So I took the 4 year old...

[BamaBullets]

Well he is only 2 months from being 5, but he is 4 none the less. He rode everything he could ride except Rip Saw Falls, Jurassic and T2 (T2 was my choice for him not to do). He had a blast. Loved everything, even though Spiderman gave him a little scare for some reason. It is even more strange since he loved Transformers. That being said, he is the absolutely youngest age I would take. There was only 6 rides, that I can think of off the top of my head, that he couldn't do.

Now since I haven't visited since you parked where City Walk now stands, I have a few notes and observations:

Change the name of the Jaws and Kong parking and pump some music in there. Every other section seemed to have music but those two.

Citywalk: Cool Place. Nice atmosphere and looks like it could be a lot of fun, especially back in my college days. That being said, not much to do family wise except eat and shop. I think they need to build a way to go around the place. Not only do you have to hike a mile from the parking garage to the parks, I feel like I am being forced through a gift shop before I even get to ride.

Island of Adventures: Don't laugh at this statement, but Seuss Landing has got to be one of the best themed lands in all theme parks. From beginning to end it is just like it should be. I will give you that there is not a lot to do and I am sure those of you that don't have kids, just skip over it. Yes, WWOHP is also one of the best themed lands I have seen as well. It just needs to be opened up. It is way to crowded, but it was awesome as well. I would say WWOHP is possibly better themed than Seuss Landing, but Seuss Landing has been around longer and I have a four year old, so it wins.

TO BE CONTINUED..

 

[AndyP]

Great write up.

I'd agree Seuss is very well themed and my wife and I (no kids) often take our time wandering through this bit because it's SO good. Seuss's trolley ride is also a cool, chill-out tame wee ride just right when you want some air.

WWOHP is ridiculously tight. When it's mobbed it's actually difficult to appreciate just how good it is, because it's so cramped. From the overhead pics, it looks like Part II is not going to be that much better.

 

[Frogki]

That's great - glad your son had a good time, and I'm glad that you had a good time as well.
Personally, Suess Landing is one of the areas I like to just hang out in. It has a good thing going for it, and the attractions it does feature are some of the best. I understand where you're coming from about the WWoHP, but that is as big as it's gonna get. It was one of J.K. Rowling's points because she wanted it to feel like an authentic Scottish village. I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone here when I say the near-suffocating crowds the shops experience sometimes really make us wish they were bigger, but it was just one of those things with Rowling. Suess Landing is, as you say - a great area for kids. I also think it's an area that relies less on attraction thrills and more on exploration of the area.

 

[JungleSkip]

Don't laugh at this statement, but Seuss Landing has got to be one of the best themed lands in all theme parks.

It totally is.

 

[IzzyB]

I am so glad you got to go and that you and your son enjoyed it. I also like Seuss landing, it is a cool area and now with kids I enjoy it even more. My daughter is hysterical on the carousel. With them being different characters than a normal carousel she just seems to laugh the entire time.

 

[BamaBullets]

I am so glad you got to go and that you and your son enjoyed it. I also like Seuss landing, it is a cool area and now with kids I enjoy it even more. My daughter is hysterical on the carousel. With them being different characters than a normal carousel she just seems to laugh the entire time.

Speaking of the carousel, it gave me one of my favorite pictures of the trip...

 

[Miketheboss]

^^^^^Awwwwwww. Great pic. A kid having fun in Uni. Awesome.

Sorry, couldn't help but lol at the girl on the back right.

 

[canobie#1]

So awesome he enjoyed it!

I agree there needs to be more to do for families in city walk. I don't like how the clubs are so close to everything. I have had plenty experiences there with drunks.

 

[King_K.]

Be sure to post that picture on Universal's Facebook wall. They love seeing them.

 

[BamaToTheBone]

Nice to see a fellow Bama boy enjoying the parks. I'll be going next summer for my 10th visit to Universal. My kids have gone from age 6 months on up, although we have a simple rule. If they're tall enough to ride a ride, they're going to ride it once. If they hate it, they don't have to ride it again for the remainder of the trip. If it's a somewhat intense one, I make sure to explain to them everything that will happen on the ride in extreme detail so they're not surprised by anything. I've been very surprised at how much they've loved even the most intense rides that Universal has to offer.

Speaking of the carousel, it gave me one of my favorite pictures of the trip...

 

[IzzyB]

Speaking of the carousel, it gave me one of my favorite pictures of the trip...

Such a good picture. You can tell how much fun your son was having!

 

[Teebin]

Thanks for following up with us! I really appreciate hearing how the recommendations worked for you. Really smart move with T2, I promise.

 

[middle earthling]

I'll be taking my daughter who is also 4 to Universal in two weeks. Thanks for posting. I feel a lot better about it now.

 

[BamaBullets]

^^^^^Awwwwwww. Great pic. A kid having fun in Uni. Awesome.

Thanks, he is a ham!!

Nice to see a fellow Bama boy enjoying the parks. I'll be going next summer for my 10th visit to Universal. My kids have gone from age 6 months on up, although we have a simple rule. If they're tall enough to ride a ride, they're going to ride it once. If they hate it, they don't have to ride it again for the remainder of the trip. If it's a somewhat intense one, I make sure to explain to them everything that will happen on the ride in extreme detail so they're not surprised by anything. I've been very surprised at how much they've loved even the most intense rides that Universal has to offer.

I am trying that, but I have to be careful. He has a heart condition known as "Long QT" syndrome. So while most of it won't affect him, I can't really put him on anything that carries a great amount of g force as that might put him in to v fib.

Thanks for following up with us! I really appreciate hearing how the recommendations worked for you. Really smart move with T2, I promise.

I remember seeing it a long time ago and thank you for jogging my memory. You are right and so I heeded your recommendation. One of the other things with his heart condition, among a few, is being startled or scared really bad. Really this is turning out sounding like I shouldn't have taken him, but I promise it's not that bad. You would have to read up on it to understand it. Basically anything that puts his adrenaline in to overdrive. He takes meds for it, but I am not willing to push the limits of the medication.

 

[Teebin]

One of the other things with his heart condition, among a few, is being startled or scared really bad. Really this is turning out sounding like I shouldn't have taken him, but I promise it's not that bad. You would have to read up on it to understand it. Basically anything that puts his adrenaline in to overdrive. He takes meds for it, but I am not willing to push the limits of the medication.

I was more worried for his dream imagination and not his heart. When he is older, he will love its horrid fake violence, as most boys/men do.

 

[IzzyB]

I remember seeing it a long time ago and thank you for jogging my memory. You are right and so I heeded your recommendation. One of the other things with his heart condition, among a few, is being startled or scared really bad. Really this is turning out sounding like I shouldn't have taken him, but I promise it's not that bad. You would have to read up on it to understand it. Basically anything that puts his adrenaline in to overdrive. He takes meds for it, but I am not willing to push the limits of the medication.

I understand where you are coming from. My son has a heart condition and those heart condition signs are so generic people don't understand I can take him on things even with his heart condition. Our cardiologist clears things for us all the time. Basically our limit is big coaster like Hulk, he most likely will never be able to do those types of coasters. But most rides and smaller coasters he should be able to do. Right now since he is too short and can't sit up on his own, his wildest ride he has been cleared for is the Tea Cups - lol But we can do small drops like Pirates too. As he grows up we just have to clear things as he is tall enough to get on things.