UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT, PART I

November 16, 2010
High 70s, sunny
After paying $15 to park, we walked to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, for our first day of feeling like kids. We were told this was a very good time to come to the theme park since it was not too crowded. We headed straight for “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” and we were totally amazed at how much we felt like we were in Harry Potter’s world.

Hogwarts train, talking plants, cobbled streets, black robed men and women, owls, and a wand store all added to the atmosphere. First, we bought some butter beer, a lovely mix of butterscotch, ginger, and froth, with a buttery smooth taste. Since we got there early, our wait for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey simulation ride was very short. This creative ride in Hogwarts School and Castle down the corridors and in the classrooms was the all time best I’ve ever been on. We also soared through hilly landscapes on an aerial car through a quidditch game with Harry and Ron. We encountered dragons, huge spiders, and talking portraits on the walls, the classrooms, and corridors. The downside of this tumultuous ride was the effect on our stomachs. TK felt very queasy afterwards, and I was barely OK.

We toured Poseidon’s Fury—the “remains” of Poseidon’s Temple where the water and fire effects are great in The Lost Continent. We walked through Marvel Hero Island and saw Spiderman, Wolverine, and other superheroes on the street. We needed a kid to ride on the Pteranodon Flyers-an aerial ride that looked really calm, but no go in Jurassic Park!

On our way to lunch at Hog Head’s Pub we got the bright idea to ride on the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride. About 2 minutes into the ride the train stopped. Period. We sat there for 40 minutes high in the sky wondering what was going on. The same music droned on and on. Every once in awhile an employee would tell us help was on the way. We were not too concerned, but I knew I was not going to be climbing down the tubular tracks to the mythical Seussical area way down below. Finally, the engineers and employees pushed the train/trolley to an area where there was a metal walkway and guided us a little way to an area that had a walkway beside the train, secured the cars so they would not roll, and helped us individually out of the cars. We were helped down the stairway back to solid ground. The employees gave us fast passes for the rest of the day and bottles of $2.75 water each. Just a little excitement.

At the Pub we enjoyed shepherd’s pie. We walked the park twice, then settled in for Unstoppable at the 8000 seat movie theater. This was a very good movie that fit in with our train theme of the day.


Medal of Honor
I must add that today was a historic day as SSgt. Salvatore A. Giunta was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama. SSgt. Guinta is the first living recipient since the Viet Nam War. One of Guinta’s actions, at age 22, was that he rescued a wounded soldier from an Afghanistan insurgent ambush and pulled him back to cover. Minutes later, he stopped a pair of insurgents from abducting another soldier. He has said that he cannot reconcile what he did with his newfound hero status. He also said, “If I am a hero, then every man who stands around me, every person who defends this country, is a hero.” His “extraordinary bravery and selflessness” will serve him well in his new responsibilities and roles as a Medal of Honor recipient.
Community, Courage, Sacrifice, Integrity, Patriotism, Commitment-the values of the Medal of Honor Foundation. SSgt. Guinta certainly exemplifies those values.