Fun in Florida v. 2: Universal Studios

I have been going to Universal Studios for as long as I can remember. It is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about Orlando, Florida. (Forget Disney World. Universal Studios, ftw.) So when my mom insisted that we go to the park 2 days during my visit, I couldn't refuse!

Most of you already know that the park is divided into 2 sides, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. I am very partial towards Universal Studios. Although Islands of Adventure has all the new, adrenalin-boosting rides, nothing beats the classic shows and old-school rides.

However, I was really excited about one thing: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I'm not a fan of the series or the movies, but I wanted to see what these architects and designers could come up with. They definitely did not disappoint. I felt like I had actually stepped into a Harry Potter movie. Hogwarts was there (it's a massively cool, 3-D ride that made me so nauseous, but it was so worth it!) And there was a place to buy wands, robes, candy, etc. It was definitely an experience. I'm not even a fan and I had the time of my life; I can only imagine how a fan would react.

What was I was pretty bummed about was missing the Beetlejuice Rock n Roll Revue. Actors dress up as Beetlejuice (swoon!), Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolfman, and Dracula. They sing and dance to songs (mostly from the '80s), and the interact with the audience while doing it. This concert-of-sorts is the reason I fell in love with '80s rock... and Beetlejuice. But at least I missed it for a good reason. I was too busy getting the high score for my team on the Men in Black ride (yeah, I learned a few things about aim from the shooting range haha). When I visit my mother in May, I am definitely not missing that show. It is my favorite part of the theme park.

Typically, my mother takes massive amounts of picture of me at every available spot while we walk through the park. This time around, she only took pictures of me at places that we seem to skip over in our mad dash through the park. (This pictures will be coming at you at a later date.)

Universal Studios is one place where my family is happy and gets along. The place means so much to me. When I'm older and I have children, I plan on making so many memories with them there. I know from experience how much a single trip can affect a child. It can show him/her how much s(he) is loved and cared for. What parent doesn't want that for his/her kid? Even my dysfunctional mother gave me that. And I can't thank her enough for it.