Here is Day 2:
Sunday, October 29 – Islands of Adventure / Universal Studios / City Walk
Remember to bring your tickets, ponchos, and water shoes!
Goal: Arrive AT THE GATES of Islands of Adventure by 8:15 after parking, walking through the HUGE garage, walking through City Walk, going through metal detectors, going through security bag check. The park is scheduled to open at 9 but often opens at 8:30. So you should be parked and exiting your car NO LATER than 7:45 if driving. Otherwise, plan accordingly if walking from hotel.
Get map and Show Guide for each person.
Ride The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (Marvel Super Hero Island). Lasts 7 minutes. The ride is wild, but smooth. Don’t use Express Pass unless the line is long. Save it for a second ride later. Center of the second row is the most stable for anyone with sore back.
Ride Skull Island: Reign of Kong (Skull Island). Lasts 6 minutes. Don’t use Express Pass right now. Save for later. Sit in rows 7, 8 or 9 even if we have to wait extra time for the next vehicle. Don’t put on the glasses until the first interior screen and take them off after the 360 projection tunnel. Fine for everyone but is scary!
Ride Skull Island: Reign of Kong (Skull Island) a second time. USE EXPRESS PASS. Lasts 6 minutes. Sit in rows 7, 8 or 9 even if we have to wait extra time for the next vehicle. Don’t put on the glasses until the first interior screen and take them off after the 360 projection tunnel. Fine for everyone but is scary!
Use our Express Pass to ride Jurassic Park River Adventure (Jurassic Park). Lasts 9 minutes. Fine for everyone. You won’t get very wet if you sit on inside seats and not the front row. If you are concerned, use a poncho.
Spend some time in the Jurassic Park Discovery Center (Jurassic Park) exploring the exhibits. Before leaving, ask about the egg hatching if it hasn’t happened during our visit. Lasts approximately 15 minutes.
Check out the peaceful waterfront terrace and view behind the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. (Jurassic Park). Lasts 1 minute.
If open, get a morning cocktail from The Watering Hole near the bridge to Hogsmeade (Jurassic Park)
Line up for the Raptor Encounter (Jurassic Park). It is between the Jurassic Park Discovery Center and Camp Jurassic. Give the photographer one of our phones to get a picture for us. We should also take a selfie with the dinosaur. Lasts 3 minutes.
Change into water shoes (flip flops or sandals) and get ponchos. Put all backpacks, phones, papers, wallets, EVERYTHING other than our Express Passes into lockers. Keep the ponchos before locking the lockers!
Ride Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (Toon Lagoon) with Express Pass. Lasts 7 minutes. Good for everyone. Watch the water cannons as walking off at the ride exit!
Ride Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (Toon Lagoon) with Express Pass. We will get VERY VERY wet. Roll pants legs up under the poncho if not wearing shorts. Lasts 7 minutes.
Located right behind Me Ship, the Olive area is a twisting and winding walkway to explore. The pathway turns and curves, leading you around Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. You can enjoy watching the ride, as well as observe those who have discovered the water guns located on the Olive. Along the water’s edge, you can spot some cute themed details, like the School of Fish and the mailbox for some of the characters in Popeye’s world.
Go back to lockers, change shoes, toss ponchos. There is a human dryer that costs money, if needed.
Enjoy lunch at Three Broomsticks (Hogsmeade). Get butterbeer here and keep an eye on the roof for a ghost shadow!
12:30 – Watch the Frog Choir show (Hogsmeade near Flight of the Hippogriff). Lasts 10 minutes.
Use Express Pass to take the Hogwart’s Express from the Hogsmeade Station to the King’s Cross Station (Hogsmeade-Diagon Alley) in Universal Studios Lasts 5 minutes.
Ride Men in Black: Alien Attack (World Expo) with our Express Pass. Aim for the eyes! Lasts 5 minutes. Fine for all. Must put EVERYTHING in lockers. Fine for everyone, but they are strict on the lockers.
Ride Revenge of The Mummy (New York) with our Express Pass. Lasts 5 minutes. If OE is having back problems, should probably skip this today. After riding, Kay can determine if he can ride tomorrow. Again, EVERYTHING goes in lockers.
Ride Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon (New York) with our Express Pass. Lasts 7 minutes. Good for everyone.
Ride Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket (Production Central) with Express Pass. Lasts 4 minutes. Choose the style of music you want before it starts but choose it fast or it will choose it for you! (51 inch min). Can be a rough ride.
Ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (Diagon Alley) with Express Pass. Put everything in lockers first. Lasts 4.5 minutes.
Explore Diagon Alley (See back page of things to see/do).
3:45 — Ride Hogwart’s Express from King’s Cross Station to Hogsmeade (Diagon Alley) with Express Pass. Lasts 5 minutes.
Ride The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride (Seuss Landing) with Express Pass. Good for all. Lasts 6 minutes. There are two different tracks and story lines. Make sure we all get on the same one and make note of it so we can ride the opposite one later.
Ride Caro-Seuss-el (Seuss Landing) with Express Pass. Lasts 2 minutes.
4:30 – Watch Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear! (Seuss Landing, between Cat in the Hat ride and One Fish Two Fish ride). Meet characters afterwards, if desired. Lasts 9 minutes plus meet and greet. If raining, it is performed in Circus McGurkus Café Stoopendous.
Use Express Pass to ride One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (Seuss Landing). You can avoid most of the spraying fish by going up or down at the right time. If you pay attention to the color of your vehicle and listen to the song played in the background, you can (eventually) figure out when to move your fish. Lasts 4 minutes.
Ride The Cat in the Hat (Seuss Landing) with Express Pass. Lasts 6 minutes. Good for everyone.
Get some fruit, yogurt, hummus, pretzels, kebabs or churros from Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kebab House (Lost Continent) or a gyro, apple pie, dippin dot, or cookie from Fire Eater’s Grill (Lost Continent) and take to show.
5:15 – Watch The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad Stunt Show (Lost Continent) with Express Pass. Lasts 20 minutes.
Spend some time interacting with The Mystic Fountain (Lost Continent). Lasts 10-15 minutes.
Watch Poseidon’s Fury (Lost Continent) Lasts 20 minutes.
Explore the pathways and bridges behind Mythos (Lost Continent).
Ride Flight of the Hippogriff (Hogsmeade) with Express Pass. Probably fine for everyone. Lasts 3 minutes.
Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Hogsmeade) with Express Pass. PUT EVERYTHING IN THE LOCKERS including EVERYTHING in any pockets! You will lose everything out of your pockets if you don’t put it ALL in the lockers! Lasts 5 minutes.
QUICKLY grab a butterbeer, specialty drink, or bar drink to drink while walking. (Hogsmeade).
Ride The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride (Seuss Landing). Good for all. Lasts 6 minutes. There are two different tracks and story lines. Make sure we all get on the same one and ride the one we didn’t ride earlier.
Check out the path along Sneetch Beach (Seuss Landing). You veer off of the main path to your left if coming from entrance or to the right if coming from Lost Continent.
Ride The Incredible Hulk (Marvel Super Hero Island) with Express Pass. Put EVERYTHING in the lockers and completely empty all pockets of EVERYTHING other than the express pass. (54 inch min). Lasts 2 minutes.
Ride Storm Force Accelatron (Marvel Super Hero Island) with Express Pass. Lasts 4 minutes. Not good for anyone with any kind of spinning or motion sickness.
Ride Doctor Doom’s Fearfall (Marvel Super Hero Island) with Express Pass. (52 inch min). Lasts 2 minutes.
Ride The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman with Express Pass (Marvel Super Hero Island). Lasts 7 minutes. The ride is wild, but smooth. Center of the second row is the most stable for anyone with sore back.
Repeat favorite – in line by 7:59, you get to ride. Or exit the park for dinner.
Before exiting, check out the Port of Entry Plaza. First there’s the bi-level central plaza that leads right up the water’s edge. Here you can see it all. To your left is a curving pathway that gets you close to Hulk Coaster. To the right, you can scope out the loading dock of the former boat attraction, Island Skipper Tours, and hear the bickering crew inside the whimsical yellow submarine.
Exit the park. Find dinner at City Walk. Consider:
• Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food. Be sure and get tableside guacamole and the esquites asados (roasted corn). Quieter dining upstairs.
• Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar – burgers, sushi, and sushi burgers.
• Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville
• Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Kitchen Feast – We MUST eat here at least once! Large varied menu. Famous for the milkshakes and chocolate almond bread.
• VIVO Italian Kitchen – very good reviews for classic Italian food.
If needed:
Explore Hogsmeade and include the following, in any order (NOTE: We will have time tomorrow to finish exploring so if we run out of time, that is OK):
• Shop at Honeydukes.
• Get a beer from Hog Head’s Pub. Dragon Scale is a light lager while Wizards Brew is a dark porter.
• Check out the Owlery across the street from Hog Head’s Pub. Watch for the bird poop!
• Check out the Owl Post. You can get a Hogsmeade Postmark on your mail here if you want. Look up in the rafters to see more owls.
• Check out the Forbidden Forest
• Check out Hagrid’s Hut
• Shop at Fitch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods
• Great photo opp to get castle in background of a selfie is at the end of the village and to the left is the bridge to Jurassic Park.
• Shop at Dervish & Banges. Also look for the Nimbus 2000, 2001, and the Firebolt on display. Also, get close and check out the Monster Book of Monsters on display.
• Go into the restroom and listen – you will hear Moaning Myrtle.
• Find the Dogweed and Deathcap window
• Find the Madam Puddifoot’s window
• Find the Spintwitches window
• Find the Tomes and Scrolls window
• Find the Ceridwen’s Cauldron Shop window
• Find Dominic Maestro’s Music Shop window
• Gladrag’s Wizardwear has the actual movie costumes on display
• You can see and hear a Howler near The Owl Post and maybe in Dervish & Banges
If needed, Explore Diagon Alley
Layout of the area:
Diagon Alley Main is the main road in the area
Carckitt Market is the open area market next to Weasley’s Wizard’s Wheezes
London Waterfront is the area just outside the Diagon Alley entrance
Horizont Alley is the bend in the road, right before Eternelli’s Elixir’s of Refreshment
Knockturn Alley is next to Fountain of Fair Fortune
in any order:
• Shop in Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions (Diagon Alley Main) and also
o Stand in front of the mirror
o find Hermione’s Yule Ball Dress and Dumbledore’s attire
o ask a witch or wizard about the items in the case to the left of the cash-wrap (as you are facing it)
• The Leaky Cauldron sign actually has a leak! (Diagon Alley Main)
• Shop in Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. Look up into the skylight. (Diagon Alley Main)
• Shop at Quality Quidditch Supplies (Diagon Alley Main)
• Shop at Shutterbutton’s Photo Studio (Diagon Alley Main)
• Exchange money (if you wish) at The Gringotts Money Exchange where you can get Gringotts bank notes and interact with Banker. You can spend this money in Diagon Alley or keep it as a souvenir. Also, be sure and talk to the goblin whether or not you exchange money! (Carkitt Market)
• Get a drink from the Hopping Pot (Carkitt Market)
• At the Magical Menagerie Shop if you stand outside the window it will speak to you in Parseltongue and then English (Horizont Alley).
• Shop at Magical Menagerie. Look up towards the ceiling and you’ll find a Kneazle and a Crumple-Horned Snorkack (Horizont Alley)
• Take a peek at the giant snake in the window closest to the bathrooms next door outside of Magical Menagerie (Horizont Alley). Go into these restrooms as well – great theming. Look up if in a stall.
• The dragon breathes fire every 25 minutes. You will hear a grumbling first which is a good time to focus your camera (Horizont Alley).
• Shop at Scribbulus Writing Instruments (Horizont Alley)
• Get a drink (beer, butterbeer, etc) from Fountain of Fair Fortune (Horizont Alley)
• Visit Knockturn Alley. Near the Leaky Cauldron and the Fountain of Fair Fortune. If you can’t find it, ask for help to find it. Open the door with an eye. Also check out the ceiling.
• Listen at the vanishing cabinet in Borgin and Burkes (Knockturn Alley)
• Check out the Hand of Glory in Borgin and Burkes (Knockturn Alley)
• Find the record shop outside of Diagon Alley. There is a nice hat tip to Jaws in the window! (London Waterfront)
• If the phone in the red telephone box is working dial 62442 (MAGIC) (London Waterfront/Leicester Sq)
• Stand outside 12 Grimmauld Place and you’ll see Kreacher open the curtains every few minutes (London waterfront)
.
I do the same and include movies featured at Horror Nights in that also. That reminds me I need to watch Transformers again before we leave!
I feel like I’m cheating on Disney…. :| 
I feel like I’m cheating on Disney…. 
