Universal Studios: Day 1 Experience and First Impressions
As seasoned Disney veterans (as my dad described us to the check-in lady), the thought of vacationing in Orlando without going to Disney has always seemed very outlandish. This year, we wanted to try something new, and since we didn't start planning out trip until the beginning of June, there was no time to hesitate.
Yesterday, we set off on the 15 hour journey in our new Ford Expedition (we needed the increased legroom before another road trip was even in the question) at approximately 6:00 a.m. We had the intentions of stopping along the way to break up the drive, but didn't know how far along we would get. We ended up stopping in Gainesville, FL (about an hour and a half from Universal) at around 11 last night. We stayed in the Drury Inn and Suites (our second favorite chain hotel behind the Embassy Suites, simply because of the delicious free breakfast and complementary snacks). With a family of 6, it is very hard to find a hotel for the night that doesn't require you to book two rooms. This is why we love the Drury. For extended stays, we always get more than one room, but for one night, the two queen bed and pull out couch will do just fine.
We woke up a little later than expected and headed to scarf down our free breakfast. I burnt my waffle because apparently I 'didn't turn the maker hard enough so it never beeped" according to my genius brother, Jacob. We got on the road at about 10 a.m. with an ETA of 11:37 a.m.
After our brilliant GPS system rerouted us around a traffic jam through the middle of no where, we arrived at Universal at around 11:45 a.m. We checked into our hotel so we could get out tickets and headed to the boat to take us to the parks. If you haven't been before, Universal is set up very differently than Disney World. The boat system is the main transportation system and takes you to the City Walk full of shops and restaurants that bridges between the two parks. We headed to Universal Studios park first, simply because it was closest.
My first impression being the Disney World fan that I am was that this park resembled Hollywood Studios a lot. The paved streets and street signs screamed Hollywood Studios. Each area was themed based off of certain movies, as well. Because it was sprinkling when we got there (which actually helped tame the Florida heat), we headed to the indoor rides. Our first attraction was the Shrek 4D show/simulation. The queue reminded me a lot of Bugs Life (get used to me referencing WDW because that is all I have ever known). We picked up 3D glasses and were prompted to "fill in all available space." The show was pretty neat. Lots of 4D elements were incorporated as well as a brief overview of Shrek, which was perfect for people like me who haven't watched Shrek in years.
We then knocked out pretty much the rest of the park besides the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket which was closed for maintenance. I will go into farther detail about each ride and what I thought about it later on in a rides review post. Overall, a lot of the rides reminded me of Disney rides. Most of them in Universal Studios Florida were simulation rides that involved glasses and moving simulators about screens. However, I do have to say that Universal really has stepped up in the virtual reality game. They also are more current in their ride references. As far as lines go, I can't really speak for the regular wait times. Because we have a huge family and had to stay in on of the more expensive resorts, we were able to get the unlimited express pass. This thing is like a fast pass on steroids. For my WDW fans out there, it is equivalent to unlimited fastpasses...all day long...for any ride you want...however many times you want. It is AWESOME! We rarely waited more than 10 minutes in line and that was simply because everyone was crowded around the indoor rides that remained open.
Even though I have never read or watched anything related to Harry Potter, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been my favorite part so far. The theming is impeccable. Everything looks like it was out of a movie. We rode all three Harry Potter rides today and loved them. Lincoln humored/embarrassed us all by dropping his 3D glasses that were made of glass and breaking them right before we got to the stairs. My mom had to chase down the glasses man and get him a new pair. All was well, though, and Linc got new spectacles. We also took the Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure park. It was super handy (besides the wait to board) because it took you directly to the other park, and because we checked in with our tickets while boarding the train, we didn't have to show our tickets upon entry.
As far as food goes, I am not overly impressed, but we have only had one quick service meal. We grabbed a bite to eat at the Monster Cafe in the first park. The set up was very weird with what appeared to be two buffet style lines except you had to order what you wanted. I just had pepperoni pizza which was honestly the biggest piece I have ever seen in my life. It was pretty decent. The others ate rotisserie chicken and burgers which they said were good but kind of dry. What threw me off about this place was the people. I am so used to the overly-energetic Disney cast members that these workers almost seemed bothered by our existence. The lady taking orders was hard to hear, the man taking drink orders wouldn't say a word and just glared at you hoping you knew what he was trying to say, and the check out lady argued with my dad because he wanted a drink with his Monster Combo instead of a milkshake. While the milkshakes were very nice, it is a little more practical to just have a regular drink.
Our time in Islands of Adventure was very short due to our overly tired bodies. We rode both of the Harry Potter rides because they were near the train station and the Incredible Hulk which was super fun and thrilling. From what I saw of Islands of Adventure, it was way more themed and resembled the different lands in Magic Kingdom. It was also a bit more kid friendly with the Suess Landing and other areas for kids. I can't wait to get back in Suess Landing tomorrow to let my inner kid go WILD! It was absolutely adorable. Every ride, shop, restaurant, carousel character, trash can, etc. looked like it came straight from a Dr. Suess book. It made me so happy.
We ended the night by bringing our luggage to our hotel rooms, showering, and tucking in for a night of much needed rest. Our rooms at the Loews Portofino Bay hotel are absolutely gorgeous! They have high ceilings, lots of space, comfy beds, and spacious bathrooms. As I am typing this, I am enjoying the comfort of my own queen bed.
I'm not sure if anyone even cares about my vacation or opinions on Universal, but if anything, these posts will be documentation of a great trip with my family. Let me know what kinds of Universal posts (aside from daily updates) you would be interested in seeing!