Universal Studios

In 2.5 hours we had done pretty much all we wanted to do at Islands of Adventure thanks to the early access and fast lane passes from staying at our hotel. We headed over to Universal Studios on the Hogwarts Express which is a ride in itself.

We headed to Diagon Alley and rode Escape from Gringotts then waited for the dragon to roar. And waited. And waited. Turns out if it’s windy they won’t let her breathe fire. Which would be nice if there was a signal when that happens. That was our only hiccup the entire day. We were able to see Marilyn Monroe (Rob’s favorite), ride transformers, the Minion ride, and our new favorite show the Bourne Stuntacular. Last time Dave and I went to Universal we spoke at length to a kind elderly employee while waiting for the parks to open. He mentioned that this show was his favorite anywhere but we didn’t have time that day to see it. So we made it a priority to see this time. And wow, was it amazing. A mix of stunts, technology, and a rotating platform that almost seamlessly melded real life action with screen images. No videography or photography was allowed understandably. It quickly became one of the highlights of the trip. We were done in less than 3 hours so we headed out of the parks to grab a late lunch in City Walk. We ended up at Cowfish, a burger and sushi bar which instantly became a new favorite. It was a cold and windy day for Florida so it was nice to warm up for a bit before taking the bus back to the hotel. The boats weren’t running due to the wind but probably would have been chilly anyway. Despite the weather, Dave enjoyed a Coldstone ice cream before we left for the hotel.Read more