Exploring The Hollywood Section of the Park
For
my 60th birthday, I could have gone anywhere. After all, it’s a
big deal hitting the big 6-0. Strangely enough, I decided to visit a
theme park. Silly, huh? Well, read along to find out how
this decision was one of my better ones.
Two Parks, One Great Memory.
Universal
Orlando Resort consists of two—huge—theme parks, a “City Walk”, and various
hotel resorts. Because these parks are so large, I cover just our
experience in the Hollywood section of Universal Studios Florida in this
article. The remainder of Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s
Island of Adventure and the City Walk is covered in others. Here’s a
hint of what you will find in those articles: Wow! Yum. Loved
it! Woo hoo!
Set the Mood With a Pin
One
of the coolest elements of my trip was that it was my birthday
celebration, even though not technically my b'day. Since it was a
special occasion, I received a special button stating that it's my
birthday. Everyone in the park said, "Happy birthday,
Rebecca." How cool is that? It never got old.
Tip: If visiting to celebrate a special occasion, let the gatekeepers
know. You will receive special treatment when wearing the
badge.
Great way to Begin the Day
We
began our days by stopping for coffee at the Starbucks on the “City Walk”
located on our journey to the gates of the park. Once inside the
park, we stopped at Beverly Hills Boulangerie (directly on the right of the
entry) for delicious pastries. Usually, we’d munch these as we made
our way for the day’s entertainment.
Hooray for Hollywood!
Where else can you meet
Marilyn Monroe, Dr. Emmett Brown (Back to the Future) and Woody
Woodpecker within minutes of each other? This is just one of the
joys of visiting this section of the park, which is directly to your right as
you enter the park. I met
all three and drooled over the Mystery Machine on Rodeo Drive.
Heavy
on nostalgia, the Lucile Ball tribute, which included videos from her iconic “I
Love Lucy” television series, video tributes, photos, and memorabilia were
surprisingly entertaining. I even remember a dress that was on
display—polka dots, of course.
Step Back in Time
Again
with the nostalgia. Déjà vu waves over me as we continue down
Hollywood Boulevard. The storefronts, restaurants, and buildings look
like they are straight out of an iconic film. For example, you could
stop in for a burger and a shake at Mel’s Drive-In or belly up at the counter
of Schwab’s Pharmacy for an ice cream float. Both have decent food
but are a bit pricy. You’ll find better pricing in San
Francisco.
We Join the Battle for Humanity
Terminator
2 3-D ride was a blast! We (my husband and I) couldn’t do all of the
rides since some were a bit too intense, but this ride was
perfect. It was more of live theater mixed with 3-D video, smoke and
seats that moved a bit. It was as if we were with Sarah and John
Connor trying to save the world.
Don’t Miss a Thing!
(Video by SoCal ThrillSeekers 360)
There’s many, many more attractions to see and do in this section of the park, like attend a magic show, preview and rate a probable new television series and learn all about makeup used in horror films. Slow down and experience it all! I spent four days exploring all that both parks have to offer. I am more than ready to do it again!
Tip:
Read
your map carefully! There are “Character Zones” spread out over the
parks. The map gives you all the information you need to meet
characters like the Transformers, Shrek and Donkey, Hollywood icons, and more.
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