Universal, SeaWorld, and BGT tips

[jcgoble3]

As my Orlando trip approaches, I need your help! I will be visiting Universal Orlando, IoA, SeaWorld, BGT, Aquatica, and Wet 'n Wild between August 27 and September 1 (exact date for each park TBD) This will be my first time at all of these parks, and I'm buying the Fast Lane equivalents at all of these parks (except the waterparks, which don't offer it). Specific questions I have:

1. Harry Potter: Is this worth the wait for someone who has zero interest in the Potter franchise? I mean, I literally do not care one whit about anything related to Potter, so if I were to ride this, it would be for the thrills/fun, not for the theme, which I couldn't care less about in this case. I know it produces long waits, and it is not included with the Express Pass.

2. Eating: I'll be eating lunch and possibly dinner at the parks each day. Where in each park are good places to eat that won't break the bank? I'm targeting somewhere in the neighborhood of no more than $15 per meal.

3. Lockers: Do all of the parks have all-day lockers available, and what do they charge for them? I would assume the waterparks have them, but I don't know about the dry parks. I will be taking public transportation to each park and so cannot store items in my car. The main thing I might need to store is my sunscreen, which won't fit in my fanny pack unless I buy travel sizes, but that would mean getting lotion instead of the continuous no-rub spray that I prefer.

Any and all tips are welcome. I'm also going to Disney World the week after this, but I'll ask for tips for there in a separate thread in a week or two so I don't get overwhelmed with all the replies.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

1. YES. Even if you don't like the franchise you will HAVE to bow down to the immersion. I felt like I had left Florida and was in Hogwarts/Hogsmead. Please do it and have fun (AND GET BUTTER BEER!!) There are some great thrills. The bit where you first lift off the "Platform" and begin "flying" is bloody brilliant! The Dementor bit is also a bit creepy. I was startled at the first part...they come out of no where you know? It's also worth a reride too. I must mention, while there don't just do HPFJ and leave, look around, it's a brilliant place. Just make sure you get your enter ticket to actually get into the Potter World.

2. For dinner, Mythos. But try and get a reservation!! They tend to fill up quick!

3. Yes they do, they also offer lockers free for a period of time while you ride a ride and then you get them back out. I can not remember the rate off hand but eh, it shouldn't be to too bad. It's important to note that at Forbidden Journey the line sometimes is for the lockers, not the ride it's self. So try and have things already secured so you can go straight to the line and not have to wait for a locker.

Buy the Flahspass if you think you'll need it. It's a nice little thing to have to skip the line.

Be weary though, I found that I was done with everything in Universal after about half a day.

HAVE FUN! TAKE PICTURES! I wanna have an awesome PTR to read when you get back!

[kblanken]

Personally, I do like the Potter franchise. Both times I've gone to IoA, the castle ride was nearly a walk-on, and I thought it wasn't worth the wait. Most other people seem to think it is great though, even non-fans. The building is neat, and has some cool effects and things like that.

To describe the ride, I would say imagine the forklift/loader/crane machine thing from the movie Aliens if you can. Now pretend someone is using it to spin you and do things to you while you are also riding Delirium. Also, there is the visual Potter stuff they have you interact with.

If you can only ride one side of the dragon coaster, the red side is better.

At Busch Gardens Tampa, if I remember right, they have a meal pass that you should get if you will eat twice. $32 for free food and drinks all day.

[TheCrypt]

I can answer your Universal and Busch Gardens questions (in that order).

First, let me tell you that you need to do Universal first and Islands of Adventure last (like, very last on your trip. You will be glad you did-such a wonderful park). If you plan on getting to Universal Studios at rope drop, I would head to a low(er) capacity ride like The Mummy. Generally all rides at Universal have very high capacity (almost all of them have an omnimover-like system or are motion simulators). Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is also a very fast moving line, what with the multiple trains constantly moving (it has something like 6 trains of 12 people constantly moving thanks to the moving station).

I have no idea if each of the parks have all day lockers (as I typically do not use those), but be warned: The ride lockers at Universal/IoA use a fingerprint system where it scans your fingerprint and you rent a locker using that. The first hour is free, and your fingerprint can only be used once during the entire day. Use sparingly!

At Universal, Richter's Burgers and the pizza joint by Chez Alcatraz and Disaster! is very good, and very cheap.

Islands of Adventure: There is a single rider line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (it's what I used when I went because the regular line was an hour long). It's like a moving robotic arm simulator (think Boo Blasters with 4 across seating (minus the guns) that lift up and tilt, perfectly synchronized to the theming) that takes you through various scenes from Harry Potter, including, but not limited to, a quidditch match, encounters with dementors, a spider forest, and more. I'd definately ride it, just to say you can, providing you're not interested.

I heard Mythos is an EXCELLENT restaurant, as I've heard absolutely raving reviews of it on here. Must be quite the place. However, I don't know how much a typical meal sets you back (might want to ask GYK?). An absolute MUST is having Butter Beer (I recommend frozen-it's just cold, not actually frozen). At something like $3-4, it is definately worth it. Plus you get to keep the cool cup! I also heard lunch at the 3 Broomsticks is great.

Must rides in the park:

• Incredible Hulk
  
• Storm Force Acceleration
  
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
  
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
  
• Dragon Challenge
  
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
  
• Caro-Seuss-sel
  

Also, to dispute what LongLiveKingsCobra said above... No, there actually is no "entry ticket" anymore. They got rid of said ticket awhile back, so you're allowed to walk freely into and out of the area.

Again, I reiterate, but if you go Islands of Adventure then Universal, you will be sorely disappointed. Instead, go Universal then Islands of Adventure.

Busch Gardens Tampa: This is one of my favorite parks of all time. It has a twisted GCI woodie (Gwazi), a newer LSM by Intamin, a fantastic B & M sit down coaster, another wonderful B & M inverted masterpiece, and then of course, there's SheiKra! Ride tips for rides and the park in general:

• The park closes relatively early (due to the fact that the animals, for whom the park is oriented towards, get all sleepy around 8 so there's not much to see, so they just close the park around 8 (typically). So I'd get there at rope drop.
  
• Phoenix is similar to Southern Star at Carowinds and Berserker at Kings Dominion. It is not worth the ride, as the restraints kill your chests. I felt like I could hardly breathe, and almost went into a panic attack. SKIP.
  
• Sand Serpent is a typical wild mouse.
  
• Scorpion, although it doesn't look exciting, is very cool. It uses what is like a cross between a cable and a chain to lift it up the hill, and the ride overall is fantastic. It uses magnetic brakes to slow the ride down, so it loses its speed very smoothly (something I love).
  
• Sit on the left side of the train on Montu. You'll thank me later.
  
• Kumba is a great ride. Try experiencing it in the front at least once.
  
• You should skip Congo River Rapids. It must be the driest water rapids ride I've ever ridden. Calling it a water rapids ride is a stretch, I should call it a water rapidless ride. It's also just a basic oval shape. The way it switches the raft to each side of the duel loading station is cool, though.
  
• Gwazi is fun no matter what.
  
• SheiKra, you should ride it in the front. Go for the second train though, because people assume that it's the 3 row to a train, so they go for the very first train front row instead of the seconds. I just think to myself, "Suckers!"
  

As far as where to eat, I'd say eat in a place similar to our Festhaus near the entrance of Scorpion in Timbuktu. Food was great.

I hope I helped,

TheCrypt

[Delirium_Guy]

1. Harry Potter: Is this worth the wait for someone who has zero interest in the Potter franchise? I mean, I literally do not care one whit about anything related to Potter, so if I were to ride this, it would be for the thrills/fun, not for the theme, which I couldn't care less about in this case. I know it produces long waits, and it is not included with the Express Pass.

I would say the answer to that question is yes. Even if you have no interest in the franchise, it is difficult to not be impressed with the area and the incredible amount of detail that Universal put into it. I'm a big fan of Forbidden Journey simply because I'm impressed with the ride system and how Universal integrated it with the projection screens and physical props. I hit IOA once a week most of the time. While IOA is still enjoying healthy increases in attendance, the mad rush to Potter isn't anywhere near the level that it was in the first year. It'll be busy earlier in the day, but by the end of the day Forbidden Journey is typically down to 30 minutes or less wait time.

2. Eating: I'll be eating lunch and possibly dinner at the parks each day. Where in each park are good places to eat that won't break the bank? I'm targeting somewhere in the neighborhood of no more than $15 per meal.

Mythos is VERY good and reasonably priced, IMHO. It is on the higher end of your budget, but the food is wonderful and really isn't all that much more than what you'd pay for your standard fare at the quick serve places in the Park. I find the food at Universal to be mediocre. It's not great but it isn't bad either. Other than Mythos, there really aren't any stand out locations for me.

SeaWorld's food is fantastic! Aside from Shark's Underwater Grill, all the restaurants in the Park will fit your budget. Like Busch Gardens Tampa, they offer the Meal Deal with unlimited food and drinks all day. It is currently going for $29.99, but if you are going to be in the park from open to close then it is worth it. Voyagers is one of the more popular quick serve places in the Park, mainly featuring BBQ. I also like Mango Joe's over by Wild Arctic.

Busch Gardens....do NOT miss out on Crown Colony House. Take the time and go up to the upper level to the table service restaurant. AWESOME view of the savannah and Montu and great food, too.

3. Lockers: Do all of the parks have all-day lockers available, and what do they charge for them? I would assume the waterparks have them, but I don't know about the dry parks. I will be taking public transportation to each park and so cannot store items in my car. The main thing I might need to store is my sunscreen, which won't fit in my fanny pack unless I buy travel sizes, but that would mean getting lotion instead of the continuous no-rub spray that I prefer.

Yes, of course they offer all day locker rentals. That would probably be beneficial for you at SeaWorld, since you will have to pay for an individual locker at each of the major rides, but Universal you can simply carry your stuff from attraction to attraction for free.

Given the time frame that you are coming down here, crowds will be questionable with Labor Day. This summer hasn't been the typical Orlando summer, though, and the crowds haven't been unmanageable at all. Universal Express is a great idea, but honestly I don't believe that you'll need to invest in Quick Queue at SeaWorld or Busch Gardens. Cheetah Hunt being the exception, lines are normally very short for the rides at Busch and lines for the major coasters at SeaWorld are almost always short as well.

The only thing that I would disagree with TheCrypt about is the comment about low capacity rides like Mummy. Mummy actually has decent capacity and is usually pretty easy to get on. It is Rockit that can be your challenge. It suffers from Raptor syndrome....it's location at the very front of the Park make it a popular first and last choice of the day for many guests. The line is typically 60+ minutes for Rockit, meanwhile Mummy will be 30 or less. Of course, if you are purchasing Universal Express then this is not even an issue to be discussing :-) Have fun!

- Todd

[TheCrypt]

Acturally, I feel like Mummy has less capacity than does Rockit. I guess seeing the trains traversing through the course helps me, but I believe I have had longer waits on Mummy than Rockit.

[The Interpreter]

Wait time is not a good way to judge capacity*. Mummy is a far, far better ride, and gets many more repeat riders.

*unless, like Dave Althoff, you observe, measure time, count trains dispatched, multiply by occupied seats, and calculate people per hour actually accommodated to determine observed capacity. Yes, he does that. I have on occasion, but not at Universal Orlando.

[Delirium_Guy]

Acturally, I feel like Mummy has less capacity than does Rockit. I guess seeing the trains traversing through the course helps me, but I believe I have had longer waits on Mummy than Rockit.

Mummy was announced with an hourly capacity of 2000 guests per hour. Rockit was announced at 1700....not sure I believe either of those actually. If you've always had longer waits on Mummy, then consider yourself lucky, I guess, because 9 times out of 10...Rockit will have the longer the wait AND be the most likely to go down with technical issues. When Rockit's moving platform is able to function as it should, yes, the trains are constantly moving. With that said, you are still only moving 6 trains with 12 guests every 30 seconds or so. Mummy runs a minimum, typically, of 10 trains with 16 guest each.

I've never waited longer for Mummy than Rockit, in fact most of the time there is a significant difference in wait time between the two....with Rockit having the longest wait in the Park on most days.

- Todd

[TheCrypt]

Well jcgoble, don't listen to me for those attractions' wait times!

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Actually BGT closes at 10 most nights during the summers as part of their Summer Nights promotion, but animals go away at 8.

[TheCrypt]

Well I went during the winter, so I guess they close earlier in the winter than summer? Oh well. Don't take my advice on that, either!

[The Interpreter]

Delirium_Guy virtually lives (and works) in the Florida parks. You can take his advice to the bank. It's spot on and up to the minute.

[TTD-120-420]

Everyone has already given you great advice so I'll just add one thing. Please spend time in the Lost Continent area of IoA. Walk around. Eat at Mythos. Relax. Listen to the talking fountain. Watch the Sinbad show. Finally, go through Poseidon's Fury. You'll be thankful you did.

Especially if it's not there the next time you go.

[jdawg1998]

Here's my answer for the first one only.

1. HOLY MOLY IFJDNKGIDGHENFWAFKLAWF YES!!!! I don't really like Harry Potter all that much, but the ride was the BEST RIDE I have ever been on. The wait for it goes by so fast; the queue is themed amazingly. DO NOT MISS OUT. Sorry for yelling.

[jcgoble3]

OK, let me see if I can go through everything. In the order the subjects were first mentioned in this thread by someone other than me:

Potter: OK, OK, I get the picture. I'll do it. Good to know there's a single rider line; I'll probably use it. Question: What is "butterbeer"? Is it alcoholic?

Mythos: I will look into that one. The prices are within my budget; I can go over $15 occasionally as long as I get something cheaper somewhere else to offset it.

Lockers: I have a question about the ride lockers at Universal. TheCrypt said some about how a fingerprint can only be used once. What does that mean? Does that mean I can only use them once at each ride?

Dragon Challenge: This is covered by the Express Plus Pass, so barring it not operating due to mechanical issues or weather, getting both sides in shouldn't be a problem.

BGT/SeaWorld meal pass: Given the price, it doesn't sound worth it when I'll eat at most two meals at the park, quite possibly just one given the hours that week (see below). Unless it's worth it for the unlimited drinks. Do those parks give out free cups of water like KI?

Universal park order: Got it, Universal first, then IoA. It won't be last on the trip, as I'll need something to do Saturday, then I've got Discovery Cove Sunday and a whole week at WDW after that).

Capacity: Mummy vs. Rockit Edition: Mummy is covered by Express Plus, Rockit is not. Therefore I will head to Rockit first if I get there at rope drop. If I don't get there at rope drop, are the lines for Rockit typically shorter early or late in the day?

TheCrypt's Universal food suggestions: Got it, will look into them.

Park hours: Universal is open 9:00 to 8:30 on the days I might be there (29th to 31st, which is when the Express Plus Passes are cheapest). IoA is 9:00 to 8:00. BGT is 10:00 to 6:00 during the week and 9:00 to 7:30 on Saturday. SeaWorld is 9:00 to 7:00 during the week and 9:00 to 10:00 on Saturday. Wet 'n WIld is 10:00 to 6:00 all week. Aquatica is 9:00 to 6:00 during the week and 9:00 to 7:00 on Saturday.

TheCrypt's Phoenix tip: You said, "Phoenix is similar to Southern Star at Carowinds and Berserker at Kings Dominion." I have never been to either of those parks and haven't the slightest clue what any of the rides you are referring to are. Ya wanna try that again?

TheCrypt's SheiKra tip: I'm not sure what you're saying here, unless you're getting "train" and "car" mixed up.

TheCrypt's other BGT tips: Got 'em all.

Delirium_Guy's BGT/SeaWorld food suggestions: Got it, will look into them.

Quick Queue: I'm buying it no matter what. It's my biggest vacation ever, and I'm going to get everything I can out of it. Plus when you're already spending nearly $4,500 on a three-week trip, putting down an extra $20 (yes, just $20, even on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend) for Quick Queue Unlimited at SeaWorld is nothing. (It's $55 at BGT that week, but still worth it to me.)

Lost Continent area: Got it, will make sure to go through it.

Thanks for the tips so far, everyone! I do have one more big question: As I said, I'm hitting six parks in six days: Universal, IoA, BGT, SeaWorld, Wet 'n Wild, and Aquatica, the last two of which are waterparks. Which would be best to hit on Saturday, which is Labor Day weekend and thus when crowds are likely to be the worst? Keep in mind that I can and will get line-skipping passes at the dry parks, though Universal/IoA's version is more expensive on Saturday. The waterparks appear to have no such system.

[jdawg1998]

Butterbeer is not alcoholic; it's like a butterscoth caramel drink (not really sure).

[TheCrypt]

I'll try to address the questions as clear as I can...

SheiKra loads in a similar fashion to Maverick, except there are no extra turnstiles for the front rows. Think of Maverick's loading station, with a shorter line for the 2 train first row vs. the 1 train, 1 row. The GP of the park assume that the 2 train is the same train as the first one, so they wait longer for the front row of the first train, rather than what they think is the 4 row (but in actuality, it's the 2 train front row).

Ok... That must have been super confusing. PM me and I'll explain it when I have more time to think... Unless somebody here explains it first!

Butter beer is impossible to describe; unless you say it tastes like butter beer. It does not contain alcohol.

The locker situation there is a bit weird. Actually, the whole system's kinda...eccentric. Instead of a photo ID for (at least the) park hopper tickets, they use your thumb print as your main source of identification. If you're using a 2 day ticket, they'll also have you rewrite your name on your ticket so they can match it up with yesterday's signature, to verify that it was you.

The lockers: Now, I only experienced the locker situation at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but I assume that it is parks-wide. To rent a locker, you say hit "rent locker" on the automated kiosk, then they scan your thumb print on a pad. You can only use that once for a ride locker the entire day. The first hour is free, so if you select "1 hour" on the kiosk, you just find your locker, and be on your way.

Ok, that was a waste of time. I don't think that made sense at all. You might as well just ask Delirium_Guy. Probably doesn't stink at explaining things like me!

[Joncars05]

You will be forced to use "one-time lockers" at BGT. No backpacks, fanny packs, hats, etc allowed in the queue... I think they are $0.50 a ride. They tried to make me put my camera in there and forced a couple of guys to put their hats in there. I just put my camera in my pocket and walked into the ride queue.

[Delirium_Guy]

Ok, that was a waste of time. I don't think that made sense at all. You might as well just ask Delirium_Guy. Probably doesn't stink at explaining things like me!

You explained just fine!

The lockers are free, but keep in mind that they are free for the duration of the attractions wait time. For example, if Forbidden Journey has a 75 minute queue time posted....the locker would be free for approximately 30 minutes longer than the posted queue time. They give a little bit of breathing room in case of a break down or other delay that may extend the guests wait time. If you keep your things in the locker past the allotted free time, you will have to pay for the additional time you utilized the locker for. I'm not sure how much they are charging these days, as I rarely use them. TheCrypt was correct in that the same locker system is in use at all the major attractions in both IOA and Studios. As far as the finger print, the rental kiosk at the lockers will take a scan of your finger print. When you return to open the locker, it is the finger print that must match. You aren't issued a key or a password.

To touch base on a few of your other things:

* SeaWorld Parks do give our free cups of ice water. With that said, an average meal in either SeaWorld or BGT will run you $10 without a drink. As far as the Meal Deal that they offer, depends on how much you want to eat. The Meal Deal includes the entree, desert and drink each time you go through the line. If you are only planning one meal in the Park for the day, then no it definitely isn't worth it to you.

* Rockit....I DEFINITELY recommend doing it FIRST if you are there at rope drop, it will continue to grow throughout the day and usually doesn't get shorter. That will most likely hold true since it sounds like you may be going on a weekend. Just a note, Rockit, Mummy and MIB all three have single rider lines.

* While Forbidden Journey does have a single rider line, I highly recommend waiting through the queue at least once...especially if you enjoy details and theming. The queue is beautiful. The line for FJ also moves incredibly fast.

* Which park to hit on Labor Day Saturday? Since you are buying Quick Queue, I would suggest SeaWorld. If you want the full SeaWorld experience and are planning to see all of the animal attractions, then Saturday would be great because Summer Nights will still be going. There is a totally different show line-up once the sun goes down and the park does fireworks. Honestly though, with you buying Express and Quick Queue, it isn't going to matter which one you do....guess it depends on what your interests are.

* I can't speak too much about Wet n Wild, I've only been there once, but I do visit Aquatica a lot. Aquatica will be busy on a Saturday and you are correct in that there is no Quick Queue type system implemented yet. I would actually suggest doing the water parks on one of your week days, especially since a lot of local schools will be back in session by that point.

Hope that helps!

- Todd

[Sonofbeast2.0]

Ride everything at UOR and IOA! Even some of the kids rides are fun! Oh fyi Popeye water ride will get you soaked! It might be hard to find a dry spot on you. They do have a family dryer too...

[TTD-120-420]

Discovery Cove is well worth the money. It is the most relaxed I have ever been in my life. The food is great, and no extra cost. When we went the service was amazing. Well above Holiday World's employees. It is more of a spa than it is a park.

This vacation sounds epic, by the way.

[TheCrypt]

I adore Discovery Cove as well. At first I was confused. I knew that we would get free food, free drinks, free dessert, etc, but it felt so awkward not having to pay! Discovery Cove is an absolutely wonderful place, and I highly reccommend it to anyone who is going there.

Are you using the free pass to either BGT or Seaworld that is available to you through the Discovery Cove ticket? (A note about Seaworld- Their observation tower is similar to Space Spiral...and is an upcharge. It is visible from Discovery Cove only from the entrance to the "lazy" river.)

When I visited Discovery Cove, I, too, felt like it was more of a spa or an actual forest in South America than it is a park. Just be careful to not assume the water with the animals is chlorine! I learned the hard way! Discovery Cove is super secluded, and a super nice place. Add in the factor that a very miniscule number of guests can enter the park the entire day, and, well, it just makes the day even better. I don't even think they have a smoking area!

Their lazy river isn't lazy by any means. I know I got my exercise for the day by going through it once. You don't have innertubes, so you're forced to either walk or swim through it. The elevation changes rapidly, and for the most part, you'll be swimming. I would think it's over a mile long, but don't quote me on that. It also takes you through an aviary, and it too is beautiful (just like everything else in the park). There are steep drop offs for the floor of the lazy river, along with great scenery and lush surroundings.

Are you doing a dolphin swim? If so, the water will be cold (but you'll get used to it). It's a blast!

Your trip is worth it for Discovery Cove alone.

[TTD-120-420]

Reading that makes me want to go back so bad. I really think the best day of my life was at Discovery Cove.

[jcgoble3]

SheiKra loading: No, I totally get what you're talking about now. Thanks for the clarification.

Universal lockers: I still don't get the deal with "one time". Does that mean I can only use a locker one time at each ride, or only one ride locker total per day?

BGT lockers: "No fanny packs." The one and only issue I have with HW. I was hoping not to run into it in Florida. *sigh* Since they are sister parks, I should check: does SeaWorld have that policy as well?

Saturday: SeaWorld is what I was thinking as well. Good to hear the same thing from someone else.

Discovery Cove: I actually bought the "ultimate package" for $50 extra that includes admission to all three sister parks (SeaWorld, BGT, and Aquatica), as I determined that that plus a Wet 'n Wild three-park ticket was the cheapest way to do all seven. TheCrypt, what do you mean by the chlorine comment? Yes, I'm doing the dolphin swim. As my swimming skills are limited, I'll be using one of their life vests.

Epicness: Yeah, it is. It's stretching my finances nearly to the breaking point, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip for me. The convention this trip is tied to was announced way back in June 2011, so I've had plenty of time to save for it. I still had to take out a $1,000 loan to cover the rest, though.

Keep the tips coming! A Disney tips thread will be up by the end of the week.

[TTD-120-420]

I think he was saying don't expect the Dolphin area and snorkling area to be chlorinated. Many people don't realize it is salt water.

[jzarley]

I'm not a Potter fan really either (I've only seen one of the movies, and haven't read any of the books), but still find the immersion of the theme very impressive. "Forbidden Journey" is a great ride (although, if rating--I'd still rank Spiderman in front of it.)

I'll echo all the other comments about Discovery Cove...by far this was probably the best day I have spent in *any* park. The weather was absolutely perfect and I really felt like I was on some south seas island instead of in the middle of metropolitan Orlando. The service and ammenties were top notch, and the food was fantastic. There's not very many things that I'd say were worth $250 for less than eight hours, but Discovery Cove is certainly one of them. (Plus, I think swimming with dolphins is something everyone should do once...) However--I will say I didn't enjoy the manta ray feeding experience--the way they came out and sucked the food right out of your hand really creeped me out

[TheCrypt]

This trip sounds great. You'll be glad you did it.

Make sure you tell us your dolphin's name for the dolphin swim! Mine was Thelma. Also, if you just tread water and pretend you can swim, you'll do fine. I should know! =P The water the animals live in is all salt water. The only "pool water" or chlorine water is in the lazy river and pool surrounding it. I accidentally got some salt water in my mouth in the newer animal exibit (something about a reef? I think it's the Great Reef or something?).

Have a great time!

[Sonofbeast2.0]

Oh Meal Deal is a great deal at UOR and IOA. I think $25 you can eat all day in both parks up until 30min before park closes. Ex. closes at 10pm you can get "free" food up until 9:30pm. You must eat at Mel's Diner the burgers and chili cheese fries are to die for!

[Delirium_Guy]

Are you using the free pass to either BGT or Seaworld that is available to you through the Discovery Cove ticket? (A note about Seaworld- Their observation tower is similar to Space Spiral...and is an upcharge. It is visible from Discovery Cove only from the entrance to the "lazy" river.)

Anyone who has visited SeaWorld Orlando in the past will be happy to know that Sky Tower is now FREE with paid park admission! They began doing it earlier this year, which I think is just fantastic! I will echo what everyone else has said as well about Discovery Cove. Maybe I'm partial because I used to work there before I started working at Legoland Florida, but the park is truly spectacular. One would never even believe that they are actually in Central Florida, but rather a lush tropical paradise far, far away. The new Freshwater Oasis is fantastic as well, the otters are adorable

To loop back around to try to answer your Universal locker question again, you aren't limited to one locker rental. Basically, once you get off the ride and open the locker to retrieve your belongings....it ends the rental. If you choose to ride again, then you simply return to the rental kiosk and follow the same steps....it'll scan your finger print again and assign you a locker number. In other words, you will pretty much be renting a locker each time you choose to experience the attractions in the Park. Does that clear it up?

- Todd

[jcgoble3]

To loop back around to try to answer your Universal locker question again, you aren't limited to one locker rental. Basically, once you get off the ride and open the locker to retrieve your belongings....it ends the rental. If you choose to ride again, then you simply return to the rental kiosk and follow the same steps....it'll scan your finger print again and assign you a locker number. In other words, you will pretty much be renting a locker each time you choose to experience the attractions in the Park. Does that clear it up?

Ah, I get it now. It's like the old coin-operated single-use lockers that KI had until this year in that the locker can only be opened once per rental. Does every attraction (where they would be needed for a backpack) have them?