Friday, May 02, 2014

Day Thirteen - Universal (again!)

We decided to make the most of our last full day, and were up early enough to get to the park as it opened.
We headed straight for Harry Potter world again, but it was already quite a lot busier than it was last time we came. I think a lot more of the US schools and colleges are on Spring Break, and there were certainly LOTS more British accents around because the Easter holidays have started.
We grabbed a time for the Harry Potter rides and had a wander round Honeyduke's sweet shop again while we were waiting.
Rosie was totally smitten with the Hippogriff ride again - I still can't quite work out how she was big enough to ride it because it was really very fast!
Charlie wanted to go back to visit the Marvel superheroes, so we wandered back there and he and Pete went on the Spiderman simulator.
Rosie was tall enough to go on the next ride - the Storm Acceleratron (which was basically spinning teacups with superheroes on!) but I took a rain check - I'm fine on rollercoasters and simulators, but spinning round and round makes me feel REALLY queasy!
By this time it was almost lunchtime, so (after buying the 'essential' Spiderman pins for the kids' lanyards...) we headed over to Universal Studios and grabbed a snack from the restaurant in the Simpsons section.
It was really hot by this time and Charlie was very pleased to find a mist sprinkler thing to cool down in. The sprinklers along with big fans blowing fine water mist were invaluable, and we could have done with more of them around all the parks!
First port of call was the 3D Despicable Me ride. As you can see, Rosie was very taken with the 3D glasses!
As we got off the ride, there was a Minion waiting to meet everybody so Rosie took full advantage and swooped in for a few more cuddles with 'Bottom HeeHee'.
A bit later we bumped into all the Shrek characters too, which was a real bonus because we didn't see them when we were here last. And no, Rose wasn't in the slightest bit bothered by a massive green ogre. She has no fear!!
Much to Charlie's great delight she has showed no interest at all in any of the princesses while we've been here, and has been far more interested in all the superheroes! (Plus Charlie's been coaching her and she now says that "Princesses are 'sgusting. Yuck." That's my girl!)
Soon after, she cosied up in her buggy again for a sleep, and Pete and Charlie went off to have a few last rides.
Once she woke up, we headed for the Woody Woodpecker rollercoaster, which was a big hit once again. Rosie is such a speed freak.
Our final ride of the day was ET.
Charlie's never seen ET (does that make me a bad mother?!) but both he and Rosie really enjoyed the ride and particularly liked hearing ET say their names at the end. You'll no doubt be delighted to hear that I managed to restrain them from buying any cuddly ETs in the gift shop!
We didn't fancy tea at the hotel, so stopped off at a McDonalds on the way back.
I felt pretty stupid because we were having to really scrutinise the menu because so much of it was different, also nobody told me that you're supposed to order at one till and then wait at another to collect it, rather than stay in one place like we do here. Doh.
Charlie was very pleased that they do big kids meals here too as well as the standard ones, which meant he got loads more food than normal AND still got the Happy Meal present too!
Pete and I entertained ourselves by sampling all of the different dips with our fries - they have loads of different ones over here - and wow, one of them was REALLY hot - eye-wateringly, gaspingly hot! Delicious, nonetheless, but it made the curry dip we have back home seem very puny by comparison!
So after tea, we headed back to the hotel for our final night in Florida.
We're pretty much all packed now, apart from the final bits we need to throw in the bags in the morning.
And it's going to be a pretty early morning at that - we'll have to be fully packed up and checked out before 7.30am because we're being picked up with all our luggage and driven to a character breakfast at one of the other hotels. (The kids are looking forward to seeing the characters, whereas Pete's more interested in the all-you-can-eat breakfast!)
After breakfast we get taken with our suitcases to check them in at Downtown Disney. It works out pretty well because we don't have to bother taking them to the airport, or going through check-in, so all being well, after tomorrow morning, we shouldn't see the bags again until we're safely landed back in Gatwick.
We're going to leave our hand luggage in the car back at the hotel, and just keep one rucksack and the buggy with us for the rest of our final day.
We don't fly until 6.15pm so because we'll have already checked in, we don't have to be at the airport to go through security until about 90 minutes before we fly.
So we'll be making the most of our last glorious day, and heading back to Hollywood Studios to bid farewell to Minnie and Mickey.

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