SpectroMagically, Taking on the Worlds in 2015! Day Five- From HRH to AMI

[walt4it]

Welcome back and thanks for so many speedy responses to Day 4
I feel obliged to follow up with another day rather more quickly than you are used to and appreciate so many people reading and leaving a comment

Day 4 is here - click to read

The index to the whole trip report is here - just click here.



Sunday 2nd August - Moving Day!

Having enjoyed just one last sleep at the Hard Rock Hotel, we woke a at a decent time thanks to the extended check out – well 8.30 –we breakfasted well and walked to Universal Studios for a final time. The walk really did allow us the time to reflect on just how much we had enjoyed ourselves in the past few days and how fab HRH had been too.

We arrived at Universal and got a great red carpet welcome

We knew time was short here and were on a mission for Rip Ride Rocket -we rode twice as Alison held the bags!

We then headed to Gringotts and I held the bags as I was in search of a photo whilst the three wizards in the family went to the single rider line.

For the past few days I have become absorbed by the theming in here - the atmosphere and experience is seemingly detached from the rest of the park and you get swept along with the place.

As we gathered together we then chose to cash in the extra value of our breakfast at Leaky Cauldron from the other day – 4 fine ice creams from the shop opposite Gringotts were amazing –so much so I did not even get the camera out to take a pic , we all simply enjoyed the ice cream rush! They were very, very good though!

We took a walk to The Simpsons area whilst eating the ice creams and just took a little more time than previous - always seems to work in any theme park and today was no different.
As a result, we got some fun pics

and we also then spotted Krusty and sideshow Bob opening their meet and greet - there was no queue and we were the first to get a picture.

We continued to find opportunities for daft pics and we really took the time to enjoy our last few minutes here.

We also found a stall opposite the Simpson Ride that did photos like this! took ages mind but by the time the CM had mastered the camera and computer we ended up with these...

Time was ticking again – we saw Scooby and Shaggy but the light drizzle meant they had an excuse to close the line

We took a pic and then went to the photo place to get two prints from all of our ride photos – not sure how many forget about this as part of the whole photoconnect package - two 6x 4 prints.
For us it just added to the value of the whole thing – yes we had only a few photos 54 in total, yes there were some with closed eyes or missing effects , but they are the only ride photos we have ever got of any of our previous trips to Universal and you know something that made the whole thing well worth buying!

We walked back to the Hotel and made our final voyage to Level 7

We then got a glimpse of a room I heave also read that one very lucky Dibber was upgraded to recently

I was just thankful we had not Rock 'n' Rolled our room

Room 7111 for the record and at the end of a corridor we did not see nor hear anyone in the whole of our stay - the room did not offer a pool view but we were privileged to see the afternoon storms roll in and past the hotel with many lightning strikes in the distance


We got the bags headed to the lobby to check out, as Joe bought the drumsticks he had his eye on. We also got a HRH pin just for the memories of such a great visit- not quite sure how we will fill the void of the wall to wall music though – it has been our first stay here and the overall experience has been fantastic – Club Level made it, as did the whole music thing too.
The soundtrack will stay with us a long time as there was such an eclectic mix of songs not heard for such a long time.

Stand out songs-

Wrong ‘em boyo – The Clash
The Cure- Love Song, Friday I’m in Love , Love Cats, Catterpillar,
Bare Naked Ladies ( name of the band!) -If I had a million dollars
U2- all that you can’t leave behind
One tree Hill – over dinner last night
All the Bruce songs – BTR and especially We take care of our own/ Girls in their summer clothes
The Cult Rain
Echo and the Bunnymen – Bring on the Dancing Horses

And lots lots more besides.

A great range of songs I had not heard for a long, long time and it was just like listening to an old holiday cassette tape!
I never did get to listen to one of them underwater though!
I think we will miss the music and the smell of the place more than anything. A quality stay and the staff were superb too - every single one of them( even the life guard)
No niggles , no regrets and no wishing we had chosen anywhere else to kick this whole thing off - Hard Rock Hotel had ticked every box and many others too.
We packed the car, got a pic in front of the fountain and then headed West!

Destination -Anna Maria Island.

Drumsticks already in hand! He was now nearly a week away from his drums!

A stop at Berry Town Center Publix for essentials amidst another rain storm, and we were on the road again.

Our next stop was Anna Maria Island to the same place we stayed last year , excited to return and knowing that we had the next few days to relax, ensured that the pace of the holiday slowed the very minute the car pulled up outside the Cottage.

We simply unpacked, had a swim, a walk, dinner and then an early night.

Home made Spaghetti Bolognaise and the boys were in bed by 9.35.

It was good to be back and it was good to know that we were about to have a rest - we had done the beach bit first last year and remembered now the toll that work had taken. Now was the time to sit down , relax and enjoy...! (and maybe sort my back out too)

Little were to know what happened next!

Thanks for reading and will ensure day 6 is with you soon

Day six can be read here

[flo-tinka]

Good last day at Universal but then Oh cliffhanger...please tell soon, what did happen next?!

[mick]

Nice to think you are going to relax for a few days wonder what happens

Joan

[Taffy1959]

Hope you managed to get some rest over the coming days.
Love the photos of Diagonal Alley, l could spend hours in there.
Looking forward to the next instalment

[jemima2]

Anna maria island again! It was so beautiful on your last trip..please don't leave us on a cliffhanger! Great last day at hrh it looks pretty amazing 😄

[Tartan Tigger]

I want to know what happened next lol.

[Dissie]

Ooh a cliffhanger don' leave us hanging too long

[WhereIBelong]

arghhhhhh - don't leave us waiting too long!

[Cinderella]

Great day

[walt4it]

Originally Posted by flo-tinka

Good last day at Universal but then Oh cliffhanger...please tell soon, what did happen next?!

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Originally Posted by mick

Nice to think you are going to relax for a few days wonder what happens

Joan

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Originally Posted by Taffy1959

Hope you managed to get some rest over the coming days.
Love the photos of Diagonal Alley, l could spend hours in there.
Looking forward to the next instalment

See more...

Thank you - it is such an incredible place to just stand and watch the wizarding world pass you by.

Originally Posted by jemima2

Anna maria island again! It was so beautiful on your last trip..please don't leave us on a cliffhanger! Great last day at hrh it looks pretty amazing 😄

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Originally Posted by Tartan Tigger

I want to know what happened next lol.

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Originally Posted by Dissie

Ooh a cliffhanger don' leave us hanging too long

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Originally Posted by WhereIBelong

arghhhhhh - don't leave us waiting too long!

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Originally Posted by Cinderella

Great day

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Thank you for reading through and leaving a message too - really appreciate it as it will ensure day 6 is with you sooner