Hi it's me- you want some pretzel?- a sisters' Dec 2019 USO/WDW trip! new 1/24!

[lvcourtneyy]

Good Thing the Ponchos are in the Car!

At 10:20 AM, we were pulling up to the parking booths at Universal.



Our plan was to go to the park for a few hours and then take a break before the event later. I assumed that if you paid for parking once, it would be good to leave and come back again but we wanted to make sure so Kim asked the TM in the booth. She said if we keep our receipt, we'll have no problem. Then she said well, if you lose your receipt... and the way she said it, we thought she was going to give us some tip...you'll have to pay again. We laughed about that for a while.

We decided we didn't want to carry big bags with us so despite the fact that it was gloomy and overcast, we left the ponchos in the car.

These signs telling you to remember where you parked are the smartest.



Kimberly took this beautiful boomerang on the moving walkway .

https://imgur.com/6hIYLL5

We made it!





We decided to start in Islands of Adventure because we wanted to go see Grinchmas!





It was 10:54 by the time we were entering the park and of course, the downpour started. Good thing we left our ponchos in the car .



We ran into the nearest store to seek cover.



We instantly fell in love with all of the Christmas decorations.







Look at this Hogwarts stocking!









I fell in love with this Who Christmas village for sale.



We waited in line to pick up maps for the Holiday Tree Hunt. This was a free scavenger hunt Universal had through both parks and Citiwalk to find and collect a stamp for different Christmas tree and once you got them all, you could turn it in for an ornament. Sadly, we never finished because we planned to go back on our last day for our last 2 stamps but never did.





The other half of the store had all of the Grinch merch you could dream of.









Kim was really tempted to buy this Grinch loungefly.



I loved the Max ornaments.



It was still raining really hard but the store directly across the way had a stamp location so we decided to make a run for it.



We found our first Tree Hunt tree (surprisingly none of the ones in the other store counted lol)



Each tree location had a stand where you could purchase one of the ornaments featured on the tree.





We had to go to the register counter to get our stamp which we felt bad about because it was pretty busy but they were very accommodating for people to just come up to the side and get their stamp quickly.

There was also a smaller, adorable Harry Potter themed tree in this store.



I just the Sorting Hat tree topper.

​

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Good Thing the Ponchos are in the Car part 2

Having photographed every Christmas decoration in each of the stores, we ran out of ways to entertain ourselves lol and just decided to head out into the rain.

Notice how all the smart people ahead of us have umbrellas and ponchos. #womp





I love how cute the Seuss Landing area of IOA is and we decided to spend time here now so that we could spend most of our time at the Orlando Informer event doing the bigger rides.

First, we went to the Cat in the Hat.





The quote in the line was so accurate for the weather.



The wait time had been posted at 25 minutes which we didn't even mind since we'd be indoors but we only waited 7.



The ride is a cute dark ride through the story of the Cat in the Hat. It reminds me a lot of Winnie the Pooh.

https://imgur.com/EKSigqI

To no one's surprise, the ride leads out to a gift shop and I thought this shirt was adorable.



We walked over to ride One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish but as we got there, they were shutting it down for the weather.





The Circus McGurkus cafe is cute but we've eaten there before and the food is nothing special lol.



Neither of us had ever rode the Caro-Seuss-el before so we decided now was the perfect time.



We just had to wait for the ride cycle to finish before riding.

https://imgur.com/hGo9SNO

I have to tell you- I don't know if it's been a long time since I've been on a carousel or if this one was different but it went way faster than we expected!



We wanted to meet the live action Grinch but weren't sure where exactly and had heard the line could get crazy long so we went on a search!​

 

[pkondz]

Nope. Nuh-uh. For sure not. No.



maybe

Oo wow. Teach me your ways because I buy wayy too much Disney merch!

 

[pkondz]

She said if we keep our receipt, we'll have no problem. Then she said well, if you lose your receipt... and the way she said it, we thought she was going to give us some tip...you'll have to pay again.

Sounds like a scene that could be in Dumb & Dumber Three
"Welcome to our parking lot. How may I assist you?"
"Um... okay... I just wanna park. What else would you do in a parking lot?"
"Very good sir. That will be $25."
"Um... can you break a hundred?"
"Absolutely, sir."
"Great... I'll take a fifty, four tens and a twenty back."
"I'm sorry sir, but that would be $110."
"Right, sorry. Just two fifties back is fine."
"Alrighty then. Here you go. Two fifties. Here's your receipt. And don't lose it! You can get back in for free with it."
"Oh, uh... I, uh... was here earlier and lost my receipt."
"I don't normally do this, but I can tell you're trustworthy, so go right ahead."
"Thanks, can I get my $25 back?"
"I'm so sorry! Of course! Here you go! Have a nice day!"

we left the ponchos in the car.

Queue ominous foreboding music.

Kimberly took this beautiful boomerang on the moving walkway

That right there totally makes the entire TR!

It was 10:54 by the time we were entering the park and of course, the downpour started. Good thing we left our ponchos in the car .

Of course! It was meant to be!

We instantly fell in love with all of the Christmas decorations.

Those are amazing!

We waited in line to pick up maps for the Holiday Tree Hunt. This was a free scavenger hunt Universal had through both parks and Citiwalk to find and collect a stamp for different Christmas tree and once you got them all, you could turn it in for an ornament.

Oh! Cool!

Sadly, we never finished because we planned to go back on our last day for our last 2 stamps but never did.

Well... poop!

Each tree location had a stand where you could purchase one of the ornaments featured on the tree.

Not a way to make money, at all. Nope. Not at all.

Having photographed every Christmas decoration in each of the stores,

I noticed.

Notice how all the smart people ahead of us have umbrellas and ponchos. #womp

First, we went to the Cat in the Hat.

I didn't expect much from that ride, but I liked it!

We walked over to ride One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish but as we got there, they were shutting it down for the weather.

Heh. We didn't because we didn't want to get wet.

The Circus McGurkus cafe is cute but we've eaten there before and the food is nothing special lol.

I agree with everything in that sentence.

I have to tell you- I don't know if it's been a long time since I've been on a carousel or if this one was different but it went way faster than we expected!

Small children were being flung from it!

 

[eliseisawkward]

Bummer about being caught in the rain without ponchos, but looks like you guys still enjoyed yourselves. I feel like with rain once you get a little wet you get over it, especially if you’re in a theme park!

That carousel does go faster than most I think. My nephew thought it was more fun than most carousels... he was 5, but a roller coaster junky and I was surprised he liked this more tame ride.

 

[buzzrelly]

It was 10:54 by the time we were entering the park and of course, the downpour started. Good thing we left our ponchos in the car .

I would have gone back to the car at that point, or just sucked it up and bought a new poncho. I hate walking around wet all day, and plus, I can't remember when exactly you went, but I was there in early December and it was freezing! I can't imagine being soaked on top of it! (And yes…this is the mom in me talking )

We waited in line to pick up maps for the Holiday Tree Hunt. This was a free scavenger hunt Universal had through both parks and Citiwalk to find and collect a stamp for different Christmas tree and once you got them all, you could turn it in for an ornament. Sadly, we never finished because we planned to go back on our last day for our last 2 stamps but never did.

So close!

The ride is a cute dark ride through the story of the Cat in the Hat. It reminds me a lot of Winnie the Pooh.

Looks cute. We haven't spent too much time in Seuss-land because my kids were older and had zero interest by then. They would have loved it when they were younger.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I am craving pancakes right now
We don’t have any waffle houses around us, we have Perkins and that is it!
I still haven’t been to the Character Warehouse and really want to check it out!
Andi and I spent some rainy time in Suess Landing and we thought the carousel was on steroids,
We rode Cat in the Hat like 3x waiting out the rain ️ We left our ponchos in the room to be bag less, not the best idea, oh well!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Uh oh, as soon as you leave the ponchos in the car, that guarantees rain, right?

I have to tell you- I don't know if it's been a long time since I've been on a carousel or if this one was different but it went way faster than we expected!

As a frequent rider of carousels while accompanying kids, I can tell you there is a vast difference in speed. Generally, I would expect a big park like Universal to have a slower one. It's the old ones from carnivals or down the shore that tend to whip you around more. The more rundown or unsafe the carousel looks, the faster that things going to go! Maybe Universal was just leaning into their reputation as the place for thrill rides.

 

[missangelalexis]

Ahh I'm sorry leaving your ponchos ended up being a bad decision

Good thing Seuss landing isn't too far away! I love that area so much!

 

[ariane37]

It was 10:54 by the time we were entering the park and of course, the downpour started. Good thing we left our ponchos in the car

This is us ALL THE TIME. We bring ponchos with us to Disney/Universal, sure!
And they stay in our suitcases

The ride is a cute dark ride through the story of the Cat in the Hat. It reminds me a lot of Winnie the Pooh.

I agree it reminds me of Pooh too I do like riding it, so cute and basic but I like it thatway!

Stinks you had the rain but so far looks like you managed to enjoy your first couple hours!

 

[amazingact21]

Uh oh, sorry to hear the ponchos were left in the car and you had to battle the FL rain unarmed.
All the trees in the stores look amazing. I love seeing the themed trees in the parks during the holidays.

It would be hard to resist that Grinch loungefly backpack!

Some carousels can go pretty fast. Guess Universal was having pity on all the parents who got stuck taking their kids on the ride over and over again. "We'll give you a little bit of a thrill!"

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Sounds like a scene that could be in Dumb & Dumber Three
"Welcome to our parking lot. How may I assist you?"
"Um... okay... I just wanna park. What else would you do in a parking lot?"
"Very good sir. That will be $25."
"Um... can you break a hundred?"
"Absolutely, sir."
"Great... I'll take a fifty, four tens and a twenty back."
"I'm sorry sir, but that would be $110."
"Right, sorry. Just two fifties back is fine."
"Alrighty then. Here you go. Two fifties. Here's your receipt. And don't lose it! You can get back in for free with it."
"Oh, uh... I, uh... was here earlier and lost my receipt."
"I don't normally do this, but I can tell you're trustworthy, so go right ahead."
"Thanks, can I get my $25 back?"
"I'm so sorry! Of course! Here you go! Have a nice day!"

Queue ominous foreboding music.

They should've made that louder.

That right there totally makes the entire TR!

I knew that's the content you were here for!

Not a way to make money, at all. Nope. Not at all.

100% not. A theme park would never do that.

Heh. We didn't because we didn't want to get wet.

I kinda remember there being a poem you have to listen to- and if you follow the instructions, you don't get wet. It's been a lot of years since I actually was on it though!

Small children were being flung from it!

That's what it felt like!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Bummer about being caught in the rain without ponchos, but looks like you guys still enjoyed yourselves. I feel like with rain once you get a little wet you get over it, especially if you’re in a theme park!

True! I had a soccer coach in high school who used to make us practice in the rain and tell us "You only get wet once" lol.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

I would have gone back to the car at that point, or just sucked it up and bought a new poncho. I hate walking around wet all day, and plus, I can't remember when exactly you went, but I was there in early December and it was freezing! I can't imagine being soaked on top of it! (And yes…this is the mom in me talking )

I'm not sure why we didn't just suck it up and buy new ponchos lol. I guess we were just being stubborn but that's 100% what we should've done!

Looks cute. We haven't spent too much time in Seuss-land because my kids were older and had zero interest by then. They would have loved it when they were younger.

I think if you give it a few more years, your kids will appreciate the nostalgia of Seuss-land! I remember being in my teens and being too "cool" to enjoy anything that had to do with my childhood but I grew out of that and was able to appreciate them again.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

I am craving pancakes right now

Oo I could definitely go for pancakes!

We don’t have any waffle houses around us, we have Perkins and that is it!

We don't have it near us either. We used to have a bunch of Perkins but they all seem to have closed in the last few years. We have IHOP though.

I still haven’t been to the Character Warehouse and really want to check it out!

You should go! It can be hit or miss but there can be great deals!

Andi and I spent some rainy time in Suess Landing and we thought the carousel was on steroids,

We rode Cat in the Hat like 3x waiting out the rain We left our ponchos in the room to be bag less, not the best idea, oh well!

Going bagless always seems nice when you don't have to carry so much but then when things like this happen, you realize there's a reason you have all that stuff!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Uh oh, as soon as you leave the ponchos in the car, that guarantees rain, right?

Basically yes!

As a frequent rider of carousels while accompanying kids, I can tell you there is a vast difference in speed. Generally, I would expect a big park like Universal to have a slower one. It's the old ones from carnivals or down the shore that tend to whip you around more. The more rundown or unsafe the carousel looks, the faster that things going to go! Maybe Universal was just leaning into their reputation as the place for thrill rides.

Thank you for sharing your carousel research! It makes sense- those carnival rides that go up one day and come down the next always seem to be on the edge of safety lol

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Ahh I'm sorry leaving your ponchos ended up being a bad decision

Isn't that always the way

Good thing Seuss landing isn't too far away! I love that area so much!

Me too! It's adorable.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

This is us ALL THE TIME. We bring ponchos with us to Disney/Universal, sure!
And they stay in our suitcases

Great minds think alike.

I agree it reminds me of Pooh too I do like riding it, so cute and basic but I like it thatway!

Me too! I love thrill rides but not every ride needs to be the biggest roller coaster!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Uh oh, sorry to hear the ponchos were left in the car and you had to battle the FL rain unarmed.

It's always the worst decision to say "eh we probably won't need ponchos"

All the trees in the stores look amazing. I love seeing the themed trees in the parks during the holidays.

Me too!

Some carousels can go pretty fast. Guess Universal was having pity on all the parents who got stuck taking their kids on the ride over and over again. "We'll give you a little bit of a thrill!"

maybe they're hoping it will prepare kids to go on the bigger rides!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

update on next page!