Awesome! I still need to make it over to Universal one day. So I was amused to see a WDW poncho in one of your pictures (on a random person in the background). And tell Santos he needs a new sweatshirt...Roll Tide will just not do...tell him he needs a GEAUX TIGERS shirt...especially since he works sometimes at POFQ...just saying!
Lynn
There was quite the mix of WDW & Universal ponchos... We were wearing our WDW ponchos - however - one of ours is now ripped and needs to be replaced.
Hahahaha... Santos is pretty attached to his sweatshirts - he was happy that both of his teams were represented that day.
Yay! So happy with all the quality HP time, especially since it allowed you to recover. (Sorry about your motion sickness!)
I would have picked the same flavors as you at Florean Fortescue's. A. Earl Grey ice cream is one of my favorite flavors (there is a shop here in Seattle that makes it), but Lavender/Earl Grey sounds amazing! B. Clotted Cream is something I miss from England, so I would definitely try that as well! It cracks me up when servers automatically tell you they will swap out a flavor if you decide you don't like it. It tells me that it happens...often! I once ordered a Nutella, brie and basil panini that was on the menu at a local coffee shop. The barista who brought it to me told me I could swap it out if I didn't like it and even waited for me to take a bite. I enjoyed it, but apparently was one of a rare few who did.
Santos seems like an incredible person and I am glad you two got to hang out with him!
It was awesome! Thankfully the motion sickness went away after a while. Santos felt pretty badly -- for no reason - because he didn't realize how sick I got on these types of rides. However - I think I can tolerate them much better than most people who get it?
Yes - those ice cream flavors were amazing! Even after our sucky Kitchen Sink - I had no problem eating those flavors. Even now - the thought of ice cream is enough to make me ewwww.... but I could go for the Lavendar/Earl Grey and the Clotted Cream any time - they were delicious and so different.
Hehehe... I find that I enjoy a lot of foods that most others don't enjoy either.
Santos is awesome! We are so lucky to have him as a friend!
As soon as you said you were feeling motion sickness then went to Simpsons, I knew you were a goner. We rode Simpsons 2 times in a row. First time, I was okish. Second time was miserable. Your trip looks like it was so much fun. Can't wait to see what you and V do while there.
The water fountain spell was funny. What made it funnier was that you had a picture.
Hahahaha... Sadly - I had NO Idea what any of these rides entailed... I only researched the HP section. So, I was clueless to my demise. LOL
I know - that just cracked me up. I don't think Allison thought it was very funny, as she was pretty annoyed.
Looks like you had a good time at Universal Studios. After reading your report from the park I'm sure I'm it will never be worth the money for me to go there because I hate roller coasters.
It was a lot of fun - there are several coasters, but all of the rides I went on (except for Gringotts - which is a very small coaster type ride) were all simulation rides.
LOVED your Universal Trip Reports! We have all done the queue for the Forbidden Journey, which agreed is very cool. It's just that 2 of the kids had to wait in another room while the rest of us did the ride.
Reading about your sickness on some of those rides...I TOTALLY feel you there. I can BARELY tolerate Star Tours at WDW most of the time, but I usually make it through. I do recall when we did do Universal last time, one of the kids' favorite rides (because they could all ride it) was the Simpsons Ride and yeah...I think we did it multiple times and I barely tolerated it after the first one. I will say that when it used to be Back to the Future, it was a VERY rough ride so I do enjoy the Simpsons version of it better. Reading about some of the other rides (because Transformers wasn't open when we were last there) I can tell I'm going to have a rough time again. I did do okay on Spiderman though. It really just depends but more often then not I end up having to rush to find a coke to settle my stomach and just sitting out for a while myself.
I booked Royal Pacific Resort for us yesterday, found a great discount code online and since we plan to only focus on the Universal Parks for the most part, we really decided Front of the Line Access was key even if it meant spending a little more on the hotel room. Looking forward to our trip but we've still got about 4 months to go for that one!
How great to have a tourguide like Santos...that's so awesome!
I do fine on ST - but Simpsons sure did me in! I would have loved to have ridden Back to the Future - much more than the Simpsons, I think? :scraatchin I bet it was awesome!
Awesome that you were able to get a discount on a US resort!
Santos really made our day! It was awesome having him with us!
Actually many of the rides at Universal parks are NOT coasters, they have a lot of simulator type rides and other such rides that certainly make you FEEL like you are on a coaster...when you are mostly in a nice safe car that isn't even moving much at all. The 3D stuff just makes it seem that way!
Yes - I agree - Almost everything was a simulator ride. Had I known - I am not sure I would have ridden any of them. LOL Oh well - it was fun!
It looked like an AWESOME time at HP. So glad it all worked out and that Santos was able to join you as well.
Sorry you got motion sick. I totally understand how that goes.
It was so awesome! And it was great having Santos with us - he really helped navigate the park for us... Leading us everywhere like a mini Brazillian tour group. LOL
Sounds like I maybe should check out Universal Studios some day after all
I think you might be OK - at least on the HP rides. Escape from Gringotts is a "coaster" but it's one fairly small steep drop (think kiddie coaster, but steeper) - but it's a very small coaster, with frequent stops to look at movie screens, so you never really get going too fast.
Love your pictures and review! I too can't handle Star Tours without feeling ill. So, good information to have, lol!
Thanks! It was so much fun! Yah - if you can do even one ride - I would reserve that one ride for The Forbidden Journey.
It is intense, but I am glad I rode it - it's cool.
Wow, the ride sounds awesome - glad you enjoyed it! D you are really making me want to go to Universal!
Great, Great, Great photo.
I love all the pictures of Allison doing the spells with her wand, she's so cute! It looks like so much fun!
Your day at Universal seemed great! ANd how wonderful that your friend Santos was able to experience it with you as well! He seems like a great friend and a really fun guy.
You must be excited to go back with V now!
I definitely recommend the HP area to everyone - it was beyond cool!
Hehehe - she had so much fun, lining up with all the little kids and their wands. There were a few older kids/adults with wands, but not many.
We had so much fun - and it was awesome to have Santos as a tour guide.
I am very excited to go back with V. I can't wait actually! She will love it!
We did a one day whirlwind at US/IOA in July, and I TOTALLY feel you on the motion sickness thing! I don't usually get sick from rides, but after Forbidden Journey, I was woozy for the rest of the day. The Simpson's Ride nearly killed me, lol!!
It was crazy - but I am so glad I braved it. I think I could easily to 2 rides in the morning and 2 rides in the evening - as long as I didn't ride any others in between.
Yah - I did not like the Simpsons or the Transformers ride at all. It was way too much!
I feel ya, sista. I got this way when we went as well. I was fine on Spiderman, started to feel it a little on Transformers. By the time we got on The Simpsons, I had to close my eyes almost immediately. After that, I was D-U-N with the motion rides for the rest of the day.
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Ummm, excuse me, ma'am? You left US without trying pumpkin juice?
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I'm so disappointed.
Yah - it was awful! But we had fun anyways.
I KNOW!!!!! I was so upset when I remembered! It is on my must do list for next time!
I'm glad you had a great day at Universal. It was so nice of Santos to take you guys to the park and show you around. I like the Universal side better than Islands of Adventure. Diagon Alley is like stepping to a Harry Potter book but I thought there was a bathroom in there and Murtal was haunting it. Maybe I'm wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.
Liz
Diagon Alley was amazing - I loved that side of HP better too. Moaning Mertal is on the Hogsmeade side.
We did get to hear her when we used the restroom on that side.
Your day at Universal looks like a lot of fun. Did the rain and cold keep the crowds away? The park looks gorgeous at night.
Allison's wand is very cool. That is the kind of thing that I would have fun with.
We did have a lot of fun!
It was pretty crowded, but not too bad - I am not sure if it was the rain/cold or if it was just the time of year. WDW wasn't too bad either.
The park was very pretty at night - I love all parks at night - those lights, it's just so pretty.
Her wand was awesome! I am glad she saved her $$ for that - even though she may never use it again - it's a fun keep sake to have.
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OK everyone! My updates will be few and far between as Josh's brother will be here with his family from Europe for the next 2 weeks... So, all bets are off for anything in my spare time, except for them. They are not staying with us - but we want to spend as much time with them as we possibly can - as I am sure you understand.
I will stop in and do updates when time allows and I will also do replies as I can.
D~
The Harry Potter nerd in me is 
