Etchings on the Attic Wall

There is a plethora of things to do in Florida. One of the big spots is Universal Orlando Resort. It is composed of Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Wet ‘n Wild, and City Walk. There’s enough stuff here to keep you occupied for days! I’ve been to Universal several times and I’ve always had a blast! Let’s break down each one of these:

Universal Studios

This is a theme park modeled after the Universal Studios (TV and movies). They have tons of rides and attractions. They are constantly creating new areas of the park based upon their ever changing movie and TV releases. For example, the relatively new attractions are The Simpsons Ride, Revenge of the Mummy, and Shrek 4-D. They also have a lot of popular classics, including:

• Men in Black: Alien Attack. This is a shooter game where you step into a car with 5 other people and are handed a laser gun. As you move through the attraction, you shoot at aliens that pop-up from all over the place and try to hit targets mounted on their bodies. The ride keeps track of your score and announces the winner at the end.
• Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time. This is a show with stunts, special effects, and 3-D filming.
• E.T. Adventure. This is a family ride mostly for kids. You board a moving car that looks like a flying bicycle and soar around to help E.T. save his planet. Features animatronics.
• Disaster. You get to star in a major motion picture involving a disaster movie. You get to see how some common special effects are done. It ends with everyone boarding a subway train and traveling along when a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hits. There are water, shaking, and fire effects.

They also have lots of dining and shopping. This is definitely a kid-friendly park if you are looking for a place to take the family.

Islands of Adventure

This park has 5 main “islands”, each themed a bit differently – 1) Marvel Super Hero Island, 2) Toon Lagoon, 3) Jurassic Park, 4) The Lost Continent, and 5) Seuss Landing. There are a couple of roller coasters, namely the “Incredible Hulk Coaster” and “Dueling Dragons”. One very popular ride is “The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man” and always has long lines. It is a motion-based ride, combining 3-D film and live action. They also have a ride called “Dr. Doom’s Fearfall” which rockets you 150 feet into the air and then pulls you back down in a free fall. Most of these are obviously geared more towards older kids/adults. The islands of “Toon Lagoon” and “Seuss Landing” are for the younger audience. They contain water rides, interactive play areas, carousels, and cartoon characters they can meet.

Wet ‘n Wild

This is a popular water park. They have thrill rides, including “Brain Wash” (2-4 person tube that drops into a domed funnel), “The Storm” (drop through an elevated chute to spin in a giant bowl below), and several high and fast water slides. They also have multi-person rides, including “Disco H2O” (4-person tube ride through sound and dancing light), “The Surge” (5-story tube ride through turns, twists, and dips), “The Black Hole” (2 person capsule through pulsating lights and other effects), and more! In addition, they have a wave pool, lazy river, and a kids park.

City Walk

This is a fun nightlife spot. It connects Universal Studios with Islands of Adventure (lies in between them). They have lots of entertainment, including the Blue Man Group, The Red Coconut (nightclub and ultra-lounge), Pat O’Briens, The Latin Quarter, The Groove (dance club), Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, and more! They also have a large 20 screen AMC movie theater, lots of places to eat (Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, Hard Rock Cafe, Emeril’s, NASCAR Sports Grille), and tons of shopping.

This is a fantastic place to take a vacation. If you can’t find something here that you enjoy, then you just don’t know how to have a good time