Woke up and got to Universal a bit after 8 for early entry.
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We did Gringott’s…basically a walk on…then looked around before heading to The Mummy to fill up some time before lunch. We ended up eating at The Leaky Cauldron. Also stopped to watch the Beat Builders do a bit of show.
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Did you drive or take the bus? You entered through the main entrance of CityWalk?
My bitterness level is rising. But I have a question. Well, questions.
Presumably they didn’t do the Gringott’s pre-show. (Is that a question?) (But that was, so I just need one more to justify the plural.)
Did the elevator operate? Or did you walk straight through?
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They took the bus. There is a photo. Do keep up.
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From last week, no preshow, no elevator. Elevator doors are open and you just walk through to boarding area.
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Straight through. I almost didn’t even notice it was an elevator!
Next, we did Hagrid’s. Said a 40 minute wait,…they are not using the virtual queue. Actual wait was more like 20. Really fun ride!
After this was Hippogriff and the Forbidden Journey.
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At this point temperatures were turning fiery. Had Butterbeer.
I was too hot to remember taking a before picture. It was frozen and delicious.
At this point my wife was overheating and decided to head back to the hotel. DS10 got an interactive wand to do spells, before we rode Hagrid’s again. Said 60 minutes, but was actually under 20.
Rain was on the horizon, and we were super hot…not from masks, but the feels like temperature of 106 degrees. Time to head out.
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Sounds like a packed day!
We were actually out of the park at about 2:30 pm.
That’s amazing all the rides you went on.
I NEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDD to ride that ride! Can it be administered intravenously? 
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I am slow…and old…the bus drops off at Citywalk - like a tour bus?
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Assuming it’s like the before-times, the hotel shuttles drop off at the bottom of the escalators that lead up to the City Walk metal detectors/security screening.
Same, though I think our limit is 2.5 days’ driving in a row (up to 12 hours on the road, broken up with meals and pit stops), which is how long we took for both the drive to Orlando and the drive back to Toronto. We could have done longer days and done it in 2 days each way but even with an extra hotel night each way hotel plus gas costs added up to 1.5-2 flights, so we saved about 2 people’s flights. I also ran our plans vs. flights through an emissions calculator and I think it was a quarter the emissions as flying. But mostly we just like road trips. I don’t mind flying, but if we have time I’d rather drive.
That sounds like an excellent first day, @ryan1, and I’m a tiny bit envious of the nice short wait times.
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Yes. Basically it drops you off at the bottom of the area you go through security. Up an escalator and right to security.
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I do not think I have ever seen Diagon Alley and Hogsmead that empty!
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We rested a bit and changed, and then my wife and I headed back to CityWalk for our anniversary dinner at Antijitos. It was super good.
We got Margheritas. That was new for us. I got a Pineapple Fire and Ice, and my wife got something called The Grand.
After that we headed back to the room. Next up. Swimming.
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