Tips and Tricks -- Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios Florida park is set up with different themes, but the themes aren't so different that you need to pay much attention to it. Again, find a map. Study the map before you get to the park. You can pick up a map after you enter the turnstile, but by studying the map you can chose the appropriate ride/shows you and your family wants to visit.


There are quite a few shows--many of them we didn't see--but the rides are phenomenal!

This year, the Transformers ride is new. I never rode it, so I can't help you there. Sorry! Shoot, even Universal hasn't updated their maps online. When they were putting it in, It seemed to be on the lake, as you walk toward Men In Black and the Simpson's rides.

I didn't do this quite right, but click on the picture and it will take you to the YouTube video trailer . . . I hope.

I'll track this park journey straight in from the turnstiles, clockwise around the lake. Some of the shows I won't include, mainly because we never bothered to see them! So there are shows to watch if you want to sit in the Florida heat--check your maps for show times and listings.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

This is where Jimmy Neutron used to be. You sit on bench seating, which moves with the action on the movie. Totally Awesome Fun!

Minions Rule!

 

Shrek 4-D

Another really fun 'interactive' ride. Stationary seats are available.

 

Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket

This is the red roller coaster that you see throughout the park. It goes straight up and then straight down. . . it looks worse than it really is. The fun part of this ride is that you can pick the music you want to listen to while you ride, everything from Country to Rap.

NO Express Passes

Loose items must be placed in lockers prior to getting in line.

Singles line is open sometimes

 

Twister

This is sort of like a show, but you're standing, so it's not. You might get wet. It's okay, but don't waste your time if you are a ride person . . . ride something else twice.

 

Revenge of the Mummy

A MUST SEE!

This is a wonderful inside roller coaster-type of ride that also tells a story. It's not constant movement as it stops to show you a different part of the story before it continues on the ride.

Loose items must be placed in lockers prior to getting in line.

 

Disaster!

Again, if you're strapped for time, skip this one. I thought it felt like the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack

Lots of fun as you target aliens . . . and other ride cars to earn point! Quick spins and jerkiness depending on who's steering.

Loose items must be placed in lockers prior to getting in line.

 

The Simpsons Ride

Another MUST DO. This ride is totally fun. There are three different levels to this ride and pretty much it's a crap shoot as to which level you get. You ARE in the Simpson's movie.

 

Woody Woodpecker Kid Zone

(Curious George playground, animal shows, Barney, Fievel's Playland, Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster (36" tall)

 

ET Adventures

At the very edge of Woody Woodpecker's Kid Zone. You ride on bicycles to save ET as you ride through the woods, and into the air, as you take ET back to his home planet.

Dated. Fun, but dated.

 

Terminator 2 : 3-D

Part stunt show, part movie, part interactive. It's a lot of fun, but again, if you just miss the show, you will have to wait a long time before the doors open again.

Timing is everything here.



Enjoy the park!

Later, peeps!

Stolen Memories

I awoke from a bizzarro dream this morning.

My daughter and I were traveling in an RV--you're kidding, right? I wouldn't even drive our Ford Expedition when we owned one!--across the country. After rolling through a cemetery, we came across a small side road and I managed to turn this thing around and parked it in a cozy wooded area--that suddenly turned into an RV park. We went to a Silver Dollar City type amusement park only to return to find the RV had been broken into.

The only item stolen was the fishing tackle box that held my earrings.

Someone had stolen my memories, because that is what mementos are all about--that, and memento is on my daughter's vocabulary list this week.

I tracked down the thief by looking at everyone's earrings. If you didn't read my blog about my earrings, you wouldn't know that most of my earrings are unique, to say the least.

And I remember where I got each pair. There are memories stored in that box along with earrings.

So I find the thief and ask to take her picture. Stupid woman allows me to take a front pic and a side pic--BTW: she was wearing my trapeze frog earrings. I wasn't happy about this. She got her ear funk all over my stuff. I also asked her where she got the earrings. She responded that she couldn't remember.

You're kidding, right? If you're wearing funky looking earrings at least have the courtesy to make a story up!  

I also followed her to her camper with a armed security guard. My earrings were intact in their box, but she wanted me to prove they were mine--I had pictures, of course. I told her I wouldn't prosecute if she returned them. She did. Cop arrested her when I got my stuff. She yelled at me, and my response was, "I'm not prosecuting, but they are," I said pointing to a group of other campers who had stuff stolen.

This brings me full circle to the idea of stolen memories. This happens a lot in books, movies, and real life.

--the flashy thing in the Men in Black movies--takes memories of an alien occurrence.
--zombies in Warm Bodies don't have memories of their own, but when they eat the brains of their victims, the zombies will remember their memories.
--early Alzheimer's is a horrible disease. . . for those associated with the loved one who has it. The person with the disease can't remember that they've forgotten, except vaguely in a frustrating sort of way. But it is devastating for those left behind, since they remember all the good times and their loved one doesn't.
--in my stories, my goblin mentor will do a Vulcan mind wipe on some of my secondary characters, which also removes any good memories of the times they had with my protagonist. This leaves my protagonist more lonely than ever . . . except now, their memories are returning.

Well, gotta story to write.

Later, Peeps!