Going Beyond The Castle
Going Beyond The Castle is your ultimate travel podcast that takes you beyond the magical gates of Disney. Join hosts Fred, Lori and Ashley as they explore a world of vacation possibilities, diving into the best experiences from Universal Studios, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Virgin Cruise Line, Sandals Resorts, and so much more. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or just dreaming of your next getaway, tune in for expert tips, in-depth reviews, and insider secrets to make your vacation truly unforgettable.
Going Beyond The Castle
Lori's Epic Universe Adventure: Thrills, Treats & First Impressions
Step through the portal into Universal's Epic Universe, where five distinct worlds await your exploration. Having visited twice within the park's opening month, I've uncovered the secrets, must-dos, and unexpected delights of this groundbreaking addition to Universal Orlando Resort.
Epic Universe surprises at every turn, beginning with the stunning Celestial Park hub featuring interactive fountains, elegant architecture, and the standout Pizza Moon restaurant serving artisanal pizzas that quickly became a favorite. Though advertised as park-like, this central area feels more like an elegant city plaza than the tree-filled oasis some expected, yet still provides ample seating and breathing room between the more intense themed areas.
Isle of Berk emerged as the unexpected star of the show, captivating visitors with its immersive dragon-filled environment and the addictive Hiccup's Wing Gliders ride. The interactive Toothless meet-and-greet creates a genuinely magical moment as the dragon responds to your movements with lifelike precision—a technological marvel worth any wait time. Meanwhile, Super Nintendo World dazzles with its vibrant, game-inspired environment spread across multiple levels, though the sensory overload might overwhelm some guests. The augmented reality elements of Mario Kart proved challenging, particularly for those wearing glasses, while the slower Yoshi's Adventure offers a more relaxed experience.
Weather plays a crucial role in your Epic Universe experience, with many attractions closing during rain—a factor worth considering when planning your visit. Early entry strategies continue evolving, though meeting Toothless or experiencing the Ministry of Magic should top your priority list if eligible. While the park can be completed in a single day with Express Pass, two days allows for a more relaxed exploration and repeat rides on favorites like Hiccup's Wing Gliders, which offers a completely different experience at night.
Ready to experience the next evolution in theme park design? Pack comfortable shoes, prepare for Florida's unpredictable weather, and discover why Epic Universe is rapidly becoming the must-visit destination for theme park enthusiasts around the world.
Stay up to date with all things Going Beyond the Castle at beacons.ai/GoingBeyondTheCastle
Okay, one thing is I like to talk to people, so everywhere we go, I'm always talking to somebody. I'm the person who will talk to whoever.
Speaker 2:Or is it yeah?
Speaker 1:If I see, yeah, if I see someone in Disney attire, you best bet I'm going to find a way to make a conversation. So on my way we were in the airport for my last trip and there was this family in front of me at Starbucks and they were all decked out in Disney attire and it was a mom, a husband and a little boy, maybe like seven-ish, and so I was like oh, y'all are going to Disney. And like the look on her face, she just looked at me and she was like no, and I was like okay. And then she's like he thinks we're going to the beach because it's a S-U-P-r-i-s-e and I was like okay. So then I'm trying to talk to the kid, like, have fun at the beach. And you know, and I'm like I felt terrible, I'm like I just ruined this lady's surprise for her child because I'm talking about disney. But I mean they were all decked out in disney. So I'm like you should maybe change your clothes, or yeah?
Speaker 3:I text my friends my little. That's like having a office. That's like having a conversation with a friend and telling them, hey, talking like about how you adopted this kid and all this stuff, but you don't tell them that they don't know like right. And then you say something, and then you go and say something like talking about adoption, the kids like what you're not, my real parents like that's your fault for not like yeah, well, I ended up seeing her a little bit later.
Speaker 1:She was in one of the little shops by herself and I went up to her because, again, I had to like I couldn't let it go, and so I was like I am so sorry if I ruined the surprise for your, your child, and she's like, oh, she started laughing. She's like it's totally fine, he didn't pick up on it, she goes, but it's kind of obvious how we're dressed. She's like so it's totally fine. She's like he didn't even pick up on it. I was like, well, I felt terrible, I said so. I just wanted to to apologize again, since I saw you.
Speaker 3:So what is up? And welcome back to another episode of Going Beyond the Castle. I am one of your three fabulous hosts here at Going Beyond the Castle. My name is Fred Riley and with me, as always, is the fabulous podcast princess Lori, calimo and Ashley. We need a nickname for you, because I'm just red.
Speaker 2:I don't get a nickname yeah, I can just be ashley. It's fine, we'll work on it. We all like nicknames.
Speaker 3:Lori's not special enough to only have either one with a nickname?
Speaker 1:I said that last week and y'all were both like no so we'll workshop.
Speaker 3:Well, that was last week. I don't remember what happened at all, so, uh, anyway, welcome back. We're super excited to be here. We have got a super fun episode planned. As we dive into all things epic universe we have our fabulous host who got to go twice because she had to go overboard and go twice before we talked about it. But that just means that you have all the details to know all the in and outs of epic Universe, so we'll dive into those tonight Before I hand it over to Ashley to go over announcements. Of course, we always like to thank our followers for joining us each and every week. We would not be where we are without you guys. So definitely drop a comment in the chat. Let us know where you're joining from. We'd love to see where you guys are at, where you're watching from, where you're listening from. So appreciate you guys.
Speaker 2:Ashley, take it away with announcements yeah, we, uh, we didn't even hit it out since last week. So I feel like we've missed a lot. So we'll try and, uh, we'll try to keep this short and sweet and also hit the important parts. So let's see here. Uh, first thing that came out I think it was the most recent thing that came out hollywood rip ride rocket is closing. A month earlier than they thought it was going to close. They were saying it was going to be like september 2025 and they gave us a hard date of august 18th 2025. I have never written it, have you guys wrote it? Oh yeah, um, and I don't know if it's been confirmed, but there's a big rumor that it will be fast and furious. But also they've put up a bunch of like ghostbusters signage around there.
Speaker 3:So that's's also something, I guess yeah.
Speaker 2:Erica says she's joining us from Kansas. Hello Erica.
Speaker 1:Hey, Erica. Erica's announced that's what I'm talking about Midwest.
Speaker 3:Yeah, tune in.
Speaker 2:The Midwest. Other announcements Tom Sawyer Island is, of course, closing. Did we get a date on that?
Speaker 1:No, because it's not important and it's useless much like dinosaur island of course yeah, fred, josh and I actually I'm driving a blanket because I'm cold, josh and I actually did tom tom sorry island for the first time when we went that too, just so we could do it yeah, I think I've done it once, like years ago I've debated it you get so caught up in like ride operations, logistics, and by the end of the day you're like, oh man, I didn't even do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh. Cars land is taking over where tom sawyer island is. Tom sawyer island will close july 7th, so make your visits, ride the liberty square Riverboat July 7th.
Speaker 3:It's donezo, yeah, and then the last one, I'm gonna hit nope, you go ahead it's yours.
Speaker 1:Nope, you got it, you got it.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna do. I have avatar and then you can do cars. Okay, they just made a couple announcements of avatar land over at Disneyland. They're not calling it a land, they're only calling it a destination, which I think is kind of odd that doesn't surprise me. That screams Disneyland yeah, uh, it's replacing a portion of the Hollywood back lot area in California Adventure, so we shall see where that goes there's not a lot back there right now.
Speaker 3:Monsters Inc will close, which kind of sad because it's a good ride, but other than that there's not much back over there. It was super dead when we were there.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't know.
Speaker 1:Me either Next year we will. Yeah, there you go, speaking it to existence.
Speaker 3:Going beyond the castle goes to D23. It's happening.
Speaker 4:I hinted to Rachel, to D23. It's happening. 2026 yeah 2026.
Speaker 3:I hinted to Rachel to it today, so I'm just going to keep like very quick because again I'm scared of her, so we'll just keep throwing it out there there you go.
Speaker 1:I told the family like, hey, we're going to Disneyland next year and I think Brayden was like I'm not going and Josh was like, well, okay, but Josh didn't say we weren't going. So I was like, all right, braden's got. I promise you braden's coming if we go, he's coming yeah, why would? You not want to go exactly exactly, who knows?
Speaker 3:they want to go.
Speaker 1:It's going to be a great trip yes, so what I was going to say earlier, with the closing with the um cars land coming, was that also? The walt disney world railroad is only going to operate between main street and fantasy land as they're doing the work back there. So if you want to get full circle, you need to get that before july as well I'll tell you what.
Speaker 3:That train cannot make a complete circle for a whole year Like it. Just it can't. It keeps getting shut down Like it's always something Like it's either all totally closed or now that it's back open, but it's over to not like half the park is going to get missed.
Speaker 1:Yeah Craziness. So Nutella Waffle is back at Sleepy Hollow, so big deal.
Speaker 1:Like every time we go. This is one of the things where Olivia and I like all right, we're getting a Nutella waffle and we never get it, and then it was gone. We did get the fruit and berry one or the berry and whipped cream one when we went last time. It was really good, but now we definitely have. She's a Nutella girl, she loves Nutella waffles, so we definitely have to try it next time we go back. And then this one I don't know how much it really affects people and apparently DV, which I think has been said before. So I don't know how much they're cracking down, but it seems to be that Disney may be cracking down on the resale of DVC, so a lot of folks I know try to rent those points from other folks, so it looks like something that they're I don't know. I think some contract language was changed um, where it says you agree that you're making the reservation for personal use and not commercial purposes.
Speaker 3:So, um, not sure how much that will really um be forced but enforced yeah, I wonder how that, like what kind of position that puts for like the dbc resale sites like yeah, it might be curious if they're sweating a little bit right now yeah, but also like they're helping bring in money too, so like it's so weird because it was something I talked about doing when, when we went to disneyland as an agency, there were a couple agents that were flaunting that dbc passable or that dbc discount. As we went around to stuff and we got to talking and they were like it really like. It really is like if you don't go all out on it, but you know, invest in dbc and then turn around and rent it out like it's not a bad gig.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so anyway, fun stuff there. So that was it on the news. And one of the things we talked about too is we're going to start pushing out some news a little bit during the week through social media so we could start getting stuff out there sooner. Well, actually, we'll start that up soon.
Speaker 2:Hey, breaking news Fridays. I need to. I need to find a clever, clever little trick for Fridays. But yeah, look out for it. There you go.
Speaker 1:So something we started recently was oh, I just clicked on something was what we're calling for now. The comment section chronicles this one. Typically, it's something that we find on Facebook that we think is funny or worth mentioning. This one actually is not on, was not on Facebook. This is something that I did, but I felt like it would fit in this section very well. So one thing to take into consideration. Okay, One thing is I like to talk to people, so everywhere we go, I'm always talking to somebody. I'm the person who will talk to whoever.
Speaker 2:Or is it yeah?
Speaker 1:If I see, yeah, if I see someone in Disney attire, you best bet I'm going to find a way to make a conversation. So on my way we were in the airport for my last trip and there was this family in front of me at Starbucks and they were all decked out in Disney attire and it was a mom, a husband and a little boy, maybe like seven-ish, and so I was like oh, y'all are going to Disney. And like the look on her face, she just looked at me and she was like no, and I was like okay. And then she's like he thinks we're going to the beach because it's an S-U-P-R-I-S-E and I was like okay. So then I'm trying to talk to the kid, like, have fun at the beach. And you know, and I'm like I felt terrible, I'm like I just ruined this lady's surprise for her child because I'm talking about disney. But I mean they were all decked out in disney.
Speaker 1:So I'm like you should maybe change your clothes, or, yeah, I text my friends, my little office.
Speaker 3:That's like having a conversation with a friend and telling them hey, talking like about how you adopted this kid and all this stuff, but you don't tell them that they don't know.
Speaker 2:Like and then you say something, and then you go and say something like talking about adoption.
Speaker 3:The kids like what you're, not my real parents Like.
Speaker 1:that's your fault for not like yeah, well, I ended up seeing her a little bit later. She was in one of the little shops by herself and I went up to her Cause again. I had to like I couldn't let it go, and so I was like I am so sorry if I ruined the surprise for your, your child, and she's like oh, she started laughing. She's like it's totally fine, he didn't pick up on it, she goes, but it's kind of obvious how we're dressed. She's like so it's totally fine. She's like he didn't even pick up on it. I was like well, I felt terrible. I said so. I just wanted to to apologize again since I saw you, but she was fine with it.
Speaker 3:How old was the kid I think he was probably about seven or so.
Speaker 2:My kids would know immediately If we were going to the airport.
Speaker 3:My kids don't even know how to read, and they know when I'm wearing Disney stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, why are we all?
Speaker 3:wearing Disney shirts. This is weird.
Speaker 1:And we're getting on a plane, but we're not going to Disney.
Speaker 3:We're not going to.
Speaker 1:Disney. He thought they were going to the beach. So I was like, well, at least, at least I didn't ruin it, I guess.
Speaker 2:And then you, but anyway, and don't forget to listen to Going Beyond the Castle.
Speaker 1:Yeah, less my castle. Yeah, lesson learned is from now on I'll be like, hey, are y'all going on vacation? And let them say something first before, or just keep my mouth shut and not talk to people don't do that yeah, I'm sure your family might appreciate it.
Speaker 3:We want to have great stories of you embarrassing yourself exactly this is true.
Speaker 1:Exactly I text the family and I was like guess what I did? And they were like shocker, like yeah, I know, I know. Anyway, that was it for that one this week. Kept it short and sweet.
Speaker 2:And you are on your way to Epic for the second time yes, for the second time.
Speaker 3:Way to be an overachiever and go to something twice before we interview you for it.
Speaker 1:I know I mean I'm so glad because so initially so we had this trip planned me and so actually three of us kind of jumped in on two other ones. I've had vacation plan through my agency. We initially had this planned before I knew that we were going to get to go in May. So we had a date. We were going to go two days at Epic in June and then when Olivia decided to help out her cheer coach and um and do that competition, that was in Orlando, we were going to be there.
Speaker 1:But at that point it was only they were doing previews, um invites only and then I got the invitation through my agency to go and preview and so I wanted to keep the June trip. So I was like if we can make it work with the May trip, then I can do both, and so we were able to make it work. Then it ended up opening to the public, which I was a little salty about Because I'm like you know, I got invited to go on a special invite and then it was open to other people, but anyway that allowed my family to go. So I did two days in May with the family and then when I went in June with my friends. We just did one day.
Speaker 3:It rained both times, didn't it? Was it open to the public in?
Speaker 1:June, it did rain both times. What was that, ashley?
Speaker 2:Was it open to the public in June? It wasn't yet, was it?
Speaker 3:It was. They opened it early in May. They did preview tickets for the public.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Early May.
Speaker 2:Right preview tickets for the public. Yeah, early may right, but like the grand, opening. Yeah, grand opening was not until may 22nd yeah, the make that's right, okay, okay, okay, that's right, yep, yeah I think I said it was barber.
Speaker 3:I said I'm on like may 10th or something like that yeah.
Speaker 1:So I was glad we had the two trips because, yeah, the first, the very first day, we went. So my family and I we moved from disney to universal. We changed hotels. We're staying at stelanova because that's where bethany and I were going to stay, so it just made more sense for the family to move there. So we went early and it was raining and I'm telling you like it wasn't just like drizzling, it was storming. So thankfully our room was ready early so we were able to go hang out in the room. We didn't probably leave the room till about 1230. And it's still. Once we got there it started raining again. So it rained till probably about 230. So we didn't, they didn't get a full experience of having it the full day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I remember texting you on your first trip asking you how it was and you were like it's noon and we just got here yeah, which you know.
Speaker 1:It kind of stinks, but it is what it is. You know, when you're going to orlando in the summer, you're gonna encounter some marine yeah, absolutely and then you.
Speaker 2:You stayed at stella nova. I have heard that the stella nova rooms are pretty bland and compact. What was your experience?
Speaker 1:I thought it was fine. I don't know if y'all have stayed at Aventura or seen any pictures. It's very similar to that. It's more. I mean, it's on a moderate side. It's not like dockside or surfside hotels. I didn't find it was bad. I mean it doesn't really have a whole lot of theming in the room itself, but the rooms are, you know, they're nice, they're decent. So I didn't. I don't have any complaints with that. It's a really Stellanova. If you're going to stay at Epic Universe, unless you're going to stay at Helios, stellanova has a walking path and it was we. We walked it, bethany and I did on the second day, and it was not not very far walk. So it's definitely worth staying at that one, then staying at taraluna.
Speaker 2:Yeah, have you guys sent anyone to taraluna? I feel like everyone is staying at stelanova the one I hear is better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, um, I didn't really get any feedback from her and I should have, but one of my friends that was with us on this trip stayed at taraluna once, but I don't really have, I think. I mean they look exactly the same on the outside, so I would imagine that they look the same, the rooms on the inside, it's just that you don't have that walking path like you do from stelanova well, how far is the walking path like? I mean maybe like seven ish minutes. Oh, that's not terrible at all.
Speaker 1:Yeah like they look exactly the same, so it's like a Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom, kind of walk.
Speaker 1:That's not bad at all. Yeah, and I didn't, unfortunately, take any pictures of the inside. I noticed what are you doing with your life? Because when I go with the family, everybody knows let me get pictures of the room first. But it didn't happen, and so bethany took pictures from the room with her and I, but then, um, I forgot to get them from her. So this is pretty neat. When you're at the um, at the pool area, they have the little outside mobile service where you can order food. But you can scan it. You know, you can scan the barcode there from your seat and order food.
Speaker 3:You just have to go and pick it up but man I thought you were gonna say it's like a like, each chair's numbered and they'll bring it to your chair well, that's what I thought too so we were waiting.
Speaker 1:So we went. Yeah, when we went the second, when we went in june, laur and I got there another lori, we got there early. So we hung out at the pool on the first day and we were just sitting there waiting and I'm like, is somebody gonna come up? Like we thought somebody was gonna come and ask us if we wanted a drink based on the cards hanging, but you have to go up and get them yourself, so pool boy over here yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:I mean because I saw a bunch of there was lifeguards and there was some that weren't really. They looked like lifeguards but weren't. I'm like, oh, maybe they're going to come get us a drink.
Speaker 2:Is that pooled zero entry, or is it a yeah?
Speaker 1:No, we just. You could just walk right in, and it's. They have a lot of seating in the back area I mean there's tons of umbrellas so you can sit really close to the pool or you can kind of sit farther away. They had some like shuffleboard games and stuff like that out there, kind of on the side, so it's a really nice pool. I don't get in the pools. That was the pancakes that brayden got, but I got those when I need those in my life.
Speaker 3:They were so good.
Speaker 1:Those look so yes, it was really good when we went right there.
Speaker 1:Sign me up when bethany and I went, I told I was like we ended up getting the french toast, but it looked just as good. And they were like did you want the the kids portion? We're like no, like why would we want a kid's portion? Well, when it came out we were like, yeah, maybe we should have had. Maybe they knew what they were talking about. We should have got the kids portion because it was a lot. But I did some damage to it and ate a good bit proud of you yeah, nice way to go.
Speaker 1:I was like I'm on vacation, josh isn't here so he doesn't see what I'm eating, so I'm just gonna go all out not on vacation, I was on a work trip.
Speaker 2:It was a work trip um no, my trips a work trip too, and rachel cut saying don't told me to stop.
Speaker 3:She's like they're not work trips. I was like one of them technically. She was like they're not work trips. I was like one of them technically is. She was like no, it's not set up.
Speaker 1:I mean it is, it isn't. Hey, you know it's part of the job.
Speaker 3:That's what I keep saying, that's okay.
Speaker 1:It's all, yeah. Oh, one thing I can say too about stella nova, and it's funny because josh noticed it, josh is one who has to sleep like pitch black same.
Speaker 1:There's so many lights, like there's lights on the phone, the the ac thing on the wall me about that like it's like so many little, like he's hanging shorts over the lights on everything to kind of cover it up. And then the next night when I moved into the room with bethany, she's like there's so many lights in here and I'm like Josh was saying I can go to sleep, it doesn't bother me.
Speaker 3:So, be, prepared to have.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:It's got to be covered up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I have to bring a face mask.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Face masks are the way to go. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Sweet Before we get into. Like you know, getting into the park did you and you can speak to one day over another, but like, did you have a strategy going into it? Were you just kind of going with the flow, seeing what happened or kind of what was? Where was your head at, like, going into it those first few days?
Speaker 1:we didn't really know kind of what. So well, the first day got ruined because, with us not being able to go until noon, we just kind of went in and we immediately went that time to the Super Nintendo area, just because Braden, like that was the one area that he wanted to see the most. So we kind of headed there first. But the next day that we went, and even in June, was kind of more for early entry, like what was open, and so Bethany and I headed, even though which is kind of a of little further in, but we'll just talk about it now initially like super nintendo area was going to be, you know, for early entry, um, but we wanted to go and get in line to meet toothless.
Speaker 1:So we headed over to isle of burke and even though it wasn't technically open, we were allowed to go in there and we got in line. So, again, again, I'm not a rope drop early person typically, but for this instance we wanted to maximize our time, so we did go and we went into Isle of Berk. The second trip we went, ministry of Magic was because it wasn't open in May. That was kind of our main focus, so we headed back there first. On the June trip.
Speaker 2:Correct me if I'm wrong. I was watching a video video today. I don't know how long ago it was like produced, but early entry starts at 9 am for universal hotel guests and included in early entry advertised is super nintendo world monster. Uh, is it monsters universe? Dark universe, dark universe, thank you, and celestial. Is it Monsters Universe? Dark Universe, dark Universe, thank you, and Celestial Park.
Speaker 1:So that's fairly new. So Celestial Park area is open, yeah, and also Nintendo area, that's why. So we just kind of had a bunch of us from the agency that went and had a call on Friday just to kind of compare notes and talk and we're like, at this point we don't really know what to advise as far as what's open, because they did say that you know now dark universe is open. So I think it's just going to be, you're just going to have to wait and see when you're there, um, which doesn't really help for strategy to see kind of where to go, yeah, um, but my, my thing is, if you're at all interested in meeting toothless, that's because that line gets super long.
Speaker 1:So like I kind of feel like that's where I would go you're telling me I get a meteor dragon like of course I'm gonna wait that line like it's too late.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly, I'd wait. I'd wait out.
Speaker 2:That is the one line I would wait out yeah, um, lastly on that, and then we can move on to celestial park. I did see that I watch a mammoth club molly on mammoth club and so when she did her video it was just what we talked about monsters, super nintendo world and celestial park. But none of the rides in monsters universe opened, so to like compensate for that, they opened isle of berg, so maybe maybe tell your clients.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe tell your clients to kind of keep an eye on what's going on around the park, because it sounds like they're trying to make things work and, you know, overcompensate for other things that aren't really opening.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they did. So we did have to show our room key so that way we can get into Isla Burke area. But again, yeah, nothing was open. But we were able to get back there and we got in line as soon as we could.
Speaker 3:Yep there and we got in line as soon as we could yep before we, before we move over into into celestial park, I I kind of just want to kind of go back to the whole part of where you said it rained a lot, uh, and bring up that video that I sent you guys, uh and just like as a as a pre-warning people like I've heard comparing disney and universal epic is one of the worst parts for rain. That video that sent the guy ended up going back. He ended up breaking it down. Like for each disney park, each universal park, these are the rides that are inside, these are the rides that are outside. If it rains like, these are the worst part and like, yeah, universe was at the bottom for like, if it rains like I think only four of the 11 rides are open yeah, when it rains, that's crazy but like so minecart madness is outside.
Speaker 1:That was still running in some of the rain. Stardust races was still running sometimes when it rained so it's just kind of hit or miss. I don't know that I would well we'll talk about stardust races when we get to that. But yeah, all right. So right.
Speaker 2:So walk us through Celestial Park. Let's start there, because that's kind of the hub of everything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So initially that initial concept art made it look like it was going to be almost like a park, like a lot of trees and things and again, if any of my friends that are on that correct me, but I don't remember seeing a ton of trees. It is very beautiful, like when you walk in and you first walk through the portal, immediately in front of you is where the fountain is, and then you know you have the carousel and it is a very pretty. It does kind of have a park feel, but maybe like a city park, not necessarily a woodsy or like trees type park. Um, there's a lot of shops in there. You know the food. It's just. It's a really neat area. It's just like a you know the central area to kind of get you to the different uh portals yeah, I did.
Speaker 1:I did notice that there was a lack of trees and you're right, it kind of does give off like a like a central park vibe, maybe like lots of statues and other things, but not a lot of like forestation, I guess yeah, they do have a good bit of benches and like seating so you can sit around, and there's one one of the fountains is actually almost like a splash pad, so like if you wanted your kids to walk around and get wet, they can. I mean, we saw some adults kind of playing in it, which I thought was funny. I'm like no thanks uh, yes, pizza moon.
Speaker 2:I've seen a lot about pizza moon and you ate there yes, we.
Speaker 1:So. When we went the first time, josh and olivia shared a pepperoni pizza, yes, and then brayden and I shared uh, it's the. How long is it? The purple one? No, not that one. That was one where we went. That's the. It's the something. It's like a prosciutto and pineapple.
Speaker 1:I just want to hear you try to pronounce it again. I don't know. It's in there, that's what it sounds like, but I'm not going to sing. That one was good. So Brayden and I are probably the only ones in the family who like the ham and pineapple pizza and so but it didn't.
Speaker 1:It didn't taste like, you know, like a dominoes, it was a little, it was more elevated. So it was good. It just wasn't like. The pineapple, wasn't as sweet as I was anticipating, but it's really good.
Speaker 1:Josh is a pizza snob and so he doesn't. We don't eat pizza a lot, but he did. He did like the pepperoni. He said it was really good, and so then when I went with my friends we got the trip to visuvio was absolutely my favorite out of all of them. Now there's peppers on there so you have to take the peppers off because it's super spicy. Um, but without the peppers it was really good. That one, yes. And then we did, uh, a giant mushroom, which was one of the other ones that you showed, and then the pizza lunaire, which was the ubi crust pizza. That's the one that I wanted to try the most. So my friend stephanie, um, like we actually, when we stayed at aventura, had ubi ice cream and it was really good. So ever since then I'm like been trying all the ube. However you say it, stuff this pizza making me hungry.
Speaker 1:I didn't, yes and so it was good, but it wasn't.
Speaker 2:It wasn't what we were expecting, but the trip to pasadena was really good it almost kind of had a pepperoni flavor with a little spice yeah, erica said that in 10 years she thinks celestial park will be amazing and I agree with that in 10 years.
Speaker 3:I don't know if I'm gonna be able to ride any rides, oh I know maybe like just think of how I'm gonna be in 10 years celebrate the anniversary, your 21st birthday. There we years. Celebrate the anniversary of your 21st birthday. There we go. Yes, atta girl.
Speaker 1:My 40th anniversary of my 21st birthday.
Speaker 3:We don't add numbers to the 21. We just leave it at the 21.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we just leave it there. Yes, from Celestial Park, let's move to.
Speaker 1:Want me to talk about Atlantic, since we're talking. Talking, yep, go ahead, go for it. Yeah, so, um, when we went, so bethany and I went to atlantic in may, we didn't really have a reservation, so we were just kind of wandering around, we're like, oh, let's, let's see if we can get one. And we got in and I had a 48 dollar lobster roll oh my gosh is that this thing hold up?
Speaker 1:I hope it, hope it wasn't worth it. We were looking at the menu on the outside and there was a picture, yes, that that lobster roll and those chips $48. So when we were looking at on the outside, there's a menu, you know, like a menu board, with pictures.
Speaker 1:And so we're like, oh, that looks good, let's go in and get it. And when I got in, I was like the lobster roll is 48 dollars and I'm like I don't know if I'm gonna do that. But then, like the other meals weren't that far under it. So I was like you know what, I'm by myself, I'm just paying for a meal for me.
Speaker 3:I'll try it. Um, we, we know I'm the foodie here. Was this worth 48 dollars? Compare it to the warm lobster roll that you get at the American.
Speaker 1:No, oh no, that one was way better.
Speaker 2:Wow and those are chips, right? Yes?
Speaker 1:I mean it was good, but it was not.
Speaker 3:I may fly there just to try the $48 lobster roll and then leave.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I text.
Speaker 3:Josh.
Speaker 1:I'm like, how much do you think this is? I'm like, oh yeah, I just spent $48.
Speaker 3:It's crazy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so, but the inside of it, so it is more upscale. I mean, it's something that you can expect for park food, you know, like pricing wise, like for an upscale restaurant. It's really cute on the inside because they have the carousel type things in the ceiling so they're kind of moving around as you eat, so super nice. I don't know that I would need to do it again, but you know I've experienced it, so it was. It was okay. You check the box.
Speaker 2:Check the box did you get to ride stardust racers?
Speaker 1:yes. So me and my adventurous child, olivia, wanted to ride it, so we her, me, her, her and Bethany did it. Josh was like I cannot believe you're about to ride that. Brayden was like no thanks.
Speaker 1:But, we like, like we, we love Velocicoaster and so I'm like what's going to, you know? I mean it has the ups and downs kind of similar. No, it was so bad. I mean, it's like, if you like that kind of thing, I mean it's cool, it was fun, but I'm like I couldn't muster up the courage to ride it again. It's crazy intense. You know, I don't know if you have done the last coaster, but you know you have the one that goes up really high and it drops down and then the rest of it's just kind of twisting. And and this one, it's like I don't feel right. She's like I'm not doing that ever again. Like it kind of threw her off, so yeah, so that was it when I didn't.
Speaker 1:I felt bet Bethany kind of wanted to do it again on the second day and I was like man, I really hope she changes her mind. And she did, thank God, and we didn't do it. And then when we went in June, you know they did it. Some of them did it, not all of us, but I was like at the very end of the night it was only three of us left. The other two had went back to the hotel and I'm like it's uneven over y'all to go ahead and I'll just walk around and wait for y'all. So I was like I cannot, and they wanted to do it at night and I'm like I will probably die good job if I do it at night yeah, I went and ate some macarons.
Speaker 1:There you go. So, yeah, I was like I'm gonna snack, but yeah, no, it was. I'm glad I did it. I can say I did it, but I don't know that I ever have to do it again. Check the box once again. Yeah, check the box.
Speaker 2:Are we ready to move to Isle of Burke?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we could Well. And there is the carousel. Oh yeah, there is the carousel. So yeah, the carous a little bit to load, so just you know, can kind of take a little bit of time. They have a lot of it's accessible. So if you have someone with a wheelchair they have. Yeah, that's my family. So that picture there was the first day we rode. The three of them jumped on one and left me by myself thanks a lot, yeah.
Speaker 1:So then when I, when I went with my friends, I think I put the pic, yeah. So then when we went, I was like you know what? I'm gonna ride in the baby seat, there you go so yeah because the other, the other animals.
Speaker 1:There's two seats but there's, like you know, for an adult and you put your child in the front and at one point we saw they had like two adults on it. I'm like that is awkward, like I don't think I'd want to ride like that, yeah. So I don't know if they intentionally did that or what the plan was, but I'm like that's kind of weird.
Speaker 3:But it's really cute.
Speaker 1:Let's see what we can get away with. Yeah. But it's cute, it's quick and there's three different circles, so as it's going around those three circles kind of, so you know you can kind of see your friends or whatever.
Speaker 3:But yeah, whatever other ones, but yeah, cute, very nice. That's it. It's pretty basic, and so let's talk about the one that everybody really does love and that is possibly the most popular one at epic universe my favorite, ilo burke.
Speaker 1:Yes it, I don't know. I didn't. I didn't like I really focused so much on watching all the harry potter movies and you know fantastic beasts to try to get prepared for that. I I re-watched the first, how to train your dragon, but I didn't really watch anymore. I didn't think I was going to be as excited about that area. It is absolutely amazing when you are walking through there, the just the whole area, and they do have like a big, not a lake, I don't know what it's like the water area. So I think that kind of makes it a little bit, but it's just yeah, like the details and all of the things throughout the whole area is just super cool. Yeah, and the back is where that's where a fire drill is that rides in that water and at the very tip top of that tower is like uh, it's someone from the movie.
Speaker 2:I forget what their name is, but they have a little I didn't even notice someone up there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll have to find a picture and show you guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that is a really cool picture though it is. It's a good picture I think isla burke was a um, a surprise hit for everyone.
Speaker 1:No one really expected it to be as great as it is yeah, like I literally could just stay in that area for hours, even just kind of walk around. It's just a lot to do in that area that is really cool.
Speaker 2:My cousin actually helped build I think it was fire drill that he this construction company built, which is pretty cool. Wow, yeah, yeah, that's um. So attractions in isle of berg are fire hiccups, wing gliders and dragon racers. Dragon racers is the other one.
Speaker 1:Did you?
Speaker 2:ride any of them.
Speaker 1:I did not ride dragon racer rally, was not going to do that one. Bethany did, so I took some pictures of her. I might have one in there. I can't remember if I threw one in or not. I don't like heights and I was afraid because you can spin the thing and so I was like not risking it, but apparently it's very hard to spin it, so she didn't spin or anything, but I watched Hiccups Wing Gliders is probably my favorite ride in all of the areas.
Speaker 1:It is so much fun. It's kind of like has a baby, a slinky dog vibe as far as the intensity a little bit, it's just super cool. The first day we rode it once when it was all of my family and Bethany, and then Bethany and I did it four times in one day. It was, yes, we rode it twice during the day and then we did it twice at night. When we were there at night we got off and we had like 10 minutes before the park closed so we just ran and got back in line and rode it again and then we only got to do it once when we went in June. But it's a really, really fun ride. I love it. And then Fire Drill was not planning on doing it.
Speaker 3:I can't get the photo to pull up because for some reason it keeps coming up upside down. I don't know what's going on, but can we talk about why you're wearing ponchos Like just commit?
Speaker 1:Yeah, if you're gonna ride a water ride, just commit, like so no way, I don't, no way. Yeah, I don't typically do water rides because I don't want my shoes getting wet and then having to walk around in wet shoes. So, amy, I don't. So amy was with us. She rode it before. Amy is like on it. She left way before us on that june day. She was there. She rode like four rides before we even got set apart. She was, she was all, was all in it. She was like you're not going to get wet and so she's like I didn't get. She's like I rode it twice and I didn't get wet. So we're like okay. So Bethany and I went on and we were like you know what? We're going to put our ponchos on.
Speaker 3:Just iny again did not have a drop on her, like what is happening here I wish I could show this photo, because I'm raising, it keep showing up upside down, I don't know why you want me to text it to you?
Speaker 1:yeah, so it was. Uh, definitely, uh was not trying to get wet, poor bethany, she got more wet than I did. It was funny. We were like thanks a lot, um, but yeah, but it was cool. And one things that we talked about when we did our episode last time, fred, is I thought that you were able to shoot each other and in different boats and wet each other, but you can't. There's no way that they don't even pass by each other where you could shoot. So it was all just surprise shots of water coming from the ride, because you didn't know when when the water was going to shoot out all right, here we go.
Speaker 3:I've downloaded it, yeah that is odd.
Speaker 2:It's coming up upside down for me too.
Speaker 1:Yeah right like the previous operator, I probably did it yes and look andy didn't have a poncho on and she did not get wet. I don't understand what happened people?
Speaker 3:she's just like whatever happens happens, it's going to be a good day regardless.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I was like I mean I was all tucked in there too. I was like I am not getting wet, I was shooting the water and stuff.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I wasn't trying to get wet. Next time maybe you should go no poncho and see if you get wet. Exactly.
Speaker 3:See, that's what I'm saying, because it seems like Amy's got the strategy down. Every time I have ridden Tiana's Bayou, anything like that I never wear a poncho. I'm like, whatever happens, happens.
Speaker 1:And I don't get wet any time. Yeah, but with Tiana's, you know, you could sit in the back and you won't get wet. I don't choose where I sit. That's where I go, god. No, I'm like through the cast members to sit here. Yeah, no, I'm sitting in the back. I think it's that in the second row before. Yeah, um, but it works out every time for me.
Speaker 3:I still don't get wet, regardless of what you say there you go.
Speaker 1:no, I'm not trying to get wet. Oh yeah, we're already behind where we said it's all right, what's it gonna say? It's not really an attraction, but the Viking training camp area, the little kids play area. So I still don't think Epic is fit for little kids, based on the rides alone. However, this area you know you could, but I don't know that kids are going to want to go and just play in this area all day and not get to do all the rides and stuff. You know smaller kids but they have a lot in that little area.
Speaker 1:So while they were riding Stardust Racers, I went through and was kind of taking a bunch of pictures of um and there's like, um, you know, like a little seesaw thing, a little oh gosh, merry-go-round type thing. There's a lot of like the climb you know you could climb up and just kind of run through the bridges. Um, it was super cute area. When we went in May it wasn't open yet, they were still working on it and so we were able to go in June. But, you know, super cute for the kiddos, interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's talk about your food and then we'll wrap up with the most anticipated must do so, talk to us about the foods, if you ate any. What do you recommend? What do you not recommend in isle of berg?
Speaker 1:okay. So when bethany and I went in may, our plan was we were gonna ride hiccups at night, go get a yak nog from meat hall and then drink it as we go back. One thing to note is that the quick service restaurants and it's not posted anywhere, so we didn't know this and I don't know if this is going to be going forward. But the team member told us that this is how it is in all the parks that the quick service restaurants close an hour before the park closes. So when we went to get our drink it was already closed. So when we went in June we made sure we headed straight there and got a yak nog, which is a frozen chocolate cinnamon drink. So good, Very refreshing on a hot day, Topped with some whipped cream. Yes, Nails are on point, by the way.
Speaker 2:Thank you yeah those look good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my nail tech picked that color out for me. Yeah, it was really good. It was definitely worth going in and grabbing that. Then, the only other thing that I ate a ton of snacks. I didn't eat a lot of food in that area. We ate from Spitfire Grill. The PB&J mac and cheese cone was what I got and at first I'm like I'm not eating peanut butter and jelly mac and cheese cone, but it's pork, bacon and jam. That bread was worth it alone. I don't know what it was seasoned with other than the black sesame seeds, but the bread was super good it looks really good, I mean the pork and the mac.
Speaker 1:It looks really good, I mean the pork and the mac and cheese was really good too, but like the bread was really the star in that cone thing. One thing I will know for next time is to make sure to bring some dental floss, because I literally had like seven sesame seeds struck in my teeth the black ones it's funny because Amy was was like very proper. She's like I'm gonna go to the bathroom and I'm like I'm sitting at the table with my receipt and trying to like dig up the sesame seeds. Yeah, I was like I'm just gonna handle it right here. I'm not going to the bathroom, but yeah, but definitely try.
Speaker 1:They have like a plain mac and cheese but with no meat in it. They had one other one can't remember, but the pork one was really good. So and then mostly we just ate a ton of macarons. They have one of the little shops they have there. They have a blueberry lemon macaron. That was so good. I think I ate two. Yes, I ate two. When I went with Bethany and I think I ate like four when I went back in June. The pistachio one was okay too, but the blueberry lemon was really good.
Speaker 3:And then I also got yeah, they really.
Speaker 1:They had some macarons in Wizarding World too, but they weren't as good. And then I also got the key lime chocolate. It's made like the little dinosaur eggs and then on the inside it was like a key lime. It was so good, Definitely, yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, those are cute.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I appreciate your photography background I'm proud of you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was trying to make sure I took them in areas you know like, instead of just holding it in the store or whatever. It was very intentional where I took the pictures. Yeah, they had a bunch of stuff in there like little um whoopie pie type cakes and a lot of stuff, but the macarons and the chocolate eggs were really good, but that's all I ate in that area gotcha.
Speaker 2:Let's hear about it. Everyone wants to meet toothless and potentially hiccup. I think it's important to know, and I'm sure laurie will about it. But you're not. You're not always guaranteed Hiccup. So Lori got really lucky. She got to meet. Hiccup. I think you can get Astrid too, maybe Stormfly, so when?
Speaker 1:we went. Yeah, when we went, we were waiting in line and it was like a random Viking that was there and then like two people and I think the line might've said like 65 minutes, but I don't think we waited that long, we didn't maybe like 40 minutes, I don't know but like three people ahead of us, two or three people ahead of us, hiccup came out. So we got very lucky that he was there. And actually, so we, you know, being travel agents and trying to get information, we really were asking cast member team members questions as we would leave, and so, you know, bethany was like. You know, is there like a certain time that Hiccup is there? And they're like I'm really surprised he's out this early, because it was early in the morning, you know, and they're like it's just kind of random, just depending on what's going on. So we were able to enter, and then it's just Bethany and I. So we're walking up and I'm like gosh, I really feel awkward Cause I don't know what to say. You know like how do you?
Speaker 1:interact. But he, he started the conversation and he was, you know, like obviously not making it awkward, so it was very easy to talk. And a team member that was standing there she took our phone before we got up there, so the whole whole she videoed and took pictures the whole time so that way we can interact and didn't have to worry about taking pictures, that's even though you know, like we each took pictures of each other, but and that's what I love about.
Speaker 3:Like that's what I love about character meet and greets. Like that was jamal's biggest thing, like when he was going up to meet these characters. Like he went up to meet joy and he was like but to meet these characters? Like he went up to meet Joy and he was like but they can't talk. And I'm like, don't worry about it. Like just enjoy the moment. Like they are literally in this position Because they're good at it.
Speaker 3:They know, how to take the awkwardness and just get rid of it and just immerse you in all of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I've seen some different Hicc immerse you in all of it. Yeah, and I've seen some different hiccups. This one was really good. He sounded just like um his mannerisms, you know, everything was. And I mean the whole thing with meeting toothless was just, it was just wild because he moved. You know, when you walk up and he's like you know, touch your right ear and then he kind of moves his head over. I don't know if I sent you the video, but like he interacts with you, so it's almost like he's legit. You know, like you're really interacting with the dragon. Not long after we left we did see Astrid and Stormfly was out. So there were, you know, those people actually got to meet both, I assume.
Speaker 2:I don't think they would just make you pick one, but yeah, oh he told me, I was a natural laurie's a natural at meeting dragons that is really cool what a cool experience it was yeah, that was awesome.
Speaker 1:That was probably one of the highlights of what we did. And then they have the highest training dragon show. Yes, is that what it's called?
Speaker 1:yeah um, the untrainable dragon. One thing was disappointing for bethany and I is that toothless was not in the show that we saw. So like it was an amazing show, it was super cool. And we got to the end and we were looking at each other like wait, where's Toothless? And so again we asked the team member when we got out and they were like it just depends, for most cases he's there and we didn't. Neither one of us caught it, she said at the beginning. They said you know that he was. He was not there today but so we didn't get to see the show with him in it, which I heard is a lot better, you know the experience than what we saw. But you know, but it was. Their shows are always on point. Their show was was amazing.
Speaker 2:I wonder what the stipulation is Like. Is it just being temperamental? Is Hiccup maybe not trained to fly on Toothless? Or you know what I mean. Like I wonder what the parameters are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think. In this case I think there was a mechanical thing. Yeah, yeah. And then also too, like you know, in the previews we saw there was dragons flying. That never happened. I don't know if that has happened recently in a while. There was also some like the baby dragons that walk. We didn't get to see any of that. Boo. Yeah, I know, but it was cool.
Speaker 2:let's move to super nintendo world. We've got some new things that came with this super nintendo that aren't in Hollywood, so let's hear your thoughts on Nintendo World. Maybe what you read it's very busy.
Speaker 1:I feel like anyone who has any type of sensory issue may struggle. It's very, very busy. It's I mean, it's like you're walking into a literal Nintendo game, you know. I mean there's the punch boxes, like the question mark boxes, there's all kinds of interactive games. You know those who? There's the punch boxes, like the question mark boxes, there's all kind of interactive games. You know those who are going to listen later.
Speaker 1:Yes, so I was Mario. We all had we all dress as a different character, but I had to get Luigi because it's got the L on it, and so there's all of these games. You know, interactive games that you play all throughout the area, and also it's two. Yeah, we were all different mario characters. Um, it's also two levels, so there's different levels. I think the game, the majority of the games, are on the top.
Speaker 1:Thankfully, braden was with us the first day, because there's games that you play and to get all you have to get three keys and then, once you get the keys, you can go in and play the bowser challenge game, which was fun. Um, so braden was teaching bethany and I how to play those games. Um, that's awesome, but it's yeah, it's just very busy. Um, there's a lot going on all the time in that area, super loud. It's fun though. I mean a nintendo person will love it. Um, although I don't know brayden I don't think brayden was impressed as much as he was hoping to me interesting.
Speaker 1:But yeah, there's um the yoshi's adventure which I mean I said it was going into it. I was like it's kind of similar to people mover, but not really um, because there's, you know, a height restriction on it. It goes super slow, like you can run faster than the cars are moving. And another thing too and when we were on our conversation this week a lot of people didn't really like no, there's actual. It's like an actual game too. So all of this stuff goes to your power up van. So throughout the ride there's eggs and, like on the car itself, there's like a red, green and yellow, I think, egg, and so when you see them you press the button.
Speaker 4:And so that way you're collecting your points.
Speaker 1:But when we talked about it on Friday with the agency, like a lot of people didn't know that, they were like we didn't know that. They were like we didn't know that they don't tell. So they didn't. When we went, they told olivia and I, but they didn't tell josh and braden and they didn't tell bethany. So if you don't kind of do some research, you don't really know that it's an actual part of the game too. Yeah, yeah, so cute, but not something that I would ever stand in line for. It's um, yeah, because it's.
Speaker 3:It's it's not worth it it's like the people mover, but with work I don't exactly, exactly, sorry, yeah, I sleep on the people mover I was saying you can't sleep because it's loud inside.
Speaker 1:You know when you're going through and then it's kind of it's cool like to sit outside. I mean when you ride outside, almost like how people move away, you can see.
Speaker 2:You know the part of the land, but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then the other is the mario kart, which you know. We talked about my lack of ability to play that game, which was very true on the ride as well. One of the things I struggle with is that I wear bifocals and it's it's very 3d heavy, which 3d stuff doesn't normally bother me, but yeah, look at this. So you have these hats and then, once you get on the ride vehicle, there's the goggles that are magnetic and they stick to the visor part that's pulled down.
Speaker 1:It was very hard to play the game because it was very, very it was like in your face, 3d, and so I had, like the first time I wrote it, I wasn't looking in the appropriate part of my glasses and so, like it just was, it was hard at one point, especially when you get to the like rainbow road, I'm like I'm just gonna close my eyes because I can't figure out what I'm doing here. I was just shooting at everything, and so the second time we wrote it, I was a little more intentional and I kind of pulled my glasses down to make sure I wasn't looking in the reading part, and so it wasn't as bad, but I still didn't know what I was supposed to be shooting at. So I was just kind of shooting randomly. Um so it. It kind of didn't live up to the the height I think, if it, what's that?
Speaker 3:so you compete against each other? Yes, no yeah did you beat brady I? Don't even know we weren't in the same vehicle.
Speaker 1:We weren't in the same vehicle and I didn't even like, I didn't even look at the points, because I'm like I don't know what I'm doing what type of mother-son feud do you have going on here? I know, maybe she just doesn't want to admit that she lost I, I probably did, because I didn't.
Speaker 3:I'm telling you, I was just like I just wanted to see what you would say yeah, I, I will own that one.
Speaker 1:I probably did lose, but yeah so even brayden, when we were talking about it earlier, he was like that ride sucked. He's like they should have just made it a coaster and not like an interactive game like that.
Speaker 2:So yeah, the videos I've seen are kind of confusing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure and then the other one is the umcart Madness, the Donkey Kong ride. That area is. Oh, I forgot to give you a photo of the $20 drink. We got Both of our faces. We're like wait what Brayden and it was Brayden wanted the. It was like the Donkey Kong.
Speaker 1:It was a mug. He's like I just want it was $16.99, but still he's like I just want was 16.99, but still he's like I just want the mug. And so because like in it it's I don't know, and I should have sent you a picture it's got the um like in the, in the it's like, uh, banana pineapple drink, and then there's like an ice cream swirl and it's in ice. It's in a cone, I mean a waffle cup, and it got like caramel popcorn on it. But he just wanted the mug.
Speaker 1:So I was like, can we just buy the mug? And they were like no, we have to. You know, we have to sell it as a. And I was like, well, can we just pay the price but not get the drink and the ice cream? And they were like, no, we have to sell it all. So but they made it in a plastic cup and stuck that inside the mug. So that cup and stuck that inside the mug. So that way we and we, you know, ate a couple of sips and threw it away because it was very banana, which I like banana stuff, but it was banana pineapple was kind of weird interesting, but um but yeah, but even back there they have this.
Speaker 1:So on the app, there's a. If you go to on the universal app, there you go hey there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he wanted that mug. For whatever reason, he probably never drank out of it again. There's a lot of interactive games and stuff, and so even back in the donkey kong what is it called donkey kong country, there's interactive games and stuff. You can play. The ride itself is it's short? It's very jerky, like it was. I can't even, I don't even know, I don't want to say my uh, seven dwarfs. I know that one's a little jerky, I think. I don't even know what to compare it to. It's very short and it jerks you all over because it's made to feel like it's going off the track, maybe baseball yeah, maybe, but yeah, that one, I was like yeah, if you have any kind of back or neck injuries I don't know that I would recommend my cart.
Speaker 1:And yeah, I mean it was cute. I'm glad, you know, I'm glad we did everything. We got to ride them all to experience it and some people might love it. It just that area for me was not what I was kind of anticipating, I guess.
Speaker 2:I don't know so, but yeah, that was the uh attractions that they have there any good, any good foods, any good meet and greets you want to hit on before we move on so I do not recommend burger.
Speaker 1:I told sewell cafe good to know.
Speaker 3:Is it the?
Speaker 1:one that looks like it has mold on it, maybe I don't remember. Oh yeah, the top on the bun.
Speaker 2:Is this a?
Speaker 1:mustache.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know what it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So one of the things that we didn't really say too, was that all of the places have where you sit at the table and you scan the barcode and order the food and they bring it to you and so we just want it, which is great. I love that because you don't have to stand in line, you just go find your table and and you know you order. But it's very hard to um change anything on the the food. It's basically you have to order it. How it comes. There's some modifications that you can make, but not a lot, and so the burger came with I don't even remember what it was some kind of sauce on it, like I really don't want that. And we um, they made me go to the counter and the lady at the counter was like so you have an allergy? I was like no, but she's like yeah, you do have an allergy, so be mindful of that if you do have allergies.
Speaker 1:It's great you can modify the food, but that was the only thing that was difficult. But the princess peach cake at toadstool cafe was amazing. It's got like a whipped icing um and it's got the. It's almost like a Chantilly cake, that cookie I don't know what that was supposed to be. It was disgusting. But the cake itself Good to know Was great.
Speaker 3:And guess how much? The cake was $50.
Speaker 1:$20. $25. So I didn't tell my husband how much the cake was, I just ordered it. Okay, it's big enough like four of us ate on it and we could have fed probably two more people. And he saw a reel on.
Speaker 3:Facebook. I've seen your family eat Lori. That's not saying much.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to say we eat a lot, because you're talking about my food from Friday night.
Speaker 3:I'm saying you didn't eat much, your daughter took like one biter of her quesadilla last night.
Speaker 1:True I still think you guys ate like air because he eats weird foods yeah, it was really good though, but he saw a reel and he was like that cake was 25. I'm like it's, it was for the experience.
Speaker 1:Definitely get the cake um characters and I'll go quick yeah, we didn't do any character meet and greets, but I did know when I saw that mario and luigi were coming out, so we kind of stood there and waited and, just, you know, took pictures and videos. I didn't get to see toad, which is what I wanted to do, and we didn't get to see donkey kong, but the lines for the mario and luigi weren't really that that long so interesting.
Speaker 2:Let's move to wizarding world. I don't know if there's really much food and meet and greets to really hit there, but I mean let's hit the one big thing which is ministry of magic yeah, so, okay, the ride car is very similar to tower of terror.
Speaker 1:So I was horrified for the entire ride, waiting for the drop, waiting for, like I thought there was going to be a drop, and so, like this, the queue is amazing. I mean, like the whole the detail that they have inside of the queue is just on point, like this is what took them so long to open this park.
Speaker 3:Was this all this single yeah?
Speaker 1:it is awesome, but I failed to really enjoy the ride. Yeah, this is where you go into the flu network and when you walk in there um yeah, it's got like. I will say this is like the most wealth themed cues in any of the works right now absolutely yeah, and it does a little peter pan in the dust.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, yeah. So I feel like the next time I ride it I won't be as scared, and so maybe I can see the details in there too. Um, you know, it was really great. I just was scared the entire time just waiting for it to drop, but I wish, yeah, yeah, yeah, probably not, but but yeah, I mean that that whole. I'm glad I watched the har, the Harry Potter movies and even started watching the fantastic beast, cause it wouldn't have really made sense. The first, when we went in May, I hadn't watched fantastic beast and so some of the stuff that's in there I didn't get. But when I watched it.
Speaker 3:The area itself is very fantastic beast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, whereas the bride the bride is really the only harry potter thing you get. Yeah, it's just kind of lacking to me, like there's not a ton of stuff to do and like there's the one ride and then you just got now the show.
Speaker 3:So oh yeah, uh it's arcanus, we are caduce or arcanus.
Speaker 1:It's arcanu is how they were saying. It gotcha um, but we called it arcanus because that's what it looks like, because we live in the midwest, in the south we were joking, we knew that's not what it was, but anyway, that show was awesome.
Speaker 1:like I mean, it was very circusy obviously, but it was. It was really cool. So I highly recommend going to see that. And again, for someone not really knowing cause they were having this whole conversation after in the hotel about who is who and I'm like I don't know what y'all are talking about, but it just it was amazing Just watching it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, yeah, I want to watch it now on youtube.
Speaker 1:Yes, it was, it was really good, definitely recommend. But yeah, the we did get the. I didn't eat in that area but I did get the butterbeer crepes. That were really good, super sweet, so bethany and I shared them. I would not be able to eat the whole thing as much as I love sweets, um, but it was good. Yeah, yeah, it was really good. Again, that cookie thing that I don't know what those are supposed to be, but they have no tastes like I wonder if you're not supposed to eat it.
Speaker 3:They just don't tell you that, and you maybe so.
Speaker 1:Well, we tried it, but I was like nah, I'm not eating that. And then the only other thing there is a bar in that area, a bar moonshine, and so we went in just to do the little color changing drink.
Speaker 1:And so when they first give it to you it's blue and they give you like a little packet it's almost like a pack of tea, but it actually looks like cotton candy when you open it and you drop it in the drink and they like tell you that your straw is the wand, and so they're like just circle, circle, and so you just spin, spinning the drink and then it turns purple and it's sparkly. Yeah, I didn't get to actually drink mine because it started raining again as we're walking outside and walked under a building like a big clob of water from the building dropped into the drink so I was like yeah, I was like I'm not drinking that so I mean, I don't know that.
Speaker 1:I was like the whole thing. Anyway, it was more for the experience than the taste. It wasn't amazing. But yeah, again, they had some like a candy shop in there too, and I did get a couple. Now I got a coconut, pink coconut macaron. That was really good. I don't remember which one that one was, but they had their own little macarons in there. Lots of sweets and butterbeer. Of course we did get a frozen butterbeer Butterbeer. Yeah, I don't know what's going on All of a sudden. I cannot breathe through my nose. This is great, interesting, yeah. So yeah, I mean, there's not really a lot to say about that area, just because we did watch a lady at the end of the night who had a wand to say about that area, just because we did watch a lady at the end of the night who had a wand.
Speaker 4:Oh, I'll tell you that at the end um, and she was, you know, kind of like, yeah, what's the little?
Speaker 1:platypus thing was like hanging from the chandelier and was dropping all the coins, and that was cool. Again, I wouldn't have known what that was had I not watched the fantastic beast.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so I mean I guess, yeah, I feel like that area definitely needs more yeah, it seems like it's just a bunch of like empty storefronts and animatronics to kind of feel the fill the storefronts for sure.
Speaker 3:I mean that's the same way. Diagon alley is like I mean you got one ride, you got which is the same thing over there, you got. I'll give it that ministry of magic or whatever you want to call the harry potter area. They have show. But really, you know, over at diagon alley there's olivanders and escape from gringotth and that's it.
Speaker 1:And food and drinks like souvenirs, yeah yeah, they do have folks kind of walking around like in character and stuff, but that was about it, not too much yeah, all right.
Speaker 2:Last, but certainly most not least, is dark universe. I think I feel like the attraction there monsters unchained was the most anticipated attraction in epic universe. Did it hold up to that standard? How was it?
Speaker 1:it was really neat. And again, josh is not like a coast apart. He almost didn't ride it, um, just not knowing, and he rode it and it was like him and olivia went back and rode it again like it was. It is the animatronics in there, along with the 3d and um super cool. It is advertised that it's not, that it's kid friendly. It is not kid friendly it is.
Speaker 2:That's pretty funny.
Speaker 1:Depends on the kids I mean, if I took a child in there, if I would have taken olivia in there you think she's traumatized from dinosaur. It is creepy. I mean it is.
Speaker 3:So, I mean it's, I don't it's none of your kids like I could see arthur going in there and having the best time of her life. I mean, we went to cc's pizza and she was shooting the crap out of aliens on the halo game, like well, I can tell you a girl that I work with yeah, one of the girls that I work with her son he's well, he's probably 10 now, but forever he loves halloween, he loves all the creepy stuff.
Speaker 1:He'd probably be okay with it. An average kid I don't think is going to like it.
Speaker 3:That's valid.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then the ride. So it's very high off the ground too, and so, like the ride, you know it comes overhead and you're strapped in and I'm looking and I'm like I don't know that I would want to get stuck on it, because it's just one thing, like one on the ground that's moving, that your car is connected to, and so when you look around, I'm like it's pretty high up there. So, anyway, but it was definitely worth the hype, it was really good.
Speaker 2:Do they have all the animatronics in there? Now, I know when it opened, supposedly not all of the animatronics were alive yet. So I wonder if they've put all of the animatronics in there, because those are some of the mostatronics are alive yet. So I wonder if they've put all of the animatronics in there, because those are some of the most like. Yeah, I mean the Frankenstein was definitely there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, frankenstein was definitely in there. The gosh, the daughter, the main one, victoria, victoria.
Speaker 2:Yeah, now I'm questioning because I thought she was there, but then I just saw something on Facebook recently where they said it was like I guess it was glitching, so it was a screen and not the actual. I don't remember. Yeah, I've seen that, so but um, but, yeah, it was really cool.
Speaker 1:And then there's Curse of the Werewolf too. Did you ride that one as well? We did, and so the first time we rode I was like I don't want to spin, like I don't. I'm was so scared I was gonna get sick. First time we rode it we didn't spin and I'm like this was terrible, like it wasn't. I'm was so scared I was gonna get sick. First time we wrote it, we didn't spin and I'm like this was terrible, like it wasn't bad, but I'm like it's so fat, it's like it's a very short ride might even be shorter than seven dwarves, I don't know. Um. So then we wrote it again and I'm like I hope we spend this time. And the thing spun the whole time and it was so much fun, nice. So you, so you definitely want to spin, but it is a very short ride, so it's not long at all, but you know it was cool.
Speaker 2:And you're not in control of the spin, are you Like that?
Speaker 1:just happens. No, so Amy, that was with us. She said the guy when she went, because three of us went one time so we were split up and she said the guy was like lean to the right and I don't think you can. I don't think you can make it spin. I don't. Some people say if your weight is not aligned in a car then it will, but if you're evenly distributed then it won't. So I'm like maybe that's why, I don't know, could be, but it's definitely more fun spinning nice nice, any good food, any good food in a dark, more monsters universe?
Speaker 2:yeah so funny story.
Speaker 1:We did eat at das steakhouse and I got the blood orange chicken sandwich and, as you can see, with the black bun. So the next day or day later you're gonna be surprised from eating that black bun. I love it. So yes, I was like where you went I was like wait a minute. Oh, I asked my friends. I'm like should I tell the story?
Speaker 1:like absolutely so I'm thinking, okay, I had those blueberry macarons and I'm like, okay, maybe this is what's going on. I almost asked stephanie, because she ate the blue macarons too, but I didn't want to ask her. And then I saw on tiktok when some folks were talking about what happens when you eat the black bun.
Speaker 1:I'm like that did it that's awesome kid confirm, yeah, I can confirm, but that was really good that the blood. That was way better than the hamburger I got at toadstool. But that restaurant again is super creepy. Like I'm not a fan of the dark stuff so I'm not scared of it or anything, I just it's not my favorite but it was. It was really creepy on the inside of that restaurant isn't it like vampire hunters, like walk? Around.
Speaker 1:They didn't have any folks walking around, that I remember um, but just yeah I know the pictures are kind of low, but you can see the vampire stuff in the background and the bloody yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean it's really well-themed.
Speaker 1:It is very well-themed. That area is definitely probably, along with Isle of Berk, one of the most Well. They all kind of themed very well, but yeah Is that quick service. Yeah, it's a quick service, yeah, it's a quick service. And the only other, yeah, it's a quick service. And then the only other thing we ate, um, which we just got it and, you know, walked out was from burning burning blade tavern. We got the cheddar cheese bites and those were so good. So, yeah, that was the only food we ate in that area.
Speaker 1:They have um frankenstein and his bride you can meet. Um invisible man was there. So fred and I, when we first talked about epic universe, I'm like invisible man, I'm like how, how are they gonna do that? Like I didn't know that he was kind of like wrapped in stuff. I'm like that, how are they gonna do invisible man? So I had to take a picture when I found him, just to show fred.
Speaker 3:Like this is this is what it is yeah, and that's.
Speaker 1:That's really it. Um, at night, so one of the things we did and then we night, so one of the things we did and then we wrap it up. One of the things that we did the areas except for Isle of Berk, because by the time we got to that one it was closed.
Speaker 1:So they have the portals that you go in, but there's also like a side entrance, and so we just kind of moseyed through the side entrance because the portals were closed, and so we were able to get pictures in all of the areas at night, with like barely anyone in there and Dark Universe. Of course it lived up to its height, because so this thing supposedly turns red at night. It's supposed to be something to do with the vampires, hmm, and then the castle, and it was like electricity was lighting up. Super cool, all of them, I mean, even in the Wizarding World we stayed in there you can see like the little oh, there we go Wow.
Speaker 1:It's kind of, yeah, if you want to kind of push the limits and get some photos with hardly anyone in there or just kind of see but, um, yeah, that that area was was creepy, but it was cool very nice very nice.
Speaker 2:Uh, sounds like I mean two great trips. Honestly, it seems like you. You had your own strategy, you took it at your own pace and you got exactly what you wanted out of both trips. Really yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's definitely something I think you can do in one day. If you have Express Pass. Two days would be great to be able to really spend time in each area or even kind of go back and, you know, hit the things that you want to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, definitely which? I think we all know the answer to this. But which land was your favorite? Which portal? Yeah, for sure, the unsung hero of all of this. Did you have a favorite meal in any of this? Probably Pizza Moon Solid. Yeah, favorite snack and favorite ride. And then we shall close it out.
Speaker 1:Favorite ride hiccups. Without a doubt. Favorite snack has to be the blueberry lemon macarons so good. We love a good macaron in this family Well, me and Olivia and those were amazing.
Speaker 2:Gotcha Yep. All right, fred, I knew we weren't going to finish in an hour, sorry.
Speaker 3:We got pretty close because by the time I do all the editing and all that fun stuff, it'll drop down to about an hour.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just hard. It's just so much and I mean I know there's probably things that I didn't even touch on, but you know, I mean I felt like it was a good.
Speaker 3:I think you hit a lot of great key points. You gave out a lot of good tips, um, you know, and as we continue to take more trips, we'll be able to talk about new and different things. So I think I think it was a great you know, a month into you know, not even a full month, almost a full month into epic universe being officially open.
Speaker 1:I think it was a solid bit of information that you put out so yeah, and I definitely say too because I know we've talked about I haven't done express pass with the other parks before the express even there's 11 rides, but it definitely helped, like I think, hiccups one time we went was 65 minute wait and we had these little individual cards that someone gave us and we got in in like 20 minutes yeah, I have done express pass at the other park and it's amazing yeah, I think it. With having rides it definitely is worth it at that park.
Speaker 3:Cool. Well, thanks for sharing your trip with us. Absolutely. It was super cool to see all the pictures. You're getting better with your pictures. We'll work on it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm trying, I think they were great. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
Speaker 3:I'm not going to comment on that one, anyway. So next week we are diving into Disneyland. So I'll be coming at you guys with a trip report on Disneyland, talking about my two and a half days at Disneyland last month. So super excited to dive into that one. I'm going to start working on photos for that. So we'll be doing that next week. So make sure you guys tune back in next week as we wrap up again. Thank you guys for joining us. We had about a good amount of people on with us tonight, so definitely you know. Thanks to everybody for joining and tuning in.
Speaker 3:If you guys are looking for more information on going beyond the castle where to find the podcast, where to find the videos, where to find all the fun stuff that is going beyond the castle you can head over to our website at wwwgoingbeyondthecastlecom. If you're looking for any of our social media channels or just quick links to find anything going beyond the castle, we'd have beacons channel, beaconsai forward slash. Going beyond the castle has all of our quick links. And then, of course, if you're looking to reach out to us here at Going Beyond the Castle, you can reach out to us Info at goingbeyondthecastlecom. That is our email. All three of us have access to it, so reach out, ask a question, request a trip quote, request podcasts, episodes, topics, things like that. So anything to say before we wrap up and finish this hour and 25-minute episode? Nope.
Speaker 2:I think we've said enough. I think we have.
Speaker 3:I've talked, all right, well, cool. Well, thank you guys for joining us. We love you guys and we will talk to you guys next week. Bye.
Speaker 4:Thanks so much for hanging out with us today on going beyond the castle. We hope you had as much fun listening as we did sharing. To stay up to date on all things Going Beyond the Castle, head over to our website goingbeyondthecastlecom. There you'll find more info about your hosts, both audio and video versions of our episodes, our weekly blog and even some fan favorite merchandise. Want to follow along on social media? The easiest way to connect with us is through our beacons channel, beaconsai forward slash. Going beyond the castle. You'll find links to all our social platforms, travel updates and giveaways in one place. And hey, if you're dreaming about your next big adventure, whether it's disney universal, a cruise or a tropical escape, we'd love to help make it happen. Our travel planning services are completely free when you book through us. Until next time, keep dreaming big, keep exploring and, as always, go beyond the castle.
