Tuesday, April 26th: Universal Studios (well, for the most part)
Our plan was to get to the park gates as close to the 9 am opening time as possible. Early mornings aren’t Jake’s idea of a good time but knowing how thin the crowds can be early in the day is enough to motivate him to rise and shine. We were awake, showered, and on the road early enough that we even had time to stop for breakfast at IHOP
.
Steve and I first tried IHOP on our May 2015 couples trip, and it was an instant love affair…..when Steve closes his eyes and envisions the perfect breakfast, a plate of IHOP’s steak and eggs comes instantly to mind. We went again in October 2015 (also sans Jake) but somehow missed dining here on our Christmas trip when we travelled as a threesome. This, then, was Jake’s first introduction to the infamous International House of Pancakes.
Not a lot of early(ish) birds that morning. We are used to the place being packed when we are there, but this morning, we were one of only a handful of guests.
‘George’ was our server that morning….an affable younger fellow who was very friendly and terribly eager to please. He was quick to bring us all a round of beverages (white milk for me, chocolate milk for Jake, and fresh Florida OJ for Steve) and to collect our breakfast orders. We have always found the kitchen at this location (in Lake Buena Vista, just adjacent to the Disney Springs entrance) exceptionally efficient and today was no exception: we had food in front of us within about 15 minutes from the time George submitted our entrée selections
.
Every time we visit, Steve pours over the menu as if he’s trying to determine what to choose…..but he orders the exact same item every single time
. Today was no exception: it was steak tips and eggs for my big guy, with a side of fluffy pancakes.
Jake was all about the omelets: he opted for a make-your-own creation loaded with a bunch of meats (bacon, sausage and ham) and topped off with a thick slice of pepper jack cheese and a healthy plate of hash browns on the side. This was taken while it was still a thing of beauty, before he smothered it all in hot sauce
….his favourite topping of all time.
My stomach was having a bit of trouble waking up again, so I stuck to chocolate chip pancakes. Simple, yet beautiful…..and oh-so-fluffy. There’s a reason why they became famous for their pancakes
. So good (especially when topped with all their fun syrups….though traditional is still my all-time favourite…..I’m a traditionalist at heart).
George took great care of us throughout our breakfast, and we literally wanted for nothing throughout the whole meal. Knowing we had a full park day on deck, we summoned him for the bill as soon as we were finished, covered the charges ($42.51 including tax, excluding tip) and hopped in the car and headed straight to Universal.
Oh, what a day!! Sunny, warm, low humidity and the most gentle of breezes. If we were to have ordered the perfect weather for a park day, this is exactly what we would have asked for. Simply Gorgeous with a capital G
.
The park had just nicely opened as we approached the turnstiles. Lines were minimal and we were through quickly: Steve and I with our annual passes and Jake with his 3-day park-to-park ticket. In the words of Ned Flanders….
Hi-Diddly-Ho! Springfield would be our first stop for my Simpsons-lovin’ boy (who had not yet seen the expanded Simpsons area since the expansion was unveiled in 2013 and was anxious to check out all the newest additions)….but first, look who was greeting guests outside her new store, just inside the park entrance?
Hello Kitty was a brand new character in the park, even since our last very brief visit over Christmas week. She was one of my must-do’s at Universal this trip…..y’all know how much I enjoy character meets!
....and to stumble upon her so effortlessly and right off the bat was absolutely pure luck on our part. Nary a soul was around her (save for her handler and a Photoconnect photographer) so we all gladly got in for a picture with Universal’s newest star.
Why folks on these boards complain about her costume, I have no idea…..we thought she was adorable and very well done. It was a great way to kick off our day and we were all in high spirits as we headed off through Hollywood.
More Universal coming up next.