Kwik-E-Mart

Location: Universal Studios Floria - World Expo

The Kwik-E-Mart is a must-see for Simpsons fans, whether you plan to make a purchase or just browse. You’ll find all the classic souvenir choices here such as hats, key chains, mugs, note pads, plush toys and books emblazoned with your favorite Simpsons characters. The walls and windows pay homage to the show as well with quirky ads and classic jokes.

For a souvenir you’ll get endless use out of, one of our particular favorites was the Homer ice cube tray which pops out 10 tiny Homer heads at a time ($14.95). For a more short-lived treat, grab a can of Duff energy drink (modeled after Homer’s favorite Duff beer) for $4.95 a can.

Amity Fried Chicken/Captain Quint's Boardwalk Snacks

Updated 1/3/2012 - This location is now CLOSED

Location: Universal Studios Florida - Amity

If you’re down for a dose of something sweet, fried or sinful, this quick food counters have just what you’re after. They don't count as full-fledged dining location on the park map, but you can't miss their colorful signs as you peruse the streets of Amity. At Amity Friend Chicken, you can grab a quick basket of the signature fried chicken for lunch or dinner on the go. If you’re after a snack instead, Captain Quint's Boardwalk Snacks serves up funnel cakes, cotton candy, milkshakes, ice cream and popcorn. For a really over-the-top treat, get ‘The Dig It’ – ice cream sprinkled with hot fudge, Reese’s pieces and whipped cream.

Amity Fried Chicken Menu
Fried Chicken Basket & Fries - $7.99
Fish & Chips - $7.99
Turkey Legs - $7.99

Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid Lemonade
Regular - $2.59
Large - $2.99
Fresh Lemonade - $3.50
Zephyrhills Bottled Spring Water - $2.75
Souvenir Cup - $6.99
Souvenir Cup Refill - $.79

Captain Quint's Boardwalk Snacks Menu
Funnel Cake - $4.99
- Add Strawberry, Apple or Chocolate Topping - $.79
Mega Funnel Cake Sundae (Apple or Strawberry) - $6.49
Cotton Candy - $2.69
Souvenir Popcorn Bucket - $4.59
Popcorn Refill - $1.99
Turkey Legs - $7.99
Cotton Candy - $2.69
Shakes - $5.79
Floats - $5.49
Soft Serve Waffle Cone - $4.59
Soft Serve Cup - $3.49
Waffle Sundae - $5.59
Sundae Cup - $5.59
The Dig It (ice cream w/Reese’s Pieces, hot fudge & whipped cream) - $5.59
- additional toppings - $.50

Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Barq's, Fanta, Minute Maid Lemonade
Regular - $2.59
Large - $2.99
Souvenir Cup - $6.99
Souvenir Cup Refill - $.79
Powerade - $2.89
Minute Maid Orange Juice - $1.99
Zephyrhills Bottled Spring Water - $2.75

Domestic Beer - $6.00
In Souvenir Pilsner - $8.00
Souvenir Refill - $6.00

Specialty Beer - $6.50
In Souvenir Pilsner - $8.50
Souvenir Refill - $6.50

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

Location: Universal Studios Florida – Production Central

Height Restriction: 51”

Age Appropriateness: Roller coaster fans tall enough to ride

Seat Type: Molded seats with lap bars; 2 per row, 12 per car; arranged as "stadium seating" so each row has the best view possible.

Ride Description:Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is Universal’s newest and most innovative roller coaster. Guests get to choose the soundtrack for their ride from 30 songs in five different genres. A variety of video cameras will then tape your ride for a one-of-a-kind souvenir to take with you. In addition to the 6 cameras on each car, there are also 8 cameras located along the track.

Once you’re seated in your car, you’ll have about 45 seconds to make your song selection before the ride begins. From that point on you’ll hear your chosen piece blasting at 90 decibels through the personal speakers situated on either side of your head. The ride only lasts about a minute and 45 seconds so you won’t hear the whole piece, but the clip used has been selected to best fit with the motion of the coaster. Though the track doesn’t make any full inversions, it does feature the world’s largest non-inverted loop that performs a kind of corkscrew that turns you about as close to upside-down as you can get without actually going over.

As you race through the façade of the fire house you’ll begin the “treble clef” maneuver, so named for its resemblance to this musical symbol when viewed from above. At its height, the ride reaches 65 mph, with an initial drop of 17 stories. The remainder of the coaster, however, slows several times between maneuvers. When your ride is over, you can head out to a personal kiosk to put together your music video.

Getting Ready: Pick out your song ahead of time to make sure you select the piece you want. There’s no time for browsing on board so be prepared.
Track Choices

CLASSIC ROCK/METAL
“Born to Be Wild” by Hinder
“Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence
“Gimme All You Lovin’” by ZZ Top
“Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue
“Paralyzer” by Finger Eleven

RAP/HIP-HOP
“Don’t Phunk With My Heart” by Black Eyed Pease
“Insane in the Brain” by Sypress Hill
“Pump It” by Black Eyes Peas
“Rock Star” by N.E.R.D.
“Sabotage” by Beastie Boys
“Stronger” by Kanye West

CLUB/ELECTRONICA
“Busy Child” by The Crystal Method
“Harder Better Faster Stronger” by Daft Punk
“Intergalictic” by Beastie Boys
“Keep Hope Alive” by The Crystal Method
“Le Disko” by Shiny Toy Guns
“Pump Up the Volume” by MARRS

POP/DISCO
“Bad Girls” by Donna Summer
:Glamorous” by Fergie
“Hella Good” by No Doubt
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
“That’s the Way (I Like It)” by KS and the Sunshine Band
“U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer

COUNTRY
“All Night Long” by Montgomery Gentry
“Guitars, Cadillacs” by Dwight Yoakam
“I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” by Jason Michael Carroll
“Living in Fast Forward” by Kenny Chesney
“Midnight Rider” by The Altman Brothers
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band

Worth the Wait: 30 to 45 minutes

Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue

Location: Universal Studios Florida – San Francisco

Height Restriction: None

Age Appropriateness: Any, however the show does contain mildly risque humor. Loud noises may startle or upset sensitive children

Seat Type: Bleachers

Show Description: Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue is a rock and roll stage show starring classic monsters. Beetlejuice is joined by Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and Wolfman as well as a couple ghoulish cheerleaders for a wild set of popular rock songs. The show combines short humorous bits with lots of live singing and dancing. Songs include “Let’s Get it Started,” “I Will Survive,” “Hey Ya,” “Your Shook Me All Night Long,” and many more. Lighting effects and pyrotechnics keep the show pumping.

Performers do come off the stage and walk between the rows, so you’ll have a chance to get up close and personal if you’re seated on the main floor, especially if you grab a seat along the isles or at the very back on the floor. The bleachers are only marginally farther from the stage, have a great view, and catch some refreshing breezes on hot summer days.

Getting Ready: If members of your party are sensitive to loud noises, consider getting some earplugs. Even the very back row of the bleachers will leave your ears ringing otherwise.

Worth the Wait: Seating begins about 15 minutes before the show. On busy days you’ll want to start hanging around 5 to 10 minutes before that to get a good spot. If there are still empty seats after the show begins, however, you may be able to come in during the performance. If you’re a fan of rock and roll, this show is definitely worth working into you day.

Barney's Backyard

Location: Universal Studios Florida – Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone

Height Restriction: None – Though some areas are for kids under 48”

Age Appropriateness:Toddlers to young children

Attraction Description: Barney’s Backyard is an indoor playland sorely neglected on park maps. You can get to it one of three ways: through The Barney Store, through an entrance to the left of the Barney Show entrance, or as you exit the Day in the Park with Barney Show. The playland closes each afternoon shortly after the last Barney show of the day is over.

This toddler-friendly playground has lots of places for kids to explore and interact, from stones on the ground that light up and make sound when you stand on them to giant windchimes you can ring. The treehouse setting also offers lots of chances to crawl, climb and slide. Some areas of the playland are designated for children 48” and under – making this a rare instance where being taller isn’t better. Barney appears in a fenced-in area off of the playland after each show for meet-and-greets.

Getting Ready: Park strollers outside in the designated stroller parking area. Lugging them in will just clutter the play space.

Worth the Wait: There’s no wait to enter the playland, but it will be noticeably busier just after a show lets out.

A Day in the Park with Barney

Location: Universal Studios Florida – Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone

Height Restriction:None

Age Appropriateness:Infants to young children

Seat Type: Benches

Show Description: A Day in the Park with Barney is a 20-minute sing-along kids’ show featuring the beloved purple dinosaur, Barney, along with his friends Baby Bop and B.J. A brief pre-show takes place in the waiting area outside the theater with Barney’s friend Mr. Peek-A-Boo. The doors to the theater are on the far side of the pre-show area behind the waterfall. If you want to be one of the first to get in, hang out near the doors. If you want to get wet during the preshow, hang back and line your party up with the red-shuttered window on the pre-show set.

The Barney theater is cool and comfortable with a ring of benches surrounding the main stage. The walls are painted to look like a pleasant outdoor park. Guests are asked to use their imagination to bring Barney to life. The lights are turned off with the exception of a few sparkling pin lights around the room, and when they come back up Barney is standing in the center of the stage.

Throughout the show children are encouraged to sing and dance along with several classic Barney songs including “Mr. Knickerbocker,” “If All the Raindrops,” “Down on Grandpa’s Farm,” and of course the “I Love You” theme song. Special effects throughout the show include falling leaves, snow, misty raindrops and shooting streamers.

After the show, guests exit through Barney’s Backyard play land and have an opportunity to get their picture taken with Barney himself.

Getting Ready: Get your toddlers acquainted with Barney in the months leading up to your vacation and they’ll arrive with all the songs and dances fresh in their minds so they can sing along. Try the Sing and Dance with Barney DVD, which features the same music you'll find in the show.

Worth the Wait: Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before show time to make sure you get a seat. The doors close as soon as the show starts so late arrivals will have to wait until the next showing.

Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show

Location: Universal Studios Florida - Hollywood

Height Restriction: None

Age Appropriateness: Any

Seat Type: Theater

Attraction Description: Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show is a 25 minute comedy show that demonstrates how horror film special effects are done. The title of the show may have the faint of heart concerned, but this performance is quirky, entertaining and very light on any actual gore. As you wait in the lobby you can get a feel for what the show is all about as you browse memorabilia from classic horror films and some insider peeks at how the effects were created.

When the show begins, the show’s make up artist enters the theater with great fanfare and over-acting while sporting a fake stake through his chest – the outrageousness of his reactions quickly dispelling any real scariness in the bit. As the show progresses, you’re shown a short clip of scenes from various horror movies. If you have very sensitive children you could shield their eyes from this, but the clips pass by so quickly you can barely register most of them.

After the video clip, your hosts will choose a volunteer from the audience. If you don’t want to be picked, raise your hand and look them straight in the eye. Without fail they will choose a timid looking women who has “don’t pick me” written all over her face. The only part of the show that may make some people squirm is a bit where the hosts attempt to cut off the volunteer’s arm. The trick knife appears to penetrate her skin and fake blood pours out. However, the reality of the effect is soon reveled and the audience gets to see exactly how the prop knife works.

More comedy ensues as the show host and makeup artist banter over various special effects. Guests in the front few rows may get a little wet, so aim for the back of the theater if you’re set on staying dry. You’ll see a second video clip featuring classic horror films in black and white with effects so outdated most children today would find the idea of them being “scary” as completely laughable.

One of the highlights of the show is a demonstration of how some of the effects for “American Werewolf in Paris” were created (accompanied by one more short film clip). A special effects figure operated by air pressure is unveiled and the transformation of the face is demonstrated several times.

After this last bit, the “lucky” volunteer will be brought up once again for the show’s finale. The curtain on the left side of the stage, previously alluded to in many bits, is pulled back to reveal a giant monster. The volunteer is dressed in a vest, gloves and helmet which she’s told will track her movements and cause the monster to mimic them accordingly.

*SPOILER* Though you’ll probably see this last trick coming a mile away, as soon as the volunteer poses for a picture in front of the monster, it comes to life and chases her across the stage before turning its attention on the makeup artist who leads it through a door at the back of the stage. The only other appearance of fake blood in the entire show occurs when he slaps his hand against the window as the creature is, we presume, mauling him backstage. He soon returns in one piece, however, and the show concludes.

Getting Ready: If you don’t want to get sprayed with water, sit toward the back of the audience. Small children may find the left side of the theater (your left if you’re facing the stage) a little less intense because the monster runs to the right. Remember to enthusiastically volunteer if you don’t want to get picked.

Worth the Wait: Check show times beforehand, and plan to get to the theater 10 to 15 minutes early. Doors open about 10 minutes before the show and close at show time. You’ll generally be able to get a seat if you arrive anywhere in that window. The busiest show is the first one after lunch (look for a significant break period in the show schedule to pinpoint lunch) but the attraction rarely fills up completely.

KidZone Pizza Company

Location: Universal Studios Florida - Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone

The KidZone Pizza Company is an outdoor counter service restaurant specializing in quick and easy bites to eat. There are a few tables outside where you can sit with your food, but you may need to perch on a bench instead if you’re visiting during a busy season. This is a good stop if the kids are famished and you just don’t want to take time out for anything more complicated. If you want a calm, cool family meal, however, you’re better off heading for an indoor restaurant instead. The KidZone Pizza Company isn’t always open so don’t plan on absolutely promising anyone pizza here until you’ve gotten a glimpse of it.

Chicken Fingers and Fries - $8.29

Pepperoni Pizza - $7.29
Cheese Pizza - $6.99
Chef Salad - $8.49
Fruit Cup - $3.39

Beverages: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Hi-C
Regular - $2.69
Large - $2.99
Souvenir Cup - $8.99
Souvenir Cup Refills - $.99

Tropical Cooler (Strawberry, Tangerine, Pina Colada, Blue Raspberry) - $3.75

** Menus and pricing are subject to change at any time **

How to Survive Theme Parks in Summer

The long lines, blistering heat and oppressive humidity can make a summer theme park vacation seem more like cruel torture than thrilling fun. However, school calendars typically dictate the best time to get out of town and for many on a traditional schedule, this is it. To protect yourself from exhaustion, sunburn and massive family feuds brought on by sweaty irritability, consider these handy tips.

Pack a Water Bottle

You absolutely must stay hydrated in the summer weather. With bottled water running you $2.75 a piece, you may be tempted to skimp on this necessity. To save your wallet and your health, take a reusable water bottle along and fill it up at water fountains throughout the day. If you need something a little colder, you can grab a cup (not bottle) of water at any counter service restaurant for free. Plus, when you don’t pay for the water, you won’t have to feel guilty if you pour half of it down your back instead of drinking it.

Slather on Sunscreen

You’ve probably heard this a hundred times but it’s worth repeating. Wear sunscreen. Reapply every few hours. Even if you mow the lawn and go to softball games sans sun protection all the time at home and never burn, you should put on sunscreen here. Florida is different. The sun’s rays are much harsher, and the effect of standing outside for what literally adds up to about 12 hours a day for some visitors can be devastating. You really, really, really don’t want a sunburn on vacation, no matter how much of a hassle it seems like to slather up several times a day.

Prepare to Get Wet
At some point during your summer theme park vacation you will find yourself overtaken with the urge to get completely drenched. Whether you plan to race down Ripsaw Falls, frolic in Curious George’s play land or just stand in the mister fan for an inordinately long amount of time, you should be ready for the consequences. Do not wear white or khaki unless you’re ok with sharing what you’re wearing underneath it. Keep your cell phone, camera and other electronics in a locker or in a sealed zip top bag. Have some hair ties and bobby pins on hand for the disaster that can strike when you combine damp hair, heat and humidity.

Get the Proper Headgear

Sunglasses are indispensible in the bright summer sun. If you wear glasses, invest in a cheap pair of clip-on sunglasses that fit over your frames. A comfortable hat is great for keeping your face, neck and head out of the sun. I know some people can’t stand hats (in which case, apply sunscreen to the part in your hair. Seriously.) but if you know how to rock a baseball cap, it’ll keep some of those glaring rays away.

Don’t Wear Black
You’re at a theme park, not a trendy club. Whatever you do, don’t decide that wearing black all day will be the perfect slimming option for all your vacay pics. It will just draw the sun and heat to you like a magnet. Being sweaty, flushed, hot and uncomfortable is not sexy, even if your fitted black tee is. So lighten up your wardrobe and save the darker hues for an evening out if you must have them at all.