Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventures

I haven't blogged about Florida for a while (shock, horror), so I thought I'd write a blog post about Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure. Although these two parks are probably near the bottom of my top ten theme park list in Orlando, they're still amazing and well worth a visit.

The Universal parks are just a short drive away from Walt Disney World and are in a really beautiful setting. With the lovely views, the massive Hard Rock Cafe and the bustling City Walk, you feel as if you've stepped in to another world. I always think Hollywood must be a bit like the Universal resort area! City Walk is basically a line of shops, bars, restaurants and a huge cinema. There's always music blaring and it always gets me pumped up for the parks when I walk down the busy street.

This year, we visited Universal Studios first. Universal Studios is the original Universal theme park and has loads of brilliant rides such as Minion Mayhem (Despicable Me), Rip Ride Rock-It and The Mummy. As is my custom, I scream like a girl on these rides but absolutely love them and always want to go on again and again. Men In Black and the Simpsons ride are also a lot of fun.

We were really looking forward to going on the Transformers 3D ride this year, but unfortunately it broke down while we were in the queue! In spite of this disappointment, we did have a great time on the other rides. I would go so far as to say that Universal are the kings of simulator rides...  look no further than Minion Mayhem and the Simpsons ride for evidence of this bold statement.

Everything in Universal Studios is... BIG. An amazing amount of effort has gone into the architecture of the park and its different areas, and you just have to be impressed by the enormity of all. The Simpsons area is particularly impressive and has been improved and expanded a lot since we visited last year.

Although Universal Studios definitely has its good points, I definitely prefer Universal's Islands of Adventures. As suggested by its name, Universal's Islands of Adventures is split into various 'islands' within the park. I love the Marvel Super Hero Island, and the Islands of Adventures park is also home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! My favourite ride in the Marvel area has got to be The Hulk... I could stay on it all day. I might be sick and very bruised if I actually stayed on it all day, but I feel that it would be (almost) worth it. The Spiderman ride is a great experience, and I love all the imagery and characterisation in and around Marvel Super Hero Island. I also went on the Jurassic Park ride for the first time this year and was grateful for my Minnie Mouse poncho (wrong park, I know) when we plunged down a small waterfall.

In my (slightly biased) opinion, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the crown jewel of the Islands of Adventure and has to be seen to be believed. You'll feel as if you've walked right in to a scene from one of the books or the films, whichever you prefer. This particular 'island' is split into two main areas - Hogwarts and  Hogsmeade. The Hogwarts castle is a majestic spectacle, and the ride inside it is breathtaking. Flying with Harry, Ron and Hermione through various scenes from the books... what more could you possibly want? The Duelling Dragons rollercoasters are also fantastic, and they never have a very big queue which is always a bonus when you're trying to rush around everything in a short space of time.

I absolutely love the way Hogsmeade has been presented and the fact that you can visit (and buy from!) all the same shops as Harry, Ron and Hermione frequently visit in the books. Everything is a bit extortionate in these shops, but you should definitely save some money to treat yourself to a souvenir from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can buy Hogwarts robes, wands, Hedwig teddies, tshirts for the four houses, and so much more! You can also try Butter Beer which we actually tried this year. I'm undecided on whether I liked it or not, so I'll just have to try it again next time we go.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is currently undergoing a massive expansion and the rumours around it are very exciting... I can't wait to go back there when it's all completed!

No visit to Universal Studios is complete without having lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Universal's Hard Rock Cafe is the largest in the world and is a really magnificent building. Yes, I know it's a chain, but that doesn't stop their food from being amazing. I urge you to order their fajitas if you ever decide to pay a visit!

There are a few negative points about the Universal parks which could tarnish your experience if you let them get to you. The staff can be quite rude and abrupt which is a stark contrast to the friendly and accommodating staff in the Disney parks. The queues aren't particularly orderly so people push in on a regular basis, and the Universal parks will charge you for anything and everything. Fast passes, lockers, drink refills (even after you've paid 10 dollars for a souvenir cup)... you name it, they'll want money for it. Lastly, people are not kept particularly informed when a ride has broken down, even if they happen to be in the queue for that very ride. The Transformers fiasco I mentioned above would never have happened in a Disney park!

However, in spite of these negatives, you should definitely visit both Universal parks at least once if you're ever in the area. I think the Disney parks just set an impossibly high standard which is very difficult for other parks to live up to... difficult for any establishment to live up to, in fact! 

Which Universal park is your favourite?