Anyone Game? 2 Castles and a Road Trip TR! Last Day and TR Wrap Up! #2796; 10/01

[IowaTater]

Getting caught up and loving that you and I had so many similar pictures! Of course, yours are a lot better than mine.


We loved our time at WWoHP as well but I agree with you in regards to all the faux shops. I'm wondering what it is like now with the expansion. The themeing is wonderful, though, and I enjoyed seeing, hearing, and tasting some of my favorite books come to life. Unfortunately we were there during a very busy period so shopping for me was torture. Wall to wall people and some stores so crowded, you could barely get through the door.


Good job, PiO!

 

[scottny]

OOH! Universal. Nice. We are planning on next year for there and I think Cabana Bay is the choice to stay at.

The room looks really nice.

Jealous you saw a MInion. We did not.

I hate their camera policy but I see it also why they do it.

Glad the rain didn't last too long.

I like how they put the dates on the pics. We skipped the photopass there and also the front of the line pass when we went.

Too bad you missed E.T. it is a fun ride.

The Simpsons ride scares me. LOL. It is a great ride though.

BTTF ride was awesome.

Bummer the parade was canceled.

I disagree. I think US is just as picturesque ar Disney.

The show and fireworks looked nice. Missed it last time.

Those seats have been my nemesis for 2 times now. I will ride this ride next year.

I love the staircase display too.

It is a great area and you certainly captured it.

I am caught up again.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Candy!

Yes. Sweet, isn't it?

A very nice day at the WWoHP. Great pictures of Hogwarts Castle. The ride is great and i enjoyed it but I don't like to put my bag in the lockers since we can't bring any bags on the ride and they won't even let you take pictures or videotape where Universal is strict on those where Disney is okay on certain rides and shows.

Nice to see you were able to go in Ollivanders Wand shop. How long did you wait to go in the shop where it can take a while outside through the queue to go inside?

I never seen the breakfast at Three Broomsticks where the lunch is very nice. It is nice to see what the breakfast is at that restaurant.

Very nice PiO.

We got in line just before the morning crowd hit. So, I would guess....just before or right on 9 am. We waited 10 minutes to get in. Not bad; considering that the last time DH were here, we waited 45 minutes to go in.

Great pics. I love the way the castle is so true to the large model we saw at Leavensdon Studios in London. The new wand shop in Diagon Alley sounds like it is coping much better with the crowds...and they certainly learnt their lesson about making use of shop space though I have read they are still quite small inside. We shall see for ourselves next month

That's really not long to go now. Can't wait to see your pictures.

Wow, your pics are fab! We haven't been to US/IOA sine '03. Things have changed so much I'd like to go back now.

You haven't been since 2003? It is time to head back.

I am just soaking this all in, absolutely loving all your photos! Thank you so much, I really didn't know what I've been missing.

I think it is worth a trip to the Dark Side.

I've had such a heck of a time keeping up! I can't take that ride through the castle! You're right about it pulling you every which way. I was sick for a couple hours after riding it. I do enjoy the scenery there in Hogsmeade. I wish we would have been hungry when we hit the three broomsticks. We didn't end up eating there, just a small peek inside. Maybe some other time.

Definitely the on property perks make it worth the stay for the early entry and the FOTL pass!

I hope real life is enjoyable for you.

The food is acceptable at the three Broomsticks. I had the cottage pie the last time I was there. It was a little salty for me. Breakfast was okay. I know some people think the food is great in here; but I think there are other places to eat that are better.

 

[PrincessInOz]

The theming is really spectacular. I do end to struggle with motion sickness so Forbidden Journey is probably not for me. I do wonder however if they have a chicken exit.

Corinna

Alison responded to your query. It is worth a walk through the castle. There is a special line for just walk-through and you have to ask a CM. This line follows the same area as the general queue for the ride; although I think there is a section where the general queue do not get to. I might or might not have something to share in a couple of updates.

Universal really did WWoHP right although the shops are way too small. I have heard that is JK Rowling's doing....she was aiming for correct proportions. I cannot wait to go check out Diagon Alley....I'm going to have to sneak in a trip some of these days.

Jill in CO

Yes, I heard the same think. JK Rowling really wanted the area to feel like an English village. The shops are definitely the right size then.

I'm envious. It's going to be years before I even think about DA.

The world of Harry potter looks to be alot of fun, and sweet shop has something for everyone I am sure.

So what was your favorite spot in Hogsmeade?

My favourite spot in Hogsmeade is that back area outside of the Hogs Breath. It's a lovely view of the castle from there.

Getting caught up and loving that you and I had so many similar pictures! Of course, yours are a lot better than mine.


We loved our time at WWoHP as well but I agree with you in regards to all the faux shops. I'm wondering what it is like now with the expansion. The themeing is wonderful, though, and I enjoyed seeing, hearing, and tasting some of my favorite books come to life. Unfortunately we were there during a very busy period so shopping for me was torture. Wall to wall people and some stores so crowded, you could barely get through the door.


Good job, PiO!

Hey! Nice to see you back here. Thanks!

I think DA looks amazing in the pictures. Wish I could see it; but I don't have a return trip in my plans at all.

Sorry that you had crowds when you visited.

OOH! Universal. Nice. We are planning on next year for there and I think Cabana Bay is the choice to stay at.

The room looks really nice.

Jealous you saw a MInion. We did not.

I hate their camera policy but I see it also why they do it.

Glad the rain didn't last too long.

I like how they put the dates on the pics. We skipped the photopass there and also the front of the line pass when we went.

Too bad you missed E.T. it is a fun ride.

The Simpsons ride scares me. LOL. It is a great ride though.

BTTF ride was awesome.

Bummer the parade was canceled.

I disagree. I think US is just as picturesque ar Disney.

The show and fireworks looked nice. Missed it last time.

Those seats have been my nemesis for 2 times now. I will ride this ride next year.

I love the staircase display too.

It is a great area and you certainly captured it.

I am caught up again.

I KNOW you're going to fit in that seat when you visit next year.

I think IoA is stunning and equal to Disney. I don't have the same viewpoint for US. But it is only a personal opinion.

Thanks!

 

[skier_pete]

Our DD has recently gotten into Harry Potter (thanks to DW and I) and now wants to go to Universal. The problem is even at 11 she still won't ride any of the thrill rides, making Universal a expensive walk-through exhibit (Flight of the Hippogriff notwithstanding). I told her once she starts riding the thrill rides at Disney (Dinosaur, EE, RnrC, ToT) then we'll know she can handle Universal.

I myself am ready and eager to go. It's been 14 years, and almost everything at US is different from when we last went. IoA is mostly the same, but I remember thinking what a great park that was the one day we spent there.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Our DD has recently gotten into Harry Potter (thanks to DW and I) and now wants to go to Universal. The problem is even at 11 she still won't ride any of the thrill rides, making Universal a expensive walk-through exhibit (Flight of the Hippogriff notwithstanding). I told her once she starts riding the thrill rides at Disney (Dinosaur, EE, RnrC, ToT) then we'll know she can handle Universal.

I myself am ready and eager to go. It's been 14 years, and almost everything at US is different from when we last went. IoA is mostly the same, but I remember thinking what a great park that was the one day we spent there.

I totally understand that reasoning.

Pity you and DW can't sneak an adults only trip to the Dark Side.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Admiring the Architecture



The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad is a stunt show that is held in this part of Island of Adventure.






It's located really close to the WWoHP and the theming in this area is decent.






With the Early Entry start and the lack of crowds this morning, we had gotten through the WWoHP so quickly that the rest of park still needed to wake up. In any event, it wasn't on my must-do list. The reviews for this are not great.


We kept going.


The Poseidon's Fury rates higher; only just. The architecture here is equally as stunning. But we were still a full 90 minutes away from the first show.







No point hanging around so we kept going.








(Continued in the Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


From There to Here, From Here to There, Funny Things are Everywhere



Guess what we used to read to DS when he was younger?






He must have been about 2 when we first starting reading Cat in the Hat to him. Isn't it amazing what a child remembers???






I was gobsmacked when DS wanted to explore this part of the park. With all those thrill rides, he wanted to go here????







From there to here, from here to there.







I guess Funny Things really can be found everywhere.







As the good doctor said, "Everything stinks until it's finished". Although, for DS, he definitely didn't think much of this attraction when it was finished!






I did try and tell him. Really I did. But I guess this is an indication of the lure of fun childhood memories!






I did manage to get this shot in before I was firmly told off by a CM. Time to put the camera away.







Nevermind. We did grab a picture remembrance in this part of the park.






By the time we got to the third attraction, DS had learnt his lesson. Funny things are NOT found everywhere.







Time to close the chapter on this side of the park.







(Continued in the Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Lycraland. Where everyone wears Underwear on the Outside



We kept heading round and took a look at the Hulk Coaster.
Did we ride?






Not me. DS did contemplate it but decided not to in the end. He wanted to keep going. I figured it was the tiredness kicking in.






However, it was probably the lure of lycra. We ended up going round twice on this one. The benefit of having an unlimited Express Pass.





We also made sure that we got a Meet and Greet in.





You won't catch me wearing my underwear on the outside! But it definitely suits the residents here.






When we wandered out on the street, there were more meet and greats to be had.






Some even had official photographers with them.






It was fun getting face to face with some of the residents.






'Twas a fun interaction.






For the big boy as well.






By this stage, the minders were clearing the street.







You do remember that we were in the land where everyone wears their underwear on the outside, right?







It was time for a parade of lycra.






I might have been in a great position for pictures.































But our position was awful for Meet and Greets. By the time we raced back, the queues were pretty long for everyone. Still.....we managed one.






The official photographer record.







(Continued in Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Wet! Wet! Wet!



The one thing that stood out for me on this day was that it got rather humid around noon. It had been a little overcast in the morning. The cloud cover definitely kept us cooler in the morning.






But by the time noon came round, the sun had frizzed up a lot of the cloud cover. It was getting hot and humid!






We were all definitely eyeing off ways to keep cool.






Anyone wanna take a guess at what we were thinking about?






Let's just say that my DH knew how to rack up the brownie points this day. He sure knew the right things to say and take a picture of.






He definitely told DS there were better ways to cool off than here.






We stowed our bags in the lockers for a couple of hours. But these pictures were taken either before or after this period of the afternoon.


Let's go get wet, shall we?


I think we hit Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges first. I never did get a picture of this attraction but it's effectively the Universal version of Kali. I don't remember getting too wet on this ride.



Our next stop was Dudley’s Do-Right Ripsaw Falls. This is one where I knew we would get wet.






Like....REALLY wet!






Not that we minded getting wet but DH and I had talked about this the night before.






DH and I were not in the mood for walking around with wet underwear; even if the resort was a short 10 minute walk away. We figured we'd play it safe and dryer.






Let's just say that we got a few looks when we pulled out the blue plastic. But given that the local residents walk about with underwear on the outside, I figured we were safe. And the plastic did get us on this ride three times.





We did still get wet; but not soaked and that was a good thing. It meant that we could keep going round the park to the next destination.






There are most definitely dinosaurs here!





















Our destination.






I didn't end up with pictures inside. But there is a final drop to this ride.







And DS did get his wish in the end....
















Wet! Wet! And Wet!

 

[dgbg100106]

The Cam Am's in lycraland are pretty cool, I wold have rather road them....
The matching blue ponchos... did the work? Would you take them again?

 

[dolphingirl47]

You got a lot of ground covered that day. Great idea wearing the ponchos.

Corinna

 

[Pinkocto]

Fun fun fun and FUN!!! I will definitely be making a trip to the dark side, sooner rather than later thanks to you PIO

 

[Shazzasmd]

All caught up. Enjoyed your reporting in MNSSHP, and now Universal. I hope you get a chance to come back for Diagon Alley, even though you have no plans for that yet.

 

[Leshaface]

I don't think i've ever seen anyone post their photo on the Forbidden Journey before. Cool pic!

Ooh DH's breakfast looks like something I would get. But is it really the same price as the other breakfast options?!

The shops are so impressive, especially Honeydukes.

Wow Ripsaw Falls look like SO much fun!! Very smart wearing the panchos.

Love the last picture of DS. He got what he wanted for sure!

 

[tiggrbaby]

The ponchos made me giggle! DH can't stand getting wet, so he bought some one year just to go on a water ride. And this is the man who is super-stingy.

 

[rentayenta]

Finally catching up!

Love the Sneetches and Spider-Man family pics. Very fun and festive.

The Hulk Coaster reminds me of the coasters we'd ride as kids at Magic Mountain. Little theme but great fun.

 

[franandaj]

I loved Seussland! I even rode the Merry Go Round. I hate to say it, but I don't really know any of those Marvel characters, well Spidey and I can figure out Captain America. As you know I am not a fan of getting wet. Your DS can knock himself out next month. That was quite an active day. Im looking forward to hearing about the special queue in Hogwarts.

 

[mvf-m11c]

You really did a lot later that day at IoA. That was smart to wear ponchos for Dudley’s Do-Right Ripsaw Falls. I have seen people get soaked on that ride along with Jurassic Park River Adventure.

 

[PrincessInOz]

The Cam Am's in lycraland are pretty cool, I wold have rather road them....
The matching blue ponchos... did the work? Would you take them again?

DH would agree with you. I think he would have liked to have tried them out himself.

The ponchos worked for the first two rounds. By the time we went round the third time, we got wet. But we were dry in the important sections. And yes, if I wanted to go on multiple times on those rides, I would take them again. We got those ponchos in a dollar type store; so they didn't cost that much.

You got a lot of ground covered that day. Great idea wearing the ponchos.

Corinna

We did get through a bit this day. Thanks.

Fun fun fun and FUN!!! I will definitely be making a trip to the dark side, sooner rather than later thanks to you PIO

Excellent! Glad to help.

All caught up. Enjoyed your reporting in MNSSHP, and now Universal. I hope you get a chance to come back for Diagon Alley, even though you have no plans for that yet.

Thanks!
I hope I make it back to see DA at some stage.

I don't think i've ever seen anyone post their photo on the Forbidden Journey before. Cool pic!

Ooh DH's breakfast looks like something I would get. But is it really the same price as the other breakfast options?!

Yes. It was the same price as the other breakfast options. DH enjoyed it and I think it might have been better than the pancakes on this day.

The shops are so impressive, especially Honeydukes.

Wow Ripsaw Falls look like SO much fun!! Very smart wearing the panchos.

Love the last picture of DS. He got what he wanted for sure!

The wet rides at IoA are really fun. DS really enjoyed getting wet there.

The ponchos made me giggle! DH can't stand getting wet, so he bought some one year just to go on a water ride. And this is the man who is super-stingy.

We did get some strange looks walking around with those ponchos. But then we also got a few envious looks after the drop as well.

Did the poncho work for your DH?

Finally catching up!

Love the Sneetches and Spider-Man family pics. Very fun and festive.

The Hulk Coaster reminds me of the coasters we'd ride as kids at Magic Mountain. Little theme but great fun.

I think that's why I like Disney so much. They really keep the theme going.
Thanks!

I loved Seussland! I even rode the Merry Go Round. I hate to say it, but I don't really know any of those Marvel characters, well Spidey and I can figure out Captain America. As you know I am not a fan of getting wet. Your DS can knock himself out next month. That was quite an active day. Im looking forward to hearing about the special queue in Hogwarts.

I need to get going on writing up the next edition.
It didn't feel like an active day but looking at the pictures, it sure looks that way.

The other characters on the Cam Ams are X-Men related.

You really did a lot later that day at IoA. That was smart to wear ponchos for Dudley’s Do-Right Ripsaw Falls. I have seen people get soaked on that ride along with Jurassic Park River Adventure.

Yup. I have seen and read about people being completely soaked; hence the ponchos.