Friday was our first full day in Florida and it was off to Universal Orlando and the Islands of Adventure. I had cashed in some of my Aeroplan points for 2-day passes for all of us. We are staying at a Comfort Suites just across the road from Universal Orlando, we were up early and at the park for opening.

Our first stop was The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, in order to get there we had to go through Suess Landing and The Lost Continent.

The Hogwarts Castle. Wait time for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride was 30 minutes. The line for the ride winds through the classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts.

Waiting to get into the actual castle.

A different view of the castle.

The girls just before entering Hogwarts for the first time.

The portraits were talking back and forth to each other.

Dumbledore in his office.

Harry, Ron and Hermione giving us instructions.

Angela with some of the snow that fell from above.

We all enjoyed the ride and would be back to ride it again.

On to the rest of the park, starting with Jurassic Park.

The next ride was the Jurassic Park River Adventure. The last drop gets you a little wet.

Susan and Claudia on the Pteranodon Flyers. You had to have a child less than 56” in order to ride it.

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls. The girls and I went on this one, I managed to come out relatively dry. I wasn’t as fortunate on Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges.

Here we come.

And there we go.

From there it was on to Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. Here we are looking relatively dry.

Here comes the water.

Me laughing at them.

Me getting soaked and them laughing at me.

Looking down Toon Lagoon.

Next stop was Marvel Super Hero Island. This is The Incredible Hulk Coaster. Susan took a pass on this one.

The Doctor Doom’s Fearfall, only Angela and I went on this one, it shoots you up 150 feet into the air and then drops you back down.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man was really good. It was a 3-D high tech thrill ride taking you through the streets.

Just like Disney, almost all of the rides exit you into a gift shop.

Having skipped through Suess Landing in the morning it was back to the beginning. You can also see the start of the thunderstorm cloud formation.

We rode our couches through The Cat In The Hat ride as it took us through the Cat In The Hat story.

We ate at the Green Eggs and Ham Cafe.

Back to the Lost Continent.

The girls in front of Poseidon’s Fury.

We ended back in Hogsmeade for another go round and some souvenir shopping.

Inside one of the jam packed stores, it didn’t help that around this time the thunder shower came so people were looking for a dry spot. The girls and I went on the Dragon Challenge and as we got to the front the rain started, so we rode in the rain. Earlier in the morning it wasn’t operating.

Some of the broomsticks.

Waiting in line for some Butterbeer.

The rain stopped briefly, long enough for us to get to the castle and ride Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey again.

Angela and her butterbeer moustache.

Claudia’s moustache.

Gillian drinking from our Butterbeer mug.

The girls with the train station conductor.

The girls went on Jurassic Park River Adventure for a second time, here they are coming into the splash zone. They are in the second row behind the guy in green.

Duck!

Angela looking pretty happy, Gillian wiping away some water.

Claudia bundled up, not sure it helped.

Since they were a little wet, Angela and Gillian went on Rip Saw Falls again.

Angela waving, Gillian behind her.

The girls looking pretty dry.

Since they weren’t wet enough, they decided to go on Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges again.

Starting out, again Claudia all bundled up.

Getting ready to go down the first drop.

There they go.

We caught up with them again.

Under another shooting water spot.

Me and Popeye.

Heading back through Toon Lagoon.

Otto from Beetle Bailey.

Angela and Snert.

The girls trying to catch Little Nemo.

Not sure which one is saying this.

The girls following Billy from Family Circus.

It was a great day at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The weather was good, hot and humid, but relief could be found either waiting in line, in the misting stations or in the many air-conditioned gift shops. Just walking past their open doors felt good. We even managed to dodge the afternoon thunder shower for the most part.

Outside the two parks is an area called City Walk. They have all kinds of restaurants, bars and shops, even an AMC movie theatre.

The girls riding the wave outside the Billabong shop.

It was back to the hotel for a swim and a soak in the hot tub. As you can see it was a little crowded around the pool.

A perfect end to the day.