UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
The main gate to Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida, 3/6/00
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Joe had booked the limo from an old friend and relation, Mike - owner
of MAZ Limousines. Mike had last driven for Joe and Michele
during their trip to Florida in 1991. Joe and Mike were close
friends from 1978 through the early 1990's. Joe and Dotti
traveled with Mike and his wife Maryjo on their honeymoon and
Joe occasioned Mike's night club - Poor Peter's Lounge when Mike was
in that business...1975 through 1982. But they lost track with each
other when Doreen
came into Joe's life and Ye
Olde Friendly Flower Shoppe was a distraction. So although
Mike's office told Joe that a driver would be there at 5:30 am, Mike
took the job himself to spend some time with Joe and arrived at 4:30
am. Cathy was introduced and she busied herself with getting
ready to leave while Joe and Mike chatted like kids about old
times. It wasn't until Cathy and Joe actually were in their
room in Kissimmee that Joe realized that that chit-chat made him
forget to pack several items...especially important phone
numbers! He had to call his Mom
to get Yvonne's number.
No biggie, on with the show. They spent the first day getting
comfortable, phoning Yvonne and having dinner with her at a local
steak house. (Please note that I will
have more photos and will identify restaurants, etc. in time. I
don't have all the info and photos yet....this message will vanish
when I do.) On Sunday the two stayed close
to the room to avoid the week end crowds. Everyday
after we enjoyed a park we then got to spend time at Yvonne's house
or having her show us around town. On this Sunday Joe decided to
upgrade Yvonne's computer. While he was toying with that, Cathy
decided to clean out Yvonne's pool. Cathy once had one of her
own. It took Joe so long to fix the computer... which he never
did, by the way... that Cathy had the pool sparkling clean.
Well, as if Joe couldn't screw up enough, when he was through he went
to help Cathy and Yvonne remove the vacuum from the pool but did it
wrong and all the leaves pour back into the pool. It wasn't
Joe's day. But Joe and luck were never friends
anyway. Later on they visited Old Town
and loosely planned the week leaving open the possibility that Pat,
Jr. would pop out at anytime. Monday they visited
Universal. 4th time for Joe and the first visit for Cathy.
She was impressed, of course.
A collage of tickets.
Cathy giggles at the mock up at the MUMMY exhibit. We didn't like the
movie either.
A view of our favorite mock up, Wall Street, NYC.
Here's a trivia question for you Universal lovers, where is Cathy in
this pix? Answer here.
View from bridge to Back to the Future ride. Looking at San
Francisco Bay mockup.
Would anyone remember the DeLorian had Michael Fox not made it famous?
At Islands of Adventure Joe visited his most favorite place on
earth. Dr. Seuss land.
Talk about BIG! Cathy and what's left of Poseidon in front of the
Atlantis ride on Adventure Island.
Hulk roller coaster. First view is of marquee second view is portion
of ride that speeds under visitor's walkway.
The entrance to the Atlantis ride. A so-so ride, but the
layout and design are mind boggling.
More of Atlantis.
Seuss Land at Universal
Super Hero Land
Lighthouse Tower at Adventure Land in Universal
Jimmy Buffett's MARGARITAVILLE is one of a line of semi-night clubs
like at Paradise Island over at Disney, but they're at Adventure
Island....get it?
Since we were there during Mardi Gras......
Since we were there during Mardi Gras......
Copyright 1998, Joe and Cathy Auricchio
