December 2008 Trip Report, Part 5
Friday, December 19, 2008. Day 8
Universal Orlando Day 1
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I was to pick up a couple of things for a couple of people, and it involved Chocolate, and I thought it would be better if left to the last minute considering the temps. Walked over to T-Rex, and they weren't open yet. So it was off to Earl Of Sandwich for breakfast. I can't honestly tell you what I had, but it fit into the "Uniformly Good" meal I expect from EoS. :-)
Buy the chocolate, and head back to Port Orleans to pick up Bruce's car. From there to the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando. Until Bruce follows a bus, and we eventually end up at Epcot. (But that's another show.)
Universal Orlando
We get to the Royal Pacific, and they even have a room available. We check in, put all the luggage in the room (the room is one of the farthest from the Elevator, but I digress), and head for Universal Studios.After the self-ticketing machine and I came to blows, I finally got my 2-day/2-park pass, and was granted entry to the park.
The first thing noticeable is the Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit Rollercoaster is coming along. Hard to miss it, you'll be able to see if from anywhere in Citywalk or Universal Studios.
Shrek 3-D is next, before we duck out the side entrance to pick up a couple of Blue Man Group tickets. From there onto the Mummy, then stop in at Disaster, the Earthquake facelift. If you've seen Earthquake, you've essentially still seen Disaster. They've changed parts of the storyline, and at least they've gotten rid of the 35-year-old movie tie in.
Across the park and to Crustlyland, where the Simpsons finally get to Universal Orlando. I think I've only seen 3 or 4 complete episodes in my life, but the characters are so part of the culture now, that that's all you need to see are 3 or 4 episodes, and you'll know who all the characters are.
It is, in fact, a completely facelifed Back To The Future. It doesn't beat you up like BTTF did, and the video is superior, but it's the same ride vehicle and mechanics.
It was then a quick trip to Men In Black, and then... the mistake. The object of the exercise was to get something to eat, see Terminator on the way out, then go back to the hotel and rest a bit.
We stopped at the counter service across from the Horror show. It was one of the worse burgers I'd ever eaten. To add insult to injury, the next Terminator movie wasn't scheduled for another hour. So we could have just left the park and eaten a decent meal in City Walk. I hate it when things like that happen.
Universal Orlando / Universal Studios
Blue Man Group is sorta expensive (I didn't compare prices, but it's probably similar to Cirque...), but it's an entertaining show if you like humor, percussion, rock and sometimes awesome effects. Don't go if you don't like strobe lights, darkness, loud music or...toilet paper. The Blue Man Group Band was out at the end of the show signing autographs and doing pictures. Oh, I highly recommend the show. And don't be late. And the band knows Freebird.
We took a walk around Citywalk, found nothing of interest, then caught the boat back to the Royal Pacific.
Saturday, December 20, 2008. Day 9
Universal Orlando Day 2
It was an Islands of Adventure day, and it started off in the Islands Dining Room at the Royal Pacific for Breakfast. They have a buffet that's pretty good, with a lot of variety.
The boats to the parks seem to be a bit irregular with slower service than usual, but turnaround at the docks doesn't seem that bad. Maybe they put a governor on the engine for better mileage. Maybe it's just my imagination.
It's about 9:45am, and the park is in full operation; Dr. Doom is hissing away and the Hulk is roaring around it's track. The walk to IoA seems longer, but I'm sure that only because my feet began to rebel back on Day 3...
We walk down Main Street Eurasia. I now think it was a bad design. At first, I thought, "How Disney of them" to make guests pass through a corridor of stores, not only on the way in, but on the way out. Now I think the corridor is too darn long.
We reach the fork in the road, and turn right toward Seuss Landing, where IoA is having Grinchmas.
I guess I should start my IoA rant here.
When IoA opened in 1999, it was a place that could actually rival Disney in themeing. Now, this park is looking pretty shabby. Seuss Landing, for instance, is fading away. Literally. Look at Seuss Landing below, and notice how the paint is faded on all the Seuss-ian rooftops. The reds, especially. Look at the Cat in the Hat building at the right of the photo. Pretty bad.
Also to mention since 1999, and not until 2010, will there have been any significant changes to the park. 11 years? There's been at least 3 new and several updated attractions right next door at Universal Studios. GE really needs to get their act together.
In their defense, I will say that Islands of Adventure is the Disneyland of Orlando. By that I mean IoA is surrounded on all sides, and it's very difficult to expand onto property that's either not yours, or that's in use by something else. They did make very good use of the space, but they should have considered expansion when they built the park. The central lake is nice, but in this park, is just so much wasted space.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter better be spectacular when it opens in 2010, or Islands of Adventure will have been a nice experiment.
End of rant. :-)
Before we're even part of the way through The Lost Continent, the path turns left and turns into a bridge across the lake to Jurassic Park. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will arrive in 2010. It still looks like it could use a little work, though.
Now, why would I want to get on a water ride in December? Because I can! I'm still not sure why I go on Jurassic Park River Adventure. I really hate that drop...
And stupid is as stupid does, what do we do? We get on Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges, and I proceed to take half of the water from the ride with me when I get off. It's *sooo* bad, we take a break back to the Royal Pacific, and change clothes. The hairdryer dries my shoes. Won't be that stupid again. Probably.
Universal Orlando / Island of Adventure
Dry clothes, dry shoes, we headed out for the parks again, first finishing Islands of Adventure. There was a huge crowd heading into Seuss Landing, so we went to take a look. They were all in line to see the Grinch. It was then a matter of heading back into Marvel Super Hero Island for a Spiderman fix...
Universal Orlando / Island of Adventure
Exiting IoA, we headed back to Universal Studios to see the Simpsons again. Then MiB again. Then Twister. By the time we were out of Twister, the Macy's Christmas Parade had started, and we barely got out of the park alive. A decent dinner at Nascar Cafe (I hadn't been back since they remodeled), and another Florida trip was over.
Universal Orlando / Universal Studios
Sunday, December 21. Day 10
It seems it's always dark when I leave Orlando. Maybe it's because I leave so early.As I'm driving down the turnpike through the darkness and the fog, I'm reminded of Enchanted, where Giselle admits she's angry, that turning point where she realizes she's not part of Andalasia anymore. Both a sadness that you've lost something, but the feeling you've gained something as well.
I got to meet some people that I type to all the time, and was glad for that. I've seen new things and got together with an old friend. I was in some beautiful, gorgeous weather that I'd be thankful for even during the summer in Chicago, and missed some miserable weather *in* Chicago.
But it's another end of a trip where fantasy meets reality and I have to get back to the real world. One way down the Turnpike, and I enter a fantasy world where I can live for a week where wishes can come true. The other way down the turnpike, and I'm always sad that I'm leaving that world, but I'm getting back home.
I drive about 750 miles, to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where it's cold. There's some rain, but for the most part, it been sunny.
Monday, December 22. Day 11
Reality.
Start day at 4:30am, and am on the road by 5:30. It's 9 degrees outside, even colder where I'm going. When the sun comes up, it stays up, and it's sunny all the way home. As I approach Chicago, the trees and bushes along the expressway look funny. On closer examination, they're covered with ice. Closer to Chicago, the fields turn from brown to white, and by 12:46pm, I'm in my garage. 2464.0 miles.
Since that time, I've caught a cold, gotten a flat tire and one of my headlights has burned out. And I've shoveled snow three times. Welcome home.
End December 2008 Trip Report - Part 5 of 5.
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