Universal Studios is definitely a more adult oriented place. Walking around the park with a cold beer is definitely encouraged. The height requirements on most of the rides means that almost everything is geared toward older kids. I did a lot of meandering on this trip since I had a lot of days to spend at the parks. You could definitely do the circuit on these parks in two days based on the crowds when I went. Take the time to enjoy being an adult at Universal Studios, then go be a kid at Disney.
A huge shout out goes to Mark J. who served as my local tour guide and drinking buddy for the duration of my trip. I had a blast running around the town with you, Mark! Another shout out goes to the best bar, Finnegan's, and the best bartender, Dan.
Best food was definitely Mythos in Islands of Adventure. I got the Risotto of the Day and it was amazing. It was Spinach and Oxtail Risotto with Beef Medallions and Asparagus. It was really amazing. So flavorful and hearty. I wanted to eat it all, but I just couldn't get any more inside of me.
My favorite area of either park was Seuss Landing. I absolutely loved the Cat in the Hat ride, which is very Winnie-the-Poo-esque for Disney fans. My sister and I have an inside joke about being Thing 1 and Thing 2, so that was probably a huge factor on why I liked it so much.
The best ride by far was Simpson's. It replaced Back to the Future, which gave me a headache the first time around. It was a fun ride, even though I'm usually not a fan of the 3D with moving cars. I remember getting a wicked headache from my head slamming against the side of the Back to the Future car when I rode it last. I laughed so hard in this one. It's one that doesn't get old when you ride it over and over because there are little things you pick up on each time. I rode it three times. Honorable mention on best ride goes to Men In Black. I'm sure if I got a score more than 50,000 it'd be higher up on my favorite list.
The best roller coaster was Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. You get to pick the music that plays during the ride. I picked Kanye West's "Stronger" and it definitely added to the experience. I didn't get a chance to ride it and compare to other songs. The coaster itself was really cool, but the pick-your-own-soundtrack was definitely ingenious. Honorable mention for best coaster goes to The Mummy, a dark air-conditioned roller coaster, similar to Space Mountain. Very well done.
I missed the opening of the Harry Potter area by a month and only saw the teasers of the tops of buildings from afar. I was able to get to see the map of what will be where and it looks like it will be a lot of fun for Harry Potter fans. But since the employees have since been let into the area, it should be okay to share the map with all of you!
3 comments:
Sounds like you had a blast, Ann! I love the idea of a park geared towards older kids.
I did have a great time, but I was glad to have someone to run around the park with me. Doing it solo wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. Only good part was being able to go at my own pace.
Universal definitely has a different take on theme parks than Disney. But they do it really well. I kinda wish there was more of the park. But perhaps that feeling will be remedied when HP opens
I did Disneyland a while back solo, and I had a blast, but at the same time, when I had people join me, it was even more fun. :) I'm with you there, good company makes a world of difference. Glad you had a fab time!
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