Weekend at Universal

The last time I was in Orlando had to be almost 20 years ago because I distinctly remember making a joke about going down there to help count hanging chads--a reference to the heinous Bush-Gore debacle of 2000. It was also December because there were Christmas themed events and performers in holiday costumes at the theme parks. My partner and I went to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and all four Disney parks. It was loads of fun so when my brother Jonathan, a huge theme parkgoer suggested we spend the Martin Luther King Day weekend at Universal, I jumped at the chance. There had been many changes in the park since I was there last, chiefly the new Harry Potter rides, and I liked Universal more than Disney. The former struck me as more adult-oriented and Disney was more for kids and families.


I arrived late Friday night after a Delta flight, watching the end of The Women (1939)--I saw the start on my flight back from Puerto Vallerta during the Christmas-New Years' week--and the beginning of Auntie Mame (1957). We were staying at the Loewe's Pacific Resort on the property, with access to the parks via water taxi. Because we were at a Universal Hotel, our room keys gave us Express Pass Access. This was a godsend, allowing us to rocket past long lines. In addition, Jonathan has premiere membership which entitled us to all kinds of discounts.

Saturday was a perfect day for the park with temperatures soaring to 80 (It was in the frigid teens back in NYC). We actually debated going to Volcano Bay, Universal's water park, but opted for the theme parks instead. Breakfast at the hotel was free because the hotel pool was empty. (Jonathan got food vouchers because of the inconvenience.) The buffet was generous and reminded me of the fantastic breakfasts at the hotels in Hawaii. They even had a pancake maker churning out perfect thin specimens of the pancake art. Then we got on the water taxi and started at Universal Studios. Minion Mayhem was our first stop. This is a simulated 3-D ride through the world of Despicable Me in the theater formerly housing Jimmy Neutron (which has been cancelled by Nickelodeon.) The premise is we are transformed into the little yellow helpers of the evil genius Gru and whisked through his factory of destruction. Then the Transformer Ride, also in 3-D--this was very similar to the Spider-Man ride in Islands of Adventure with parkgoers in vehicles taken over by animated heroes and villains. Both rides were fun, but not super-thrilling, so we only went on them once.

We almost got involved in watching an NBC pilot and offering our opinion, but it turned out we were not the right age or race demographic. That would have wasted a good 45 minutes, so it was just as well. A stroll through the Simpsons' home town of Springfield was next. The Simpson's ride took over for Back to the Future with the time travel vehicles replaced by rollercoaster cars gone amok as the vengeful Sideshow Bob is out to destroy the family for putting him in prison. The ride was very funny and satirized conventions of theme parks such as expensive sovereigns, and long lines ("I waited for hours to go on this thing and I'm riding it!" angrily cried Homer even though he knows Sideshow Bob had rigged it to kill him.) We also went on Kang and Kodos' Twirl and Hurl, basically a kiddie ride dressed up as an alien encounter.

I'd forgotten how much fun Men in Black was and there was a live animal show with birds grabbing dollar bills out of audience members' hands. We visited the Daigen Alley section of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter next. It was like stepping into a movie set with thousands of kids and adults dressed in their witching robes and trying to cast spells with overpriced wands. This area was extremely crowded. It reminded me of visiting the Vatican on Christmas Day, being surrounded by thousands of tourists of a different faith. I enjoyed reading the first three Harry Potter books and seeing all of the films, but I stop short at shelling out hundreds of dollars to pretend to be a boy wizard. The ride at Diagen Alley was based on Gringotts', the magical bank where students of Hogwarts keep their accounts. Evil Helena Bonham-Carter and Ralph Fiennes attempt to kidnap us as we tour the facility and Harry and friends save us. Remarkably similar to Spider-Man and Transformers. BTW, the new King Kong and Fast and Furious rides are copies of each other with a bus threatened by bad guys or a big gorilla and images projected on either side but not in the front. Jimmy Fallon's Race Through New York was quirky goofiness as we rocket through NYC with the talk-show host (Amusing to see Times Square depicted as part of a fantasy world.)

Sunday was much colder but even more exciting as I encountered Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. This is the first Potter ride, it's at Islands of Adventure. (Gringott is at the other park, Universal and was built afterwards.) Situated inside a giant recreation of Hogwarts' Castle, this is my new favorite ride of all time, even better than Spider-Man. You are on benches about to view a Quidditch match and suddenly given the power of flight, even turning completely upside down at a few points. Thanks to a combination of film, rollercoaster movement, actual monsters and spiders, it really feels as if you are levitating on a broom, following Harry on his adventures. We rode it a total of four times. Also exciting was the Mummy's Revenge (hurtling through darkness accompanied by horrifying visions of beetles, mummies and Egyptian demons.) ET, which was so thrilling when I first came to the park in 2000, felt incredibly child-like and tame compared to the new attractions.

Monday was just as chilly as Sunday and we finished up any rides we had skipped during the previous two days since I had to leave for the airport by 3PM. The only one we didn't go on were the two water rides since it was so cold--we didn't want to get drenched--and the extreme roller coasters like the Hulk (maybe next time). The kiddie Woody Woodpecker one and the quaint Flight of the Hippogriff with its wicker cars provided just enough jostle without terror. It was a wonderful time and a chance to reconnect with my brother. I felt like a joyful kid again and want to do all of Disney next along with Sea World, Busch Gardens and any other Orlando attractions.

Here is a breakdown of all the rides and events we experienced:
Saturday:
Minion Mayhem
Transformers
The Simpson Ride
Kang and Kodos' Twirl and Hurl
Animal Actors on Location
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (twice)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter--Diagen Alley
Lunch at Lombard's Seafood Grill
Men in Black Alien Attack
Universal Superstar Parade
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Dinner at Toothsome

Sunday
Fast and Furious
Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure
Hogsmeade
Flight of the Hippogriff (twice)
Skull Island: Reign of Kong
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (twice)
Storm Force Accelatron
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
The Cat in the Hat
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (twice)
Hogwarts Express back to Universal Studios
The Mummy's Revenge
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (again)
ET Adventure
Dinner at Cowfish

Monday
Morning donuts at Voodoo Donut
Doctor Doom's Freefall
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (again)
Flight of the Hippogriff
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (two more times)
Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster
Shrek in 4-D