Revenge Of The Mummy, The Ride: Strange things have been happening here. Some of the cast and crew say the place is cursed. You are on location at the site of an archaeological dig, where they are unearthing an ancient burial ground. It’s the perfect spot for the next big Mummy movie, right? Wrong! Everybody knows that mummies don’t like to be disturbed. When they are, they always get revenge.

Hold on tight because you are about to go on the most terrifying roller coaster ride in the Orlando vacation area. The entire ride takes place in the dark with drops, twists, turns and reverses in direction that take you everywhere except where you think you will be heading next. If the bugs aren’t enough to creep you out, the undead apparitions that haunt this catacomb of tombs will surely have some riders screaming for their mummies (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

For thrill ride seekers, this is one of the best rides anywhere and is an absolute “must do.” I’d recommend that the first thing you do upon entering the park is get an Express Pass if you are bold enough to ride this, the newest attraction at Universal Studios Florida. The queues for this ride may be the longest in all of Orlando (if you don’t count the Department of Motor Vehicles, that is).

WARNING: If you would like to experience Revenge Of The Mummy, The Ride at Universal Studios Florida, there is a height restriction of at least 48 inches to experience and individuals that suffer from back, neck, heart, motion sickness, or any other physical limitations and pregnant mothers shouldn't ride. There are some adults that have nightmares after experiencing such an intense attraction. Needless to say; if you have a really tall child, sleepless nights could be in their (and your) near future if they are easily spooked.

Twister ... Ride It Out: Sometimes, the creators of an attraction do too good a job at creating a realistic experience. Such is the case with Twister ... Ride It Out. Twice this show has been shut down for a period of time, not because it wasn’t working properly, but because devastating wind storms had hit the Orlando vacation area, causing loss of life and massive destruction. Sensitive to the feelings of those that experienced losses as a result of those very real tornadoes, Universal Studios Florida closed the attraction out of respect.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to experience a “twister” first hand, then this is the place to be. The amount of wind that Orlando visitors experience at this attraction is enough to fill four full sized blimps. Having ridden out a wind storm or four here, I’d say that, not only is the devastation depicted at this attraction real and possible, it is almost too tame when you compare it to the real thing.

There are no height requirements for Twister ... Ride It Out at Universal Studios Florida and; unless you or your child has experienced the trauma of a tornado or similar windstorm, there should be no adverse repercussions from letting your children ride out the storm. An Express Pass is available for this attraction as well.

The Blues Brothers: After becoming such a big hit in the Chicago area, the Blues Brothers have taken their act on the road, showing up here in New York. Several times per day they roll up in the Black & White Mercury Grand Marquis with the “cop engine, cop brakes, cop tires, and cop suspension” and begin their show. Jake and Elwood are at their zany best as they sing and dance to favorites from “The Blues Brothers” movie and are even joined by Mable, who does her audience-stirring rendition of the Aretha Franklin favorite R-E-S-P-E-C-T. This Orlando vacation favorite is about a twenty minute show and always has the crowd dancing in the streets.

The Inside Spin

• At the Revenge Of The Mummy, The Ride, sit on the left side of the vehicle if you want the best view. Sit in the back if you want the wildest ride. This is the only indoor roller coaster in the world to employ forward and backward motion, utilizing track switching technology.
   
• The number on the home in Twister ... Ride It Out was changed from “911” to “111” after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001.
   
• There are many references to the attraction that used to be located in the building that now houses Revenge Of The Mummy, The Ride. If you look around, you will still see bananas strewn throughout the queue area and two giant hieroglyphic apes on the walls. Additionally, you will find a statue of Kong in the “Treasure Room” and the remains of a tourist wearing a King Kong cap on the ride, itself.