Universal Studios Orlando is Fantastic… But We’re Glad to Be Home!

No matter where you are traveling or how much fun you are having, there really is no place like home.  Nothing drives that sentiment home more than 7 thunderstorm filled days and nights in humid, overcast Orlando.  We still had a great time, albeit a different time than we had originally planned.  We experienced some OUT OF THIS WORLD attractions and learned a few tips about family vacationing in Orlando that bounced us up a few notches on the “savvy” scale.  As usual, I will share it all with you!

Let’s start with a review.  Remember my Sissy In Law that makes the amazing taco salad?  She jinxed us.  Fourth of July Weekend she kept going on about how she wanted to plan a trip to SeaWorld but was afraid of weather and getting rained out.  My other Sissy In Law, the 2007 Wakeboard Champion of Smallwood Lake, helped me convince her to just book the darn vacation because even if it rains it will be just for a bit and it won’t affect their trip at all.  She booked her trip for August.  We had thunder and lightning storms all day every day.  I blame Taco Salad for her weather obsession.

Even so, I can’t say that one of the things I “learned” is to check the weather report.  So often our trips are planned too far ahead for that and besides, we have to plan around our trips around work.  Once there, I guess, we plan around the weather.  

Two years ago we did a 7 day pass to SeaWorld and a day at Discovery Cove.  It was the most amazing time I have ever had and the whole Fam agreed.  This year we modified it a bit and planned around a 7 day pass at Universal Studios/Island of Adventure & City Walk, with a day spent at Aquatica, the new water park. 

Here is what we learned…

• 7 days for Universal Studios and Island of Adventure is WAY too long.  Admittedly, we left Orlando with a list of attractions we really wanted to check out but we ran out of time due to being rained out every day. 
• The lines at Universal Studios/Island of Adventure are WAY too long.  With an average wait time of 60 minutes each, the number of attractions we could enjoy each day were limited, even without stormy weather.  The experience starts to feel like a job rather than a thrill seeking adventure. 
• The attractions at Universal Studios/Island of Adventure are absolutely worth the ridiculous wait time. 

Universal Studios Travel Tip!

Plan a two day trip and splurge on the express pass.  With a pass you could zoom through everything in one day, but two days gives you more opportunities to sample delicious food and drink along CITY WALK, as well as run multiple times through your favorite rides/shows.  The pass will cost you about $35 more per person, but you will be able to experience so much more fun with the time you save waiting in line.  Having just been slapped with an “extra” $700 charge from the car rental place we could not justify buying the express passes but we will next time and I encourage you to do so too if you are able. 

Although we actually lost our tans and exhausted ourselves running from the back of the parks to the parking ramps each day when the storms hit, we enjoyed all the wows and wonders that our trip to Universal offered us.  We are already talking about our next vacation, but betwen you and me, nothing compared to the “aaaaahhhhh” of falling into my own bed when we got home.  Now to unpack…..

Have you been to Orlando?  Do you have any fun vacation stories?  We’d all love to hear!