Canadian Buffoon's Semi-EPIC Vacation - 10/29 - Link to new TR!

[pkondz]

I don't know, but I had them as a kid, too!

My Dad made mine.

Ugh, I remember these days fondly. Technology ruins everything sometimes...

And now we're paying
for it with spam and
robo calls.

Believe it or not, yup!

Good for you!

Thanks for taking pictures of not only ride entrances and the "typical stuff" but also things like the ride vehicles. I haven't been to Universal since 1997 and everything is so unfamiliar to me, the ride vehicle shots help me imagine what the ride might be like!

You're welcome.
I think I'll have a couple
from IOA as well.

You're getting SO CLOSE to your trip!!!

One more week!
I have tons to do!!!

 

[pkondz]

Man- and I thought my 5 year absence from Universal was a long time! LOL.

When I leave... I leave.

We also stayed at Royal Pacific, and really enjoyed it.

It's a beautiful resort!

BUT the new Diagon Alley wasn't open yet- it opened right after we went home, so I've never gotten a chance to ride Escape from Gringott's!

Then you have to go back!

Glad you enjoyed it so much!

We did go to the Harry Potter Studios in London last month, and it's so fun to spot the similarities!

Cool!
I would think it might feel
even more "real" with
the accents?

Can't wait to hear what you thought of Hogwarts.

Coming up!

 

[pkondz]

Well, I've seen 3/4, so not bad by my own personal score

Seen 3/4?

Glad the rain was kind to you and wasn't an all day downpour.

It really came down,
but didn't slow us down much.

I'm not a roller coaster kind of gal, so I wasn't brave enough to try Gringott's, but I do enjoy The Mummy!

I think if you can do...
oh, say 7DMT, you could
doo Gringott's.
It's not that fast
and it's quite smooth.

Gotta admit, ET is definitely more my speed, lol.

It doesn't get much slower!

I would love to go back and explore Hogsmeade some more, and I do love frozen Butterbeer.

mmmm frozen Butterbeer
is the best!

Some more chocolate frogs wouldn't hurt my feelings either.

I haven't tried those.
I'm thinking I need to.

Overall a fantastic jam packed first day at US!

Got lots done!
More the next day!

 

[pkondz]

Love that movie!

Me too!

Oh no!! You're making me nervous.

I was just about ready
to have a heart attack.
Glad it turned out okay.

I'm so happy for her.

This sounds so awesome. Someday I want to make it over here.

It really is.
It's... Vanessa, it's incredible.

That was the first thing I saw.

I didn't see it at first.
It's a big room.

Nice to know they have great character interaction too.

This look very healthy. After being on vacation for a few days it's a good idea to get some greens.

We really enjoyed it.
We negated any positive
effects with dinner, though!

I want to see this.

We really enjoyed it.

That's not a seafood platter.

This is a seafood platter

Something else I really want to do.

Make sure you do...
in both directions.
It's different depending
on which way you travel.

That's a lot of treats.

I don't remember
what we got, though.

Something yummy.

Cute photo op!

Unless he bites.

Yes I did!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

I had bedknobs on my bed
as a kid. Does anybody have
those anymore?

I'm not even sure what they are lol. I presume a knob of some kind... on a bed...

And... I seem to recall seeing
that the blackout dates were...
around now.

Ahh panic!

I quickly checked Uni's website
and found that the last blackout
date had ended... one week ago.
Well, that just saved me $285!

Phew! Ummm Universal? Can I reverse my upgrade?

Since we were so close, we
just decided to walk from the
hotel to the park.
It's about a ten-minute stroll.

That is close!

Once through the gates, Elle made
sure she could ride all the rides.
She just made it.

That was a close one!

We didn't have long to dally, though.
While I hadn't been here in over 25 years...

Wow! That's a long time!

You are actually in the
same land that Harry trod upon.

Yup. 100%.

You climb and then descend
almost vertically before
immediately doing a spinning loop.
We're not crazy enough to do that!

That ride scares me so much every time and I still insist on riding it. One time we were in the front row and I was certain that was the end.

Circle of life.
A mouse eaten by a cat
eaten by a dog eaten by
a lion.
I presume there was a fly
and a spider (that wriggled
and jiggled and tickled)
at the start of that chain.

And the green grass grows all around all around and the green grass grows all around.

Like a fair amount of Uni's
rides, Minions is a motion
simulator.

This is my issue with Universal. I enjoy a good motion simulator but they take it a little far!

If you've never had Butterbeer...
It's worth going to Universal
for that alone.

Yup. Agreed.

The Simpson's ride was fun,
if a bit nausea inducing.

Yes. I'm not sure what makes this one different that the other simulators but it really makes me feel sick.

Ever do that when you were a kid?
(Before call display... ahem...)

Yes! This was a sleepover must-do lol.

Her response was:
"Watch it. I don't have to
be nice to kids...
this isn't Disney."

Arriving back at Universal Studios,
it was time to call it a day.
We headed back out to our resort.
But not without a quick stop for
a little treat.

Oo where was this?

Sorry, single girl. But I'll choose
to leave the couple alone.
Which would you have chosen??

I probably would've made the same choice.

He stood in the tub the whole time
they were there (about 10 minutes?)
and was on the phone talking
loudly the whole time.

Too bad his phone didn't "accidentally" fall in.

And...
Did you see it in this chapter?
Did you see all three???

Yup! Who knew martians liked Fast and Furious, Duff's tavern and Diagon Alley (this one I had to go back for- I missed it at first!)

 

[mustinjourney]

Bedknobs And Broomsticks

Well, mostly broomsticks of course.
Well... zero bedknobs.
But broomsticks? Yes.

this was a favorite movie of mine as a really young child (like 3-5 years old). I couldn't remember anything about it other than the soccer scene and obviously, the magic bed -- so I actually ordered it a few months ago and my kids absolutely love it too. Pretty funny that it still holds up for the younger generations 30 or 40 years later.

Not sure if you know -- but the Sherman brothers did the music for this movie too (IASW, COP, and Mary Poppins as well). I immediately figured it was them after the first few bars -- they have such a recognizable style.

I had bedknobs on my bed
as a kid. Does anybody have
those anymore?

Our bed has a post with a square top that screws on and off -- so it functions like a knob -- but I'm not sure if it technically would qualify.

Once through the gates, Elle made
sure she could ride all the rides.
She just made it.

That's a good idea to have the markers all in one place.

We didn't have long to dally, though.
While I hadn't been here in over 25 years...

25 years!!


Whoa...

I could've sworn you had done a TR with Universal in Orlando already...but I guess that was just Universal Hollywood.

Your room key is your Express Pass.
You still need a park ticket, but
once you're in, you can put it away.
But the Express Pass needs to be
easily accessible. (hence the lanyards)

This is why I love the magicbands so much. Everything is already on your wrist!

But... we didn't have much time
to stop and gape.
Gringott's would form a line
quicker than you could say Quidditch.

Me: "Quiddit....." Damn -- that was fast.

And sorry about the quality of
the photos in this and the next
update.

This is unacceptable. You need to go back immediately.

I wanted to experience Universal
as much as possible without
having to lug a camera along.
So my phone will just have to do.

We had seen Rip Ride Rockit
when we'd come in.
It's kinda hard to miss.

that looks amazing.

You climb and then descend
almost vertically before
immediately doing a spinning loop.
We're not crazy enough to do that!

the drop wouldn't bother me -- but the spinning loop could be terrifying. Better make sure the restraints are all working properly!!!

You get in a bus and
you drive to the various
scenes that take place.

Um....SPOILER ALERT!!!

You might as well tell me that Bruce Willis was dead the whole time too!!!

We ordered the Ploughman's
lunch to split and two Butterbeers.

I figured you for Fish & Chips or the chicken sandwich. I knew you'd go butterbeers. Were those regular or frozen?

If I were going again
with someone, I'd order
this again too.
It was nice to get away
from the usual burgers
or chicken strips.

that looks way better than I was expecting. Do you remember how much it was?

And... she beat me.
I don't know how.
But she did.
I'm sure it was either a glitch
or I had a faulty gun.
There can be no other explanation.

Having saved the planet
(we do that, you know),

I found myself in need of
a refreshing beverage before
I should expire from dehydration...

where exactly are you reaching?

We waited for the rain
to abate under shelter, but...
it didn't look like it was going
to anytime soon.

just wait for the soon-to-be sauna that gets created after 2" of rain (5.1 cm) is suddenly heated to boiling temperatures

Well, it's an awful lot of fried food.

well -- there was some cole slaw drenched in mayonnaise to balance it out.

those three people look quite immersed.

Sorry, single girl. But I'll choose
to leave the couple alone.
Which would you have chosen??

I'll need to see pictures before I can make that decision.

And...
Did you see it in this chapter?
Did you see all three???

I did see all three. Marvin was all over the place. F&F, Moe's and soon-to-be Dragon feed.

 

[afwdwfan]

A Seasonal Annual Pass...
With blackout dates.

And... I seem to recall seeing
that the blackout dates were...
around now.


eep!


I quickly checked Uni's website
and found that the last blackout
date had ended... one week ago.
Well, that just saved me $285!

Dodged that major screw up!

Maybe... 4-6 people at each tapstyle?

Can you call them a tapstyle? They don't use magic bands!

We didn't have long to dally, though.
While I hadn't been here in over 25 years...

25 years!!

Holy crap! This isn't even the same park anymore! Not even close!

But!
Two Universal Express Unlimited
passes cost $180/day.
So if you want the passes...
it's actually cheaper to stay
at the deluxe resort.

Makes a lot of sense. And well worth it.

Now I can't compare and say
that having the Express pass
benefitted us or not.

It did... more than you can believe!!!!

Theme Park anymore.
You are actually in the
same land that Harry trod upon.

I'm not even a Harry Potter fan, and I was impressed by the theming.

We had seen Rip Ride Rockit
when we'd come in.
It's kinda hard to miss.

Next up was Transformers...
Funny how one motion
simulator does not equal
another.

How true. And I like the Transformers... Just a cheap knock off of Spiderman.

As we approached, two guards
and... I presume Nefertiti?
casually (intimidatingly) strolled
over from a side street.

Cool!

As for the ride... I think if
Diagon Alley wasn't there,
then this may well have been
our favourite ride in the park.

I'd put it right behind Rip Ride Rockit… but that's me.

And... she beat me.
I don't know how.
But she did.
I'm sure it was either a glitch
or I had a faulty gun.
There can be no other explanation.

Or maybe she's just better and she beat you? I think that's the most likely explanation.

The Simpson's ride was fun,
if a bit nausea inducing.

That's the biggest problem with the fact that they rely on so many simulator type attractions. One after another always catches up to me at some point. This one is probably the roughest too. I'm not sure they upgraded their technology much, if any, when they converted it from Back to the Future.

we stayed put since we had
a roof over our heads.
At least... we did for a while.
Eventually, we were told we
had to leave.
As we left, the rain stopped
and we were able to stay dry.

But that was short lived as...

As you said... Florida weather

At one point, some kid in the
audience said or did something.
(She'd asked for volunteers.)
Her response was:
"Watch it. I don't have to
be nice to kids...
this isn't Disney."

I love how they recognize that and aren't shy about poking fun.

Not the best ride, but okay enough.

This. I have a few things that I absolutely LOVE about Universal and IOA, but this is kind of how I feel about probably 3/4 of what's there.

And if you dare, or if your
soul is dark enough...
You can take a turn down
Knockturn Alley.

I'm just blown away by how ridiculously dark they've been able to get that alley on a bright Florida afternoon.

And another little stop at
this ode to the former Jaws ride.

RIP

 

[irene_dsc]

You guys got quite a lot done! I hadn't found out about the whole Universal hotel Express Pass deal until *after* we had reserved our off-site resort, so we definitely waited in quite a few longer lines. During Spring Break, no less.

I think the Fast and the Furious ride you did was something different when we were there - the "subway" section looks very familiar. But it was more of an audience participation show with a little bit of a ride at the end, iirc.

Gringotts and The Mummy were also my 2 favorite rides at UA.

 

[pkondz]

I'm not even sure what they are lol. I presume a knob of some kind... on a bed...

Here ya go...

Ahh panic!

That's puting it mildly!

Phew! Ummm Universal? Can I reverse my upgrade?

I wonder what (if anything)
they would have done?

That is close!

It was great!

That was a close one!

Yup.
If she'd been just one
or two feet shorter...

Wow! That's a long time!

Freaked you out a little
bit there, did I.

That ride scares me so much every time and I still insist on riding it. One time we were in the front row and I was certain that was the end.

And the green grass grows all around all around and the green grass grows all around.

That'll work.

This is my issue with Universal. I enjoy a good motion simulator but they take it a little far!

Agreed!
"Could I get a couple
more rides, please?"

Yes. I'm not sure what makes this one different that the other simulators but it really makes me feel sick.

Weird, right?
Is it the visuals?
The cartoon effect?

Yes! This was a sleepover must-do lol.

Yes it is!

Oo where was this?

Studio Sweets, near
the entrance.

I probably would've made the same choice.

Kinda choosing between
two levels of creeper.

Too bad his phone didn't "accidentally" fall in.

That would've been tragic.



Not.

Yup! Who knew martians liked Fast and Furious, Duff's tavern and Diagon Alley (this one I had to go back for- I missed it at first!)

That last one was a
"hiding in plain sight" one.

 

[pkondz]

this was a favorite movie of mine as a really young child (like 3-5 years old).

Ditto!

I couldn't remember anything about it other than the soccer scene and obviously, the magic bed -- so I actually ordered it a few months ago and my kids absolutely love it too.

I remembered that and the
medieval armour.

Glad to hear they liked it!

Pretty funny that it still holds up for the younger generations 30 or 40 years later.

I like that it does.

Not sure if you know -- but the Sherman brothers did the music for this movie too (IASW, COP, and Mary Poppins as well). I immediately figured it was them after the first few bars -- they have such a recognizable style.

No I didn't know.
Although it doesn't surprise me.

Our bed has a post with a square top that screws on and off -- so it functions like a knob -- but I'm not sure if it technically would qualify.

That's a different movie.
Bed Squares and Mop Buckets.

That's a good idea to have the markers all in one place.

We took that photo as a gag, but...
Yeah, that is a good idea.

I could've sworn you had done a TR with Universal in Orlando already...but I guess that was just Universal Hollywood.

Nope.
Just Hollywood with Kay.

This is why I love the magicbands so much. Everything is already on your wrist!

Except you need your phone
in Disney now too.
Mobile ordereing, FPs,
wait times, etc. etc. etc.
I never once looked at
my phone in Uni.
(Except to take photos.)

Me: "Quiddit....." Damn -- that was fast.

Look what you did!

This is unacceptable. You need to go back immediately.

Twist my arm!

sorry

that looks amazing.

Fun... intense!

the drop wouldn't bother me -- but the spinning loop could be terrifying. Better make sure the restraints are all working properly!!!

Meh.
In all the time we were there,
I only saw one rider ejected.
So the odds are really good
that you'll probably be okay.

Um....SPOILER ALERT!!!

You might as well tell me that Bruce Willis was dead the whole time too!!!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
HE'S DEAD?????

I figured you for Fish & Chips or the chicken sandwich. I knew you'd go butterbeers. Were those regular or frozen?

I think those were regular.
I'd already had a frozen one
by that time... and had at least
one more (frozen) after.
Wanted to make sure I had both.

that looks way better than I was expecting. Do you remember how much it was?

$21.99

I actually had her beat
by a fairly wide margin.
Then just as the ride ended...
I guess she hit... something
and she got a massive points boost.

You've come to the wrong place...

where exactly are you reaching?

See your gif...

just wait for the soon-to-be sauna that gets created after 2" of rain (5.1 cm) is suddenly heated to boiling temperatures

Oh nice! A sauna.
That'll be nice.

well -- there was some cole slaw drenched in mayonnaise to balance it out.

True. Veggies!
Healthy!

those three people look quite immersed.

I'll need to see pictures before I can make that decision.

Good call!

I did see all three. Marvin was all over the place. F&F, Moe's and soon-to-be Dragon feed.

 

[pkondz]

Dodged that major screw up!

Oh, man. I was sweating.
Major relief when I saw the dates.

Can you call them a tapstyle? They don't use magic bands!

You do have to scan your ticket, though...

Holy crap! This isn't even the same park anymore! Not even close!

Only thing I remember
is the ET ride.
And I only remembered a
fraction of that.

Makes a lot of sense. And well worth it.

It did... more than you can believe!!!!

Oh? What makes you say that?

I'm not even a Harry Potter fan, and I was impressed by the theming.

I'm... not really a fan...
I did read (and enjoy)
all the books.
Eventually saw all the movies,
(but not all in the theatre.)
But I'm not rabid about it.

How true. And I like the Transformers... Just a cheap knock off of Spiderman.

I don't like the Transformers.
I don't dislike it... never seen
a movie or the TV shows.

But... the ride... wasn't great.

I'd put it right behind Rip Ride Rockit… but that's me.

Ah!
Coaster fan, are ya.

Or maybe she's just better and she beat you? I think that's the most likely explanation.

I was easily winning...
right up to the end.
Then she hit... something.
And that's all she wrote.

That's the biggest problem with the fact that they rely on so many simulator type attractions. One after another always catches up to me at some point. This one is probably the roughest too. I'm not sure they upgraded their technology much, if any, when they converted it from Back to the Future.

I don't know, but...
I remember enjoying BTTF
and not feeling ill at all.

As you said... Florida weather

I love how they recognize that and aren't shy about poking fun.

It got a good laugh.

This. I have a few things that I absolutely LOVE about Universal and IOA, but this is kind of how I feel about probably 3/4 of what's there.

But... Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley....
Those alone make going worth it.
IMHO.

I'm just blown away by how ridiculously dark they've been able to get that alley on a bright Florida afternoon.

That was a surprise.
Also a bit surprised that
they are allowed to.

RIP

RIDE ROCKIT?

 

[pkondz]

You guys got quite a lot done!

Time was limited,
so we packed in as much
as we could.

I hadn't found out about the whole Universal hotel Express Pass deal until *after* we had reserved our off-site resort, so we definitely waited in quite a few longer lines. During Spring Break, no less.

Do you wish you'd done it?

I think the Fast and the Furious ride you did was something different when we were there - the "subway" section looks very familiar. But it was more of an audience participation show with a little bit of a ride at the end, iirc.

No, there was nothing like that.
Huh!

Gringotts and The Mummy were also my 2 favorite rides at UA.

Soooo good!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I had bedknobs on my bed
as a kid. Does anybody have
those anymore?

I think I did. A lot of good they did me.

I quickly checked Uni's website
and found that the last blackout
date had ended... one week ago.
Well, that just saved me $285!

Whew. That probably took 3 years off your life.

Since we were so close, we
just decided to walk from the
hotel to the park.
It's about a ten-minute stroll.

We got in line for rope drop
and there weren't too many
people in front of us.
Maybe... 4-6 people at each tapstyle?

Nice. Is rope drop not a thing there?

And... a word about the wait times.
A Universal Express Unlimited pass
will run you about $90... per day!
Each!

Good thing I don't have a large family or anything.

The cheapest on-site resorts start
at $85/day while Royal Pacific
rooms start at $230/day.
So staying at a "deluxe" Universal
resort costs $145/day more than
their least expensive resort.

But!
Two Universal Express Unlimited
passes cost $180/day.
So if you want the passes...
it's actually cheaper to stay
at the deluxe resort.

Wow. Go figure! Oh, I guess you did.

We never waited more than five minutes
to ride any ride, except one or two where
we maybe waited ten minutes.

So comparing our experience to
the posted wait times...
Those passes easily paid for themselves.

Yeah, it sounds like it. (starts taking notes)

When you first walk into
Diagon Alley... you stop
dead in your tracks.
You're not just in a
Theme Park anymore.
You are actually in the
same land that Harry trod upon.

Very cool. It looks amazing.

I mean... if the entrance is
that impressive...
what will the ride be like???

Looks amazing on the inside, too. Is it worth going through the regular line or is the express line sufficient to see the details?

You climb and then descend
almost vertically before
immediately doing a spinning loop.
We're not crazy enough to do that!

Okay. We are. We did.

It was pretty fun, but also
pretty rough.
We were glad we did it,
but just as glad to have survived.

The vertical elements do not appeal to me. At all.

Circle of life.
A mouse eaten by a cat
eaten by a dog eaten by
a lion.

Heh. That's funny.

I love the Iron Maiden
that's been child proofed!

Love it!

Like a fair amount of Uni's
rides, Minions is a motion
simulator.
But it's a fun one.
We both liked it.

Next up was Transformers...
Funny how one motion
simulator does not equal
another.

Transformers was quite possibly
our least favourite ride in
the park.
In both parks.

Wow. What was the problem with that one?

As for the ride... I think if
Diagon Alley wasn't there,
then this may well have been
our favourite ride in the park.

We turned around and re-rode
that one too!

Still taking notes....Mummy and Gringotts good. Transformers bad.

The ride was... not bad.
Not in the same league
as Mummy, but better
than Transformers.
You get in a bus and
you drive to the various
scenes that take place.

I had heard not-great things about that one. So a "meh" is better than that, I guess.

And... she beat me.
I don't know how.
But she did.
I'm sure it was either a glitch
or I had a faulty gun.
There can be no other explanation.

They really need to do a better job of maintaining their equipment.

While we waited, I noticed
the TV screens were showing
various Simpson-y ads.

Those are awesome. The Simpsons might be the most consistently funny show of my lifetime.

The Simpson's ride was fun,
if a bit nausea inducing.

That sounds worrisome, though. Is it that bad? Lots of spinning or something?

And to travel back to
the Wild West for a bit...

Is that from Back to the Future?

I had an overwhelming urge
to make a crank call while in Moe's.
Ever do that when you were a kid?
(Before call display... ahem...)
"Is your refrigerator running?
Better go catch it!"
Ah yes... that and other equally
intelligent lame duck gags.
We were such rebels.

Hooligans! A menace to society!

By the way, I'm looking for a man named Jass. First name Hugh.

I escaped without getting
pooped on.
Always a good thing.

The number one goal in those shows is to avoid #2.

<C-R-A-A-A-C-K-K-K!!!!>

The show was abruptly cut
short with a very close
(and very loud!) lightning strike!
Moments later, the skies opened
up and it began to pour.
Gotta love Florida weather.

Was it 4:00 p.m.?

Then she stopped...
"Playtex? I mean Latex...
Playtex is a whole other monster."

She said it. Not me.
Don't shoot the messenger.

If a Dad had said this, it would have resulted in loud groans and rolled eyes.

Her response was:
"Watch it. I don't have to
be nice to kids...
this isn't Disney."

Now that's a good one.

This ride was okay.
Again, not the best,
but not the worst.

Seems to be a lot of that going on.

And every 10 minutes or so,
the dragon belches out
a rather large gout of fire!

Awesome!

and... sorry for not getting that shot. I had decided to come back later with the good camera and... I was too tired to do it!

TR fail.

Well, it's an awful lot of fried food.

Is that supposed to bother me?

And another little stop at
this ode to the former Jaws ride.

I miss that ride. Last time I was there was when I was in college, which....was a long time ago. Jaws was a fun one.

Sorry, single girl. But I'll choose
to leave the couple alone.
Which would you have chosen??

Yeah, I'd probably have left the couple alone as well.

The weird thing was the dad.
He stood in the tub the whole time
they were there (about 10 minutes?)
and was on the phone talking
loudly the whole time.

Ugh. What is with people? Maybe you all could have joined in on the conversation.

Did you see it in this chapter?
Did you see all three???

Apparently your buddy is a fan of public transportation and beer, but not crowds.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

And... I seem to recall seeing
that the blackout dates were...
around now.

eep!

Oh, my goodness, I would've had a heart attack! I'm glad it turned out okay!

Once through the gates, Elle made
sure she could ride all the rides.
She just made it.

That's a fun picture! I'm glad she JUST made it!

It's actually a very smart idea in order to manage expectations. Much better to figure out what Junior can ride during the day early-on than to have meltdowns at the ride entrance!

So comparing our experience to
the posted wait times...
Those passes easily paid for themselves.

I absolutely agree. I've been spoiled by the Express Pass the last two trips and I don't think I can visit Universal now without them. It would be tough to wait in line with the peasants now that I'm used to practically strolling onto every attraction!

You're not just in a
Theme Park anymore.
You are actually in the
same land that Harry trod upon.

YES you ABSOLUTELY ARE! Diagon Alley was SO well done that you forget that you're in the middle of a Florida theme park!

It was pretty fun, but also
pretty rough.

I'm impressed you tried it! Anika and I rode back in 2015... and that was enough for me. I think I can bypass that ride from now on.

*This comes from someone who adores roller coasters and whose favorite ride at WDW is Tower of Terror. I wanted to love RRR, but it just gave me a headache. No thanks!

Like a fair amount of Uni's
rides, Minions is a motion
simulator.
But it's a fun one.
We both liked it.

You're right that Universal is chock-full of simulators (and 3-D experiences!), but agree that Minion Mayhem is a fun attraction. The pre-show is cute, too!

As for the ride... I think if
Diagon Alley wasn't there,
then this may well have been
our favourite ride in the park.

I'm so glad you loved The Mummy! Anika and I loved it, too - we rode it 5-6 times on our trip!

If you've never had Butterbeer...
It's worth going to Universal
for that alone.
Soooooo good.

Mmmmmm, Butterbeer! I can practically taste it now!

And... she beat me.
I don't know how.
But she did.
I'm sure it was either a glitch
or I had a faulty gun.
There can be no other explanation.

Did she happen to beat you to the red button?

We rode it again!
We both liked it.

E.T. was a surprising hit for us, too. It was nice to have a calm ride when everything else in Universal... isn't. The air conditioning is also wonderful!

I found myself in need of
a refreshing beverage before
I should expire from dehydration...

Great picture!

We opened an umbrella and
dashed over to the Horror Make-Up show.

And the show was great!
Campy as heck... but fun.

YES! I was so surprised how much I enjoyed the Horror Makeup Show! Campy is right, but it was a delight and I'm thrilled you liked it, too!

This ride was okay
Again, not the best,
but not the worst.

I'm surprised you didn't enjoy this more! I really liked the Jimmy Fallon ride when we visited.

We hopped back over to
Diagon Alley just to wander
around and explore.

Exploring Diagon Alley is one of my FAVORITE things in Universal Studios! There's so much to see and get excited about. Plus, there are plenty of snacks if you get hungry!

I kept thinking "He's going to
figure out that he's annoying
everyone around him, right?"

Apparently not.
He kept standing
in the tub and yakking.

Some folks have no ability to pick up on social cues.

 

[pucknasty]

your first day at universal looked awesome! i havent been in a handful of years. a few years ago i stayed at Cabana Bay with my dad and then went again with my grandma. i think it is honestly my favorite resort in Orlando. Can't wait for IOA!

 

[Tracy161]

And now we're paying
for it with spam and
robo calls.

Exactly. Although I can't pretend I'm anxious to go back to the days of carrier pigeons... or am I?

You're welcome.
I think I'll have a couple
from IOA as well.

 

[docsoliday1]

Some folks have no ability to pick up on social cues.

Unfortunately, there are many who don't care about anyone but themselves despite social cues.

 

[docsoliday1]

Exactly. Although I can't pretend I'm anxious to go back to the days of carrier pigeons... or am I?

Too funny. Almost an identical conversation on another thread ..
I said if we lost power and cell phones, I might resort to smoke signals and someone said they're fluent in carrier pigeon. Maybe that's the way to go.

 

[MinnieWebster]

You guys got so much done! I went to UO a few years ago with my BFF and her husband (my DH had to work). We enjoyed it, especially the HP area. It's not a place I would really enjoy going to every year like we do Disney though.

Did you see it in this chapter?
Did you see all three???

Yep!

 

[pkondz]

I think I did. A lot of good they did me.

Did you turn any of them?
'Cause if you didn't, that's
your problem right there.

Whew. That probably took 3 years off your life.

At least.
I may have broken out
in a cold sweat.

Nice. Is rope drop not a thing there?

It is. But... we were there well
before rope drop.

Good thing I don't have a large family or anything.

But...

Wow. Go figure! Oh, I guess you did.

...I did.
So for you, checking in
at a "deluxe" resort would
save you a ton of cash
(if you wanted EPs.)

Yeah, it sounds like it. (starts taking notes)

Pay attention, Grasshopper.

Very cool. It looks amazing.

Oh, man. It really is!
I can say... it's better than Disney's best.

Looks amazing on the inside, too. Is it worth going through the regular line or is the express line sufficient to see the details?

I think I'm right when I say
that it doesn't make a difference.
Both lines take you through
the same areas and pre-shows.

Not 100% sure, but... 95%?

The vertical elements do not appeal to me. At all.

So if it was 10G, vicious horizontal loops...
you'd be okay with that. Right?

Wow. What was the problem with that one?

I can't really put my finger on it.
Too chaotic to follow?
Not really sure.

Still taking notes....Mummy and Gringotts good. Transformers bad.

Paying attention I see.
This is a first for you, isn't it?

I had heard not-great things about that one. So a "meh" is better than that, I guess.

Well... I was probably being
charitable.

ahem...

They really need to do a better job of maintaining their equipment.

I wrote a sternly worded letter.
They're looking into it.

Those are awesome. The Simpsons might be the most consistently funny show of my lifetime.

Certainly the longest.
I wonder how much
longer it will go????

That sounds worrisome, though. Is it that bad? Lots of spinning or something?

Welll…. I can't really say.
No spinning.
No more than Star Tours, for instance.
I don't know if it's the visuals?
It's not that bad.
Maybe combined with all the
other rides I'd done already...

It's not as bad as Mission Space Orange.

Is that from Back to the Future?

BttF:III

Hooligans! A menace to society!

By the way, I'm looking for a man named Jass. First name Hugh.

The number one goal in those shows is to avoid #2.

Was it 4:00 p.m.?

Close.
My notes say 2pm.

If a Dad had said this, it would have resulted in loud groans and rolled eyes.

That's why a Dad
did not say it.

Now that's a good one.

TR fail.

Sorry. Mea culpa.

Is that supposed to bother me?

You? No.
Not you.

I miss that ride. Last time I was there was when I was in college, which....was a long time ago. Jaws was a fun one.

Never saw it.
Saw a modified one in California.

Yeah, I'd probably have left the couple alone as well.

Seems to be what others
are saying too.
Felt weird either way.

Ugh. What is with people? Maybe you all could have joined in on the conversation.

Or accidentally knocked his
phone into the water.

Apparently your buddy is a fan of public transportation and beer, but not crowds.