Florida Day Five - Islands of Adventure

What a day! I'm so tired I don't think I'll be able to write a lot tonight. James and I have been having a hard time sleeping here. Christian came into bed at 4am with a nightmare and while he was able to go back to sleep eventually, James and I tossed and turned until morning. We were supposed to leave early to meet a friend but with the lack of sleep we ended up getting there an hour later than originally planned.

For two years now I've been part of an online gaming club. After the kids are in bed and before James gets home I hang out and play multiplayer games with a bunch of really great guys. This year I've been able to meet some of them as we've traveled various places and today we were meeting my friend Doug who lives in the area. I'm always so nervous and awkward meeting my online friends, the setting and my persona are so different in real life. 

Christian's picture of Hogwarts

Jon and Christian on a cowfish

Christian loves these bikes!

Camille stayed home this morning so it was just James, the boys, and I who met Doug at the Islands of Adventure. Doug is awesome! We've been friends for years and he and James get along great too. As soon as we got into the park we headed over to my favorite roller coaster, The Hulk. Christian was too short to go on so Doug and I took Will and Jon on for their first time. The Hulk is fast, smooth, and has a ton of loops and turns. It was so much fun! The boys loved it too. It is also the only coaster that I've seen where you have to go through a metal detector before you go on to make sure you have nothing in your pockets. Maybe because of all the loops?

Doug

The Hulk

Anyway, after the Hulk we went on the Spiderman ride which Christian was able to do too. This is one of the first rides that made James and I really love Universal all those years ago and it still holds up really well. We did a little window shopping too but were soon ready to move on to more rides.

This year we went on two rides that we've never been on, both in the cartoon section. The first ride was the Bilge Rat Barge ride where you take a huge raft down a rapid river. Will stayed off because he didn't want to get wet and that was a wise choice because everyone else got soaked! And I mean completely drenched. There was not a single dry spot on any of us. But it was so much fun, we were screaming and laughing the entire time. And thankfully it was really hot today so while we squelched it wasn't too uncomfortable.

After the Bilge ride James left to go pick up Camille. While he was gone Doug and I took Jon and Christian on the Ripsaw Falls flume ride, another we'd never done before. Will stayed out once again and I wish I'd told him to get some ice cream or something because it turned out to be a really long line. Actually, this line is the worst I've ever seen at Universal, probably because it is an older ride. The lines were really narrow and tall making it feel very closed it, and there wasn't much to look at while you waited except for two talking heads who were too indistinct to really understand. But while the line desperately needs an update, the actual ride was great. Fast and fun and once again very wet! 

The Rip Saw Falls

Time turner

We dripped and squeaked our way over to the Jurassic Park area. We didn't have time for another ride since the lines were long so instead we went into the Camp Jurassic Playground. This is my favorite playground anywhere. There are dark and slippery caves with geysers, towers and slides, a network of rope bridges climbing to the treetops, and tons of little nooks and twists and turns. The boys kept running away from me (in fun) and Doug joined them, racing across the rope bridges and off into the cave.I tried to follow but quickly lost them in the maze of pathways. I didn't care though, it was so much fun just to explore!

Boys in Camp Jurassic

There is a cave system in these rocks

I don't know how long the kids ran and played but it was great fun. Eventually though Will became really thirsty so we left to find some water. As soon as we did James let us know that he and his mom were back at the park so we went to meet up for lunch. In an attempt to find something a little less expensive for lunch we went up to the food court in the city walk. It wasn't actually that cheap but still it was fun talking to each other. Although Camille, Doug, and James were all ganging up and teasing me. This is the real reason I shouldn't meet any of my online friends...

Heading back to the park

James had brought us all dry clothes so freshly fed and dried we set off again into the park. This time we went into Seuss Land and went on the rides there. There were all smaller rides but the kids had fun. And we all went on the tram ride which gave us a nice view of the park. After that we headed off to Poseidon's Fury which isn't really a ride but more of a walk through story. It is really good though and the part where you walk through a tunnel of water was particularly cool.

Hanging out in Seuss land while the kids ride

Jon and Christian enjoyed the Merry-Go-Round

Poseidon's temple

Doug taught Christian to give back massages

By the end of Poseidon's Fury we were all a little tired and Camille in particular was feeling the strain of all the walking. We were ready to head home but wanted to try one more ride before we left. Our last ride was the new King Kong ride which none of us had been on before. The line here was fantastic and really created a great atmosphere before the ride. It was very spooky and some parts and very well done. The ride itself was another one of Universal's signature movie/rides. So part of the ride was shown on movie screens with 3D glasses. Kong and two T-Rexes battled it out while the truck we were on was buffeted and then dropped off a cliff. The ride balanced the movie with real set pieces and great animatronics, including a giant King Kong head. It was so amazing but I completely failed to get a picture.

The entrance to the Kong ride

It was dusk when we exited the ride and definitely time to head home. The walk back to our car was very long but Doug walked us back most of the way while he and James chatted about cars. My initial awkwardness had long since passed and Doug was so nice and friendly that everyone really enjoyed hanging out with him. All the boys gave him big hugs when we left.

James and Doug hang out before we leave the park

Jon used his crystals and potion to create a drink

Christian loved the drink Jon mixed for him

We had a small dinner at our hotel and then got on our bathing suits to finally check out the pools. We went straight for our favorite, the Lazy River. Of course just like last time there was nothing "lazy" about it. The boys ran round and round and had a blast while James and I floated and swam after them. We all went around backwards too which is really hard to do! Especially if you are fully in the water. I tried swimming against the current but the best I could manage was to swim in place. We were having so much fun that we closed out the pool. Next time we'll have to start earlier so we can enjoy one of the many hot tubs too.

Jon lounges

James and Christian in the crazy river

Will my water boy

Jonny in the lazy river

James

Christian loves the river

Well that was our day. It is now after midnight and everyone is asleep. And it is time for me to join them! Goodnight!

Sleeping boys

Florida Days Three & Four - Drive Down and Harry Potter

Today we spent time in the most magical place on earth, Universal! Specifically Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. Yesterday we woke up really early (7am again!!) and made the long drive from Key West to Orlando. The view along the Keys was beautiful. Camille was disappointed though that we didn't see more pelicans on this trip. Apparently they used to be all over the place but we saw maybe two of them on our drive up and none in Key West.

Jon's picture of the drive along the Keys

Christian's toy shark

We made the drive up in record time for us. We left early, kept our stops short, and had a great conversation about the relationship of virtue to freedom. Thirteen years in and talking to James is still my favorite thing to do. Anyway, we made it to Orlando right at 4, just in time for check in. We are staying at the Bonnet Creek Resort again and we love it. Check in was easier than last time and this time there was no pressure for the timeshare talk, they barely mentioned it at all. 

Camille and Will at Planet Hollywood

Since we got in so early we were able to head out to Disney Springs for dinner. We ended up eating at Planet Hollywood, mainly because we were tired and it was right at the entrance where we were parked. The restaurant was rather overwhelming. A giant imax screen dominated one wall and there were frequent sing a longs. I managed to mortify Christian by joining the rest of the restaurant and singing Sweet Caroline. Our food was decent and our waitress very good. But we were all exhausted and ready to go home soon after eating. 

Watching Studio C with my boys before bed

This morning we had a slower start. James and I still woke up at 7 and happened to be up when Christian came out of his room. We got a huge hug which was wonderful. But since it was too early to be awake on vacation we decided to get some more sleep. When Christian saw us heading back to bed he said in a shocked voice "What are you guys doing??" He is such a morning person!

Ready for Universal

Will is so excited!

Wizards at Universal

It didn't take Will and Christian long to ditch the robes

We caught Jaws!

Today is Harry Potter day and once we got in we went straight to Diagon Alley. The entrance is a plain brick wall which looks as if it had just opened to create a passage. Once inside the area is crammed with wizarding shops and it really feels like walking into Harry Potter's world. At the top of the street in Gringotts Bank and atop that sits a dragon that periodically roars and breathes fire. It is amazing. 

In Diagon Alley

Dragon on Gringotts Bank

Our first stop was Ollivanders. We were here last year and had bought the boys interactive wands but they didn't work anymore. But the staff "repaired" the broken wands (replaced them with new ones) and the boys were able to do magic again! All over Diagon Alley are stations where you can wave your wand in a certain way and something magical will happen. In one place a puppet show starts, in another a fountain rains down. These are so much that James and I bought ourselves a wand too so we could do the spells without stealing wands from the boys. Jon had a map of all the locations and ran around trying to do every single one.

Christian on Hagrid's motorcycle

One of the many cool shops

Shopping for potions

Jon spent all his money on candy

We didn't spend too much time on the magic at first though. After we bought the wand we went on the Escape from Gringotts ride. (I know I've written about this area before so forgive me if I repeat myself). The ride is a lot of fun but one of the things Universal does really well is the lines and atmosphere. To get to the actual ride you spend a long time walking through the bank, going deeper in until you reach the vaults. The ride itself was the story of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's break into and out of Gringotts. It was a blast.

Gringotts Bank

The head clerk goblin

3D goggles for the ride

Guarding the bank

After that we had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. The food was decent and arrived quickly, but the real treat was the drinks. We had hot, frozen, and regular butterbeer, all of which were delicious. And James got his favorite Green Fizzy drink which he'd been looking forward to since he first tried it last year. It has little blueberry balls which explode in your mouth and he and the boys love it.

The Leaky Cauldron

Christian and I enjoy the view

After lunch it was time for shopping! Camille teases me because I am not a shopper and avoid it whenever I can. But here in Diagon Alley I could (and did!) shop for hours. There are a ton of little shops, Zonko's, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Madame Malkins, Borgin and Burkes, etc. and we went into them all. It was great! Jon of course went straight for the candy and bought himself a giant lollypop and a potion of peace which you can add to drinks. Will was particularly interested in all the quiddich clothes, and Christian loved the manegerie. Grandma was very generous and bought him a stuffed Fawkes which he carried around and hugged for the rest of the day.

Dragon fire

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes shop

Wizard theater

Oh the shopping! So many stores and so many details! Everywhere you looked there were new little things. Universal did a tremendous job on this area and really got all the details right. One area led down into the dark of Knockturn Alley. Here there were more spells you could do. Jon's favorite, the Alohomora spell, unlocked a door which also hissed and blew steam at you when you approached. I got James to go up to it and made him jump. Borgin and Burkes was also down here and they were selling some dark and unique items. We loved looking around.

Borgin and Burkes shop

Death Eater mask

Talking to a snake

I could go on but I'm tired tonight and we spent hours in Diagon Alley. It is really an amazing place and I've never seen an area like it at any theme park. Eventually though we saw enough that it was time to move on. So we left Diagon Alley and entered Kings Cross Station to board the Hogwarts Express. Once again the details were amazing. At one point in the line it looks like you are actually entering through the wall. And the train itself is beautiful. The ride wasn't too long but did have some great scenery as we drove through London and past Hogwarts.

In Kings Cross Station

The boys can't wait to ride the Hogwarts Express

We arrived at Hogsmeade pretty tired but not quite down. There isn't as much to do in the Hogsmeade area but we still checked out the shops and of course Jon had to do all the magic he could in this area too. After a little time shopping here we went over to the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. I've never been on this one. Last time we were on the Islands of Adventure Will and Jon were way too little to go and I didn't want to ride alone. But this time we all went on. 

Hogsmeade

Shopping at Honeydukes

You are probably tired of hearing this but once again Universal did an amazing job with the line and the details. There were multiple rooms of talking portraits or characters and in one Ron made it actually snow. We were there at a good time because the line moved just slow enough that we could see everything but didn't have to wait long. The ride itself I can't describe, it isn't like any other ride I've been on. It was a mix of movie screens and actual rails where you moved past huge monsters and through forests. We flew forward and were flipped on our backs, we soared and were blasted with fire and sprayed with water. I was a little motion sick by the end but it was a fantastic ride. 

Hogwarts

These portraits held conversations with each other

After the Forbidden Journey all the adults took a break while the three boys went on the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster. I love that they are old enough to go on rides by themselves now. And at the same time I don't want them to get too independent... I still need someone to ride with me! By the time the boys got off we were done. It was getting late and we were all exhausted. So we headed off to find some dinner.

Christian loves all these little bikes and motorcycles

Very tired boys waiting for dinner

For dinner we went to the Chocolate Emporium, a steampunk style restaurant that we'd wanted to try for ages now. The food was amazing, by far the best we've had here. James, Camille, and I all had steak that was just heavenly. Christian complimented the chef as he wolfed down his burgers, and Will and Jon both devoured their own adult sized alfredo plates. (I am not ready for them to stop eating off the kids menu!) It was all so good and I desperately want to go back one more time for that steak!

The atmosphere in the restaurant was great too. The staff was all dressed in steampunk outfits which was a lot of fun. And "the owner" of the restaurant came and talked to all the guests. She asked us to keep an eye out for her robot who was currently in a dispute with the toaster. And she asked the boys to come up with a milkshake recipe which they did. It would be called "The Sugar Bomb" and would be made of mint chip ice cream with brownies and oreos, and then topped with strawberry whipped cream, chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles, and a cherry. The boys were very proud of this and excited to keep an eye out for the robot. We did see him from afar but alas we didn't get to speak to him this time.

As wonderful as the food and atmosphere was, the desserts here were even more impressive. The menu had pages and pages of desserts and milkshakes but we settled on the chocolate creme brulee and a brownie sundae. It was delicious but giant and even with six of us we couldn't finish it all. But we will have to come back again before we leave!

Today was a wonderful day. And probably the only time on this blog that I will talk so much or so positively about shopping! But tomorrow is an early morning so I am off to bed. Goodnight!

Islands of Adventure Lighthouse