First Florida Trip - Six Parks in Four Days

Fairly warned: if you dislike the occasional curse word or cynical attitude, you can pass on this one :) Also, I’ve typed this right after getting home, so it rambles a bit.

Sunday, February 17 - I’m flying out of LA at 11:59 pm. Flight is delayed until 3:00am. Somehow, I’m still in a good mood, I’m so looking forward to the trip.

Monday, February 18 - Land around 10:00, haven’t slept except to nod off a couple times in my seat and wake up immediately with my head and neck hurting. Kinda worried the day’s gonna suck as a result. Get a rental car and go straight to Seaworld. As soon as I see Mako on the horizon, my spirit’s lifted. Mako is fantastic. So re-rideable and so much fun. I’m out of my seat for half the ride, it feels like, and the lady gave me ample room under the lap bar, like I could hold a closed fist between it and my thighs, so a couple times I actually got scared going up the lift hill and brought it down myself! I don’t care if it’s weak after the brake run, and the weird trim going up that airtime hill after the whippy turnaround doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. This is a great ride with great airtime. I do think I prefer Goliath Georgia, because I like a good helix on a hyper coaster.

Generally, I was impressed with Seaworld Orlando, except it’s not on the actual ocean? Same with San Antonio earlier this year. That makes no sense to me. San Diego’s on the bay. Just sayin. I walked through a few aquariums and had an Impossible burger (as a vegetarian, I hope these don’t become the standard for vegan options at parks, because I thought this was ****e). The shark encounter was MAYBE better than San Diego’s, and the whole aesthetic of the sky tower next to that big lake was beautiful. I should’ve gone up the tower but it’s a long line.

Next I rode Kraken. I generally dislike these floorless coasters, but I appreciated the theming and layout. Rode it a few times and didn’t have a splitting headache, so it rates with me, relatively speaking.

Manta was fantastic. I believe it’s objectively better than Tatsu, as far as coaster objectivity goes, but I prefer Tatsu for the sheer scale of it. It terrifies me every time and this didn’t so much. The near miss with the rock wall and the water effect are phenomenal elements. I can only ride these flyers so many times, especially on a bright humid day when I haven’t slept in like 36 hours. The second ride, we got stuck on the final brakes for too long before they diverted us to the other track, so I was done with it after that.

I did Atlantis at some point (meh), Mako a few more times before I started getting queasy around 5 or so and I called it a day. Operations were fantastic all day, lines were really short even though the park was fairly crowded, like I didn’t even need quick queue but it helped anyway and it’s only 30 bucks.

Tuesday February 19 - Get to Busch Gardens around 10:30. This is probably my most anticipated park, but if I’m being honest up front, I left a little bit underwhelmed with their coaster lineup, altogether. On a more positive note, this was absolutely my favorite park that I’ve been to on the strength of its overwhelmingly beautiful landscape and world class zoo. The San Diego Zoo I grew up with is "world famous" and we’ve got the Wild Animal Park, too, so I never go into another city’s zoo expecting to be impressed and I rarely have been (what a snob, right?), but this was a phenomenal zoo, and it didn’t feel commercial, either, like they’re actually committed to conservation and animal comfort. That’s wonderful. I spent about as much time walking around these exhibits and reading and such as I did riding coasters. Incidentally, at least five times during the day I also looked up at that drop tower of theirs and reflexively, audibly exclaimed “Hell no!” Those aren't for me.

I rode Sheikra first, a couple times. I like dive coasters. Reference my earlier comment about Tatsu’s scale. These things just IMPRESS with their massive size, and they do what they do very well. I like this better than Valravn, mostly for the location and scenery. Sheikra does less with it’s layout, but dive coasters don’t need to do much, in my opinion. It feels taller because there’s nothing tall around it, and while it’s not much beyond those two drops, it does the second one with a lot more style. On a side note, while operations were good all day, those narrow lanes don’t enable people to move forward to fill empty seats. If ever a ride needed single-rider lines, it’s dive coasters.

I worked my way around with Sand Serpents, since Kumba was down for annual maintenance and then missed Scorpion, because it’s painted exactly like Sheikra and hidden behind some buildings, so I thought I was seeing the former in the distance. I was definitely disappointed to miss Kumba, but like I said before, those floorless coasters sometimes kill my vibe with a rattling headache, so I wasn’t too bummed. Plus, I know I’m coming back eventually. That massive wooden skeleton with the crane next to it was in the back of my mind all day.

Cheetah Hunt. One of my most anticipated rides. I love it. It’s weird, like how it launches and then just kind of crawls around that first turn, and later you get that great airtime pop at the top of the big metal tree structure, followed by the crawling figure eight. Weird! Totally unique and great, but **** those restraints. They’re not exactly painful, and maybe it’s just me and my broad bony shoulders, but I just can’t say this is one of my favorite rides because of those restraints. With a lap bar it would be. I still rode it about 8 times, of course. It’s great!

Montu. Also one of my most anticipated rides, but I guess I realize now that these inverts just aren’t my jam, because in this year I’ve ridden Raptor, Afterburn, and Montu for the first time, and none of them really did much for me. Add in about six Batman clones of various names, all this year, and all for the first time (hey, I’m new to the enthusiasm, I’ve been packing them in). Only Banshee truly awed me. Again, scale. The height and isolation, the towering drops. That’s what I like. I definitely recognize how good Montu’s layout is and enjoyed the interaction with all the tunnels, but these rides kinda of give me a head rush while also pooling the blood in my feet. I rode it about four times throughout the day. I liked it. It just won’t be my favorite ride.

Cobra’s Curse, again, was totally weird and wholly unique and I love it for that, but I only rode it a couple times. I would like it much more if it spun freely the whole time.

Went back for Scorpion. Hell yes. Maybe my favorite coaster at the park. I haven’t ridden a Schwarzkopf I didn’t like. Montezooma’s and Revolution when I was a kid, Mindbender (Georgia) and Shockwave earlier this year. Like I said, I like a good helix, and this one’s kinda nuts. Great restraints, or lack of. Sliding across the seat and banging into the person next to you is that kind of rough ride I like. I think it’s mostly the over the shoulder restraints that leads to my distaste for floorless and inverted B&Ms. I only rode it a couple times because the lines were slow, but I’ll be seeking out some more of these in the future for sure.

This is my favorite park in the country, and I’ve been to about 12 for the first time this year. It’s absolutely beautiful, and the combination of thrill rides and animal exhibits is unparalleled, in my experience. I’ll definitely be wanting to come back here as soon as Gwazi opens.

Wednesday, February 20. Thanks to some good advice on the boards here, I go ahead with my plan to visit the Universal parks today. Dark rides aren’t really my thing (going in), but Hulk was the first coaster I ever got hyped for, having actually read about, before it opened, in Wizard magazine. I went through a long period before this year where I wasn’t riding coasters at all, but Hulk was always kind of on my bucket list, even before I had a bucket list or much enthusiasm for coasters.

Honestly, the first couple hours and I’m just slow-boiling into this FOUL mood. The parking garage, the sanitized, securitized, consumerist fever dream of a fake city-scape that is the whole Universal compound…I can’t stand these kinds of places. Can’t even have a cigarette next to your car or anywhere outdoors? Gotta herd through a mile of retail nonsense to get to the park? Not for me.

I drop $300 on tickets and express passes, and I’m not happy. This is a HUGE chunk of my whole budget, right, since the first couple parks were on a season pass I already had from Seaworld San Diego. The first couple rides on Rip Ride Rockit don’t really simmer my mood, either, because I’m pretty pissed about the lockers and then I’m watching the single rider line pass me up in my express lane! Why’d I waste the money! I’m cursing Universal’s operations, but the ride is good, anyway. Not great, but like I said before, unique and quirky as hell, that does it for me. It’s got some good moments. I don’t mind the many brake platforms, because I think I understand their purpose now.

I rode Revenge of the Mummy next, and while I was still really pissy, I absolutely loved this ride. More later.

I want to eat so I go to a burger place and there’s that damn Impossible burger again. I’m in a bad mood.

I go to Simpson’s Land and for a while I’m almost giddy at first with all the theming and attention to detail everywhere, but I ride the ride and get nauseous. I’m already kinda on the fence about dark rides and 3-d experiences and whatnot, so the rest of the day isn’t looking too good at this point.

I go to Harry Potter Alley next. I’m not a Harry Potter fan, but the attention to detail and immersion does kind of take my breath away again, except that I can’t buy a cup of watermelon chunks with a credit card and I don’t have cash and the lady tells me to go to the elf bank to get Harry Potter dollars but they want a minimum of $10 so I storm out. I go on Escape from Gringott’s, not knowing what to expect except that it’s on RCDB, and I AM DISAPPOINTED.

I decide to hop the train to Islands of Adventure, but even THAT is a twenty minute line and a whole Harry Potter Experience. I’m still kinda stomping my feet and making myself have a ****ty time at this point.

But when I get to Islands of Adventure everything starts to change. They have falafel AND veggie kabobs at the restaurants in Lost Continent. Ok! Seuss Land is super cute. I like Dr. Seuss. Ok, I’m starting to get it…I’m just a pissy jerk because I don’t like all the Harry Potter stuff.

Marvel Island is when my mood really changes, like I’m having the time of my life wandering around looking for Easter eggs in the theming. Like I said, I get it now.

I’ve been looking up at Hulk all morning, with bated breath in between trains because I’m afraid it will break down before I get on it, like what was I thinking not running there first (I was trying to time it out to be my 125th credit, like an absolute dork, until I realized I couldn’t get Pteradon Flyers or the Woodpecker one, because of height discrimination).

Hulk doesn’t disappoint. Not even a little. Not even with the B&M shoulder restraints. It obviously finishes a lot weaker than it starts, but who cares? It's a bit rattly in spots, but far from the worst I've been on, so I overlook that entirely. The first time I ride it I waited for the front row and when you launch out into the sunshine my eyes were watering from the brightness and the speed and maybe the tears of joy. This is a great ride. At the end of the day, I had trouble walking away from “just one more ride,” knowing that I’ll probably not be back at this park in the future.

At this point, I’m even beginning to appreciate Universal’s operations, and I take back my initial impressions. This is by far the most efficient park I’ve ever seen at filling seats and doing it quickly. NO EMPTY SEATS. That’s what I’m all about, and Universal is the only place that does it right. They don’t even let you entertain the option of choosing your own seat or row, they count you out before you queue up for your row and they don’t tolerate ANY shifting around afterwards. Cold, ruthless, efficiency. I respect that. They even alternate fairly and consistently between the express and regular lines. Waits were long, but it was massively crowded. They told me all the kids were off school for ski week. In Florida. I call it President’s Day Week and apparently everyone gets it off now.

At this point, I’m walking on sunshine, I love Universal. I go on Spiderman, Kong, and the other Harry Potter ride, in that order, and they both just blew my mind. Prior to this point, the most advanced dark ride I’ve probably been on is the California Soaring thing at Disney. I didn’t really know what to expect, and the technology’s progressed so far in my time away from these kinds of rides that I really didn’t even know what was going on at most points. Like a caveman watching a television, I was just kind of awestruck. I still think the Gringott’s ride is trash, but that other Harry Potter ride at Islands of Adventure was stunning.

I rode Flight of the Hippogriff mainly to get the credit and to experience my first Vekoma junior, but I felt like I was a little too old and creepy to be going on that by myself, and it’s not much of a ride anyway. On the other hand, I contemplated stealing a child so that I could ride Pteradon Flyers because I’ve never seen anything like that and it looked pretty fun.

At this point I’d done pretty much everything I was interested in. Minions, Transformers, Shrek…there’s a lot of stuff that, no matter how cool it might be, I’m just not interested in. I rode Hulk about six more times, and when that park closed I went back to Rockit one more time and the Mummy. I think the Mummy is the best ride I’ve ever been on. Not coaster, but just overall ride. The theming, the effects, the thrills and coaster elements…this ride has everything. I can’t believe I’ve never been to the Universal in California and ridden this, if it’s the same. I loved it. That was my last ride of the day.

Thursday, February 21. Since I’m flying out today, I plan to hit up both Funspots. Kissimmee first, and I’m there when they open, which is maybe even more awkward for a loner than waiting for a family coaster. There’s literally nobody in the place but for me. Same thing happened in Texas when I rode Switchback earlier this year. I’m the only person on the coaster, coming around for the third time without getting out of my seat, and the ops are still trained to clap every time it comes back to the station. I die from cringing. I definitely regret not getting to these Funspots at night, for a better experience, but I was too wiped out at the end of each day. Mineblower is great. Not really a dull moment, as with Switchback. The guy told me it only cost the park about 6 million dollars? Gravity Group coasters need to be everywhere. I bought a ride picture of myself in the back seat of a completely empty train, but in hindsight it would have been funnier if I’d put a frown on my face for the photo.

Orlando next. White Lightning is good, not great. Maybe it just didn’t make a strong impression, because for about ten minutes this was a really bad day when: a) my cell phone flies out of my pocket to the concrete as Freedom Flyer hits the final brakes. It’s not smashed but: b) I immediately realize the keys to my rental car are no longer in my pocket, so I start running around under the track like a lunatic, enlisting employees to save my dumbass because now I’m afraid I’m about to miss my flight when: c) the sky literally dumps buckets at that very moment, like more rain in ten minutes than I see most months back home. ****ing nightmare right there. But I figured my keys most likely came out on the final helix, so I focus my frantic search in that area and pretty soon after the rain lets up I see them. Result. Freedom Flyer is ok, by the way. Lap bars on an invert? I like that.

I changed my clothes, rode White Lightning a couple more times, and with a couple hours before I have to get to the airport, I can’t resist a mad dash to Seaworld for one last ride on Mako. See, you can’t do that at a place like Universal or Disney with their parking garages and the fake cities full of storefronts and crowds that you have to wade through to get to the park. Oh my god, the operations were bad at SeaWorld on this day. Manta wasn’t running at all. One train running on Mako and even it wasn’t running briefly during my short trip. No ops at the top of the stairs so it’s just a bottleneck of bodies where the quick queue merges with the regular line and everyone tries to pick a row. What did I say earlier about efficiency? Anyway, I got on one last time, back row, and I got out in time to catch my flight.

So that was my first trip to the Florida parks. Some I’ll be back to at some point in the future, others I’m sure I won’t.It was a great time, despite how cynical I come across at times :) I’ve left out all the bits about meeting people at the parks, but that’s another aspect that always elevates a trip like this.. For the record, here are my favorite Florida coasters, in order:

1) Hulk

2) Mako

3) Cheetah Hunt

4) Mineblower

5) Scorpion

6) Sheikra

7) (honorable mention) Revenge of the Mummy.

Thoroughly entertaining TR.

If you liked Busch Tampa, make sure to eventually get to the Williamsburg park. I was impressed with the beauty and landscaping of the FL park, because to be honest I wasn't expecting much, but it still doesn't quite hold up to its sister park in VA. Coasters are probably on par, but it's hard for me to completely judge since I haven't been inside the Tampa park in almost 20 years. LOTS of new coasters have been added since (although I've been on that very mouse when it was in VA).

It was cool to see your mood change as you transitioned from Universal to IoA. I've only been to IoA, not the Universal park, and haven't been there since any of the Potter stuff was added. Also, everyone on here is probably sick of me mentioning this, but my dad was commissioned to do some of the artwork in the Marvel island in IoA. You may have seen some of it: the circle of large yellow "shards" across the path from the entrance to Spider-Man, and the Hulk blasting through the wall inside the exit building of that coaster. I'm assuming both are still there, but I'm not positive.

I also share your appreciation for Schwarzkopf rides. Mind Bender in GA is one of my all time favorite coasters. Shockwave is also fantastic, those loops are brutal. I too liked Scorpion, all except the wait (and there weren't a ton of people in line for it). I miss the similar double-loop version that used to be at Dorney.

I was wondering if this might show up :) Sounds like overall your glad you went to Universal. If it makes you feel any better the amount of money I spent at each park(only spent money on admission) was directly inverse to how much I enjoyed it. Disney was like 190, Universal 140 and my mom paid for Seaworld, but that was like only 40.

I'd seriously recommend buying zipper cargo pants. I lost my glasses(in the glasses case, but had a backup pair fortunately) on El Toro in 2009. I used to use button cargo pants, but if I didn't position things properly it was possible for them to come out. The zipper pants that I have now, I literally call them roller coaster pants as they are invincible to things falling out. Everyone laughs when I tell them that. It took me two malls to find them, but it was worth it!

Interesting to read how different your ratings are than mine. How many of your Hulk rides were in the very back? I found those to be extremely rough, but my one ride not in the very back was a lot smoother. I hate telling you this, but I'd rate Kumba #1 in Florida, but your list is so different from mine that it probably would be at the bottom of yours anyways haha. Although we do both agree that the IOA Harry Potter is a lot better than the Studios version.

I don’t care for Hulk. Oh, the front half is fine but that turn over the midway into the corkscrew is poorly designed, excruciating, and it goes down from there. I’d hoped with the re-do that might be fixed, but no.

This past Sunday I happened to see that our Bobbie would be at Sea World on Monday, my last full day in Orlando, so I called her and we met when the park closed at 6. I gave her the option of either Fun Spot for the evening and she chose Kissimmee for Mine Blower. She really enjoyed that ride and picked up two unexpected credits. There wasn’t a soul there and if it hadn’t been so darned expensive we would’ve ridden that coaster all night. It’s an odd ride, kind of short, but fast intense fun. The Crazy Mouse spinner (that they picked up from Cypress) was faster than usual with barely a trim so we had a great ride on it, too. And we got to meet the cat that lives under the Flying Scooters. What an odd place.

I was at Busch Gardens for a day last week as well, I think Thursday. I picked up Cobra’s Curse as a new credit and found it enjoyable. (But I’m a Mack whore- I’ve yet to meet a ride of theirs I didn’t like). Cheetah Hunt has always been kind of snoozy for me and the water under the zig-zaggy part was turned off. Sadly, I passed on my favorite, Scorpion, because with one train and really slow dispatch the wait was terrible. I think BGT is a beautiful park but this time of year the gardens aren’t as pretty- a lot of the flower beds were empty. I guess the annuals get planted closer to summer. And I also rode that horrifying drop tower which may be a one and done for me. Drop rides make my heart stop anyway, but when those seats tilted near the top I almost cried.

I’d like to go back to Uni when Hagrid’s ride is open. My friend who was there recently said there’s a pretty good (but fleeting) view of it from Hippogriff, and she said it looks to take up quite a large area.

Thanks for a good (if not slightly grouchy) trip report. It sounds like a very busy time.

Thanks, all, for the feedback!

Vater, Williamsburg is definitely on my shortlist of anticipated parks. I think I'm gonna try to do a little east coast swing this summer. That's incredible that you mention your father's artwork because, as a comic book fan, I'd been thinking how I would have liked to see artist credits in that area or on the merch in the gift shops. Your dad did very nice work!

Eric, DEFINITELY glad I went to Universal, and thanks for your advice on that! Only two of my rides were in the very back. Got a couple in the front as well. I know I'm rating Hulk through rose-colored glasses and overlooking its shortcomings because of my history of anticipation with that ride. Despite my compliants about B&Ms, I've learned how to ride them as comfortably as possible. The first time through on Hulk I clapped my ears a couple times on the cobra roll and corkscrew, but by the 3rd or 4th ride there was no headbanging. Riddler's Revenge rates pretty high on my list, as well, and I don't have any problem with it, though a lot of people definitely find that painful.

RCMAC, it blows my mind to hear that Busch wasn't even in full bloom! I didn't even think much about a lack of colorful foliage, I was already so impressed. I share your opinion of drop towers, but you're braver than me for trying theirs!

Coasterkeen & RCMAC- Did either of you see RaptorJo at Mako? She works that ride...

Eric- I 100% agree about zipper pockets. A few years back I couldn’t find shorts with zipper pockets anywhere. I actually found a seamstress and she added zippers to my Velcro cargo pockets. The next year WalMart had plenty of shorts with zipper pockets. Now I gotta find some for the boy since he’s riding the big stuff am has his own phone.

Fun Spot sells their season pass at Thanksgiving for $75 and it was good the rest of 2018 and all of 2019. We used it in December, 3 different days and with the number of rides we got in on Mine Blower, my number 1 Florida coaster, and on White Lightning, it was paid for that weekend alone and we still may hit those parks again this summer. Right now, the 2019 pass sells for $100.

Really fun trip report. I love that you appreciate the smaller Scorpion at BGT. I'm a pretty tall person, and I barely fit on those trains any more, but I'm always willing to take a cramped ride for some wonderful Schwarzkopf coasters.

Also, in regards to Mummy, I agree that it's one of my favorite rides anywhere, if not overall. But don't be fooled about the one at Universal Hollywood... they are in fact not the same ride, and I find the one in Florida far superior.

One final note.. I'm always surprised when I hear people saying that Rip Ride Rock It is fun. I feel like I needed a chiropractor waiting for me at the station last time I rode that thing.

Hilarious TR. Interesting to hear your impressions of the Florida rides. I'm undoubtedly in the minority in that of the rides at SeaWorld, I actually get more of a kick out of Manta than out of Mako. Rode Kraken for the 1st time and thought it was OK but nothing exceptional; one and done. Hulk was much better than I had anticipated whereas Hippogriff was a waste of time except for the credit. Cheetah Hunt is just so much fun; I don't recall any issue with the restraints. Sorry you missed Kumba; that's a real kick ass ride. RCMAC and I talked about "that horrifying drop tower;" I was pretty freaked out the 1st time I rode it when the gondola pivoted forward but thought that the drop was great and now go out of my way to ride Falcon's Fury. As to Cobra's Curse, I like the way it's laid out so that the ride vehicle rotates and you get to go downhill backward for some distance before it begins to spin. In a quandary as to which is better, Montu or Banshee. It was brilliant of RCMAC to suggest going to Kissimmee for Mine Blower. What a blast! And as he mentioned, the Zamperla spinner at Fun Spot was a real bonus. Sorry I missed White Lightning but there's only so much I can do in a day.

Zipper pockets definitely; they've never let me down. I've invested a fortune in zipper pocket shorts and pants for amusement parks, and they're not all that easy to come by, especially for women. Because I need 3 zipper pockets - 2 in the front and 1 in the back - to hold my gear and never thought of hiring a seamstress, lol - when I got too fat to wear the ones I'd been wearing since taking up this hobby I ended up ordering 2 pairs from the UK and while Amazon UK shipped them to me at no charge, the other site would deliver only to the UK so I had them shipped to my ex-fiance and picked them up from him when I met him for lunch during my last trip there. He's not a coaster enthusiast - he refers to them as "those horrendous roller coasters" - and when I offered to pay his admission to Thorpe Park he declined, saying that there probably wasn't anything for him to do there other than draw castles in the sand.

ShaneDenmark said:

Coasterkeen & RCMAC- Did either of you see RaptorJo at Mako? She works that ride...

I noticed a ride op who had some sweet tattoos, including Raptor, but I wouldn't know for sure? I didn't have a chance to compliment the lady on her taste, as I was rushing to make the plane that day, but maybe she'll see it here!

I love your writing- the description of your moods made this so much better than the typical, "I rode this, and this, and that, and waited forever for the parking lot tram."

I've found I'm the same way with Manta- fantastic ride, but I feel a little "off" when sitting in the brake run in the sun after a ride. If I want to ride again, I have to wait a little while. Fortunately Sea World has lots to offer in the realm of mild experiences. To think there was a time in my life (years ago) I could have ridden Manta over and over again.

As someone who's spent a lot of time (alone) at the Fun Spot parks, I'm well-acquainted with the double-edged sword that is having one of the wood coasters all to myself. Not having to wait is great, but being alone in the train as it returns to the station with no less than two or three employees clapping their hands... it's embarrassing. I've told them many times they don't have to do it- I won't tell their bosses that they didn't clap- but I think they fear for their jobs. They say it's required of them. I should get around to writing to the parks and telling them it's unnecessary. I can't see anyone claiming their experience was made better by the display of forced enthusiasm. Too bad, because they're really nice little parks. The Orlando one has the feel of a Jersey boardwalk, except there's no ocean.

Hope to hear from you again.

They are clapping because THE TRAIN made it back in one piece...

I didn’t notice this at all on my three rides on Mine Blower.

I had this very experience last week. Big rounds of applause. Thank you, thank you very much.

And when you get clapped at? Clap back.

Ride ops will not only clap but take your photo upon request. They're very accommodating!

Thanks, Rob, that was really kind. Your post made me smile, too. Yeah the ops there, especially at Kissimee, but also at Orlando (who helped me look for my keys, lol), were all really great and friendly, but even when I laughingly asked them not to clap at me they kept it up, lol. That's a great photo, Bobbie!

Don't get me wrong- the Fun Spot crews are awesome (some of the best I've ever experienced, very friendly and efficient). But the clapping? Ugh.