Phase Three - Universal Studios - Day Ten

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Neither of us slept very well. It was indeed a windy night. Given that we had already removed all of our clothes from the hangars when we packed them before retiring for the evening, there was nothing to prevent the hangars in the closet from clicking and clacking against each other all night long and that is exactly what they did - waking me several times. We had put in a call for a wakeup notification (which never came) but are up before that time anyway.

We pack up the items remaining in our room and head to Royal Court at 8 which is our assigned breakfast location and time for this morning. (Same restaurant to which we would have been assigned the evening before with those having the early dining reporting for a 7 a.m. breakfast and those having a late dining reporting for a 8 a.m. breakfast). Our table companions are there. We share one last meal before joining the long, snaking line to get off the ship.

When we get to the terminal, the first order of business is to find our luggage. Based on the tags we received the evening before, our luggage will be in the Red Mickey section so we head there. A person there directs us to a row based on our cabin number. We find 3 of our 4 pieces but the 4th cannot be located in that area. Within 5-10 minutes, the missing piece is located having been placed in an incorrect row.

Now it is time to go through customs so we join the very long but rapidly moving line to clear customs. We had already completed the Customs declaration form and have our passports at the ready. We are quickly through and out the door. It sure is cold outside with temperatures in the low 60s and a gusty wind. The reports are that there may be near record lows this evening!! The scene outside is as chaotic as it was the day we arrived a week earlier. Our driver has texted me saying he should be here before the 9:30 scheduled pickup time. We drag our luggage past all the other vehicles picking up a variety of guests and reach the end of the line. Our driver calls to say he is just two cars back from those entering the area. We locate him and he is able to drive right up to our location. Our luggage is quickly loaded and, just as quickly, we are on our way.

The drive to Royal Pacific at Universal does not seem as long as the ride to the Port was from Disney. Once we arrive, a porter gathers most of our things while we go inside to check in. We're told our room is ready (last one available in the room type and view we've booked). Yay!!

After we complete our checkin, we obtain our Express passes from the computer kiosk in the lobby and then make our way up one floor to our room. Our luggage is delivered shortly afterward. We unpack but, since most of our bags are now filled with dirty clothing and will not be unpacked here, this process does not take very long.

We don sweatshirts and head out. Our first stop is at Magarittaville for some lunch. While we would normally want to sit on the porch, it is chilly enough that we opt to sit indoors. The porch is totally devoid of customers despite the plastic screens that are pulled down all around and the heaters that are running!

After lunch, we head to Universal Studios to discover they will be closing at 5 today due to the last Halloween Party which will be held this evening. As we enter the park, they try to register my fingerprint, but, despite several tries and the use of more than one finger, the system will not register the print. There is trouble registering Gene's as well but his is completed on a subsequent try with a different finger. I am allowed to enter the park after I sign my park ticket. Over the next couple of days, this proves to be a real pain as I have to explain each time we enter a park that my finger would not register in their system. No-one, however, seems surprised by this.

Having never seen the Harry Potter sections, we head to Diagon Alley first. Gringott's not surprisingly has a 60 minute wait so we will not attempt that at this point. We do manage to take in a number of attractions this afternoon including (not in the same order in which we did them) Despicable Me Minion Mayhem; Shrek 4-D; Twister; Men in Black; The Simpsons Ride; and ET. Around 3:30, we head to Hogwart's Express which is likely our longest wait of the day - arriving at Islands of Adventure around 4:30.

For much of this time, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey had a wait time listed of about 20 minutes but it is 30 minutes by time we arrive here. Still the line moves along quickly and is quite interesting. Now, keep in mind that Gene does not do well with simulator rides and most of the attractions we have experienced this afternoon have been of this type. Neither of us knows what to expect from the Harry Potter ride and most of what I have read about this ride has not prepared us at all. While I really liked the ride, it really does Gene in. He does not feel at all well at this point.

We walk back to our hotel and Gene immediately climbs on the bed where he takes a short nap. He is feeling a bit better when he wakes and we decide to find some dinner. We go downstairs to Jake's for dinner where he has the Fish and Chips while I have the Shrimp Fettucini. The food makes Gene feel quite a bit better. Still, he is in bed and asleep shortly after we return to our room.