Just back....

[CPM]

What a great week at the parks!! Weather cooler, perfect for us!
I really missed both IOA & US!

We arrived on Sunday, stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club. First time we have ever stayed off site. It really wasn't so bad. For the money we saved, it was great! We loved this resort.

We did US on Monday. Crowds were light, I don't remember waiting longer than 20 minutes for anything. We pretty much did the whole park in 5 hours.

Tuesday & Wednesday were much busier and had shorter hours, the parks closed at 6:00 PM thanks to a big McDonalds convention. It still wasn't too bad, from 4-6 the lines were really short and we did what we wanted to do.

Thursday we went back to US. It was dead!!! NO lines at all. I think we did mummy 11 times and MIB 10! LOL

Things I noticed:
Suess Landing needs paint!! It's lacking that fun, bright look! The trolley train ride is lame. lol But, great for photo opps.

Sometimes the CMs just got lazy. At the River Advneture, it was fend for yourself @@ no direction by CM's at all. This happened at a few attractions, especially when it was slow.

I was disappointed in the food. We ate at Richters, hubby had dry burger and hard bun I had the chicken sandwhich, same hard bun but the chicken was better.
My son had a hotdog at Nathans, I think it was almost $8.00 Skinny and luke warm at best.
Louie's : Bland pasta and cold. Pizza was soggy.
We wanted to eat at La Bomba, but it was only serving drinks.

At IOA we ate at Mythos. Very good as usual. We both had the buffalo chicken wraps! DS had the kid's pizza. Everything was great including the service.

I can't remember what we ate the other day at IOA, but it wasn't good either.

Parks were nice and clean.
Merchandise was same ole boring stuff.
Enjoyed the new version of Earth quake (Disaster), it was pretty funny.

We bought Power passes, we we'll be back!


OH! WE also ate at the Nascar cafe, it was really good. We never ate there before. DH & DS wanted to watch the SOX, we got to eat outside and enjoy the spectacular weather!

 

[Metro West]

Thanks for the report.

 

[tlinus]

Sorry about the food not being great. It can be hit or miss sometimes at ANY counter service restaurant.

Thanks for the report and also VERY glad the weather cooperated with you

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Sometimes the CMs just got lazy. At the River Advneture, it was fend for yourself @@ no direction by CM's at all. This happened at a few attractions, especially when it was slow.

I love Pick Your Own Lane Days! Haha.. I prefer to sit in the back row of JPRA so I like it when I don't have to ask and just go into whatever row I want.

Otherwise I'm glad you had a great time.

 

[TIGGERGUY]

Sounds like a great time. I'll be down there next week.

For food, I've found that sit down service at Universal for items like burgers are not much more than the counter service but the quality is MUCH better. Having AAA/AP is helpful on the price. I think the burger combo at Mythos is only around $3 more than a counter location, but soooooo much yummier!

I love the Suess Trolley, but it is the view that makes it for me. Now if they would just hurry up and finish the Simpsons ride....

 

[CPM]

I love Pick Your Own Lane Days! Haha.. I prefer to sit in the back row of JPRA so I like it when I don't have to ask and just go into whatever row I want.

Otherwise I'm glad you had a great time.

Yeah, I mean if it's that slow, I'm all for it. It's just obnoxious people not moving or holding people up as they figure out what row they want to be on

 

[CPM]

Sounds like a great time. I'll be down there next week.

For food, I've found that sit down service at Universal for items like burgers are not much more than the counter service but the quality is MUCH better. Having AAA/AP is helpful on the price. I think the burger combo at Mythos is only around $3 more than a counter location, but soooooo much yummier!

I love the Suess Trolley, but it is the view that makes it for me. Now if they would just hurry up and finish the Simpsons ride....

I agree about the full service places. We should have went to Finnegans like we always do at US. I think when it's slow, the food is worse because it sits there. I'm in the food service business, so I'm a little pickier
Love the AAA discount!

I got some great pictures on that trolley! When is that Simpson ride opening? I was hoping it was going to be open when we went.

 

[Metro West]

When is that Simpson ride opening? I was hoping it was going to be open when we went.

The grand opening dates are May 15th and 16th.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

The Simpsons ride *may* be open for tech rehearsal as early as Wed. I rode 3x tonight. Good stuff!

 

[F-L-A]

Sometimes the CMs just got lazy. At the River Advneture, it was fend for yourself @@ no direction by CM's at all. This happened at a few attractions, especially when it was slow.

Unfortunately, I've had the same experience quite a few times at River Adventure. The attendants have been awful lately. They need to do their jobs. I rarely have this problem on other attractions though.

 

[Metro West]

I love Pick Your Own Lane Days! Haha.. I prefer to sit in the back row of JPRA so I like it when I don't have to ask and just go into whatever row I want.

Me too...I like to ride DD in the second row!

 

[jerseygal]

Where is Nascar, at Citiwalk???

Someone told me ribs were GREAT AT NASCAR????

Thx.

 

[herbiesmomma]

Yep, it's at Citiwalk! I can't wait to go there myself.

 

[macraven]

to the poster that said the food they received at Richters was not up to par....

this is what i have done at 2 of the counter services at universal.

i take the food back up and ask for a fresh one.
if they can not comply, i ask for my money back and go to another place.


last year, the bun at richters was hard. i think it had been sitting there for longer than normal.

the person said sure. i then asked to make it fresh. they did and i was happy.



at monsters cafe, once i bought my pizza and coke and sat down i realized i didn't really get what i paid for.

i went back to the counter and gave the food back and said it was cold and rubbery, could it be redone . they did, no issues there.
they even exchanged the coke as i did have to wait ten minutes for the next batch of pizzas. both places were nice about it.

i was not demanding to any of them.
just went back to the counter and told them why i couldn't eat it and showed my receipt.

i would rather try to handle it that way then eat something and pout about it.

 

[CPM]

I didn't eat and pout, not a big deal. Just telling my story. I didn't feel like going back up and asking for another. Just wanted to eat and go. It's fast food. Maybe they shouldn't serve meals like that, I know we wouldn't.

 

[macraven]

I didn't eat and pout, not a big deal. Just telling my story. I didn't feel like going back up and asking for another. Just wanted to eat and go. It's fast food. Maybe they shouldn't serve meals like that, I know we wouldn't.

i didn't say you pouted.
i always do what is best for me and the family.
if one of us can not eat the food, i exchange it.
i have never had a TM make an issue out of it.

sometimes food dries up when it has been sitting under the heating lamps until it is sold.

my point was, if the food is not up to par, you have a choice.

 

[donaldduck352]

to the poster that said the food they received at Richters was not up to par....













i was not demanding to any of them.
just went back to the counter and told them why i couldn't eat it and showed my receipt.

i would rather try to handle it that way then eat something and pout about it.

Thats the best way to handle it.If they give you any grief ask too see a manager.

 

[Disneyhappy]

Me too...I like to ride DD in the second row!

Just curious - Why the second row and not the first?

 

[Metro West]

Just curious - Why the second row and not the first?

Mainly because I won't wait for the front row unless it's not much of a line. Plus...you can still see stuff pretty well on the second row so I don't mind it. The real secret is this...wait for the second row and they will often need a single for the front. It's not all bad going by yourself.

 

[Disneyhappy]

Mainly because I won't wait for the front row unless it's not much of a line. Plus...you can still see stuff pretty well on the second row so I don't mind it. The real secret is this...wait for the second row and they will often need a single for the front. It's not all bad going by yourself.

That's a great strategy! I have to ride DD by myself when DH and I go for our anniversary the end of May so I will definitely have to try this!

To the OP- I find the food hit or miss sometimes also. Thanks for the report!