Canadian Buffoon's Sweet 16 Celebration - Update 01/28 - The End

I read it but I am at work so quoting isn't quite working for me. It's a hit or miss thing. It looks like you had a great time.

Last time I went to Universal Hary Potter wasn't open yet.

I also am surprised when people don't like the Jurrasic Park ride, it's one of my favourites.



1. c

2. b

3. d

4. D

5. c
 
Right out of the gate.
For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?
(I don't care if you get it right or not,
just if you had to Google or got it.)

Aww man, I should have been able to get this one without Googling! My mom and I sing this as a duet in parts.

This whole chapter
and the ones that follow
are all gonna be a bit of a crap shoot.


You were warned.

And this is different how...??

Harry Potter land.
That's what it's called.

Yep. Or HPW (Harry Potter World) (...oh, shoot. Now I'm doing it, too!)

P1030466_zps3mfppykz.jpg


Choo on that one for a while.

:rockband: (This seems to be the closest emoji I can find for the "ba dum *tssssk*" effect...

Uh...


We no sooner took off
when the video projection stopped running.
We came to an abrupt halt and sat there
for a short while.
Probably not much more than 30 seconds,
but long enough for me to wonder
how we were going to get down.

Just as I started to wonder,
we started to move again.

Ugggh! Oh no! Way to put a damper on things! This is a really cool ride and super immersive, but not when it starts like this.

I was very glad we still had
our "fast pass" for this ride.
A do-over was definitely in order.

Yes! ::yes::

Hagrid's house.
aka Flight of the Hippogriff.

The theming here, as in all of HPL
is really top notch.
On par with Disney.

(Gasp!)

Yep! Hate to admit it, but it's true. Other than New Fantasyland and Pandora, I find it's almost better than most of Disney's theming. I know some of that is just age/technological breakthroughs, etc. But still.

He's just hanging around,
presumable waiting for someone
to take that chain off.

No one does.

Apparently, we're all jerks.

P1030482_zpsh3l9ieww.jpg

Aww man! The shade he's giving is real...

All you do is... bow...
and then you can approach and...

MY EYE! MY EYE!!!! OH MY GOD, MY EYE!!!!!!

:scared1:

But seriously, though. Way to pull a Malfoy here!

Yes, the frozen one is the
better of the two.

IMHO.

And I'm never wrong.

Yep. 100%.

Not bad. But not quite as exciting
as we had both hoped.
And... Kay is not a fan of getting wet.

And you can on this ride.
Not Kali wet... but...

I love this ride. At least the one in Orlando. But we got far wetter than I ever have on Kali the last time we rode. Fluke timing, I think.

I think it was live?
At least I didn't notice
any glaring gaffs.

I think so, too.

p8_zpstsxav2zi.jpg


So... realistic!
We were lucky to get out of there alive.
Truly, truly frightening.

The horror! I'm so glad you escaped with your lives!

Ummmm.... that last one looks a bit....
different.

I looked upon it with bated breath.

Whatever.
I think it has something to do
with this cozy looking motel.

:rotfl:

I accompanied her as far as
the ride proper,
then took the "chicken" exit.

::yes::

Oh, dear. Did I just ruin it for you?

Not to worry.
That's not what happens to him.

This does:
He gets changed into a stink bug.
Okay, that's not it either. Go read the book(s). Or see the movie(s)

Somebody did ruin it for me. Just as I was a couple of chapters from finding out, myself. I was in the process of reading when someone went, "Isn't that the book where *Dumbledore gets changed into a stink bug*?!?" :sad2: Yep.

Enjoyed the ride and it made more sense now.
I did, however, feel a bit queasy on it.
So if you're prone to motion sickness.
You've been warned.

Yep! My mom can do roller coasters no problem, but this one got to her a bit. And got to me more than a bit.

A secret entrance opened and we went into another room
where a sorceress descended a set of stairs
and picked out a young lady to see about
getting an appropriate wand for her.
(No. Not Kay.)

It seems that they try their best to pick someone who's as close to 11 as possible...which was why it was a little demeaning when I got picked at the age of 17. But I didn't care because my friggin' wand chose me, man!!

We came across a tragic scene.
These two cooks were locked
out of their restaurant.
The patrons inside all died of starvation.


Tragic.


Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.

Hmmm...they were both madly in love with the hostess...it was interfering with their work...so the manager kicked them both out and locked the door until they could sort out their differences or one killed the other. The patrons are still drinking soda refills and waiting for their meals.

1. How long does it take
to get to our next hotel?
(You can Google map it if you like:
Annabella hotel, Anaheim)
a. 2 hours
b. 3 hours
c. 4 hours
d. 5 hours

2. Where do we eat dinner?
a. Shake Shack
b. Closest restaurant to the hotel.
c. We don't. We're still full.
d. Room service.

Most of the following day's
events have been documented...
in two other TRs!
So.... any more questions
would give a certain pair
of ladies an unfair advantage. ;)

However, Kay and I were alone
for a little bit.

3. Which ride does Kay do alone?
a. Grizzly River Run
b. Mickey's Fun Wheel
c. Silly Symphony Swings
d. California Screamin'

4. Which ride do we go on
more than two times.
a. Soarin'
b. TSMM
c. HM
d. BTMRR

5. Which souvenir do I buy for Elle?
(oldest DD who didn't come along)
a. Mouse ears
b. T-shirt
c. Mug
d. Ornament

1. a
2. b
3. c
4. a
5. d
 


Hi Pkondz
At the time of writing this you will be in Walt Disney world enjoying yourself. I asume when you get around to reading this you will have returned from your trip full of happy memories from your latest stay in the world.
It sure looked like you and Kay managed to cram a full intinary into your one day at the universal studios.The tram ride looked like a good one to make a must do if you are there.Your photos of the park were good as usual nice to see a different park photos so you can compare between the two ( Orlando and Los Angeles ) . I will have to forgo a bonus point for the title as I don't have a clue what In a hot dense state has to do with universal.The two chef's were making sure that their secret sandwich recipes had not been copied by their rival sandwich restaurant
 
Just wanted to say how awesome it was getting to see you last night! Hope the rest of your time here is wonderful and thanks again for all the goodies! ( I owe you now :))
 
Hello Again Pkondz
Here are my guesses ( answers )to your latest questions
1:- A it takes two hours
2:- C you don't eat you are still full
3:- D California Screaming.
4:- C H M
5:- D Ornament.

I pm;ed a measage I think I seen it.
 


Without googling: In a hot dense state referring to universal the park? no clue
The universe in general? isn't that the beginning of TBBT theme song? "Our whole universe was in a hot dense state, but nearly forty million years ago expansion started- lol LOVE TBBT!!!!

The two cooks locked out?? Probably because they went to go find better food somewhere else and were met with angry customers who locked them out. that's as good of an idea I have at the moment.

1. b. 3 hours

2. a. Shake Shack

3. c. Silly Symphony Swings

4. b. TSMM

5. c. Mug

Bonus: Did you see it?
YES! PM'd you!

WAAHHHHH!!!!!! I wish I was back in Disney World right now. my 2.5 days was NOT enough time. Plus, it's so cold back here in NE Ohio :(
 
In a Hot Dense State


Right out of the gate.
For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?
(I don't care if you get it right or not,
just if you had to Google or got it.)

Sorry, I had no idea. Google to the rescue.

What kind of breakfast place doesn't
have orange juice???

That seems utterly ridiculous.

I grabbed a Chai Latte for Kay,
(I don't remember what she wanted,
but they didn't have that either.
And... she hated it.)
and a .... Coke... for breakfast...
for me. Gross.

I love Coke... but I don't want it for breakfast!

Bleh. Same here. Even at a restaurant that serves breakfast all day, it feels weird to order a Coke with it.

We paused to take a quick photo,
but not for long.
Rides are awaiting, people!

I like the priorities here.

This whole chapter
and the ones that follow
are all gonna be a bit of a crap shoot.

So it's the same as every other chapter, then.

Harry Potter land.
That's what it's called.

At least that's what I call it.
So much shorter than typing out
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

That's what I always call it, too! Way too many syllables.

ETA... no more acronyms either. Ah well.

Wait, what does ETA stand for??

The plan was:
Rides first.
Look around later.

Again, I can't fault the priorities.

Well... we did, but they aren't unlimited.
The pass allows you access to the front
of the line once for each ride.
So if you want to ride something twice,
then you have to stand in line at least once.

Capiche?

Got it. This is good to know, since we basically promised my daughter we'd take her to Harry Potter Land as a reward for going through her surgery.

In hindsight.
(Stop looking at my behind!
Oh... go ahead.
We'll wait.

Let us know when you're done, Mark.)

ajGuSZbySlxp1H9wP2V2sUq_-TbeOSu2fhMWQs12q-LXUXPMP16XtMAEADS--MQziNOVZmHb3POpY2C8bV9R6a1CkKj_vAiH7OjGL0ZKaM1jSyQElt8IG_luvHT89ZlSVu6dMpsPRG1L2tFd-zqVQy_Hv9XKICnplJjP50h-6nul7EzOz7qenawmxj_tH0O15qgtqJ22AyAJeYZCrLUFfRqVAvRYVW3PB4Kh7QOygVbOj2ie-tN-MdLNWS6whyBZrUyOmh-FQIBzuc-T68IcVvnBmobKOJ_F0UN2a7-664uoXXAVOcJ42KpLyJ1ZpDUqSwtjsDOPwc4fn1wlxueFCD1CVbGiqopTmOLnkG6sEGQN-8LxUFTb4tyZBLqrnVcB_9Okqby-3JZUYFi1xUo49dccQZtExBKUuNXwVuiroz3jlhFDD1ttTGDvAgKTgvpQQYwM23ExlgtQG3PPpSDN5q_iUTP4UHb4oXK8V8p24Km4s5iNrAIRcec-K1GVzj17HIlugZd2EaQNeSwSH8yubu5pcz_m-EAL3O0N6I0o3kvthMUMSHmQoNkWBzkEroeQWoepou8AlAfnpJXGH849AJwoSHNtB92XcNRPxYVjoA=w66-h34-no


A previous update was better in this regard.

Having said that, we entered Hogwarts
and were directed to the lockers.
You are not allowed to have anything
on your person.

That sounds really annoying.

I was very glad we still had
our "fast pass" for this ride.
A do-over was definitely in order.

Gotta hand it to you for the trip-planning strategy. Definitely paying off.

The theming here, as in all of HPL
is really top notch.
On par with Disney.

(Gasp!)

I've heard that quite a bit. It certainly looks terrific.

He's just hanging around,
presumable waiting for someone
to take that chain off.

No one does.

Apparently, we're all jerks.

Hey, you said it.

Okay, so maybe he's a bit more unnerving
than an emu.
But it's really pretty simple.
All you do is... bow...
and then you can approach and...

MY EYE! MY EYE!!!! OH MY GOD, MY EYE!!!!!!

:rotfl2::rotfl2:

Nowhere near as good as, well...
every coaster Disney has.

Also good to know.

Yes, the frozen one is the
better of the two.

IMHO.

And I'm never wrong.

If I'm wrong...and I'm never wrong...they're headed directly into the Fire Swamp.

d100d7d65f1b03f9fc384ff728cdad97.jpg


Once we were back up
on the Upper Lot, I checked
the time and suggested
we go now to see
the Animal Actors show.

Why would you do that? Like Kay would waste her time with animals.:rolleyes:

Not until Kay got to pet
some of the stars of the show.

I'm shocked! Good thing I was sitting down when I read that.

Everyone knows where Springfield is, right?
I mean there are several in the U.S.
But the one in the show is located in **.

"Look at that! You can see the four states that border Springfield: Ohio, Nevada, Maine and Kentucky." -- Ned Flanders

These are two huge completely immersive
rides while you are on the tour tram.
King Kong especially is an amazing ride.

Highly recommend.

Sounds awesome!

Oh... shoot.
Beach's closed.

Oh, it's probably just something silly.
I'm sure we can go in.

Go for it! I'm going to go get something out of the car, but I'll be right behind you.:thumbsup2

So... realistic!
We were lucky to get out of there alive.
Truly, truly frightening.

I mean... how bad can your special effects be?

So...yeah...

I looked upon it with bated breath.

Is your breath named Norman?

P1030541_zpslcdr1zrf.jpg


Oh...... craaaaaaap......

:scared1: :rotfl:

Well, we lost a few people
who were riding towards the rear,
but overall, we got out unscathed.

That's where they put the people who get their tickets on Groupon.

We rounded a corner and...
Ever see the movie
War of the Worlds
with Tom Cruise?

::yes:: I remember that part.

Getting old sucks. Hard.

Amen.

This time, I decided to sneak
my camera on the ride.
I wouldn't use it during,
but... the queue was fair game.

And we appreciate it! Looks cool.

Hi Dumbledore!
Sorry you got changed
into a newt at the end
of the books!

:lmao: He got better, though.

Enjoyed the ride and it made more sense now.
I did, however, feel a bit queasy on it.
So if you're prone to motion sickness.
You've been warned.

I'm kind of hit-or-miss with motion sickness. So...here's hoping.

I believe there are 13 different
types of wands.
Also, there are interactive wands
and not so (i.e. not) interactive wands.

And why would any kid want a non-interactive wand?

You stand in a marked spot,
wave your wand in a specific way
(Each location has a different gesture
and it usually takes several attempts
to get it right)
and "magic" happens.
From music pages flying through the air
to a flower blooming.

Kay had a lot of fun doing all the activities.

Sounds cool. I'm sure my kids would make me hunt each and every one of them down.

Guess what we got! Guess!
Your guess is as good as mine!
I have no idea!
I know we each got... something.
And that's all I can remember.

Chocolate-covered brussels sprouts!:thumbsup2

We came across a tragic scene.
These two cooks were locked
out of their restaurant.
The patrons inside all died of starvation.

:rotfl2::rotfl2:

Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.

Obviously, the kitchen was taken over by rats. One of the rats had a special ability as a master chef, and somehow managed to be-friend a busboy, who gave him free reign of the kitchen. Oddly enough, the rat's food was better than the previous chef, who here finds himself locked out while even the critics praise the new cuisine.

I'm sure LA rush hour traffic
isn't as bad as I've been told.
People exaggerate, you know??

Oh, sure. I once saw a movie with a bus that could go as fast as it wanted--there was literally no one else on the freeway. Right in LA.

1. How long does it take
to get to our next hotel?
(You can Google map it if you like:
Annabella hotel, Anaheim)
a. 2 hours
b. 3 hours
c. 4 hours
d. 5 hours

(gulp) 3 hours.

2. Where do we eat dinner?
a. Shake Shack
b. Closest restaurant to the hotel.
c. We don't. We're still full.
d. Room service.

Well, you've had burgers a couple days in a row now, so I'll go with the closest place to the hotel.

3. Which ride does Kay do alone?
a. Grizzly River Run
b. Mickey's Fun Wheel
c. Silly Symphony Swings
d. California Screamin'

Mickey's Fun Wheel of Death

4. Which ride do we go on
more than two times.
a. Soarin'
b. TSMM
c. HM
d. BTMRR

This is a toss-up, which means I'll guess wrong. BTMRR.

5. Which souvenir do I buy for Elle?
(oldest DD who didn't come along)
a. Mouse ears
b. T-shirt
c. Mug
d. Ornament

T-shirt

Bonus: Did you see it?
PM your guess.
Posting will result in deductions.

PM incoming...
 
Right out of the gate.
For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?
(I don't care if you get it right or not,
just if you had to Google or got it.)

Well not exactly sure what it has to do with Universal....unless you think the words go..."Our whole Universal was in a Hot Dense State,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started, wait
The earth began to cool, the autotrophs began to drool
Neanderthals developed tools
We built a wall (we built the pyramids)
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries
That all started with the big bang! Hey!"

I had to google to get the rest of the lyrics past the first one. Big Bang Theory is filmed at Warner Bros. It's right down the street from Universal...fun tour! Oh, then I guess you didn't to everything that LA had to offer! :laughing:

What kind of breakfast place doesn't
have orange juice???

A coffee place? :confused3

and a .... Coke... for breakfast...
for me. Gross.

I love Coke... but I don't want it for breakfast!

Me, not a big fan of coke, coffee works for me for breakfast, or at least to stave off my hunger for a couple hours.

Hmmm...
Would the invention of the internet
qualify as better than sliced bread?
What about cell phones?

I think it's all in context. I thought I would google it and see what came up.

As for the first documented reference to the exact phrase, this is thought to be in a 1952 interview where the famous comedian Red Skelton “advised” the Salisbury (Maryland) Times to “not worry about television. It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.”

I believe that the Internet could also be categorized that way, or maybe it would be: It's the greatest thing since Television....

This whole chapter
and the ones that follow
are all gonna be a bit of a crap shoot.

I know others have already said this, but how does that differ from your other TRs or bonus features? :duck:

Of course now that I've explained that,
it would've been much shorter
just to type it out in the first place.

Yes, so you might as well have done that to save you some time.

Well... we did, but they aren't unlimited.
The pass allows you access to the front
of the line once for each ride.

Huh. I did not know that!

Let us know when you're done, Mark.

Maybe I was looking too... :rolleyes1

It was also very fast moving
as there was really no one in front of us
until we reached the ride proper.

That's what I found when I rode it in Florida. I stopped and even let people go past me so I could soak it all in.

I have to say... that section
that was cut out, right at the beginning
really tainted the ride for me.
I like to get right into the spirit of the thing,
and that just took me right out.

I can totally see that. I don't even remember much of the ride because I was trying to keep from hurling. But I do remember the wamping willow.

I was very glad we still had
our "fast pass" for this ride.
A do-over was definitely in order.

Glad you did too!

Exiting the ride, we quickly gathered up
our belongings and walked across the lane
to Hagrid's house.
aka Flight of the Hippogriff.

The theming here, as in all of HPL
is really top notch.
On par with Disney.

I skipped the Flight of the Hippogriff and had no idea there was all that cool theming in the queue!

He's just hanging around,
presumable waiting for someone
to take that chain off.

No one does.

Apparently, we're all jerks.

Cause he'll peck your eyes out with his beak!

MY EYE! MY EYE!!!! OH MY GOD, MY EYE!!!!!!

See!!!!!! :confused3

And once you pass Buckbeak
(intact or not)
the theming... just kinda stops.
Just a coaster.

Yeah, it's the same coaster that was there before they built HPL. I rode it then and didn't need to repeat it. Now I see that I do need to do it for the queue.

Yes, the frozen one is the
better of the two.

I will agree with that, but both were too sweet for my taste.

Coming from a virtually flat part
of the country, this caught me off guard.

Ah, the beautiful San Fernando Valley. Actually, So Cal is filled with Valleys and Mountains.....

After the show, we weren't allowed to leave.
Well... I wasn't allowed to.
Not until Kay got to pet
some of the stars of the show.

I figured as much.

Not bad, actually.
I've had far worse.

Tummies happy,
it was time for the big one.
The Studio Tour.

Looks like decent enough fare.

Did I ever tell you that my first job in Southern California was at Universal Studios? I was a temp and worked in the mailroom. It was only for three weeks in the summertime. That was back when the ONLY thing there was the Studio Tour. I was stuffing envelopes with flyers to mail out to companies so that they could post them in their common areas. It was advertising a *NEW* show, "The A-Team Stunt Show!" They tried to get me to stick around longer, but I had a commitment that was starting up at the beginning of July. We were sequestered for two weeks at Pepperdine University so that we could learn a Marching Band Field Show for this thing called the Opening Ceremonies of the XXIII Olympics.

These are two huge completely immersive
rides while you are on the tour tram.
King Kong especially is an amazing ride.

Sounds like I need to go back for a redo, it's been about 17 years since I last went to Universal Hollywood.

The ride starts out with a view
of the studios below.

Oh wait, that was the picture or the beautiful San Fernando Valley. Ooops.....

So... realistic!
We were lucky to get out of there alive.
Truly, truly frightening.

I mean... how bad can your special effects be?

Scary.

Now that part of the tour has been there since before I worked there. I know because before I started college, my parents took our family on a week long "tour" of all the amusement parks in So Cal, and one of them we did was Universal. Back then it was groundbreaking....today, not so much.

Ummmm.... that last one looks a bit....
different.

I looked upon it with bated breath.

:sad2:

Well... Kay did.
I accompanied her as far as
the ride proper,
then took the "chicken" exit.

There were quite a few warnings
for this so I decided to sit it out.

That ride made me really sick too! I don't even think I had vertigo then.

Getting old sucks. Hard.

However, it beats the alternative!

It was pretty disappointing.
It's kind of like ITTBAB at AK.

Yeah, not that much of a draw after you've done it once.

Enjoyed the ride and it made more sense now.
I did, however, feel a bit queasy on it.
So if you're prone to motion sickness.
You've been warned.

If I go on it again, I'm taking Dramamine.

Kay purchased an interactive one.
Took a while to find just the right one.
But when she did...

Yeah, I remember kids with those wands at Universal in Florida. Waving them willy nilly, not caring who is near them and who they hit.

Guess what we got! Guess!
Your guess is as good as mine!
I have no idea!
I know we each got... something.
And that's all I can remember.

I'm going to say a cupcake and the no melt Ice Cream.

Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.

Well since one of them is wearing a Mel's Diner outfit, I'm going to say he was spying or trying to pick up some tips. The other guy probably just wanted to get back to work, but the guy from Mel's wouldn't let him get in the door until he spilled the French cooking secrets.

... and it was time to head out.
It's 5:30pm.
Next stop... Anaheim.

:eek: Do you have any idea what you are doing? If we're in the Valley and it's 5-6PM, we just stop and have dinner somewhere. We'll get home at the same time as if we left before dinner.

I'm sure LA rush hour traffic
isn't as bad as I've been told.
People exaggerate, you know??

Before I quit my day job, I was able to swing it so that I had different hours. Instead of 8:00-4:30 like most everyone else worked, I worked 10:30-7PM. I worked about 10 miles NW of Universal. And if I left during rush hour, it took me 2 hours to get home, 3 hours once Daylight Savings ended. If I left between 6:30 and 7PM, I would be home before 8PM easy.

Even now (at 3PM when I reply to this), it's a two hour drive to Tiffy's (can't map to the Anabella Hotel anymore cause it's been demolished). I'm torn on my answer for the contest because I'm gonna say that your drive was at least 3 hours, but I can totally see it being four hours. Plus I don't know if you just hopped on the 101 and went through downtown (which would make the four hours totally possible) or if you drove through Burbank/Glendale to the I5 and went that way (which would be the faster of the two routes). But since you didn't have a phone with GPS how would you know that? Unless you rented the GPS from the rental car company....dilemmas, dilemmas!

franandaj - both, forbidden, breakdown, tour, animals, wand, King Kong, Jurassic, both, simpsons, krusty, yes, saw both, pretty woman, bueller, yes - 205 points. (High score!)

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - 540
Steppesister - 540
MeghanEmily - 520
Princess Leia - 490
CyndiLouWho - 485
rndmr2 - 480
Captain_Oblivious - 475
franandaj - 475

Making my way back up to the top! :thumbsup2

1. How long does it take
to get to our next hotel?
(You can Google map it if you like:
Annabella hotel, Anaheim)
a. 2 hours
b. 3 hours
c. 4 hours
d. 5 hours

I'm gonna go with 4 hours....

2. Where do we eat dinner?
a. Shake Shack
b. Closest restaurant to the hotel.
c. We don't. We're still full.
d. Room service.

Room Service

3. Which ride does Kay do alone?
a. Grizzly River Run
b. Mickey's Fun Wheel
c. Silly Symphony Swings
d. California Screamin'

Mickey's Fun Wheel of Death

4. Which ride do we go on
more than two times.
a. Soarin'
b. TSMM
c. HM
d. BTMRR

HM

5. Which souvenir do I buy for Elle?
(oldest DD who didn't come along)
a. Mouse ears
b. T-shirt
c. Mug
d. Ornament

T-shirt

Bonus: Did you see it?
PM your guess.
Posting will result in deductions.

I have to go back and find it, but I'll probably send the PM before you get back, unless that's tonight!

See you when I get back from Disney!!!

I hope you're having a great time!
 
Right out of the gate.
For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?

The Big Bang theory was the first thing that came to mind

The theming here, as in all of HPL
is really top notch.
On par with Disney.

(Gasp!)

Gasp is right! Honestly I’ve never ventured over to the dark side that is Universal but from what photos and You Tube stuff I’ve seen it look pretty amazing.

Enjoyed the ride and it made more sense now.
I did, however, feel a bit queasy on it.
So if you're prone to motion sickness.
You've been warned.

And this is one of the main reasons why I haven’t been yet. Not so fond of paying $200 to puke in a bush :crazy2:

Seen the real thing in Paris

Me too!

Despicable Me ride just up ahead!

I’m watching that movie now! Still love it
 
I hope you are having or had a fabulous trip!

I prefer my own private jet.

I don't have one...
But I'd prefer it if I did.

Well, of course this is obviously the preferred method of travel. I am not one of the few selected to have that kind of wealth.

Oh? Details?

On our vacation last month, we had 4 segments on Southwest - people just don't get the 'pick a seat and sit down' process. The plane cannot take off until everyone is seated and belted in. Also - how hard is it to limit your carry on items to the proper size and count? Let's just say, I've had enough rear ends in my face to last me a few years.

Uh, huh....

Why am I not believing this??

Well....I always tell the truth.

For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?

Have no idea - and as noted previously, I'm too lazy to google.

What kind of breakfast place doesn't
have orange juice???

Evidently the place you went to. haha - I'm feeling feisty with my replies today.

Hmmm...
Would the invention of the internet
qualify as better than sliced bread?

I've never really understood what is so great about sliced bread....I find unsliced bread delicious. I do enjoy the internet, however, it can suck too much of my time and I'm not even on the major social media sites.

What about cell phones?
Again - double edged sword - I find too many people addicted to their phones.

And I'm never wrong.

Except when you are.

Did I just ruin it for you?

Nope

Guess what we got! Guess!

Something.

I know we each got... something.

I knew it.

Who knows?

If you really liked it, you'd know what you got.

Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.

I was initially thinking along the line of Alison (again).....so my second story is that the restaurant was shut down by the health department and they were looking in trying to figure out if they were going to be able to ever open again.

People exaggerate, you know??

Not when it comes to LA traffic.

1. How long does it take
to get to our next hotel?
(You can Google map it if you like:
Annabella hotel, Anaheim)
a. 2 hours
b. 3 hours
c. 4 hours
d. 5 hours

b. 3 hours

2. Where do we eat dinner?
a. Shake Shack
b. Closest restaurant to the hotel.
c. We don't. We're still full.
d. Room service.

B. Closest restaurant to the hotel.

3. Which ride does Kay do alone?
a. Grizzly River Run
b. Mickey's Fun Wheel
c. Silly Symphony Swings
d. California Screamin'

c. Silly Symphony Swings

4. Which ride do we go on
more than two times.
a. Soarin'
b. TSMM
c. HM
d. BTMRR

b. TSMM

5. Which souvenir do I buy for Elle?
(oldest DD who didn't come along)
a. Mouse ears
b. T-shirt
c. Mug
d. Ornament

d. Ornament

Bonus: Did you see it?
PM your guess.
Posting will result in deductions.

Sending PM.

Chocolate-covered brussels sprouts!:thumbsup2

Love it!!!!!
 
I hope you enjoyed your trip to the World. I look forward to another report.

Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?
Nope no idea without googling.


What kind of breakfast place doesn't
have orange juice???

Doesn't sound right at all.

and a .... Coke... for breakfast...
for me. Gross.

I can do Diet Coke for breakfast with no problem.

Rides are awaiting, people!

My thoughts when entering the park.

Harry Potter land.
That's what it's called.

Never been but I call it that too.

The plan was:
Rides first.
Look around later.

Good plan.

Well... we did, but they aren't unlimited.
The pass allows you access to the front
of the line once for each ride.
So if you want to ride something twice,
then you have to stand in line at least once.

Capiche?

Good information.

We no sooner took off
when the video projection stopped running.
We came to an abrupt halt and sat there
for a short while.
Probably not much more than 30 seconds,
but long enough for me to wonder
how we were going to get down.

That stinks.

I was very glad we still had
our "fast pass" for this ride.
A do-over was definitely in order.

Good backup.

Okay, so maybe he's a bit more unnerving
than an emu.

Yes it is.

Yes, the frozen one is the
better of the two.

I think I would like the frozen better too.

After the show, we weren't allowed to leave.
Well... I wasn't allowed to.
Not until Kay got to pet
some of the stars of the show.

Of course. I'm glad she got some one on one time.

Getting old sucks. Hard.

Yes it does!

This time there were no interruptions.
Much better!
Enjoyed the ride and it made more sense now.
I did, however, feel a bit queasy on it.
So if you're prone to motion sickness.
You've been warned.

I don't think I could do this ride.



Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.

I think they're spying on the restaurant to see who's in there.

1. How long does it take
to get to our next hotel?
(You can Google map it if you like:
Annabella hotel, Anaheim)
a. 2 hours
b. 3 hours
c. 4 hours
d. 5 hours
B 3


2. Where do we eat dinner?
a. Shake Shack
b. Closest restaurant to the hotel.
c. We don't. We're still full.
d. Room service.

B Closest restaurant to the hotel

3. Which ride does Kay do alone?
a. Grizzly River Run
b. Mickey's Fun Wheel
c. Silly Symphony Swings
d. California Screamin'

B Mickey's fun wheel



4. Which ride do we go on
more than two times.
a. Soarin'
b. TSMM
c. HM
d. BTMRR

b TSMM

5. Which souvenir do I buy for Elle?
(oldest DD who didn't come along)
a. Mouse ears
b. T-shirt
c. Mug
d. Ornament

d ornament

Bonus: Did you see it?

I did. I sent the pm
 
Last edited:
Well I hope you're back home or at least on your way today. I would hate for you to get caught up in the travel craziness that takes place around American Thanksgiving!

I can't wait to hear all about the fabulous time you had and all the friends you met up with!
 
In a Hot Dense State


Right out of the gate.
For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?
Bare Naked Ladies & the current theory of the origin of the Universe
And how those two things relate to Universal of course.
It all started with a big…


It was a dark and stormy night.
Making your bid for the Bulwer-Lytton Awards?


Well, I don't think it was stormy,
but it was probably dark.
Unless it was a full moon,
then it wasn't all that dark.
3305796866d4fa89625292efe77c7deb.jpg



I don't think the sun was up.
Naaaa….
It lands in Arizona every evening.
You can look it up for yourself.


I grabbed a Chai Latte for Kay,
(I don't remember what she wanted,
but they didn't have that either.
And... she hated it.)
and a .... Coke... for breakfast...
for me. Gross.
Well…
Still better than wolfing down a bag on Funyuns in three bites and chasing that by shot-gunning a PBR


Hmmm...
Would the invention of the internet
qualify as better than sliced bread?
It’s more akin to the invention of the printing press in terms of its cultural effect.
But sliced bread did completely rearrange how we eat and where we buy most of our food.
So it ain’t what I’d call insignificant.


So I'll stick with the sliced bread.
Maybe lightly toasted.
With a big gob of jam on top.
Rye toast for me please.
In the form of a grilled-cheese if possible.
Or maybe as part of a Rubin. Yeah, that would be really good right now.


I think I'm hungry.
I know I am…
Thanks for that.


Where was I?
Standing in a hotel parking lot having just slammed the boot lid on your baggage.


(I mean other than standing
in front of the fridge,
looking for a jar of jam.)
No, that’s where you are now, I mean back in the story.


This whole chapter
and the ones that follow
are all gonna be a bit of a crap shoot.
So long as it’s not Russian Roulette…
works for me.


You were warned.
Doesn’t mean I was paying attention though.
Now, does it?


Harry Potter land.
That's what it's called.
Better than being in a Potters Field.


At least that's what I call it.
So much shorter than typing out
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Or go with the acronym
Those things are all the rage on those new-fangled surgically attached cell-phone thingies.


This is not the first time
one of my "shortcuts"
has resulted in a "longcut".
While riding a motorcycle, this could be a good thing (assuming it’s not inclement)
When doing any type of work however…


you know what?
If you can't keep up, then... too bad!
No more acronym translations!
WFM…


The pass allows you access to the front
of the line once for each ride.
So if you want to ride something twice,
then you have to stand in line at least once.

Capiche?
Capiche…
And remember, always take the cannolis.


but if the goal is to ride everything once...
Then rope drop is sufficient.
Capiche…


We no sooner took off
when the video projection stopped running.
We came to an abrupt halt and sat there
for a short while.
Drat…
My darts lied to me.
That’s what I get for trusting inanimate objects.

But then again, trusting animate objects that are known for their tendencies toward purposeful obfuscation is not a much more reliable scheme either, so what’cha gonn’a do.


The theming here, as in all of HPL
is really top notch.
On par with Disney.

(Gasp!)
They have upped their game considerable.


Apparently, we're all jerks.
That’s what she said…


All you do is... bow...
and then you can approach and...

MY EYE! MY EYE!!!! OH MY GOD, MY EYE!!!!!!
Well that escalated quickly…

Apparently he’s also an excellent judge of character.


The ride itself is a pretty tame
little coaster.
Which is why I figured you’d skipped it.
That’s two shots right in the Lumber Yard.


Coincidentally, that ride was the longest
we stood in line all day.
Go figure.
Actually, I’m not surprised.
The kiddie coasters tend to be like that as parents go out of their way to get the little ones on something that their height and experiences can handle. It’s been a long-long time since I’ve had to take similar actions, but I have done such.


Yes, the frozen one is the
better of the two.

IMHO.
So much for the no more acronyms mandate.
Good information, none the less.


And I'm never wrong.
Except when you are.


And... Kay is not a fan of getting wet.

And you can on this ride.
Not Kali wet... but...
Not a fan of it myself.
Except when that is the specific goal as when we took a trip that included Universal way back in 2013 (One of several adventures that I never got around to writing about. Or did I?)

And I’ve still never ridden Kali, by the way


Revenge of the Mummy was next.
We rode that and laughed our heads off.
Fun ride!
That was our take as well (assuming that it’s the same configuration on both coasts).
The seats were a smidge uncomfortable but the coaster was fun.
(and I’m partial to “mine-train” type coasters).


We didn't have to wait long
and we got excellent seats;
2nd row, center.
I imagine the young’en was particularly pleased with that arrangement.


Everyone knows where Springfield is, right?
Not too far from North Haverbrook.
You know, that other place with one of those monorails.


We entered Krusty's and ordered up some grub.
Krusty Grubs…
Mmmmmm.


Oh... shoot.
Beach's closed.

Oh, it's probably just something silly.
I'm sure we can go in.
You’re going to need a bigger tram…


I mean... how bad can your special effects be?
So, it’s on par with the Disco Yeti, then?
(of course, they didn’t purposely set out for that to be non-functional)


We passed from Amity to Whoville.
Jim Carrey was not in evidence however.
Just as well…
Much prefer the 1966 version, myself.
It’s ain’t the holidays until after I hear Boris Karloff tell the story.


Whatever.
I think it has something to do
with this cozy looking motel.
I hear that they have issues with the showers in that place.


We rounded a corner and...
Ever see the movie
War of the Worlds
with Tom Cruise?
Nope.
I’ve listened to the Mercury Theater’s radio broadcast, though.
Several times…

I’m also old enough
(and just geeky enough)
to have had a copy of Jeff Wayne’s version of the story as well.


Getting old sucks. Hard.
It certainly ain’t for sissies.


Whelp...
Let's go ride Forbidden Journey again!
WFM…

Oh wait, not supposed to be using acronyms anymore.
Sorry about the minor breach of etiquette, there.


Funny looking willow tree...
It’s a whomper all right.


This time, I decided to sneak
my camera on the ride.
I wouldn't use it during,
but... the queue was fair game.
At’a boy!
We don’t need no stinkin’ rules.


Hi Dumbledore!
Sorry you got changed
into a newt at the end
of the books!
Well, he got better…
Wait, wrong movie again.

Good thing too, cause they might have tried to make a bridge out of him in that one.
(It would’a been a fair cop, though.)


Oh, dear. Did I just ruin it for you?
Only if you tell me that the Tardis was destroyed by a proton torpedo fired from the parapets of Barad-dûr while the doc was attempting to beat 12 parsecs on the Kessel Run.

Then I might be just the tiniest bit perturbed.


One last photo of the Grumpy Hat
The Universal equivalent of Mickey Ears?


A secret entrance opened and we went into another room
where a sorceress descended a set of stairs
and picked out a young lady to see about
getting an appropriate wand for her.
(No. Not Kay.)
Too bad…
I know that they’re going to pick one of younger young’ens, but that would have been a nice little B/D extra for our heroine.


I believe there are 13 different
types of wands.
If there’s a limited number on offer, that the limited number Id have chosen.
(it’s also a lucky number in our household, but that’s not a particularly relevant detail, to be honest)


Kay purchased an interactive one.
Took a while to find just the right one.
No…
It found her.
That’s how this stuff works, ya’ know.


You stand in a marked spot,
wave your wand in a specific way
(Each location has a different gesture
and it usually takes several attempts
to get it right)
and "magic" happens.
That’s actually kind’a cool if you’ve got the time to play with it.
(The real trick would be if it still worked on store windows back in Winnipeg.)


Guess what we got! Guess!
Just stay away from the Ogre Boogies.
Nasty stuff, that.



P1030571_zps54lwz7jf.jpg


Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.
Having had just about enough, Mel sent the rest of the kitchen staff out to search the rest of the restaurants in the area to determine once and for all just what these “grits” are that Flo is forever telling him to kiss.

P1030574_zpsrdilecyh.jpg


Seen the real thing in Paris.
Where are the vanes???
Kind’a hard to do any millin’ without those.
My best guess, one of the dragons ripped them down.


I'm sure LA rush hour traffic
isn't as bad as I've been told.
People exaggerate, you know??
Nooooo…
Do tell.


Questions next round:
hold on, let me get the dart board back out.


And the fates say…

1. a. 2 hours
2. a. Shake Shack
3. d. California Screamin'
4. c. HM
5. d. Ornament



Bonus: Did you see it?
PM to be sent later on this evening…
 
I'm back and all caught up! Seeing the baby capybara was amazing! So glad Kay got to experience that!

Universal/Big bang theory?

1. B. 3 Hours
2. Shake Shack
3. D.
4. B
5. D.


Hope you had fun at Disney! I'd say Happy Thanksgiving but you already celebrated that a month ago!




 
Right out of the gate.
For bonus points...
Without Googling,
can you tell me what the title
has to do with Universal?
(I don't care if you get it right or not,
just if you had to Google or got it.)
I was singing the song but couldn't place it so I did google it and went DUH I should have gotten that as I do listen to the Barenaked Ladies on my MP3 player and that is one of the songs that I have.

It was a dark and stormy night.
I don't think Snoopy and the gang hang out at Universal do they?

Hmmm...
Would the invention of the internet
qualify as better than sliced bread?
What about cell phones?
I don't about the big hype about sliced bread as me and the bread machine make bread all the time and I have to slice it myself.

We exited the tour,
and entered the Simpson's ride.
I wish I had skipped this one in Florida as it does toss you around quite a bit so you were smart to skip it.

Guess what we got! Guess!
Your guess is as good as mine!
I have no idea!
I know we each got... something.
And that's all I can remember.
I think that you got some type of fudge because the candied apples would have been too much to eat while walking along.

P1030571_zps54lwz7jf.jpg


We came across a tragic scene.
These two cooks were locked
out of their restaurant.
The patrons inside all died of starvation.
Tragic.
Come up with your own story
about that photo.
Bonus points if you do.[/QUOTE]
I think that they were trying to hide from the papparazi that I can see in the reflection of the window. It is the old adage if were don't look they can't see us
 
Questions next round:

1. How long does it take to get to our next hotel?
(You can Google map it if you like:
Annabella hotel, Anaheim)
a. 2 hours
Ah you stayed at the Annabella - we stayed there our first visit to Disney and loved it - sad that it is gone now.

2. Where do we eat dinner?
b. Closest restaurant to the hotel.
I pick this answer because you said you didn't take notes so you probably don't even remember either.

Most of the following day's events have been documented... in two other TRs! So.... any more questions
would give a certain pair of ladies an unfair advantage. ;)

However, Kay and I were alone for a little bit.

3. Which ride does Kay do alone?
d. California Screamin'
Because I think that you are still protecting your tender old back

4. Which ride do we go on
more than two times.
b. TSMM

5. Which souvenir do I buy for Elle?
(oldest DD who didn't come along)
c. Mug
Because that is what I bought for my friend when I went - had to get her one of the Starbucks Disneyland mugs.

Bonus: Did you see it?
PM your guess.
Posting will result in deductions.
PM sent
 
Well I would wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, but being you don't celebrate Thanksgiving on this day, I will wish everyone else in the USA one.

8TxnL7kac.gif
 

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