wicket2005
<font color=deeppink><marquee behavior=alternate>H
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2005
Wicket2005 Day 9 24/7/05
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
Me, DH, DS16 and DS14
Breakfast at the Ponderosa for 7.15 am. Getting in here early beats the crowds too, get there too late and you end up queuing up out of the door.
First stop today was Universal Studios. This park has the most new rides than any other park since our last visit in 2000 and became our favourite park. The park gates were opened at about 20 to 9, which was fantastic. We were able to get loads of rides done.
We did The Mummy 4 times on the trot. I love this ride but do find I get knocked around a bit on it, usually just on that first drop. DS16 told me to wedge my elbows in, in a certain way but then I ended up hurting my back. So several bruises later we left.
We had 4 goes on the trot on Men in Black. DH lasted for a couple of rides but then the motion sickness set in. DS16 got a huge top score and had to buy the photo to prove it.
I took DS16 on Back to the Future. The novelty of this ride has faded now and it does seem a bit jerky. We still did enjoy it but didnt bother doing it again in the holidays beside which it isnt nice leaving DH and DS14 outside waiting for us. It wasnt a long wait though because we were straight on.
As we were walking back to The Mummy lockers to retrieve my bag we saw the Penguins and the Lion from Madagascar arriving for photos. The kids absolutely adore the penguins and unbelievably the DS16 wanted his photo taken with them. The only characters he wanted to be seen with.
We hurried back to the lockers but were held up by a Mexican family who were having great problems using the lockers. My DH shown them what to do but I am not sure they would have known what to do on their return. Camera/camcorder ready we hurried back, just in time to catch the Penguins and a great photo opportunity. They were only out a short time because of the extreme heat.
We headed over to ET, which again we were straight on. At the end we all listened intently for ET to say our names, I think I caught DS14s name but it was all a bit distorted.
A lovely place to cool off is Curious Georges water area. The kids enjoyed playing in there in 2000 but I wasnt sure whether they would be too old now. DS16 had a wicked glint in his eyes as we headed over there, do they ever grow up when water is about? DS14 decided he was too grown up to go in so I thought I would keep DS16 company. It wasnt long before we were getting each other with the water. I enjoyed getting soaked and it was so cooling. It didnt take DS14 long to come and check us out, after we had tried to get him a few times he decided to join in. DH was enjoying having a sit down in the sun whilst we had a maniac time in the water area.
Thoroughly soaked we then went into the ball area where I stood on the bottom level throwing balls up and promptly getting them fired at me. There were no bags available so I had to keep throwing them up for the kids, which was quite tiring after a while.
We walked back to the main walk way and ended up getting me a pearl, from one of those little stall, for a pendant. It was great fun which the kids enjoyed doing. A poor old lady and her daughter thought the setting was free with the pearl and the assistant got a bit stroppy with them when they said they would just have the pearl.
Jaws was just up the walk way so we ended up back on this and sat in the back seats which are the best ones we discovered. You get to see such a lot more from this seating point.
Twister had a bit of line but then you end up all going into holding pens. DS14 gave me his tee shirt to hold on to so I didnt get lost as I followed him in. Twister is okay but not a ride I would line up for ages for.
We decided to leave the park and try Belz as we headed up Idrive we stopped off at a Subway for a sub. These are such filling sandwiches and well worth the money. As we rejoined Idrive the traffic was really bad. We could see Belz coming up but got diverted off the road by some policemen. The road was closed because there was some massive beer festival on and simply everyone was going there. We just doubled back and headed into Islands of Adventure.
Islands of Adventure was busy, nothing like when we have been there first thing. We walked around but didnt want to wait in any of the lines. I think once we have been used to getting on the rides straightaway or with the minimal wait time going back into the park and seeing longer lines doesnt give you any incentive to line up for something you have already been on.
We ended up doing Poseidons Fury, which we hadnt done when we were in the park the other day.
This did have a bit of a line about 25 minutes but it was inside in a cool atmosphere. I wouldnt like to line up under the full glare of the sun. We all loved the tunnel of water; it is fascinating how this works. We saw more of the show than we saw in 2000 so thought more of it. In these holding pen type of shows it does depend on where you stand to what you can see.
We headed back into Universal and managed to do Shrek 4D (excellent again) and Jimmy Neutron. DH decided to sit in the non-moving seats whilst we sat in the jerky ones. I thought this ride was okay but I liked the Hanna Barbara one better, I am not really into Spongebob and Jimmy but then the little ones of today probably are.
We had a stop off at a great cookie shop where I had an enormous oatmeal cookie and the rest of them had choco chip ones. It was yummy. It was nice seating outside the café for a while.
The Mummy had a short wait time so we had another go on this.
Then I had a massive panic attack when we were in the shop afterwards. Suddenly I thought where was my bag, as I felt my shoulders and scanned the rest of the family to see if they had got it. The bag was virtually a permanent attachment to me. I shouted wheres my bag? to the others right in the middle of the shop. Worried faces greeted me then DS14 said you left it in the locker. Ha, thats right of course. Feeling slightly foolish but greatly relieved we got the said bag from the locker. It had the cameras in plus my passport (for ID purposes, we are going to get photo driving licences for next year) hence the panic when I thought I had lost it.
After this mini drama we left the park. They stopped off at a 7/11 for some food whilst I got a delicious sandwich from the hotels deli. The hotel is spot on for food and isnt anymore expensive than anywhere else on Idrive.
We munched the food in the hotel room before going off to sleep. Another long but extremely enjoyable day.
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
Me, DH, DS16 and DS14
Breakfast at the Ponderosa for 7.15 am. Getting in here early beats the crowds too, get there too late and you end up queuing up out of the door.
First stop today was Universal Studios. This park has the most new rides than any other park since our last visit in 2000 and became our favourite park. The park gates were opened at about 20 to 9, which was fantastic. We were able to get loads of rides done.
We did The Mummy 4 times on the trot. I love this ride but do find I get knocked around a bit on it, usually just on that first drop. DS16 told me to wedge my elbows in, in a certain way but then I ended up hurting my back. So several bruises later we left.
We had 4 goes on the trot on Men in Black. DH lasted for a couple of rides but then the motion sickness set in. DS16 got a huge top score and had to buy the photo to prove it.
I took DS16 on Back to the Future. The novelty of this ride has faded now and it does seem a bit jerky. We still did enjoy it but didnt bother doing it again in the holidays beside which it isnt nice leaving DH and DS14 outside waiting for us. It wasnt a long wait though because we were straight on.
As we were walking back to The Mummy lockers to retrieve my bag we saw the Penguins and the Lion from Madagascar arriving for photos. The kids absolutely adore the penguins and unbelievably the DS16 wanted his photo taken with them. The only characters he wanted to be seen with.
We hurried back to the lockers but were held up by a Mexican family who were having great problems using the lockers. My DH shown them what to do but I am not sure they would have known what to do on their return. Camera/camcorder ready we hurried back, just in time to catch the Penguins and a great photo opportunity. They were only out a short time because of the extreme heat.
We headed over to ET, which again we were straight on. At the end we all listened intently for ET to say our names, I think I caught DS14s name but it was all a bit distorted.
A lovely place to cool off is Curious Georges water area. The kids enjoyed playing in there in 2000 but I wasnt sure whether they would be too old now. DS16 had a wicked glint in his eyes as we headed over there, do they ever grow up when water is about? DS14 decided he was too grown up to go in so I thought I would keep DS16 company. It wasnt long before we were getting each other with the water. I enjoyed getting soaked and it was so cooling. It didnt take DS14 long to come and check us out, after we had tried to get him a few times he decided to join in. DH was enjoying having a sit down in the sun whilst we had a maniac time in the water area.
Thoroughly soaked we then went into the ball area where I stood on the bottom level throwing balls up and promptly getting them fired at me. There were no bags available so I had to keep throwing them up for the kids, which was quite tiring after a while.
We walked back to the main walk way and ended up getting me a pearl, from one of those little stall, for a pendant. It was great fun which the kids enjoyed doing. A poor old lady and her daughter thought the setting was free with the pearl and the assistant got a bit stroppy with them when they said they would just have the pearl.
Jaws was just up the walk way so we ended up back on this and sat in the back seats which are the best ones we discovered. You get to see such a lot more from this seating point.
Twister had a bit of line but then you end up all going into holding pens. DS14 gave me his tee shirt to hold on to so I didnt get lost as I followed him in. Twister is okay but not a ride I would line up for ages for.
We decided to leave the park and try Belz as we headed up Idrive we stopped off at a Subway for a sub. These are such filling sandwiches and well worth the money. As we rejoined Idrive the traffic was really bad. We could see Belz coming up but got diverted off the road by some policemen. The road was closed because there was some massive beer festival on and simply everyone was going there. We just doubled back and headed into Islands of Adventure.
Islands of Adventure was busy, nothing like when we have been there first thing. We walked around but didnt want to wait in any of the lines. I think once we have been used to getting on the rides straightaway or with the minimal wait time going back into the park and seeing longer lines doesnt give you any incentive to line up for something you have already been on.
We ended up doing Poseidons Fury, which we hadnt done when we were in the park the other day.
This did have a bit of a line about 25 minutes but it was inside in a cool atmosphere. I wouldnt like to line up under the full glare of the sun. We all loved the tunnel of water; it is fascinating how this works. We saw more of the show than we saw in 2000 so thought more of it. In these holding pen type of shows it does depend on where you stand to what you can see.
We headed back into Universal and managed to do Shrek 4D (excellent again) and Jimmy Neutron. DH decided to sit in the non-moving seats whilst we sat in the jerky ones. I thought this ride was okay but I liked the Hanna Barbara one better, I am not really into Spongebob and Jimmy but then the little ones of today probably are.
We had a stop off at a great cookie shop where I had an enormous oatmeal cookie and the rest of them had choco chip ones. It was yummy. It was nice seating outside the café for a while.
The Mummy had a short wait time so we had another go on this.
Then I had a massive panic attack when we were in the shop afterwards. Suddenly I thought where was my bag, as I felt my shoulders and scanned the rest of the family to see if they had got it. The bag was virtually a permanent attachment to me. I shouted wheres my bag? to the others right in the middle of the shop. Worried faces greeted me then DS14 said you left it in the locker. Ha, thats right of course. Feeling slightly foolish but greatly relieved we got the said bag from the locker. It had the cameras in plus my passport (for ID purposes, we are going to get photo driving licences for next year) hence the panic when I thought I had lost it.
After this mini drama we left the park. They stopped off at a 7/11 for some food whilst I got a delicious sandwich from the hotels deli. The hotel is spot on for food and isnt anymore expensive than anywhere else on Idrive.
We munched the food in the hotel room before going off to sleep. Another long but extremely enjoyable day.
I am afraid so. 
