 Hey friends today, we are hanging out at Universal Studios Orlando And this is the first time I've been back in the park for the year 2022 So I wanted to come out and ride some rides eat some food show you guys some of the things I'm excited for here in the new year and just have an amazing Universal Studios kind of day any hoos Let's go do this We're gonna start off our day here at islands of adventure because we have reservations at the recently awarded World's best theme park restaurant, and then we're gonna hop over to Universal Studios side a little bit later on Another year has closed and mythos have been awarded the world's best theme park restaurant again From theme park insider now This is 10 years that they actually won this award and I have eaten here before So I wanted to come out and see if it actually holds up to that title and try some new things instead of the things I've gotten before and Yeah, just enjoy a nice little lunch Starting off the year 2022. There's a lot of attractions That's gonna be closing and some of them are closing for good at the Universal Studios Orlando resort over here at islands of adventure The Kara Susul is actually still down and I think that's the only thing that's closed on this side a couple over on Universal Side that we'll talk about a little bit later on Recently Universal Studios started requiring guests actually wear face coverings indoors and at all attractions again They went away from it a little bit But because of the rise in cases and decided to actually bring it back So because I'm wearing my Roosevelt Jurassic Park shirt I decided to get the mask that actually mass like matches it either I Feel kind of fancy Perfect Let's take a look at the wait times as Hulk blast off there and it looks like it's not a busy day at all I seen Hagrid's was 85 minutes Jurassic Park 20 minutes The Hogwarts Express 45 minutes and Velocicoaster is only 35 minutes. That's pretty amazing It's fun to see Hagrid still have a higher wait time to Velocicoaster I think that has more to do with the loading and unloading process because Velocicoaster is very quick and efficient And I think it's more of the popular attraction I mean Hagrid's is like a very popular attraction But I think a lot of people go to Velocicoaster before Hagrid's and it's still a lower wait time In fact, I think that's what we're gonna do We're gonna make our way right up there to Velocicoaster or Hagrid's or I wouldn't mind riding forbidden journey today I love coming to Universal and just riding rides I just can't show a lot of them on camera But I do have some stock footage that I can show some of the rides like ride POVs and that way you can at least see What we're riding It's a smart move to ride some of the thrill rides before you actually go eat You know what I mean you don't want to go ride thrill rides after you have lunch and I'm excited to admit those last time I had their signature lamb burger and their beef medallions and it was phenomenal And I really did like the food, but this time I want to try maybe some different items. I Love walking past Dudley Dew Wright and smelling the water It is such a great smell and it's a fun ride too, but I don't want to get wet today Now I started thinking since we're walking through Jurassic Park and I'm wearing my Jurassic Park shirt Maybe we should stop and see blue She's probably out meeting and greeting and the line shouldn't be that long and I think she's actually on my shirt right here Look at that It sounds like she's out at the moment and it's a 25 minute wait time. I think we're gonna do it We're going in Right now over in Disney they don't require you to wear any mask and any outdoor attractions But here Universal every attraction in every single queue even though we're gonna go meet blue and she's outside We still need to wear a mask while we are in the queue I Was next in line and blue actually had to take a break They said she had to go take a break and go eat a child. They said that actually so I'm next in line And they also told me that when I get up there when you get your photo you can take your mask off So wear your mask while you're right here in the queue and then you don't have to wear your mask when you're taking your photo there Hi guys in just a few minutes You're gonna be coming face to face with Bravo our two-year-old female raptor If you have any meat in your bag or backpack Now is the time to get rid of it by giving it to the most annoying family member of your group or party If you're a parent of multiple children go ahead take the time to sign which one is your favorite That's the one you want to hold the tightest if the raptor starts attacking I Extreme caution when we go to meet the raptor we're gonna put our backs towards the wall stand right on this line She is gonna see direct eye contact as a form of aggression also, please no touching She will see that as a form of aggression as well and any basic talking or breathing She is gonna see as a sign of aggression Bravo Nice! You're gonna go right on this black and yellow line all alone. All alone. What a coincidence. I'm all alone as well Oh, what a coincidence Oh, I do have to stay three feet away from you though. I have to stay three feet I was excited to see blue She's the worst Turn around you can say goodbye This is why everyone wants to meet the baby raptor. The baby. Thank you Well, we didn't get to meet blue, but we did get to meet Bravo, and it was fun. I love it It's such a cool experience There were some kids actually in line crying like to meet blue and I would love that for me growing up Like if I was able to like have a frightening experience and remember it and then being like I can't believe I was so afraid then I think that's something like that's a memory. You know, I feel like that's the same thing for like Jaws and King Kong We're gonna jump from Jurassic Park over to Hogsmeade It's funny because you can still hear like the Jurassic Park music as you're walking into Hogsmeade and Then you just get around the corner here and you have like that big beautiful Grand review review grand reveal of the Hogwarts castle, and I just love it every time I come over here Look at that Since we're over here though, I think we're gonna go ride Hagrid's I love it I love Hagrid's is one of my all-time favorite rides And I even like Hagrid's a little bit more than Velocicoaster mainly because of the theming the theming on Hagrid's is so Cool Velocicoaster is like 100% like in the best thrill ride, but I like Hagrid's a little better Maybe because I'm Harry Potter fanatic Shockingly it's only a 65 minute wait before when we got on the park it was 85 minutes So we definitely saved some time by taking our time to get over here now We just have to navigate through here enough to Bob and weave Bob and weave in between in between to the right to the left I'm gonna have to put the camera along with everything in my pocket and a locker now because you can't film on the ride But like I said, I do have some POV footage that a friend lets me use so I can show you and you guys can see What it's like to ride Hagrid's and I'm gonna go ride it right now Don't worry Oh Amazing I love Hagrid's but I do want to point out something and I always fall victim to this usually I put the camera and everything in my Pockets inside the locker and I always forget about my hat now when you get up there They make you actually take your hat off There's no way to put it on bald and they make you stuff it in your shirt So like this bulky hat I had to like stuff into my shirt I was riding like this like it was it was very uncomfortable So if you're aware hat make sure you leave it in the locker because they will not let you actually wear it Why you ride even if it doesn't fall off? One of the things I'm excited for hopefully in the new year is Poseidon's fury to reopen. Hi. How are you? Oh, I see it now, I just discovered it What's your book is that one of the dummy books oh Nice look at that perfect everything you need to know right there How awesome were those hairlers and there's no set date for Poseidon's fury to actually reopen but I'm hoping that it'll open soon I want to see everything open. It's not so much like I want to go do the attraction I just want to see everything being open in the parks. That's what I'm looking forward to most for 2022 And now it is officially time for dinner at the world's best theme park restaurant I am so excited. Look, it's even got the banner right there and this banner has been here forever Awarded world's best theme park restaurant by theme park insider and we're gonna give you all the information about theme park insider when we get inside Our table is ready and now I want to show you the inside of the restaurant because it is a beautiful restaurant This restaurant is so beautiful and it is voted the world's best theme park restaurant But I could tell you I really believe it's probably one of the nicest looking restaurants It is absolutely amazing in here Everything is just full of detail from the chairs to the boots to the waterfalls And then they even have an outdoor seating area that is remarkable. You see you see right here. I Wanted to sit outside so I can stare at like the roller coasters because it's a beautiful day out But I think they stopped serving out there So right now we're right next to the window. So it's actually really nicely lit in here and I think we're gonna look over the menu Let's take a look at the menu here and I have to say the price point is so really amazing It's a very affordable restaurant for being in a theme park and they've got some good starters They've got a Mediterranean grilled octopus, which I think I'm gonna actually try I'm gonna be a little adventurous They've got calamari grilled lamb meatballs lemon hummus and then for entrees Basically every entrees in the $20 price range some of them are a little bit over I think the highest of the most expensive entrees is the braised lamb shank for $30 So that is very affordable and they have a brick oven roasted chicken. They've got a spinach and ricotta Ravioli, they've got a 12 ounce bone-in pork chop and some Pad Thai Last time I was here. I got the beef medallions and that's $26 this time I think I'm gonna go all in on the 12 ounce bone-in pork chop Earlier I was talking about how it's an award-winning restaurant And it's one best theme park restaurant in the world by theme park insider And I actually looked up theme park insider and it's a real like vlog and they do vote for things So it is the winner this year and it has won ten times ten times now This is just one like award from one single place, but it's still kind of a cool thing to say And here is our Mediterranean grilled octopus. Look at this. It is a citrus charred octopus Roasted corn a olive relish and a garlic lime aioli and look at that I mean, this is a big big tentacle It actually comes all the way down here and I can smell the char on there Like I can really really smell the char from here and I'm excited to dive in it looks so so good I'm excited for this. I think we'll start right over here Get a nice little cut perfect Here we go. I got a little bit of that aioli on there and now I'm gonna try it. That is amazing Like no lie. That is amazing Who would have known? The strongest things I can taste is a citrus charred like I can really taste like that char and the citrus And it actually all hits you really good and the texture is phenomenal This is such a good Starter and I've only had octopus maybe twice and this is the best octopus I've ever had like I would order this again any time and now I'm excited to try more octopus You know what I mean? This kind of set us a high standard or it raised the bar on octopus for me. I Am still really shocked at how amazing this octopus is and now I got to grab some of this corn on there Yeah, I gotta get a little bit of the corn got a little bit of the aioli a little bit of everything right there And now it's time for the main course here is the 12 ounce bone-in pork chop And it comes with a blue cheese cranberry crust lemon garlic fingerling potatoes a corn succotash and an apple Brandy reduction and I'm excited to try the apple brandy reduction that looks so so good and the succotash looks pretty well The portion size is good. I mean, this is this looks very really fancy. I'm excited to try it This is something I haven't tried before we're gonna cut right on in here and Grab ourselves a nice piece Yeah, look at that. Oh Can you see the steam coming off of it that looks so so good I Got lots of the apple Brandy reduction on there because I love pork chops and applesauce. So this is gonna be good. I'm excited to try it Wow The pork chop itself is phenomenal It is so so good and the best meat is when you get it close to the bone And now I want to try a little bit of the succotash get a little of this succotash on there Now this is a big deciding factor because I believe in Disney or in another theme park This would cost probably $50 $50 for this here. It is $26 $26 and it is so good So when you're paying when you're paying a lot of money for food, your expectation is really high $26 is not that bad and My expectation is like higher because it is good. You know what I mean? Like it's it's good food good price I like it Now I'm at the point where I'm just picking up the bone and just eating right off of it And it's a good portion size I still can't get over that it's $26 And there we have it a nice successful lunch and it was delicious. It was great Now do I think it's the best theme park restaurant in the world? No I don't think it's the best theme park restaurant in the world, but I can say this I think it is the best theme park Restaurant in Universal Studios. I think that the amazing food atmosphere and just the decor inside Is really really breathtaking but the prices is what makes it so so good You have like this amazing restaurant with low cost and you won't leave disappointed You won't have that buyer's regret because like if you spend a lot of money you judge your food a lot more here It kind of takes that away a little bit like I said most of the food items in there at Disney would cost like $50 So you definitely have like that feeling like oh well, this is affordable and it's good and I kind of like that I like it a lot Now we're gonna actually head on over to Universal Studios It is just about four o'clock and my express pass should start working now And we're gonna be able to take the Hogwarts Express over to Universal Studios. There's two ways You can you know park hop you take the Hogwarts Express which is over here It's kind of like an attraction. In fact, it is an attraction or you can walk over. I think I'd rather ride the Hogwarts Express Hogs me to London's Kings Cross station and like I said, we get to use the express because I am a Premier Universal Orlando annual pass holder. So lucky me, but the wait time is only 25 minutes anyway And there's the Hogwarts Express now pulling in next stop Kings Cross There we go. This will take us right on over to Universal Studios. Now look inside the cabins there. There we go Gonna put my hat up here. Yeah, we go And we made it And now we are in Universal Studios It took a little bit for us to get from islands to Universal with the Hogwarts Express Your best bet is always to walk that it's gonna be the fastest and I don't film on Hogwarts Express and this time I really didn't want to film because you're inside a cabin with like another family So you don't want to be like just like, you know recording everything especially with them in there And now we're gonna explore around Universal Studios The parks look like they're closing early in the month of January It looks like it's seven o'clock for here and islands of adventure And I just think closing a theme park at seven o'clock really doesn't make much sense Like people will probably hang out here until one in the morning if you'd let them Earlier in the video I was talking about attractions actually closing and over on universal side Shrek 4d is actually closing down for good. I think that's happening just in a couple days And the mummy is currently closed right now for a long refurbishment Like I don't think it's coming back until summer So if you plan on coming to universal 2022 and you like to ride the mummy If it's anytime before summer it's not going to be open As you can see the walls are up and it is all currently closed Revenge of the mummy is currently closed for scheduled maintenance reopening late summer 2022 I like how they have all the mummy like old school posters here 1940 1954 for the creature from the black lagoon 2008 for the mummy Like this is really awesome that they actually keep the outside themed a little bit, but I do miss that ride It was one of my favorites. So hopefully they don't change it too much. I kind of would like it to stay the same way Another awesome thing that we can look forward to here at universal studios for 2022 is more tribute stores Right here. I think 2021 was the best year with tribute stores And I loved every single one of them. So I'm excited to see what new stores are going to be in 2022 I'm also excited for all the seasonal offerings for 2022 halloween horror nights, of course moddy gras There's a lot to actually come. I think moddy gras starts uh, February 5th Maybe here. I'm not too sure but it's always a good time Like that's one of my favorite things and hopefully that gets back in full scale Like the parade floats and the bead tossing I'd be so happy if that's the case And like I said before Shrek 4d is going to be closing down soon and there's a lot of upset people about it There's some hardcore shrek fans out there I'll tell you that like some people that are dedicated to shrek and uh, yeah, they're gonna be sad when it happens Well speaking about one of those hardcore shrek fans You're very sad Yep, look at you. You're coming to say goodbye. Yeah, I did a little early, but This is my friend Vincent vision Yeah, are you so excited? What are you making all shrek video all shrek video? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I still like it I thought maybe you were a part of the parade the five o'clock parade Yeah, you you could be Nice Well, I'm excited to see the video. I'm gonna be pumped. I'll be fine. So sad to say goodbye shrek Vincent is dedicated. Wow. I can't even believe it now since we kind of met shrek. I think we'll go meet donkey Hello donkey Hello there, sir. Hello. How are you? I just seen a shrek impersonator. Oh, you better stop it. Yes. I know I've seen this guy Did you see him? Yes, I think he's been over here a while I think he's been doing a good job too. Yeah, he looks pretty good officially our attraction closes sunday Oh, yes I wish I would have known I would have loved to be a donkey impersonator. Oh my goodness I think I could have done it That would have been green. I could have done it. I feel you could have talked for hours And we look you like each other kind of and yeah, we we would yeah, we do Oh, we'll play the waffles and then just sit down and chili jack. I love waffles. Oh, no That's crazy. I love waffles. The odds indeed What do you like on your waffles? Uh, I like syrup and strawberries You ever throw a blueberry in there? Oh, no, maybe maybe I should do that little blueberry waffles Slice the banana just just put that right in the spot. Wow. Just tell you well now. I know now I know When you when you want to just you know feel froggy feel froggy or donkey. Yeah, when I want to feel donkey Exactly Well, thank you donkey. Have fun. See you See you all later Donkey is so fun And I love the fact that we've been actually seeing a lot of characters here at universal studios We saw bravo over at island adventure. We saw donkey here. We've seen vincent We've seen vincent's version of shrek and now I think we're gonna do something a little bit scarier And uh, have a meet and greet with megatron Uh-oh salmi alarms megatron is on his way I Oh my turn I just want a photo of megatron if I could just like of you You're a very posable character. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Have a great day, sir Okay, then Megatron is intimidating like he really is he's a scary scary character I'm sure more people are afraid of megatron or more kids are afraid of megatron than they are bravo or blue I would think so. I mean megatron just looks like something that could be in your nightmares It also looks like it's just about time for the five o'clock superstar parade So I think we'll find a spot and watch it. It comes out right here In fact, I could see the superstar float like kind of hanging out behind the door there. So any second now I definitely want to grab a butterbeer before we leave universal studios And I kind of found a good spot to watch the superstar parade right here It's actually not formally a spot, but it will be a spot very soon All of the parades come out here in hollywood and then they close down the road And then it actually goes all the way around and then to the front of the park So if you stand right here in the middle of the road Eventually, they're going to take this rope and bring it right across and you're going to have front row viewing So you just got to come here just a couple minutes early and buttering butter boom Come Spongebob and Squidward Yes, Spongebob was a nice little parade. I love seeing Spongebob going about in his boat And also the minions not the biggest minions fan though I have to tell you but I do love Spongebob and it was a nice little five o'clock parade, you know Up next I think we're going to head on over and we got to do et I love et And it's probably my favorite attraction at universal studios. I really love it. It's a classic and uh I love the smell of it. So I think we're definitely going to go ride it express pass it up Probably don't have to wait at all The mystery the suspense the adventure et adventure Even though this attraction is a very old attraction It still has one of the best cues out of any theme park ride It is so immersive once the adventure begins I love it and I and I like I said the smell is iconic I Look at how awesome this is we're in a queue right now waiting to actually go on a ride and it's like we're in the forest Always just gives me the cool vibes like I love it gives me such a great feeling being here and riding that The sun is starting to set and it's the golden hour and it makes everything look like kind of Amazing look at lard lad donuts right here the way the sun is actually hitting the donut. I love it. I think that is so cool Seriously look at it doesn't it look so pretty I love it. I wish I could sit up there inside the donut kind of like iron man dead. That'd be very very cool That'd be a good photo I think we're just going to keep moving right through spring field So that way we can actually make it over to dog and ollie to get ourselves a butter beer And maybe catch a butter beer in a sunset together. I think that would be really nice Butter beer is on a sunset sounds poetic Seriously, look at how beautiful it is out right now Oh, I love it sometimes you just got to stop and take in your surroundings because it is just so amazing Every couple months. I actually have a phase where I start rewatching all the harry potters And actually I'd say there's like every couple months like right now I am on I think godlet of fire, which is one of my favorite of all the harry potter movies And uh now it gets me more excited to actually come home and like watch more Time to head on in and get ourselves our butter beer. So we're going in Looks like hot butter beer is still on the menu and that is my favorite So we're going to get ourselves a hot butter beer and uh just enjoy hanging out That first sip of butter beer moment here It is so amazing. It is so good hot butter beer I used to not be a fan But ever since the Orlando informer where you will get like endless amounts of butter beer Like you can drink as much butter beer as you want when you buy a ticket to the Orlando informer And ever since then I have just loved hot butter beer Well, this is a really awesome story I was standing here actually trying to wait to see if I can catch the dragon breathe fire And somebody came up and kind of like shoulder checked me and I ended up like Spilling a lot of my hot butter beer and a tm actually gave me another butter beer Isn't that the coolest thing ever? I was like, oh, well, thank you So a little magic here in the wizarding world of harry potter and I like it So now we actually just get to sit here watch the sunset happen and enjoy a hot butter beer So beautiful out these are the moments I just love Just sitting here and relaxing enjoying universal studios during the sunset And I guess with that we're gonna call it a day I had a lot of fun hanging out here mythos was really really good We got to see a lot of awesome characters And I just had a lovely universal studios day a great way to kick off 2022 I'm gonna be here like probably next month. I come out to universal. I would say Once a month I would say sometimes two or three times But uh, yeah, I hope you enjoyed the video. I enjoyed making it There's a helicopter flying over us. We'll see you next time Bye