The One With the Lost City of Atlantis

  Orlando, Florida, United States
Sunday, August 12, 2007

Islands of Adventure

I was up at 10:00 this morning and actually wasn't that tired. I guess I just needed the break the day before. I unbraided my hair and got ready quickly. Of course I watched the "Drake and Josh" marathon on Nick while I did. I have to admit I love that show! Mom and dad were out so I had cereal for breakfast. I called them while I was eating and they were at Walmart getting a DVD recorder. I'll admit that we're all completely addicted to TV, whether it's the sitcoms and dramas during the regular season or the reality shows of the summer. We were Tivo'ing everything at home but it was going to be too much to watch once we got back, and we kept having to be back at the house by 8:00 to watch So You Think You Can Dance and Big Brother. So they just went and bought a DVD recorder and some blank DVDs, and we connected it to the TV in the living room and taped our shows while we were out. If that's not TV devotion, I don't know what is... haha!

The entrance to Islands of Adventure

Mom and dad were back by 11:30 and Mike was up at noon. Then we all just lounged around the house and relaxed. I read "Sex and the City" and talked to some friends online, and at 4:00 we finally left for Islands of Adventure. I know a lot of Disney fans refuse to venture over to Universal property but I have no idea why. The parks are great! There are so many great rides, attractions, shows and restaurants that it really is an amazing addition to any Orlando vacation. I can't imagine going to Orlando without going to Universal.

The Port of Entry

So yes, we were on our way to Islands of Adventure by 4:00. We were there by 4:30 and again there was a huge line of cars to get into the parking lot. It was a pain but it went pretty fast, and again the parking attendant gave us free parking with my dad's NBC pass. Thanks! We parked in the Spiderman section which was the closest we had ever parked, and we walked through CityWalk to Islands of Adventure. We were very surprised to be greeted by biometric finger scans. I HATE those things! I hate them at Disney and loved not having to deal with them at Universal. Not only do they slow down the lines, but who knows where everyone's fingers have been? And with that staff infection going around it just doesn't seem sanitary. Luckily only two of the four lines were using biometric scanners so we went to one that wasn't and were in really quickly.

The Lost Continent

By now it was around 4:45 and we had a 5:00 reservation at Mythos, one of the best restaurants in Orlando. It's been ranked the best theme park restaurant in America for the past five years in a row, and for good reason. The food and atmosphere are AMAZING! We wanted to get on some rides but we figured we'd eat first. Well we didn't have much of a choice at this point so off we went to eat. We walked through Seuss Landing to get to the Lost Continent, and Seuss Landing is the cutest land. There isn't a single straight line to be seen and everything's so colorful and crazy. I love it!

Really pretty sconces in Mytho's

We were in the Lost Continent and at Mythos in no time. We checked in and were seated right away. After you check in at the podium you walk through a long, winding hallway of light brown wood that makes it look as if you're being taken into another world. Then the hall opens up into a huge cavern-like room that really makes you feel as if you're in the lost city of Atlantis. The room is decorated in brown woods and huge mythical faces are carved into the walls. There are gigantic pink sconces adorning the walls and booths, and the booths are humongous and decorated in rich pinks and reds. There's also sculptures of little brass men holding up the banisters. It's gorgeous!

A face carved into the wall of Mytho's

We were seated in a huge booth at the back of the restaurant and were given the best bread and butter ever. It beat the Denny's bread and butter, that's for sure! We looked at the menu and ordered soon after. Mom and I decided to share the Chicken a'la Oscar (grilled chicken with lump crab, mashed potatoes, chef's vegetables and a duo of sauces) and the Grilled Chicken Club (grilled chicken with Applewood bacon, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, served with fries). Dad got the Blueberry and Pistachio Crusted Grilled Pork (with blue cheese and a port wine sauce, served with smoky cheddar macaroni and cheese), and Mike got the Pastabilities which was pasta with broccoli in garlic sauce.

Mike's Pastabilities

The food was INCREDIBLE! The crab with our Chicken a'la Oscar was insanely good. It was grilled lump crab with big chunks of fresh crab. DELICIOUS! The chicken sandwich was also amazing. I don't like blueberries but dad's pork chops were delish, and Mike's pasta was also good. Everyone loved their food and the service was great. We got refills without having to ask and were always brought extra bread and napkins. Plus, with dad's 35% discount it only came to $63 WITH the tip. You can't beat that! After paying we walked through the Lost Continent and took some pictures. It's my favorite part of Islands of Adventure. It's all so exotic and mythical. The "trees" are all carved into huge faces and they have mythical creatures roaming around to take pictures with. Plus Dueling Dragons is one of the best roller coasters!

Dad's blueberry-crusted pork chops

It had been nice all afternoon, but as we were eating some dark clouds had rolled in. We had high hopes as we headed into Jurassic Park despite the fact that the sky was getting darker and darker. It's always so cool walking into Jurassic Park! Walking through those huge gates and hearing the music really does make it feel as if you're walking right into the movie. Mike and I loved Jurassic Park when we were little and my dad's always been a big fan so it's one of our favorite areas of Islands of Adventure. My mom could take it or leave it.

Entering Jurassic Park

We made our way over to our favorite ride in Jurassic Park - The Jurassic Park River Adventure. It's a really cool flume with a huge drop at the end. It's a ton of fun! The wait was listed at forty-minutes, but we've been on it enough to realize that the line wasn't as long as they were saying so we joined it at 6:00. Five-minutes later we saw it... the lightening. Lots and lots of lightening, and they quickly shut down the ride. Damn! One whole side of the sky was pitch black and we weren't sure what to do. Almost everything at Islands of Adventure is outside so almost the entire park was shut down. We waited and waited and waited as more and more people left the line. There were announcements made that because of the lightening, the only two rides open were Spiderman and The Cat in the Hat, plus the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. We wanted to try to get on SOMETHING but we knew that the two open rides would be packed. Also, on the way in we had seen that half of the park had lost power. None of the rides in Seuss Landing or the Lost Continent had been working, so we were just assuming that the power had come back and The Cat in the Hat was open since it's indoors. It wasn't a good day for Islands of Adventure.

Jurassic Park

We decided to just wait it out on line. Half of the people on line left and we would get on the ride in no more than five-minutes when the ride reopened if we stayed where we were. As much as I love Universal, I have to admit I moaned and groaned with the best of them. Since a lot of the rides at Disney are indoors I just kept mentioning how this wouldn't have happened at Disney... Islands of Adventure is great, especially if you love thrill rides. But since most of the rides are thrill rides the whole park just shuts down if there's lightening in the area. It didn't even rain which was even more frustrating.

The Jurassic Park River Adventure

To make the wait go by a little faster, the two girls running the ride started a game of 20 Questions with everyone. It wasn't a magical moment. We could hardly hear anything anyone was saying and we were hot and crowded onto the line and just weren't in the mood. We were there to go on rides, not play a stupid party game! They then made an announcement that everyone in the park could go over to Universal Studios for the day, even if they only had one-day, one-park tickets. Most of the rides at Universal are indoors so everything was open. We contemplated heading over there, but with everyone at the Universal resort heading over to Universal Studios we know it would be PACKED. No thanks.

Mike loves Cinnabon's the most

We waited it out some more, until 7:00 rolled around. It had been an hour and the sky just kept getting darker and darker, so we decided to call it a day. We headed to Marvel Superhero Island and saw an empty table by the Cinnabon stand so we got a seat and mom and dad went to get some Cinnabons, which we all love. Mom and dad got a regular one and a cinnamon one, and I only liked the regular one. I only had a taste, though, because I just wasn't in the mood. Since it wasn't raining we enjoyed just sitting outside and taking in the atmosphere, and the clouds had actually brought in some cooler weather, which is always good. We sat there for twenty minutes, and as we did the sky miraculously cleared up. It was a vacation miracle, haha! The dark clouds stuck around, but the lightening completely moved out of the area and before we knew it they were testing the Incredible Hulk Coaster. The rides were back up! We finished our Cinnabons and ran back over to Jurassic Park. The River Adventure is one of our favorite rides and we just had to get on it before any other inclement weather moved into the area.

Mike and I in the Jurassic Park gift shop

When we got to the River Adventure there was only a five-minute wait listed and we were on it in less than that. We were on the second boat to leave the dock after the ride reopened. We sat in the last row and headed out into the Jurassic Park Island. I love this ride! The dinosaurs in there are huge, and so realistic and life-like. The special effects are awesome, and the drop at the end of the ride is the best in Orlando. That drop is STEEP and you fly down it so fast that you just fly out the seat. I always raise my arms as we go down it and it feels as if you're flying down the drop! It's awesome! And we all got drenched... definitely wetter than we've ever gotten on this ride. It was so much fun! After the ride we headed into the gift shop to look around. We wound up getting my little cousin Zach a dinosaur figure and we looked at some of the bug candy. That's right... candy with real bugs baked inside. EWWWWWWW! I'd seen these before but had forgotten just how gross they are. No thanks!

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls

After Jurassic Park we walked back towards Marvel Superhero Island. Mike and dad really wanted to go on the water rides in Toon Lagoon but mom and I didn't. You get absolutely DRENCHED on Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls and Popey and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges. DRENCHED. You literally come off those rides wringing out your hair and clothes, and there's nothing more uncomfortable than walking around a theme park like that. I told them that they should go and mom and I would wait for them by the exit, but they decided against it and we continued on our way.

The Amazing Adventures of Siderman

We went over to Spiderman and there was only a five-minute wait listed! Awesome! We walked through the line and walked and walked and walked. There really wasn't a line at all. We were stopped a few feet from the loading platform and had just about a five-minute wait to get onto the ride. Perfect. When you get up to the loading platform each row is named after each of the five boroughs of New York City and there's one for Long Island. I was really hoping we'd be in the Brooklyn row but we got Manhattan. Not a bad alternative. As if it matters what row we're in... just get us on the ride! We were on in no time and what a ride it was! Spiderman is without a doubt one of the best rides in Orlando. I've been on it a good eight times now and it just never gets old. It's so realistic and exciting, and I always notice new details and special effects. This ride simply can't be beat! It's the best!

Dad, Mike and I on the Incredible Hulk

After Spiderman we decided to go on The Hulk. Dad, Mike and I love upside-down roller coasters but mom doesn't go near them. As much as I love crazy rides like The Hulk, for the past few years I hadn't gone on it. I went on it with school in 2001 and had loved it, but I hadn't gone on it on our past two family vacations. This time was going to be different! There was a half-hour wait listed for the ride so mom took our stuff and went to look around some stores while dad, Mike and I hopped on line. It was really hot in there for some reason but the line went by quickly. I was so nervous! Not only was it my first time going on it in six years, but it would be all of our first times going on it in the dark at night.

The Incredible Hulk coaster

We were on within twenty-minutes and WOW! Wow, wow, wow! What a ride! Definitely the best roller coaster I'd been on in a while. I love how at the beginning of the ride you sit back and wait for the car to reach the top of the first lift, but halfway up it just shoots you out of the little tube the first lift is in. It's the best! And this ride seriously can't be beat at night! If you're going to go on it, do it at night. You can't see the tracks or where you're going and it's the coolest ever. And the ride is so fast that it really pins you back in your seat. I tried putting my arms up but they got blown back down, haha!

Leaving Islands of Adventure

We were off the ride by 9:00 and we met mom by the exit before going into a candy store in the Port of Entry. I had the worst tickle in my throat from my allergies and couldn't stop coughing so I got a bottle of water and mom and I got two pieces of fudge, one vanilla for she and I and one peanut butter for dad and Mike. With dad's 35% discount is came to only $5 which was a bargain. The park was still open for another forty-five minutes, but there wasn't anything else that we wanted to do. We love Islands of Adventure but there isn't that much there. Plus in the summer of 2006 we had spent three weeks going to Universal Studios and had done everything we wanted and more a few times over, and we just didn't feel as if we were missing anything so we decided to head out. We ran into the gift shop right before the exit gates and looked at some of the discount merchandise but they didn't have much, so we ran to the bathroom before leaving. It was a quick walk through CityWalk and we were home by 9:50.

The Islands of Adventure tower at night

When we got back to the house we watched the episode of Big Brother that we had taped on the DVD recorder. We were all seriously addicted to this show all summer! Then mom and dad went to bed, and I took a shower and read "Sex and the City" in my room. This night wound up being my absolute favorite of the trip. It had been all over the news that there was going to be a major meteor shower that night and Mike and I couldn't have been more excited. With all of the city lights at home, it's always hard to see things in the sky aside from a few stars. Now we were out in the middle of a wooded area with no lights to be seen. We were hoping we'd see something good!

We went out into the backyard by the pool and just stared up at the sky, and what we saw was absolutely amazing. I've always been completely fascinated by space. The planetarium has always been my favorite part of the Museum of Natural History and our trip to the Kennedy Space Center in 2005 had been a great one. It just completely enthralls me, so sitting out in the backyard and looking up at the sky to see flashes of light streaking across it was an awe-inspiring sight to be seen. It was absolutely amazing! It took a while for things to pick up but we saw lots of streaks of light shooting across the sky. It looked like a shooting star a minute. The best, though, was when we saw a huge explosion in the sky. I later read that when meteors hit the earth's atmosphere at an excessive speed they simply explode, and the explosion was completely insane! It really looked like a ball of fire in the sky and was actually a little scary. It was really the coolest thing ever, and unlike anything Mike or I had ever experienced.

Mom woke up at around 1:00 and come out to watch the sky with us, but it took a while for the meteors to show themselves and she was tired and didn't have the patience to just stand there for a while so she went back to bed. I'm so glad I stayed out there, though, because it was quite the show. This natural show in the sky was the best show we saw on our entire trip. After a while we smelled something weird out in the backyard and we're city folk. We're not used to being out in the middle of nowhere with no lights so we got scared and went back inside, haha! We didn't want to see any crazy animals or anything.

We opened the big window in Mike's room that overlooked the side of the house and saw a few more meteors. I then went online to look up the meteor shower and it said that there were up to sixty a minute. We definitely didn't see that many but it was a very cool thing to watch. Another cool thing about the night was that Mars was the closest to Earth that it's been in almost fifty years. It was a big red ball in the sky and was awesome. I logged onto AOL and IMed my cousin Ryan. He lives across the street from us so I asked him if he could see much there and he said that he couldn't see anything, so we were lucky to be in Orlando.

At 2:30 things calmed down and we finally decided to call it a night. Mike took a shower and I watched the E True Hollywood Story of Married with Children in my room and then a few episodes of Next on MTV before going to sleep at 4:00. It had been a great day and an even better night.