Day 71 - Universal...Part Deux

Author – Grant
Based In – Orland, Florida
Specifically – Universal Studios

Today’s Photos – http://www.flickr.com/photos/32017704@N03/sets/72157612658703920/

Final day in Orlando today so it’s back on the theme park routine. Today’s park of choice was Universal’s other offering (following our visit to the ride orientated Island of Adventure earlier in the week) is their Studios park which is more film and TV inspired. Whilst I couldn’t have told you before our visit, it turns out that Universal are responsible for a decent percentage of the more popular TV programs out there including The Simpsons, Fear Factor, Men In Black, The Mummy films, Shrek, everything on Nicklodeon and much much more.

Now I mistakenly thought that the studios park might have been some insight into movie making but actually it was just another bunch of rides inspired by those movies. Not that I am complaining – learning is over-rated anyhow. Sometimes the link between the program/film and the ride was based on a solid foundation (such as the Men In Black ride which involved clearing up the streets of Manhattan with a laser gun) whilst other times the link was tentative at best (such as The Simpsons ride where a huge story was set in place for a glorified roller-coaster simulator). The Disaster experience was a highlight where a few of the audience (including Danny who was an Essex thug on day release from his community service) were chosen to star in a few scenes of a film trailer which we were shown after being subjected to a mocked up, pant-filling disaster on a subway train. The worst ride was a terrible advert for their Twister movie staring Helen Hunt and some overly serious idiot whose name escapes me. The mock up of a hurricane was seriously tame and, as a result, I quite fancy living in Hurricane Alley now as it would help us dry our clothes quicker. The sets throughout the place were amazing with mock ups of New York, Maine and San Francisco that were the backdrops to actual movies. It also seemed like there were always characters roaming the streets which was a nice touch. Still, if I die without seeing another 4D movie (3D with glasses and the 4th dimension provided by a moving chair or spraying water…I actually experienced 5D if you include the little shit next to me kicking my leg throughout the film) then I’ll not be too sad.

It had got to early afternoon before we were all done with the Studios Park but our tickets were still valid for the Island of Adventure park next door so we stretched our roller coaster muscles with a final few rides of The Hulk coaster and the Jurassic Park water ride. There was a lady being pulled onto the Hulk coaster by her husband who was clearly absolutely hammered and I was really pleased when they chose the back row as that put me out of vomit range…but I forgot about the 360 degree loops. Luckily she managed to keep the bottle of whiskey inside her throughout the ride but the ornamental lake took some damage as soon as she got off. I didn’t get close enough to hear if they were British but in my heart of hearts I think I know. Some people really shouldn’t be allowed outside their own borders.

Despite having covered easily 5 miles walking around theme parks, we still managed very respectable runs before heading out to dinner. It sounds strange to say this but we both craved the comfort of some chain food so we headed to the world’s biggest Hard Rock Café which comes with a full-size pink Cadillac revolving above the bar. It’s actually a really impressive building that easily holds 500 people (although not in early January when the crowds are so sparse) and the food is exactly what you would expect; call it either upscale fast food or mediocre American dining but it hit the spot nicely.

We’re leaving Orlando prematurely tomorrow morning to head down to meet a couple of friends in Fort Myers for an increasingly rare boozy night. I hope I remember how to get drunk…