yeshli2nuts
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2006
- Messages
- 16
I go to a private school that doesnt give us vacation between Christmas and New Years but gives us a week at the end of January so me and a couple friends decided to hit up Orlando. Me and my two friends left Newark airport at 11:30 Monday morning to finally get to our hotel on International Drive at 3:00 pm. The hotel we stayed at was the Rodeway International which was $40 a night and quite nice. We had Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday for the two Universal parks and a 5 day pass (its a 2 day/2 park pass which comes with 3 additional days for only $99). Our plan was to either take the free shuttle or walk to the parks. When we got to our hotel, we asked the concierge what would be the best way to walk to the park since the shuttles no longer left that late. She said there was a big highway and we would need to run across it in order to get to the park and it wouldnt be a good idea to walk. I check it out on google earth before hand and it looked like there was a sidewalk the whole way. We decided to take a cab and check out how it was. Of course I saw the whole way there was a sidewalk, stupid woman made us waste our money. We then went to IOA for the remainder of Monday, Tuesday we went to Universal Studios, Wednesday we went to IOA, and Thursday we went to both. We went on everything multiple times so heres my comments on the rides (total # of rides includes how many times we rode it all four days):
IOA:
Spiderman: total #-4. wait times we between 0-3 minutes, most of the rides we walked straight into the cars. This really wasnt what I remember it being. I now think its terribly overrated. There were some cool parts but I just didnt like it as much as I wanted to.
Hulk: total #-6 or 7. Wait times 7 minutes for front row, 0 minutes for the rest. We only rode the front row once because it was normally a 3-5 train wait while the rest of the rows barely even got filled up so we would just walk onto the back rows. Hulk is such a great rollercoaster it kinda got me spoiled for the rest of the rides.
Storm Force: total #-1. Wait was just waiting for the cycle to end so we could get on. This was our last ride we went on and we went on it just to say we rode/saw everything at IOA. Normal teacup type ride.
Dr Dooms Fearfall: total #-2. Wait was 5 minutes for both rides. Fun ride but too short once the launch is over. They should give you two launches or something when the crowds are low.
Bilge Rat Barges: total #-2. Wait times 3 minutes. No doubt this is THE best rapids ride there is. Not one person gets off the ride not soaked and towards the end the raft goes really fast down the rapids. Only bad thing was that the weather was low 70s so it was pretty cold when wet. Dudley Do-Right was closed the whole time.
Jurassic Park River Adventure: total #-5 or 6. Wait times were 0-2 minutes, if we didnt get on the boat that was sitting in the station, we would easily get on the next. I really really enjoy this ride its a nice break from a long day of walking which includes a little thrill at the end.
Dueling Dragons: total #-3. Wait times for two middle row rides were about 3 minutes while one front row ride was about 15 minutes due to single train operation per side. We rode each side in the middle once and fire in the front row. I prefer the fire side to ice, I find it less intense (which I like) and more a soothing ride (it probably doesnt make sense to you but thats what I like).
Poseidons Fury: total #-1. Wait time was about 10 minutes. Easily the best special FX show I have seen. The water vortex and battle scene are great.
Sinbad stunt show: total #-1. Wait time was 0 since we just went to it at the scheduled time. This show is really for children. There were some cool stunts but the actors were so damn corny. Id deffinatly skip it next time.
Cat In The Hat/Caro-sous-el/One Fish Two fish : total #-1 each. No waits for any of them. Nice kiddy rides, we just went on them for the same reason as Storm Force.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Revenge Of The Mummy: total #-3. Wait times were 15 minutes in the middle of the day and 5 minutes later in the afternoon. This ride is great. Probably my second favorite ride in Universal after Hulk. Both the beginning dark ride portion of the ride was great and the second rollercoaster part of the ride was great. If you go on, try to sit in the front row, its a lot cooler.
Men In Black: total #-2. Wait times were 3 and 10 minutes. This ride is overrated. Its just shooting at aliens which isnt really that fun. The best part of the ride is walking through the queue, it really makes you feel like youre in the movie.
Shrek 4D: total #-1. Wait time 5 minutes. Cool 3D movie with cool seat movements and water features. I dont think it matches to terminators FX.
Terminator 2 3D: total #-1. Wait 5 minutes. Sweet FX with the actors going into the screen and then showing up in the 3D movie. Deffinatly the best 3D show I have ever seen.
ET Adventure: total #-1. Wait time 10 minutes. Pretty boring ride. Maybe it would be better if I ever actually see the movie.
Back To The Future: total #-1. Wait time 10 minutes. I really cant do simulators anymore. This got me so sick, I hate it and will never go on it again.
Jimmy Nuetrons Nicktoon Blast: total #-1. Wait time 3 minutes. About 3 minutes into the ride some kid had to get off so they shut down the ride and had to wait a few minutes to restart the ride so that was an experience. It was nice seeing some of the old Nicktoons like Ren and Stimpy and Rockos Modern Life but I had to look at the floor most of the ride to keep me from getting sick.
Twister: total #-1. Wait time 5 minutes. Cool show with some cool FX. Nothing more.
Earthquake: total #-1. Wait time 10 minutes. Another cool show with a fun ride.
Fear Factor Live: total #-1. Wait time was 0 since we just went to it at the scheduled time. Im a big fan of the tv show so it was cool seeing the stunts live. I cant believe they actually let an audience member eat that blended mixture of stuff.
Horror Make-up Show: total #-1. Wait time was 0 since we just went to it at the scheduled time. I saved the best attraction for last. Yup, I enjoyed this better than any other thing at Universal Orlando. The hosts were soooooooooooooooo funny (and thats an understatement saying how funny they were). This may not be on top of peoples must-see lists but if you skip it, you will miss the best thing there.
Overall, we had a really fun trip. The parks were great having pretty much no lines (for most of the rides that said 10 minutes, thats mainly because theres some sort of pre-show that only plays in 5-10 minute intervals so if you miss it, you will have to wait) but the only thing bad about going this time of year was that the parks closed at 6:00. We ate dinner at Bob Marleys, NBA City, Margaritaville, and Latin Quarter all on the citywalk every night and then hung out there for a while. We ended up taking the free shuttle to the park the second day but it stopped at like every other hotel first so we just walked to and from the park the rest of the time. Its an easy mile from our hotel to the parks. Overall it was a great trip mainly due to no lines and being on our own for the four days.
IOA:
Spiderman: total #-4. wait times we between 0-3 minutes, most of the rides we walked straight into the cars. This really wasnt what I remember it being. I now think its terribly overrated. There were some cool parts but I just didnt like it as much as I wanted to.
Hulk: total #-6 or 7. Wait times 7 minutes for front row, 0 minutes for the rest. We only rode the front row once because it was normally a 3-5 train wait while the rest of the rows barely even got filled up so we would just walk onto the back rows. Hulk is such a great rollercoaster it kinda got me spoiled for the rest of the rides.
Storm Force: total #-1. Wait was just waiting for the cycle to end so we could get on. This was our last ride we went on and we went on it just to say we rode/saw everything at IOA. Normal teacup type ride.
Dr Dooms Fearfall: total #-2. Wait was 5 minutes for both rides. Fun ride but too short once the launch is over. They should give you two launches or something when the crowds are low.
Bilge Rat Barges: total #-2. Wait times 3 minutes. No doubt this is THE best rapids ride there is. Not one person gets off the ride not soaked and towards the end the raft goes really fast down the rapids. Only bad thing was that the weather was low 70s so it was pretty cold when wet. Dudley Do-Right was closed the whole time.
Jurassic Park River Adventure: total #-5 or 6. Wait times were 0-2 minutes, if we didnt get on the boat that was sitting in the station, we would easily get on the next. I really really enjoy this ride its a nice break from a long day of walking which includes a little thrill at the end.
Dueling Dragons: total #-3. Wait times for two middle row rides were about 3 minutes while one front row ride was about 15 minutes due to single train operation per side. We rode each side in the middle once and fire in the front row. I prefer the fire side to ice, I find it less intense (which I like) and more a soothing ride (it probably doesnt make sense to you but thats what I like).
Poseidons Fury: total #-1. Wait time was about 10 minutes. Easily the best special FX show I have seen. The water vortex and battle scene are great.
Sinbad stunt show: total #-1. Wait time was 0 since we just went to it at the scheduled time. This show is really for children. There were some cool stunts but the actors were so damn corny. Id deffinatly skip it next time.
Cat In The Hat/Caro-sous-el/One Fish Two fish : total #-1 each. No waits for any of them. Nice kiddy rides, we just went on them for the same reason as Storm Force.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Revenge Of The Mummy: total #-3. Wait times were 15 minutes in the middle of the day and 5 minutes later in the afternoon. This ride is great. Probably my second favorite ride in Universal after Hulk. Both the beginning dark ride portion of the ride was great and the second rollercoaster part of the ride was great. If you go on, try to sit in the front row, its a lot cooler.
Men In Black: total #-2. Wait times were 3 and 10 minutes. This ride is overrated. Its just shooting at aliens which isnt really that fun. The best part of the ride is walking through the queue, it really makes you feel like youre in the movie.
Shrek 4D: total #-1. Wait time 5 minutes. Cool 3D movie with cool seat movements and water features. I dont think it matches to terminators FX.
Terminator 2 3D: total #-1. Wait 5 minutes. Sweet FX with the actors going into the screen and then showing up in the 3D movie. Deffinatly the best 3D show I have ever seen.
ET Adventure: total #-1. Wait time 10 minutes. Pretty boring ride. Maybe it would be better if I ever actually see the movie.
Back To The Future: total #-1. Wait time 10 minutes. I really cant do simulators anymore. This got me so sick, I hate it and will never go on it again.
Jimmy Nuetrons Nicktoon Blast: total #-1. Wait time 3 minutes. About 3 minutes into the ride some kid had to get off so they shut down the ride and had to wait a few minutes to restart the ride so that was an experience. It was nice seeing some of the old Nicktoons like Ren and Stimpy and Rockos Modern Life but I had to look at the floor most of the ride to keep me from getting sick.
Twister: total #-1. Wait time 5 minutes. Cool show with some cool FX. Nothing more.
Earthquake: total #-1. Wait time 10 minutes. Another cool show with a fun ride.
Fear Factor Live: total #-1. Wait time was 0 since we just went to it at the scheduled time. Im a big fan of the tv show so it was cool seeing the stunts live. I cant believe they actually let an audience member eat that blended mixture of stuff.
Horror Make-up Show: total #-1. Wait time was 0 since we just went to it at the scheduled time. I saved the best attraction for last. Yup, I enjoyed this better than any other thing at Universal Orlando. The hosts were soooooooooooooooo funny (and thats an understatement saying how funny they were). This may not be on top of peoples must-see lists but if you skip it, you will miss the best thing there.
Overall, we had a really fun trip. The parks were great having pretty much no lines (for most of the rides that said 10 minutes, thats mainly because theres some sort of pre-show that only plays in 5-10 minute intervals so if you miss it, you will have to wait) but the only thing bad about going this time of year was that the parks closed at 6:00. We ate dinner at Bob Marleys, NBA City, Margaritaville, and Latin Quarter all on the citywalk every night and then hung out there for a while. We ended up taking the free shuttle to the park the second day but it stopped at like every other hotel first so we just walked to and from the park the rest of the time. Its an easy mile from our hotel to the parks. Overall it was a great trip mainly due to no lines and being on our own for the four days.
