Universal Orlando Resort: Help Us Plan Our Trip
As many of you know, we just returned from Orlando, Florida, where we spent a day at the Universal Orlando Resort. We knew we were returning 2 weeks later for a trip to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, so the first time around we just caught the highlights. This time, we’re doing it right! Spending two full days exploring the parks, getting up close and personal with City Walk, and staying on resort property at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. And even though we were just at the parks, we need a little help deciding what to include in this vacation.
If you haven’t been to Orlando before, why don’t you join our trip virtually. We’d love to take you along. How about we start with a little planning! Check out the options below and leave a comment, letting me know what you think we should do. Majority rules. So, we’ll go with the most popular recommendations and we’ll be sure to update you real time while at the parks.
The Rides
First of all… the rides! Are you into thrill rides, simulators, fun for the whole family, or all of the above? Check out the attractions below and let us know what your preferences are.
1. At Islands of Adventure, what 3 attractions do you suggest I go on and why?
- The Incredible Hulk coaster http://bit.ly/keJVF5
- Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall http://bit.ly/lHUBE0
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man http://bit.ly/iFX9R3
- Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (water ride) http://bit.ly/jq4SP2
- Popeye & Bluto’s Rat River Barges (water ride) http://bit.ly/ieXD5m
- Jurassic Park River Adventure (water ride) http://bit.ly/lVzTvF
- Dragon Challenge coaster http://bit.ly/jBs6l8 (Keep in mind that this one has like 5 loops and is super scary! Just sayin’.)
2. What 3 attractions should my family go on at Universal Studios?
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster http://bit.ly/muZzCI (this one looks SCARY in all caps!)
- The Revenge of the Mummy http://bit.ly/kDMGnX (this is in the pitch black)
- TWISTER… Ride It Out http://bit.ly/ivgK2h
- Disaster! http://bit.ly/mvAZhl
- E.T. Adventure http://bit.ly/kNkoOr
- Animal Actors on Location http://bit.ly/l3Ugqi
The Food
Let’s not forget the food! I always get super starving at theme parks, but never plan my meals in advance. Let’s change that! Where do you think we should eat?
3. There are lots of kid-friendly options for lunch at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and I need help. Where should my family and I eat lunch?
- Confisco Grille in Port of Entry http://bit.ly/mF5lx7
- The Burger Digs in Jurassic Park http://bit.ly/k32qYN
- Three Broomsticks in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter http://bit.ly/jgatKh
- Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendus in Seuss Landing http://bit.ly/moEtl3
4. We are eating out at CityWalk one of the nights and we can eat at any of the below places. Where do you think we should go?
- NBA City http://bit.ly/jDwF27
- Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville http://bit.ly/ldKXoT
- Latin Quarter http://bit.ly/m2Y4uX
- NASCAR Sports Grill http://bit.ly/kHXquD
- Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom http://bit.ly/jtIIr3
The Treats
Finally… our two boys, ages 7 and 10, are wacky for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. So this last question is all about that!
5. We are heading to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Last time we had both cold and frozen Butterbeer. Which one should we have this time? Cold or Frozen? (I’ll be sure to post a picture of my family’s frothy mustaches either way!)
Miscellaneous
Finally… what have we forgotten to plan?
6. Any other recommendations?
Stay tuned Tuesday and Wednesday, May 17 and 18 for our Universal Orlando Resort adventure. We hope you’ll virtually join us!
Disclosure: My upcoming trip to Orlando is part of an all-expenses-paid press trip provided by Universal Orlando Resort. The thrills, screams, adventure, and pre-planning excitement is all my own!
We love Universal! My sis works at the AMC theatre on property so we go as often as we can. We live 2 hours away…
At Islands of adventure My husband and I love the spiderman ride and of course the new Castle adventure in Harry potter world. They are the most entertaining and adventurous
My husband doesn’t ride rollercoasters so my fav coaster is the Hulk! It is the best.The dragons are cool but not as intense.
Maybe this year my son will be tall enough to ride some of the waterrides.
In Studios my favorite ride is the Mummy! Super fun! It is always the first thing I ride. I haven’t ridden disaster since they revamped it from earthquake. Though in Studios Men In Black is another fun one and Simpsons (even though I’m not a fan of the simpson the ride is fun)
from what you have listed Twister is ok though it is a walk through – not much to it, ET is cute and I haven’t been to Universal to try the Rip rocket since I had my last son so it will be on the next to do list.
As for food – how much will your boys eat? you can get the food pass and eat at most of those! though I think Three Broomsticks is the best atmosphere, they mostly all have the same food.
I’ve eaten at all.
In city walk we keep eating at Margaritaville, it is enjoyable good food and atmosphere! Bubba Gumps is also good and very movie atmosphere!
If you do a movie while you are there they have a decent movie dinner deal!!!
I’ve made the regular butterbeer at home and had the frozen there, MMMMmmmm so yummy!!! so i’m not sure they are both good
And depending on what you like all that you are missing is seeing the Characters
our first stop next trip will be the super heros! my son keeps asking when we can go see Captian America and Wolverine again!
I hope you have a great time
My boys really loved City Walk when we were there a few years ago. They had live music and we hung out, had dinner at Bubba Gumps and then danced. Have great video of my youngest out dancing there.
We loved MargaritaVille in Vegas so I would say that would be a great choice on City Walk and the NBA City would be high on our list.
My younger one is dying to check out Wizarding World and I actually am too. It would probably tip the scales for us in terms of deciding between Orlando and LA.
I dont think you can wrong on any of the rides. After all, it is what they are famous for! My oldest and i would be all about the thrill rides and my husband and younger one would be all about the calmer ones.
Im interested in hearing how accessibility for a wheelchair user would be. We havent tried Universal because there are not many reviews on how well it works for a full time chair user.
I’ve never been there but I would LOVE to do it all!! It’s definitely a trip we hope to do someday. I’m a Harry Potter nut so I’d probably do everything possible there! I’m sure whatever you do you’ll have a fabulous time.
Ok, lady. Just remember, you asked for it!
At islands of adventure, I think you have to hit the Jurassic Park water ride (if it’s open; the website said it was closed for yearly maintenance–bummer) because, hello? You are escaping DINOSAURS! In the water! If it is closed, definately Popeye and Bluto’s–that looks really fun. Also, Spidey is highly rated, so I think you should check it out, and, so sorry, but I am TOTALLY voting for the Hungarian Horntail! That. sounds. awesome.
At Universal I vote for Twister, Disaster and Animal Actors on Location. None of them seem like experiences to miss. Let me know if you survive, mwahahahaha!
The Confisco Grille looks pretty amazing; I would want to go there or The Burger Grille (again, dinosaurs!!) I am assuming you have already tried the Three Broomsticks? If not, I may have to change my vote–unless Madame Rosemerta is off duty…
And I have to say, I am surprised by this choice, but NBA City had me at Chorizo Shrimp skewers. {weakly} Yum!
Lastly, with regard to the Butterbeers–DOES IT MATTER??? IT’S BUTTERBEER!! (From what I hear, anyway!) However, I will defer to Suzanne and vote for frozen. Sounds delish!
Have a great time! The only thing I can think of to make your trip more enjoyable is to record yourselves on one of the rides and send it to us to watch and laugh at. If I may, I would REALLY like to “see” Jyl on the dragons. Just sayin’.
I am ALL about the fast and the loopy, the latter in more senses than one, when it comes to amusement parks, so here’s what I want to hear about:
1) Dragon Challenge, Hulk coaster, and Spiderman, in that order.
2) Hollywood Rip Ride Coaster, Twister, and Disaster, again in that order.
3) Three Broomsticks, Three Broomsticks, Three Broomsticks.
If you get there and find that one of the rides I’ve listed is not actually a thrill ride, please go on the one that is the more thrilling, so I can roller-coast vicariously through you.
My wife and I went to Universal Studios a few years back and I remember it being pretty fun. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go to Islands of Adventure, but I remember enviously staring through the gates at the lines of people getting ready to go on the The Hulk coaster. I also totally wanted to be the Hulk when I was a kid, so I’d have to pick that one. The Jurassic Park water ride looks awesome too – plus, you will be in Florida, so it might be nice to get a little wet. Finally, I think I’d pluck up the courage and try out the Dragon Challenge coaster.
At Universal Studios, I’d recommend you check out Twister. Although it is probably less thrilling than other rides, it is pretty cool and I think the boys will like it. I’d also check out Disaster, just in case the illusion of safety you’ve created for yourself over the years wasn’t eroded enough by Twister. Finally, I’d give Revenge of the Mummy a whirl, so to speak — as dangerous as things can be on this planet, at least we don’t have Mummys running around trying to kill us. Remember that.
Three Broomsticks is a no brainer for lunch, and I’d probably try Margaritaville for dinner. There is a Cheeseburger in Paradise here in Madison, and my wife loves this big salad they make there, so if it’s anything like that, it should be good.
Hmmm…cold or frozen? Good question. I might normally go with cold, since it might be easier to devour in .5 seconds, buuuuttt, you will in Florida, so it will probably melt kind of fast anyways. Maybe just fast enough to make it perfect for eating with a spoon as it melts, stretching out the pleasure a little bit. Yes, definitely frozen.
Anything else? Besides sun screen (again, Florida), I can’t think of anything. Just have a great time!
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