Universal Orlando Resort: Vacation Like You Mean It!

About 15 minutes from where I grew up, there was a small zoo with an attached theme park.

Not even a theme park really, as it was actually just a handful of rides run by folks who never seemed all that thrilled to be there (or maybe that's just what I remember, as the main image in my head is of the man running the Tilt-a-Whirl who wasn't at all pleased when I freaked out and screamed until he stopped the ride to let me off).

Looking back, it is most likely locations such as this one that cause there to be a strong distinction in my mind between places that can be called theme parks... and places that are truly entertaining, amazingly fun vacation destinations.

Standing squarely in the latter category is none other than the one and only Universal Orlando Resort.

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A world all of its own, Universal Orlando Resort is made up of two separate theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure), three on-site hotels, and CityWalk, a 30-acre nighttime entertainment complex.

Filled to the brim with entertainment of every kind, visiting Universal Orlando Resort can leave you laughing, frightened and in awe all within the same 100 yard stretch. From exhilarating roller coasters to wild water rides to family-friendly characters for the pint-size crowd, there is something for everyone — no matter if you want to walk away feeling courageous, outrageous or simply with a big grin.

As it had been quite a few years since I had last visited Universal Orlando Resort, I'm sure that I was just as excited as my kids when we arrived during our recent Florida vacation.

Where to begin!

Separate tickets are required for each of the theme parks in Universal Orlando Resort, so before you show up you'll want to take some time to decide whether your family would like to visit Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure... or both! (Hint: opt for both!)

We opted to start the day at Universal Studios and jump right into the action of many of our favorite movies and television shows. Where else can you walk in and immediately run into Woody and Winnie Woodpecker, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, and Marge and Bart Simpson?

On a high from seeing such fun characters in person, we didn't hesitate to delve deeper into Universal Studios to take in more of the action and excitement.

What we found was that in each section of the park, there seemed to be just the right mix of attractions for "big kids" and "little kids" that we never had to worry that someone would be left out. For instance, while we were hanging out in Springfield, my daredevil Big Sister E had a great time on The Simpsons Ride while Little Sister B had a blast on the smaller (but still very fun) Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl.

And of course we all got a thrill from seeing so many iconic Simpsons locations and characters recreated right there in front of us! Although I may never actually visit Springfield, getting to see Krusty Burger, Lard Lad Donuts, Bumblebee Man and his Taco Truck, Duffman, Moe's Tavern and many more in the carnival-like midway of Orlando was nearly just as good!

Moving out of Springfield and into the nearby Woody Woodpecker's KidZone, Little Sister B's eyes lit up at the large number of options for her to choose from that are perfect for the younger crowd (although older kids and adults aren't left out either).

We rode on E.T. Adventure and Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster, played (and tried not to get too wet) at Curious George goes to Town and Fievel's Playland, watched Animal Actors on Location and A Day in the Park with Barney, met SpongeBob and Squidward, and more! What a great mix for everyone!

The rest of our time at Universal Studios Orlando was spent...

• Helping Shrek save Princess Fiona in Shrek 4-D (and then meeting Shrek and Donkey)
• Hanging on tight during Twister...Ride it Out
• Scratching our heads asking How'd he do that? at a magic show
• Protecting the earth from aliens in MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack
• Giggling at the adorable Minions in Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (and loving the post-attraction dance party)
• Meeting cute and fuzzy characters from the movie Hop
• Catching some of Universal's Superstar Parade
• Marveling at the bravery of riders on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit...

...and, above all, having an incredible, action-packed time on Universal Orlando's newest attraction, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride – 3D.

One of the most highly anticipated entertainment experiences in years, this amazing ride opened this past June and brings riders right into the action of joining Optimus Prime and the Autobots as they fight Megatron and the Decepticons.

Between the 3D action, the high-definition animation that is so incredibly realistic and the fact that this ride is jam-packed with missiles, attacks, explosions and dodging the bad guys, you'll find that it takes your heart a few minutes to stop pounding after the entire experience! Incredible!

While there was much more to our time at Universal Studios Orlando, don't forget that this is only half of the theme park possibilities at the resort! As much fun as we had experiencing being a part of the movies at Universal Studios, we still wanted to dive into the action at Universal's Islands of Adventure!

Due to the number of attractions involving water at Islands of Adventure, we changed into swimsuits (wearing swim shorts and rash guards makes it possible to be "clothed" while water-ready at the same time) and headed in to have some fun.

The kids were wide-eyed and excited right away when they saw all of the colorful, whimsical options at Seuss Landing and it wasn't long before we were riding One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!, The Cat in the Hat and the Caro-Seuss-el.

We also had a great time exploring the If I Ran The Zoo play area and meeting The Cat in the Hat and Sam-I-Am! — the whole area is just such a fun way to bring the creative, eccentric, comical world of Dr. Seuss to life for all ages!

As with Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure has a great mix of attractions, rides and shows that there is something for everyone, whether full of action and excitement or more laid-back laughter.

Our favorites included getting soaked on Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges, plunging down into the water on Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls, crashing into the waves on Jurassic Park River Adventure, seeing the high-flying uniqueness of the Pteranodon Flyers and exploring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Hogwarts! Hogsmeade! Butterbeer)!

We ended our time at Islands of Adventure on a high note, riding on the award-winning attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

If you've ever wanted to join Harry, Hermione and Ron and soar above Hogwarts, this state-of-the-art adventure first winds you through the familiar classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts before bringing you face-to-face with magical creatures as you fly through the air.

While my logical side knew that I was part of a ride, this attraction is so realistic and interactive that you'll swear that you've actually been magically transported into the action with Harry Potter!

Note: If you are prone to motion sickness, take the warnings about this ride twisting, spinning and dropping seriously!

Whether you choose to visit Universal Orlando Resort for a fun-filled family vacation or specifically plan your trip during one of their special seasonal activities (Halloween Horror Nights in the fall, Macy's Holiday Parade and Grinchmas in the winter, Mardi Gras in the spring and Summer Concert Series in the summer), you are sure to find yourself kissing your worries goodbye and kicking up your heels for a fantastically great time.

Rides, shows, waterparks, dining, nightlife, hotels, shopping, events, fireworks, great customer service, easy parking... Universal Orlando Resort has it all! You'll definitely want to visit their website as well as connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find out much more about all there is to offer, vacation planning tips, Universal Express Passes, their impressive Green is Universal initiative, and more.

If you haven't headed to Universal Orlando Resort recently to experience why it is known as one of the top vacation destinations in the world, then what are you waiting for? This is one trip that will result in memories to last a lifetime!

I was provided complimentary tickets and Universal Express Passes for Universal Orlando Resort in order to help facilitate this review, but they in no way affected the amazing time that we had and my honest opinions in this post.