August 18th 2009. Universally Challenged!
Guess what.....another lie-in followed our full-on day yesterday!
We didn't know it at this point, but today would be the day that we would get lost, queued to exasperation and got more wet than we could possibly imagine!
We were off to Universal Studios for the day. After a short detour on the I4 (I, the navigator, missed the exit! Tip - if you want US or IofA look out for a 'Universal' sign, I was looking for a 'Universal Studios' sign and don't think I found one!
We got there in the end though, off at the next exit and back down the I4 again!
Katie was particularly looking forward to the Universal parks for their wild rides while I had mixed feelings aout a couple that I tought might turn my stomach and induce a panic attack (my first happened after I rode an upside down, loop the loop ride at D'Eftling in Holland, mind you, I had been very poorly with flu or something and I think my body was simply telling me to ease up! The panic attacks lasted for a good 18 months on and off after that though, so anyone who has had one can understand why I had my reservations about the big rides!)
We marched through Citywalk at a brisk pace (note to self for next visit...stop and 'smell the roses'!) after takig a photo of our parking area (Spiderman) fearing the queues that were probably already building judging by the carpark and number of people heading into Citywalk.
Of course, there's the obligatory shot in front of the globe too (it was packed and difficult to get a perfect shot so I opted for a not so perfect one just around the corner!)
The queues to enter the park weren't actually that bad, but boy, by the end of the day were we frustrated with the queuing inside the park, as those who paid for express passes help up the regular lines time and time again. (I've since found out that if you booked at the Hard Rock Hotel for a couple of nights your room key not only acts as an express pass, but an express pass that allows you to ride more than once...there are exceptions though, usually new rides. So rather than pay on the gate for express passes why not splash out on a room at the Hard Rock, which for a family of four, can be equal to, if not cheaper than four express passes bought at the gate!)
Lee began to get a bit of a bee in his bonnet about the unfairness of this system compared to Disney's free Fastpass system that did not favour those who could afford to splash out on express passes. His other gripe was that US was very similar to UK fairgrounds where every stall entices you to part with yet more money (Amity in particular).
These weren't the only things that left a sour taste in Lee's mouth as you will soon hear! :-)
Frustrations apart, we loved the rides.
First up was Shrek 4D, this was nice but we were tiring of 3/4D shows and ready for some excitement.
As we walked down 57th Street we noticed that the new Rip Ride Rockit was up and running, and that sometimes it had riders, athough it wasn't full to capacity. We assumed it must be testing. No matter, I had no intentions of riding this one after seeing the vertical climb! We also noticed how low the ride dipped in front of the NY library at the end of the street (and later compared today's photo with the same view of the street in 1992).
We took in Twister next, we all loved this, especially me, who has a fascination with tornadoes) and was glued to the TVs in the line for the tornado footage. We got a little wetter than exptected at the end, but oh my, the cow! They really need to get rid of it, it was simply laughable :-)
Katie begged us to ride the Mummy but we were hungry and stopped for some giganitc pizzas in Louie's
and decided to let our food go down before riding it. Instead, we checked out the queue for this:
we changed our minds when we saw the queue, and headed over to queue for Jaws, which also had quite a long wait but was an attraction the kids really wanted to experience.
It was brilliant! How we survived an encounter with a shark in one of these I'll never know ;-)
Photos opportunities as we queued/sat in the boat (although I put my camera away for the action, one has to have your wits about you when there's a man-eater around!)
Our guide had to be pretty firm at one point when two grown, muscualr men insisted on standing up in the boat so as not to get wet bottoms, poor loves!
All limbs intact, we had to get 'the' Jaws photo:
and then we wandered on into World Expo, here's Katie, full of excitement, joy and bounce:
As soon as we crossed the bridge the heavens opened. We 'hid' near the toilets; Lee, Sam and Katie got an ice cream but I decided to wait until later for a slush.
As the downpour continued we made a dash for the Men in Black line only to be turned away because we'd forgotten ....no bags! Back into the rain agian, and over to the lockers! Double soaked!! It was pandemonium here, packed because of those sheltering from the rain and those, like us, trying to figure out the locker system and whether there was a line to get a locker or whether it was a 'free for all' stand-by-a-locker-and-hope-it-soon-becomes-free! You just couldn't tell who was retrieving stuff from a locker from who was loading a locker!
It took us a good 5 minutes to get a locker but thankfully we didn't have any bother with our first encounter with the fingerprint recognition system!
Back into the rain (yawn) and the queue, and a very long wait without water to quench the never-ending thirst that comes with the August heat. At this stage I really wished I'd opted for an ice-cream!!
Therre was just one interesting moment worht mentioning. There were some girls behind us who asked where we were from and that we had strong accents (that'll be the slight Chav-ham accent then!) to which I replied that their American accents were much more interesting than ours. Love the drawl!
This is, I'm afraid, as far as my journal goes! For some reason (exhaustion probably!) I never did catch up with my notes while we were on holiday, but fear not, I have lots of photos of week 2 (and the rest of this day in US) and kept a daily record of where we went so I can continue my trip report from memory :-)
Onward again...
Men In Black Men In Black was another one of those rides I had my doubts about because of the spinning element, but a couple of weeks prior to our trip I had heard from an old friend, a lady of 70, who had enjoyed the ride so much that she couldn't stop laughing. Well, I thought, if a 70 year old can survive the ride so can I!
I needn't have worried, I rode in the same ride vehicle as daughter Katie and we were so enthusiastic about shooting those creatures from outer space that it didn't occur to me to worry about any spinning that might happen. Happen it did, it was fast, brief tummy-clenching good fun!
Believe it or not, we were in need of more refreshment!! Underestimate not the heat in August!! Parting with more dollars it was icy stuff all round and into another queue - The Simpsons!
Here's one hot and bothered sweetie:
yes, sweetie, your hair looks fine...you're in a theme park, it's probably 100 degrees...it looks fine, really it does!
and my cool dude Sam:
Now, generally, I am not a fan of the Simpsons one bit, but they are bright and colourful and I'd seen a clip of the ride on YouTube and wanted to ride it as much as the kids. Good job we were very keen, because our keen-ness saw us through a veeery, looong, winnnding queue! Just when you thought you might be turning a corner, there appeared a sea of more heads in the queue! It was shaded though, so not too bad.
Here one of those seas of heads...
Looking back at this photo now, I'm struck by how many people are wearing Tshirts with little sleeves...there's no way I could have worn anything with sleeves, it was far, far too hot and humid! They must all be Floridians and used to the heat! Boobtube tops for me, every day I believe! Shuffling along to get as close as possible to a fan without breathing down someone's neck was my method of survival!
Wasn't too keen on being cooped up in a little waiting room with one other family for the ride, in fact I was really not expecting that. But it was ok once the ride got going, I soon forgot any feelings of claustrohobia. Some of the ride was a bit hairy, that was as close as I was going to get to a big coaster that was a long way off the ground. Yes I know it wasn't real, but it did mess with my stomach and mind!
We skipped Woody Woodpecker's Kids Zone after the Simpsons, alhtough I had planned to see Animal actors on Location but we had to stop for E.T Adventure because I loved the film so much and had fond memories of the ride in 1992. I think the kids thought it was a bit lame, but they didn't grumble, it was just a feeling I got.
I'm not quite sure where we were (seeing as I'm doing the remainder of the trip from memory and photos) but it was sometime around now that the heavens opened once more, this was one of those downpours that soaked you to the skin, and was accompanied my some rather scary claps of thunder and lightening! We took shelter for a while by a shop and then decided to make a run for it to Terminator 2. We pelted it in the direction of our destination for a little while, against hub's desire (although he did run the fastest and I got left way behind, fearful of slipping inside my big, sloshing Crocs!) We ducked and dived, joined some sardines under a few umbrellas and I took a couple of photos before wrapping my camera up and tucking it into my (canvas) bag and up under my armpit (cue wrinkled-up nose!) for some protection (the lens was steaming up, my poor, precious new camera!)
Here's one of my drowned ratties, across the road from Mel's Diner (must stop and look at that next time we go, weather permitting!)
and here are a few other random drowned rats that didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that water and lightening are not a good mix, and that light coloured shorts aren't a good idea when you are soaked through!! Hope no one recognises themselves now that I've insulted their intelligence and dress-sense! ;-) Note the two red 'statues' just standing there, back to back..not sure what they were doing!
When we got to Terminator 2, soaked through and in need of some shelter, we were basically turned away because the queue wasn't meant to start forming for a while. However, the park visitors around us were having none of it and basically told the attendant that it wouldn't hurt to start waiting inside. We joined the throng and dripped for a while before joining the 'formal' queuing area.
I thought this was an okay show. I think my boys enjoyed it more than me. But I was happy enough resting my feet.
Once out we rode Jimmy Neutrons Nicktoon Blast before we decided we'd seen enough. We were all pooped and uncomfortable in our soaked attire. We went back to Citywalk, I can't remember if it was still raining, and called in at Bubba Gumps for dinner. Goody, we all loved the film and were looking forward to seeing the theming and getting some yummy grub in our hungry tumblies.
Our time in Bubbas was marred slightly because Katie found the air-conditioning rather extreme while so wet and she was one mass of shivering goosebumps and felt quite rough as a result. We cuddled up close in the booth; she kicked off her wet pumps; wrapped her legs up under her and I really wished I had something to cover her arms.
The food though got a big thumbs up. I had the most delicious shrimp I'd ever tasted, hub chose a burger as he's not into seafood, and the kids had chicken and mash.
Here's some piccies to make you hungry...
Being so cold, Lee asked for his first cup of tea in a U.S. restaurant. I can't remember what they brought him, but I think it was iced tea! He got something resembling an English-tasting tea in the end though.
By the time we left it was dark. Forgot to look out for the photo opp where you put your feet inside those Forrest shoes!
Katie was pleased to get back into the car because it was warm!
That was about it for the day. Another evening in front of the TV was on the cards, plus some hot baths, and the realisation that we'd totally overlooked the Horror Make-Up show and the Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue (next time!)
Oh yes, somewhere before we crossed the bridge into World Expo we looked for the Delorian and the train from Back to the Future and the kids posed for photos, while Lee, spotting a rather familiar police car followed it into Delancy Street (I think). Here we stopped to listen to the Blues Brothers...I must be mistaken, but it was the same guys from 1992 ;-)
The kids quite liked their music, far departed as it was from their usual choice of 'noise'! Took a couple of piccies and some video, but I won't bore you with the piccies now, I'm sure you all know what they look and sound like.
Next up...Magic Kingom, yaaaay!!
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