RamVA
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2000
- Messages
- 475
To continue my "report", if you read my other post, you know I can't praise FOTL enough. It really spoils you; makes it so much easier to enjoy your trip to the park. I don't think we could have done both parks in 1 day, but you can do it easily in 2, with either repeat rides, or a break in the day, or finish around dinner and go to Citywalk or back to your hotel for a swim.
We like Universal for the rides; they are much like Disney(especially similar to MGM, 'cause themed around movies)but the atmosphere is definitely not themed like WDW--I find it pretty blah in that respect. MIB is a lot of fun, although I did terrible on my score! Kids did that one several times. DO NOT MISS BLUES BROTHERS "SHOW" if you like this movie and/or music. It is absolutely top of the line; my favorite experience of the day there. This is a park though that we don't feel we could or would go back to every year; maybe every 2 or 3 years.
IOA--We LOVED this park. I was very skeptical about this park. I thought building "another" park right next to their first park was just a gimmick. But, it really is a totally different park!! I do NOT do roller coasters and I loved this park! First of all, if you love Disney, you will love this park. It looks like Disney imagineers created this park. Every land is themed beautifully, so you feel like your totally immersed in that particular "land". I can't even tell you which land we like the best--they are all great! Shops, restaurants, characters, rides, architecture all themed perfectly around each land!
All three water rides are fantastic, and each one is different from the other!!! (You will get SOAKED on Popeye's Barge). SPIDER-MAN has got to be just about the best ride ever--a combination of simulator, 3-d, and a track ride all in one! What an experience! We did this many times. (My stomach is a little sensitive--I did not get sick at all). Kids loved the coasters--Hulk was their favorite. I do not do coasters, but did Hulk 'cause it looke so cool, but couldn't open my eyes, was scared to death and would NOT try it ever again. Playgrounds for kids are super-fantastic; Triceratops Encounter is very easy to believe you are with a real dinosaur the animatronics are so superb; Loved Cat in the Hat; One Fish is "Dumbo"; Eigth Voyage of Sinbad is a GREAT show! Sorry to say missed "Posiedon".
Theming at Enchanted Oak Tavern CAN NOT BE BEATEN! Wish we had eaten here, but kids wanted pizza! Atmoshere and themeing at Thunder Fall Terrace was also awesome--you really feel like you are in the restaurant in Jurassic Park movie. Similar menus at these 2 restaurants. A lot of rotisserie chicken, ribs at this park. Monster Cafe was our first choice to eat, but we left--it was dead in there and the pasta and pizza was just sitting under food warmers and was very scary! I guess we could have asked for fresh cooked, but we were shocked they would even try to serve that to people. We ate at Cafe 4 in Marvel land; not much atmoshere, but GREAT pizza, and a very good menu, with lots of choices(pastas, sandwiches, salads I think, and desserts). All looked very fresh and good. There are fruit cups with watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, etc. in just about every restaurant you go in, (and reasonably priced) which I really liked as a snack or alternative to fries. Found the food at IOA better and more reasonably priced than Universal--don't know why this would be. Ate breakfast at Pastamore in Citywalk(not a lot of breakfast options in the parks); it was just OK in my opinion, but very reasonably priced.
We would go back to this park in a heartbeat!! Something for everyone to enjoy--not just the thrill ride gang!!
We like Universal for the rides; they are much like Disney(especially similar to MGM, 'cause themed around movies)but the atmosphere is definitely not themed like WDW--I find it pretty blah in that respect. MIB is a lot of fun, although I did terrible on my score! Kids did that one several times. DO NOT MISS BLUES BROTHERS "SHOW" if you like this movie and/or music. It is absolutely top of the line; my favorite experience of the day there. This is a park though that we don't feel we could or would go back to every year; maybe every 2 or 3 years.
IOA--We LOVED this park. I was very skeptical about this park. I thought building "another" park right next to their first park was just a gimmick. But, it really is a totally different park!! I do NOT do roller coasters and I loved this park! First of all, if you love Disney, you will love this park. It looks like Disney imagineers created this park. Every land is themed beautifully, so you feel like your totally immersed in that particular "land". I can't even tell you which land we like the best--they are all great! Shops, restaurants, characters, rides, architecture all themed perfectly around each land!
All three water rides are fantastic, and each one is different from the other!!! (You will get SOAKED on Popeye's Barge). SPIDER-MAN has got to be just about the best ride ever--a combination of simulator, 3-d, and a track ride all in one! What an experience! We did this many times. (My stomach is a little sensitive--I did not get sick at all). Kids loved the coasters--Hulk was their favorite. I do not do coasters, but did Hulk 'cause it looke so cool, but couldn't open my eyes, was scared to death and would NOT try it ever again. Playgrounds for kids are super-fantastic; Triceratops Encounter is very easy to believe you are with a real dinosaur the animatronics are so superb; Loved Cat in the Hat; One Fish is "Dumbo"; Eigth Voyage of Sinbad is a GREAT show! Sorry to say missed "Posiedon".
Theming at Enchanted Oak Tavern CAN NOT BE BEATEN! Wish we had eaten here, but kids wanted pizza! Atmoshere and themeing at Thunder Fall Terrace was also awesome--you really feel like you are in the restaurant in Jurassic Park movie. Similar menus at these 2 restaurants. A lot of rotisserie chicken, ribs at this park. Monster Cafe was our first choice to eat, but we left--it was dead in there and the pasta and pizza was just sitting under food warmers and was very scary! I guess we could have asked for fresh cooked, but we were shocked they would even try to serve that to people. We ate at Cafe 4 in Marvel land; not much atmoshere, but GREAT pizza, and a very good menu, with lots of choices(pastas, sandwiches, salads I think, and desserts). All looked very fresh and good. There are fruit cups with watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, etc. in just about every restaurant you go in, (and reasonably priced) which I really liked as a snack or alternative to fries. Found the food at IOA better and more reasonably priced than Universal--don't know why this would be. Ate breakfast at Pastamore in Citywalk(not a lot of breakfast options in the parks); it was just OK in my opinion, but very reasonably priced.
We would go back to this park in a heartbeat!! Something for everyone to enjoy--not just the thrill ride gang!!
!
