Florida, Universal Studios, and Disney
Florida
The last time I was in Florida
was 10 years ago. Over the years, Florida has always been a fun-filled place
for me – full of theme parks, sunny days, and dripping ice cream.
I remember the first time I
was in Florida, I think I was just around 8 or 9 years old. I was so innocent
and naïve that I actually thought mascots were the real characters and I
remember seeing Minnie Mouse for the first time – it was magical. My parents and
I used to line up for hours just to meet, greet, and get the autographs of
Mickey, Minnie, their crew, and all of the Disney princesses.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This time around, I had fun
but I guess the magic has faded. As an adult, falling in line for a ride for
around 30 minutes mattered a lot and my back was definitely not thanking me.
The climate in Orlando, Florida feels like summer all year long. I used to like
colder climates but I guess as I grew older, the novelty of it has disappeared.
I now like tamer conditions – with temperatures ranging from 16-19 degrees.
There's a live performance of Beauty and the Beast here. Nothing spectacular, but cute to watch.
As a kid, I remember loving meeting Ariel the most, among the other princesses.
In my opinion, for like $100, Disney parks
are overpriced. Most of its parks have only a few rides, and most are catered
to kids. So if you have limited time, and are not into the themed character
rides, I suggest you skip the Disney parks and just head over to Universal.
Hollywood Studios was underwhelming – only thing I liked about it is Star Wars.
The rest was meh. Download the Disney parks app to get updates of the waiting
times. If you haven’t been to Disneyworld though, I still recommend you see
Magic Kingdom. It’s a lot kiddier but if you want to see any of the Disney
parks, pick that instead.
Cabana Bay Beach Resort
(Universal Resort), Florida
We stayed at a Universal
resort due to convenience – you get to access the parks an hour before it opens
to the public, and you get complimentary shuttle service to and from the parks.
You can actually stay at nearby hotels like Holiday Inn, but trust me, the
seemingly short walk from there will feel like a very long one after a day of
lining up and walking under the sun. You’ll be so tired that you’d prefer to
take an Uber after a long day. Uber rides are quite pricey so, the compli
shuttle service is a big plus. Universal parks are massive! It’s actually
nearly impossible to go around one of the parks in just one day since the lines
can get really long.
We purchased a 2 day + 2 free
days pass, which was around $200 plus tax. A big steal, actually! You can
purchase tickets here:
The pool was actually pretty
nice, with white sand and stuff.
Their dining area is also
pretty spacious – and reminds me of a diner, with retro commercials playing in
the big screens. The food is priced a bit pricey – around $10 for pancakes. But
food is actually cheaper here than in City Walk, so if you’re thinking of
eating at the hotel or at the park, better grab your food here.
Universal Studios, Florida
Universal has a couple of
parks, not just one! There’s Islands of Adventure (where the you can find
Hogwarts, Hogsmeade) while the main Universal Studios (where you can find rides
of Gringotts, Shrek, Minions, Simpsons, Jimmy Fallon, Transformers, etc) is
much bigger. They also have a water park called Volcano mountain. Tip: Download
the Universal FL app to get real-time updates on the waiting times. You can
strategize how to go about your day from there.
Wizarding World of Harry
Potter
If you’re a Harry Potter fan,
I’m sorry, you have to buy interpark tickets just to ride the Hogwarts Express.
It’s actually a short train ride to and from Universal Studios and Islands of
Adventure. You ride in an actual train and there will be an LED screen there
that will make it appear like it’s a window. Wouldn’t want to spoil the fun
part…but for me, buying an interpark ticket just to ride this is worth it if
you’re really a fan. Universal actually did a pretty good job in getting more
money from fans actually – you’d have to go to the 2 parks to actually see
Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
But omg, seeing it for the
first time was surreal! I kept squealing like a little girl when I first saw
Hogsmeade – it’s like my imagination came to life. The butterbeer is to die
for! It tastes like a butter toffee soda with creamy foam on top. It is quite
pricey, around $7 a pop. You can order it chilled, frozen, or in the form of
ice cream. The best one is just the chilled version, though.
My favorite ride is Harry
Potter and the Forbidden Journey – it’s the ride inside Hogwarts. It’s pretty
cool – you ride in a gondola that goes in different directions and simulates
flying. Let’s just say you’ll get to feel how it is to play Quidditch too.
Islands of Adventure
If there’s any ride that you
have to go on, pick Skull Island: Reign of Kong. It’s a 4D ride complete with
glasses but the way they did this ride is amazing! It really makes you feel
like you’re riding a safari truck and you’re being swung side to side by King
Kong.
For all of the rides, if you
don’t have small kids with you, I suggest you take the single rider line for
rides with long queues. It usually cuts the waiting time by half and you and
your companions can just meet outside after the ride. This means though that
you won’t be riding with your companions.
City Walk
It’s the place before you
enter the parks – full of retail shops and restaurants. I suggest not eating
here though – most of the restaurants are really pricey and overrated.
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