agavegirl1
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2012
- Messages
- 3,223
Today, we planned to start our day at IOA but had already done so much there that we slept in and went right to Universal Studios. We hadnt ridden with our photo package available yet and were anxious to ride. We also had our HHN tickets for that night as well as a 4:45 Finnegans dinner reservation
We arrived and US around 10:30 AM with our Express Passes in hand. This time, we were concentrating on the OTHER parts of US.
We started with Minion Mayhem. What a fun 3D experience for all ages. It really is a great addition to the park.
Next we just wandered to where we wanted to ride. We are familiar with the park but I have to say, the layout can be confusing. We did our favorite the Simpsons ride more than once, all in a row. Now, this is something difficult to do at WDW these days.
For those of you prone to motion sickness, this is a simulator with a motion sickness index of 8 out of 10. I feel bad that queasy people cannot ride. It is so good.
The new Springfield area of the park has added a lot. We stopped by for a Duffs beer and read the signage. Very funny.
We rode Men in Black a couple of times, trying to get a better score. DBF is always better at these. He used to train officers on the range when he was an Expert Marksman in the USMC. I have no chance.
We also did one of our favorite 3D experiences. Now some of you may thing the Terminator 4D show is old but I dont. They do add a little each time I think the fog effect was enhanced this time. It really is a great show and worth the time.
As an aside, families with very young children may be able to do one day at US/IOA, but if you have kids older than that, you can make a vacation out of it. The resorts are amazing! I have now stayed at all three on different trips. I have not stayed at the new Cabana Bay but I am partial to Express. The lazy river at the pool sounds like a great trade off during a slow season however.
We rode our favorites more than once this afternoon, sometimes using Express and sometimes the regular line. It wasnt that busy on a Thursday in October and the Park closed early for HHN.
We rode Transformers at around 4:30 and after riding, realized they were closing the park to regular guests. There was a line outside the ride to enter the holding area near Finnegans. I walked to the front of the line and explained that we had a dinner reservation as well as tickets for HHN. At first they sent us to the end of the line. Then, a TM came and pulled us from the line and escorted us to our dinner reservation. Not sure what transpired.
The TM at Finnegans checked our HHN tickets and gave us our wristbands. We enjoyed our sandwiches and headed outside to the crowded holding area. We werent there long before they just dropped the ropes and let us out into the park. We did not know where we were going. We just sort of followed a bunch of people and ended up at the Walking Dead house. It was not opened yet. The line was getting very long and the park hadnt even opened back up yet. This was just stay and scream people. Fortunately, we had Express Passes for HHN and were the in the very near the front of the Express line. We waited about 15 minutes before entering. We were out before the park opened to HHN only ticket holders.
I have never been to HHN and the event was one of the reasons DBF consented to another Orlando vacation. I always had to go in front of him since watching me freak out was part of his enjoyment.
This is what I posted when I first returned:
"Just got back this afternoon. HHN was so great. DBF can't stop talking about it. I got Express passes and we were able to see all the houses, scare zones and ride a couple of rides as well. We had a 4:45 reservation for Finnegans and when we got off Transformers and arrived at 4:30 to the "line" for the waiting area. I walked up and informed them of my dining reservations and a TM walked us to to the restaurant door where they scanned our tickets and seated us for dinner.
After dinner, we took a break at the smoking section in Central Park then sauntered over to Walking Dead where we were about twelfth in line in Express and walked in as soon as this opened. After leaving Walking Dead, we ran into a DIS member who was looking for us. He lurks on the boards and wrote to me as a "visitor". He recognized us by my description and had done HHN the previous night. Helpful directions for sure.
I discovered that my "adrenalin level" needed recovery after about two houses so we would do two houses and a break, followed by a scare zone. Just Wow!
I am not a horror genre fan but in preparation for this trip I watched 4 seasons of Walking Dead, 10 episodes of Dusk Until Dawn, the original Halloween, Dracula Untold etc. At least the guys got a kick out of me screaming.
In summary, Express is worth every cent I spent and I would not do it any other way. We passed hundreds and hundreds of people and just went through the houses. I only had one night and I recommend the Express experience.
Also, I envy you residents who can go more than one night with a less expensive options. We did have a blast.
BTW...DBF was most creeped out by the Bayou of Blood Voodoo scareactors and he isn't very scared of anything.
HHN has a new fan!"
We stayed until around midnight and we were done. We headed to the boats. Our boat driver must have been in a good mood. As we approached the Hard Rock Hotel dock, he spun the boat around in circles before proceeding on to Portofino. Everyone on board had a good laugh.
Disclaimer: Photos were taken on different days. I had several of each ride and just put in the ones I liked best.
We arrived and US around 10:30 AM with our Express Passes in hand. This time, we were concentrating on the OTHER parts of US.
We started with Minion Mayhem. What a fun 3D experience for all ages. It really is a great addition to the park.
Next we just wandered to where we wanted to ride. We are familiar with the park but I have to say, the layout can be confusing. We did our favorite the Simpsons ride more than once, all in a row. Now, this is something difficult to do at WDW these days.
For those of you prone to motion sickness, this is a simulator with a motion sickness index of 8 out of 10. I feel bad that queasy people cannot ride. It is so good.
The new Springfield area of the park has added a lot. We stopped by for a Duffs beer and read the signage. Very funny.
We rode Men in Black a couple of times, trying to get a better score. DBF is always better at these. He used to train officers on the range when he was an Expert Marksman in the USMC. I have no chance.
We also did one of our favorite 3D experiences. Now some of you may thing the Terminator 4D show is old but I dont. They do add a little each time I think the fog effect was enhanced this time. It really is a great show and worth the time.
As an aside, families with very young children may be able to do one day at US/IOA, but if you have kids older than that, you can make a vacation out of it. The resorts are amazing! I have now stayed at all three on different trips. I have not stayed at the new Cabana Bay but I am partial to Express. The lazy river at the pool sounds like a great trade off during a slow season however.
We rode our favorites more than once this afternoon, sometimes using Express and sometimes the regular line. It wasnt that busy on a Thursday in October and the Park closed early for HHN.
We rode Transformers at around 4:30 and after riding, realized they were closing the park to regular guests. There was a line outside the ride to enter the holding area near Finnegans. I walked to the front of the line and explained that we had a dinner reservation as well as tickets for HHN. At first they sent us to the end of the line. Then, a TM came and pulled us from the line and escorted us to our dinner reservation. Not sure what transpired.
The TM at Finnegans checked our HHN tickets and gave us our wristbands. We enjoyed our sandwiches and headed outside to the crowded holding area. We werent there long before they just dropped the ropes and let us out into the park. We did not know where we were going. We just sort of followed a bunch of people and ended up at the Walking Dead house. It was not opened yet. The line was getting very long and the park hadnt even opened back up yet. This was just stay and scream people. Fortunately, we had Express Passes for HHN and were the in the very near the front of the Express line. We waited about 15 minutes before entering. We were out before the park opened to HHN only ticket holders.
I have never been to HHN and the event was one of the reasons DBF consented to another Orlando vacation. I always had to go in front of him since watching me freak out was part of his enjoyment.
This is what I posted when I first returned:
"Just got back this afternoon. HHN was so great. DBF can't stop talking about it. I got Express passes and we were able to see all the houses, scare zones and ride a couple of rides as well. We had a 4:45 reservation for Finnegans and when we got off Transformers and arrived at 4:30 to the "line" for the waiting area. I walked up and informed them of my dining reservations and a TM walked us to to the restaurant door where they scanned our tickets and seated us for dinner.
After dinner, we took a break at the smoking section in Central Park then sauntered over to Walking Dead where we were about twelfth in line in Express and walked in as soon as this opened. After leaving Walking Dead, we ran into a DIS member who was looking for us. He lurks on the boards and wrote to me as a "visitor". He recognized us by my description and had done HHN the previous night. Helpful directions for sure.
I discovered that my "adrenalin level" needed recovery after about two houses so we would do two houses and a break, followed by a scare zone. Just Wow!
I am not a horror genre fan but in preparation for this trip I watched 4 seasons of Walking Dead, 10 episodes of Dusk Until Dawn, the original Halloween, Dracula Untold etc. At least the guys got a kick out of me screaming.
In summary, Express is worth every cent I spent and I would not do it any other way. We passed hundreds and hundreds of people and just went through the houses. I only had one night and I recommend the Express experience.
Also, I envy you residents who can go more than one night with a less expensive options. We did have a blast.
BTW...DBF was most creeped out by the Bayou of Blood Voodoo scareactors and he isn't very scared of anything.
HHN has a new fan!"
We stayed until around midnight and we were done. We headed to the boats. Our boat driver must have been in a good mood. As we approached the Hard Rock Hotel dock, he spun the boat around in circles before proceeding on to Portofino. Everyone on board had a good laugh.
Disclaimer: Photos were taken on different days. I had several of each ride and just put in the ones I liked best.
