2013 Holiday Day 7 - Universal's Islands Of Adventure and more..

With the car we have a new found freedom to explore beyond the Disney boundaries. After breakfast we head off to Universal's theme parks and decide to begin in Islands of Adventure. For some odd reason, they start parking everyone right at the top of the multi-story car park. In the Florida sun. Great idea Universal! Now we get to come back to a hot, hot car! We then have to queue for ages to get our tickets. Grrr... Anyway, we eventually get into the park and start at Marvel Super Hero Island.

We start on The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. I have no idea what it is, but Mrs B says it's like Star Tours at Disney Hollywood Studios (a simulator 3D ride). That's cool. Anyway, we get into the vehicle, with our 3D glasses on - and the vehicle is on a track. It's more of a part roller coaster, part simulator, with spinning and simulated vertical drops and attacks by bad guys with water and fire (so we get a bit wet and a bit hot). When we get off I'm a bit dizzy and can feel breakfast in the wrong part of my body. Master B loved it! He wants to go on again. Mrs B agrees to take him (she doesn't need a second invitation for thrilling rides) whilst I decide to look round the shops. With no wait time, it makes sense to ride it twice anyway.

After that, Mrs B wants to do Doctor Doom's Fearfall. Did I go on? Clue is in the name. Me and Master B go and have our photo takes with Spiderman whilst Mrs B rockets 150 feet into the air, then plunges back down again. She liked it...

Next on the max thrill rides is The Incredible Hulk Coaster. There is a little wait for this one - 15 minutes - but Mrs B does the ride and enjoys it. Not as much as Everest at Animal Kingdom, though.

We then walk through the streets of the Marvel Island and get photos with Dr Doom and The Green Goblin, then watch the superheroes arrive on their motorbikes. We stop in a couple of shops before deciding to head to Jurassic Park. On arrival, we watch the final plunge of the River Adventure ride, where you get absolutely soaked, and Mrs B declares it's too cold to go on (it's only mid-70s degrees F!) so we skip it. Master B stands near the wet zone and gets soaked by one of the ride vehicles plunging into the water. He's happy!

We then go to the Discovery Center which is a recreation of the one in the movie and Master B and Mrs B do some of the interactive exhibits. It's cool in there, so I take the chance to have a sit down!

After a pow-wow, Master B decides he wants a Butterbeer so we go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We did this a lot on our last visit, so we head straight past the sellers on the street with the long queues and go into the Hog's Head pub where there is no queue and order on Butterbeer. We sit in the back garden and enjoy it between us. We then head into the sweet shop, Honeydukes, to buy Peppermint Toads and Chocolate Frogs - just like in the books. They are scrummy.

We want to do some shopping, so we head out of the park around 1pm and hit the malls and Publix supermarket. We then head back to the villa with our purchases and Master B wants to head to the pool, which we do and spend a couple of hours in the Paddock Pool sunbathing and swimming. There is a cracking play area near the pool Master B takes full advantage of.

Around 5pm, Mrs B declares she is hungry, so we decide to drive over to...

Disney Epcot

... to eat at the Food and Wine Festival. We head to the USA where I have a delicious Clam Chowder soup and the bread and butter pudding and Mrs B has the Lobster Roll. We are all a bit tired by now, so we stroll back to the car and get home in time for Wheel of Fortune.

A slower day today, but we needed it I think...