Florida Trip, Part 3: Harry Potter
Today we went to Islands of Adventure, and did all the usual stuff, starting with Spiderman, though I avoid the Hulk Coaster because it looks just too scary and I decided last time that I'd be too nervous to do Dr. Doom's fear fall again, so I didn't. I was repeatedly asked if I was "sure I didn't want to do it", and I got a bit fed up of this after a while; I don't particularly like it when people try to get me to change my mind about something and persuade me to do what I don't want to do.
I also saw Spiderman run past twice, but no one else saw him and thought it was lying; it was only when we waited for Dr. Doom that we all saw him; he just seems to run back and forth periodically in the one area.
We headed on to Popeye's ride; that is another of the wet barge rides, and I found myself getting quite wet, despite the guy next to me commenting that I "got off Scot free"; I noticed he and his girlfriend were English and, getting into conversation with him, I found out he was from Essex. I then got in the single rider queue for Dudley Doo Right's Ripshaw Falls, and was sent to stand next to someone who had no clue about queuing etiquette, standing across two of the circles that people are meant to stand in, because he evidently hadn't even thought that someone would be trying to join them. He also didn't seem to speak English. When the ride attendant made him move, he still didn't have a clue about etiquette or was just oblivious to my presence, and he and the woman who was with him both cut me up as I tried to board, and he took the seat I was headed for. Excuse me, but if you've been assigned a place in the line, you stick to it. I was very stunned and then realised that there was a place in the middle - I was still peeved at the other people for just ignoring me though.
After this ride and the Jurassic Park ride I was very wet, but then we stopped for lunch and went on to the Harry Potter area. This bit is amazing: It looks exactly like Hogwarts and Hogsmeade should do, and the ride in the castle was good fun; I bought some sweets in one of the shops - jelly slugs and licquorice laces as a fathers' day present. We also got in trouble for taking pictures through a closed door to where they were putting up Diagon Alley.
That evening, we went looking for Hooters at Pointe Orlando, only to find that it was now closed down and dilapidated, so we ended up in Johnny Rocket's diner, only to be stuck into a corner by the toilets, which wasn't exactly the best spot in the place; the food was nice, though.
We spent the morning in the Disney village; we sat for ages in Starbucks, trying to get some Coldplay tickets which had just gone on sale, by using our phones; of course, this was a complete headache. I think I'd have enjoyed things more if people hadn't started taking short cuts by rushing right past my seat; if you know me will, you'll know this drives me potty - I like my personal space.
We spent the whole morning in the Disney Village before going to Typhoon Lagoon; we found that it was closing at 5pm, so I didn't get much chance to go on rides. I enjoyed the new tube rides that they have; one man decided to break the rules though, and tried to go back on the ride with the tube that he was supposed to give me, despite the fact that lots of people were waiting; it was quickly pointed out to him by a member of staff that this is AGAINST park etiquette and that he had to give his tube to me.
We went back to the hotel and went to the pool; we had it to ourselves, which was good fun - until a whole family showed up with their giant inflatables and effectively took over the pool. Dinner was in the Outback Steakhouse, so I had steak, and followed by a late night trip to Publix; it isn't much less busy at 10pm, unlike my local supermarkets.