Jayson and I have made it our personal mission to take Noah to Universal Studios to see Jurassic Park in all its dino glory. ?
We eventually managed to save up and book plane tickets to Singapore for this summer, but I was ecstatic when Universal Studios Japan made it to our Japan itinerary as well! Not only does Noah get to see all the dinosaurs at the park, but I’ll be able to finally see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the first time—another dream come true for this Hufflepuff! ⚡
Day 2 of our trip was reserved solely for the theme park, and we got there around 9-ish to be able to make the most out of our stay. What we didn’t expect was how intense the crowds were, and how the lines grew at such lengths and speeds in just a few hours.
Noah, as always, made it difficult for Jayson and I to enjoy the park because of his incessant need to be on the stroller and get all warmed up. But as soon as the Jurassic Park arch came into view, he got off the stroller and headed towards the entrance.
Despite the long lines, the crowds, the chilly weather, and a potty accident, the kids and I managed to enjoy the rides we managed to wait in line for. We got on the:
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man (The Ride 4K3D)
- Jurassic Park – The Ride
- Hello Kitty’s Cupcake Dream
- Sesame’s Big Drive
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Holly’s the only one who got to ride)
As much as we wanted to try all of the exciting rides, the cold and the long lines made it too difficult to do so. In fact, I had to skip the long-awaited Harry Potter ride because of news that the boys were chilling already. ? Though it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience missed, I made sure to head back to Hogsmeade to grab my long-awaited souvenirs—goodies from Honey Dukes, keychains and a Hufflepuff bag tag from the Owl Post & Owlery, and two gorgeous notebooks from another shop nearby—before getting on the van bound for the hotel.
Universal Studios Japan was so much bigger and busier than I ever imagined it to be. It got to a point where I almost lost the fam for a while, and had to cross the park in hopes of spotting them amidst the throngs of visitors.
We sure missed out on quite a lot of rides, but the looks on the kids’ faces were enough to make us happy and content. One thing’s for sure though—the next time we visit, Jayson and I are gonna make sure it’ll be during the off-seasons; else, we bring food ? and entertainment ? while lining up.
[…] we got to visit the Fushimi Inari shrine, the Kiyomizu-dera Temple (a UNESCO world heritage site), Universal Studios Japan, and the infamous Mount Fuji, among many other places we were bound […]