Canadian Buffoon's Semi-EPIC Vacation - 10/29 - Link to new TR!

[pkondz]

This is hard work!

I got through about 4-5
unread threads tonight.

And have 15 more to go.



I think I'll have to pause that
so I can write a little bit.

I'll get to your TRs...
but it's gonna be a while.

 

[MeghanEmily]

This is hard work!

I got through about 4-5
unread threads tonight.

And have 15 more to go.



I think I'll have to pause that
so I can write a little bit.

I'll get to your TRs...
but it's gonna be a while.

I just went through this, myself. It can be a long haul for sure! Good for you for making headway. We'll all still be there whenever you get to the others.

 

[Steppesister]

8 Pages behind... sorry.... will have to comment on the chapter at hand so I can get caught up as my weekend wanes. But I did enjoy this one a lot having just gotten to Uni for the first time myself.

Let me tell you...
When you first walk into
Diagon Alley... you stop
dead in your tracks.
You're not just in a
Theme Park anymore.
You are actually in the
same land that Harry trod upon.

100% agree with this. I've heard it said they've out-Disney'd Disney.... I'd concur.

I wanted to experience Universal
as much as possible without
having to lug a camera along.
So my phone will just have to do.

Don't apologize for phone photos; some of my best photos ever were on my I-8.

It was pretty fun, but also
pretty rough.

Yeah... my poor neck!

It was nice to get away
from the usual burgers
or chicken strips.

Which I try very hard to not do ever at theme parks!

The Simpson's ride was fun,
if a bit nausea inducing.

This was probably the MOST puke-inducing ride I went on.

A little ET was in order.

After Gringott's I think it was my fave.

And in case you forgot...
Yes, it was still stupid hot out.

May NEVER relented one day. It was FAR hotter than this month, or at least felt like it.

Then she stopped...
"Playtex? I mean Latex...
Playtex is a whole other monster."

She said it. Not me.
Don't shoot the messenger.

Her response was:
"Watch it. I don't have to
be nice to kids...
this isn't Disney."

Even better! HAHAH!

You can take a turn down
Knockturn Alley.

Nicely done.

Well, it's an awful lot of fried food.

Which I just avoid if possible. I'll make a rare exception but really have to be in the mood!

Which would you have chosen??

Single. Otherwise WAY more awkward with the "Why are you here?" vibe.

I kept thinking "He's going to
figure out that he's annoying
everyone around him, right?"

Some people.

 

[pkondz]

I just went through this, myself. It can be a long haul for sure! Good for you for making headway. We'll all still be there whenever you get to the others.

Thanks, Meghan.
I think, now I'm about 22 behind.

But I got my update written
(posting momentarily)
so I'm happy about that.

 

[pkondz]

8 Pages behind... sorry.... will have to comment on the chapter at hand so I can get caught up as my weekend wanes.

No apologies necessary.
Life.
I totally get it.
(As I struggle to catch up
everywhere... including your TR.)

But I did enjoy this one a lot having just gotten to Uni for the first time myself.

Did you enjoy it???

100% agree with this. I've heard it said they've out-Disney'd Disney.... I'd concur.

Don't apologize for phone photos; some of my best photos ever were on my I-8.

Funny.
I know we both tend to lug
around a DSLR.
And then we take a quick
snap with the phone which
makes you wonder...
"Why am I lugging around
a heavy DSLR????"

Yeah... my poor neck!

Oh, no!
Did you hurt yourself on it?

Which I try very hard to not do ever at theme parks!

As do I.
I love a good burger.
And a theme park is generally
the last place that will make
a good burger.

This was probably the MOST puke-inducing ride I went on.

Uh, oh.
You felt ill afterwards?
I don't know why this ride
seems to do that.
I mean... it's not like most
of the other rides aren't
similarly based.

After Gringott's I think it was my fave.

It's a fun little nostalgic ride.

May NEVER relented one day. It was FAR hotter than this month, or at least felt like it.

I agree.
I don't know if the temps
were much lower, but it
didn't feel nearly as hot.

Even better! HAHAH!

Nicely done.

Which I just avoid if possible. I'll make a rare exception but really have to be in the mood!

I tend to do this:
"Hey! Fish & chips!
I haven't had that in forever!"
(orders. eats.)
"Ugh... I feel gross.
Now I remember why
I haven't had it in forever."

Just... too much grease.

Single. Otherwise WAY more awkward with the "Why are you here?" vibe.

That's what I thought.
"You're intruding on our intimacy"
vs "It's a free hot tub, but wish I
could have it to myself."

Some people.

That guy.

 

[pkondz]

More Brooms, Less Knobs

Our second day at Universal Orlando
started with the alarm waking us
at seven a.m.

Really... shouldn't vacations be more...
restful?


Apparently, not so much.


This morning we decided
to save our feet a bit.
(Which turned out to be
a capital idea!)
We decided to take one
of the boats from our
resort to the theme park.

One thing I really like about
Universal is the bag check.

Well, I don't like bag check,
per se... but I do like how
Universal does it.
You get checked when you
get to the dock
(complete with metal detector
and x-ray scanner)
and once through, you're
good to go in either park
or CityWalk.
And since there are far fewer
people boarding from any
resort at one time,
you don't see the nightmarish
Epcot-like bag check lines.


We arrived at the dock's
bag check at 8:15am and
were through in seconds.
A boat pulled up as we
were going through.
Perfect timing!

Our view from the dock:

You can see the twin
towers of Dr. Doom's Freefall
off to the right.
We were that close to the park.

Another view, with Sapphire Falls
resort in the background, as we
pulled away from the dock.

We were soon on board
and on our way!

Doesn't she look just a
little too chipper for eight
o'clock on a vacation morning?

We arrived at Islands of Adventure
at 8:30am.
While we weren't the first to arrive,
we were still relatively close to the
front of the line.

Elle asked what time it opened.
"Nine o'clock." I replied.
"Why are we so early?" She asked,
clearly shocked and puzzled.
"That's rope drop, baby!" I exclaimed.


And then laughed in her face.


Because that's what parents do.


Never pass up a chance to mock
your children.
It builds character and a looming
sense of resentment.



The gates opened promptly at 9:00am
and we swept through and were
on our way to Hogsmeade!

I snapped a few shots of a virtually
empty park as we quick-walked.

Seuss Landing looked fun,
but would have to wait
for later in the afternoon..
We had a broom to ride!

We zipped through the
Not-So-Lost Continent.
Meh. Been there many
a times when crossing
a border.

Wait... that's incontinent...
No! That's not it either!
Kinda the opposite actually.
Okay... so this was new to me too.

We zoomed by Mythos restaurant
where the main feature seems to be
a bearded hipster eternally vomiting.
Not exactly a glowing recommendation
for eating there, is it?
We wisely chose to change our
decision to dine there and eat elsewhere.

Soon after, Hogsmeade hove into view.

With elbows flying, feet
kicking and teeth gnashing,
we fought our way through
the rabid crowds to our...

um...

destination...

That lady is definitely
holding her phone in
a rabid-crowd type of way.


Definitely.

And those three guys?
Vicious. Blood-thirsty.

Touring is a cut-throat
business, folks.


We rounded a corner
and Hogwarts soared
above us.

We quickly dumped our
belongings in the provided
lockers and headed into
the standby line.
You have to leave everything
you ever owned or wanted
to own in those lockers or
you can't ride.


They really drill that into you.


I was pleased that there was
no wait, as I wanted Elle to have
the chance to see what the
standby queue looked like.

You pass the green house
where Mandrake plants
are safely kept out of
reach of curious children.
(The Mandrake's cry is fatal
to anyone unfortunate enough
to hear it.)

Statues honouring various
wizarding VIPs were on display,
such as the Architect, House
founders and Kardashians.

Ah! Looks like Gryffindor
is leading in the points,
with Slytherin close behind.

The standby and express
queues meet at
Dumbledore's office.
The head man himself,
was there to ensure everyone
was obeying the house rules.

Dumbledore: "Those who have
failed to leave their belongings
in a locker, have had tragedy
befall them.
Most notably that they were sent
to the back of the line to
deposit their belongings
before once more
recommencing the arduous
trudge to the ride."


<shudder> The horror...


Rounding the corner,
you enter the Defense Against
the Dark Arts classroom
where you can see actual desks
from the movies.

The holy trinity was discussing
what could happen if you didn't
make use of the provided lockers...

Ron: "I once lost a set of car keys.
That's how Mad-Eye Moody
lost his eye."
Hermione: "Ron! That was you?"
Ron: <Hangs head in shame.>

And just before you board
the ride, you pass before
the Sorting Hat.

Doesn't the Sorting Hat look
particularly peeved?
Perhaps you would too if your
entire existence was to sit on
the smelly, sweaty, pimple-laden
heads of pre-pubescent children?


We both loved the ride.
It was my 2nd time around
(since the one in California
is identical to this one)
and I enjoyed it just as much
as the first time.

So much so that we immediately
turned around and, using our
Express passes, hopped
right back on for a second flight.

Still in Hogsmeade,
we went for a quick spin
on Flight of the Hippogriff.

It's a cute but short little
coaster reminiscent of
Barnstormer.

When you board the ride,
and it starts moving,
the first thing you see
is Buckbeak.

Passengers who fail to
bow to him are quickly
disembowelled.
EMTs are waiting at the
end of the ride for the
unfortunate.

"Everyone, hands in the air!!"
Oh, right... they're too busy
holding in their intestines.

Shoulda bowed.

The ride does afford you with
a wonderful view of Hogwarts.
That alone makes the ride
worth trying at least once.

Phew! That's a lot of riding!
Time for...

Butterbeer!

I was the intelligent one
who went with the frozen.
I'm not saying Elle is dumb...

But yeah, she was dumb
to not get the frozen one too.

Always put your kids down.
It helps build a strong backbone.


Refreshing bevvies in hand,
we exited Hogsmeade
(taking one last shot
of the castle as we left)
and set out to explore
the rest of the park.

First up...
"You're a sick park"
(The J is pronounced "Y", you know.
It's German.)

The dreaded pinkosaurus.
With it's flaming breath
and limp fore-wrist-legs.

Not that there's anything
wrong with that...

We rode You're a Sick Park
River Adventure.
We got slightly moist.
(We rode in the back.)
We moved on.
It's an okay ride.
One and done,
for us though.

Kong was next.

I liked that ride.
I liked how the action swung
from one side of the car
to the other.

They did the same thing on
Fast & Furious, but...
it somehow works much
better on this one.
Maybe the storyline is better?


Another area that Universal
is a bit more... creative
is their use of warning signs.
In Disney you pretty much
only have the "No Dancing"
signs.
In Universal... they up the game.
(I may have taken some licence
with the accompanying texts.)

Toon Lagoon was next up
and… while there aren't any
(dry) rides in the area,
it appealed to me.
Probably because so many
of the 'toons were familiar
remembrances from my
childhood.

Elle didn't appreciate it
as much and tried to
get rid of it all!!!

Continued Next Post​

 

[pkondz]

Continued From Previous Post​

After successful disarming Elle,
we stumped over to Marvel Super
Hero Island and swung into
the Spiderman ride.

Again, there was really not
much difference between
this ride and Transformers, but...
While Transformers was hectic
and unenjoyable, this one seemed
to follow a more coherent story-line
and was a great ride!

And if you look closely enough,
you'll spot Stan Lee
(the creator of Spiderman)
appearing in the ride four times.
(I think I spotted him three times.)


You know what?
I'm hungry.
Are you hungry?
We were hungry.

We backtracked to Hogsmeade
and parked our brooms over
by Three Broomsticks.

We both opted for the
soup & salad combo.
Leek and potato for Elle
and split pea for me.
Not bad, too!

After lunch, since we were here...
We rode Forbidden Journey again.
Why not?
There was over an hour wait,
but with our Express passes,
we were in line at 11:50
and on the ride at 11:59.

Okay... let's keep seeing
what's what around here.
We headed back to Marvel Land
and rode the Hulk Coaster.

It's definitely not for the
faint of heart!
And... word of warning.
We rode it once while
seated at or near the
very front.
We loved it!
So we rode it again
and were seated at the back.
It was much rougher and
we came off the ride feeling
not overly great.
Elle had to sit down for
a while in air conditioning
before she felt better.

Okay... time to slow things down.

Waaaaayyyyy down.

We headed for Seuss Landing
and hopped onto The Cat in the Hat.

A nice, kitschy, slow ride
down memory lane.

Elle wanted to pop into
Circus McGurkus just to
see what it looked like.

While we didn't eat anything
there, I must say the theming
was pretty fun!

I liked how the peripheral
tables looked like circus
train cars.

Our next ride was...
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
This ride is similar to Disney's People Mover...
But much slower.

You'd think, though, after seeing
all the warnings posted for this ride,
that it was the most violent and
frightening ride in the entire park!

It was slow, it was relaxing,
and it afforded the rider
with nice views of the area.

And wonders of wonders...
When you get off the ride...
No gift shop!!!

But there was this sweets shop.

I may have gotten a
peanut butter cup cookie.

But probably not.

Our last attraction in the park
was Poseidon's Fury.
We debated on whether to
see it or not, but when we
were told the next show was
in four minutes...
Why not?

The show was entertaining enough
with a mix of live action, projections,
water features and fire.

I wouldn't stand in line
for very long to see it...
But I would see it again.

Okay... enough of this park.
We have unfinished business
over at Universal Studios.
Time to grab the Hogwarts
Express and make the switch.

But first...

Butterbeer!!!

(And the kid wised up
and ordered the frozen.)

As we made our way to the train,
a father with wife and two girls
in tow asked.
"Do you need a ticket?"

Dude... this may be the most
expensive ride ticket you ever buy.
(If you aren't aware, you need a
park to park ticket to ride the train.)
A one park ticket is $115 (child - $110).
A park to park ticket is $170/$165.
So if he (and family) want to ride
Hogwarts Express, it's going to cost
him $220.


Arriving in Diagon Alley,
I was told there was a package
for me so we stopped at
Owl Post to retrieve it.

See that box wayyyy at the top
of that pile?
That's mine.
I told them we'd come back later.

And, here:
(For all of you lamenting
my lack of a shot of the
dragon breathing fire in
the previous update.
So there.)

What was our unfinished business?
Elle wanted to see how the animal
show ended.
So we watched it again.
This time we were close
to the guy in the audience
that the bird flies up to.

It turns out we missed
very little. Still, I'm glad
we did it just to make sure.


And that was it for
Universal theme parks!


We left the park,
arriving at the boat dock
shortly after.
Just to give you an idea
of how efficient and close
we were...
We arrived at the dock at
4:10pm. The boat arrived
at 4:15 and we were in our
room by 4:32.

Our last dinner on property
was at Vivo, an Italian restaurant.
I'd classify it as mid-scale.
You don't want to be wearing
flip-flops and shorts...
but you don't need to be
formally dressed either.

I asked for and we were sat
overlooking the kitchen.
I love that.
I love watching how the
staff works together as a unit
and how the dishes are created.

Unfortunately, most of the action
was going on out of sight
farther down to our left,
but we still had fun, nevertheless.

I ordered an Allegro
(Miller's Gin, lime juice,
simple syrup, champagne)
but it had too strong of
a gin taste for my liking.

We placed our orders and
waited on our dinners.
I ordered the classic Bolognese.
(Which was, unfortunately,
just okay. I expected better.)
While Elle ordered the
Squid Ink Seafood pasta.
(Which she'd never had before
and greatly enjoyed!)

All smiles waiting for our meals.

Which is pretty impressive
considering our day's
step count: 22, 631.

While we waited, I noted
the clever cheese grater
lighting fixtures in use.

Our food arrived and
once again, for the
umpteenth time this trip,
I asked Elle to wait while
I dutifully took some photos.

My meal:

<click!>

"Dad! Hurry up! I'm starving!"
"Just one second... gotta take
yours next..."

<click!>

"Okay, hang on...
I think I want a better
angle and maybe take
the spoon out and...
WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"

"HEY! STOP! PUT THAT KNIFE D..."

In case you didn't see them
in the last chapter:

And...
Did you see it in this chapter?
See them both?
(Not including the two
altered warning signs.)




Coming up... A little bonus for ya.

Chapter 14. Keys In The Bucket​

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Welcome back! I hope the unfortunate start of your trip was all the unfortunate-ness that you had to deal with.

Really... shouldn't vacations be more...
restful?

Sheesh it's like you don't know where are are

You get checked when you
get to the dock
(complete with metal detector
and x-ray scanner)
and once through, you're
good to go in either park
or CityWalk.
And since there are far fewer
people boarding from any
resort at one time,
you don't see the nightmarish
Epcot-like bag check lines.

Yes, definitely the exemplary bag check. We usually stay across the street and walk over, which takes you in near valet parking and I've never seen more than two other people in line there. It's so fast!

Never pass up a chance to mock
your children.
It builds character and a looming
sense of resentment.

Adding this to my pkondz parenting advice journal in the off-chance that we ever have kids. I came here for trip reports but am leaving with sage parenting advice. Thank you, The Dis.

where the main feature seems to be
a bearded hipster eternally vomiting.

We both loved the ride.

It's in my top 3 favorite rides anywhere of all time.

It's an okay ride.
One and done,
for us though.

I've never been on! I've come to despise water rides in my old age. I wonder what the new ride will be like.

Maybe the storyline is better?

Maybe juuuuuuust maybe

But there was this sweets shop.

Oh wow that's beautiful

But probably not.

Definitely not.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Well, I don't like bag check,
per se... but I do like how
Universal does it.
You get checked when you
get to the dock
(complete with metal detector
and x-ray scanner)
and once through, you're
good to go in either park
or CityWalk.

I completely agree! Bag check at Universal is SO EASY! It's also nice that you can park-hop without having to re-check your bag. It's quite delightful compared to Disney World!

I was pleased that there was
no wait, as I wanted Elle to have
the chance to see what the
standby queue looked like.

I LOVE the Forbidden Journey queue - perhaps one of my favorite ride queues ever. There are so many fun things to see and squeal about. You got some GREAT pictures, too!

And of course you rode it again! It's silly not to with an Express Pass!

The ride does afford you with
a wonderful view of Hogwarts.
That alone makes the ride
worth trying at least once.

YES! The ride itself is cute, but the views are GREAT! If you can get on it early before there's a line, it's a must-do!

I was the intelligent one
who went with the frozen.
I'm not saying Elle is dumb...

But yeah, she was dumb
to not get the frozen one too.

Eh, I actually like both of them. The regular Butterbeer is easier to guzzle down with food, while the frozen one is a better snack to savor. Honestly, any kind of Butterbeer is a win!

I liked that ride.
I liked how the action swung
from one side of the car
to the other.

G was a big fan of Reign of Kong, too!

We headed for Seuss Landing
and hopped onto The Cat in the Hat.

I know it's one of the "lesser" IOA attractions, but I think the Cat and the Hat is pretty fun. I enjoy it every time!

You'd think, though, after seeing
all the warnings posted for this ride,
that it was the most violent and
frightening ride in the entire park!

It was slow, it was relaxing,
and it afforded the rider
with nice views of the area.

Yes on both of these! I wonder how many people skip this attraction due to the warnings (and the fact that there's a height requirement for what is essentially the People Mover is CRAZY to me!).

It is a very nice ride, though, with excellent views of the park.

As we made our way to the train,
a father with wife and two girls
in tow asked.
"Do you need a ticket?"

Is it bad that I chuckle when I pass by the ticket window for each side of the Hogwarts Express? Hopefully he already had park-to-park tickets and just thought you needed some additional pass!

Our last dinner on property
was at Vivo, an Italian restaurant.

I've never seen a review of Vivo! It's too bad your meal wasn't as stellar as you were expecting, but it looked pretty tasty in the pictures.

While we waited, I noted
the clever cheese grater
lighting fixtures in use.

Neat! I really like those!

 

[MinnieWebster]

I snapped a few shots of a virtually
empty park as we quick-walked.

Very nice!

(taking one last shot
of the castle as we left)

Pretty

First up...
"You're a sick park"
(The J is pronounced "Y", you know.
It's German.)

Noted.

Are you hungry?

Yes. I'm always hungry...

We rode Forbidden Journey again.
Why not?
There was over an hour wait,
but with our Express passes,
we were in line at 11:50
and on the ride at 11:59.

The best way to ride! No waits!

You'd think, though, after seeing
all the warnings posted for this ride,
that it was the most violent and
frightening ride in the entire park!

Wow!! So many warnings!!

And, here:
(For all of you lamenting
my lack of a shot of the
dragon breathing fire in
the previous update.
So there.)

Nice shot!!

Did you see it in this chapter?
See them both?

Sure did!!

 

[missjackiemcg]

We rounded a corner
and Hogwarts soared
above us.

THAT is such a cool reveal! I was amazed when we were walking through Hogsmeade and then BAM there was the castle. Love your picture of it, too!

Always put your kids down.
It helps build a strong backbone.

Think my principal would mind if I made that my Kindergarten class mantra?

 

[MeghanEmily]

One thing I really like about
Universal is the bag check.

Well, I don't like bag check,
per se... but I do like how
Universal does it.
You get checked when you
get to the dock
(complete with metal detector
and x-ray scanner)
and once through, you're
good to go in either park
or CityWalk.
And since there are far fewer
people boarding from any
resort at one time,
you don't see the nightmarish
Epcot-like bag check lines.

Agreed. Not that I enjoy bag check anywhere, but it's so much easier at Universal.

We zipped through the
Not-So-Lost Continent.
Meh. Been there many
a times when crossing
a border.

Wait... that's incontinent...
No! That's not it either!
Kinda the opposite actually.
Okay... so this was new to me too.

Ha! You had me confused there for a second...

Ah! Looks like Gryffindor
is leading in the points,
with Slytherin close behind.

Shocker!

Ron: "I once lost a set of car keys.
That's how Mad-Eye Moody
lost his eye."
Hermione: "Ron! That was you?"
Ron: <Hangs head in shame.>

I was the intelligent one
who went with the frozen.
I'm not saying Elle is dumb...

But yeah, she was dumb
to not get the frozen one too.

Couldn't agree more. Frozen butterbeer is where it's at!

And if you look closely enough,
you'll spot Stan Lee
(the creator of Spiderman)
appearing in the ride four times.
(I think I spotted him three times.)

Oh neat. I didn't know this. I don't ride this one, but Nathan does.

While we waited, I noted
the clever cheese grater
lighting fixtures in use.

Cool! I like this!

 

[KathyM2]

"Why are we so early?" She asked,
clearly shocked and puzzled.
"That's rope drop, baby!" I exclaimed.

This made me laugh because my daughter says this all the time. Just doesn't get it. I recently dragged her to Canada's Wonderland and got there pre-park opening and she just could not understand why I got her out of bed. ONE DAY she will see the wisdom and thank me!! Still waiting...

Looks like a good time at the Universal parks. I want to go just for the Butterbeer alone as I've said. I feel bad for the guy who asked about needing a ticket for the Hogwarts Express, no kidding about it being THE most expensive ticket there is. Probably why I haven't ridden it yet!!

 

[docsoliday1]

at seven a.m.

How early????

Really... shouldn't vacations be more...
restful?

Yes, they should...but you're involved.

Apparently, not so much.

See? You're involved.

We decided to take one
of the boats from our
resort to the theme park.

Wow...kinda lazy, doncha think? Ya'll were close.

(Which turned out to be
a capital idea!)

Glad it wasn't a capitol idea...you were in the wrong city in Florida.

you don't see the nightmarish
Epcot-like bag check lines.

I realize EPCOT is old, but you would think they could (okay they could, would) have improved this by now.

A boat pulled up as we
were going through.
Perfect timing!

So, you got the VIP Uni transportation pass too??

You can see the twin
towers of Dr. Doom's Freefall

I was thinking I could see the twin props on the seaplane and was thinking pkondz aviation was expanding.

off to the right.
We were that close to the park.

Yeah, as I said, you were that close to the park, but yet you took the boat.

Doesn't she look just a
little too chipper for eight
o'clock on a vacation morning?

Yes, she does. Are you sure she's not older than you say? I don't know too many her age that isn't grumpy pants when they don't get to sleep until noon.

we were still relatively close to the
front of the line.

Relatively close is good. Relatively speaking.

"That's rope drop, baby!" I exclaimed.

And then laughed in her face.

Muwaaahhaaahaahaaa. I've heard that laugh....


I've done that laugh.

Because that's what parents do.

, but only the good ones.

Never pass up a chance to mock
your children.
It builds character and a looming
sense of resentment.

Exactly. Also, never pass up a chance to do a dad joke. Everyone loves those and when they groan, it's really just groans of approval like when I scratch my dogs belly.

I snapped a few shots of a virtually
empty park as we quick-walked.

Virtually empty is good. Virtually speaking.

Wait... that's incontinent...
No! That's not it either!
Kinda the opposite actually.
Okay... so this was new to me too.

Pssst....pkondz....your age is showing....the memory is the first thing to go...followed closely by bowel control. You don't have long to wait for your initial statement to be correct. At least we didn't have to see the border crossing look.

Not exactly a glowing recommendation
for eating there, is it?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say not so much.

With elbows flying, feet
kicking and teeth gnashing,

So, you were your normal self, eh?

That lady is definitely
holding her phone in
a rabid-crowd type of way.

I see it. It's really a Q-36 and she's really Marvin in drag.

And those three guys?
Vicious. Blood-thirsty.

I think they're Marvin's sidekicks.

You have to leave everything
you ever owned or wanted
to own in those lockers or
you can't ride.

I kinda understand this, but I think this is party what has kept me away from universal...having to stash everything for every ride is not my ideal park experience.

Statues honouring various
wizarding VIPs were on display,
such as the Architect, House
founders and Kardashians.

You know, I've never seen any Harry Potter movies (except for maybe 2-3 minutes when my daughter was watching one), but I do know the Kardashians aren't magic...in my opinion pathetic, albeit pathetically rich.

Passengers who fail to
bow to him are quickly
disembowelled.

See...now I don't want to go to Uni....I know nothing about the rules and I would rather keep my body parts intact.

I was the intelligent one
who went with the frozen.
I'm not saying Elle is dumb...

Her father's daughter?

(The J is pronounced "Y", you know.
It's German.)

Ja, ich wusste, dass

(I may have taken some licence
with the accompanying texts.)

Nooooo....I find that sooo hard to believe.

NOT!

Toon Lagoon was next up
and… while there aren't any
(dry) rides in the area,
it appealed to me.
Probably because so many
of the 'toons were familiar
remembrances from my
childhood.

I think I'd like it too. We're close to the same age.

Elle didn't appreciate it
as much and tried to
get rid of it all!!!

You've raised a violent child. And Canadians are supposed to be polite. Sheesh!

You know what?

Nope, but I know who!

I'm hungry.

Nice to meet you hungry. I'm Doc.

Are you hungry?

No!! I already told you, I'm Doc.

We were hungry.

So, wait...you multiplied? Would that make you an amoeba?

Leek and potato for Elle
and split pea for me.
Not bad, too!

I'm not a big split pea fan...leek an potato sounds better, but I don't know what else they might have had either.

It's definitely not for the
faint of heart!
And... word of warning.
We rode it once while
seated at or near the
very front.
We loved it!
So we rode it again
and were seated at the back.
It was much rougher and
we came off the ride feeling
not overly great.

I've heard many folks say Hulk is the best coaster there, but will remember...front half.

Okay... time to slow things down.

Huh? What? Mama always told me I was special. Can't get much slower.

Our next ride was...
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
This ride is similar to Disney's People Mover...
But much slower.

You mean WEDway? I might like this...WEDway is one of my favorites at MK.

I may have gotten a
peanut butter cup cookie.

But probably not.

Yeah, probably not. Pictures or it didn't happen.

Umm, dude...pretty sure you just incriminated yourself...picture!

Butterbeer!!!

(And the kid wised up
and ordered the frozen.)

Frozen better...check!

Elle wanted to see how the animal
show ended.
So we watched it again.
This time we were close
to the guy in the audience
that the bird flies up to.

Is this similar to Up in AK? The guy in that show was right behind me once and I thought the bird was going to take my head off.

I ordered the classic Bolognese.
(Which was, unfortunately,
just okay. I expected better.)

Next time you're in town, we'll have to have you over and have DW make Italian for you. You will be spoiled.

"Okay, hang on...
I think I want a better
angle and maybe take
the spoon out and...
WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"

Don't mess with a hangry just older than teenager.
Get him Elle!

And...
Did you see it in this chapter?
See them both?
(Not including the two
altered warning signs.)

Seaplanes and brooms?

 

[docsoliday1]

Think my principal would mind if I made that my Kindergarten class mantra?

Guaranteed. He/She will love the idea.

Ha! You had me confused there for a second...

Well, at least for you it was only a second...I'm perpetually confused.

Couldn't agree more. Frozen butterbeer is where it's at!

Never had frozen or not...guess I'll have to break down and try the dark side.

ONE DAY she will see the wisdom and thank me!! Still waiting

How old? Mine are in their 20s and 30s and still waiting. Just sayin.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Yay for frozen Butter Beer, yummy, I wish I had one now!

So glad you all had a great time in both of the parks!

Andi usually reminds me to get a picture for my trip reporting! Your daughters pasta dish looks very good.

I have to say I agree with your reviews of all the rides except I have never rode the Hulk and never will. Ride chicken here!

 

[Terra Nova guy]

More Brooms, Less Knobs

I generally find that less knobs in my life is a good thing.

Really... shouldn't vacations be more...
restful?

As much as I enjoy vacations in Florida, they have been anything but restful. I come home feeling like I need a vacation from my vacation.

Well, I don't like bag check,
per se... but I do like how
Universal does it.
You get checked when you
get to the dock
(complete with metal detector
and x-ray scanner)
and once through, you're
good to go in either park
or CityWalk.

I didn't know that. I like how they have it organized. Another point for staying on site at Universal.

Never pass up a chance to mock
your children.
It builds character and a looming
sense of resentment.

I must have an awful lot of character by now.
I'm not above mocking my children. It's part of the reason I had them.

Seuss Landing looked fun,
but would have to wait
for later in the afternoon..
We had a broom to ride!

I thought it was interesting you walked to Hogsmeade that way. It's they way I've gone too. But it seems like a lot of people take the Toon Lagoon route. I think it's pretty much even distance wise. But I really like walking around Seuss Landing.

With elbows flying, feet
kicking and teeth gnashing,
we fought our way through
the rabid crowds to our...

I have never seen it so empty! Of course it's been 5 years since I was in Universal, so I suppose crowds have thinned a bit. But it just goes to show the importance of rope drop.

such as the Architect, House
founders and Kardashians.

Those Kardashians are everywhere. I still can't figure out why.

Ah! Looks like Gryffindor
is leading in the points,
with Slytherin close behind.

Imagine if they had put Gryffindor in last place. The uproar!

I was the intelligent one
who went with the frozen.
I'm not saying Elle is dumb...

Frozen. Always frozen.

We rode You're a Sick Park
River Adventure.
We got slightly moist.
(We rode in the back.)
We moved on.
It's an okay ride.
One and done,
for us though.

I've never done it. That drop is just too intense for me (I assume by looking at it).

And if you look closely enough,
you'll spot Stan Lee
(the creator of Spiderman)
appearing in the ride four times.
(I think I spotted him three times.)

I don't think I ever noticed Stan on the ride. If I get back there I'll have to look for him.

It's definitely not for the
faint of heart!

Nope. I can't do the Hulk. I'll stick with BTMRR thanks.

Our next ride was...
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
This ride is similar to Disney's People Mover...
But much slower.

I've been on the ride more than any other in Universal. My youngest DD loved it (and probably still would). She would always ask to go on the track that goes inside the restaurant though.

And...
Did you see it in this chapter?
See them both?
(Not including the two
altered warning signs.)

I've been missing them completely, but finally saw both this time.

 

[docsoliday1]

As much as I enjoy vacations in Florida, they have been anything but restful. I come home feeling like I need a vacation from my vacation

Need to come visit me Jeff and we'll go to the beach or KSC or whatever. Based on what you've said, I understand why...since it costs so much, you try to squeeze in as much as possible in The time you have...that is exhausting to anyone brother

Frozen. Always frozen.

Let it go, LET IT GO!!!!

Erp...not that frozen, eh?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Our second day at Universal Orlando
started with the alarm waking us
at seven a.m.

Sounds like a normal day to me. Sleeping in, even.

Really... shouldn't vacations be more...
restful?

You can sleep when you're dead!

One thing I really like about
Universal is the bag check.

Amen. One and done, well before the park entrance.

Doesn't she look just a
little too chipper for eight
o'clock on a vacation morning?

If that's chipper, I'm not sure I want to see her when she's angry.

Elle asked what time it opened.
"Nine o'clock." I replied.
"Why are we so early?" She asked,
clearly shocked and puzzled.
"That's rope drop, baby!" I exclaimed.

Never pass up a chance to mock
your children.
It builds character and a looming
sense of resentment.

Darn right. And they need something to tell their therapist later.

We zoomed by Mythos restaurant
where the main feature seems to be
a bearded hipster eternally vomiting.
Not exactly a glowing recommendation
for eating there, is it?
We wisely chose to change our
decision to dine there and eat elsewhere.

Whenever I see a photo of that, I think the same thing. Why would they make a fountain based on a guy vomiting?

With elbows flying, feet
kicking and teeth gnashing,
we fought our way through
the rabid crowds to our...

um...

destination...

Wow. Not quite what I expected.

And those three guys?
Vicious. Blood-thirsty.

Touring is a cut-throat
business, folks.

So what time of year was this again? Seems like the perfect time to go.

We quickly dumped our
belongings in the provided
lockers and headed into
the standby line.
You have to leave everything
you ever owned or wanted
to own in those lockers or
you can't ride.

Serious questions on this: what if I wear glasses all the time? Will I lose them? How about a watch?

Ah! Looks like Gryffindor
is leading in the points,
with Slytherin close behind.

My kids made me take a test (Pottermore? or something) to see what house I would belong it. Proud to say I got Gryffindor. Drew got Slytherin, of course.

Dumbledore: "Those who have
failed to leave their belongings
in a locker, have had tragedy
befall them.
Most notably that they were sent
to the back of the line to
deposit their belongings
before once more
recommencing the arduous
trudge to the ride."

That would be enough to keep me in line.

Ron: "I once lost a set of car keys.
That's how Mad-Eye Moody
lost his eye."
Hermione: "Ron! That was you?"
Ron: <Hangs head in shame.>

Doesn't the Sorting Hat look
particularly peeved?
Perhaps you would too if your
entire existence was to sit on
the smelly, sweaty, pimple-laden
heads of pre-pubescent children?

I mean, that would be enough to make me eternally grumpy. Then again, my kids think I'm already eternally grumpy.

It's a cute but short little
coaster reminiscent of
Barnstormer.

Oh, good. That's one ride I can get Julie on.

"Everyone, hands in the air!!"
Oh, right... they're too busy
holding in their intestines.

That'll learn 'em.

Very nice.

"You're a sick park"
(The J is pronounced "Y", you know.
It's German.)

Huh. Never knew that. I guess I've been using the Ugly Americanized version this whole time.

I liked that ride.
I liked how the action swung
from one side of the car
to the other.

Sounds cool.

Another area that Universal
is a bit more... creative
is their use of warning signs.
In Disney you pretty much
only have the "No Dancing"
signs.
In Universal... they up the game.
(I may have taken some licence
with the accompanying texts.)

Aw, I was sure those were the actual explanations!

While Transformers was hectic
and unenjoyable, this one seemed
to follow a more coherent story-line
and was a great ride!

I've always heard good things about the Spider-man ride.

You know what?
I'm hungry.
Are you hungry?
We were hungry.

Well, I am now.

It's definitely not for the
faint of heart!
And... word of warning.
We rode it once while
seated at or near the
very front.
We loved it!
So we rode it again
and were seated at the back.
It was much rougher and
we came off the ride feeling
not overly great.
Elle had to sit down for
a while in air conditioning
before she felt better.

I'm kind of on the fence about riding Hulk, and this...is keeping me on the fence. How does it compare to RnRC?

Man, the Fun Police are out in force today!

And wonders of wonders...
When you get off the ride...
No gift shop!!!

Is that even allowed??

The show was entertaining enough
with a mix of live action, projections,
water features and fire.

Pyrotechnics usually make things better.

As we made our way to the train,
a father with wife and two girls
in tow asked.
"Do you need a ticket?"

Dude... this may be the most
expensive ride ticket you ever buy.

Oh, man. I pity the fool.

See that box wayyyy at the top
of that pile?
That's mine.
I told them we'd come back later.

Probably a bill or something anyway.

Nicely done.

And that was it for
Universal theme parks!

That seemed like very efficient touring! Well done!

While we waited, I noted
the clever cheese grater
lighting fixtures in use.

Cool. I like it!

Uh oh. I knew I wouldn't want to see her like this!

Um...pkondz? Hello?

Did you see it in this chapter?
See them both?

The one was easy. Hope the other one wasn't a crash landing.

 

[Kiotzu]

Alrighty all caught up! I have been awol since September 3rd when my computer decided it didn’t like me anymore and broke itself. Had to wait for my discount to kick in to purchase my MacBook. I also got approved for the transfer!

universal looks phenomenal, especially Wizarding World.

it’s funny you were not blown away by Spider-Man because many people have told me it is the greatest theme park ride. Period.

you must be back from your most recent trip as well? Hope it was a blast.