Day 5 Islands of Adventure

Yesterday we went to Islands of Adventure theme park. 

We already had tickets, but decided to splurge on fast passes so we didnt have to queue. They were very expensive but really worth every penny. When we got in we headed straight to the super hero island area for the Spider Man ride. It was another roller coaster type 3d screen rides, and was amazing! These types of ride are so immersing and the quote of the holiday so far is coming off a ride and saying 'cleverly done, really clever'. We then went on the only type of ride that makes me nervous, the free fall towers. This one was dr dooms fear fall, a 150 ft tower that powers you quickly to the top then drops you, there are 4 drops each slightly lower than the last one. The view from the top was fantastic, not that you had long to enjoy it before your stomach tried to leap through your mouth! I get such an adrenaline buzz after those types of rides. It was there that we bumped into my boss and his partner and friends. Their villa is just round the corner from ours. They have been hitting the theme parks hard spending 4 days in a row at theme parks. They are only here for 2 weeks, and were going for a night put with them on Friday.

Onto Seuss landing where we experienced the trippy Cat in the Hat ride before heading to the lost continent. We dudnt have to queue for anything for more than 20 minutes and it was amazing breezing past the 90 minute wait sign for everyone else. We went on Posiedons Fury, which was a walk throughOf an archaeologists site. Of course we became trapped in a chamber and could only get out by returning Posiedons trident to him. We walked through a tunnel of water and there was a fight between 2 gods projected onto a wall of water. Very cool. Next we watched Sinbads stunt show where he rescued a very feisty princess who was doing a fine job of rescuing herself until Sinbad showed up.

After that we wandered to Jurassic Park for lunch. Matt had a huge chilli dog and I had chilli nachos. Delicious. We had taken our own snacks in to save money, and we bought a free re fillable drink for 12 dollars. We dedinitely got our moneys worth. After wandering about the various photo opportunities in Jurassic Park, wewent on the giant log flume. Thank goodness for ponchos. Matt had been mocking them, but he wore his just the same as i did!

We went into the second half of Harry Potter world, which is modelled on a snowy Hogsmeade. The shoos arent as good here as in Diagon Ally, but the rides are better. There is a ride inside a huge Hogwarts that the fast passes dont work on. We had to queue for an hour, but its probably my favourite ride so far,the journey through Hogwarts. Simikar to the other one in that it has the huge screens, but you are strapped in like a roller coaster on a movable arm that tips you every angle, just not quite upside down! No 3d glasses for this one which is even more clever! A really fantastic ride. We went on the Flight of the Hippogryph, a family Roller coaster past Hagrids hut, then o to the Dragon Challenge, where you choose either the Hungarian Horntail coaster or the Norweigan Ridgeback coaster that intertwine. We, of course, did both.

Next we jumped onto the Hogwarts express to Diagon Ally in .universal studios, the window is a screen showing a journey past Hogwarts, well loved characters and the lovely English countryside, before pulling into a remarkably accurate Kings Cross station.

We were back in universal to do the things we had missed first time around. We went straight for the Rock It roller coaster, which is a big dipper that only has a lap bar to hold you in! You choise your own music, and it flings you about a lot! We decided to go to the Universal City Walk for dinner. Its a street of shops and restaurants tgatconnects the 2 parks. While we were in the shop waiting for our table tbe heavens opened and there was a huge thunder storm! We went to the Cow Fish restaurant for a blue cheese burger (me) and burger sushi (Matt - sushi made with all the ingredients of a burger).

It wad still pouring, but the the ponchos and adash back to the park for the last hour. We did the Transformers ride, and the Minions ride, both variations on the big screen, 3d goggles, moving coaster/chairs. The Transformers one was great!

At 9.45 there was a fireworks/fountains show with images projected onto screens of water. The theme was 100 years of Unuversal. It was very cool. I love a firework show. The rain even stopped for it, before returning with a vengeance for tbe drive home. 

We were at the park for 12 hours! Exhausted! When we got home, the batgroom floor was soaked and there was a small hole in the ceiling.  We could hear therain dripping onto the ceiling from the room. Will have to calk maintenance tomorrow!