Orlando- AM

by Heidi

Universal Studios

Our day began bright and early. We left the house at about 9:30 am after having a long evening the night before. When we entered the park, much to our surprise, it was fairly empty, signifying our ability to accomplish all we wished to do. The first attraction we saw was Twister, where you stand in a room and feel the effects of a simulated tornado. We then moved onto King Kong, which rocked. We sat in front and most definitely had the best seats. The lines for all of these major rides and attractions were minimal, and we next rode the Earthquake simulator. Following this, we went to Amityville and the Jaws ride. Our "tour guide" was great for this attraction and we got many quality photos from Amityville. We left this section and went to Men in Black just before lunch since it was a spining ride, and Carla and Steph occasionally get ill on such rides. We were able to get through all of the major attractions by noon or one and decided to eat lunch at Mel's Diner. It was overpriced and bad.

The Group With JAWS

After lunch, we headed to the Curious George Waterpark, which we were not dressed for. We goofed around in the water with the kiddies before going on the Woody Woodpecker mini-rollercoaster. That was fun, despite the annoying and cranky children. Next was E.T....that was the best. Upon exiting E.T. and having our names spoken by the little guy, we headed to the New York area of the park to watch the Blues Brother's performance. They were amazing. Carla, while trying to get the perfect photo, was almost hit by the Brother's mobile. What an honor.

Following this performance, we headed to the park entrance where we saw the Hanna-Barbara motion simulator ride, causing Carla and Steph to turn green. So sad. We looked around the shops for awhile, and then entered the "Twilight Zone." We had the opportunity to learn much about Alfred Hitchcock and his movies while sitting in the cool air-conditioning. It was very hot outside by this time, so the air was a bonus.

Give Me Some...Spinach

The pre-parade party started around 4 pm and this was when the cajun food, those dressed in costumes, and the beads arrived. Carla and I shared an order of Beignets, aka New Orleans doughnuts, while Steph ate herself another piece of cheesecake, her standard dessert item. Steph, aren't you over it? Night was upon us.