Today was unreal beyond words!!!! But let's start at the beginning and we'll get to the exciting part!
Up at 7, after a restless night with Lexi, she's still mot 100%. We were out the door by 8:30! What the? Unheard of on this holiday so far, lol. We head down to reception and buy the tickets for Universal Studios, our park of choice today. Janet, Peter, Gerrod and Pam all got a 1 day pass as they only have 2 days left here, Glenn and I and the kids all got 2 day passes as we don't head off till Sunday. For those of you who don't know, on Sunday we head to Cape Canaveral to get on our Disney cruise, but janet, Peter, Gerrod and Pam head down to Miami on thursday.
We arrive at Universal Studios right at opening time, 9am, yay us!!!! Universal Studios is broken up into 2 islands as such, u have Universal on the right and Islands of adventure on the left, we decided to do Islands of Adventure first because of Harry Potter land, a no brained really! Well what can I say, OMG!!!! It's amazing, exactly like the movies!!!! There are 3 rides in Harry Potter land, the duelling dragons, a twin roller coaster that twist and turns, the flight of the Hippogriff, a kid friendly gentler roller coaster and Harry Potter the Forbidden Journey (when we first arrived we didn't know what this ride entailed, so I'll explain further along). When you first enter you come face to face with the hogswart express, very cool. Then u enter Diagon Alley, there's honey dukes (lolly shop) the 3 broomsticks (restaurant) the post office, Olivanders (the wand shop) and 3 or 4 carts selling butter beer (the beverage of choice for hogswart students), yummo! Think icy butterscotch with a fluffy vanilla top on it! Once u get to the end of Diagon Alley u hit......... The Castle!!! Wow, it just blew me away! There weren't too many people there yet so we decided to hit the rides first and then check out the shops. Speaking of crowds, I'm not sure if I have mentioned the lack of them so far this trip? It's been fantastic, so much so that if we have to wait any longer than 15 mins for a ride we come back later! Now I'm told in peak season u can be waiting hours!!!!! So if you're ever thinking of doing Orlando, and I'd certain ky recommend it, then September is the time to do it!!!! Anyways back to the rides..........
So the forbidden journey was first up, Glenn Peter Gerrod and Pam were up for it, the kids not so much and me with my major fear of the unknown wasn't attempting it till I knew every finer detail about it! So Janet and I stay with the kids. We wait just outside the castle which I'd opposite the flight of the Hippogriff, after watching it a few times the girls start to eye it off. "u two go on it while we are waiting!" "ok!!!" and they're off. When they get off they are raving about it, next thing u know Lexi is mum I want to go on it, then kai says "me too!" (hmmm u sure about that buddy???) the other riders come out from the castle, Gerrod "wow that's cool I've experienced nothing like it!, dads a bit green though!" hmmmmm. Glenn, looking a bit pale and shocked "that was amazing, took me back a bit!" then Peter comes out " well that was interesting, throws unaround a bit, I feel a bit crook" ok so that me out!!!!!
Lexi "dad dad I want to go on that!" points to the roller coaster, so off they go the girls Glenn and lexi Gerrod and Kai. They survive, even kai and noooooo tears!!! Butter beer is next on the agenda as the duelling dragons is all we have left and I sure as hell know I'm not going on that!!!! Seriously the butter beer is yum!!!! It tastes like butter scotch! I got the frozen one but there was a normal one too. Glenn and Peter (gluton for punishment really) go on the dueling dragons, basically it's coasters that are identical but the twist and turn around each other, completely freaked me out just watching, but whatever floats your boat I say......... The kids and Janet and I stayed in Diagon alley and checked out the shops, honey dukes was our first (and only) stop, checking out all the sweets and what we would purchase later, you've gotta try these things! The boys come off, Peter a little shaken, Glenn was in his element (crazy). By now I had Lexi asking every 10 seconds "when are going to dr suess??" so I don't have to tell u where we went next! First stop was a train ride, kinda like a little kiddy roller coaster, charli and I were in the first carriage, we even worked up the courage to put our hands in the air!!!! Bahahahahahaha, ahhh kai and lexi loved it, and really it's kinda my speed! Then we go on the carousel and one fish two fish red fish blue fish, like the dumbo ride at Disney o ly you're in fish and there is water spuritn out at regular intervals and you gotta try to stay out of the way! Well, my driver, lexi, wasn't so good at that and yep I ended up soaked! Lots of fun though and she had a ball, as did kai riding on his own. Then straight to the cat in the hat, a cart that seats 6 people and it takes u around on a track going through the scenes of the book, what they fail tom tell u is that it spins around and jerks you this way and that! Then u go into a dark room and it spins spins spins some more!!!! Oh we thought kai was going to have a heart, the rest of us just laughed laughed. It turns out kai actually really like it, shock horror! Ok so enough kiddy stuff, it's time for a real mans ride, the hulk is next. A stomach churning roller coaster, and thats just from the ground! Glenn Gerrod and Pam go and enjoy that one, I got some rippa pics of them on it! Then lunch, and the kids have a slash around in a kids play area in dr suess land. By the time we finished lunch they were soaked! but cool, was very hot again today. Off to toon lagoon and this time kalahni Glenn Janet and Peter go on the splash mountain ride, ha got some more very unflattering photos of Janet on this one! We then move on into Jurassic park, the kids did some rock climbing, kai ended up with quite a crowd standing around watching him as he slowly made his way to the very top, all the while saying "I can't", to ring the bell, and when he did everyone clapped! The girls had fun challenging themselves too, kalahni was up and down like spiderman! The rapids was the next ride of choice but we couldn't find it, then we discovered it was back in toon lagoon! Back we go only to discover it was closed!!!! Grrrrr
By now the kids are dried off a little so we decide to attempt the spiderman ride, a 3d simulated style ride, I was a bit hesitant but after speaking to the ride man and he assuring me lexi would be fine, I though ahhh toughen up princess let's do this! Of course kai went into meltdown mode so Glenn stayed with him and the girls and I went in, geez I hope lexi can look after herself! Lol. Ahhhh it was unreal!!!!! I had to close my eyes a couple of times, as did lexi, but I survived! The girls, Inc lexi took Glenn on while I stayed with kai. When Glenn got off he said that if I liked that then I could definately handle the Harry potter
ride, hmmmmm we'll see!
The rest of the day, well the last 3 opening hrs, we revisited the kids favorite rides and shopped. Our day ended at Harry potter, yep I went on that damn ride! Alone mind u cause kalahni wouldn't come! I felt sick waiting in that line BUT as Glenn promised I'm so glad I did it!!!!! It was amazing, I got to experience flying on a broomstick (yes believe it or not I've never done that before, it's not my first mode of transport!) play quitich, get chased. Y dragons and dementors and huge spiders!!!! All the while being tipped upside down and sie to side, it was so much fun!!!! When I cam out the usual Orlando storm had hit so it was pouring and all the outdoor rides were closed, no flight of the Hippogriff for me, and just when I was getting into the swing of things!!!! When I found the others I told kalahni she had to do it, and that charli would love it too, especially if they loved spiderman!!! They both agreed, Glenn took them on and guess what???? They....................loved it too!!!! Phew, lol
After a bit of shopping it wa time to leave, just outside the park they have a downtown area so we grabbed a bite to eat there, hang on it's only 7pm, we don't do dinner till 10!!!! So when we pulled up at the resort just after 8 we where cheering!!!! Yet still here I am at 11:15 pm writing this blog! Ah it was great to have a big day and then be home and ready for bed at a reasonable hour!
Tomorrow sees us heading to Disneys Animal Kingdom in the morning and then possibly a water park in The arvo ???? I guess you'll find out tomorrow, as will we! Lol
Till next time
Cheers
Clair xx
p.s Universal is all over Disneys magic kingdom, just sayin ;)
p.s.s now I've read the preview, my apologies for the damn typo's!!!!!! :(
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