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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Movie Rides - Should You Watch the Movie Before or After?

  On our recent trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, we experimented with two Movie Rides to find out which strategy is more fun. Two of our favorite Movies (and Rides) are Twister and Jaws.
  Even when we do not have a Universal Studios in Orlando trip planned, we still like to watch the movie Jaws and the movie Twister at least once a year. I personally prefer watching during the Summer, as both movies take place in the Summer as well.
  This year, we watched Twister about two weeks before our trip. As we walked along the aisles to get into the Twister ride, the monitors showed interviews with some of the stars from the movie, along with actual footage of real twisters terrorizing the Midwest US. The wait was about 20 minutes that day, and during that time I kept thinking back to the movie, and the whole experience seemed to be a bit more real. Once we got in and experienced the "Universal Studios Twister", the whole experience really came together.  Even though we had been through this ride before, we found ourselves looking forward to see specific parts that we remembered from the movie. Without ruining it for those that are planning a first trip to Universal Studios in Orlando Florida, watch for "flying cows"!
  On the other hand, we planned to watch the movie Jaws on the Saturday night after we came home from our trip. This time, I found that the ride was fun, but I found myself wishing that I had seen the movie first. The ride really makes you feel like a tourist on Amity Island, and getting a bit wet felt good in the heat that day, but I felt a little different than with Twister. Ultimately, I watched the movie Jaws at home, looking for the parts I experienced from the ride. This helped to enjoy the MOVIE more, but not the ride.
  Overall, I feel that it is better to watch the Movie First. This way, your experience at the ride can be more enhanced, and it sometimes may help to understand the names or actions that are in the ride. Your Universal Studios in Orlando Florida experience will probably be more fun if you watch the movie first, and then go to the park. Try it and tell us which way that you think is better!

Save Your Money for Harry Potter Souvenirs!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Did You Know ...

   Did you know that the Three Broomstick Restaurant in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure is located on the same site where the old Enchanted Oak Tavern from
 the Merlin Woods of The Lost Continent attraction had once stood?

Why Buy the Universal Studios Express Plus Pass?

  On our last trip, we did not purchase the Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Express Plus Pass. It does cost a bit more money for each person, but we know first hand what it felt like standing in the beautiful but hot Orlando Sun, only to watch with envy as the Express Plus Pass holders walked right up to each attraction. The Express Plus Pass allows you to avoid the lines at almost all the attractions in both parks, but there are a couple of exceptions. Anyone standing with small children, or older folks, or just those that do not feel well standing in the sun for long periods would do well to pay the additional money for the Express Plus Pass.
  These passes are only good for one time on each ride (ie; one ride on Twister, one ride on Disaster, etc.) but your regular ticket allows you to go as often as you like.  Unfortunately, you only get one express entrance per ride. As of this writing, you cannot use the Express Plus Pass on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Always check the current list when planning your purchase. Lastly, consider the weather and the time of year that you are visiting. During the busiest seasons and on days with very hot or very wet weather, the Express Plus Pass is a great idea!
  After standing on the longer lines, we would have been glad to pay more because we would have seen and done more, felt much better, and overall would have had more fun! Universal Express Plus Pass - It just makes sense!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Best Advice That We Could Give You!

  Visiting Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando Florida certainly can become the time of your life! Families, people of all ages as well as just about anyone that loves to have fun will love a vacation to this great Orlando Attraction! We really like the rides that allow you to feel that you are a part of the movie, such as Jaws and E.T. These rides provide plenty of fun for all. The one thing that we found that is not fun is waiting in lines.
  To be honest, depending on what time of the year that you travel to Universal Studios in Orlando, the waiting times to get on the attractions can be quite long. This is the down side of any popular theme park, especially in the Orlando Sun!  Another thing that we felt is that they often "under-estimated" the actual waiting times to get on the ride. Some attractions that showed 40 minute wait times, such as Shrek 4D, actually took well over an hour to get in to see.
  The best advice that we would give anyone visiting Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure in Orlando would be to "Buy The Express Plus Passes" This is especially true now that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is open!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park Rides

Just Got Back From Universal Studios in Florida!

We just got back from an awesome trip to Universal Studios in Florida! We visited Islands of Adventure next door, and of course, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Any visit to Orlando Florida is cool, but we really had a great time! There are a few things that we learned about saving time and most of all, saving money. We hope to share our little tricks with you as we go forward! Even if you didn't think you could afford a Universal Studios Vacation, we'll try to help you find the best deals to save money but have fun! Thanks for visiting but please sign up to follow this blog so you don't miss all our future posts to help you enjoy your Universal Studios Vacation.

Hint: Coming Soon - Universal Studios Orlando Florida Trivia!