Uncle Coaster
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2018
Allow me to start with a brief introduction.
My name is Jeff, I’m 48 years old and a long-time roller coaster and amusement park enthusiast. I first joined the online enthusiast community back in 1997. I love all types of parks from the smallest to the largest and everything in between. When I stopped keeping count I was at just over 250 different coasters ridden and am probably around 275 at this point. While I am nowhere near the most traveled enthusiast, I have been fortunate to have done some great things like a coaster marathon to raise money for the Blue Streak at Conneaut Lake Park, to being invited to spend the night inside Kings Dominion to ride Volcano: The Blast Coaster for the local TV morning shows the next morning, to recording a commercial for Hersheypark.
If you were to ask me about my least favorite days I’ve spent at a park, one of the first that would come to mind is Islands of Adventure. My first trip there was back in 2001 with my father. I had heard how IOA was changing the game as far as theme parks go and it was a rare case of me getting myself too hyped up. To say we walked away disappointed would be an understatement. To put it in perspective: we left Islands of Adventure early to eat dinner at a Denny’s on International Drive.
I would return two more times over the next few years with mixed results but never really thinking that the parks were anything special. Both times were one-day visits while I was in town for other reasons so I’ve never really gone to Florida with the primary purpose being Universal other than that first disappointing day.
I long felt that I owed it to myself to visit the resort, stay on property and just try to take in more of what Universal has to offer and give it another try. That’s especially true considering how much new stuff is there since my last visit, which was before Harry Potter. I’ve looked into it a few times but either the price would prohibit me from going when compared to other places I wanted to travel to or I’d just about decide to go but then find a way to get to WDW for a comparable price instead.
That brings me to this year. I have had a good run at my local casino this summer that has allowed me to (1) give some money to charity, (2) tuck some extra money into savings, and (3) take one extra vacation. After debating between Universal, Vegas, Branson, and a driving trip around Delaware and Virginia, I finally decided upon the long-awaited choice to visit Universal again. And I’m very excited to go back and have my first “real” Universal visit.
It is a short trip. Staying at Sapphire Falls with an annual pass and arriving late afternoon/early evening on Monday, November
15. Tuesday and Wednesday are my full days in the parks with Express Passes. Thursday is a partial day in the parks before heading down to Magic Kingdom for the Merriest After Hours event. I then fly back home on Friday.
My Questions
1. If everything goes perfectly, I may have time to stop into a park for the last 30-60 minutes of day one. Do Universal lines get short right before closing enough to make it worth dropping in and knocking off a ride or two on that first day?
2. Any suggestions for dinner my opening night? I am not a foodie, but it will be only my third actual meal in a month (on an extreme diet) and I’m already hungry for a decent steak.
3. Are the lockers for the rides that don’t allow loose articles a pain or are they something I’ll get used to quickly? Any tips?
4. Does it matter which way I ride the Hogwarts Express first?
5. I know nothing about Harry Potter (and don’t really care to learn). Is there any specific piece of theming or item I should be aware of that somebody ignorant to the story like me might otherwise miss?
6. The only show I remember from my first trips is the Blues Brothers, which I enjoyed very much. Are any of their shows a can’t miss?
7. Early Admission each day is at IOA. I’m assuming I’ll want to do Hagrids and Velocicoaster then. Is that correct? Anything else to look for?
Thanks in advance for any help.
My name is Jeff, I’m 48 years old and a long-time roller coaster and amusement park enthusiast. I first joined the online enthusiast community back in 1997. I love all types of parks from the smallest to the largest and everything in between. When I stopped keeping count I was at just over 250 different coasters ridden and am probably around 275 at this point. While I am nowhere near the most traveled enthusiast, I have been fortunate to have done some great things like a coaster marathon to raise money for the Blue Streak at Conneaut Lake Park, to being invited to spend the night inside Kings Dominion to ride Volcano: The Blast Coaster for the local TV morning shows the next morning, to recording a commercial for Hersheypark.
If you were to ask me about my least favorite days I’ve spent at a park, one of the first that would come to mind is Islands of Adventure. My first trip there was back in 2001 with my father. I had heard how IOA was changing the game as far as theme parks go and it was a rare case of me getting myself too hyped up. To say we walked away disappointed would be an understatement. To put it in perspective: we left Islands of Adventure early to eat dinner at a Denny’s on International Drive.
I would return two more times over the next few years with mixed results but never really thinking that the parks were anything special. Both times were one-day visits while I was in town for other reasons so I’ve never really gone to Florida with the primary purpose being Universal other than that first disappointing day.
I long felt that I owed it to myself to visit the resort, stay on property and just try to take in more of what Universal has to offer and give it another try. That’s especially true considering how much new stuff is there since my last visit, which was before Harry Potter. I’ve looked into it a few times but either the price would prohibit me from going when compared to other places I wanted to travel to or I’d just about decide to go but then find a way to get to WDW for a comparable price instead.
That brings me to this year. I have had a good run at my local casino this summer that has allowed me to (1) give some money to charity, (2) tuck some extra money into savings, and (3) take one extra vacation. After debating between Universal, Vegas, Branson, and a driving trip around Delaware and Virginia, I finally decided upon the long-awaited choice to visit Universal again. And I’m very excited to go back and have my first “real” Universal visit.
It is a short trip. Staying at Sapphire Falls with an annual pass and arriving late afternoon/early evening on Monday, November
15. Tuesday and Wednesday are my full days in the parks with Express Passes. Thursday is a partial day in the parks before heading down to Magic Kingdom for the Merriest After Hours event. I then fly back home on Friday.
My Questions
1. If everything goes perfectly, I may have time to stop into a park for the last 30-60 minutes of day one. Do Universal lines get short right before closing enough to make it worth dropping in and knocking off a ride or two on that first day?
2. Any suggestions for dinner my opening night? I am not a foodie, but it will be only my third actual meal in a month (on an extreme diet) and I’m already hungry for a decent steak.
3. Are the lockers for the rides that don’t allow loose articles a pain or are they something I’ll get used to quickly? Any tips?
4. Does it matter which way I ride the Hogwarts Express first?
5. I know nothing about Harry Potter (and don’t really care to learn). Is there any specific piece of theming or item I should be aware of that somebody ignorant to the story like me might otherwise miss?
6. The only show I remember from my first trips is the Blues Brothers, which I enjoyed very much. Are any of their shows a can’t miss?
7. Early Admission each day is at IOA. I’m assuming I’ll want to do Hagrids and Velocicoaster then. Is that correct? Anything else to look for?
Thanks in advance for any help.