robvia
<font color=red>DIS Veteran<br><font color=indigo>
- Joined
- May 7, 2001
- Messages
- 3,983
Cast
Me (39)
Wife (33)
Perfect weather both days. Sunny, 90 degrees, no rain either day.
We live 4 hours from the park, and stay off site at the Hojo Suites. So this kind of report concentrates on our wait times since it was Memorial Day Weekend.
05/25/03 Sunday
Woke up at 2am, left Plantation (West of Ft. Lauderdale) at 3:30am, arrived parking garage at 07:30am. Believe it or not, a few cars were already there, we were 2nd in line. Parking garage opened at 8am, we were the 4th car to park. Good thing about this is being at the start of the row, for a short walk to the people movers. Arrived the gate of IOA at 08:15am, and a few people were there. A kid had been waiting since 07:30am.
We did the Stay dry thrill ride tour.
Park opened at 08:45am, 5 minute wait at the bridge, front row ride on Hulk at 08:50am.
And the kid who was there at 07:30am also got his front row ride.
Spiderman, Dr. Doom, Went back to Hulk and got an express pass for 12:00pm. Cat in the Hat, Dueling Dragons (front both sides). Wait time for the front was 3 train cycles. Any other seat was a walk-on. Both trains were running for each side, which was nice. JPRA in the back row, walkon.
We wanted to eat at Thunder Falls Terrace because weve never eaten there, but it was closed. Dont know when/if it will re-open. We ate pizza and pasta at Comic Strip Café instead. Maybe theyre making room for the JP Flyer (wink wink). I mean, seriously, if they put a ride on the land next to Rip Saw Falls, the Terrace building would become the gift shop exit of the ride.
Passing Rip Saw falls, the wait clock said 30 minutes, but the line was outside the building, Im sure it was longer than that, skipped it.
Used the Single rider line for Dr. Doom. The wait clock said 30 minutes, and the single rider wait was 10 minutes. We ended up on the same ride, but split up in different sides, which was nice. Single rider line works great on Dr. Doom. Used our express pass on Hulk. The wait clock said 60 minutes, the line went out the building, poor people. Our wait with Express was 13 minutes. They have a single rider line for Hulk, but it was huge, and not moving very fast and the Express Pass machines were sold out.
Left the park, at 12:30pm, and there was a large crowd of people buying tickets to get in. What are these people thinking? Its hot, the lines for the major rides are 1 hour, and theyre just arriving. Wake up early people.
Went to the www.hojo.com suites hotel, our room was not ready. No problem, we went to the pool and hung out for a couple hours. I even brought the cooler in, slammed a few beers, and ate snacks. Checked into our room at 4pm, ate sandwiches, snacks, changed cloths, and cable surfed.
Went to USF at 6pm. Our mission here was to ride Jimmy Neutron. Wait clock said 45 minutes, and thats how long we waited. Its not that bad. The line moves a lot, then you wait for 10 minutes, then it moves again. Express Pass people had no wait, they got right in. Show was good.
*** Spoiler Alert *** Skip this paragraph if you dont want to know about JN.
Jimmy Neutron has to get his Mach4 rocket back. They chase all over the place.
There are more light effects from the ceiling than the old show. And water falls, but its not that bad. You see Sponge Bob Square Pants and dive into Bikini Lake. The ending is the best. The Chicken Dance song plays, and the cars bounce when the clapping part happens. They bounce perfectly in time to the music, and everyone claps along and laughs.
By the time we exited the ride, it was almost 8pm and the park was about to close. Ate dinner at Boston market, which is next to the Hojo. We shared half a chicken with 3 sides and drink for $10, and it was good too. Went back to the room and watched movies on TV.
05/26/03 Monday Memorial Day
This would be the Lets Get Soaked Because Were Fearless Tour of IOA
Checked out of the Hojo, arrived to the gate at 08:30am. Park opened at 08:40am. A little tip, go to the far left lane when walking up to the gate. Most people dont go all the way over, and that line is the shortest. In fact, there was a sign saying AP and Hotel guests only please.
No wait at the bridge, on Hulk at 08:45am (front seat of coarse). Got an express pass for 11am. Dr. Doom, skipped Spiderman, and went to Pteranodon Flyers. The guard warned us about the kid rule, but said we got there in time (09:15am) and got our ride. Back to Rip Saw Falls, walk-on, our shirts got soaked.
Popeye, walk-on, they even let people go thru the express door to save time. We got nailed at the start of the ride by people shooting squirt guns. Ive never seen those water cannons. Theyre just after the ride starts, 4 of them that blast at the same time. We also got nailed by the water fall in the first section just before the boat, great ride. The good thing is that my shirt, shoes, and socks were in the middle compartment. Flying Unicorn, walk-on. Laurie waited while I rode the dragons. I did my famous wait in row 2, and got the front on Fire, row 2 for Ice. Wait for the front was about 3 train cycles, everything else was a walk-on. Again, both trains were running for each side, which was nice of them.
Used our express pass for Hulk. The wait clock said 25 minutes, but the entire building was full. Our express pass wait was 2 minutes. Used the Single Rider line for Dr. Doom. The wait clock said 30 minutes, and our wait was 10 minutes. And again, we got on the same ride, but split up on different sides, which was nice.
The park didnt feel as crowded on Memorial Day in the morning. I think everyone slept in. There were less people buying tickets to get in as we left at noon. But, the cars lined up to park, was full. That line stretched around the corner and down the entrance.
That was it, left the park at noon, changed cloths in the car, stopped at McDonalds an hour out of Orlando, arrived home at 4pm. So there you have it, proved you can visit the park any day of the year and get on all the rides, if you get there early.
Me (39)
Wife (33)
Perfect weather both days. Sunny, 90 degrees, no rain either day.
We live 4 hours from the park, and stay off site at the Hojo Suites. So this kind of report concentrates on our wait times since it was Memorial Day Weekend.
05/25/03 Sunday
Woke up at 2am, left Plantation (West of Ft. Lauderdale) at 3:30am, arrived parking garage at 07:30am. Believe it or not, a few cars were already there, we were 2nd in line. Parking garage opened at 8am, we were the 4th car to park. Good thing about this is being at the start of the row, for a short walk to the people movers. Arrived the gate of IOA at 08:15am, and a few people were there. A kid had been waiting since 07:30am.
We did the Stay dry thrill ride tour.
Park opened at 08:45am, 5 minute wait at the bridge, front row ride on Hulk at 08:50am.
And the kid who was there at 07:30am also got his front row ride.
Spiderman, Dr. Doom, Went back to Hulk and got an express pass for 12:00pm. Cat in the Hat, Dueling Dragons (front both sides). Wait time for the front was 3 train cycles. Any other seat was a walk-on. Both trains were running for each side, which was nice. JPRA in the back row, walkon.
We wanted to eat at Thunder Falls Terrace because weve never eaten there, but it was closed. Dont know when/if it will re-open. We ate pizza and pasta at Comic Strip Café instead. Maybe theyre making room for the JP Flyer (wink wink). I mean, seriously, if they put a ride on the land next to Rip Saw Falls, the Terrace building would become the gift shop exit of the ride.
Passing Rip Saw falls, the wait clock said 30 minutes, but the line was outside the building, Im sure it was longer than that, skipped it.
Used the Single rider line for Dr. Doom. The wait clock said 30 minutes, and the single rider wait was 10 minutes. We ended up on the same ride, but split up in different sides, which was nice. Single rider line works great on Dr. Doom. Used our express pass on Hulk. The wait clock said 60 minutes, the line went out the building, poor people. Our wait with Express was 13 minutes. They have a single rider line for Hulk, but it was huge, and not moving very fast and the Express Pass machines were sold out.
Left the park, at 12:30pm, and there was a large crowd of people buying tickets to get in. What are these people thinking? Its hot, the lines for the major rides are 1 hour, and theyre just arriving. Wake up early people.
Went to the www.hojo.com suites hotel, our room was not ready. No problem, we went to the pool and hung out for a couple hours. I even brought the cooler in, slammed a few beers, and ate snacks. Checked into our room at 4pm, ate sandwiches, snacks, changed cloths, and cable surfed.
Went to USF at 6pm. Our mission here was to ride Jimmy Neutron. Wait clock said 45 minutes, and thats how long we waited. Its not that bad. The line moves a lot, then you wait for 10 minutes, then it moves again. Express Pass people had no wait, they got right in. Show was good.
*** Spoiler Alert *** Skip this paragraph if you dont want to know about JN.
Jimmy Neutron has to get his Mach4 rocket back. They chase all over the place.
There are more light effects from the ceiling than the old show. And water falls, but its not that bad. You see Sponge Bob Square Pants and dive into Bikini Lake. The ending is the best. The Chicken Dance song plays, and the cars bounce when the clapping part happens. They bounce perfectly in time to the music, and everyone claps along and laughs.
By the time we exited the ride, it was almost 8pm and the park was about to close. Ate dinner at Boston market, which is next to the Hojo. We shared half a chicken with 3 sides and drink for $10, and it was good too. Went back to the room and watched movies on TV.
05/26/03 Monday Memorial Day
This would be the Lets Get Soaked Because Were Fearless Tour of IOA
Checked out of the Hojo, arrived to the gate at 08:30am. Park opened at 08:40am. A little tip, go to the far left lane when walking up to the gate. Most people dont go all the way over, and that line is the shortest. In fact, there was a sign saying AP and Hotel guests only please.
No wait at the bridge, on Hulk at 08:45am (front seat of coarse). Got an express pass for 11am. Dr. Doom, skipped Spiderman, and went to Pteranodon Flyers. The guard warned us about the kid rule, but said we got there in time (09:15am) and got our ride. Back to Rip Saw Falls, walk-on, our shirts got soaked.
Popeye, walk-on, they even let people go thru the express door to save time. We got nailed at the start of the ride by people shooting squirt guns. Ive never seen those water cannons. Theyre just after the ride starts, 4 of them that blast at the same time. We also got nailed by the water fall in the first section just before the boat, great ride. The good thing is that my shirt, shoes, and socks were in the middle compartment. Flying Unicorn, walk-on. Laurie waited while I rode the dragons. I did my famous wait in row 2, and got the front on Fire, row 2 for Ice. Wait for the front was about 3 train cycles, everything else was a walk-on. Again, both trains were running for each side, which was nice of them.
Used our express pass for Hulk. The wait clock said 25 minutes, but the entire building was full. Our express pass wait was 2 minutes. Used the Single Rider line for Dr. Doom. The wait clock said 30 minutes, and our wait was 10 minutes. And again, we got on the same ride, but split up on different sides, which was nice.
The park didnt feel as crowded on Memorial Day in the morning. I think everyone slept in. There were less people buying tickets to get in as we left at noon. But, the cars lined up to park, was full. That line stretched around the corner and down the entrance.
That was it, left the park at noon, changed cloths in the car, stopped at McDonalds an hour out of Orlando, arrived home at 4pm. So there you have it, proved you can visit the park any day of the year and get on all the rides, if you get there early.
