Preparing for an Amusement Park Marathon

Find an old telephone booth, or sauna, pack it full of people and wait for the tempers to erupt.

You think I'm joking, I'm not.

Not all amusement parks are this bad, nor are many rides, but there are a few lines you'll be waiting in that you will have to kiss your personal space good-bye, and I think Americans tend to have larger personal space issues than other nationalities.

And if you are on the vertically challenged side of the scale, say 'hello' to everyone's armpit.

There were two rides that were the worse: WDW The Haunted Mansion, and UF Escape from Gringotts.

Think of cowboys prodding a large herd of cattle into a single crush for one cow.

Both of these rides have elevators taking a group{(s) Gringotts has two elevators}down to a queuing area. So if the ride isn't moving quickly enough the area backs up, resulting in a free-for-all as everyone pushes and shoves their way into position. It's ugly and humanity doesn't shine in determination to be "first" in line. The problem is slightly alleviated by limiting the number of people on the elevators, but the persons halting the queue on the front end really have no idea how bad it has become on the other side. Then the amusement-park-powers-that-be might consider some sort of chain queue to break up the horde of humanity prior to the funneling process, which would get rid of the whole funnel experience. During off season, this isn't a problem, but in peak season when the crowd levels are high, it's hideous.

 The next issue is getting around the parks, AKA walking.

These parks are BIG. And you probably won't be simply going in one direction one time, but instead will be traversing these parks for one ride or another or to take advantage of a FastPass+ or a meal at a particular location.

But you think to yourself, "I'm a walker. I walk 4-5 miles a day. No biggie."

Yes, it is a biggie. It's a big issue because when you are walking on your own terms, treadmill or trail, you can stride out and get your heart rate up, and all-in-all enjoy life.

Not so in an amusement park.

You have to take into consideration the 20,000 other bodies who walk at a different pace, who meander all over the place, who stop for no reason right in front of you, or those people who want to go against the flow of traffic or cut across to the attraction on the other side, which disrupts your forward momentum.

It's those people who are at odds with your focused walking. In the immortal paraphrased words of a character in James Herriot's novel, All Creatures Great and Small, "I don't like the big city much, Mr. Herriot. A man can't walk there.  'e has to take big steps and little 'uns."

Still even though you won't be striding out, you will be putting in miles and thousands of steps. On my biggest day, I managed to get almost 22,000 steps, which calculated out to be about 15 miles.

Yeah, when we do amusement parks, we DO amusement parks with a mission!

So even if you have the best shoes in the world, and walk like nobody's business, your poor feet will be screaming at you after a marathon day.

What to do?

Other than buy a shoe with a big enough toe box or wear flip-flops (I couldn't do that. No foot support, and I wouldn't have lasted very long), you could invest in some Band-Aids or be proactive about the situation.

By proactive I mean, taping your toes. Runners do this all the time. If you've walked a lot in your shoes, you'll notice where 'hot spots' tend to pop up. The key is to tape them with cloth tape to prevent rubbing, which is what causes the blisters.

Sorry about the ugly feet, but I am an old broad and my feet tend to show my age. This picture was taken after a long day at the park. I had taped my toes because they tend to rub against one another, and I have 'bunionettes' (the joint sticks out under the baby toe) on both feet. Walking tends to shove your foot forward and my poor bunionettes were getting smushed. I taped them and it helped decrease the pressure.

 

 

So what other health measures do I try to take while on vacation?

 

I have a small zippered bag that has anything and everything you might need: Excedrin (headaches), Aleve (muscle aches), Mucinex and Sudafed (decongestant), Pepto Bismol tablets (tummy upset), Imodium (intestinal upset), Claritin and Alavert (Allergy Meds),  variety of cold medicine, Neosporin and Band-Aids, Cortaid (topical steroid for itching), a small sewing kit and my asthma inhaler. I think that's it.

 

For the most part, I never have to use these items with the exception of the pain relievers, and I don't stock the entire jar. I have one or two doses to get me by if there is a problem and I can then go to the store to buy more if I need it.

 

What if you weren't proactive and managed to get a blister or five? Do you drain them or leave them?

 

Most doctors will recommend NOT draining them, but if you have any more days at the park--DRAIN THEM.

 

Take a needle from the sewing kit and poke a small hole in the blister. Clear fluid will seep out. Once it is finished (use a tissue to catch the fluid) place a little Neosporin on the blister and cover it with a bandage. DO NOT REMOVE THE SKIN OVER THE BLISTER. It's there to protect the raw flesh underneath. If you don't drain the fluid, you might have difficulty walking and might actually tear the skin from the blister, which would make things worse in the long run.

 

Drink lots and lots of water.  This goes without saying, but I'm saying it since we didn't drink near enough fluids a couple of days. The problem is two-fold. 1) When you are sweating and the sweat isn't evaporating, you don't feel the need to drink any extra fluids. And trust me, if you go to Florida in the summer, you will be sweating! 2) When you are waiting in a two hour line for a ride, you don't want to get out of line to use the toilet because you probably won't be allowed back in line!

 

Even if you don't need to use the toilet before a long ride wait, do it anyway! You can thank me later!

 

When we go to the parks we don't carry anything in with us, no purses, no bags, no cameras, no nuthin'. What we need is in our pockets. The number one reason for not carrying a bunch of stuff is that many of the Universal rides require you to put your items in a locker prior to riding. This means you might be in line for 15 minutes before you even get to the locker area, and then you lose your place. . ..and it's a pain in the butt to have to remember to get your stuff.

 

So I keep a few key items in my pockets: tissues (ladies, this is for you. Always remember to pack tissues.) Even if there isn't any toilet paper in the stall I enter to use the bathroom, I always have a tissue with me. I make a small 1/2 sized snack bags (jewelry baggies or coke bags whatever you want to call them) to carry Aleve and Altoids (curiously strong peppermints), a flosser for my teeth, and chapstick or lipstick. Hubs usually has his phone and wallet, so we're good.

 

Oh, I almost forgot. Wear a good pair of sunglasses. The reflective surfaces are harsh on the eyes. I wear Ironman Wrap-around shades--I'm wearing them in the pictures in the previous posts. I started wearing these shades when I had a horse. The arena at my barn was sand, which is very reflective, just like cement and water, which Florida has a whole lot of.

 

That's it for now.

 

Later, Peeps!

 

 

Escape From Gringott's and more!

After our WDW experience we headed over to Universal Florida for our last two days of vacation. . . like we needed to walk another 20,000 steps each day on our poor, aching feet.

The biggest and only tip I'll give for UF is to stay at one of the big three Universal hotels that offer free Express Passes for every member of your group staying in that hotel, AND early admission for the two parks. They have another brand new hotel called Cabana Bay Beach Resort, but this hotel doesn't offer the Express pass perk.  Personally, these free passes pay for themselves if you figure that each Express Pass is roughly $85 per person per day, times the amount of people in your party added to the potentially "cheaper" hotel rate, depending on peak season rates. Off season, this pass isn't as important as it is during peak season as many lines were 45-60 minutes and the Express Pass line was about 5-15 minutes.

Though the Express Pass doesn't work for either Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley, or Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Hogsmeade, the key element here is the hour prior to the official park opening that nullifies ugliness like this. . .

Well, okay, this is actually the line to Escape from Gringotts. By the time we got to the entrance of the bank the wait time was 45-60 minutes.

The early hour admission is also imperative if you don't want to wait in a peak season four-hour long wait time to ride Escape from Gringotts.

Remember to buy a park hopper ticket otherwise you will NOT be able to ride the Hogwarts Express to the other park. And that is something you want to do in each direction as the 'countryside' and Harry, Ron and Hermione do different things on the train.

Actual running Hogwarts Express Train (Hogsmeade station)

Here's a few sneak peak pictures of Diagon Alley. Knockturn Alley was also in this area, but it really was dark and creepy, and by the time we thought about taking pictures we were to befuddled by butterbeer soft serve ice cream.

Yes, we were eating ice cream at 9 in the morning.

The Knight Bus was outside Kings Cross Station before you even enter Diagon Alley. This was taken a little later n the morning because the attendant wasn't there until the official park opening at 9 AM.

Snatchers (mudblood hunters) guard the walkway in Diagon Alley to make certain you are following the correct path. Yes, they are really into their role playing!

Random Diagon Alley shot

Another random shot. The 'mermaid' on the fountain looks like the ones in Goblet of Fire.



The dragon over Gringotts entrance.
 

About every 10-20 minutes the dragon roars and a ball of fire plumes out of his mouth.

 

Here are a few pictures inside Gringotts bank. I won't say much about the ride except that it was seriously, freaking AWESOME!! It was a combination of roller-coaster and story, similar to the movie feel of the first Harry Potter ride, but mixed with The Mummy and Spiderman in terms of excitement. It is it's own story, but you interrupt the story of Harry, Ron and Hermione escaping the bank, along with Bellatrix and Voldemort.

This is only one section of the waiting area, but it's the most impressive.

The goblins all moved.

And another picture.
 

 Though the Harry Potter areas are but a fraction of the parks, it seems as that is where we took the most pictures. We rode lots of other rides in both parks on both days, but it seems as if I was befuddled by the Dragon Scale beer I had when I visited The Leaky Cauldron.

Here are a few pictures from the expanded Simpsons area of UF.

A kiddie ride, but Kang and Kodos, Twirl-n-Hurl was fun.

 

Patting Lard Lad's tummy

The kidlet got cozy with Barney inside Moe's Tavern

 

The kidlet drank a Flaming Moe (orange soda with dry ice), while Todd and I enjoyed a Duff beer.

And with this last picture, I must say adieu to our vacation and hello reality.

Okay, this was actually taken at WDW on the first day, but it's a cute ending.

 

Later, Peeps!

Universal Florida Rides -- Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure

FYI: This park contains the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

If you are coming from the Universal parking garage and through City Walk, this is the first park you will see as you walk straight to the gates. If you are arriving via water taxi, you will have to go to your right and around the lagoon to get to the gate.

Disclaimer: I am simply trying to give the blog reader an idea of what to expect from these various rides. If you have a health issue--I am not a doctor, nor do I play one here on this blog--please follow your physician's advice and use your best judgment.

To refresh your memory, here is a copy of the map. The entrance is at the bottom of the map, and I'll start my ride tour with Marvel's Super Hero Island and move about the map in a clockwise manner.

MARVEL SUPER HERO ISLAND

The Incredible Hulk Coaster -- Express pass -- High speed coaster, once the cars leave the boarding area, it will shoot onto the track. Shoulder harness-type security and you can brace your feet against the flooring. Loose articles will fly away unless secured. This coaster has some serious G's as I have blacked out more than once on this ride, but only for a second or two. Loops, corkscrews and high drops.
Storm Force Accelarton -- Express Pass -- think Disney's spinning Teacups as each pod rotates while the entire floor rotates. The faster your child turns the wheel, the faster you go. Those with weak stomachs are advised to sit this one out.
Doctor Doom's Fearfall -- Express Pass -- Even with the Express Pass, you can wait upwards of 30 minutes for this ride. It's a fun dropping type of ride. Actually, it's the anticipation that gets you before it shoots you into the sky. The view is wonderful. Though it drops you a couple of times, it isn't that bad.
The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman-- Express Pass -- Use your pass if you have one. 3-D with a little 4-D water sprinkling you. Each car seats eight, four in front, four in back. Front is the best! The cars spin, jerk and careen in various patterns according to what is on the 3-D screen. The front has the best view, but it doesn't have any neck support. The back seat has better support. You can brace yourself against the seat, but if you've never ridden it you can't anticipate the direction it will go next.

TOON LAGOON

Me Ship, The Olive -- interactive play area. You can squirt water at the people on the Bilge-Rat Barges. Hubs and kidlet played here. I sat and waited.
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges -- Express Pass -- I would call this a basic round raft ride, but there's nothing basic about it. Waterfalls, rapids, and drops are just a few surprises you will get in this river raft. YOU WILL GET SOAKED. Pack extra clothes accordingly. Near this ride, there are 'dryers' to dry you--for a price, of course. If the janitorial service catches you trying to dry off in the bathrooms, they will kick you out of the bathroom. Yeah, been there done that.
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls -- Express Pass --YOU WILL GET SOAKED. Pack extra clothes accordingly. This was one of the best water flume rides I have ever been on! It's big drop is sizeable, which makes it extra fun!

JURASSIC PARK

Pteronodon Flyers -- this is really a kiddie ride. Each flyer seats two. If you are taller than 56", you will need to be accompanied by a kid. It was okay, not worth the long wait in line.
Camp Jurassic -- large playground. If you let your kids loose in there, either go with them or make certain they know where to meet you. It's confusing and easy to get lost  as there are different exits.
Jurassic Park River Adventure -- Express Pass -- water raft ride through Jurassic Park . . . .and escaped dinosaurs. One big drop at the end. You will get wet, but not necessarily soaked like the rides in Toon Lagoon. It was an okay ride. The problem is that many of these rubber rafts tend to leave you smelling 'sour'. Many times, we'll give a ride like this a miss just so we don't smell sour all day. If you've never ridden it, then ride it, but be prepared for the stink.
Jurassic Park Discovery Center -- Interactive play area. Universal is trying to 'teach' park patrons. We don't want to be taught, we want rides to ride! Though we did 'grow' our own dinosaur once. There is NEVER a line unless it's from people escaping the Florida heat.

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey -- before entering this ride, you MUST put all loose articles, bags, etc. into a free locker. Though there isn't an Express Pass for this ride, there is a single rider queue (hidden unless you know where to look!) If you are staying onsite at a hotel, use the early entry time to blow through parts of this line. You must stand in line to ride this ride at least once! The standby queue takes you through Hogwarts: Professor's Sprout's classroom, Dumbledore's office, Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and various other corners of Hogwarts. You see status of the founders, the House points counter, various talking pictures, etc. When you use the single rider path, you miss the best part of the castle! The ride itself seats four across, with a shoulder harness to keep you in place. Keep it snug! The ride takes you through a visual journey, where you experience flying, dragons, and the dark forest. Though the car rotates forward, backward, and side to side, you are strapped in pretty well. It is a dark ride and might scare some riders who have not seen any of the first four movies. A DO NOT MISS RIDE!
The singles rider line is to the left, through an open door and up about 3 or 4 stairs. It is almost directly across from the doorway leading from the lockers. If you pass a cast member, you have gone too far.
Flight of the Hippogriff -- Express Pass -- Kiddie rollercoaster that takes you to Hagrid's home and by the Hippogriff nest. Only way to see inside the hippogriff nest is to ride the ride.
Frog Choir -- in a courtyard on the way to the Harry Potter Ride--check times for show
Triwizard Spirit Rally -- in a courtyard on the way to the Harry Potter Ride--check times for show
Ollivander's Wand Shop -- though this isn't on the list of attractions, it is a not-to-be-missed show. The line forms quickly since only a limited number of people can be allowed into the shop for each show. A kid is picked out of the audience to portray Harry Potter. Of course, it exits out into the gift shop. :-)
Honeydukes -- Mmmm candy . . .
Three Broomsticks and Hog's Head Pub -- The Three Broomsticks serves breakfast and lunch--pretty much all day. It's an experience just to sit in the main room and look around. If you want to look around, be prepared to eat as they won't let you inside without ordering food. Hog's Head Pub is adjacent to the Three Broomsticks, but there isn't much seating since the restaurant "reserves" numerous tables. I don't like this practice AT ALL! The Pub offers non-alcoholic beverages, including butterbeer along with real beer--which is pretty tasty.
Dragon Challenge -- Express Pass -- formerly known as Dueling Dragons. Shoulder harness, dangling feet, each row seats four. The rollercoasters haven't changed, but the path to the ride has been embellished with Harry Potter stuff, namely the flying car. There's either the red or blue dragon to ride. Both rides are different. They used to send them off in tandem, so you criss-cross with the other coaster, but the last two years, they didn't time them. Normally, we like to ride in the back of the coaster, because it feels faster, BUT the front row of this ride is pretty cool! It has enough speed that you don't feel like you're waiting for the rest of the cars to catch up before you start. And with no track below your feet, it's totally fun!

THE LOST CONTINENT

The Eight Voyage of Sindbad Stunt Show -- Express Pass -- check times for the show. We haven't watched this in years, but I seem to remember a lot of standing, which didn't do my back any favors.
The Mystic Fountain -- squirts the clueless . . . or children.
Poseidon's Fury -- Express Pass -- guided tour. Tell you the truth, we never did this attraction. If we did, it was forgettable.

I hate to say it, but this area is dying just like the Jurassic Park section. They need to come up with a big ride to rejuvenate it. There is a restaurant called, Mythos, but we've never eaten there.

SEUSS LANDING

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride --Express Pass -- Four seats per car, two front, two back. Sort of tight due to it being a kiddy ride. It's fun to do since it takes you above the walkways, but if there is a long wait you can skip it without missing anything
Caro-Seuss-el -- Express Pass -- merry-go-round. 'nuff said.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish -- Express Pass -- wet interactive play area. We started to do this one, but as soon as we got squirted, we quit not in the mood to get wet. Probably lots of fun for the little tykes. Bring extra clothes.
The Cat in The Hat -- Express Pass -- ride the couch car through the story. This one was killer on my neck with all the spins, jerking and other stuff. There's a lap bar, but that's it. And since it's a couch, there is no upper back support. Fun, but painful.
If I Ran the Zoo -- interactive playground.

And that's it for today. I'll put together the rides from the Universal Studios park on Thursday!

Later, Peeps!

Universal Florida Wrap-Up

Yes, I know I promised to post this blog last month, but life, school, and Canada have managed to get in the way.

I might be repeating some things, but sometimes the information bears repeating.

Stay on property. -- I know these hotels are very expensive, easily triple the amount you would pay at an off site hotel, but currently, you have a couple of advantages:

• Express Pass -- This is VERY advantageous during the busy times of the year, namely when school is out of session, forcing parents to take their kiddos on vacation during peak holiday season. If you go during peak season, these passes are so worth it. Many of the large rides will have wait times of 60-120 minutes, while the Express Pass will dramatically shorten the wait time as you will be prioritized before any of the standby patrons. The price of the Express Pass varies depending on the typical attendance need.
•   Very busy holiday season = very costly Express Pass. During peak season, it could cost upwards of $120 per person for a 2-park unlimited Express Pass, multiply that by the members of your party. . . let's say 3 = $360 you would pay ON TOP OF YOUR PARK ADMISSION. Whereas, if you stay at one of the three big onsite properties, paying around $400-500/room, but you have FREE Express Passes, then it's a better overall deal than staying off site at a cheaper hotel where you have to pay for the Express Pass plus parking!
• Now, the Express Pass won't get you into every show or on every ride, but it does work for the majority of the attractions, with the exception of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Ollivander's Wand Shop Show. BUT this brings me to my next advantage,
• Early Entry -- Yep, if you stay in the on site hotels you are given early entry into both theme parks. The parks vary as to the days they open early. During peak season, both parks opened early on the weekend, but one or the other on the weekdays. Plan accordingly.
• The reason you want the early entry is to get into line for Harry Potter or Ollivander's. . . or in the case of a new ride, for example: TRANSFORMERS. True, you are fighting everyone else for a place in line, but no matter how many people there are, you still beat the hideous crowds during the middle of the day waiting in a two hour line.
• Marking off the Harry Potter section of the map before the rush at 10 AM is wonderful for those of us who hate crowds. You can also make a reservation for breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, but I would advise you to ride the ride first, simply because eating first will put you right back into the crowded lines.
• Transportation to the parks --There are boats that take you back and forth to City Walk, which is on the opposite side of the lagoon from the theme parks. Again you have to hoof it about 5 minutes to even get to the park gate. The Hard Rock Hotel is the closest hotel to the parks, so if you want to walk, stay there. Though we did walk from the Portofino Bay hotel, and it wasn't that bad of a walk-- 15 minutes winding through some gorgeous gardens -- BUT you need to take into account that you will be walking and standing much of the day. If you aren't in very good health or shape, then you might want to take the boat. They also have rickshaw bikes. The peddlers work for tips, so be generous, especially if you pack the rickshaw full of people.
• Soft Openings -- Many times if you get to the gate 15 minutes prior to the park opening, you will be let in. BUT that is simply to allow you to walk to the attraction you want to ride. The rides will not start until the true park opening.

Health Warnings (this goes for the Disney Parks, too):

This is the warning sign for the Harry Potter ride

• Virtually every single ride will post some sort of health warnings. If you are . . . blah, blah, blah, . . . do not ride this ride. This sort of statement is used to 'legally' cover themselves. Since I'm not a lawyer, I do not know if these warnings really work. Probably, if you, with various health issues, knowingly go on a ride that states it can cause X, and you ride it, resulting in X issues, then you are a moron. Whether or not you can collect money from your injuries is unknown.
• I could probably be considered a moron because I knowingly rode many, many rides that stated do not ride this ride if you have neck or back issues.
• BUT in my defense, I had previously ridden all the rides--other than TRANSFORMERS--many, many times in the past 10 years.
•  I knew what to expect from each ride.
• Respect the signs. If you are unsure, then ask a trusted loved one to ride the ride and report back to you, or ask a cast member. Sometimes they can help you decide simply by stating if it is or isn't like another ride you've already ridden. For example: Spiderman is very similar to Transformers, which is similar to The Simpsons in terms of ride car and movement.
• Some of the rides have an intense G-force, while other rides will jerk the car you are riding around. Some rides have lap bars--causing issues with pregnant or obese people, while other rides have shoulder bars, which prevents obese or those who are too short to ride.
• Since I had neck issues, I made sure that I made a point to keep my head against the back of the ride for support, literally pushing myself back into the seat. It kept my head from bobbling around.
• Believe it or not, the rollercoasters were the least of my worries. Rollercoasters have high backs for support, and they push you back into the seats.
• The worst ride for me at UF, with my neck issue, was The Cat in the Hat. You got it. A kiddie ride hurt my neck more than any other ride.

Tomorrow, I'll break down the rides.

Later, Peeps

Post Vacation Tips and Tricks -- General

Yes, I took a vacation.

Yes, we went back to Florida--Universal and Disney World.

Yes, things are changing--mainly, WDW, but I gleaned a few more pieces of wisdom while on vacation. I'll break the rides and stuff down in a couple other posts.

Ten Tips

1--If it is humanly possible, DO NOT GO TO FLORIDA DURING THE SUMMER! Yes, we had no option since we can't take our kidlet out of school to hit the parks during the off season. Suffice it to say, we were there with all the other parents who have to vacation during a very short window of opportunity during school breaks. . . It almost made this parent want to start homeschooling just to have the option of going at a different time.

2--If you must go during peak season do as I suggested--study the maps, know your families likes and dislikes (don't waste your time standing in line for the Beauty and the Beast show if everyone wants to ride rides), plan your day, park hop if you can. We usually did two parks every day, but did manage three parks one day. Yes, it was tiring, but sometimes you have no choice.

3--Find current maps online. Disney switched up their maps (HATE IT) by printing a map of the park by placing an image of the park with true North at the top of the map, which means you have to figure out where the park entrance is in relation to the maps and work from there. This is instead of previous incarnations of the map where the entrance is at the bottom of the map.

4--Disney also messed with the details of the map. The park looks like an artist's rendering of an aerial picture of the park with numbers on each building. This makes it difficult to figure out a) where you are, b) where you want to go, with out stopping and opening the map to figure out what all the circled numbers are in reference to. Did I mention that I HATE this new map?? And what makes it really bad is that I'm very familiar with the parks and I was very confused looking at these maps! But they never asked my opinion. Sometimes change is just change, and not necessarily for the better!

5--Pick up a Times Guide at every park. If you are at a park over a weekend, get a new Times Guide on Sunday. Yes, sometimes there are drastic changes with rides that are closing for refurbishment, or the night time parades and fireworks will change, or even the park closings. Many times Magic Kingdom was open until Midnight or later, but then when school starts and attendance lags, they close the park earlier. When they have Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween, they will shut the park down, UNLESS you have paid to attend the Halloween Party (you have to get a special wrist band).

6--The earlier you get out of bed to get to the park, the fewer people there are. . . . This is true, BUT remember there are tens of thousands of people in these parks, fewer doesn't mean none, it means less humanity in your near vicinity than there will be when you are wandering around the park at 11:00 AM. Take advantage of the Early Magic Hours if you are staying at a hotel on site. The Extra Magic Hours in the evening aren't as good since everyone from the other parks will converge on the one park with later hours.

7--People will simply stop in the middle of the walkways. Seriously, if you need to have a family consultation pull off to the side.

8--People are rude, clueless, and will use their kids as battering rams. TRUTH. If kids aren't available, they will use electric scooters, empty baby strollers, wheelchairs, or their fat grandma to push through a crowd . . .and into your shins or Achilles tendon depending on which way they are going.

9--Florida is freaking hot in the summer. The temps aren't bad, usually in the lower 90's, it's the 100% humidity that will get you. You will sweat in body places you never thought it humanly possible to sweat. Keep hydrated. Most of our crankiness was due to dehydration.

10--Again, parents please school your children--or husband--to NOT FART IN AN ENCLOSED RIDE. This is just gross and rude. Yes, I'm talking to the kid who let one rip while sitting in the simulator while waiting for the Star Tours ride to start . . . there was a reason Yoda was staring at you!

More info coming this week!

Later, Peeps!

Tips and Tips -- Universal Florida -- Islands of Adventure



Islands of Adventure

There are two parks at Universal Florida (Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios), plus City Walk, along with three hotels (Hard Rock, Portofino, and Royal Pacific).






As I recommended before, if you stay on site at a Universal hotel, you will get an Express Pass for the days you go to the park. During the busy season, this is critical! Who wants to spend hours waiting in line for one ride??

I don't.

Even with the Express Pass there will be a wait . . . a shorter wait, but still a wait.

And my #1 suggestion?

Don't even bother to go to this park if your kids love roller coasters, but aren't tall enough to ride!

The tallest height required to ride all rides, including the Incredible Hulk, The Dragon Challenge (previously called Dueling Dragons) and Dr. Doom's Fearfall is 54 inches, and the Harry Potter ride is 48 inches.

Measure your kid carefully!

True, there is tons of stuff to do other than roller coasters, but it little Billy's heart is set on riding Harry Potter, but he's only 46 inches, he will be doomed to disappointment! Especially now that that woman fell to her death on the Texas Giant roller coaster. If they can't click you in tightly, you will be removed from the ride.

Embarrassing, yes, but it's better than dying.

Here is a link to download the Universal Maps.

Islands of Adventure

Find a map. Study the map.

And you'll notice the item most visited is up at the top of the map, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Top of the map means at the back of the park. The shortest way is through Seuss Landing, just keep walking to the right . . . and follow the crowd.

I'll talk to you about this area when I get to it later in the blog.

Breaking down the park, section by section, I'll starting with the first zone to your right after you enter the park.

Seuss Landing.

As you might have figured out, this area is all things Dr. Seuss, it's main function is to keep little tykes entertained. We rode all the rides. It's fun, but not exactly the type of fun we roller coaster people crave.

Sorry, but there is one ride with a minimum height requirement:

The High in the Sky Trolley Ride--34 inches--

above the walkways, like a small roller coaster

Caro-Seuss-el--

merry-go-round

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish--

wet goofiness

The Cat in the Hat--

inside ride, tells story

If I Ran the Zoo--

outside play area

 

The Lost Continent



 

Sorry, but we tend to walk right through this area. We did see the Eight Voyage of Sinbad, and tried to see Poseidon's Fury, but it shut down--thunderstorm, yanno.

The Eight Voyage of Sinbad Stunt Show--

self explanatory-- stunt show

The Mystic Fountain--

never found it, okay, never looked for it!

Poseidon's Fury--

special effects guided tour

 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

 

Everyone wants to visit Hogsmead Village. You have to go through the village to get to the Harry Potter ride, take your time later to walk around after you go for a ride. Take time to look in the windows, go into the stores and sample Butterbeer. I personally like the regular Butterbeer over the frozen variety. You can also eat at the Three Broomsticks. The last time we went, they wouldn't let you just look around the Three Broomsticks, you had to buy something--you can get Pumpkin Juice or Butterbeer in here, along with a variety of meals.

 

If you want to visit Ollivander's wand shop, you have to wait for the 'show'. About 20 people are let in at a time . . . and it's a VERY tight space. One lucky kiddo is chosen to pick a wand. Yes, it's identical to the movie scene. The you then shuffle into the gift shop . . . another tight fit. Lots and lots of really cool stuff. Be prepared to pry open your wallet. Last year, a wizard's robe cost around $100.

 





 Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey --

This the ride you want to ride. Think of it as a compilation of the first four books/movies rolled into one. Be aware that ALL LOOSE ARTICLES MUST BE PUT IN A LOCKER, prior to getting in line. This means purses, cameras, backpacks, etc.

*Recommendations: Go through the line to experience the castle and the show. Once you go through the line and want to ride again, find the singles line.

There are NO EXPRESS PASSES.*

Flight of the Hippogriff --
A fun little roller coaster for all members of the family. Travels past Hagrid's hut and the nest of the hippogriff.
Dragon Challenge --
This used to be called Dueling Dragons. Not much has changed with this double roller coaster, except how the path winds to the door of the castle--You'll see Ron's flying car. The dragons are the red or the blue. They are both fun coasters with loop-de-loops, but I think the red side is a little better.

Jurassic Park

 

This section of the park has an 'educational' feel to it. There are two additional areas, one is the Discovery center, where you can grow and hatch your own dino egg, plus other interesting stuff. There is also a jewelry store that has a variety of amber products--not surprising, and no, I didn't see any mosquitos sealed in the amber. The other area is a kid's playground, called Camp Jurassic.

Jurassic Park River Adventure --

Fun boat ride with drop, you will get wet

Pteranodon Flyers --

Two-person 'fliers' that you ride above the walkways. Fun, but mainly for kids. Adults MUST be accompanied by a kid to ride.

 

Toon Lagoon

 

This is a fun area. Until last summer, we usually walked right through this area since we don't like walking around wet. If you plan to ride these rides, plan to bring a change of clothes. Oh, the janitorial service is hard-core about NOT letting you use the hand dryers to dry yourself. For a small fee, there are drying booths available around both these rides. There is also a play area called Me Ship, THE OLIVE. Yes, it's a boat. 

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls --

serious log flume ride.  Very fun, but you WILL GET SOAKING WET

Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges--

raft ride, You WILL GET SOAKING WET

 

Marvel Super Hero Island

 

This is a fun area, too. The rides are a little more intense than some of the other areas. If you have health issues or little kids, you will probably want to sit this section out.

Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man--

Very cool indoor 3-D ride. It does jerk your car around, so if  you have neck issues, you need to be warned.

Doctor Doom's Fearfall--

Zips you into the air and then drops you. If you liked Tower of Terror, you'll like this one. Great view at the top.

Storm Force Accelatron --

spinning teacups type of ride

The Incredible Hulk Coaster--

This coaster is literally a monster! Fast acceleration, lots of loops and spins. I've ridden this ride over 10 times and every time, I tend to black out a for a couple of seconds. Must use the lockers to store loose items.

 



 That's it for this side of Universal Florida!

 

I'll post about the other side tomorrow.

 

Later, Peeps!

 

Did y'all miss me?

Probably not.

But that's okay. I pre-wrote all my blogs and had every intention of sending it to my accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Google) and commenting, but that was before I discovered my hubster's new Google pad wasn't totally able to function, plus we didn't have Internet access and had to use his cell to connect to satellites.

Don't ask.

I usually don't. I just nod my head like I understand and say, "uh-huh, yes, honey" Trust me, it's easier my way, otherwise, he'll go into some truly geek-tech jargon and I'm totally lost.

Anyhoo--We went on vacation for nine days, arriving back home late Sunday,the night before my kidlet had her first day of school. But she seems to have weathered her lack of sleep just fine.

We enjoyed a nice vacation in the land of heat, humidity, afternoon thunderstorms and love bugs (though they aren’t in their *love- making* time of the year . . . that’s usually late September), in other words, FLORIDA. I managed to read 2.5 books on the airplane and during our ‘downtime’--when we left the parks early and missed the thunderstorms :-) As much as I love my Kindle, I hate the fact that I had to turn it off during takeoffs and landings. Bummer.

On the writing related front, I managed to think out story #2 in my quadrology--how does a hunky pirate ghost sound? So exciting! To that end, I just ordered four pirate books. Arr, me mateys!
When we go to DisneyWorld and Universal, we walk A LOT.  Anyhoo, this year, my feet survived!! Yay! No blisters! Last year, I had blisters upon blisters, blisters upon calluses and walking was totally NOT FUN. The feet relief was due in part to my wonderful New Balance sneaks with a metatarsal insert AND my rigid walking regime over the last two months. I didn’t wear a pedometer this time around, but I know we easily clocked 10+ miles per day as we tend to walk quickly from one ride to the next one and then walk to another park to do it all over again!

Aug. and Sept, are big months for Latin American and Brit visitors, though the Brits outnumbered the LA’s this time around. It was fun listening to the accents and trying to figure out where they were from. I'm not as good with the Spanish speaking cultures, but English, yes. I also heard Italian, French and a small variety of Germanic languages.

Overhead view of Harry Potter experience

First we visited both parks at Universal , enjoying the Harry Potter experience--a MUST DO, if you get a chance to go--as much as possible considering the area was seriously jammed with people. Srsly, they had to shut that section of the park off because it was over populated. We rode numerous rollercoasters over and over and over again. The blue and red are dueling coasters in the Dragon Challenge, the snow-covered buildings are Hogsmeade, and, of course, Hogwarts is the castle/ride.

*NOTE TO SELF* Do NOT drink butterbeer and then ride the HULK rollercoaster without seriously belching A LOT. Sorry, if that was TMI, but it had to be mentioned—and no, I didn’t get sick. . . just burped a lot, though we did see someone tossing cookies into a trashcan after the 3-D Spiderman ride—not a coaster, but a simulator--what a wuss . . .

After 2.5 days at Universal, we drove to the Wilderness Lodge to enjoy the Disney parks for six days.

Wilderness Lodge from Pool

Disney. . . what can I say? 

Nope it would take up too much room to write it down, you just have to go and experience it. We did the meal plan again this year—basically pre-paid food (one table service{entrée, dessert}, one counter service, and one snack per day per night in a Disney hotel). And yes, I was scared I would go crazy over the food, but I didn’t. If the family got Mickey Mouse ice cream bars, I got a water and ate a Mickey ear and savored the delish bite. I did force myself to eat dessert with our table service coupons. And with all the walking, albeit much standing, I only gained 1.4 lbs upon my weigh-in 12 hours after we flew back into town. All in all, I’m very happy with it. I’m back on track and fully believe I’ll lose that weight gain by next week—

But then again, my 50th B-D is on Monday and hubster made a reservation at Flemings . . . I’ll just weigh-in PRIOR to my B-D dinner. :-)Yeah, I like that plan.
Well, time to go and use my new Mickey Mouse French Coffee press. Cute, huh?

TTFN {Tigger speak for TA-TA FOR NOW}