A Raptor named Bluey. Florida September 2025: Day 1

Curtains drawn, light floods the room as ‘The Morning Song’ fills the airwaves. No idea what the hell the morning song was, but Alaska was blasting out verse after verse in Snow White-esque fashion, summoning all the local wildlife. Beautiful Alaska, but you can stop now before floods of squirrels and lizards fill the room…we’re all up. Don’t forget we’re staying at Universal, not Disney; instead of Price Charming, you’ll be stuck with an Ogre.

Ok, so it’s Day 1 for this trip, and Islands of Adventure day!! Start off strong, we love the Islands.

First stop though; new lanyards. I’d conveniently ‘forgotten’ mine and Jo’s old lanyards, so we just had to buy new…of course I made sure to remember the kids ones; these are bloody expensive. New HHN lanyards acquired. Dean and Jordan: very happy, Grayson: very unhappy; I know Gray, Mammy took the one I wanted too. Alaska couldn’t care less…

Tantrum 1 of the day complete, and we’re finally on the way to Islands along the Garden Walkway…let the lizard hunt 2025 commence!! Breaking new records (someone call Guinness; they’re gonna want to record this) spotting double figures along the 15 minute walk (with a squirrel mixed in for good measure) we soon enter city walk and swing left to today’s destination.

Entrance line taking a longer time that peak Hagrids, but soon enough we’re strolling Port of Entry, and watching the kids mount every statue between the entrance and lagoon. Yes of course I’m taking a picture of you on them…no I just don’t make the camera shutter sound and move on; no you can’t see the photos Gray 🙄

After admiring the views across the lagoon and managing a half decent family selfie (this was harder than you’d think…the sun was blinding Grayson so much that he almost gave up on life altogether), we head to the best Island here…Seuss Landing!!

Yep I said it…the best island (disagree? Come fight me!). Whilst everyone else is rope dropping Hagrid and Velocicoaster, the hardcore amongst us rope drop The Cat in The Hat; the real MVP!! Smashed out all the Seuss rides in record time; this area is really slept on, some great family fun and just an awesome area with fun little rides, vibrant atmosphere, and most importantly…great food. The smell of the cake shop 👌; guaranteed to make you spend stupid amounts of money for a subpar cookies and cakes.

Moving on, we collect this year’s HHN Freestyle cup; you know…because I need another freestyle cup for my collection (I packed an extra two suitcases for this). To be fair…great idea if you’re coming to Universal…just over $20 with free refills all day…and you know we take advantage of that!

Before heading across to the Lost Continent. Feeling more lost that ever before, with a grand total of no attractions; this place is feeling wasted these days, relying on the Mystic Fountain to entertain crowds passing through as a thoroughfare to get to Hagrids. To be fair though…this fountain is sassier than Grayson, and pretty good fun. Sounds weird right? A talking fountain?…well…apparently not to Grayson and Alaska. They had a full blown conversation, which ultimately descended into madness and the fountain ripping into Grayson…”it’s pronounced GRAY-SON!!! Learn to say your name properly”. Holy hell fountain…put him in his place! Grayson’s had enough; he jumps into the fountain and starts laying into him, raining blow after blow into the fountain. The water running red, and bits of stone were flying everywhere…”GRAYSON…GRAYSON…GRAYSON; I know my bloody name!!!!”. His rage had taken over, the fountain was in despair and now at the mercy of a 7 year olds rage. We quickly pull Grayson from the water as the fountain composes himself and cobbles together an apology…thanks Bob (this is his name)…”it’s pronounced BOB…learn to say your name properly”. Ummm…ok Gray, you showed him. Cheers Bob, let’s never speak of this again….

Full transparency…I may have made the vast majority of the above statement; you decided.

Mystic Fountain quietly whimpering as we walk away…Jordan spots the rarest of sights; a 10 minute wait for the Velocicoaster!!! Holy hell, what are we waiting for…”Am I tall enough for this??”…umm, no; Sorry Alaska. She’s a bloody daredevil mind…Grayson just misses out too, so it’s child swap time. Madness and havoc as always, but a bloody walk on. This is crazy for probably the best coaster in Florida. Absolutely incredible as always; and of course Jordan needed a front row ride. Not to be fooled like last time though, me and the kids headed to the Discovery Centre whilst Jo is front rowing V-Coaster.

This place is great fun; a little outdated at parts, but there was an awesome show where the ‘scientists’ hatched a baby Velociraptor. This was pretty cool, and even cooler when Alaska was chosen to name the baby. To be fair…the criteria for being chosen was pretty poor; “because you stuck around, would you like to name the dinosaur?”. Hey I stuck around too, why can’t I name them??!!

The name? Bluey…hmmm; ingenious there Alaska, very original. So…we now have a birth certificate for Bluey the Raptor; and a new career pathway for Alaska as a raptor trainer. I don’t have the heart to tell her there’s no such thing…follow your dreams princess.

Riding the high of the raptor naming ceremony; Alaska was finally tall enough to ride River Adventure. Fantastic ride, but strangely always follow the same path…that pesky Hadrosaur!! Grayson swears blind that there is an alternate route because someone on YouTube told him so; no Grayson…no there’s not; this is the ride. Alaska loved the ride, but did a serious u-turn on her career as a Raptor Trainer after seeing the havoc they caused. Thank goodness for that…

Getting a bit hangry now, Alaska makes it a few hundred feet before erupting in a rage as I fill up our freestyle cup with the ‘wrong drink’…the poor trash can gets a beating as Alaska unfolds her rage…”I can’t control myself, I just can’t be good”. Umm…just stop kicking the bin (he’s already dead), and come for some lunch babes…bit of food will do you good.

Back to Seuss for Lunch at the Circus. Now…this was a sore point for Grayson, and somewhere he’d been looking forward to revisiting for the last 6 months (I wondered what the prison style countdown in his bedroom wall was for…now I know). When we visited in Feb, we missed out…today; he was sure to drag us to the big top. Circus McGurkus: Cafe Stoopendous. Really fun place to have food, great vibes and lots of Seuss theming (obviously). Food was really nice too; it’s always great to watch the kids fight over a garlic bread meatball cone. Marinara everywhere, but Grayson was fulfilled…well for all of 5 minutes before he starts nagging for something else.

Alaskas hunger rage sustained, we headed to Marvel Superhero Island to swiftly avoid the Hulk Coaster (I’m getting too old for this), and help Spidey capture the Sinister Syndicate…or not; ride delay…bugger!!

Grayson consoles me with his wonderful new trick…farting in his hat and chucking it in my face; thanks Gray, before the island fills with Superhero’s!

A random assortment of superhero’s fill the streets and head to head in different directions to ‘fight crime’ and pose for pics. Grayson makes a beeline for Spidey (presumably to discuss his new crime fighting fart hat?). Great little interaction with the added bonus of a bloody green screen picture designed to rob parents of cash or risk creating a villain origin story for their children. Seriously? $33 for a photo…J Jonah Jameson was right…Spidey is a menace…at least he signed the photo for Grayson though. Ahh no, why is Jordan now in line with Alaska?? I’ll never financially recover from this!!

Luckily Alaska didn’t need her photo like Grayson did, so still begrudging Spidey, we head onto his ride with a subtle hope that he would meet his doom at the hands of Doc Oc as payback for screwing me over. Sadly, unlike the River Adventure alternate path 🙄…this ride always ends the same…booooo!

Leaving Superhero Island with a plan to one day help Spidey meet his demise, we made our way to Toon Lagoon to drop a load of money in the passholder lounge before defending into madness and chancing a ride in Popeye and Blutos Bilge Rat Barges. Haven’t done this in a long time (mainly because I do not really enjoy the feeling of walking around like I’d had a bath fully clothed), but before I know it, me and the kids are in the middle of barges with an ass full of water. Absolutely drenched…no idea what came over me; but it was great fun. It’s warm…we’ll dry off in no time; I hope.

Kong next to see if Grayson’s petition to save the dinosaurs from Kongs violence had worked or fallen upon deaf ears. Gray, it’s a ride…he saves us; the dino’s are being naughty and trying to eat us…oh, and it’s a ride. “Don’t worry Dad, I don’t care about the dinosaurs anymore”. Grayson!! Don’t let Alaska hear you say that, she’s now the guardian of a Velociraptor named Bluey. Love the Kong ride, they’ve even started opening the outdoor section too…and the giant animatronic at the end; Phenomenal!!

After this, me and Alaska headed to the Pteranodon Flyers (got to take advantage while Alaska is small) while Gray and Jo explore Camp Jurassic. This place is amazing; and always pretty slept on…

We then headed to Potter-ville to explore Hogwarts aboard the Forbidden Journey. Bloody love this ride, but either through my advanced age (I’m getting closer to 40), or lack of sleep (6 hours in 48); I was almost tapping out for the day following my jaunt with Harry and his bunch of hoodlums.

A Seussean sugar boost in the form of an overpriced chocolate chip cookie surges energy through my body like a shot of adrenaline, and I’m back in the game!!! It’s finally time to ride Hagrids!!

Posted at a mere 100 minute weight, we ended up eating longer than our transatlantic flight. Bloody hell, can you magic something a bit faster? Bloody brilliant ride mind, and well worth the wait; though the kids didn’t think so, and started a UFC style tournament in the line in a fit of boredom rage. Alaska won, obviously; and Grayson soon disbanded the newly formed Hagrids line fight club.

Quick browse around the shop, another round on The Cat in The Hat, and we were done for the day. Evening meal of pizza back at the hotel diner before an earlyish evening in bed. Absolutely knackered, but it’s a chill day at Animal Kingdom tomorrow :)