universal in 4D

Our Orlando trip is nearing its end BUT we still have a ton to do over the next couple of days. Our last two days of vacation we had plans to go to Universal Studios and Sea World. I didn't get to take nearly as many pictures at Universal Studios as the other parks we had gone to. For one, the park was much busier than the others and so we weren't able to ride as many things. Two, our day at Universal was shorter because we had dinner plans and three, Universal had stricter rules about taking your personal items onto the rides with you so I didn't always have my camera with me. I was able to get some really good pictures of our favorite moments, though!

The first ride we went on was the Despicable Me 3D ride! We had to wait about an hour to get on but it was really fun! The rides at Universal Studios were decorated down to every nook and cranny of every corner of every room in each line. There was something new to see everywhere you looked!

I really loved the inside portion of the Despicable Me 3D ride.

We knew the Transformer 4D ride would be hard to get into, so after riding Despicable Me we went straight to it and got in line. Even when we arrived, just a couple of hours after the park had opened, the Transformer ride had a 1 1/2 hour wait time but we knew this was the ONE ride we HAD to do so we got in line and waited. We were probably only half way through the outside portion of the ride line (and we were yet to discover just how long the line still was once you got inside...) when the ride employees came over the speaker system and told us that the ride was closing temporarily for routine maintenance. They expected the delay to be approximately 30 minutes. We were bummed but determined. We decided we had come too far to turn back now and stayed in line. Luckily for us many of the people in line ahead of us decided to get out of line and come back later and so we made some good head way during the maintenance time. There was even a snack cart set up right along the line path and we were able to get drinks and churros! Yum!

Finally the ride was up and moving again and we were eager to experience Transformers 4D! Little did we know just how long this line really was! I've never seen so many twists and turns in one line before. Once we got inside we were much happier because we were finally in the air conditioning but even then with every room we left it was followed by yet another room. Thankfully, the rooms were decorated very cool and the boys liked pushing all the faux buttons and pulling pretend missile launch levers.

We even got to see the REAL Allspark encased in glass, safe and sound. (Maddox didn't believe that this was real...)

I couldn't take any pictures on the Transformers 4D ride but if you could see me smiling from ear to ear through this blog and hear my screams of recommendation then you would know just how worth the wait this ride really was!!!! Most rides that you wait 2+ hours to get on, in the Orlando humidity, you just pretend were awesome for your kids' sake...but this one TRULY WAS!!!! If the line hadn't eaten up a majority of our day we most definitely would have done it again! After you ride Transformers 4D no other ride even comes close in comparision!

After Transformers 4D, everyone wanted to ride The Mummy. It was an indoor roller coaster. After poor Ashtyn's experience on Space Mountain at Disney World I wasn't about to make him ride another roller coaster unless he just wanted to do it. Ash was too scared to try this one, though, and so while everyone else rode it I took Ash to the arcade and we played some games. This was much more Ashtyn's speed. Once Brandon and Maddox got off The Mummy coaster Brandon told me it was a good thing Ash chose the arcade. It may have pushed him over the edge! Ha! Maddox, on the other hand, LOVED it!

We rode a few other rides throughout our day at Universal and then headed to the gift shop. We couldn't resist a picture with Spongebob's home!

Maddox chose a Transformer mask in the Universal gift shop to remind him of his favorite ride of the day...or the entire trip for that matter! When we checked out at the gift shop register the employee asked Maddox how he would rank the Transformer 4D ride on a scale of 1 to 10 and Maddox proudly yelled "TEN!!"

After a quick rest at our condo, we hit the town and went to dinner at BB Kings. I was excited to try it out but it turned out to be better than I ever would have imagined. Not only was the food amazing and the beignets were to die for but the live music made the night! We got a table right on the edge of the balcony. We had front row seats for the evening! I literally could have sat there ALL NIGHT LONG! Brandon seated across from me, blackened chicken pasta in my belly and sweet tea in my cup...it was perfect. We got to see two bands before we had to leave. I don't even have a word to express how much I was in love. They almost had to remove me from the restaurant against my will! Ha!

We only have one more day in Orlando and it will be another long day but a fun one for sure. Tomorrow we are visiting Sea World and just like Maddox couldn't wait for Lego Land, Ash is totally pumped to go to Sea World! It will most definitely be a great way to end our Orlando vacation.