Universal Studio's Island's of Adventure, a Review

A Review of Universal's Islands of Adventure

  This is a review of my recent trip to Universal's Islands of Adventure. I have a family of 4, a 3 year old and a 7 year old, myself and my husband. He and I wanted to try Universal since we kept seeing all the commercials.  The day we visited was a Saturday, and it was crowded. But the weather was great. The day before we played at Universal Studios Florida. For a review of that park you can go here USFL Review As always if you would like a quick summary scroll to the bottom to get my final grade. 

   We stayed the night at the Hard Rock Hotel which is on the property of Universal Studios. We took a short walk to the park from the Hotel. And staying at the Hard Rock automatically upgraded us to Unlimited Express rides. For my Review of that Hotel click here Hard Rock Hotel Orlando


    We started our day at Marvel Super Hero Island. Our first ride was the Incredible Hulk Coaster. It was an Excellent rush and if you enjoy coasters, DO NOT miss this one! While my husband Express
 passed it, I took my kids on the Storm Force Accelatron. It's a speedy version of the classic teacup ride. They loved it!




We linked back up and walked over to Seuss Landing. I quickly realized that we were at another theme park filled with water features. I'm really ok with kids getting wet, but walking around in swim suits I don't understand? I didn't bring my kids swim suits, so we had to forgo, "If I Ran the Zoo" --a play ground area.

My sweetie pie daughter, spotted the Cat in the Hat and jumped in line for a quick autograph and picture. Then we all walked over to the Caro-Seuss-el, where we chose our "beast" and enjoyed the breeze of the merry-go-round. Some of them open and close their mouths, and eyes.

Next up was The Cat in the Hat ride. I rode with my daughter and my son and husband hopped on a fish, at One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, and Blue Fish. Yes this is a water ride, but if you listen closely to the song you can avoid getting totally soaked. Some water is okay, but drenched is not, haha!


When they were done it was time for a show at, "Oh! The Stories You'll Hear!" My daughter was standing waiting for her brother when "Sam I am" took her by the hand and brought her over to see him! The park characters were so sweet to all the kids. They made sure that they gathered all the kids in the area to come see the show about the Lorax! I was so amazed by how they interacted with everyone!! My son made it over, but he was being really shy. So he was not as thrilled at the characters as his sister was. He didn't even want to go near Thing 1 or Thing 2!


Once that was done; we split up so my husband and daughter could ride, The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! A ride that again I thought my son could have handled, but to ride you must be 40" I think this park needs a serious over hall of their height requirements! So he and I walked around the area and he chased a birds. He chased it inside Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, we ended up sharing a pizza and getting our Freestyle Cups activated.

The Freestyle cup is a great value. The cups have microchips in the bottom and must be purchased that day. They will be active for 16 hours (longer than the parks are open). Throughout the day you can refill them all over the parks. I will say some of the machines were empty of ice and that made it a pain to track down. But still over all the way to go. I bought 2 the day before and we brought them back the next day to be reactivated.

Next we decided to take a walk over to the "The Lost Continent". We stumbled upon Poseidon's Fury a special effects guided tour. We all could participate and it had Express, so we said why not? It was really crowded and my kids were not able to see much. It was a little scary in parts, but they made it through. This area of the park also had a Mystic Fountain, that was interactive. My daughter tried to tell it a knock knock joke. The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad (Stunt Show) is also in this area, but it was closed for seasonal maintenance.

Hogsmeade

BUTTERBEER!

It was time for our visit to Hogsmeade! Hogsmeade is the Harry Potter area of this park. You can pretty much buy all the same items in Diagon Alley, but they are very different from one another. We did see the Hogwarts Express at Hogsmeade Station. In order to ride it to the other park, you must have a "park to park" option on your tickets.

I was getting thirsty by then for a Butterbeer. Especially since the weather was heating up.You notice a different feel for Hogsmeade as you enter. It's not as mysterious, it's larger and more open than D.A. They both have street shows throughout the day, but different rides to experience. There was actually a small roller coaster that Sweetie Pie could ride, the Flight of the Hippogriff. But the big thrill ride was the Forbidden Journey.   This ride was my FAVORITE of all the rides in the park. It's a motion based scenic dark ride and this technology is rare in the theme park world.

The Forbidden Journey @Hogwarts

The Forbidden Journey starts with the que line to lockers. There is no loose items to be taken on the rides. A common theme for Universal Parks. Many of the rides had this rule. This ride had a few options for us such as, Child Swap area, Single Rider line, and a non motion experience if you request that. The day we went the ride was being tested, so the wait was incredibly long. But, we finally made it to the front and as we waited to be called over to load, we were passed by Sir Paul McCartney, like really! No photos since no phones were allowed in the ride area :( But pretty neat experience to see him being a "regular guy".

Then we jumped in line for the Dragon. This is a super coaster that has two ride options. You can choose the Red Dragon or the Blue Dragon. Each ride is a different experience. We ended up riding only the Blue one and it was a fantastic rush!

The ride Attendants had trouble keeping up with the line rules. As we entered the que we were told there was not Express option, and that Child Swap could be done at the ride exit. So I went through the security check point and got buzzed, still have no clue other than clip for my express pass? But, when I made it to the line que, I saw a sign and an attendant for Express. So I asked why they would say it didn't have Express, and was told, there is no Express for the Security check point....DUMB ANSWER! My Sweetheart was at the exit and there was another security checkpoint and the attendant was rude when we explained that we were doing a child swap. He insisted that we had to wait in the other line. He finally scanned my husband with the security wand and let him go. Since we had so much trouble we decided the Red Dragon would not be worth the fight and didn't try to ride it.

Jurassic Park 

From there we walked over to the Jurassic Park area. My Sweetie Pie has always been scared of the big boat and hill water rides. But, she got brave and jumped on the Jurassic Park River Adventure. She had a great time and the ride was pretty fun for it's age. I'm sure with the new movie coming soon this ride will be getting an upgrade.

In this part of the park was nothing much for my Sweet pea to do except play in the Camp Jurassic play ground and the Discovery Center. There is also another ride that he was a half inch too short for, but Sweetie Pie was able to ride the Pteranodon Flyers. This ride is a flying coaster meant for kids. Parents can ride but must be accompanied by a child 36" to 56". If your child is over 56" then they will need a child that meets the height requirement to get them on it. There is also no Express option for this ride.

We were almost done with our day, but we still needed to visit Toon Lagoon and make our way back to Marvel Super Hero Island for Spider Man. We decided to grab some snacks and let the kids play in Me Ship, The Olive. It was a Popeye themed boat playground that over looks Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges. A water ride you can interact with, by shooting the Barges with water cannons from the 3rd deck of The Olive. If you decide to ride the Barges, you will get TOTALLY SOAKED. We skipped that ride, because our little guy couldn't ride it.

Cyclops 

Spider-Man

Our next stop was the Amazing Adventures of Spider Man ride. Another ride Sweetpea was too short for, but Sweetie Pie was tall enough. She loved it and since it offered Express she got to ride twice. I waited with  Sweetpea for a photograph with Spider Man. He was totally excited, but Spidey showed up late and we missed getting a photo with Captain America :( and with the Green Goblin :((

Review Wrap Up:

Rides and Attractions: 

Under 35"  Storm Force Accelatron -the only requirement is you must be able to sit up without help

                   Me Ship, The Olive-a 3 story playground with slides

                   Camp Jurassic-a net, caves and splash pad playground

                   Hogwarts Express-must have park to park option to ride this train

                   Poseiden's Fury- a special effects guided tour, sort of scary for my 3 and 7 year old

                   Caro-Seuss-el -a carousel ride

                   One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish- a dumbo like ride with water

                   If I Ran the Zoo- a playground with splashpad

Over 36"    Pteradon Flyers-children must be less than 56" anyone over 56" must have a child under                                                 to ride with them

                   Fight of the Hippogriff -a small roller coaster

                  The Cat In The Hat- takes 3 slow spins (not all at the same time either) *see notes below

40"             The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man-3D dark ride, really great for kids!

                   The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!-Very slow coaster above the rooftops                        of  Seuss Landing, again I think this height requirement is ridiculous

42"             Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges -you will get drenched on this one

                   Jurassic Park River Adventure -you will get wet on this one

44"             Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls -a "log boat" water ride, you will get wet 

48"             Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey   -this ride was amazing!    

52"             Doctor Doom's Fearfall -150 ft drop 

54"             The Incredible Hulk Coaster- Such a rush!!! Do NOT miss this one if you like coasters

                   Dragon Challenge- Choose Red or Blue Dragon, each a different coaster experience 

                                           

                 

Food: B  

The food was okay but super pricey. Since we spent so much money the day before at Universal Studio's Orlando on our lunch we were trying to go a little cheaper. To start we ate a large breakfast at the Hard Rock Hotel. We shared a few items early in the day and we bought the Freestyle refillable cups. Later in the day we got some snack items to tide us over until we left the park. I felt that we didn't over spend in this park on food. Since we basically snacked most of the day. 

Cleanliness: A+  

I was very pleased with the custodial staff at this park. I actually witnessed them cleaning restrooms multiple times throughout the day. It makes a huge difference. The parks were crowded that day too, so they were working extra hard! 

Attendants and Staff: C

I was disappointed with this aspect of the park. It seemed that the ride attendants were not as nice and accommodating at this park as they were at Universal Orlando. When you have a great experience at one park the day before it's easy to compare. I didn't feel the attendants knew the "line rules" or at least they didn't convey the rules in a way that made sense. You either have an Express option or you don't, you either have a child swap area or you don't. This made me lose confidence in them pretty quickly. I also don't feel like they should speak to customers in such a rude way. We pay a lot of money to be at the park, and should not be chastised by a College Student. Rules are rules and we can certainly understand that, but then the staff need to stick to one set of rules! 

BUTTERBEER!

Value B

Sure this park has the Hulk Coaster, Hogsmeade, and BUTTERBEER! But, I felt the food was too expensive, and the tickets were super pricey (especially for children). I felt this place was more expensive than other local themeparks (aka the big D). I personally could not afford to spend more time at Universal than our 2 day trip. I did feel that I was entertained sufficiently. But if you are going to charge those prices for tickets then food needs to be more reasonable or vice versa. We usually buy all the theme park photos from the rides, characters etc. . ..but I didn't even bother to look at them while we were there! 

Not a good value for children. Especially not a good value for a child under 36" and look out for that if your 3 year old is not yet 36"! I did not buy my little one a ticket and I was pleased that I didn't! 

FINAL GRADE: C

I had a good time at this park. My husband and I both agreed it would be a great theme park to leave the kids at home to enjoy some adult time. Neither of my kids got to ride or do much. And we did end up needing to buy a child ticket for my 7 year old. She was just shy of 48" :( And then my 3 year old, had just turned 3 the week before was still under 36". Technically he is supposed to pay to be there, but I am so glad I didn't buy him a ticket. He enjoyed running around the playgrounds and the splash pad areas, but we have those in our local neighborhood (for free) So my final thoughts;





wait until your kids are at least 40" to take them. Enjoy this theme park with a friend your own age or your spouse.

Thanks for reading
StMS

*The Cat in the Hat ride says 36" or taller. My 35 1/2" tall son could have ridden this one with no issues. I was told it spins 3 times. But I put him on the Storm Force Accelatron, which I rode with him, and that spun us so fast and forceful he could have hit his head on the rotation wheel in the middle. I did ride The Cat in the Hat ride with my 7 year old and after I got off the ride I was again disappointed that my 35 1/2" wasn't allowed to enjoy it! He would have tolerated the "spins" if you can call them spins, with no issues!

I think the Height Requirements at this park need a serious overhaul. As you can see they are spaced out so far apart that for some kids it would mean each year they could get one more thing to ride. I see that is good for business, but when thinking of value I would skip this park for a while. 

Universal Studios Florida, a Review

   A Review of Universal Studio's in Orlando, FL. 

      My family and I have enjoyed living in Middle GA and visiting FL for the past few years. Our kids are young enough (3 and 7ish) to still love meeting characters, staying in a hotel, and riding what they can. We decided to forgo the traditional Mouse land and give the "other whitemeat" a chance.  If you are looking for a quick summation scroll to the bottom of this post :) 

      We all were super excited to try out Universal Orlando for a day. Currently they are selling a 2 day ticket with a 3rd day free option. The ticket prices made me gulp a little. Our family only had enough time to do US one day and Island's of Adventure the next day. But, my sweetheart and I had one ticket free for each of us. My 7 year old didn't have any tickets and my son had only just turned 3. He was supposed to pay to get in, but he is a super little guy (under 35")  and we didn't know what he could ride before we got there. Fortunately, we were able to get a room at the US Resort Hard Rock Hotel on the property. That room got us unlimited Universal Express lines. This ended up being a great savings and each person in our party had one. For my review of this hotel click here  Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

       We were so close to the park we could walk from our hotel and we were able to leave our vehicle in the hotel parking lot, for a daily fee, while we were in the park having fun. Even the day we checked out our vehicle was safe in the hotel parking lot. This gave us great peace of mind! 

        We arrived at the park and got a 2-Park Guide Map. This is the most critical info guide to success at these parks. The map shows information for each park and dates for that week. It's a little confusing, but not too hard to figure out. 

       Our first characters we met were Scooby Doo and Shaggy in front of their Mystery Machine. Shaggy was pretty cool to the kids. Next, we walked up to Minion Mayhem and saw a street performance with all the Despicable Me characters! Sweet Pea was okay with Gru, but he was scared of the "Garls" This was followed by my husband and daughter getting on the ride. Sweet Pea and I watched the Studio Brass Band walk by, and met Woody Wood Pecker, and Homer and Lisa Simpson. We did buy signature books for the characters, and some signed with our pen; others used a stamp. 
  
      
*I loved how the characters
interacted with my kids :)  

         Next, the whole family rode Shrek 4-D and then we decided to grab lunch. My sweetheart snuck away and got on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. One of the parks only outdoor coasters. I don't know why I didn't get on that one? He said it was very fast and you get to choose the music they pump through your head rest. Anyway. We took the kids on Twister and then we went over to the Transformers the ride-3D. We 

Certificate to ride when you reach
Height Requirement

knew Sweet pea could not ride, but he was given this cool certificate to bring back when he was 40" This certificate can be used as a fast pass for him and up to 5 people to ride. The employee said all the rides had these certificates, but he was the only one that offered us one. He and I chilled out in the A/C inside the Child Swap area while my sweet heart and sweetie pie rode and then we "swapped out". 
    
      We headed over to Woody Woodpecker's Kidszone.  And on the way we caught a street show from the Hop Characters. My Sweet pea enjoyed the music and dancing but he was not feeling the Giant Bunnies and Chicks! At Woody's, Sweetie pie and I 
got on the Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse coaster. You must be 36 inches to ride. So my Sweet pea could not ride :( He did find Fievel's Playland to his liking. There is a great water slide that he was tall enough for.  Sweetheart and Sweetie Pie went to ride E.T. while he and I stayed in Fievel's Playland. The kids finally got to see SpongeBob Squarepants. We saw Curious George with Woody WP in the Curious George Goes to Town area. 

      Friends we were not prepared for our kids to get soaked. So we did not hang out for long in the Curious George area. His "town" was a interactive water playground. We moved on from Fievel's and around to Kang & Kodo's Twirl'N'Hurl. We all were able to enjoy this one. And then we headed over to Alien Attack at Men in Black. This is a shooting game you play while taking a 3D trip through the alien infested city.  Another wait in the Child Swap room for Jack and I. 
  

#12  Grimmauld Place

    Then we were off to Diagon Alley to get our first taste of BUTTERBEER! This was so delicious and I can't exactly put my finger on the taste. It was the color of Cream Soda and it was topped with a white sticky layer of butterscotch flavored foam/cream. I've never had anything better! It is served 3 different ways, chilled, frozen or hot. I tried the first 2 ways but not the hot, as it was May and pretty hot outside.  We also ordered Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice, (just in case we didn't care for Butterbeer *gasp) it was very refreshing, a little ciderish, and sticky. Another delicious treat we had to wrap our lips around was the ice cream at Florean Fortescue's. Does anyone remember the old chocolate ice dream from the original Chick-fil-a? Well they have a chocolate syrup swirled ice cream at FF that is reminiscent of that but the ice cream is so rish and dreamy! You know it's going to be good when there is a line around the corner to place your order 

  We could not leave Diagon Alley without Escaping from Gringott's! This ride offered a single rider line and we took advantage of it because there was not Express pass for it. Both my Sweetheart and I traded turns while one waited with the kids. Sweetie Pie could have ridden this one, but she wanted ice cream instead. I got both, Ha! 

By then we were getting close to park closing. So we made our way back over to the Simpson's ride to try and fit in one more thing.  This ride was pretty funny and filled with Simponisms! My Sweet pea didn't get to ride this one either, but we made it up to him by waiting to see Optimus Prime on our way out of the park. 

   
   We were all exhausted by the end of the day with hurting feet. We had another big day planned for tomorrow at Universal's Island's of Adventure. It was time for the walk back to our hotel and a dip in the pool! 

*********************************************************************************

REVIEW WRAP UP:

Rides and Attractions:

Under 35"             Shrek 4D   A   

                              Twister      *this one was scary for my kids  B- 

                              Kang & Kodo's Twirl'N'Hurl   A

                              E.T. Adventure (34") B

                              Fievel's Playland waterslide *they must be able to sit up and hold on A

                              

Over 40"              Despicable Me Minion Mayhem      A+

Under 48"            Transformers the Ride 3D                A+

                             Men in Black Alien Attack               A

                             The Simpson's Ride                          A

                             Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster B

                             Escape from Gringott's                     A+

Over 51"              Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit           A+ *there is a height limitation on this one

Under 79"            

Food           A      

We had lunch at the Classic Monster's Cafe, I thought for the price the food was just okay. We had Butterbeer and ice creams and they were outstanding! We also purchased the freestyle refillable cups. I bought 2 so we could share the drinks throughout the day. This worked well until the machines were out of ice.

Cleanliness  A    

Parks and restrooms were clean and the staff worked very hard to maintain during the busy day. 

Value          B-    

I'm not gonna lie, the tickets were pricey as all get out. We were entertained for the day, but the food prices were exorbitant. If I decided to go back, I would leave my kids behind with a sitter. I think this park would be best to serve 7 year olds and above. I would not bring my kids back until my youngest was 42" or taller. I don't think it's a good value for them. Definitely fun for teens and adults. A fun weekend alone with your Sweetie :) 

Final Grade: B

Attractions we missed out on: 

Revenge of the Mummy

Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue

Disaster!

Fear Factor Live

Animal Actors on Location!

A Day in the Park with Barney

Curious George Goes to Town

Terminator 2: 3-D 

Horror Make-Up Show

Quick tips
1. If you have small kids, bring swim diapers, swim suits, water shoes, towel and change of clothes, other than shows not much else for them to do.
2. Every ride that has a height limit has a certificate for anyone that is not tall enough to ride. If you would like one, find a staff member and ask them to give you child under height requirements one. You can bring it back each year and have it documented. Then once your child reaches the right height they and 5 other people can skip the lines to ride.
3. Eat lunch early in the day rather than later. Lines were really long after 1pm for food and drinks
4. Grab a 2-park guide map as early as you can. Maybe even the day before. It has showtimes, character stops/times, food and restaurants, as well as, Freestyle refill locations!  Those cups are a great value IMO!

We were visiting the park while they were setting up for the upcoming 2015 season of American Ninja Warrior. The area in front of the Mummy ride known as New York was filled with set equipment, tractor trailers and no one could get through. So we missed out on the parade, as well as, the evening show was canceled. But it was still a fun day and we were worn out! 

Thanks for reading StMS! 

       

The Real Nickelodeon Suites Resort: IMO

  We just returned from a long weekend in Orlando. We did NOT go to Disney World; I'll save my thoughts on DW for another day. I wanted to give some of the other great theme parks in Orlando a try. We're a family of four and we enjoy sightseeing, traveling and THEME/WATER PARKS! Our kids are 3 and 7 (just about 8). Below is a detailed account of our experiences. If you are looking for quick info scroll to the bottom.


  We stayed at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort our first 2 nights. My first impression of the resort was the price was not too bad. They offer 3 levels of accommodations and we were offered a 2 bedroom family suite. Each Suite has a living area/kitchenette with a fridge/microwave etc. . . and full sized bathroom. The kids had an open room with bunk beds; made my 7 year olds day! And the Queen bed was private with a locking door. That could have been nice if we wanted the privacy.

  Now on the way down there I saw tons of reviews about BED BUGS, and how they were present at that resort. It just so happened that I had a friend who stayed recently at the resort. So I quickly texted her to see if she had any negative experiences to share and if she saw bed bugs. Thankfully she raved about this place and confirmed she had no incidents of bugs. This is something that happens at even the nicest of places, but you should and can avoid at all cost. And I found a great guide to bedbugs online here: Guide to Bedbugs We did exactly what it said in the guide. And thankfully NO BED BUGS were found May 6 & 7 2015!! After that I can say the bed was actually quite comfortable. I slept very well.

  Once we got settled into the room, my kids were yelling they were hungry and they offer room service until 11pm. I ordered a pizza from Antonio's and the large was HUGE! If you only want a snack the Small would have been plenty. I didn't expect it to be so tasty but it was! The box was too large to fit in the mini fridge and there was really no way to save any slices for later. So my Sweetheart and I were stuffing ourselves to try and not waste it (it was $30.00 with delivery). My overall opinion of the room was it was old, and had a musty smell. The furniture needs to be updated pretty bad. Bathroom was great and clean. The room with bunkbeds was huge and empty. No tables or furnishings. It did have a TV. And the Master BR also had a TV.

  The next day, we ended up leaving the resort for breakfast and found a Waffle House nearby. Originally I was signed up for the Character breakfast, but when we arrived the Resort Concierge talked me into Antonio's Pizza-Rama, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Character Dinner. It was more expensive than the breakfast (by $10.00), but IMO totally worth it! My Sweetie Pie and Sweet Pea didn't know the TMNT the way me and my Sweetheart do. But they were into it; Kow-a-bunga style! The food was amazing in comparison to other character meals we have tried.

After we returned from breakfast we tried to meet SpongeBob but we failed. The Resort Concierge explained to me that he would be by the Pool. He was in the Mall! But my kids were already wet and enjoying the waterparks and pool. They didn't really care to meet him at that point. A full bar/drink station is available for refreshing drinks pool side with wait staff. We were served by the 9-hole Putt-Putt course. My kids thought that was really neat!

  When we finished our drinks and the Putt-Putt we were practically dry. So Sweetheart and I thought it was a great way to try some of the other things to do. We changed and went to the Resort Mall. It was a short walk from our room around the Hotel Lagoon with static display characters, a real swan and ducks/ducklings. A vending machine was nearby to feed the birds. While we were there we saw a large group heading towards us. It turned out to be all 4 of the TMNT's and we were lucky enough to get a photo with all 4 of them at one time!


  At the Mall, the kids were able to meet Squidward and Mr. Crabs, play in the arcade, and we saw a 4D movie-Rio. Tickets were bought in the Mall area for the movies and Arcade Credit is done through a kiosk machine with Cash or Credit in the Arcade. Each dollar gives you 100 points, and each game is a certain number of points. As you play the card stores your "tickets" and then the card is turned in at the prize counter for redemption. By that time Molly, Gil and Bubble Puppy were out for photos. Sweet Pea wasn't feeling them so much. But in the end, we got a picture of them together!

  After all that it was nearly time for our Double Dare Live show, a game show you must make reservations for at the concierge desk. It's totally free to watch and they have little games they pick kids from the audience to participate in. They give out little prizes. Sweetie Pie was picked and won an Arcade Card for free games. If you are brave and really want the full experience you can sign up to be a particpant of the game show. It's just like the old show that my generation enjoyed when Nick was a new channel.

  By then, it was time for Antonio's Pizza-Rama and to bring on the Turtles! The menu for this meal is outlined on the website. There is something for everyone, but the fees do not include drinks (not even for the kids). The show is performed twice during the 2 hour block. The characters will "sign" autograph books, Nickelodeon themed books are for sale in the Mall gift shop. We were visited by The Foot Clan first and asked to join them in the fight against the TMNT. We had to decline that offer and we were so glad we did! Antonio came by next to greet us and he was spot on for a Pizza Maker from New York! I had to get a picture of the 2 guys named "Anthony" together. Next the Turtles came out and did a great show. The kids are invited to dance with them and if you are celebrating a birthday make sure you let your server know. Your birthday boy/girl will get a special treat! Each turtle then makes his way over to your table for pictures and talks.



These guys are really talented. I've never seen Disney Characters as animated (pun intended) as these guys were. They were doing jump kicks and Ninja moves in these large costumes. My kids loved it! My Sweet Pea, was pretty impressed and surprisingly not scared; like he was with the Bubble Guppies....who knows why?! Toddlers; what can you do?

REVIEW WRAP UP:

Waterpark- B+                Only one pool and water park was open during our stay/there are 2 of each at this resort

4D Movies- A                 Can be pricey, each movie is individually priced

Arcade- B                          Very Small, and the games are not priced evenly-meaning you might have points unused

Characters- A++            The characters and handlers were very accommodating

Room- B+                         Clean, and bedding was comfy, but it needs nicer furnishings and had a musty smell

Food- A+                           Room Service, Lagoon Bar, Food Court items, and Character Dinner- All excellent!

Hotel Staff- B-               AM staff were very helpful, but were pressured by the PM Concierge to attend a timeshare                                                        presentation, even when I said "Not interested"

Over all score: B

Great for young children, and children under 10. If you have teens there is not much that would entertain them here. Meeting characters is always a treat for young kids and there were other things we decided not to do. Like "Let the Pie Fly"; you pay $10.00 and get 2 pies to smash into your face or a loved one, the Kids spa; various activities, Mass Sliming ($0.00-colored water) or a real Sliming ($150.00) and TNMT LaserTag.


I would definitely come back for a day to play! If I lived in FL I would definitely skip the room and come for a day visit or plan to have a birthday party there :) If it's your first time going make sure you do some research on the website.

Thanks for reading StMS!