Theme Park - Snapshot Chronicles Roadtrip

Eats: Universal City Walk & Downtown Disney

May 17, 2009 by Susan Getgood

Downtown Disney

There are a lot of places to eat in Orlando. Everything from fast to fancy food. We stay in our timeshare, and if we’ve spent the day in a theme park, it’s nice to come back to the “house” and eat in.

But, we do eat out a few times on every trip. Most lunches, some dinners. Here are some of our favorites from our last trip.

Universal City Walk: Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Factory has a great kid’s menu, plus they serve the food in neat little boats. Awesome margaritas, which come in handy if you’ve spent the most of the day in one theme park, and will be going to another after your late lunch.

On past trips we’ve eaten at the Nascar Cafe, which is great fun for stock car aficionados, but the atmosphere is a bit loud.

Downtown Disney: Every trip to Orlando, we almost always end up at Fulton’s Crab House. Terrific service. Terrific seafood. Terrific Bloody Mary’s. On our last visit, we ate quite late (9 pm) so Dave and I split the cold seafood plate appetizer. I had a few oysters to start and he had the crab cake appetizer. More than enough food. Douglas had fish, which he loves, and my older niece tried King Crab for the first time. Pricey, but well worth it for your family splurge dinner. ALL the restaurants at Downtown Disney have similar meal prices, so you might as well go for what you want.

For lunch the day we were flying home, we tried the new restaurant, T-Rex. Very similar to Rainforest Cafe, including gift shop at the exit and a regular “show,” but with a dinosaur theme. Douglas was quite impressed with the geodes scattered through the restaurant. I thought the food was pretty good, and recommend the fish tacos. Service was excellent.

Other restaurants at Downtown Disney that we’ve eaten at in past years, and recommend: Bongo’s Cuban Cafe, Cap’n Jack’s and the House of Blues Gospel Sunday Brunch.

Doug at T-Rex in Downtown Disney

On an Island of Adventure (Universal Orlando)

May 13, 2009 by Susan Getgood

Universal’s Islands of Adventure is much more like a traditional amusement park. Each Island has a distinct personality, but many rides are pretty straightforward amusement park rides, with the Universal theme cleverly grafted on. Exceptions include Spider-Man and most of the rides in Seuss Landing but especially the Cat in the Hat. Which never gets old.

And I’m old.

Here’s a quick rundown on our favorites. In some case, I am reporting second-hand. As discussed, certain types of roller coasters I do not ride.

Marvel Super-Hero Island

Hulk. This is a serious roller coaster. Upside down doesn’t begin to cover it. I’ve never ridden it, because NOT my thing, but it gets rave reviews from the rest of the family.

Spider-Man. I enjoy this 3-D ride. It’s fun, not too jarring and full of story. Be warned that younger kids may find the story too intense.

If you are lucky, while you are in the Marvel area, the Heroes may come out, although Spider-Man seems to be there nearly all the time. This summer, though I bet Wolverine will be even more popular.

Toon Lagoon

Toon Lagoon is all about water. The core rides are Pop-Eye’s Bilge Rat Barges and Dudley Do Right’s Ripsaw Falls. Be warned: the Barges seem to be dumping more water than they did in previous years.

DO leave your packs and personal belongings with a non-rider or in a locker. And put your shoes in the center waterproof sections on the Barges.

You will get wet!

Jurassic Park

Douglas, David and I love the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride, but our nieces were a bit freaked out by the storyline. Be sensitive to people’s fears on this ride.

The Lost Continent

This area has always seemed a bit like a fish out of water, and in fact, has lost one of its rides to the Harry Potter area under construction. The males in our party liked the Dueling Dragons roller coaster but my older niece did not. In previous years, we’ve done Poseidon’s Fury; it was okay, but I wouldn’t wait in line for it.

Seuss Landing

Everything is improved with a little Dr. Seuss. That said, here are the highlights.

Don’t miss:

The bookstore, or just outside. Characters – the Cat, Sam, the Grinch, Things One and Two – can often be found here.
The Cat in the Hat ride. Worth it times two.
One Fish Two Fish

If you have time, do the Carousel. If you have lots of extra time, do the High in the Sky Trolley Train Ride for the views of the rest of the park you get during the ride. If there’s a line, don’t bother. Likewise, the cookie aficionados in my family say don’t bother with the cookies in the bakery at the train ride exit.

For Universal tips and map, see my earlier post on Universal Studios.

A universally good time: Universal Orlando

May 9, 2009 by Susan Getgood

Uncles and Cousins at Universal Orlando

Now that Douglas is older, we tend to prefer the two Universal parks in Orlando — Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. Even when the rides are similar to ones at Disney parks — for example, the Bilge Rat Barges at Islands and the Kali River Rafts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Universal versions seem longer, more intense. We also really like Universal’s Express Passes. Yes, they cost more money on top of the park admission, but you are guaranteed a shorter line, ensuring that you get more out of your day at the park.

Universal Studios was modeled after Universal Studios in California, but it goes well beyond the back lot tour I remember from my last visit to the original when I was pregnant with Douglas 10 years ago. Nevertheless, its attractions tend toward backstage tours and indoor rides like motion simulators. It also presents as a single studio “backlot.” Because so many of the rides at Universal Studios are indoors, it is a good choice for an overcast, even rainy day. Islands of Adventure is more of a traditional amusement park that loosely uses the Universal properties as themes. Each island is also very distinct in appearance. That said, the company seems to be mixing it up a bit, as the two attractions under construction at the moment are Harry Potter, scheduled to open at Islands in 2010, and a new roller coaster at Universal Studios opening later this year.

Universal Studios

The Simpsons and some shady characters

The big hit this year was The Simpsons Ride. As you can see, the kids even consented to have their picture taken with the characters. Luckily, we got there early enough there was no line, which made the adults with cameras very happy.

The Simpsons Ride replaces the Back to the Future ride, and has a similar “big chase” premise. You don’t need to be a fan of the show to enjoy the ride, but it helps if you know at least a little about the franchise. You’ll never look at a pacifier the same way again.

The other ride at Universal truly worth a long wait is the Revenge of the Mummy indoor roller coaster. I love roller coasters, but I can’t stand the thought of being turned upside down or having my feet dangle. Forward, really fast, scary. All fine. Upside down. Bye bye. Revenge has everything I like, and nothing I don’t.

Other favorites at Universal: ET Adventure (be sure to listen closely at the end of the ride), Men in Black, Jaws and Shrek 4-D. Jimmy Neutron is good, but unless you’re with rabid fans of the show, Simpsons and Shrek 4-D are better and far more worth the wait. Disaster is fun, but LONG, and younger kids may get bored.

Tips

If you are in Orlando for a week, don’t buy a single day pass. At a minimum, get the two day two park pass, and if you have older kids, get the one that gives you 7-days. Buy online in advance to save money.
If you stay at one of the three onsite Loews hotels, Universal Express is included. Factor that into your budget when deciding where to stay.
In the parks as well as at kiosks in Universal City Walk, they sell a big plastic drink cup for about $7 with unlimited refills all day for 79 cents (price as of April 09). A single soda is about $2.50. This is well worth it if you are going to be at the park all day. We found we were far better hydrated the day we had the cups than any other because we were drinking continuously all day, not just when we stopped to dig our water bottles out of the packs.
Universal has package pickup at the main gate too, but with a few exceptions, most of the merchandise is available at the main gate, so you can pretty much wait until the end of the day to do your shopping.

Universal Orlando

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Epcot: the most schizophrenic theme park you’ll ever love

May 7, 2009 by Susan Getgood

Douglas & David, Epcot

Originally Walt Disney’s vision for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, Epcot is a schizophrenic mash-up of technology and culture. The front of the park is devoted to the future, with the giant golf ball of Spaceship Earth as its centerpiece. The rear of the park, World Showcase, is a series of pavilions devoted to the culture and customs of 11 nations.

The park has rides — some very good ones in fact — but the real focus is on learning and discovery, which makes it a terrific break from the more frenetic theme parks.

I love it.

Typically, the World Showcase opens, and stays open, later than Future World at the front of the park, so while I usually recommend starting at the back of a park and working your way forward to the exit, that strategy doesn’t work at Epcot.

One last word about Epcot in general. Nearly everything — rides too — is sponsored by a company, country or organization. In a way, this was part of Disney’s original concept; EPCOT would be a proving ground for the development of new technologies. That was the theory anyway.

In practice, it seems far more promotional, but don’t be fooled. Underlying many of the exhibits at Epcot, especially in Future World and The Land, you will actually find a real connection between promotion and the progress of knowledge.

Future World

Most guidebooks suggest not doing the Spaceship Earth attraction first, but the line moves pretty quickly. While we waited, my husband ran ahead, got FASTPASSES for Mission:SPACE and then joined us in line. I sort of recalled Spaceship Earth from a visit about 10 years ago, but they’ve added a new interactive ending that makes the ride really worthwhile.

Doug making paper

The balance of Future World is very similar to a good science museum, with interactive exhibits like making paper (at left.)

And then there’s Mission: SPACE. This ride has lots of warnings. Among them, if you suffer from motion sickness or claustrophobia, don’t ride. In previous years, I had avoided this ride for those very reasons, but this year, in an act of gross stupidity, I went ahead. How bad could it be? It’s just a ride.

Well, I am here to tell you, it was that bad. For me, that is. Everyone else in the family loved it, but I started to panic the minute they closed us into the capsule and it got worse when the motion sickness kicked in. Seriously, if you are claustrophobic, DO NOT go on Mission: SPACE. Take everyone’s admission cards, go over to Soaring and get the next set of FASTPASSES for your party. Or if you go at the right time of year, as we did, and the International Flower Festival is on, enjoy the sculptures. Anything but Mission: SPACE. CLAUSTROPHOBICS, STAY OFF THAT RIDE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Making music at Epcot's Figment attraction

The Land, the area where you’ll find Figment, Soaring and the Aquarium, including the great Turtle Talk with Crush show, is off to the side of Future World. These are three of the best attractions in Epcot, so don’t miss them.

Soaring takes you on a hang glider tour of California. We’ve traveled pretty extensively in the state, so enjoyed picking out the places we’d been. Turtle Talk with Crush gives kids a chance to “talk” with the character from the film Finding Nemo. Figment, sponsored by Kodak, focuses on Imagination and at the exit to the ride, there’s a great set of interactive exhibits that lets kids (of all ages) experiment with images and sound.

World Showcase

Lady & the Tramp (Italy)

Epcot’s World Showcase has a few rides and theatrical presentations, but it’s basically shops and restaurants designed to give a Disney-approved flavor of each culture. In other words, no le Crazy Horse in France. It is staffed by citizens of the respective countries through the Cultural Representative Program.

Shops. Restaurants. Educational films. Doesn’t sound too appealing to the average six to 12 year old. Which is where the Kidcots come in. At each country, there is a station, generally to the back of the pavilion so you have to walk through most of the shops, where kids get their “passport” stamped. You can purchase an official Epcot Passport for $9.95 or decorate a paper mask at a Kidcot and get the stamps along the handle. Or both. It’s a great way to explore the nations.

In January, they opened a new World Showcase activity, the Kim Possible scavenger hunt sponsored by Verizon. We didn’t do it on this trip as the timing wasn’t right. Next time.

The World Showcase is also full of great photo opportunities. Most of the shops sell costumes and have great props; my son loves to have his picture taken with them.

Morocco

Norway

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Tips

Get your FASTPASS for Soaring early. We got FASTPASSES at about 1pm with an entry time of 5:30.
Don’t miss the Epcot fireworks show. Plan your day to have dinner in the park for a front row seat.
Disney parks will deliver your purchases to the main gate or for some purchases, if you are guest at a Disney resort, directly to your hotel. Do it. Reduces your chances of losing your purchase along the way, and if your kid bought a toy, you don’t have to worry about the frequent requests to “just look at it Mommy.”
The Disney store in Downtown Disney will accept returns of purchases made in the parks. Doug purchased a toy at Mission: Space that was defective, and we had no problem returning it or a pair of sunglasses that fell apart within a day of purchase.
There’s a lot to do in Epcot. At any theme park really. Don’t try to do everything. It’s your vacation, not a forced march. Make sure you do at least one thing for every member of your party — preferably the one thing they really want to do — and don’t worry about the rest.

Epcot

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Recommendations, DisneyWorld’s Magic Kingdom

May 6, 2009 by Susan Getgood

The cousins and the castle

A DisneyWorld experience is very much colored by the age of your children. When Douglas was younger, we booked character meals every trip (407-WDW-DINE, book early), waited in line to meet the characters and managed to do most of the kiddie rides in the Magic Kingdom. As he’s gotten older though, we’ve found that we prefer Animal Kingdom, Epcot, SeaWorld and the Universal theme parks.

This year though, we went back to Magic Kingdom because this was Dave’s nieces’ first trip to DisneyWorld, and kitschy though it may be, you have to at least see the core park.

And the Small World ride. Everyone has to experience that at least once in his/her life. They recently re-opened a revamped Small World ride at Disneyland in California, but the Florida one is still the old familiar and somewhat creepy favorite. Best part was that the hippo in Africa no longer blinks at you. One of his eyes is broken so he winks. Priceless.

It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears
It’s a world of hopes and a world of fears
There’s so much that we share
That it’s time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all

Isn’t it great — I don’t have to even play the song and now it’s running around in your head and won’t leave. You’re welcome.

The girls didn’t want to meet characters and Douglas is well past that, so our day of Magic was driven by getting FASTPASSES to the two operating roller coasters, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain (Space Mountain was closed). We also managed to squeeze in Stitch’s Great Escape (new since the last time we were at Disney) and the Monsters Inc. comedy show in Tomorrowland.

Tips for Magic Kingdom

When you get in the park, take the train ride around to the Toontown/Tomorrowland area and work your way back
FASTPASS times are a range during which you can board the ride through the shorter line. You can get your next FASTPASS at the starting time on the current one. If you can, get the FASTPASS for your next ride before you get on the first one.

Magic Kingdom

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