The Morthens Do Orlando (and the Caribbean) - Dec 2010

[sandie]

The First Day......

So we finally did wake up at 1 pm on the day we were meant to spend at Islands of Adventure. By 2pm we were heading in the park and after stiopping for some fruit for breakfast/lunch on the way in we headed clockwise around the park. First up was Spiderman which is still an amazing attraction. Eloise and I went on Dudley Do-Rights Rip Saw Falls and we then continued around the park to Jurassic Park and finally to Wizarding World - as expeceted after such a delayed arrival the place was swamped. We did the Duelling Dragons - Fire and the kids and I then did ICe. Peter was suffereing from the flight, lack of sleep and the fact we last ate real food on teh Sydney to LA flight so he sat it out.

We had a family conference and decided we would head to the front of the park, grab a drink and sort out who wanted to do what. John was lagging along with his Dad so they headed back to the hotel and ELoise and I went and lined up for The Forbidden Journey. The posted wait was 60 minutes and it was more like 45. The queue itself is amazing once you enter the castle and you kinda wish the line was a bit slower so you can take it in. The ride itself is amazing - the ride system is so different and although the storyline is patchy the effects are so good it doesn't matter. There were two bits that startled a scram out of me.

We wandered around Hogsmeade but didn't get into any shops except Zonko's - there were 30 minute lines for the other shops - 60 for Ollivaners! We decided we would shop on our early entry day.

We were due back at the hotel but snuck into Cat in the Hat on out way out of the park and then caught the boat back to the resort.

We re-convened with the starving boys who expressed their displeasure when I said we had to go buy mobiles before we could eat - that took an hour and we were at Cracker Barrel eating by 9. After dinner we stopped at Walmart and bought some essentials and after a quick stop at Walgreens we were in bed by midnight for the kids and 2 am for the grown ups ( We already had laundry to do!)

[sandie]

Day 2 - we visit Shamu!

It was off to Seaworld today which the kids and I love. Instead of a blow by blow I will just give some thoughts:

The boys in my family take twice as long to get ready as the girls do!

The shows at Seaworld have changed heaps since the whale ate the trainer - the trainers no longer get in the water at all during the shows.

Kracken is still a great coaster, Manta is the scariest thing I have ever been on - never again. You feel so out of control - just like free falling out of a plane.

Seaworld needs to get some big sharks not the pissy little baby ones they have!

Most tourists are rude!

After Seaworld we headed to CityWalk and had dinner at Pastamore and saw the new Harry Potter. However after not one minute of sleep the night before I think I missed 30 minutes of the movie when I was asleep! Nothing important happened in that tent right????????????

I obviously had a much earlier nights sleep!

[mushu mama]

Wow... pretty packed itinerary.... all sounds wonderful though.

LOL... you fell asleep in HP??? Jet lag :1 Sandie: 0

keep posting, its making my Christmas brighter.

[churros]

The tent scene!!!!!!! HAve you not read the book?

You make me what to have an early night.

[KeithS]

Great updates Sandie - I haven't read anything about the rides at Harry Potter so you'll have to give us some detail when you get back.

Manta looks awesome - I can't wait to ride that one day, even if it is sort of scary.

Keep the updates coming - as Lisa said, you are brightening up our count down to Christmas!

[ajp]

Keep them coming Sandie, short but very informative, I like it.

I agree Spiderman is an awesome ride. We rode it numerous times too. Shame to hear about the Shamu show, but then that's understandable given recent events.

Kracken is still a great coaster

Yep agree, Kracken was a hoot.

Manta is the scariest thing I have ever been on - never again.

Big Girl's Blouse! Manta is a ride on another level altogether. The only thing stopping us riding it more was the 60+ minute wait. Did they have the Polar Express ride again this year?

Most tourists are rude!

[ColinA]

At least the weather has not been too cold for you this year.

[ColinA]

Don't forget, if you have annual passes there is 10% discount on all merchandise, you need photo ID.

[JLarock4]

I can hardly stand it. The box filled with Disney balloons is ready and wrapped for the girls' Christmas morning surprise. I can't believe we've kept this a secret for about 9 months now and tomorrow they find out about the trip (but not about their friend from Down Under)!

Jeannette
The U.S. friend

[ajp]

I think we're just as excited here Jeanette. Let us know the response. Merry xmas!

[KeithS]

The box filled with Disney balloons is ready and wrapped for the girls' Christmas morning surprise.

Welcome to our website Jeanette - we can't wait to hear all about it!

[sandie]

The tent scene!!!!!!! HAve you not read the book?

Yes I have read the book - more than once - but I thought it may be different!!!!!

THe day to day updates are obviously not going to happen so when I do get the chance to get on I will just make comments:

1. Manta - not only is it scary but it damaged me! when the harness comes down the leg "grips" automatically close of course no one told me this so a leg grip closed on my shin. No pain that day but by the next night I thought I was having a dvt until I saw the huge bruise on my leg!!!! That ride is out to get me!

2. Harry Potter and the Forbidden JOurney - I have now ridden it 8 times with a few more times planned for tomorrow. It is the sort of attraction you would have expected Disney to do - there is no comparrission. Recent rides we have done the single rider line which by passes the castle walk thru which is a shame as the effects in the queue rival those in the ride itself. Its a shame it dumps you and the 4,500 other people who just got off it into a small gift shop the size of our hotel bathroom so you have little or no chance to see your photo. Or to buy anything for that matter.

3. Butterbeer. We have bought 2 now - the first after waiting in a line for 60 minutes was the regular one and I doubt anyone - even LIsa - could drink one without sharing it. The drink is like creaming soda - the old brown one with a topping like melted whip cream out of a can. You can not drink it before a ride - you will vomit! Today we lined up for 25 minutes to get a frozen one - much more drinkable but the foam is still disgusting! $4.25 for a normal disposable cup - $11 for a collectable mug.

4. Dragon Challenge - still Fire and Ice except for the Tri Wizard Cup in the foyer!

5. Three Broomsticks - we had a free breakfast with our package - it was very nice for theme park food although I am not sure why they bother putting black pudding on it - we along with all the poms threw it out and the Americans just starred at it until we told them what it was and then they threw it out!

6. Hogsmeade - to date we have only been in Ollivanders but Eli and I are heading there at 6.30 am tomorrow for early entry with a plan to shop. As posted earlier later in the day you have to line up to get in the shops. The themeing is very very good though - photos to come!

7. Crowds. Both Universal Parks are empty except Wizarding World. If you are not there at early entry you have to get a fast pass to get into the area. For example we got a pass at 10 today that let us back in at 12.20. We have been to Magic Kingdom, Disney Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom and have had small crowds - we have been using Tour Guide MIkes recommendations. We head onsite on Sunday so we will see if his advice makes the Christmas crowds more manageable. We were at Downtown Disney today from 3.30 pm and the crowds were fine. La Nouba is a great show and T-Rex has surprisingly good food - although without our reservation we would have had a 90 minute wait.

8. Weather - freezing mornings, days have been heating up to around 24 although temperatures are expected to plumment on Boxing Day.

9. The majority of visitors at Universal are from England or South America or India (A few times it was like I was talking to Telstra!) to date we have heard very few US accents. That was a bit different at Disney though.

10. Best US moment - I was standing in line at Walmart and offered the men behind me to go first. They declined and I noticed they had bait fish so I asked what they were fishing for. I got told: "We is going illegal gator fishing. They are good eating"! I wonder if non illegal gators taste as good!

11. Cute kid moment - the 6 year old who told me that I could only ride The Mummy if I didn't play basball because the scary Mummy likes to eat baseball players: I believe he was referencing the captive park employee in scene one - he was very concerned for my safety!

12. Bad Food Moment - the salt and vinegar flavoured crickets and bbq flavoured lavae at Universal's Candy shop



Ok If I think of More I will come back - Merry Christmas!

[ajp]

Have a merry Orlando Xmas sandie and enjoy what universal Orlando has to offer on Xmas day! Hope the weather holds out till you board the magic!

[mushu mama]

Merry Christmas Sandie... -/

sounds like you are having an awesome time looking forward to the photos

[sandie]

Forbidden Journey had a 95 minute line today - 35 minutes just to the compulsory lockers - but not for the Morthens!!!! We figured out you can enter the locker area from Filches and duck straight across to the single rider line after stowing your possessions!!! Maybe not fair to everyone else but I have not stood in one line the last week that has not resulted in someone cutting in front of me (even for the bathroom last night!) so I figure I have earned it!

Sandie