Still ... Something about Harry

 Back at Universal Resort with a new strategy. Last time we attended the park was a crowd level 9 out of 10 and we were only able to tackle one major attraction. We were considering purchasing quick que passes to allow us to cut the wait times at least in half but they were quite expensisve. While in line at Disney we met a family who told us that they stayed at a Loews Royal Pacica Resort. They were able to use unlimited quick que vouchers the day they checked in and the day they left as a perk for staying at the hotel. It turns out that this hotel room costs substantially less than quick que would cost for our family. With all of that said, Megan, Emily, and Addison opted to stay at the hotel at Universal Studios and we all had quick que for the next two days.

So what you will being seeing in this post represents two days at Universal and Islands of adventure as well as some photos from the hotel itself. As is often the case in amusment parks you risk your phone and life and limb to take pictures on the ride itself and I forget to take pictures in the cue but do know that we rode all of the Harry Potter rides multiple times. We rode Spider Man, Skull Island, Jurrasic Park River Adventure, Fast and Furious, ET, The Hulk (Addison and Joe only because Emily Grace was 3 or so inches short and was not at all happy about it). Megan even rode Escape from Gringotts although I don't think she will ever ride it again.

This is the walkway from the hotel to the Universal and Islands of Adventure

In the hotel courtyard

The view from our hotel window. It is interesting to see all of these enterprises surrounding Universal trying to catch up because when this park and these hotels were built, no one thought this park would ever be able to give Disney a serious run for the money. When comcast bought Universal Theme Parks they never even had such a dream, but today Universal Theme Parks is their most profitable business unit. This hotel and these parks are all quickly doing all they can to step up their game. 

Arriving at the park

Jurrasic Wold was Olivia's favorite land and although it was heaviy under construction the Jurrassic Park River Adventure is still in tackt and so Joe, Olivia, Addison, and Emily Grace gave it a ride.

We are Disney people and the main reason we are working Universal into the mix this year is becuase  Addison read the entire Harry Potter series since we were last in Orlando. She is a Harry Potter fan, if you will. For her birthday this year she was given a vourcher for a wand from Oliander's at Universal. It was all qualified of course, since we did not know if this adventure would happen. Well, it did happen and this is it, the wand that chose her.

It never hurts to stop in to a place like this.

A happy girl having a happy experience.

Loews Royal Pacifica

The next morning Addison took the opportunity to go around both parks at Universal and find places to display the magic in her wand.

Both girls got to try authentic Butter Beer. We had made it at home on a couple of occasions and apparently ours was better because both Addison and Emily Grace did not really like it.