Kev's 7th visit and 1st trip report Days 10 with pics !

kevin_cambs_uk

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
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305
Day 10

We visited Islands of Adventure today. Again up and out, but for the life of me I cannot remember why we ended up at IHOP for breakfast, but a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a fast food joint like McDonalds for pancakes, so to sit down in a nice environment and a great breakfast was a great.

Drove up to IOA, again parked on the front row, and then walked on down to the entrance. This is where the fun began. The machine that recognises your finger print was temperamental ... the tickets which we had used at Universal Studios, had not the names written on when we first attended. So we had to present each ticket and each finger until we will got it in. This could be better I think, like the Disney tickets which have our names on them.

So after 15 minutes trying to get in, were a bit frustrated, and then a guy want to know if we want our picture taken! No way!

Straight to the Hulk, 2 rides, a very good coaster but very uncomfortable on the head, so 2 rides for me was enough, I was starting to get wobbly at the knees. Dr Doom Fear Fall, last time I rode this I distinctly remember trying to stay in the seat, and the dread of slipping out was very real, so I was absolutely scared to death at the thought of going back on, but I am from Yorkshire, so not to look like a big girl, I persevered, and got on. My hands were so sweaty I could not hold onto anything I was genuinely scared, but it was no where near as bad as I remembered and it was great fun.

Spiderman, very good, but maybe I am getting old, but I could not work out the sounds as we rode, so mare or watched it in a static blare. Did not seem as good as before.

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Again wandering round the park, very very empty, Jurassic Park land is great, but only 2 rides and so much more could be done with it, and you feel that although its good it just missing something.

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The next island, the duelling Dragons coaster was good, but it was actually longer to walk to the start of the queue through all the maze of tunnels, than it was to actually ride the ride. So once was enough.

Seuss landings is totally lost on me as I am not aware of what it is or what it does. We were in at 9.15 and were ready to leave at 12. Under 3 hours. There’s just no atmosphere there, its bland, no magic, and the staff look like their all on suicide watch for each other !.

When we left, we had been on Bluto's river ride, but we got absolutely soaked, so back to POP, changed and went to Timberland to get some new trainers. Once this was done, we went to Celebration which is always lovely to visit, and we went to the Market Street Cafe.

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Market Street Cafe is brilliant, lovely atmosphere, superb food, milk shakes are to die for, and you can sit up at the counter. The portions were massive, and I started to struggle, but persevered! We sat in the rocking chairs in front of the lake for a few hours, with an ice cream, and watched the alligator in there. Then back to POP for a sleep, and then onto Fantasmic for the evening.

Back to Hollywood Studios, ride on Aero smith, and then in for the Fantasmic. You realise that the atmosphere is great, everyone doing the Mexican wave, and the show itself simply brilliant, this is what’s missing from non Disney parks, the films, Lady and the Tramp, Lion King, Mickey all tug at the heart strings of an age when you were young, it never fails to impress me just what the Disney legacy is and this is where it gets you in the heart and what we all go back for.

Brilliant show, and back to POP, sleep!!

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I do enjoy IOA,but you are correct it deffinatley lacks 'something'.I do love Suess Landing though-was always reading the books at school+we have 2 young girls so thats why we probably love it :thumbsup2 .x.
 
Another great trip report and pictures. Have to agree that Universal / IOA doesn't quite do it for us either - although we like to visit, we just prefer the Disney attention to detail.
 
Day 10

. . . this is what’s missing from non Disney parks, the films, Lady and the Tramp, Lion King, Mickey all tug at the heart strings of an age when you were young, it never fails to impress me just what the Disney legacy is and this is where it gets you in the heart and what we all go back for.

Simply and beautifully said, Kevin.

May I add that I don't think it's any mystery why, no matter how good other amusement parks might be, none can match Disney for theming. We all know that the Disney vault was stacked with beloved movies starring our favorite characters by the time Walt started dreaming of a park. He didn't have to cast about for "themes" for Disneyland. He already owned the best.
 

it's a shame that the IOA staff do not enjoy their jobs. part of disneys magic is the interaction that you can have with the CM's.
 
love reading your trip report. Not a great fan of IOA either but do love Spiderman so always worth a visit and to eat at Mythos.


susan
 
We felt exactly the same when we went, universal just has no atmosphere. I think we would give this a miss the next time. We also foudn alot of the effects were broken and the maintence of the rides poor.

Love you pop lobby piccie - it makes me want to go back I loved it there!
 
I enjoy US/IOA rides but agreee about the lack of 'Magic'.
 
Im a fan of IOA / Universal but i agreee that they can be lacking a certain something !

Love the burger pic :lmao:
 
Lovely report. I love Universal and IoA and some of the CMs have been really good. We look for Carlos every year in MiB because he is such a good laugh and gave the lads loads of tips on how to get a top score on the ride when he rode with them. Plus the CMs in The Mummy take great fun in interacting with customers by jumping out at you in the dark corners of the line, don't think I am actually too keen on this.:rotfl: I cannot say I have had any interaction with CMs in Disney parks other than the one who gave my eldest son his AP this year at Downtown Disney and said he had drawn the short straw. We didn't quite know what he meant till we saw he had the Tinkerbelle picture on his pass (I usually have this one given half the chance), he did make us laugh.
 












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