davidm
Strata Poster
Bit out of practice on these long rambling TRs, also gonna try to be a bit more brief as there's a glut of similar ones floating about at
the moment.![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Anyway, way back in the days-before-covid I had organised stuff (flights/car/hotels/some park tickets) for an Autumn trip to Orlando to
take in a bit of HHN, the (seems like the last ever) US-Live and a few days staying with my Dad at his condo in Sanibel (he'd had this
condo for a few years and he went out a couple of times each year for a few weeks at a time but I'd never been inclined to go there myself,
but it seemed like a reasonable thing to do as he would have been out there the same time I was off gooning and it would have made a little
bit of a break in my planned 2 weeks trip and a reasonable diversion from Orlando if I went via Tampa for that new RMC they were planning
for 2020).
So none of that happened of course, hotels were cancelled, flights rebooked for 12 months later. That did not happen either (just missing
out on the US opening up in Nov'21) but the opening date of Gwazi hsd been announced by then for March so when rebooking (again) the flights
I figured sooner rather than later (and like us all I was just wanting to do SOMETHING) so plumped for what I hoped was a small gap between
spring-break-season and Easter. Of course no HHN, no US Live and we had even sold the condo by then as my Dad was not wanting to do that
trip anymore - that left me with 2 weeks in Orlando, more than I'd ever had in one stretch before - so figured I better do "everything" then.
Saturday 26th March - Travel etc
There had been nightmare stories of big queues at Manchester Airport, so I got there stupid early to give me enough time - stories were
basically true, bag drop-off was fine but took an hour to get through security at 730am - ugh!
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009045322_8309520489_b.jpg)
But flight was uneventful and quiet, maybe half full so plenty of room to spread out. US-Border/immigration was surprisingly quick and faff
free, picked up a (not very cheap) car from the airport and by evening local time was located in my first hotel, which was cunningly located
just over the road from Universal. I'd stayed nearby the last time I was in Orlando (2016) and had found the location pretty good - liked
being able to nip across the road and be on Universal property within a few minutes, arguably closer to the parks than several of the on-site
hotels even. Still not a cheap hotel though, just not quite as pricey as the resort ones.
Crap pic of the view from my room;
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009045302_54df6a7b70_b.jpg)
But I can see Velocicoaster from there, it was only early evening, I had a 2 week ticket for Universal so off we go...
About a 15min walk to CityWalk and then another trek over to Islands and trek around the place - was very excited by now - my plan was just
to get a quick night ride in, start the holiday off so to speak, so I wasn't particularly bothered by the advertised 60min wait (was in fact
the longest I had to wait for it over the entire trip).
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010313074_b5080ce88d_b.jpg)
and the wait might let it get proper dark by the time I ride?
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066926_7431e00dc1_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066956_ea3330fe71_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066911_b74b3bc6bf_b.jpg)
Minor disaster though, I discover that somehow in my sleep-deprived-cred-enthused taking of some pictures in the queue line, that I had
managed to lose my glasses strap out of my pocket, definitely had it when I left the hotel, did not have it as I approached the locker-faff
area of the queue. Burden.
Erring on the side of caution (major disaster would be losing my glasses) I stick them in the lockers too and experience a very blurry
pre-show and first ride on Velocicoaster. Ha ha![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
But even in my blurry state - loved it ; fab ride. Really liked the twisty first half, Taron+ I think, genuine "oh wow" moment when the
second launch kicked-in, top hat was great (I was riding mid-train), second faster half of the ride great fun, although I did not really rate
the stall much and the final roll was good but not earth-shattering.
I approve anyway. A lot.
Thought I'd get some food in CityWalk; Islands was closing at 8 that night - I think there might have been a private event later as most of
CityWalk was also roped off which kinda scuppered my food plan (huge queues at what was left open in CityWalk) so I just went into the
Studios park instead to grab a burger and a beer, like you do.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066891_d7985a7516_b.jpg)
Right, good start, busy first day though what with all the intercontinental travel and a splendid +1 ; back to hotel to sleep now.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010582020_98513e19c0_b.jpg)
Sunday 27th March - Universal
Back over the road again then. They have installed a pedestrian bridge since I was here in 2016 so you don't even have to wait for the lights
across the busy Kirkman road anymore.![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010340044_7d928e5eec_b.jpg)
Had another +1 to get at Islands though, so headed for Hagrid's first thing - annoyingly the line for this was advertised at 120m and started
off well outside the Wizarding World, winding its way through the old Sinbad show - great.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339994_b480b9b58c_b.jpg)
It wasn't really a 120m queue, over an hour though, but what are you going to do?
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009072347_1e827662fe_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010094081_38bae03641_b.jpg)
Really liked this too - its really good fun, if not very thrilling, ride. Verbolten+ then.
Couple of morning rides (with vision this time) on Velocicoaster followed, could appreciate it more being able to see! Was advertised as 60m
queues but was less, say 40m - much less than the previous might anyway.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339714_7e8c8779d4_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010609220_52ba6d43d5_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339834_f7341f9210_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009071787_772ae27b33_b.jpg)
The dino-water ride was walk-on, so did that. Got quite wet.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339789_20b2386ff5_b.jpg)
Then wandered round the rest of the park, rode Spidey, Fear-Fall and Hulk in quick succession, using the single-rider on Spidey and Hulk but
the main queue on Fear-Fall - actually don't think I had ever ridden that more than once before and had used the SRQ then, so oddly the
pre-show was all "new" to me.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339769_39e76873ed_b.jpg)
There was "new stuff" over at Studios though, so I got the potter-train (vile queue, should have walked) over there. Quick SRQ lap on
Gringotts, Simpsons, ET (just because you have to do ET or Spielberg gets upset), Men in Black.
Felt I was getting a lot done for a weekend day at at a busy couple of parks, so paused for a mid-afternoon beverage break at the
high-quality establishments here before going to see the "new stuff".
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010609015_940fc688d1_b.jpg)
First up was the Bourne show which replaced (the lovely) T2. Was quite sad about that as I really liked T2, I've even been known to watch
it a couple of times in the same day - well not anymore can we do that.
And the Bourne thing wasn't bad at all - technically very clever and slick. Just isn't T2. Does anyone care about the Bourne-IP in the way
that they (used to) care about Terminator? Don't think so. Bourne was worth watching then, I'd do it again in the future but wouldn't
worry too much if I had to miss it out.
Next "new thing" was the Jimmy Fallon ride. This was awful, bring back Twister (bring back Ghostbusters for that matter). Slick presentation
and queue line themed like the backstage of the Tonight show, but awful motion simulator business, terrible film, annoying personality
(but I guess if the ride is themed after one person/TV show you have to be on-board with that show to get anything out of it)
So yeah, terrible, burn it down.
Next up was the last "new thing" and I can't say I was desperately optimistic about this.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010145778_29e9122950_b.jpg)
Again the pre-ride bit was all expensive looking (crap photo though) as the queue takes you though all these cars and stuff, but the
pre-shows was painful and the ride itself just a crappy immersive tunnel thing, same ride system as the older Kong thing at Islands but with
a much less engaging film (and IP).
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009072017_4a977da307_b.jpg)
The Fallon ride was better than that was.
Back to Islands, get some food and ride Velocicoaster a few times as it gets dark. Great stuff.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009071927_5f832cf4ae_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010145723_4e44e43cb3_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339529_cbb80da857_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339509_94683d2c19_b.jpg)
Lights not working on the coaster you'll notice. Hope they don't start having more maintenance problems with this.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010608765_3a72c9a5f1_b.jpg)
Did well with those rides on VC I think, one lap the queue actually started inside after the dino-statue thing, but otherwise it was just outside the inside bit which ended up being around 30m each time.
That saw out the day though, I've had my initial fix of Universal. Next up some Gwazi-goodness...
the moment.
Anyway, way back in the days-before-covid I had organised stuff (flights/car/hotels/some park tickets) for an Autumn trip to Orlando to
take in a bit of HHN, the (seems like the last ever) US-Live and a few days staying with my Dad at his condo in Sanibel (he'd had this
condo for a few years and he went out a couple of times each year for a few weeks at a time but I'd never been inclined to go there myself,
but it seemed like a reasonable thing to do as he would have been out there the same time I was off gooning and it would have made a little
bit of a break in my planned 2 weeks trip and a reasonable diversion from Orlando if I went via Tampa for that new RMC they were planning
for 2020).
So none of that happened of course, hotels were cancelled, flights rebooked for 12 months later. That did not happen either (just missing
out on the US opening up in Nov'21) but the opening date of Gwazi hsd been announced by then for March so when rebooking (again) the flights
I figured sooner rather than later (and like us all I was just wanting to do SOMETHING) so plumped for what I hoped was a small gap between
spring-break-season and Easter. Of course no HHN, no US Live and we had even sold the condo by then as my Dad was not wanting to do that
trip anymore - that left me with 2 weeks in Orlando, more than I'd ever had in one stretch before - so figured I better do "everything" then.
Saturday 26th March - Travel etc
There had been nightmare stories of big queues at Manchester Airport, so I got there stupid early to give me enough time - stories were
basically true, bag drop-off was fine but took an hour to get through security at 730am - ugh!
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009045322_8309520489_b.jpg)
But flight was uneventful and quiet, maybe half full so plenty of room to spread out. US-Border/immigration was surprisingly quick and faff
free, picked up a (not very cheap) car from the airport and by evening local time was located in my first hotel, which was cunningly located
just over the road from Universal. I'd stayed nearby the last time I was in Orlando (2016) and had found the location pretty good - liked
being able to nip across the road and be on Universal property within a few minutes, arguably closer to the parks than several of the on-site
hotels even. Still not a cheap hotel though, just not quite as pricey as the resort ones.
Crap pic of the view from my room;
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009045302_54df6a7b70_b.jpg)
But I can see Velocicoaster from there, it was only early evening, I had a 2 week ticket for Universal so off we go...
About a 15min walk to CityWalk and then another trek over to Islands and trek around the place - was very excited by now - my plan was just
to get a quick night ride in, start the holiday off so to speak, so I wasn't particularly bothered by the advertised 60min wait (was in fact
the longest I had to wait for it over the entire trip).
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010313074_b5080ce88d_b.jpg)
and the wait might let it get proper dark by the time I ride?
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066926_7431e00dc1_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066956_ea3330fe71_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066911_b74b3bc6bf_b.jpg)
Minor disaster though, I discover that somehow in my sleep-deprived-cred-enthused taking of some pictures in the queue line, that I had
managed to lose my glasses strap out of my pocket, definitely had it when I left the hotel, did not have it as I approached the locker-faff
area of the queue. Burden.
Erring on the side of caution (major disaster would be losing my glasses) I stick them in the lockers too and experience a very blurry
pre-show and first ride on Velocicoaster. Ha ha
But even in my blurry state - loved it ; fab ride. Really liked the twisty first half, Taron+ I think, genuine "oh wow" moment when the
second launch kicked-in, top hat was great (I was riding mid-train), second faster half of the ride great fun, although I did not really rate
the stall much and the final roll was good but not earth-shattering.
I approve anyway. A lot.
Thought I'd get some food in CityWalk; Islands was closing at 8 that night - I think there might have been a private event later as most of
CityWalk was also roped off which kinda scuppered my food plan (huge queues at what was left open in CityWalk) so I just went into the
Studios park instead to grab a burger and a beer, like you do.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010066891_d7985a7516_b.jpg)
Right, good start, busy first day though what with all the intercontinental travel and a splendid +1 ; back to hotel to sleep now.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010582020_98513e19c0_b.jpg)
Sunday 27th March - Universal
Back over the road again then. They have installed a pedestrian bridge since I was here in 2016 so you don't even have to wait for the lights
across the busy Kirkman road anymore.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010340044_7d928e5eec_b.jpg)
Had another +1 to get at Islands though, so headed for Hagrid's first thing - annoyingly the line for this was advertised at 120m and started
off well outside the Wizarding World, winding its way through the old Sinbad show - great.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339994_b480b9b58c_b.jpg)
It wasn't really a 120m queue, over an hour though, but what are you going to do?
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009072347_1e827662fe_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010094081_38bae03641_b.jpg)
Really liked this too - its really good fun, if not very thrilling, ride. Verbolten+ then.
Couple of morning rides (with vision this time) on Velocicoaster followed, could appreciate it more being able to see! Was advertised as 60m
queues but was less, say 40m - much less than the previous might anyway.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339714_7e8c8779d4_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010609220_52ba6d43d5_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339834_f7341f9210_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009071787_772ae27b33_b.jpg)
The dino-water ride was walk-on, so did that. Got quite wet.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339789_20b2386ff5_b.jpg)
Then wandered round the rest of the park, rode Spidey, Fear-Fall and Hulk in quick succession, using the single-rider on Spidey and Hulk but
the main queue on Fear-Fall - actually don't think I had ever ridden that more than once before and had used the SRQ then, so oddly the
pre-show was all "new" to me.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339769_39e76873ed_b.jpg)
There was "new stuff" over at Studios though, so I got the potter-train (vile queue, should have walked) over there. Quick SRQ lap on
Gringotts, Simpsons, ET (just because you have to do ET or Spielberg gets upset), Men in Black.
Felt I was getting a lot done for a weekend day at at a busy couple of parks, so paused for a mid-afternoon beverage break at the
high-quality establishments here before going to see the "new stuff".
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010609015_940fc688d1_b.jpg)
First up was the Bourne show which replaced (the lovely) T2. Was quite sad about that as I really liked T2, I've even been known to watch
it a couple of times in the same day - well not anymore can we do that.
And the Bourne thing wasn't bad at all - technically very clever and slick. Just isn't T2. Does anyone care about the Bourne-IP in the way
that they (used to) care about Terminator? Don't think so. Bourne was worth watching then, I'd do it again in the future but wouldn't
worry too much if I had to miss it out.
Next "new thing" was the Jimmy Fallon ride. This was awful, bring back Twister (bring back Ghostbusters for that matter). Slick presentation
and queue line themed like the backstage of the Tonight show, but awful motion simulator business, terrible film, annoying personality
(but I guess if the ride is themed after one person/TV show you have to be on-board with that show to get anything out of it)
So yeah, terrible, burn it down.
Next up was the last "new thing" and I can't say I was desperately optimistic about this.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010145778_29e9122950_b.jpg)
Again the pre-ride bit was all expensive looking (crap photo though) as the queue takes you though all these cars and stuff, but the
pre-shows was painful and the ride itself just a crappy immersive tunnel thing, same ride system as the older Kong thing at Islands but with
a much less engaging film (and IP).
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009072017_4a977da307_b.jpg)
The Fallon ride was better than that was.
Back to Islands, get some food and ride Velocicoaster a few times as it gets dark. Great stuff.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52009071927_5f832cf4ae_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010145723_4e44e43cb3_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339529_cbb80da857_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010339509_94683d2c19_b.jpg)
Lights not working on the coaster you'll notice. Hope they don't start having more maintenance problems with this.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52010608765_3a72c9a5f1_b.jpg)
Did well with those rides on VC I think, one lap the queue actually started inside after the dino-statue thing, but otherwise it was just outside the inside bit which ended up being around 30m each time.
That saw out the day though, I've had my initial fix of Universal. Next up some Gwazi-goodness...
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