The Continuing Adventures of Jud

For a blog from a completely different life, check out my friend Chritine's most recent entry...

:)

Quick notes: DL'd and installed Microsofts Crticial updates last week, and over the following four days, the blue screen of death appeared at each use and evntually led to damaged code in the OS and a failure to boot... harddrive, with 6 months of un-backed up photos and writing is now on its way to the heroic Captain Nemo in NOLA in an attempt to recover my data...

Two lessons learned, back up weekly; don't ever DL an MS update again. (Earlier "patch" led to irksome glitch in WORD that they blamed on ADOBE for quite a while, but have at least stopped doing that...)

On the plus side, saw Cars and wow! Beautiful scenery and camera work- needs the big screen, so go out and see this one! Both myself and the young son of a friend who saw it decided to buy the DVD before the movie was half shown- and of course, stay for the credits...

Play rehersal goes on and shows great improvement to the extent I have decided I will not have to wear a flack jacket under my costume on opening night. Might even be good...

Still working on printing details on republication of my woodcarving book, but it is close...

:)

-Jud

See photos at my album site

Islands of Adventure announced an Annual Passholder preview for the new ride in Seuss Landing, the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! The catch: it was to be from 7 to 9 AM! As in- in the morning! As in- before noon! As in- Jud isn’t up then! And is about 2 hours away!

But… like others, I have been waiting for this since IOA opened so many years ago and I first saw those mysterious girders running around the Landing and wishing I could ride that silly little car that ran about what seemed like way too big a deal to simply have a plastic car running about.

And there was the promise of a special commemorative gift, while supplies lasted.

So, as I hit the sack last night I ran through in my mind whether I really wanted to arise at 4am to be at the gate at 7 am to be one of the first to get into the park early and partake of this special event! The next thing I knew the alarm was buzzing and I was up and about, and not feeling too bad, and I was making a cuppa and packing the van and was on the road at 5. So apparently at some ppoint the decision was made.

At the gate at 6:45 with roughly 100 others when it opened and we started flowing through. The place was well packed with employees clearly not of the ride attendant type- more executive looking, and the only way to go was over to Seuss Landing. As one passed across the magic bridge into this magic land, the air was filled with bubbles, being generated by dozens of strategically placed bubble generating machines nice touch! And the streets were lined by cast members and execs and characters all being very happy and cheerful. One of the stilt giants of Seuss Landing was twisting balloons into strange headgear for the kids and a face painting kiosk offered their service free as part of the morning's celebration!

I headed past all this directly for the new attraction and throwing caution (and body) to the wind, chose to walk through the regular line at least once to see what it had to offer in the way of theming and decoration. Given that I was part of the first bunch to enter, we moved up the long winding ramp way rather quickly, so I had only the quickest passing glimpses of the large story boards that I suspect told the story behind the adventure we were about to experience, for aside from being a pretty neat ride around the tip of Seuss Landing, it also tells he story of the Sneetches, something I had no inkling of at the start of the day. But, having later learned the story, they actually made wonderful use of the ride in translating it into physical form, while still giving a nice tour of the area and the views- wonderful views!

It is now very late and I am tired so I will let the pictures tell the tale for now and maybe continue this narrative at a later date, but overall, this is a fun attraction and really ties all of Seuss Landing together very nicely! Not a reason to go to the park in and of itself, but a definite must-do if one is there.

First: for some reason Blogspot is not uplaoding my photos today so go to my album to see the photos for this report!

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A few days ago, I ended up in a play as noted in the previous entry and in a series of e-mails concerning one of the chorus parts I was trying to learn, the Music Director used the link in my signature and checked out my blog. She noticed that I have on occasion visited Universal and Islands Of Adventure and said she had a season pass and would like to have someone to go with, to which I replied say when and she said now! So the next day we were off to UNI/IOA at the ridiculous hour of 7:30 am when we pulled out of my yard! She was driving so mileage and speed were not a concern for me as it has been of late in my gas hungry van, but she did want to stop for breakfast so we hit the IHOP in Wildwood just before getting on the Florida Turnpike. Her "little bite" turned out to be one of those full breakfasts for two for a week, while I had a pair of over-easy's and four strips of well done bacon, a rare treat! Back to the car, and zoom down the highway, with a fast pass for the tolls we didn't even have to stop for that, and at about 9:30 we entered that resort. We both had to get our passes renewed and that ran into a few problems so it was 10:30 before we were actually heading for a ride, but the people who helped us were very nice, and gave Jacki a couple of front of the line passes to make up for the delay in the renewal process. I had the handicapped front of the line pass that they give out so we didn’t' need those this day, but it was a nice gesture.
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I had suggested that given that we were going to do both parks that we start with UNI, thinking most would start with IOA, and we headed straight to Mummy, riding it twice. The second run we were in the back of the ride vehicle and I think that is a far better ride. You get to see more of the show, and the airtime is better. Leaving Mummy, we stopped for a photo op and then headed over to Men in Black, but while passing Jaws, I remembered that she had said she liked that, so I suggested it and she agreed. Again we were in the back and on the right of the boat, which allowed us to both see a shark that neither of us had before, but also blocked view of the shark on the other side when he gets burned up by the power line. We enjoyed the ride.

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A photo op at the hanging shark and Jacki posed great- she is a good photo subject! And then over to MIB. A couple of runs on that, with steadily decreasing scores- a mystery! But on the 2nd run, we were opposed by a skillful car of shooters who kept hitting our exhaust port and sending us spinning! And on the third run, a young girl in the front of our vehicle who had challenged me did indeed get the bonus button before me! Argggggg!!!!!

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Next stop was Back to the Future, and then ET, and Woody's roller coaster, a kiddie coaster but a good quick and fun trip. The cast member offered us a second run and we took it. They have eliminated that nasty sudden near full stop at the end, and though my body still anticipates it, it is gone and with it a rather irritating and questionable former feature of the ride. Good move!

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On the way out to head over to IOA, Jacki downed a whole row of fig newtons she had brought along and that set her up for the next couple of hours. We used the backside walkway to cross between parks, and once in IOA I asked her right or left. She chose left and if I had known what was coming, I would have started with this several hours ago. We headed right to Hulk, and as it ripped through the sky, I saw Jacki come to life! This woman needs speed!!! She was fully here now, fully awake, alive excited! The BIG EYES! The Big smile! The delight! We rode again.

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I also noticed as we headed in a fellow in a wheel chair in the regular line and told him to go get a GAP pass, which he didn't know about (and the line attendant hadn't told him???) but instead, he just followed us up the handicapped entrance. No problem! In fact, it has been very rare when anyone actually asked for my GAP pass. But I have been surprised on many occasions to see wheelchair people in the regular line. The GAP pass and special entrance is a very nice thing that UNI/IOA and SeaWorld do for their guests. And on crowded days, it is a lifesaver: I simply wouldn't be going during those times if I didn't have it.

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From Hulk, we hit ah... what is that called? The spinning ride- whatever- it was covered, shaded, generated a lot of airflow and made for a nice little break after the intensity of Hulk! I mean, ya, you are just sitting there, but Hulk actually takes a lot out of you! Then through the restaurant and the game arcade to the back entrance to Dr Doom's Towers free fall, which was great- nice air time and a great, if momentary view of the whole park! Then through the store and to the back entrance to Spiderman. This is the best ride anywhere! Truly a technological marvel! And what impresses Jacki??? The shadow of the big rat! The simplest effect from 1800! LOL!!! But she also loves this ride and Spiderman, and later I picked up on that and convinced her to pick out an official Spidey T-shirt. The one she picked was one of the nicest ones and perfect for her!

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Next it was time to bite the bullet and hit the wet rides, so we both changed into our water ride gear and headed to Dudley Do Right's Log Flume and on the second run, even though I had it on with the bill to the back, whoosh, my Lulu hat disappeared as we feel over the edge! Still a slight chance that it might show up, but probably gone forever! But aside from that, we enjoyed the ride and came out appropriately soaked, though knowing the really wet ride was still to come, Bluto's Bilge Rat Barge! But surprisingly, that wasn't hitting as heavy as it usually does! Yes, everyone got good and wet, but we never got the "big dump" that usually completely drowns one seat! I think they had raised the water level and the effect had been not to make it wetter, but to make the rafts run faster and higher and thus not make the big dives in some of the turns that brings about the big dump!

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After we had had enough of that, we again changed back into our dry clothes, to the envy of the newbies who just really didn't believe how wet one could get, and it was surprising to me how wonderful it did feel to be all dry again! We continued on and at the last minute, reveling in our newly discovered dryness, decided to forego Jurassic Park and headed straight on over to Fire and Ice. This is the double bottomless pair of extreme coasters that run right at each other or just over each other, and are intense enough without the sight of the other train heading right for you! I was very surprised to find that Fire was actually the more intense run of the two- had previously thought Ice was the more intense, but clearly it was Fire!

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After that, we finally headed to what I had been so looking forward to, and part of our originally stated intention, the wonderful Mythos Restaurant! Jacki had never eaten here and had no idea just how fine a dining establishment this was, and in fact was a bit nervous about theme park food having had some previous bad experiences. So I toured her about the place, which is an attraction in itself, and showed her to kitsch, introduced her to the head chef, who was appropriately offended by the thought that there would be anything less than the finest foods used without additives or fillers and, Jacki appeased, we headed to the table. Our waitress, Leanne, was cheerful and got into the spirit with us as we checked the menus. Jacki selected what turned out to be a very nice red wine from Australia, and I suggested we take those out to the veranda while we awaited our meal. We enjoyed the relaxed secluded space as we sipped and enjoyed the view. Our waitress came out to get us when our meals were ready, we both going with the Cesar’s salad, Jacki with salmon and I with beef, and both were exquisite! Exceptional! And as always beautifully presented. Jacki went through hers fairly directly, while I stretched out each bite of this delicious meal- who would think that romaine lettuce could so delight? Leanne came back and asked if we would like to see a desert menu, and I told her to go away and come back later, we wanted to stretch out this experience! She did return a bit later with a tray of these new "desert shots" they have come up with, and they looked delicious, but she also announced that the wonderful gluten free desert of chocolate cake and bananas and ice cream and special caramel sauce had been returned to the menu after a six month absence, much to her and many others delight, especially me, being gluten allergic, and having had this before and knowing gluten free or not, it is one of the most exquisite things I have ever eaten! We both went with it and savored every bite!

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Eventually, the meal came to an end, and as we left, I did note that we had closed the place! I stopped by the kitchen to pass on my compliments to anyone and everyone who had anything to do with this place with genuine appreciation. This is rated as the #1 theme park restaurant in the world, but I think it should be competing against any restaurant anywhere! It really is a special place!

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As we left Mythos, we spotted the new Seuss Landing Trolley running around on its tracks! Obviously in test runs, with some of the trains carrying dummy loads, I took the opportunity to get some shots of this to share with anxious fans! Those of us who have visited IOA for years have longed for the day when this mysterious rail in the sky would fulfill its original intention as a ride about the environs of Seuss Landing. I was surprised to see that the familiar girder track had been topped by a double rail, and now comprised two independent runs, a blue and a purple. The old I-beam rail has been majorly adjusted and altered and in places, the original girder is actually cut away. On the north side of Main Street, the trolley enters and leaves the newly built station, up over the candy shop and other buildings. The runs go all about the Landing and the cars are as colorful and whimsical as anything else in this magical place. It circles the edges of the Caro-Seussal and both lines loop right out to the Lagoon at the edges of Seuss Landing. This is going to be fun!

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Leaving Seuss Landing, with a few mild sprinkles starting, we decided to hit Hulk for one last ride, being 20 minutes to park closing, but when we got there, we discovered that line admission had already been closed! After we and some others pleaded uselessly with the line keeper, Jacki and I took an alternate and headed over to end off with another ride on Spiderman. This was good! And Jacki picked out a great shirt, and I bought that for her- she had paid for dinner at Mythos- and then we headed leisurely out to guest services to wait at Lost and Found in hope of retrieving my hat. The "found" from Dudley weren’t due in for 20 minutes, so while Jacki took advantage of one of the very comfortable couches in the building, I stepped out to have a smoke but then saw some shots so did a bit of shooting- the sky was darkening and giving a good background and interesting light effects. Seeing me, a couple of cast members played at hamming it up- until one saw I was going to actually take the shot!

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The items arrived from the Falls, and no hat, so I took a card to call later- it might show up in a deeper delving into the bowels of the ride, and we departed agreeing it had been a good day!

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I was meeting with a local group last week and one of the members taken by my impromptu MC'ing of a game we played approached me after and suggested I come over to the community theater. Later I found out she really had me in mind for technical stuff, sound in particular, but in any case, I headed over tonight just to see what was up. The location was the Citrus County Art League Theater, and the play is Anything Goes by Cole Porter.

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Sitting outside, minding my own business, having a smoke, waiting for the lady who invited me, someone dragged me in where I was immediately grabbed by the Music Director to check out my voice. We went up and down the scales a few times and she declared that I could be anything, but she needed tenors, so voila! Warm-ups, then we worked on a song they had previously worked on, which I had never heard- and I am not completely unfamiliar with Broadway soundtracks- grew up on them- if we were doing My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Showboat, West Side Story, or any of a dozen others, I would know it all, but this! Totally unfamiliar; and apparently Porter was unfamiliar with the concept of key or time signature! He switched quite freely around in both, making this a rather complex tune to try to grab ahold of. Anyway, I muddled on through and decided I would simply get the record and learn it that way- good ear, not so good at reading music.

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After music rehearsal, the Director spoke about scheduling and mentioned he still had a few minor roles to fill, so I raised my hand and am now cast as Ling...

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Let's see- a 6 foot red-headed chinaman... that will work- test my acting ability...

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Costume! Make-up!

-Jud