A few weeks ago we decided to take a relatively impromptu trip to Orlando. I had a free night hotel to use and we had tickets to Universal Orlando Resort that we needed to use. So away we went. I am a huge planner, so booking this so last minute from my standards, it was a little anxiety provoking but also fun at the same time. I have never gone to Universal Studios so I wasn’t too sure what to expect. Our passes were for a 1-Day Universal and Islands of Adventure and we could use them interchangeably throughout the day and hop from park to park.
Back in 2017, I had gotten sick, not related to my Rheumatoid Arthritis, but I randomly got a spontaneous CSF leak. Don’t ask me how, because I legit have no idea. But it took like a year to overcome. It was a very challenging time in my life. And since I did not know what caused my CSF leak, I was and still am worried about anything that could potentially cause another one.
We have been talking about getting Annual Passes for Universal Orlando Resort and this was going to be the test, that’s for sure. I did not know how I would handle the rides. Didn’t know how my head would react to the rides, because there are times I feel as though I still have issues when I go from a sitting position to a standing position. So it is still all a work in progress.
We decided to drive up Friday night and then start nice and early Saturday morning. Friday night was not our free night, but you can totally find inexpensive hotels close to Universal. Ideally, Universal Blvd is a great option. It is lined with hotels and attractions like the Orlando eye and what we like to call the “Flying Chairs” which is a very high tower with swings. Those swings I swear are over 200 feet in the air. I no longer have the courage to do things like that anymore. I feel the older I get the more fear I have. Is it just me or do you feel the same?
Anyways, we found a great deal at the Baymont Inn on Universal Blvd through Hotels.com . One thing I will tell you is that many of the older hotels look very old from the outside, but new on the inside and this was exactly that. It is a huge property with 4 different buildings, 4 floors each. The do offer free breakfast in the morning as well. When you check in, they do try to sell you a timeshare there so please be aware. The room itself was clean and had updated furniture. The bed was incredibly comfortable and we slept so well that night. It could have been because we were up at 4am that morning and then drove right after work and we were absolutely exhausted or the beds could have been just that comfortable. But that bed was awesome. I have no complaints. The shower had great water pressure and it was a good start to the day. The only odd thing was the shower rod. It was a curved rod but it seemed very low to the point I was going to hiThe breakfast was decent too. They had a variety of hot and cold foods to choose from. It was a basic breakfast. We don’t like to eat too much anyways because we knew we were going to the park to ride the rides. As another FYI, another great place to stay is The Red Lion Inn. I would say they are pretty equal in room accommodations. Both properties also offer shuttle service to the parks, so you can save the $25 for the parking.
You start out at City Walk, which is lined with stores and restaurants. That will take you to the entry points of the parks. As an FYI, you can take up to 2 Liters of water in with you and carry small snacks into the park, if you are trying to save some $$$ . We started out the day in Islands of Adventure and walked through what seemed like a storybook village. There was enchanting music playing and the structures there seemed like it was out of a fairytale. I felt like I was Belle in the Beauty and the Beast and I wanted to break into song and dance.
Our main goal was to see the Harry Potter rides because there is so much hype about them. When you go to Islands of Adventure, the Harry Potter World is set within snow covered London and Hogwarts. It doesn’t even feel like you are in Florida anymore. The structures were awesome, the effects of city were breathtaking. Walking through the castle was very cool, the effects of the snow inside the castle, the paintings on the wall were all an added value to the ride. It kept you entertained while you waited. The ride itself, I can tell you that it was awesome. If you have issues with motion sickness, please proceed with caution. You sit in a car that fits 4 people, you are harnessed in and away you go. The simulation is so good, it feels like you are actually flying. It’s such an amazing, thrilling feeling but also quite scary. The special effects are truly amazing. However, I did see people get sick after the ride. So like I said, proceed with caution if you are sensitive to the motion of rides. We weren’t able to go on many more roller coaster rides, because the motion affected someone in my party. However, we did go on the River Adventure in Jurassic Park and that was super relaxing and then super exhilarating. If you go to the World of Harry potter, you should at least try the Butter Beer, but I will say it is super sweet and the lines are quite long. But at night, the lines were minimal. For me, I can live without because of the sweetness factor, but if you are into something like that, then I say go for it. We did end the night at the Harry Potter Castle for the night light show. It is pretty amazing how they can light up the castle at night. It is very pretty and you can see it in my pictures.
If you have the 2-park pass then you have to also take the Hogwarts train to Universal and vice versa. They have show they put on inside the train. It is a classic train ride, where you sit with approximately 7 other people. They have screens to make it feel as though are actually on a train ride. It is pretty cool, however, I was expecting more from what my friends have told me, so I was a little disappointed. I am told the show is different going in the other direction. But regardless, you have to ride the train.
When we got to Universal, it dropped us off at their Harry Potter World, Diagon Alley and it is a totally different feel. There you feel as though you are in the streets of London. It’s very cool. There they have a money exchange where you can take your money and exchange it in their currency. You are able to use it in Harry Potter world there for things you wish to purchase. Interesting to say the least. While there, every 10 minutes the dragon will wake up and blow fire from his mouth. It’s pretty cool! Scroll through and Check it out below.
In general, the wait wasn’t terrible and it moved pretty fast. I would say the longest wait time was 60 minutes. We did not splurge for the Express Pass, so we just waited. But FYI, if you are a single rider, then you can get on the rides much faster too.
After the rides, we walked around until the Mardi Gras parade started and it was super fun! I just got my new phone, the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the camera is amazing. The night shots were simply stunning. I am very excited to show you the photos and videos from that night. That night, there was also a free concert from The Steve Miller Band. All in all it was awesome and a super fun day.
We did leave the park knowing that we will not be annual pass holders and the rides were a bit too much for us. We may go back in the future, but not more than once a year, so the season pass will not be beneficial for us. We do plan on going to Magic Kingdom and Epcot to see how we do there. Wish us luck!
That night is when we used our free night stay. I am a Marriott rewards member and every year they give you a free night stay in one of their hotels that is Category 5 or less. Luckily, there are many in Orlando that qualify and Marriott’s are very nice. Marriott’s quality is amazing and their customer service is always top notch. I highly recommend staying at Marriott’s if you can. Their beds are incredibly comfortable and they usually upgrade you if you are a Marriott Reward Member. We stayed at The residence Inn at the Convention Center and that too also is on Universal Blvd, so just a short drive to the park. They upgraded us an awesome 1-bedroom suite with Kitchenette and gave us welcome bags upon our arrival. The breakfast in the morning is a great spread with a lot of options. The seating is comfortable and overall the ambiance is very nice.
You can take advantage of some great deals by clicking here —-> Disney World Hotel Deals & DiscountsWe had a great “spontaneous” weekend in Orlando and we look forward to doing it again! If you are a thrill seeker, Universal and Islands of Adventure will be your Parks of Choice. As you can imagine, Florida can be super hot in the summer, so we vowed that we will only go to Orlando between the months of November and March.
I hope you enjoyed today’s edition, let me know if you have questions!
Happy Traveling!
