Universal Orlando Trip - Day 1

We just got back from spending 4 days at Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, and it was a blast!  The attractions ranged from fun to amazing, the parks were clean, and the employees were friendly and efficient with lots of smiles.  The crowd levels were low, plus we had plenty of rain (which didn't bother us) which drove the numbers down even lower.

In case you forget where you are

I'd be remiss if I didn't start off by saying that although I'm not a big Harry Potter fan (the movies were fun to watch, but once was enough, and I haven't seen the last 3 or 4 of them), the Harry Potter areas and rides at Universal were nothing short of incredible.  Talk about being transported!  Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley at Universal Studios are the most well-done, well-themed, areas I have ever seen at any theme park.  The queues and rides in those areas are so fully-immersive; it's like being in that world.  It really is worth the cost of travel and price of admission to see, and that's not even including the new Reign of Kong, or the fun Simpsons Land, or the etc., etc.

Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure

We stayed on-site at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and it was also great.  We had a slight problem after checking in, and the hotel staff immediately resolved it:  The hotel rooms are all non-smoking, but when we got up to our room it smelled, strongly, of cigarette smoke.  I called down to the lobby and requested they move us.  Within 5 minutes a member of the front desk staff brought up key cards to another room, apologized for the inconvenience, and we were set.  Great service!

Now, on to the photos.