February Trip Report -- Part 2: Here come the Daves in Black…

[WebmasterBarry]

February 3, 2001

The cast:
Me (the 28 year old)
Dave O’Brien (the 34 year old)
The Other Dave (Dave O’Brien’s friend, didn’t ask age)

The Daves had some time to kill before the 4 pm Happy Hour at Finnegan’s, so we decided to head to Men in Black for some alien butt kicking. As we walked through the park, the Other Dave kept on saying how fun Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster would be to ride. Dave did not want to ride a kiddie coaster and kept on saying “No” a lot. Dave has been on 97 coasters and the Other Dave thought he could make his 100th coaster the Nuthouse coaster. Dave kept on insisting that he would not ride it. I had suggested that he makes the Skycoaster his 100th coaster, but he would not ride it for all the beers in the world.

The Daves had their own MiB competition. They said that whoever scores the highest has to buy the first round at Finnegan’s. Dave kept on saying that he would beat the Other Dave. We rode MiB four times using FOTL. FOTL cut through the baby swap. Dave kept on scoring higher than the other Dave. Dave scored at least 100,000 points higher than the Other Dave. Even with a badly working gun, Dave scored 170,000 and the Other Dave 50,000.

Dave kept on joshing the Other Dave about how badly he is scoring. Dave even tried to spot the other Dave 200,000 points! The Other Dave was confident that he would beat Dave in the next ride. The Other Dave said that the first beer would be “extra tasty.” During our last ride, we all scored about the same and all got the bonus! The Other Dave got 263,000, I got 264,000, and Dave got 265,000! Dave still rubbed it in that he scored higher than the Other Dave.

We walked over to Finnegan’s and I dropped them off there. Dave said that he would try to drink eight beers. They let me go off on my own because I didn’t drink. It would have been fun to watch them get drunk (how would a before and after photo look?), but I would be bored for three hours. I went on my own way as they entered Finnegan’s. I would meet up with them at

I decided to go to Kongfrontation first since it was right across the street. The wait was 10 minutes, but I used FOTL anyway. It’s research for the boards! The employee out front directed me to the alternate entrance. It went down a long hall (that was graffitti covered, to keep up with the theming) and up the elevator. I ended up on the drop-off area. There was virtually no line. Even the regular line guests could walk right on. I got to sit in the front of the tram. I kept on looking down to the street level. I wanted to see what I was walking on during Halloween Horror Nights. Kongfrontation turned into a haunted maze during the event. I also noticed Kong has some rubbery fingers. They just drooped right off his hand.

I walked by Finnegan’s to get to T2. I dared not look inside because I thought I would see two rowdy drunks! I used FOTL for T2. The FOTL line went through the Max Factor doors down the way. The hallway was long and stark white. All I saw to lead me was a handicapped sign with an arrow on it. The hallway was quite stuffy too! We stopped for a few minutes and we were the first ones let in. There were about a dozen FOTL people standing up front in an empty room. I almost stood in the wrong direction. I’ve never been in T2 where the room was so empty! Usually I am staring at some guy’s head.

Then the show began. As we were let into the theater, our host Kimberly Duncan kept on telling people to turn off their camcorders. That’s the first time I’ve seen someone do that. I sat in one of the back rows, which is probably the best row for T2. The guy playing the T-800 didn’t look much like Arnold, though. His chin wasn’t square enough!

Next on the FOTL list was Back to the Future. The wait was about 15 minutes and I didn’t really need to use FOTL, but again, I was doing research for the boards! The FOTL line went up the exit and through the long hallway. I still had to wait until my section was full. That took a few minutes. We were lead into Car 4 South. Dave said Back to the Future was like being a marble is a laundry machine. He is right! It is a fun, but rough, ride. I sat in the back. My head didn’t bang much on the back, though. I tried to keep my head forward.

I decided to go a few rounds on MiB. The first time, I used the single riders line, but my last two rides I used FOTL. I was too lazy to walk out of the building and back into the single riders line. My scores were unremarkable – I scored between 200,000 to 300,000 points. I never made it to Galaxy Defender either. I think the scores must have changed. I remember that you could get Galaxy Defender after an average of 100,000 points. Now you must score about 150,000 points to be Galaxy Defender. Most times, people score Cosmically Average. I can get Galaxy Defender with Dave, but not when I use the single riders line.

I had to meet Dave at the Backwater Bar at 6 pm and there was time for one more ride. I decided to go on Jaws. There was not a ride attendant at the front to show me the FOTL way, but the ride was a walk-on at this time of day anyway. The boat’s skipper was Mark. A guest kept on joshing him. He would act scared when he saw the shark and heckled Mark. Mark decided to call him “Bad Andy!” I think it was one of his friends because they laughed and socialized when the other guests were disembarking. It didn’t look like it was dark enough to enjoy a Jaws night ride. Jaws is a different experience at night, especially with the explosion!

It was around 5 minutes until 6:00, so I decided to pick up the pace and head to the Backwater Bar at IOA. The walk from Jaws to the Backwater Bar took about 15 minutes. I arrived and the Daves were enjoying a beer. They were not able to drink eight beers. They had five beers so far. They did seem a little more sloshed than when I left them off. Dave bought me a beer and I had whatever he was having. I don’t drink beer that often and I figured I’d let the beer expert choose the best beer. He got me a Molson.

Dave went outside for a smoke and the Other Dave chatted with me. Dave found a man outside who gave us the scoop on FOTL. He said that he was still unlimited, even with the changes to Universal Express. I was looking for Earl on the name badge, but it instead said Gary and he was from the University of Texas. He said that he was the “Universal Express guru.” Anyway, I will still believe it when I see it. It’s just another excuse for me to stay at the Hard Rock Hotel. More work for the boards!

We waited until it was dark enough to ride the Hulk. We used FOTL again. We rode it three times, all in the back seat or what I call “the seat of sickness.” We all rode on the first ride. Then Dave had to use the bathroom, so the Other Dave and I rode. Then we all rode together during the last ride. The Hulk is a much different experience at night. It seems faster and the cool wind on the face feels good. It’s better than rain in the face! The Daves had different experience because they were kind of drunk.

I had to move my car out of the parking garage to the Hard Rock Hotel parking. The Other Dave wanted to walk around the park. Dave decided that we would all meet at Margritaville when we were done doing what we needed. Dave wanted to take me to Pat O’Brien’s for a Hurricane. The Daves wanted a Hurricane too. They did not want to re-create last night, when they got smashed at Margritaville. The bill with food and drinks was $85!

Next: Pat O’Brien’s and our dealings with housekeeping…

Barry Hom
The moderator formerly known as Barry aka usagi
Moderator, Universal and Sea World Boards


"If you were me, you'd be good looking."

 

[Cubiclegirl]

We're staying at the HRH this Sat-Mon. Your reports were great. Sounds like our biggest challenge will be to find all the FOTL entrances.

 

[Molokai Gram]

Mahalo again and on to three!