Summertime in Universal's Orlando

We left Illinois via Allegiant Airlines and made landfall some two hours later. We opted to order an Uber instead of renting a car, as our hotel, Universal Resort's Cabana Bay, offered a shuttle service to the parks we were interested in. We dropped off our things and had lunch/dinner in Cabana Bay’s cafeteria-style eatery. From there, we took the shuttle to Islands of Adventure, where we then proceeded to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade. It was evening by then, and they were getting ready for their drone light show. We decided to take a chance on entering Hagrid’s, which is, by far, one of the most fun rides you can experience. Because of this, Hagrid’s is also the absolutely longest line at the park on any given day. No matter the day, no matter the time, you can expect to wait at least two hours for this roller coaster. 

What we didn’t expect was waiting a mere hour. For some reason, the stars aligned, and our wait time was mostly the time it takes to walk through the entire queue. Which is quite expansive and magical in its own right.

On this day, we went to Epic Universe and it truly was EPIC. Now, we went ahead and got fast passes, which is highly recommended if you want to see a good chunk of the park in one day. Epic Universe itself is actually in a different location, away from Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, so the shuttle trip was a bit longer, but not too outrageous of a commute.

We got there before opening, which is also highly recommended, as the lines are long and the attendance very high. At the park itself are several different portals that take you to themed areas, such as: Super Nintendo World, Isles of Berk (How to Train Your Dragon), Dark Universe (classic horror), The Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter), and Celestial Park.

We went to Super Nintendo World first. You first enter through a round “pipe-like” portal and enter a literal Mario-themed park area. With a Super Nintendo World wrist watch, you can tap on a plethora of sensors throughout this brought-to-life Mario world and collect coins. Then we tried out the Mario races which is part virtual game, part, racing car simulator. The decor and statues are incredible. You truly feel as though you are in a Nintendo world.

Then we went to the Isles of Berk, which is one of my favorite parks. Hiccup’s Wing Glider is a rollercoaster very close to being just as amazing as Hagrid’s. We also went on Dragon Racer rally, which is essentially a simulator designed to make you feel exactly like a dragon flying through the air. 

When we were done with the rides, we went to see The Untrainable Dragon, which is a play production in the park itself, based on How to Train Your Dragon. As far as I was concerned, this was a production worthy of anything on Broadway. You literally saw Toothless fly over you. 

Eventually we made our way to the Dark Universe where we grabbed some food at the Burning Blade Tavern in the Dark Universe. This was a fun eatery, but it is generally a bar. They do have food, but seating is extremely limited, and you’ll want to have a taste for spicy food.

Then we made our way to Monsters Unchained, which is an incredible ride, showcasing every possible classic monster you can think of from the black-and-white film era.

After that incredible experience in the Dark Universe, we went to the Ministry of Magic, where we swiftly went to the Battle at the Ministry ride. This ride was definitely a long wait. Two hours. But! It is so worth it. The queue alone is incredible. In fact, I would recommend thinking of it as more of a museum than a ride. Don't get me wrong, the ride is real and it is incredible, but the world they made in tribute to the Ministry of Magic is nothing short of breathtaking.

Afterwards, we got some cheesecake ice cream in the central park area. This, of course, was right before we got hit with a torrential downpour from that Floridian rain. As some friendly advice, the portal entrances make for great shelter from the rain.

The next day we kind of relaxed at the hotel. Cabana Bay sports two swimming pools, a pool bar, and an arcade, so it’s pretty much an amusement park in its own right. One of the pools has a lazy river, which is probably my favorite part about the water-activities. So, we hung out at the lazy river for a while and then my wife and I got a couple of drinks and lounged on beach chairs while the kids swam in the main pool. That evening we spent a whole bunch of cash on the arcade and made away with a bounty of prizes.

For breakfast, we went to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. They have great potatoes, and the pancakes are pretty good too. Afterwards, we made our way to Escape from Gringotts, which is full of incredible animatronics of the Goblins at Gringotts. When we got to the front of the line, we asked if we could wait to get a front cart, and the attendant obliged. They usually allow people to sit front row upon request, as long as you're willing to wait for the next ride to come in. Our kids love sitting in the front row. 

When we were done with Gringotts, we went over to Ollivanders Wand Shop to see the show. In this presentation, a wizard comes out to a group of a dozen people, both young and old, and selects a special candidate for a wand revealing. This is where a wand chooses a person based on their magical abilities. Pro tip: if you want to be chosen for the wand ceremony, it’s best to be a child and to act really excited in the line as you enter the show area. You’re chances increase exponentially if you’re wearing Hogwarts’ uniforms, as well. But it is also fun to watch from the sidelines; it is truly a magical experience.

On the fifth day, it was all about Islands of Adventure! Here, we went to Hogsmeade in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and rode The Forbidden Journey, which is housed inside the Hogwarts Castle, before hitting up Hagrid’s again because we’re absolutely addicted to that ride.

When we were done with the Wizarding World, we made our way to Jurassic World, and my daughter rode Velocicoaster for the first time, which is absolutely the fastest rollercoaster in Islands of Adventure. She’s thirteen, so the fast coasters are new for her. After that ride, I told her that there was no ride she couldn’t do. So, naturally, we made our way to the Hulk, which is the second faster coaster at the park.

Then we cooled down with Spider-Man and even rode the Storm Force Acceleration, which is technically a teacup ride, but it is by far the most fun you can have on a teacup ride.

Eventually, we made our way to Voodoo Doughnuts on the City Walk. They have gargantuan doughnuts and such variety. Perfect for some in need of a sugar rush!