Happy Hump Day! Today I decided to share a few photos from my favorite place on Earth: Universal Orlando Resort. Just kidding. Not about sharing the photos but about Universal being my favorite place. Even though my love/mostly hate relationship with this theme park started when I was a kid, I STILL, even after all the times it’s let me down, try to give them the benefit of the doubt. 

Universal Orlando Resort consists of two parks: Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios (well technically it’s now three parks including Volcano Bay but you get what I mean). This post is decided to my favorite of the two, Universal’s Islands of Adventure. No shade to Universal Studios but Islands of Adventure is legit 100 times better.

(It’s not even my opinion it’s FACT!).

When you first enter Islands of Adventure you can go one of two ways: toward Seuss Landing or towards Marvel’s Super Hero Island. I personally always start with Seuss Landing (I’ll explain why a little later). 

Next to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Springfield USA, in terms of the overall theme execution,  Seuss Landing is probably the best “land” in Universal Orlando Resort. It honestly feels like you’re walking through a Dr. Seuss book. 

Fun Fact: I have those Thing 1 and Thing 2 plushies and to this day they are FAVORITE souvenirs I’ve ever got from Universal. LOOK HOW CUTE THEY ARE!

(Ignore my thumb). One of my favorite things to do in Seuss Landing is ride the The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride. I LOVE the amazing views of the park it offers!

Look at that cool view!?

And now we come to one of the many reasons I loathe Universal: the food. The food at Universal is, excuse my french, DISGUSTING! Like how can you mess up CUPCAKES?! But alas, they do. I definitely appreciate the “cute” factor and all but at least at Disney the food is cute and yummy! 

There’s only two places in Universal where the food is decent: the Wizarding World and Springfield. Everywhere else? No thanks!

Speaking of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter…Hogsmeade > Diagon Alley. Rumor has it that that’s an unpopular opinion in the Universal community. Supposedly more people prefer Diagon Alley. Don’t get me wrong I love Diagon Alley but since I prefer Island’s of Adventure, I spend more time in Hogsmeade.

Anyone else think owls are gorgeous but also terrifying at the same time?

Did you know YOU can buy Hermione’s Yule ball gown? I think it’s like $200+ but don’t quote me.

I love that the outside of Honeydukes is just as adorable as the inside!

SO. MUCH. CANDY. 

I don’t know why but Jurassic Park used to scare me SO much as a kid, partially the kitchen scene from the first movie. I even used to have this weird recurring Jurassic Park nightmare (where I was stuck in the movie) at least once a year from the ages of maybe 6-13. Weird. 

I’ve always thought Toon Lagoon was such a strange area in the park because 80% of the people visiting Universal probably don’t know who any of the characters are. I like vintage comic strip characters as much as the next person but how did they settle on dedicating in entire area to them?

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is my second favorite Universal ride! Remember when I said I always start in Seuss Landing? Well it’s because I like to “end” my day with this ride (although technically I always end with Spider-Man). If I started in Marvel Super Hero Island, then Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls would be one of the first rides of the day and I’d have to be soaked all day (although with the Orlando heat you dry pretty fast!).

This ride right here is one of the ONLY reasons that I continue to power through my weird love/hate relationship with Universal. I would argue that not only is it the best ride at Universal, but it’s one of the best theme park rides PERIOD! PERIODT.

Since Spider-Man is technically Marvel, and Disney owns Marvel, I wish there was a way to uproot this ride and move it to Disney World but alas, that will never happen. But kudos to Universal on this ride, you finally got something right.