Trip Report:
Thursday 9/21
We flew into MCO after being delayed by weather, arriving at about 8:30. Grabbed an UberSelectXL to Royal Pacific (About $50 ride and much nicer than Mears shuttle). We were starving, so we hit Jake's American. I definitely recommend this place. The burger is good. The hot wings are pretty great (we went back for more later). And the Golden Monkey is a drink that will knock you out after a travel day. Passed out in anticipation of a big day Friday.
Friday 9/22
Up early to hit USF. Took the water taxi and enjoyed this transport. Quick, easy, nice. Hit the park, grabbed breakfast at Boulangerie just inside the gates. Had a stuffed biscuit and coffee. Very good. Not too expensive. From there took the following path, generally: Minions, wife rode Rockit, Jimmy Fallon, ET, Simpson, MiB, and then on to the main event. Met my cousin, a Universal team member in corporate, for lunch at Leaky Cauldron. Had scotch eggs, fish and chips, wife had stew. Enjoyed thoroughly. Then spent the remainder of the day in Diagon Alley, twice through Gringotts, lots of shopping, but we did jump out to Mummy really quick and back. Hopped Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade. We were actually quite let down by Hogsmeade, compared to Diagon Alley. General Diagon Alley thoughts: Honestly, couldn't find it, after seeing King's Cross, just decided to follow everyone into what looked like bathrooms, and BAM, there you are. Alley is tight and can get backed up in busy times, but there's a lot to see, so slowing down is not a bad thing. Really enjoyed the art work and design. Fully immersive and really enjoyed it. Very Disney like. Check out Hogsmeade, and decided to call it a day. Back to hotel via water taxi. Rested a bit then off to City Walk meet my cousin again for dinner. Wanted sushi, so she suggested Cowfish. SO GOOD. Can't recommend it enough. Then over to Toothsome for desert. Okay, quick thoughts on Toothsome. The decor is AMAZING. The whole concept is expertly pulled off. The food itself (milkshake on this trip) was a bit of a let down, but I'm not a sweets person anymore really. It was a good chocolate milkshake I guess, but could get it anywhere. For the record, I fell deeply and madly in love with Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome. I think my wife was a little upset. But, seriously, I cannot even... I'll stop there.
Saturday:
Up early to hit IOA. Breakfast buffet at Royal Pacific Island Dining Room. Very good, and cheap by Orlando standards I suppose at $22. Off to IOA via water taxi (I love this thing). Left to Hulk (I couldn't ride, I'm about 6' and big shoulders was a college fullback - didn't fit into seat - never a problem i've had at disney). Dr. Doom then Spiderman. Wanted to go on Pterodon Flyers but it's kids only, such bullss... Parents can go with kids, but no solo adults. We don't do wet rides, so skipped Jurrasic Park. Enjoyed King Kong, but it was just the same old thing as every other ride in the park. Off to Hogsmeade. Went through the line at Forbidden Journey, sat down in car, seat clicked 4 times, team member unlocked and pretended to push is closed again and decided not enough, made me get out. Not terribly disappointed. I know I'm a big dude. But, again, Disney doesn't have these problems. On to Dr. Suess area. Enjoyed Cat in the Hat. Appears to be the only dark ride on property. Hit Toothsome for lunch and was generally disappointed with the food again. I have nicoise salad, tuna was good, dressing was note. Wife was very disappointed with her shrimp macaroni and cheese, as was I. My cousin get the country french toast, it was basically a croque monsieur on french toast. I actually ate some of this and it was very good. All in all, I should have just gotten a croque monsiuer. But my dearest Penelope was there and we made sweet, sweet eye contact, so there's that. Headed back into the park to catch the Hogwarts Express the other direction to see other part of the show. Did some shopping. Hit Gringotts again. Then shopped on our way out, caught Transformers and Mummy again. Grabbed a showing T2 to say I had before closing. Called it a day, off to the pool and hot tub for drinks. Dinner at Jake's again. The wings are good y'all.
Sunday:
Character breakfast at Island Dining room. Same buffet as day before, didn't realize it was character until I was attacked by Scooby Do. Still only cost $25 for character breakfast, which is pennies compared to Disney. Packed up, off to airport.
Okay, so here's my hot sports opinions on my first trip to Universal. I had to go to see Harry Potter aspects. I couldn't miss them. Absent the Harry Potter portions of the park, Universal is dead/dying/no better than Six Flags. I can see why people make this a day trip from Disney. It would be better, maybe, if they didn't just have like 12 of the exact same ride. The motion deck 4-D ride is not fun, and it doesn't become fun when you do it over again for the 10th time. There's essentially no difference between Kong, Forbidden Journey, Gringotts, Simpsons, Transformers, Mummy, and Jimmy Fallon. Though Mummy, is reminiscent of the Rock'in Roller Coaster at DHS, it's like a bad haunted house version comparatively. Maybe I just have Disney running through my veins too thick. I don't know, but it wasn't super awesome. We considered driving out to Disney on Saturday as opposed to returning to Universal. The Royal Pacific was nice. I would stay there anytime or place. We hear Portofino is equally as nice. Some questions I have are, why not make more varied types of ride. Being "first to market" is one thing, but being first to market with the same old tired design as before is not a good plan. Also, I fit on every ride in disney parks and always have. Certainly their engineering could do a little better. My other cousin is 6'2" and about a 28 inch waist, very tall and skinny. He can't stand to ride Hulk because it hurts him so much. Lastly, why create a ride everyone cannot go on, i.e. Pterodon Flyers and Flight of the Hippogriff. If adults can ride with kids, I don't see why adults can't ride by themselves.
Anyway, the weather was good, crowds were small, and it didn't rain.
I'm happy I got to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Otherwise, I'm glad I got out cheap. My cousin comped our tickets, I used points for airline tickets. Hotel and food/bev and merch cost about $1700. Glad I didn't pay full price. Glad I don't feel like I have to go back.
Thursday 9/21
We flew into MCO after being delayed by weather, arriving at about 8:30. Grabbed an UberSelectXL to Royal Pacific (About $50 ride and much nicer than Mears shuttle). We were starving, so we hit Jake's American. I definitely recommend this place. The burger is good. The hot wings are pretty great (we went back for more later). And the Golden Monkey is a drink that will knock you out after a travel day. Passed out in anticipation of a big day Friday.
Friday 9/22
Up early to hit USF. Took the water taxi and enjoyed this transport. Quick, easy, nice. Hit the park, grabbed breakfast at Boulangerie just inside the gates. Had a stuffed biscuit and coffee. Very good. Not too expensive. From there took the following path, generally: Minions, wife rode Rockit, Jimmy Fallon, ET, Simpson, MiB, and then on to the main event. Met my cousin, a Universal team member in corporate, for lunch at Leaky Cauldron. Had scotch eggs, fish and chips, wife had stew. Enjoyed thoroughly. Then spent the remainder of the day in Diagon Alley, twice through Gringotts, lots of shopping, but we did jump out to Mummy really quick and back. Hopped Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade. We were actually quite let down by Hogsmeade, compared to Diagon Alley. General Diagon Alley thoughts: Honestly, couldn't find it, after seeing King's Cross, just decided to follow everyone into what looked like bathrooms, and BAM, there you are. Alley is tight and can get backed up in busy times, but there's a lot to see, so slowing down is not a bad thing. Really enjoyed the art work and design. Fully immersive and really enjoyed it. Very Disney like. Check out Hogsmeade, and decided to call it a day. Back to hotel via water taxi. Rested a bit then off to City Walk meet my cousin again for dinner. Wanted sushi, so she suggested Cowfish. SO GOOD. Can't recommend it enough. Then over to Toothsome for desert. Okay, quick thoughts on Toothsome. The decor is AMAZING. The whole concept is expertly pulled off. The food itself (milkshake on this trip) was a bit of a let down, but I'm not a sweets person anymore really. It was a good chocolate milkshake I guess, but could get it anywhere. For the record, I fell deeply and madly in love with Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome. I think my wife was a little upset. But, seriously, I cannot even... I'll stop there.
Saturday:
Up early to hit IOA. Breakfast buffet at Royal Pacific Island Dining Room. Very good, and cheap by Orlando standards I suppose at $22. Off to IOA via water taxi (I love this thing). Left to Hulk (I couldn't ride, I'm about 6' and big shoulders was a college fullback - didn't fit into seat - never a problem i've had at disney). Dr. Doom then Spiderman. Wanted to go on Pterodon Flyers but it's kids only, such bullss... Parents can go with kids, but no solo adults. We don't do wet rides, so skipped Jurrasic Park. Enjoyed King Kong, but it was just the same old thing as every other ride in the park. Off to Hogsmeade. Went through the line at Forbidden Journey, sat down in car, seat clicked 4 times, team member unlocked and pretended to push is closed again and decided not enough, made me get out. Not terribly disappointed. I know I'm a big dude. But, again, Disney doesn't have these problems. On to Dr. Suess area. Enjoyed Cat in the Hat. Appears to be the only dark ride on property. Hit Toothsome for lunch and was generally disappointed with the food again. I have nicoise salad, tuna was good, dressing was note. Wife was very disappointed with her shrimp macaroni and cheese, as was I. My cousin get the country french toast, it was basically a croque monsieur on french toast. I actually ate some of this and it was very good. All in all, I should have just gotten a croque monsiuer. But my dearest Penelope was there and we made sweet, sweet eye contact, so there's that. Headed back into the park to catch the Hogwarts Express the other direction to see other part of the show. Did some shopping. Hit Gringotts again. Then shopped on our way out, caught Transformers and Mummy again. Grabbed a showing T2 to say I had before closing. Called it a day, off to the pool and hot tub for drinks. Dinner at Jake's again. The wings are good y'all.
Sunday:
Character breakfast at Island Dining room. Same buffet as day before, didn't realize it was character until I was attacked by Scooby Do. Still only cost $25 for character breakfast, which is pennies compared to Disney. Packed up, off to airport.
Okay, so here's my hot sports opinions on my first trip to Universal. I had to go to see Harry Potter aspects. I couldn't miss them. Absent the Harry Potter portions of the park, Universal is dead/dying/no better than Six Flags. I can see why people make this a day trip from Disney. It would be better, maybe, if they didn't just have like 12 of the exact same ride. The motion deck 4-D ride is not fun, and it doesn't become fun when you do it over again for the 10th time. There's essentially no difference between Kong, Forbidden Journey, Gringotts, Simpsons, Transformers, Mummy, and Jimmy Fallon. Though Mummy, is reminiscent of the Rock'in Roller Coaster at DHS, it's like a bad haunted house version comparatively. Maybe I just have Disney running through my veins too thick. I don't know, but it wasn't super awesome. We considered driving out to Disney on Saturday as opposed to returning to Universal. The Royal Pacific was nice. I would stay there anytime or place. We hear Portofino is equally as nice. Some questions I have are, why not make more varied types of ride. Being "first to market" is one thing, but being first to market with the same old tired design as before is not a good plan. Also, I fit on every ride in disney parks and always have. Certainly their engineering could do a little better. My other cousin is 6'2" and about a 28 inch waist, very tall and skinny. He can't stand to ride Hulk because it hurts him so much. Lastly, why create a ride everyone cannot go on, i.e. Pterodon Flyers and Flight of the Hippogriff. If adults can ride with kids, I don't see why adults can't ride by themselves.
Anyway, the weather was good, crowds were small, and it didn't rain.
I'm happy I got to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Otherwise, I'm glad I got out cheap. My cousin comped our tickets, I used points for airline tickets. Hotel and food/bev and merch cost about $1700. Glad I didn't pay full price. Glad I don't feel like I have to go back.