Of my last post...

I lied... Don't feel like extensively reviewing. Hahaha. :P

BUT! Here's my simple highlights:

WIZARDING WORLD
1. Too crowded, even for the Harry Potter fanatic. I understand that the wonderful J.K. Rowling wanted an "intimate" setting of Hogsmeade, but that just does not work in a theme park.

2. Ollivanders was NOT worth it. I probably would have appreciated the extremely short, five minute "show" if I hadn't been waiting for hours on end JUST to get in. (In which wonderful Florida weather blessed us with a sudden downpour. Thank goodness my family is so Asian, that we were using umbrellas for shade anyway.) Only ONE child is chosen for the wand choosing, which (you can probably imagine) was extremely disappointing for my younger brother.

3. The Three Broomsticks served a wonderful lunch! Though obviously very pricy (there's no avoiding that at a place like Universal), the butterbeer was wonderful. We bought the wonderful refillable butterbeer mugs, which were also souvineers of course. The atmosphere was absolutely wonderful, and the food more than decent. (I suggest the feast that serves four. It definitely serves more than four, and we made the mistake of ordering that plus more. Also, the cornish pasties and fish & chips.)

4. The Forbidden Castle ride was excellent! Takes you right through the world of Harry Potter on a simulation in which you fly with the lovely trio. The wait for the ride was tolerable, once you got into the Hogwarts castle. (The line ended very far away from the castle.) Inside, you trapse through Dumbledore's office, a hall with the moving pictures, and various other sights. ALSO: Folks in wheelchairs or strollers CAN tour the castle. Once you reach the ride, there is the child swap area, so everyone can take turns for granny duty and the ride.

5. Besides my obvious complaints about the crowding and pricing, the atmosphere of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts were wonderfully authentic. (Though I must say, seeing the snow on top of the roofs in the middle of July was bizarre!) My recommendations: bring an umbrella, plenty of water, sunglasses, sunblock, and possibly a portable fan. And before jumping onto a line, MAKE SURE YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT.

THE HORROR MAKEUP SHOW

I saw this in Universal Studios: Florida. See this! It's funny and there is air conditioning! However, small children COULD be scared. (These are FX horror make-up, after all!)

RESTAURANTS IN ORLANDO

1. Bahama Breeze: Wonderful service, food, and atmosphere. I recommend the popcorn shrimp and Jamaican grilled chicken.

2. Olive Garden: Good service, food, and the usual Olive Garden atmosphere. You may wait for a while... But a decent branch of the chain.

3. Sushiology: Hooray for fast-food sushi! This place is my hero. Quick, decent sushi. I like!

4. Sweet Tomatoes: Decent chain. Personally, I liked the one that I tried in Arizona more! But that's just me. Soup, salad, pasta, bread... Eat what you want! Quick, easy, and pretty good.

MISC.

1. Terminator Ride: Go watch it! Even if you don't like Terminator (I'm not quite sure who doesn't...?) You'll enjoy this. (Even if you haven't watched the original film.) Enjoyable and combines the magic of 3-D with real life action... Plus air-conditioning both while and after you wait! That's important on a hot day.

2. Jaws Ride: It's on the water, and you may get wet! Don't go on it if you're deathly afraid of sharks (or have little children that may get scared). It could have been longer... But that's just me. The wait is absolute torture though. The line was tediously long, with nothing to look at but each other.

So, that's it. I'm done with that... Sorry, really didn't have the energy to make it that interesting or long or anything. Hope it may be helpful in your future travels though. :)

Hiatus? & Orlando

I've been gone for a while... (We can blame the the summer for that.) But I'm back!

I apologize for the unexplained hiatus. I've just been feeling too lazy for my own good... I've spent a good portion of my summer vacation to eating, sleeping, rereading some old favorites (Harry Potter, anyone?), and reliving childhood memories by wasting my time slaving through Zoo Tycoon (Those stupid saber-toothed tigers just wouldn't stay in their exhibit!)

In other words, a whole lot of nothing, I suppose.

However, for a good week between the non-stop eating and Zoo Tycoon, I went on a wonderful, much-needed vacation to Orlando, FL!

NOTE: Now, as for the key aspects of my Orlando trip, it would be very difficult to squish everything together into this one post. So, I've decided that I'll be splitting up my trip into various posts. I'll review the places I've seen and (especially) the restaurants where I've eaten. Because, after all, it's not a good vacation without good food, right?

Now first of all, may I state that the weather was rather hot and humid. Being an upper-east coast girl, I was not used to it. (My hair frizzed up and straightened out of my carefully-done curls within ten minutes of walking outside.) Luckily, the weather was actually pretty good for Florida! Only one unexpected rain storm and apparently "mild" heat. Oddly enough, while I was gone, the upper-east coast was having worse weather, as a heatwave had rolled in.

Anyway, I stayed in the lovely Waldorf Astoria (which is part of Bonnet Creek Resort). Here is a picture straight from the site:

Isn't it gorgeous? That was my exact thought as we pulled up to it in our rented car

My next thought was, Wow. As soon as we first pulled up to the front of the hotel, a smiling young man in a Waldorf uniform opens the door for us to come out. As soon as the keys are left with the man (valet parking: yes), a pair of uniformed men open the door for us.

And we enter the large lobby, which is exquisitely decorated. Oh yes, there are complimentary drinks in the corner (water with cucumber, or the freshly-made cranberry lemonade). Oh yes, there are a row of windows overlooking the pool, private cabanas, and extraordinary golf course. Oh yes, an lounging area with a bar and (in the mornings) complimentary coffee and tea.

Needless to say, I enjoyed the hotel very much.

REMINDER: "Now, as for the other aspects of my Orlando trip, it would be very difficult to squish everything together into this one post. So, I've decided that I'll be splitting up my trip into various posts. I'll review the places I've seen and (especially) the restaurants where I've eaten. Because, after all, it's not a good vacation without good food, right?"