jelly-beans
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2001
Trip Report HRH 4/22 â 4/26
(My fiancé and me)
Day 1
Took 7:30 am flight on Continental from NY. Checked into room and entered IOA by 11:57 am (pretty good time). First: The standard garden view room at HRH is more than good enough for me. Although smaller than your average room at a Disney resort the bed is comfy, the room clean and well maintained and the bathroom has second sink with counter just outside the door so that two can dress and refresh comfortably and with privacy. Next: IOA: Upon entering POE I was impressed with the atmosphere. Having read this board I went straight for Marvel Super Hero Island to tackle the Hulk. My fiancé loves thrill rides as much as I do so there was no need for coaxing. We flashed our room cards and were strapped in within no time at all. Let me say that the acceleration at the start of the Hulk came as no surprise to me since I have read countless reviews describing it in detail. However, the first time on the hulk, that initial acceleration was simply unbelievable. I lost my pink Rosie cap about 10 seconds into the start. I found the hulk very smooth as well, no bumping your head against the restraints or pounding your bottom on the seat. Simply put, the hulk is fantastic and is one of those rides with which you simply do not tire. After a second FOTL quick ride we decided to wait it out the 30 minutes for the front row. The 30 minutes became only about 20 and the wait was worth it. The front row of the Hulk is unbelievable (although any row will really do). After one more quick FOTL Hulk ride we hit Spiderman. I was in great anticipation as the Hulk had fulfilled all my expectations. How good must Spidey be? The best word to describe Spiderman is unique. There are coasters, simulators and 3-d shows, etc. but Spidey has really created a whole new genre of Theme Park Ride. I would like to say I knew what to expect but it is difficult to pass along the effects with words and even more difficult to decipher them. Spiderman flat out floored me. We had to ride three more times before moving on to Dr. Doom. Each of the four times were somewhat unique as you notice many different things with each additional ride.
So I am two for two and going for the hat trick with Dr. Doom. I love Tower of Terror at MGM (My favorite Disney ride) and I also loved Big Shot at the Stratosphere in Vegas so my expectations were once more quite high. Alas I miss. Dr. Doom is good but it is not as good as ToT or Big Shot. After the initial launch and first drop the ride is essentially finished. No continuos launch and drop sequence follows. I enjoyed the ride but not enough to want to try again right away.
After a quick spin on Storm Force Accelerator (Tea cups like ride that is not worth more than one spin) we were not quite ready to get wet so we backtracked and headed to Seuss Landing. The design here is marvelous. I absolutely lost myself just wondering around. I adored The Cat in the Hat ride and after a twirl on the Car-seussal we passed on One fish Two Fish and headed to the Lost Continent. Once again the theming was amazing. Universal really got it right with IOA. The walk through the Castle to Dueling Dragons was marvelous. We saw there was a wait so we back tracked to the FOTL entrance and were seated promptly. First was Ice. This is a very fast coaster and, although smooth, will jar your head a bit more than the Hulk. I loved the speed and the near misses. We quickly slipped over to fire and I loved this even more. Fire seems a bit faster and smoother. I know many will disagree but I have to give the nod to Fire. In any event we decided to give each one a second twirl but this time in the front row. Unlike at the Hulk where you have to wait on the regular line to access the front row, at DD the Express line merges with the regular line before you decide if you want to wait it out for the front row. I loved this since we ended up waiting only about 15 minutes for the front row when the wait for the ride was easily 30 minutes. The front row of both Ice and Fire are very much worth the wait. I would suggest that the difference between the front row on DD and a regular row on DD is far greater than the difference between the front row and regular row on the Hulk (Did you get that?). I wouldnâÂÂt mind hearing others opinions on that topic. After DD we walked around the Island a bit more. We thought about Sinbad but there was still more than an hour to the next show so we moved on the JP. I wonâÂÂt bore you with my praise of the design and theme of the Island. LetâÂÂs just say that you will not be disappointed. After walking through Triceratops encounter (no wait, worth a look one time but no more) we headed for JP River Adventure. I had read conflicting reports on this attraction so my expectations were mixed. You start in the raft entering through the gates to see a giant Ultrasaur in the river to your left. I must say it isnâÂÂt nearly as life like as the Triceratops but I am not sure it needs to be. After passing some smaller dinos and a few springs strategically placed to spray you a bit a Hadrosaur appears from the depths and knocks the raft off course into the Raptor area where there is obviously a problem.. The ride is quite tame and even boring to this point but the excitement picks up. As you enter a building a crate containing a Raptor almost falls on your raft (small children beware). Once you enter the building the ride is dark and therefore the Dinos are more frightening and realistic. You rise upwards and hear the screams and growls of many Dinos on the prowl before you head for T-Rex. She awaits you at the end of the ride but just before your raft enters her space you fall precipitously into the river below. The front row gets pretty wet but all other rows are comparably dry. I enjoyed JPRA very much and recommend it highly even if the beginning is a bit boring. We rode one more time before we attempted to ride Pteradon Flyers. After being told we were too old for them we headed to Toon Lagoon. I left JP satisfied with JPRA but clearly not satisfied with the Island. Someone had mentioned that JP needs another attraction and I must agree. I can only trust that Universal has something wonderful in store for us in the coming year or two.
Toon Lagoon. First stop was Ripsaw Falls. I am glad we did this before Popeye because the waiting area is quite cool when you are wet. The log flume ride is pretty tame until the final drop but very enjoyable. The final drop is every bit as good as any water ride can offer. It is much faster and steeper than I imagined. It immediately leaves you wanting more so it was off for round two. You only get slightly wet unless you are in the front but BEWARE because you will get soaked on Popeye!!! I know, everyone has read this before but I must say it again. There is no ride that will get you any wetter that Popeye. Having braved JPRA and Ripsaw falls and only getting marginally wet I was both eager and ready for anything Toon Lagoon could give me (or so I thought). I dressed accordingly but was just not prepared for the soaking I took. Of course, once soaked there was no need to worry any longer so we took on Popeye four consecutive times. There is probably more thrill and joy watching other people get soaked than actually riding Popeye but boy is that joy intense. I was ROTFLMAO watching unsuspecting parents inappropriately dressed for the occasion getting soaked while their children screamed with laughter. Popeye is easily my favorite water ride. Thoroughly soaked we exited Toon Lagoon and headed for our second go around at Marvel.
At this point it had been hours since my last ride on the Hulk so, as you may imagine, I was suffering through withdrawal symptoms. After riding the Hulk twice we hit Spidey two times before one last Hulk ride. We were now ready to go but as it was only about 5:30 we decided to stop at Universal Studios to look around on our way to HRH. We passed Twister, Kongfrontation (closed) and Earthquake before stopping at Jaws for a little boat ride. The ride was enjoyable and I can see small children getting frightened. Jaws makes several runs at your boat before biting an electric line and frying to his death. You may get a little splash or a bit hot during the explosions but nothing too uncomfortable. I give Jaws a thumbs up but it wasnâÂÂt calling me to ride again so we continued to MIB. I have read all about MIB and knew exactly what to expect but I just did not realize how much fun it would be. Using tips I read on this board I scored 190,000+ points on my first run. I was so excited at beating my Fiancé that I insisted we ride again and this time I scored over 240,000! But for more time I would have loved to take one more twirl but it was near closing and we wanted to try Back to the future. Overall, I liked BTTF but I was a little bit disappointed because my expectations were so high. It is really a very good simulator but that is all, nothing special. I think after riding Spidey all day BTTF just did not stand a chance. Exhausted we left the park and headed for HRH. A long shower and change landed us at City walk close to 9 pm. We walked around a bit before gambling on a table at Emerils. To my surprise we were seated immediately. I had the Emerils Salad (Nothing special) and the Texas Red Fish. The Red Fish was unbelievable. It was very spicy though so beware. My Fiancé had the Lobster Cheesecake and Special Catch of the day (I think). I tried the lobster cheesecake but I found it was just too much for an appetizer. We passed on dessert and called it a night. I practically passed out and I am glad I did because I would need plenty of sleep for our big day to follow. (Day 2 to be posted shortly).
jb
(My fiancé and me)
Day 1
Took 7:30 am flight on Continental from NY. Checked into room and entered IOA by 11:57 am (pretty good time). First: The standard garden view room at HRH is more than good enough for me. Although smaller than your average room at a Disney resort the bed is comfy, the room clean and well maintained and the bathroom has second sink with counter just outside the door so that two can dress and refresh comfortably and with privacy. Next: IOA: Upon entering POE I was impressed with the atmosphere. Having read this board I went straight for Marvel Super Hero Island to tackle the Hulk. My fiancé loves thrill rides as much as I do so there was no need for coaxing. We flashed our room cards and were strapped in within no time at all. Let me say that the acceleration at the start of the Hulk came as no surprise to me since I have read countless reviews describing it in detail. However, the first time on the hulk, that initial acceleration was simply unbelievable. I lost my pink Rosie cap about 10 seconds into the start. I found the hulk very smooth as well, no bumping your head against the restraints or pounding your bottom on the seat. Simply put, the hulk is fantastic and is one of those rides with which you simply do not tire. After a second FOTL quick ride we decided to wait it out the 30 minutes for the front row. The 30 minutes became only about 20 and the wait was worth it. The front row of the Hulk is unbelievable (although any row will really do). After one more quick FOTL Hulk ride we hit Spiderman. I was in great anticipation as the Hulk had fulfilled all my expectations. How good must Spidey be? The best word to describe Spiderman is unique. There are coasters, simulators and 3-d shows, etc. but Spidey has really created a whole new genre of Theme Park Ride. I would like to say I knew what to expect but it is difficult to pass along the effects with words and even more difficult to decipher them. Spiderman flat out floored me. We had to ride three more times before moving on to Dr. Doom. Each of the four times were somewhat unique as you notice many different things with each additional ride.
So I am two for two and going for the hat trick with Dr. Doom. I love Tower of Terror at MGM (My favorite Disney ride) and I also loved Big Shot at the Stratosphere in Vegas so my expectations were once more quite high. Alas I miss. Dr. Doom is good but it is not as good as ToT or Big Shot. After the initial launch and first drop the ride is essentially finished. No continuos launch and drop sequence follows. I enjoyed the ride but not enough to want to try again right away.
After a quick spin on Storm Force Accelerator (Tea cups like ride that is not worth more than one spin) we were not quite ready to get wet so we backtracked and headed to Seuss Landing. The design here is marvelous. I absolutely lost myself just wondering around. I adored The Cat in the Hat ride and after a twirl on the Car-seussal we passed on One fish Two Fish and headed to the Lost Continent. Once again the theming was amazing. Universal really got it right with IOA. The walk through the Castle to Dueling Dragons was marvelous. We saw there was a wait so we back tracked to the FOTL entrance and were seated promptly. First was Ice. This is a very fast coaster and, although smooth, will jar your head a bit more than the Hulk. I loved the speed and the near misses. We quickly slipped over to fire and I loved this even more. Fire seems a bit faster and smoother. I know many will disagree but I have to give the nod to Fire. In any event we decided to give each one a second twirl but this time in the front row. Unlike at the Hulk where you have to wait on the regular line to access the front row, at DD the Express line merges with the regular line before you decide if you want to wait it out for the front row. I loved this since we ended up waiting only about 15 minutes for the front row when the wait for the ride was easily 30 minutes. The front row of both Ice and Fire are very much worth the wait. I would suggest that the difference between the front row on DD and a regular row on DD is far greater than the difference between the front row and regular row on the Hulk (Did you get that?). I wouldnâÂÂt mind hearing others opinions on that topic. After DD we walked around the Island a bit more. We thought about Sinbad but there was still more than an hour to the next show so we moved on the JP. I wonâÂÂt bore you with my praise of the design and theme of the Island. LetâÂÂs just say that you will not be disappointed. After walking through Triceratops encounter (no wait, worth a look one time but no more) we headed for JP River Adventure. I had read conflicting reports on this attraction so my expectations were mixed. You start in the raft entering through the gates to see a giant Ultrasaur in the river to your left. I must say it isnâÂÂt nearly as life like as the Triceratops but I am not sure it needs to be. After passing some smaller dinos and a few springs strategically placed to spray you a bit a Hadrosaur appears from the depths and knocks the raft off course into the Raptor area where there is obviously a problem.. The ride is quite tame and even boring to this point but the excitement picks up. As you enter a building a crate containing a Raptor almost falls on your raft (small children beware). Once you enter the building the ride is dark and therefore the Dinos are more frightening and realistic. You rise upwards and hear the screams and growls of many Dinos on the prowl before you head for T-Rex. She awaits you at the end of the ride but just before your raft enters her space you fall precipitously into the river below. The front row gets pretty wet but all other rows are comparably dry. I enjoyed JPRA very much and recommend it highly even if the beginning is a bit boring. We rode one more time before we attempted to ride Pteradon Flyers. After being told we were too old for them we headed to Toon Lagoon. I left JP satisfied with JPRA but clearly not satisfied with the Island. Someone had mentioned that JP needs another attraction and I must agree. I can only trust that Universal has something wonderful in store for us in the coming year or two.
Toon Lagoon. First stop was Ripsaw Falls. I am glad we did this before Popeye because the waiting area is quite cool when you are wet. The log flume ride is pretty tame until the final drop but very enjoyable. The final drop is every bit as good as any water ride can offer. It is much faster and steeper than I imagined. It immediately leaves you wanting more so it was off for round two. You only get slightly wet unless you are in the front but BEWARE because you will get soaked on Popeye!!! I know, everyone has read this before but I must say it again. There is no ride that will get you any wetter that Popeye. Having braved JPRA and Ripsaw falls and only getting marginally wet I was both eager and ready for anything Toon Lagoon could give me (or so I thought). I dressed accordingly but was just not prepared for the soaking I took. Of course, once soaked there was no need to worry any longer so we took on Popeye four consecutive times. There is probably more thrill and joy watching other people get soaked than actually riding Popeye but boy is that joy intense. I was ROTFLMAO watching unsuspecting parents inappropriately dressed for the occasion getting soaked while their children screamed with laughter. Popeye is easily my favorite water ride. Thoroughly soaked we exited Toon Lagoon and headed for our second go around at Marvel.
At this point it had been hours since my last ride on the Hulk so, as you may imagine, I was suffering through withdrawal symptoms. After riding the Hulk twice we hit Spidey two times before one last Hulk ride. We were now ready to go but as it was only about 5:30 we decided to stop at Universal Studios to look around on our way to HRH. We passed Twister, Kongfrontation (closed) and Earthquake before stopping at Jaws for a little boat ride. The ride was enjoyable and I can see small children getting frightened. Jaws makes several runs at your boat before biting an electric line and frying to his death. You may get a little splash or a bit hot during the explosions but nothing too uncomfortable. I give Jaws a thumbs up but it wasnâÂÂt calling me to ride again so we continued to MIB. I have read all about MIB and knew exactly what to expect but I just did not realize how much fun it would be. Using tips I read on this board I scored 190,000+ points on my first run. I was so excited at beating my Fiancé that I insisted we ride again and this time I scored over 240,000! But for more time I would have loved to take one more twirl but it was near closing and we wanted to try Back to the future. Overall, I liked BTTF but I was a little bit disappointed because my expectations were so high. It is really a very good simulator but that is all, nothing special. I think after riding Spidey all day BTTF just did not stand a chance. Exhausted we left the park and headed for HRH. A long shower and change landed us at City walk close to 9 pm. We walked around a bit before gambling on a table at Emerils. To my surprise we were seated immediately. I had the Emerils Salad (Nothing special) and the Texas Red Fish. The Red Fish was unbelievable. It was very spicy though so beware. My Fiancé had the Lobster Cheesecake and Special Catch of the day (I think). I tried the lobster cheesecake but I found it was just too much for an appetizer. We passed on dessert and called it a night. I practically passed out and I am glad I did because I would need plenty of sleep for our big day to follow. (Day 2 to be posted shortly).
jb
No suspense left here.
