We finally got to break in our Annual Passes at Universal Orlando two weeks ago. The trip was a dang blast, and this time of year there is so much to do and explore at Universal. Keep reading to check out updates and my experience with the Velocicoaster, the Halloween Tribute Store, some passholder-exclusive eats and more.
We were most excited to answer what had been one of recent life’s biggest questions- is Velocicoaster worth the hype? Have to say… yes. It’s scary, and I can’t promise you won’t legitimately fear for your life as you struggle to determine whether you’re actually sliding out of your seat (no shoulder restrictions on this one, just a lap bar). I will note, though, that everything happens so fast and is so smooth that you can barely tell what’s happening until it’s over. I soothed my anxieties beforehand with reminders that if you feel like you’re going to lose your shit heading over the infamous top hat, it’s only ten seconds from launch to landing, so it’s over before you know it. I’d now venture to say, though, that the top hat is not the scariest part. This thing whips you all around and hangs you upside down. Your butt might be out of the seat for more total time that it’s in it. It’s a wild ride. BUT, the theming is immaculate and the train glides over the track so smoothly- we rode this a total of three times, and I have to say, it was more fun each time. DEFINITELY worth, also, trying to hop on at night. The lights are gorgeous, the rock work and foliage is gorgeous. It’s a must.
If you know me at all or have ever been to this site before, you know I was also excited for the snacks! We got to try a few annual passholder-exclusive snacks, for the annual passholder appreciation period running from August through September. This is almost over by now- I suck for not getting this up sooner. Feel free to agree in the comments.
We got to try at Louie’s in Universal Studios Florida the famed Halloween Horror Nights pizza fries. I’m not a pork fan, but my fiancé did agree with the masses that these are a worthwhile snack. At Louie’s I enjoyed a slice of veggie pizza, which was actually great despite the mushrooms that I chose to remove. I was able to snack on the plant-based counterpart, the pizza tots at Green Eggs & Ham in Islands of Adventure. These are a super decadent plant-based option, loaded with pepperoni, sausage, sauce and fake cheese. I definitely recommend trying and would get again if given the opportunity.
One sort of lackluster, in my opinion, passholder-exclusive was the strawberry lemon donut at Voodoo in CityWalk. It was certainly not gross by any stretch, it just wasn’t very special. The donut was good but the flavor wasn’t very apparent, making it a kind of normal donut.
I must say, due to YouTube hype I was expecting a lot from the tribute store. I wasn’t blown away by the theming in here to be honest, and it was really dark, crowded, and hard to move around in. I also wasn’t really interested in any of the merchandise. Perhaps controversial, but I do feel that most Halloween Horror Nights looks more like something I would have picked up from Hot Topic in 7th grade than something I’d wear now. I am also not at all an HHN (or haunted house in general) type of person, so I’m not the target demographic here. The treat stands were cute, though, and we did pick up some sweets. Jon got a layered jar cake which was delicious but SUPER rich (we were not able to finish the entire thing, even together). I got a sugar cookie dough bite, which was amazing. They look small, but are so sweet and rich that a few bites is actually plenty for one person. The best thing about the tribute store, I would say, is how cute and photogenic the treats are (in addition to being tasty). I am glad we got to see the tribute store, but I don’t think I would chose to see one version of it more than once, nor would I put it at the absolutely top of my must-dos in the parks.
I will definitely be putting more posts up detailing the other things we ate and what was worth it, so stay tuned for that! We’ve got another trip planned before the end of the year which includes Disney World, and we’ll finally get to set foot in Galaxy’s Edge. ⭐️
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