This is going to be somewhat short since it only covers Orlando. This was intended to be the highlight of the trip and in many ways it was. It's tough to compare Orlando to the mountains because it's a different type of entertainment, but overall it didn't disappoint. Specifically, Harry Potter World was hyped to the extreme. I thought I would be disappointed since my expectations were so high after hearing so much about it. Additionally, I'm not nearly as big of a fan as Erin and Mom. However, we all agreed that the Harry Potter sections of the park were a notch above everything else. The level of detail is astounding and it was well worth seeing. It's really as close to being on a movie set as possible.
With that, our four days in Orlando gave us a few favorites.
Best Meal - Gnarley Barley
Best In-Park Activity - Harry Potter World
Best Outside Activity - Kennedy Space Center
Biggest In-Park Surprise - Dr. Seuss Neighborhood
Biggest Outside Surprise - Sleuth's Dinner Theater
Best Ride - Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Worst Meal - Mythos (Erin votes Finnegan's)
Worst In-Park Activity - Sinbad Show
Worst Outside Activity - Cocoa Beach
Biggest In-Park Disappointment - Pteranodon Flyers (we were too tall to ride!)
Biggest Outside Disappointment - Merritt Square Mall
Worst Ride - Simpson's Ride
Orlando Transportation Rant Below!
Orlando's transportation needs its own category. "Worst Thing About Orlando" or something along those lines. First, all roads are toll roads except for I4. I actually don't have a problem with that because the users pay for the road. The problem is as a non-resident, I don't have a transponder. That means I have to pay cash at every toll booth and they are only 1-2 miles apart along all the roads! We spent over $30 in tolls paying $1/toll. Very annoying.
Second, the roads are confusing. I've driven all over the country and nowhere have the roads been as hard to understand as Orlando. I'm sure locals have learned them by now, but it's really hard to drive there because roads curve unexpectedly and construction is everywhere causing constant detours.
Third, the drivers are dangerous! We encountered people driving in reverse on the freeway, cutting across lanes of traffic without signaling, running red lights, stopping in intersections, driving incredibly slowly, and failing to yield. Some of these people were probably foreign drivers unused to US driving. Others were probably lost. Still, I've driven in New York, and at least you can anticipate taxi drivers. They are aggressive, but predictable. The drivers in Orlando were downright scary.
Finally, the traffic near Universal Studios is unreal. The trampoline arena was half a mile from Erin's dinner restaurant. It took us 25 minutes to get there. Granted, part of that was a wrong turn, but it was quickly discovered. The real problem was gridlock and construction. It wasn't as bad as H-1 on Oahu, but it was the 2nd worst I've ever seen and this includes the 405 in LA.
With that, our four days in Orlando gave us a few favorites.
Best Meal - Gnarley Barley
Best In-Park Activity - Harry Potter World
Best Outside Activity - Kennedy Space Center
Biggest In-Park Surprise - Dr. Seuss Neighborhood
Biggest Outside Surprise - Sleuth's Dinner Theater
Best Ride - Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Worst Meal - Mythos (Erin votes Finnegan's)
Worst In-Park Activity - Sinbad Show
Worst Outside Activity - Cocoa Beach
Biggest In-Park Disappointment - Pteranodon Flyers (we were too tall to ride!)
Biggest Outside Disappointment - Merritt Square Mall
Worst Ride - Simpson's Ride
Orlando Transportation Rant Below!
Orlando's transportation needs its own category. "Worst Thing About Orlando" or something along those lines. First, all roads are toll roads except for I4. I actually don't have a problem with that because the users pay for the road. The problem is as a non-resident, I don't have a transponder. That means I have to pay cash at every toll booth and they are only 1-2 miles apart along all the roads! We spent over $30 in tolls paying $1/toll. Very annoying.
Second, the roads are confusing. I've driven all over the country and nowhere have the roads been as hard to understand as Orlando. I'm sure locals have learned them by now, but it's really hard to drive there because roads curve unexpectedly and construction is everywhere causing constant detours.
Third, the drivers are dangerous! We encountered people driving in reverse on the freeway, cutting across lanes of traffic without signaling, running red lights, stopping in intersections, driving incredibly slowly, and failing to yield. Some of these people were probably foreign drivers unused to US driving. Others were probably lost. Still, I've driven in New York, and at least you can anticipate taxi drivers. They are aggressive, but predictable. The drivers in Orlando were downright scary.
Finally, the traffic near Universal Studios is unreal. The trampoline arena was half a mile from Erin's dinner restaurant. It took us 25 minutes to get there. Granted, part of that was a wrong turn, but it was quickly discovered. The real problem was gridlock and construction. It wasn't as bad as H-1 on Oahu, but it was the 2nd worst I've ever seen and this includes the 405 in LA.
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