So, we activated our Premium Annual Pass (Florida Resident 15 months for 12) on Friday and then took a tour of the parks.
Our last visit was 3 years ago.
We brought this pass as it has an advantage of an Express Pass, once per ride, after 4 PM.
We got there around 2 and picked up our passes easily. We started our walk in Universal Studios. Not planning on riding much initially, until at least 4PM that is. We grabbed a pass for Race Through New York between 2:40 and 3:40 and then found ourselves standing by Transformers. The ride had been closed for about an hour due to technical difficulties but had just re-opened. There was a posted 40 minute wait. Now, Transformers is one of our favorites from 3 years ago. Yes, Harry Potter gets all the attention, but we found this ride to be tons of fun and it became a favorite of ours, and no, I don't even watch Transformers.
Now, the ride attendant loved our enthusiasm for the ride and was so impressed she walked us into an immediate walk on, no wait at all. Even faster than Express Pass. She was so kind and loved that we loved the ride, so our first ride was a VIP experience!
We then did Jimmy Fallon (just okay). Somewhere in here we caught the 3PM character parade and all I can say is this one is super lame. I mean, really lame and sad. No excitement, it is short, and needs something to kick it in the pants and liven it up. As far as I can remember, the only change from 3 years ago is no Shrek and new Pets (from Secret Lives of Pets).
It was close to 4PM and we did Hogwarts Express and the Forbidden Journey. Now, I've got to say that Universal hasn't improved upon the locker situation at Forbidden Journey. The rooms with the lockers are super tight and very dimly lit and for a claustrophobic like me, worse than any ride, any where. And, of course, my locker wouldn't reopen (Universal STILL hasn't improved upon their fingerprint recognition software, it didn't work at the locker and neither of ours worked at Universal later when we went to re-enter the park, it was problematic 3 years ago, and remains so today). Ride is still awesome, though.
We left IOA and went over to the Royal Pacific resort to take a time out away from the massive crowds and ate at Jacks American Bar. We fell in love with this place 3 years ago and still enjoy it. It is quiet, the tables are well spread apart and the food is really good. We had excellent service and a delicious meal, but it did take more time than we planned. If you want a quiet place, with a decent menu, and are willing to not be in a hurry and well away from Citywalk, this is a very good place.
We made it back in time to Universal for the Mardi Gras parade. Just the opposite of the 3PM parade, fun, exciting, lively and beads everywhere. I've never been to real Mardi Gras, but these floats sure seemed to have a sense of actual floats from New Orleans. Great parade, great time.
We finished our day with another go round on Transformers and, of course, Minions! So love the Minions.
We are looking forward to our next adventure to see Kong, escape from Gringots, hope Fast and Furious is up and running and get punched by Popeye while on a raft.
15 months of fun coming up.
And, oh yes, can't wait for our first VooDoo Donut, I hope they are as awesome as they are in Portland, where we initially tried them.
Dolby1000
Our last visit was 3 years ago.
We brought this pass as it has an advantage of an Express Pass, once per ride, after 4 PM.
We got there around 2 and picked up our passes easily. We started our walk in Universal Studios. Not planning on riding much initially, until at least 4PM that is. We grabbed a pass for Race Through New York between 2:40 and 3:40 and then found ourselves standing by Transformers. The ride had been closed for about an hour due to technical difficulties but had just re-opened. There was a posted 40 minute wait. Now, Transformers is one of our favorites from 3 years ago. Yes, Harry Potter gets all the attention, but we found this ride to be tons of fun and it became a favorite of ours, and no, I don't even watch Transformers.
Now, the ride attendant loved our enthusiasm for the ride and was so impressed she walked us into an immediate walk on, no wait at all. Even faster than Express Pass. She was so kind and loved that we loved the ride, so our first ride was a VIP experience!
We then did Jimmy Fallon (just okay). Somewhere in here we caught the 3PM character parade and all I can say is this one is super lame. I mean, really lame and sad. No excitement, it is short, and needs something to kick it in the pants and liven it up. As far as I can remember, the only change from 3 years ago is no Shrek and new Pets (from Secret Lives of Pets).
It was close to 4PM and we did Hogwarts Express and the Forbidden Journey. Now, I've got to say that Universal hasn't improved upon the locker situation at Forbidden Journey. The rooms with the lockers are super tight and very dimly lit and for a claustrophobic like me, worse than any ride, any where. And, of course, my locker wouldn't reopen (Universal STILL hasn't improved upon their fingerprint recognition software, it didn't work at the locker and neither of ours worked at Universal later when we went to re-enter the park, it was problematic 3 years ago, and remains so today). Ride is still awesome, though.
We left IOA and went over to the Royal Pacific resort to take a time out away from the massive crowds and ate at Jacks American Bar. We fell in love with this place 3 years ago and still enjoy it. It is quiet, the tables are well spread apart and the food is really good. We had excellent service and a delicious meal, but it did take more time than we planned. If you want a quiet place, with a decent menu, and are willing to not be in a hurry and well away from Citywalk, this is a very good place.
We made it back in time to Universal for the Mardi Gras parade. Just the opposite of the 3PM parade, fun, exciting, lively and beads everywhere. I've never been to real Mardi Gras, but these floats sure seemed to have a sense of actual floats from New Orleans. Great parade, great time.
We finished our day with another go round on Transformers and, of course, Minions! So love the Minions.
We are looking forward to our next adventure to see Kong, escape from Gringots, hope Fast and Furious is up and running and get punched by Popeye while on a raft.
15 months of fun coming up.
And, oh yes, can't wait for our first VooDoo Donut, I hope they are as awesome as they are in Portland, where we initially tried them.
Dolby1000
