I Like Forbidden Journey, but This Is Ridiculous (March 2016) Updated 6/26 (Last Day)

[rteetz]

Great pictures! I have never been to Universal. Lol on the I hate Disney. Rivers of Light has no been their best moment that is for sure.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Just for the record, there is nothing wrong with ice cream for breakfast when you are in Diagon Alley. Not that I know...

 

[soniam]

Great pictures! I have never been to Universal. Lol on the I hate Disney. Rivers of Light has no been their best moment that is for sure.

Thanks. I don't really hate Disney. It was just frustrating.

Just for the record, there is nothing wrong with ice cream for breakfast when you are in Diagon Alley. Not that I know...

Yah, it's got milk and eggs If you get a cone, it has grains

 

[macraven]

Milk and eggs?

Sounds more like breakfast food to me....


So, eat ice cream for breakfast

 

[tortilla24]

Do people not get angry if you have a locker runner who "cuts" the line to join back in afterwards?

 

[Kivara]

Do people not get angry if you have a locker runner who "cuts" the line to join back in afterwards?

You know theme parks...there will always be SOMEONE who takes offense to just about ANYTHING...but I've never seen anyone get screamed at or anything. It would be different if one person held a spot in line and 20 people joined later.

We usually hang out by the entrance to the ride, have 1 person go do the locker, and when they return, we all get in line together (I think the few extra minutes it would save would be a headache to try and find your group in a queue)

 

[tortilla24]

You know theme parks...there will always be SOMEONE who takes offense to just about ANYTHING...but I've never seen anyone get screamed at or anything. It would be different if one person held a spot in line and 20 people joined later.

We usually hang out by the entrance to the ride, have 1 person go do the locker, and when they return, we all get in line together (I think the few extra minutes it would save would be a headache to try and find your group in a queue)

Good point and makes sense. Thank you

 

[ALEXandFAB]

Sometimes Forbidden Journey has a castle tour route. Just ask at the front. It's a separate line, and you can spend time really looking at everything.

Another thing I'll make sure to remember. Sounds like a perfect fit for me Thanks!

 

[soniam]

Do people not get angry if you have a locker runner who "cuts" the line to join back in afterwards?

We have never had a problem with it. If the line is moving very fast, ie it's short, then we usually hang out in an area of the line where we aren't in the way. If the line is long and slow, then it's not difficult for DH to catch up. People have never seemed angry or upset about it. I don't condone line cutting, but one person coming up through the line is not usually an issue. Also, there are other people who do this.

The only time that someone has said anything to me in a line (I don't line cut) was when a CM was walking us up through the line at Forbidden Journey. We were the first people at the turnstiles that morning for early entry. We didn't run to the ride, so we weren't the first in line. It never came online. We sat in line for 45 minutes and finally got out. DH was getting the stuff from the locker, and wouldn't you know it, it started running again. I asked a CM if it was. She said it was, and I lamented how we had just gotten out of line. She had us ushered up toward the front, where the single rider and standby lines merge, not the very front but close. Someone made a snotty comment about special treatment. I told them that we had waited in line while it was broken, but the guy seemed to think he was entitled. It was funny though, because he would have had to have been behind us, because he was about where we left the line before the ride started moving Oh well, I hope he was bitter all day about it

 

[jvars]

What is the "official" way to get to the park from HRH? We will be staying there in 2 weeks for the first time and I know we will be so lost for that first early entry. The hotels all look so huge!

 

[soniam]

What is the "official" way to get to the park from HRH? We will be staying there in 2 weeks for the first time and I know we will be so lost for that first early entry. The hotels all look so huge!

I think you have to go out toward the pool and follow the signs to the boat launch. There's a sidewalk that goes along the water. We never actually left the hotel using the correct way. We only returned partly using the correct way but cut it short at one point. It seems much longer than the self-parking cut through. You might want to ask at the front desk to be sure. You might be able to see it on Google Earth too.

 

[pepperandchips]

Great update! Love reading Universal trip reports It's funny you say E.T. is an every other trip attraction for you. I would ride it 100 times a trip if I could! Those weird baby extraterrestrials (especially the "Tarzan" one) are probably my favorite thing at Universal. Good tip about the Gringott's line just not being open yet - I wonder if we have missed an opportunity in the past by not joining the line when seeing it down the street in the morning.

 

[soniam]

Great update! Love reading Universal trip reports It's funny you say E.T. is an every other trip attraction for you. I would ride it 100 times a trip if I could! Those weird baby extraterrestrials (especially the "Tarzan" one) are probably my favorite thing at Universal. Good tip about the Gringott's line just not being open yet - I wonder if we have missed an opportunity in the past by not joining the line when seeing it down the street in the morning.

It can look really bad. However, if people are only lining up outside and it hasn't started yet, then it looks really bad. Once it started, the line moved very quickly.

 

[allybabba98]

Following along. We leave in a couple of weeks and are staying at HRH too, very interested to hear if you enjoyed it. This is our second time going and my favourite ride is the Mummy...I think we did it at least 7 times last time. Looking forward to hearing all about your trip.

 

[soniam]

Following along. We leave in a couple of weeks and are staying at HRH too, very interested to hear if you enjoyed it. This is our second time going and my favourite ride is the Mummy...I think we did it at least 7 times last time. Looking forward to hearing all about your trip.

Hope you have a good trip. We loved HRH. In fact, we are planning a couples-only trip in July, and DH is willing to pay more to stay at HRH in a room with queen beds, instead of staying in a king at RPR, which we like too.

 

[keishashadow]

nice start to your TR from another of the RoL failboats here lol April/May guests in both parks just missing out on all the hoopla. good excuse for another trip tho.

 

[soniam]

nice start to your TR from another of the RoL failboats here lol April/May guests in both parks just missing out on all the hoopla. good excuse for another trip tho.

Since we have a trip in July, it's looking like we might actually get to see ROL after all, or at least the Jungle Book show. I don't really need much excuse to think about another trip though

 

[soniam]

Boards misbehaving. Double post.

 

[soniam]

Day 1 PM - Islands of Adventure & Margaritaville - Sure, I'll Have Another Drink

That was a longer break than I anticipated.

Hogwart's Express



We exited the train and headed for Dragon Challenge. This would be the first time that DH and DS rode this. I became the pack mule, since this is a locker ride, and I was not about to ride After DS and DH got in line, I heard the CMs saying that your pockets must be empty and you must go through a metal detector. Soon, DH came running back with his phone. I told DH I would wait near the entrance, because we thought the exit was there. I found the exit though and waited, since DH wasn't expecting me there. I really wanted to go take pictures though I didn't see them riding, but I saw the grins on their faces when they got off


Hogwart's Castle



The wait at Forbidden Journey was only about 30 minutes, but we decided to do the single rider line. We have seen the queue multiple times before, so it would be ok. Plus, DS is old enough that it's not an issue. If you haven't seen the queue, don't skip it. The line was hardly moving, while the standby line was zooming by. I think we were waiting for more than 20 minutes up by the sorting hat, near the end of the line It was so slow, that people were jumping out the single rider line into the standby line. We didn't; gotta set a good example They finally noticed us and started sending people 2 at a time from single rider. DS and I got to ride together. However, the couple in front of us decided to sit in the middle seats I had put DS at one end, while I ran around to the other. Since the bench keeps moving, I was worried we wouldn't get on in time The CM rolled her eyes at the other couple We were having a good time, and then the ride stopped. We were just sitting there. It was very short, and the ride started back up. As we were moving from side-to-side and back and forth, I was thinking please don't stop again while we are all over the place. Then wham, we come to a complete stop in the Dementor room between Dementors #1 and #2, while on our backs I leaned forward to see if DS was ok. He was having a blast. We were laying on our backs for a while, and eventually they turned on the lights. I was thinking we would have to be evacuated out, and we would get to see some backstage areas We had a nice view of a hole in the ceiling, where there was a bunch of catwalks and equipment. I wish I had a camera, but I left everything in the locker. The view was a little boring, but at least we weren't dangling forward It seemed forever, but it was probably only 5 minutes, maybe 10. Finally, we started moving and the lights went out. I kept thinking the rest of the ride please don't stop again So, I like Forbidden Journey, but that was a ridiculously long time to be on my back in it. We had to wait forever outside for DH to finally make it through. DH was stuck too, but earlier in the ride.

We did Flight of the Hippogriff before heading out of Hogsmeade. We were running behind on time, so we left some rides for the next day. We had to see the Jurassic Park Discovery Center, since we missed it on our first trip.


Hogsmeade



We headed back to the hotel to swim before dinner and the Mardi Gras Parade. The pool area is really nice at HRH, and DS loved the slide. Finding a couple of lounges in sight of the pool wasn't difficult either. We ordered some drinks while DS swam. Our server, Kelsey, was awesome. We had some more drinks, and DS swam some moreI wish I had taken pictures of the hotel. It's really much nicer looking than even the website shows.

We headed back and got changed for our 5:30pm reservation at Margaritaville in Citywalk. We wanted to eat early, so that we could make the Mardi Gras parade. We really like Margaritaville. The food, atmosphere, drinks, and music are good. Of course, we had a couple of more drinks We both got perfect margaritas, which were great. While waiting for the food, the stilt walkers came by. These guys are amazing. I can't imagine trying to walk on those and then also make balloon animals. DS asked for a chicken hat, which will return to haunt us later that evening.


DH at Margaritaville



The Chicken Hat. Dum, Dum, Dumm!



We got the cheese curds with BBQ sauce for an appetizer. Those were pretty tasty. I ordered another drink, the passion fruit guava cocktail, which was very Hawaii happy place tasting. I don't have any pictures of our food, except for a blurry one of my coconut shrimp. Maybe I should not have had all those drinks I love their coconut shrimp. I think I get this every time we eat at a Margaritaville. DH had the black and blue burger, and DS had chicken strips. Of course, I also had to have the key lime pie for dessert. It's one of my favorite desserts, and theirs is really nice and tart. DH and I "shared" it. I actually ate the whole thing myself and then realized that we were supposed to share It's okay; he doesn't like key lime pie that much anyway. DS had the kid's sundae. The food was all delicious.


Drunken Coconut Shrimp or Drunken Patron



Next, we stumble like tourists on Bourbon St to the Mardi Gras parade...

 

[schumigirl]

Nice update......we love Margaritaville too.......never disappointed us for food and atmosphere. Love their coconut shrimp too!

Not nice getting stuck on a ride, would be awful leaning forward I agree........I've never been to JPDC for some reason........not sure why.