area was pretty full. Here's a good shot of the TM outfits that people were asking about.
I got in line and snapped this picture on the way into the main queue area.
The queue area is brightly painted and the plasma screens were showing clips of The Simpsons...along with new information about Krustyland. It was very funny and really helped to pass the time. The wait time was more like 20 mins than 35 minutes. I didn't get any good shots of the queue area since there were so many people and nothing I could get a good angle on.
Once inside the outer waiting area, there is plenty to watch on both walls. On one wall, Patty & Selma were showing what they'd had in Lost & Found and in the other window, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon was doing a little show but it was hard to hear him. On the other wall, Groundskeeper Willie was trying to entice guests to play games at his booth. Moe comes in and steals most of the prizes.
Anyway...once inside the "waiting room", you get an instructional safety video which is pretty funny and then the doors open.
I was disappointed to see I'm going to have the same problem with this ride as I did with BTTF to an extent. The back row is still a tight fight for anyone who is over 6 feet tall...which I am and of course, I was seated in the back row. The ride is rough and jerky in some spots but nothing compared to BTTF.
I can't really go into too much detail about the actual ride because I don't want to spoil it for anyone else. After the ride was over, we exited the building and were greeted with a coupon for a free Squishee and a button (which was the free gift). Here's the button:
I got a Cherry Squishee and walked around a bit and took some pictures of the outside of the building and close-ups of the games:
By this time, the park was open and the crowd was streaming toward The Simpsons...the rest of the park was dead! I walked over towards E.T. and snapped this shot of one of the new signs:
I walked over to ROTM and rode twice with no wait through the single riders line. Several people asked what the wristband (I forgot I had it on) and the button were for and I explained it was for the passholder preview of The Simpsons earlier in the day.
After ROTM, I checked out the stuff in the Universal store and headed for the gates. The crowds had REALLY increased and it appeared it was going to be a VERY busy day.
As I was walking out, a family entered with the mother having to hold back the young son from running off. She told him...I don't know this place like I do Disney so you will NOT go off on your own. This kid was maybe seven or eight at the most and I thought...if this chick lets her kids run around Disney alone just because she knows the park, she's asking for trouble.
I left around 10am and on the way home, stopped and got the oil changed in the car and went to Wendy's for lunch.
Tomorrow, I'm meeting Bonny and Lee (CDN Friends of Pooh) at DHS for the Toy Story Mania preview...it should be fun.
Hope you liked reading the TR...I'll never win an award for writing.
I arrived at the garage at 7:49am and parked in Jaws 213. I made my way up the escalators (which were not turned on at this hour) and followed the surprisingly large throng to the Studios. They had a sign posted for AP holders to enter through the side gate...behind Guest Services. After standing in line for about 15 mins, my pass was scanned and I was given a wristband for ID purposes. The only two attractions open at 8am were MIB and The Simpsons. Once I arrived in front of the building, I saw the wait time was posted as 35 minutes. The queue area was pretty full. Here's a good shot of the TM outfits that people were asking about.
I got in line and snapped this picture on the way into the main queue area.
The queue area is brightly painted and the plasma screens were showing clips of The Simpsons...along with new information about Krustyland. It was very funny and really helped to pass the time. The wait time was more like 20 mins than 35 minutes. I didn't get any good shots of the queue area since there were so many people and nothing I could get a good angle on.
Once inside the outer waiting area, there is plenty to watch on both walls. On one wall, Patty & Selma were showing what they'd had in Lost & Found and in the other window, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon was doing a little show but it was hard to hear him. On the other wall, Groundskeeper Willie was trying to entice guests to play games at his booth. Moe comes in and steals most of the prizes.
Anyway...once inside the "waiting room", you get an instructional safety video which is pretty funny and then the doors open.
I was disappointed to see I'm going to have the same problem with this ride as I did with BTTF to an extent. The back row is still a tight fight for anyone who is over 6 feet tall...which I am and of course, I was seated in the back row. The ride is rough and jerky in some spots but nothing compared to BTTF.
I can't really go into too much detail about the actual ride because I don't want to spoil it for anyone else. After the ride was over, we exited the building and were greeted with a coupon for a free Squishee and a button (which was the free gift). Here's the button:
I got a Cherry Squishee and walked around a bit and took some pictures of the outside of the building and close-ups of the games:
By this time, the park was open and the crowd was streaming toward The Simpsons...the rest of the park was dead! I walked over towards E.T. and snapped this shot of one of the new signs:
I walked over to ROTM and rode twice with no wait through the single riders line. Several people asked what the wristband (I forgot I had it on) and the button were for and I explained it was for the passholder preview of The Simpsons earlier in the day.
After ROTM, I checked out the stuff in the Universal store and headed for the gates. The crowds had REALLY increased and it appeared it was going to be a VERY busy day.
As I was walking out, a family entered with the mother having to hold back the young son from running off. She told him...I don't know this place like I do Disney so you will NOT go off on your own. This kid was maybe seven or eight at the most and I thought...if this chick lets her kids run around Disney alone just because she knows the park, she's asking for trouble.
I left around 10am and on the way home, stopped and got the oil changed in the car and went to Wendy's for lunch.
Tomorrow, I'm meeting Bonny and Lee (CDN Friends of Pooh) at DHS for the Toy Story Mania preview...it should be fun.
Hope you liked reading the TR...I'll never win an award for writing.
), so...
?
At least fights don't break out in queue lines at Universal 
