Trip Report :: Orlando Area

First off I didn't know if this is the right place to post this but if it isn't could mod move it to the right place. Thanks.

 

Anyway, on with the report!

 

My Trip Report

 

Well well well. It seems I am bcak from Orlando after two weeks of coaster riding and park visiting. It really was a awsome trip and I would recommend going to anyone. The area has something for everyone from Thrill Seekers to little kids.

 

Weather

Just to annoy you all the weather was brilliant. Landing at Orlando International there were lots of clouds and arriving at our hotel, Disney All Stars Movies, it rained for about 20 mins heavy rain. However it was still warm out and after the rain stopped it got hot and the sun came out and stayed out with perfectly blue skys for nearly the whole two weeks. I heard they6 were expecting rain today so I think we picked the right two weeks to visit in.

 

During the two weeks it was pretty hot and some times in the parks it felt a little two hot to be wandering around in, so I would hate to go there in the summer when there are lots of crowds.

 

The Hotel

As I have said above we stayed at the All Star Movies hotel which is part fo the All Star Resort Complex. The hotel was good if basic with a good dining, self serve style area where they would cook your food fresh. No complaints there.

 

The hotel had three pools, one big one, one medium sized but deep pool and a kiddy play pool, which was the size of a large puddle. The pools were open 24 hours day but life guards were only there between 9am and 10pm. However we saw people in there at 1am.

 

The rooms wern'rt masive but enough for what we needed them for sleeping in and chilling out in. The room I stayed in was a twin room and instead of a single bed each we had a double bed each. Can't go wrong with good old bigger is better America. The bathroom was basic with a power shower, which was a nice addition. Right, thats enough about that, lets go onto the parks!

 

The Parks

During our stay we visited:

 

 

* Magic Kingdom

* Disney MGM Studios

* Animal Kingdom

* Epcot

* Universal Studios Florida

* Universals Islands of Adventure

* Sea World

* Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

 

 

Our hotel key acted as a entrance pass giving unlimited entrance to all the Disney Parks and attractions that were accessible by shuttle buses that run every 20 mins to every parks and Disney area.

 

To get into the Universal parks we had a two day pass thing giving us unlimited access to the Universal parks for two days. And because Universal were being kind and generous the pass also allowed us a third day free. Shame we didn't use it though. We had to use a taxi to get to the Universal complex.

 

To get into Busch Gardens and Sea World we also had the same kind of pass as Universal's. We got to Sea World via taxi and then to get to Busch Gardens we used the shuttle bus from Sea World.

 

Magic Kingdom

When I went to Magic Kingdom last time I visited I was very disappointed however I went in with a open mind this time and was surprised. I really enjoyed my visit there. The rides were good but Big Thunder Mountain really is boring and not worth queuing longer than 10 mins for. However it is kind of fun at night but other than that it is boring.

 

Splash Mountain is a great ride and really really fun. The drop in the dark is great and the final drop is brilliant. It is also good to ride in the dark. I recommend riding while the fireworks or the parade are on. See them once and you don't need to watch them again so take advantage of people standing around looking gormlessly into the sky and go on all the rides while there are no queues. And on Splash you might get a boat to yourself!

 

Space Mountain is also a really fun ride and very re-rideable with queues that move very quickly. Ride at the back for some great airtime on the drops. Can't fault this rde much, it really is a lot of fun.

 

The other rides at the park are all very good hoever I wasn't amazed at Phantom Manor or 'It's a Small World'. Maybe I'm to old for those rides.

 

However one ride you must do when you are there is Mickey's Philamagic. This really is the ebst 4D film in the world full stop. The effect's, the story line. Everything about it was brilliant and brings a smaile to your face every time. It beats Haunted Lighthouse and Shrek hands down and makes Pirates 4D look like washout. I woun't tell you the story line of the film but it is a all singing and dancing film with some of Disney's greatest characters. It is the only 4D film where I have seen children and adults almost standing up try to touch whats on the screen. It is also the only 4D film I have seen where you jsut want to see it time and time again. If you go to Magic Kingdom and don't do this ride you are missing out.

 

Disney MGM Studios

This park was good but always seemed busy. Rock N' Rollercoaster was good and the second best launched coaster in Orlando however I was looking forward to Tower of Terror but it was disappointing. Yeh, it's themed well but I didn't think the ride was anything special. There is airtime and sitting down to find just a seatbelt was strange but the ride as a whole was nothing amazing. It just reminded me of a bigger version of a frog hopper because that was the only programme it only really did. Drop about 50ft, back to top, drop 25ft, drop 25ft. Back to top and then drop slowly to the bottom, end of ride.

 

The backlot tour was ok and the great movie ride. The actors on that need to speak louder. Sitting at the back we couldn't hear a word they were saying and the train, when stopped at each scene, the back of it was left at the very end of the last scene. Not a amazing ride an not really worth a large queue.

 

The 'One Mans Dream' show was great though. I really enjoyed looking around at all the Imagineers models and then the 15min film about Walt was very interesting.

 

Animal Kingdom

This park just bored me. If you are into animals and like walking around all day I guess it is great but I got bored straight away. Dinosaur is good but confusing, nice to see they are always developing the Test Track idea.

 

Primearal Whirl (sp?) was horrible. Give me a Mauhre ride anyday. This ride jsut hurt alot and was nothing special that I have come to expect from Disney. Shame.

 

It's Tough To Be A Bug was a good film but nothing compared to Philamagic. The kids all seemed to like it though.

 

Epcot

What a kick ass park. I loved looking around the lands and then the rides. Test Track was a disappointment though. It seemed to get going fast and then just slowed down straight away. Good ride concept though.

 

Mission Space was brilliant though. I loved the idea of a ride. For those who don't know how they do it and don't wan tto know skip this bit. All it is the bottom end of Vortex. You sit just like on Vortex in rows of four all facing inwards in little capsules. In these capsules are joysticks, buttons and screens. Watch the screen at all times or you will feel ill. The joysticks don't do anything but when the buttons flash you have to press them. If you don't I think it gives you a different ending. But I'm not sure. Once the ride starts it starts to spin very very fast. Really it's just like vortex but not swinging and a fast spin. Also I think the gondolas can move to different angles. During the ride there is the brilliant 4 seconds of 0g while the ride goes fromsomething like 20rpm to 12rpm. This is a good feeling but different to what I expected. And yes, if you do feel sick they provide sick bags.

 

Soarin' the Epcots brand new ride and is a replica of the one from California. While we were there they had started there preview days, first for annual pass holders and then the public. We queued 45 mins for our ride and it didn't disappoint. I won't go into to details but it is amazing. Go ride!

 

Universal Studios

This park really is good fun. And the Mummy rules. My first Premier launched coaster and it didn't disappoint. The effects are awsome with fire, strobes and smoke. Go ride. The coaster part is really good fun with some great airtime. Took many rides on this. Great to see a walk on queue. The other rides were as good as normal with MIB being one of the best laser rides going. Shrek 4D was good however not as good as Philamagic.

 

Twister was the only dissapointing ride going though. Nothing really special and not worth all the hype I have seen of it.

 

IOA

One of the best parks on earth and even better with no queues. Hulk rules, Dueling Dragons rules, Ripsaw Falls rules... I could go on forever. The only bad ride there is Dr Doom. It is so lame. Worse than ToT. It is just plain old boring... Spiderman is good but these 3D simulator rides don't do it for me. There is nothing better than a coaster where you feel out of control but going around in a car with 3D glasses on looking at moving screens with a wind machine blowing in your face isn't anything exciting. To me anyway.

 

Sea World

I guess this is kind of like Animal Kingdom. If your into Animals then great, but it isn't brilliant. The shows are good but I feel sorry for those Killer Whales. They shouldn't be in those pens the size of a few swimming pools. They should be out in the wild like on the film they show at the start of the show.

 

Anyway, thats my little rant over however I am afraid it's going to continue with the rides. Kraken. What the hell is that? It's such a poor coaster. It goes so sslloowww around the track with no forces or anything. Boring. I don't see why everyone loves that ride.

 

Atlantis, that is a good ride but not amazing. The drop is good with some airtime at the back. More than Kraken has in my opinion. Oh yeh, and if the drop don't get you the fountains will. Be warned. Don't do as I did and say, I didn't get wet on that drop and then get soaked by the fountains.

 

Busch Gardens

What has gone wrong here. The rides are good but the staff. Rides were operatibng without a operator in the console. The throughputs were poor. The park has changed since my last visit.

 

Kumba was a great ride but the loading was poor. Montu was great but the trims ruin the batwing. And the staffs don’t even talk. There was no queue so we asked to stay on and the attendant didn't even give us a yes or no answer. He just shrugged.

 

Gwazi was good as ever, many people say it's to rough but who cares. I liked to get kick around and told who's boss. That could sound pretty dirty but who cares... Haunted Lighthouse 4D was good but once again, nothing compared to Philamagic.

 

SheiKra is looking amazing and pictures can't show how good it looks. Only seeing it in person can show the scale of it. They wern't testing while we were they however I got some photos including one of a construction worker dancing on the track. Photo's below.

 

Turnaround

Yummy

Upsidedownybit

Lets Dance

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading my trip report and if you got any questions or comments please do post below. I will put more pics up laters. And if you got this far without skipping any of it. Well done!!

Great TR! can't wait for more photos, I personally like the more indepth TR's like yours. Just FYI, Test Track was meant orginaly to go at 95mph and can reach in the mid hundreds but that would mean a more severly banked turn and they decided it was too unpleasnt to sit on that angle especially if you are disabled in the event of a breakdown.

 

Just one thing, you seemed to approach the parks quite.....cynically. Maybe if you had tried seeing them through someone elses shoes and taken the parks for what they were you could of enjoyed yourself more.

I DISAGREE!!! For anyone who hasnt been to orlando ToT is an awesome ride and should Not be missed! Same With Kraken! Spiderman 4D Is an amazing experience and Dr. dooms fearfall... actually does suck...

You don't seem to be impressed by many things at all.

You don't seem to be impressed by many things at all.

 

For once I agree with you! I think you set your standards too high.

Jonathan, you Are the ride Nazi...

Hey now,

 

Be nice to Jonathan...it could be worse...he could be like that 'boardwalkandbaseball' guy saying that Cypress Gardens is better than Disney!

 

Seriously though...we wouldn't have these forums if everyone's opinion was the same...that said, I'd be curious to hear what our original poster *likes* to get an idea why he didn't like so much in Orlando.

 

Elissa "loves ToT!" Alvey

You are all mistaken...the best ride in Orlando is the bar stool at the Rose and Crown during Happy Hour!

Jonathan, you Are the ride Nazi...

 

Now that is a new one that I havn't heard before. The thing is, I could never hurt or a kill a ride off

 

You don't seem to be impressed by many things at all.

 

I really have to dissagree with you. Many rides and parks do completly amaze me. The last time I hated Magic KIngdom mainly because of the bad time I had there. But this time I tried to hit all the parks with a open mind.

 

I wasn't expecting Epcot to be anything amazing but it really was. I had been really hyped up about Test Track by friends that had ridden it and things I had read on the internet about how cool it was and after queuing for a hour I was hoping it would meet all the hype. Don't get me wrong, it is a preety cool ride. I like the engineering behind it all, the idea and the different testing stages but once you get outside it just gets pretty boring. The moment it gets to it's top speed it just seems to decallerate which kinda looses the thrill straight away for me.

 

Soarin' and Mission Space though. Mission Space lived up to all expectations and more. It really is a amazing ride for such a simple concept. It is one of the best Thrill Rides I have ever ridden. When I came off I was grinning for most of the night, likewise with Soarin'. Those two rides are just amazing.

 

As for Busch Gardens. The rides there were cool. Kumba's great and intense however Montu has changed from when I last rode it. When I first rode a few years ago the trim brakes were off and it really was flying around that batwing, but now the trims are on it kinda ruins the intense feeling and g's. But it's still a fun ride. If my mate hadn't of wanted to get off I would have ridden it round and round again.

 

The only main complaint I had about the park though that had a major effect on the day was the staff. When I ask for a repeat ride when there is no queue I would like more than a grunt noise and a shrug. Yer I know they are on rubbish pay and it was a hot, empty day, but at least try and have a laugh and speak. When my mate asks for no tomato in a sandwich don't stand there questioning us for 10 mins and get the entire kitchen staff out from the back to sort it out. How hard is it to just not put tomato in one sandwich?

 

With ToT and Kraken the same really applys to Test Track. I was looking forward to ToT. This visit was the first time I had ridden it and I was looking forward to it but to be honest it didn't amaze me. I think the problem is I am to used to Detonator at Thorpe that pulls 5g's. A bit more than ToT. I have to agree if you go you can't miss it but I didn't think it was as brilliant as everyone makes it out to be. The theming is top notch but I didn't enjoy my ride.

 

And now Kraken. This ride has so much potential but it is just meh. The drop is pretty good, some nice airtime but after that it jsut bores me. The track is as smooth as glass, each element is shaped perfectly. But it doesn't proved any feeling of high speeds or forces. The MCBR, whats with that, it kinda kills adrenaline completly. My problem with Kraken is that it is to smooth and not very forcefull. I know many people don't agree with me but thats just my opinion. I like a coaster that kicks me around a bit, not one that feels like you are flying on a cloud.

 

I'd be curious to hear what our original poster *likes* to get an idea why he didn't like so much in Orlando.

 

It isn't so much that I didn't enjoy going to Orlando. I really enjoyed my trip and would go back when I have the chance. It really was one of the best holidays I have ever had. It's jsut the fact that some of the rides and parks didn't live up to the hype that people have given them.

 

I have to admit I ruined Spiderman for myself by on the drop bit looking away from the screens, after that it kinda killed it for me. So thats my fault though.

 

And what do I personally like as in rides andn parks? I liked Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM, IOA, Universal Parks, Busch Gardens (the rides more than the park as a whole.) And out of those parks I enjoyed most of the rides there and the atmosphere of the park.

 

Thats the Rollercoaster Nazi's view on things