Escaping Snowy New England for Freezing Florida Feb 2015 Final Hours 11/17 p. 23

[eandesmom]

Why do I smell a spoiler alert for the Cinematic Spectacular?????

You know, I've never ridden Simpson's. Can't stomach the line. One of these days. Same issue with RRR but that is far higher on my list of things to try. Gringotts though? I would wait an hour for that. LOVE the pictures of it, thank you thank you thank you!

And may get the chance to!

Turns out I have a conference in Orlando next March and rumor has it that there is something at Universal. We shall see! Fun evening and updates

 

[natebenma]

Why do I smell a spoiler alert for the Cinematic Spectacular?????

Must be because you have excellent olfactory senses!

You know, I've never ridden Simpson's. Can't stomach the line. One of these days. Same issue with RRR but that is far higher on my list of things to try. Gringotts though? I would wait an hour for that. LOVE the pictures of it, thank you thank you thank you!

When was your last US visit with Express Pass? 2010 or 2011? Although even with Express Pass the line for Simpsons can be 20-30 minutes. And until you get to the preshow to the preshow room, the queue is pretty boring.

We didn't attempt RRR until they added Express Pass to the ride, shortly before our 2013 trip, I believe. It is a lot like California Screamin'!

Gringott's is worth an hour wait... more even... IF you get to ride.

And may get the chance to!

Turns out I have a conference in Orlando next March and rumor has it that there is something at Universal. We shall see! Fun evening and updates

Can't wait to hear more details on your conference when you have them!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Great update. Looking forward to more and just wanted to wish you a very happy Easter

 

[KatMark]

Great updates. I will say that I really liked the Men in Black attraction. Food looks yummy as do the desserts. (Sorry I didn't comment more...so far behind everywhere).

 

[disny_luvr]

Great update! You certainly packed in a lot on your first day. Are a lot of rides at US simulators? Your dessert in the lounge looks yummy!

 

[pas130]

I love the Simpson's area. We got drinks at the bar across from the food court, and I grabbed some donuts to try. Would you believe the bartender came over with napkins and served the donuts to us. Brought plates and utensils everything then pretended to steal the rest of the donuts LOL It was just a nice moment. RRR, I did it once and listened to MC Hammer. I'm getting to old for coasters haha. I can't wait to see Diagon Alley this summer. MIB is a favorite!

 

[Monykalyn]

So nice to be able to get caught up on US trip reports! Been obsessing over SWW details on WDW side. Really looking forward to seeing DA this summer-last time we did USF Jaws was still there as was Back to the Future, and my middle child was 16 months (Universal had the best child swap-way better than Disney). She is 12.5 now and a thrill ride junkie and huge HP fan. Can't wait for next update!!

 

[natebenma]

Looks like I not only got really behind on this report, but also on my replies! Sorry about that.

Working on a mega update on Forbidden Journey...

Great update. Looking forward to more and just wanted to wish you a very happy Easter

Thank you! We had a nice laidback Easter with my dad and my in-laws. Nice day.

:

Great updates. I will say that I really liked the Men in Black attraction. Food looks yummy as do the desserts. (Sorry I didn't comment more...so far behind everywhere).

Men in Black is fun! I think I like Toy Story Mania best, then MIB, then Buzz Lightyear in a rating of similar attractions.

We were pretty happy overall with the meals we had in Universal.

Great update! You certainly packed in a lot on your first day. Are a lot of rides at US simulators? Your dessert in the lounge looks yummy!

We ended up really making up for our late start- Gotta love adrenaline!

Yes, an awful lot of simulators and simulator type rides at US. Simpsons and Despicable Me. Transformers is a ride where you ride through various 3D simulator screens (Spiderman at US is the same). Gringotts has a simulator aspect. So does Shrek 3D (more like It's Tough to Be a Bug with a little motion component).

The desserts in the lounge were nothing to write home about (but I guess enough to write here about), but it was a nice, simple end to the night.

I love the Simpson's area. We got drinks at the bar across from the food court, and I grabbed some donuts to try. Would you believe the bartender came over with napkins and served the donuts to us. Brought plates and utensils everything then pretended to steal the rest of the donuts LOL It was just a nice moment. RRR, I did it once and listened to MC Hammer. I'm getting to old for coasters haha. I can't wait to see Diagon Alley this summer. MIB is a favorite!

The Simpsons area really is fun and it has been fun for us to see the changes from the last two trips. They really have added a lot there! That's funny about the 4-star donut service! You guys are all going to love Diagon Alley!!!

So nice to be able to get caught up on US trip reports! Been obsessing over SWW details on WDW side. Really looking forward to seeing DA this summer-last time we did USF Jaws was still there as was Back to the Future, and my middle child was 16 months (Universal had the best child swap-way better than Disney). She is 12.5 now and a thrill ride junkie and huge HP fan. Can't wait for next update!!

Wow, that was awhile ago!

I think we were 17 years between our very first visit to US (1994) and our first trip with the boys in 2011.

It really is a great park for thrill junkies and Harry Potter fans!

 

[natebenma]

Tuesday February 17

The Early Bird Catches the Snitch

We started the morning with breakfast in the club lounge at 7 am. It was not very crowded when we first arrived, but filled up within 10 minutes. Here is a link to pictures of the breakfast offerings.

Breakfast photos 1

Breakfast photos 2

Today was the warmest day of our trip, and we all chose to wear shorts and t-shirts to the parks.

A few weeks before our trip, the park with early opening for US resort guests changed from Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure. That was too bad, because that has been the park that has been open early for our two previous visits and it would have been nice to be able to go to Gringott’s first thing. But still, we walked to IoA entrance for the 8 am opening and eventually made it through the turnstiles. It probably took 10 minutes or so, but was not the worst wait we would have at the entry.

Once you get to Seussland, there are TMs (Team Members) who check to make sure you have resort keys to prove that you are staying onsite and are eligible for early entry.

Continuing on through Seussland and then the Lost Continent, you arrive at the entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As many times as I have walked underneath this gate, I am always awed at being immersed in the magical world created by JK Rowling.



















As always we headed directly to Forbidden Journey. I think there was a 30 minute wait time every morning when we arrived here. In the next few posts, I am going to do a thorough review of the ride and post a lot of pictures. For me, a true Gryffindork, the queue through Hogwarts castle is almost better than the ride because of all of the Harry Potter details and references.

I will give anyone who wants it a pass through this section of the trip report without reading, 1) if you are not interested in Harry Potter’s world (I know there are some of you out there) or 2) if you have not yet visited the Wizarding World and you prefer to experience this without having a previous exposure to what you will find in the castle.





After our ride on Forbidden Journey, we all did Dragon Challenge (an extreme coaster) and Flight of the Hippogriff (not-so-extreme coaster). I’ll have pictures next time I post. We had hoped to go on the Hogwarts Express to take us to Kings Cross over in Universal Studios/Diagon Alley, but the train was either down or not running yet, so we decided to proceed through the rest of Islands of Adventure.


See you next time if you prefer to skip the next part or continue to the next posts.


Next Up: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

 

[natebenma]

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey


From 2013

Make your way through the classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts. Then soar above the castle grounds on a groundbreaking ride that lets you join Harry Potter and his friends on an unforgettably thrilling adventure.

The ride opened in June 2010 and uses a KUKA robot-arm technology, which is the same system as you will find at Disney’s Sum of All Thrills, except that this one is a robocoater that moves through various scenes. This technology allows seats to pivot while being held above the track by a robotic arm.


The queue line is a vitally important part of the attraction experience.


First, you walk through the entrance gates of the castle and soak in the amazing details of the castle:




















Next you will enter the castle dungeons, where you will find the mandatory lockers, the single rider entry queue and I think the castle tour entrance. Thanks to my trusty fanny pack, I have not had to endure the Locker Torture Experience, but at times it can get really crowded and chaotic in there. Avoid if possible!

In this section of the dungeons you will find the Mirror of Erised, an enchanted looking glass where the reflection shows what you most desire. Most of the time, we have been walking through this part pretty quickly and miss this great artifact.




Continued in Next Post

 

[natebenma]

The Greenhouse

Pretty soon you will enter the greenhouse, which I find to be the least magical of all of the areas of the castle. The line here, just before you enter the castle, backs up. In the summer months it is wicked hot with only fans, not air-conditioning. There are a few things to look at but is there a reason they couldn’t have animatronic Mandrakes screaming as they pop out of their pots?


















You do get some pretty cool views of the castle towers from here, though













Ready to go in?





Continued in Next Post

 

[natebenma]

Just after you enter the school doors there are two bronze statues and and the Hogwarts House Jewels. The statues are either Godric Gryffindor or the Architect of Hogwarts (I have seen both mentioned) and Salazar Slytherin, two important characters in the Hogwarts legend.















The jewels are a measure of the points earned by students in each of the Hogwarts houses during the school year.




Gryffindor is leading!!!


I want to keep Dumbledore's office altogether, including the phoenix statue, so although this is not next, I am going to put in portrait gallery here. Like in the books and movies, the subjects in the portraits can move and talk!

 

[natebenma]

Dumbledore's Office

Next you will encounter a statue of Fawkes, the phoenix, who marks the entrance to Dumbledore’s tower office




From 2013





I seriously geek out when I am in this room- I love the beautiful Pensieve and on our last visit there we spotted the Sword of Gryffindor for the first time.

 

[natebenma]

Defence Against the Darks Art Classroom


You continue into my favorite part- the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom.

Wow, the creepy objects and artifacts here are just awesome! I see something new everytime I go through.

 

[natebenma]

Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom (Continued)


There are also holograms of Harry, Ron and Hermione who explain that they are ditching a “History of Magic” lesson to take us to a Quiddich match. If you are in the room at the right time, Ron performs a spell that goes wrong, and it starts snowing.



















Assorted pictures:

 

[natebenma]

Gryffindor Common Room


Next up is the Gryffindor common room

You enter, of course, through the portrait of the Fat Lady







Here are display cases with notices and Quiddich uniforms

 

[natebenma]

Sorting Hat/Ride


Finally, you are face to face with the Sorting Hat, who gives the instructions for the ride (in verse, of course)












You board the enchanted bench/brooms in the Room of Requirement, complete with floating candles.






The ride experience itself includes a flight around Hogwarts Castle, an encounter with the Whomping Willow and arachnomantulas in the Forbidden Forest, The Chamber of Secrets, a horde of dementors and a Quiddich match.




Pretty cool!

 

[Disney before Sally]

I want to skip it, I want to read it, I want to skip it, I want to see it. Torture. I could not keep myself from reading, of course.

 

[pas130]

LOVE LOVE LOVE your FJ commentary (where did the worship smilie run off too lol). My DD7 is dying to ride it, she loves HP. The other kids enjoyed it, I usually take DD7 & DS6 on Hippogriff over and over She is small for her age, and I am so hoping she hits 48" this summer, we go to her Peds endocrinologist in July. My DH always says he needs to stretch her. She's my daredevil thrill ride girl too, poor thing. BUT we will all definitely be able to do Diagon Alley!!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Wow loved the photo tour! Absolutely amazing! Now I want to go visit it all!