March Trip Report -- Part 6: Molokai Gram’s First Ride on the Hulk Coaster!

[WebmasterBarry]

March 10, 2001

The cast:
Me (the 29 year old)
Donna (aka Molokai Gram, didn't ask age, from Hawaii)
Ohai (Donna's DH, didn't ask age either, from Hawaii)

We headed to Islands of Adventure. Donna seemed very ready to ride the Hulk. Ohai just tagged along and he wanted to ride too. As for me, any excuse to get another ride on the Hulk is good for me!

We exited through the Hard Rock Café entrance/exit again. The gate attendant got through about 40 pages of her Romance novel. It looks like she would have finished by the end of the day. She would just go home and get another one.

We used front of the line and went through the Universal Express line. The line cut through the main queue and up the green steps to the backdoor. This was the old single riders line. There was still a single riders line. It shares the same queue was the Universal Express line, but it breaks off. You go up the same set of stairs, but now there is a bar in the middle that separates the Universal Express line and the single riders line.

We were trying for a row close to the front, but we ended up in row 5. Donna did not seem to have any regrets in riding the Hulk. She seemed very anxious. Ohai seemed not to be bothered. As I watched Donna, I flashed back to my first ride on the Hulk. I was a nervous wreck when I first rode it, but after getting ejected out of the tube, it was one of my greatest rushes. That turned me into a roller coaster fan. I wondered if that would happen to Donna. I told her to hold on tight to the grips. I offered my hand, but she was holding too tightly to the grips.

We were then rolled into the tube and ejected. I thought I would hear screams of terror, but Donna and Ohai were pretty quiet. At the end of the ride, Donna said that her legs were shaking. She said that her grandson had a similar experience on Splash Mountain. Her grandson was shaking and nervous through the entire ride. She now knew how her grandson felt! She also said that she was all bunched up and had her eyes closed most of the time. Ohai’s eyes were open!

We looked at the ride photo at the end. Donna was all bunched up and had her eyes closed. It looked like she was going to the bathroom. Ohai’s face was just a blank stare. It looked like he was on It’s a Small World. He must have put himself in a trance! I was trying to do a pass-out pose, but it looked like I was taking a nap!

Donna was bouncing off the walls after her Hulk ride. Ohai just had a cigarette. We were hungry, so we headed to Confscio’s Grill for lunch. It was around 2:10 pm. We missed the character lunch, but we could still eat. The character lunch was winding down because only Beetle Bailey was there. Our server was also named Donna and she asked how our day was. Donna (Molokai Gram) was bouncing off her seat and told our server that she had rode the Hulk for the first time. Our server said that she likes the Hulk, even though it makes her sick. Donna even showed our server our Hulk photo. They did not make comments about me.

Donna had a salad and Ohai had a burger. I had a chicken sandwich, which was pretty good. Donna said that her salad was swimming in salad dressing and Ohai only finished half his burger. He wrapped up the rest for later. During lunch, we talked about another Disney World event with the grandsons. Donna and Ohai had taken their grandkids to Islands of Adventure first and then the Magic Kingdom. One grandkid, who had never been to a theme park, learned at the Magic Kingdom that there were rides that were not scary. This was also the grandkid who did multiple rides on It’s a Small World. They also stood in the Tomorrowland Speedway line for two hours. Their grandkids wanted to ride it and were about to throw a fit. No way is that ride worth a two hour wait! The grandkids did wait patiently for the ride, though.

On our way out, Donna bought a Hulk postcard to send to her grandkids. This was to prove they rode and survived the Hulk. I got the bug lollipop. It wasn’t very sweet.

It was time for the 3:00 pm Universal globe webcam meet. We headed over and saw three peculiar individuals standing at the globe, waving. It was Jim (aka h20jag), his DW, and DD. Donna handed out leis and candy. She gave her patented chocolate-covered coffee beans. That will keep you up all night! We thought that Jim’s DD was popping them one after the other, but she only ate one. We had gotten so into meeting each other that we forgot about the webcam! We did turn around and wave. Ohai needed a nap, so we decided to meet again at 6 pm for an unofficial Men in Black shoot-off. I had two Portifino Bay keys and I would get two keys from Hard Rock Hotel when I check in later, so I could get Jim and his family through front of the line.

Donna and Ohai went back to the Hard Rock Hotel for a nap. I went to the parking garage to move my car. I last saw Jim horsing around with his daughter. I finished the bug lollipop when I reached my car. The bug was kind of crunchy, but it really wasn’t a big deal. It was kind of overrated, in my opinion.

Barry Hom
Moderator, Universal and Sea World Boards

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[Molokai Gram]

Aloha,
Okay, I did it. This was our challenge to ourselves. We rode the HULK!

I did not realize until I got locked in how very scared I was. I was actually trembling...haven't done that in years. I was actually in a near fetal positon. I was gripping on so hard my knuckles were white and I had a hard time opening my hands when we finally stopped. LOL I hope Barry can post the picture. Total fear! I closed my eyes as soon as we started to shoot out the tube and did not open them until we came to a stop. Actually I couldn't open them. And I kept trying to remember how long this ride took (Barry had given us a roller coaster tape that states how long each ride lasts) and that it wouldn't be as long as it takes for a root canal and I was able to make it through a root canal. (I kid you not, maybe because before I rode the HULK the only place I got scared was at the dentist??) I did not want to make a fool of myself and cry or something...which I considered to be a possibility. Well, I made it. And I knew that I could never do this again. And surprise, Ohai loved it and wanted to go again. Is he nuts?

Yes I was bouncing when I came off, I was so happy to be alive and done with coasters. Confisco's is such a wonderful spot to have a calming lunch. I had not realized how great the decoration was in there until this time. Be sure to look up at the very high and detailed ceiling. My salad was good but did have too much dressing. However, it was very filling and I was unable to have one of the incredible deserts I saw.

Barry mentions the things that made this trip so great. I adore my grandchildren, but the freedom we had without them was terrific. And front of the line means no two hour waits. This trip was heaven, even when doing something so outrageous as riding the HULK!

The meet...Jim,Serena and Camille were soulmates from the start. We felt so very comfortable with them - it is not often you meet a whole family that totally meshes with yours. I am so very glad they came and I hope we get to meet again and again in the future.

Barry did eat that lollipop. It was hard to watch it. I was very impressed. IMHO it would take more nerve to eat that than to ride the HULK. I really didn't think he would do it. He did not even hesitate. He had made a deal and he kept his part of the bargain. An honest man. My motherly match-making heart went out to him. Anyone know of a great single girl we can introduce him to?

Those daily naps were terrific in fighting the 5 hour jet lag we experienced(which of course hit Ohai more than me). With the HRH walking distance away and with FOTL access, naps were easy to take. It was all good.

Aloha,
Donna