Photos will be coming later!
I had missed the first shuttle, so I waited for the second. There was a mother and two kids waiting with me-when the shuttle came and we got on, I called my mother. Her travelling companion was having a cellphone issue. I was able to solve the issue over the phone (if you flick the lock switch, the phone unlocks, shockingly), I'm certain the people in the shuttle thought I was screwy. I got out, and started looking for the Mears counter. I couldn't find it, so I stupidly asked a person waiting near the Mears sign at ground transportation. He informed me Mears didn't go to HRH, so I should take his cab. I called Mears, found their desk (closed, and the electronic kiosk was broken). They sent a shuttle, I waited for one person, they never showed up but there was someone else going to Lake Buena Vista, and we were off! The ride to HRH was easy enough, I liked it when we were driving up and saw Wet and Wild, and then when you can see the Hulk and Dr. Doom's Fear Fall from the road.
I got out, and entered HRH. Wow, it's a pretty hotel-I felt a little self-concious in my moisture-wicking t-shirt and running skirt. I checked in, they found my reservation, and gave me my room key. The person checking me in verified that my Lowes Forst gift was red wine and nuts, in retrospect I wish I'd asked for milk and cookies, as I was too busy to drink my wine. I stored my bags, and I was off. It was around 7:50 am, and the pool (which you walk through to get to the parks) was closed, so I headed into Emack and Bolio's for a quick snack. I grabbed a Sprite (FYI for you bottled soda fans-bottles are $3 at HRH, but $2.75 in the machines at the park). I planned to pop some emergen-C in the Sprite, and drink it while I waited. I took a chug top compensate for the fizz of emergen-c, put it and, and kablooey! My Sprite was channeling Mount Vesuvious. I cleaned up what I could with napkins, alerted the TM at the register, and headed out to the pool. It really was a nice pool, with a great slide. I wandered around a bit, and headed to the gate with the "to the parks" sign. There was a nice family waiting for the gate to open, and a lady who wanted to get in, but it wasn't working (it was about 8:10, and the pool opened at 8:00). A TM came along and let us out. It was an easy walk to Universal Studios. I got my ticket from the machine easy as pie, then I got in line. In line, I learned that Brazillian tour groups go to US/IOA as well as WDW (and they were cheering).
The doors opened, I got in. First stop was a restroom in New York. I stuffed my Tinkerball fastpass holder down my shirt, as everything else was going in a locker. I got my locker, and got in queue for the Mummy. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to use the Express Pass queue,as there was no wait. As I got on, I realized my fastpass pouch had dropped off my lanyard, but it was safely tucked away. I was on the Mummy with maybe 3 other people in the whole car. I liked the Mummy, but my migraines were acting up and it threw my for a loop. I got off, and, realizing I needed a case for my Express Pass, I bought a Universal one-good thing I could charge it to my room, as everything else was in my locker. I then headed over to the Simpson ride, I was really impressed with the queue. If you're not an Express Pass person, start your day at Simpsons, at 9:20 the wait was around 45 minutes. The Simpsons was great-the snark involved in Krustyland was hysterical. I headed over to MIB, and the lockers. I put my bag in (does anyone else find it amusing that Men in Black have no fingerprints, given the lockers). I did not horribly on my first ride, but I forgot to press the red button. I walked over to Jaws...my first ride I'd been on before. Having been on Martha's Vineyard the week before my trip, I was impressed with the theming in Amity. Jaws was good-I was sitting right where the shark comes up, which is a little startling. It was kind of sad though-the thing to let us off the boat wasn't working, so we were stuck on the boat for about five minutes-there were some younger kids who were freaking out-I think they might have thought it was part of the ride.
I went over to the horror make up show-brilliant-is the Fred Flinstone head a hidden something or other (as they used to have the Hanna Barbera ride)? It was hysterical, at the point where the host blames the kid for the alarm, the expert turned to the kid and said "I'm watching you, this isn't Disney World, I don't need to be nice to you."
I grabbed some fries at Mel's. I headed over to Disaster, but it looked like too long until the show, so I decided to walk around until the Beetle Juice review. I stopped in the Kids Zone and rode ET-that's kind of an odd ride. I headed over to the Beetle Juice review, which was hysterical. I stopped in Shrek on my way out-I really liked it, but I thought it was a little scary for wee ones-the little girl next to me left the auditorium in tears.
Thanks!
