The Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort is one of my favorite resorts in the Orlando area.  It's the closest resort to the Universal Orlando theme parks, including the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  You're just a short walk away from the theme parks.

The resort itself has great theming with lots of rock and roll memorabilia and themed dining experiences for your vacation.  You may even catch a concert or two while you're visiting.

The Palm Restaurant and The Kitchen are my favorites, but the other dining options are excellent, as well.  You also have the Velvet Bar and Velvet Sessions where you can have  drink and oftentimes, catch a concert.

The Hard Rock Hotel pool is amazing!  On our last visit, we spent hours poolside just relaxing, enjoying the pool, the music, the water slide, and the food.  Not to mention the beach and entertainment -- we had a live DJ for most of the afternoon and then Harry Potter movies on a big screen as it got dark.

All of Universal's resorts have earned the 4 diamond recognition from AAA.  The AAA Diamond rating system is the most recognized hotel rating program in America.  Here's more from AAA about what a 4 Diamond rating means for the Hard Rock Hotel.

"These establishments are upscale in all areas. Accommodations are progressively more refined and stylish. The physical attributes reflect an obvious enhanced level of quality throughout. The fundamental hallmarks at this level include an extensive array of amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service, and attention to detail."

Not even all of Disney's Deluxe Resorts have this designation!  It's a big deal and it shows through in the Hard Rock Hotel rooms and amenities.

Here's a quick video tour of the Hard Rock Hotel:

Another fantastic benefit of staying at one of the three Universal Orlando Resorts (the best benefit, as far as I'm concerned) is the free Express Passes with your stay.  On the busier days of the year, this one benefit could cost more than your hotel room for a family of 4!!!   In fact, when we stayed this past spring, it would have cost more money to buy the Express Passes for our family that it cost per night at the Hard Rock Hotel!

The Hard Rock Hotel is considered the "moderate" property of the three Universal Orlando Resorts.  The room size is right in the middle of the Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay.  I would rather stay here than Portofino for many reasons. (1) The room size is comparable, but the price is typically much less, (2) It's a tower style resort vs. the spread layout of the Portofino, so you don't have to go as far within the resort to use an amenity, and (3) Hard Rock Hotel is just so close to the parks that it makes life so easy on your family vacation.

Be sure to check out the Hard Rock Hotel for your next Orlando vacation, especially if you're planning to spend a lot of time at the Universal Orlando theme parks.

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The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company at the Universal Orlando Resort in CityWalk is one of the many franchise locations that features themes from the Forrest Gump movie. 

Obviously, shrimp takes the spotlight at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, including broiled shrimp, shrimp pasta, cajun shrimp....well, you get the idea. However, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company menu is huge with lots of non-shrimp options and even several non-seafood options. 

As soon as you enter the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, you feel like you're transported to the Forrest Gump movie set with Forrest's tennis shoes and briefcase on a park bench outside the door. Inside, you'll see Forrest Gump memorabilia from all stages of the movie, including ping-pong paddle drink menus at the tables, framed leg braces on the walls, and more!

At the end of your meal, you can take a Forrest Gump trivia quiz...just for fun as far as I know. I had a great time taking the quiz and knew a lot more of the answers than I thought I would!

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co has different operating hours for each part of the restaurant; the market is open from 10am-Midnight, the kitchen from 11AM-Midnight, and the bar from 11am-1am. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co in Orlando also validates for valet parking from 11AM-2PM, Monday thru Friday!! That's a $20 savings!

For our meal, we all had appetizers as entrees during lunch.  I got the 3/4 pound Shrimper's Net Catch with Cajun seasoning and it was awesome!  Totally filling and super tasty!  My wife got the popcorn shrimp appetizer and the kids each got a kids meal (basically a glorified Happy Meal).  The bill total was about $50, including tip.  Pretty pricey for a lunch of appetizers, IMHO, but very good food and service.  Definitely a nice alternative to the standard fare inside the Universal theme parks, but not something you'll want to do everyday at those prices.

Today, Universal Orlando announced their plans for the replacement for the Jimmy Neutron ride and a high-tech advancement for "one of it's most popular rides."  After lots of hints from @UORNews and much anticipation, Universal announced that they would replace Jimmy Neutron with a 3D adventure with a Despicable Me theme...as well as a sequel to the popular movie.

As for the "high tech enhancement," The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride will get a digital upgrade, making it more life-like and modern.

Enhancements on Spider-Man have already started and construction on the Despicable Me ride should begin in August when the Jimmy Neutron ride officially closes with an opening date sometime next year.  Both will be using the same 3D technology to create the most up-to-date 3D experience, possible.

Here's more about the Despicable Me ride from Universal Orlando Resort:

Guests will:

• laugh as they embark on an entirely-new, high-tech 3-D digital adventure with their favorite characters from the film – Gru, daughters Margo, Edith and Agnes, and of course, Gru’s not-so-bright pit crew, the minions
• marvel as they explore Gru’s lair and descend into his secret lab
• shriek as the entire family is transformed into minions
• celebrate as they are swept into a first-ever, minion-inspired, interactive dance party where they can show off their best moves

I'm not really that impressed with this announcement.  I know Despicable Me is pretty popular and the Spider-Man ride is too.  Just expected more after all the hints and anticipation, as well as the way it was announced right before the opening of the new Star Tours ride.  Maybe I'm just expecting too much from Universal Orlando after the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, last year.

What are your thoughts?

Formerly the Flight of the Unicorn, refashioned as the Flight of the Hippogriff for the Harry Potter park, this coaster provides a thrill to parents and children, alike!  Touted as a kid's roller coaster, this ride provides one of the best views of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as well as thrills fit for adults.  It's a quick ride and you only need to be 42" to ride, but it's a lot of fun, provided you look around on your way up and through the queue line.

This is one of the best places to see Hagrid's Hut and an amazingly intricate Hippogriff nest!  There's rarely a long wait and you finish up the ride with some spectacular views of Hogwart's Castle.

Here's a point of view video of the Flight of the Hippogriff ride.

Yes, the rumors have started....again that the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter park will be expanding...soon.  Apparently, some people have noticed survey markers going up behind the Lost Continent attractions at Islands of Adventure.

Several Harry Potter fan sites speculate as to the exact attractions and shows that will find their way into the expansion, but everyone seems to be in agreement that the expansion will occur in the current Lost Continent area....a little bitter sweet for me, as I was on the construction team as a project engineer that built the Lost Continent.

My favorite of the rumors include a roller coaster-type ride in the current Poseidon's Fury attraction that's themed as a ride in the rail cars at Gringott's Bank.  I'd love this!  Poseidon's Fury has struggled to find it's "story" since it opened and only briefly utilized the truly magical components available in the building, IMHO.

Another that excites me is that Sinbad's Stunt Show (one of "my" buildings when I was on the project) will become a Triwizard Tournament come to life.  Of course, just another rumor, but exciting to think about, nonetheless.

With all this being said, it sounds like Lost Continent, as an island, may be disappearing, so here's a video tour of the island to show you what is now and may not be much longer...

What are you hoping to see in the new Harry Potter park expansion?  Have you even been to the current Wizarding World?  Let us know in the comments.

I thought I'd share a video of ours that features Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, and Zonkos Joke Shop from near the opening day of the Harry Potter park.  At this point, the shops and restaurant were still pretty empty, as this was from before the grand opening -- a soft-opening period that Universal didn't announce, they just started letting people in the park.

Three Brooomsticks

Three Broomsticks is the only restaurant in the Harry Potter theme park, although you will find kiosks with snacks in various locations throughout Hogsmeade.  The restaurant features counter-service for some traditional English fare, including a "Shepherd's Pie," roasted chicken, pasties, and more.  It's one of the best themed buildings in the new park and if you want to give it a try, come in for breakfast or before/after lunch.  Right at lunch time, it's crazy busy.

My personal favorite is their chicken.  I think their Shepherd's Pie tastes a little funny.  An interesting bit of trivia: every piece of drink and food inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter had to be sent to J.K. Rowling for approval!  Universal was Fed-Ex'ing all kinds of food across the pond!

Honeydukes

Honeydukes is the candy store right from the Harry Potter books.  The store features chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Mr. Clippy's Clip Joint Clippings, and on and on.  The colors will blow you away, as will some of the prices.

Another interesting tip on this store: you can buy Pumpkin Juice from a cooler in this store.  Oftentimes, this is the shortest line for a drink in the Wizarding World.

Zonkos

Zonko's Joke Shop was a favourite place for Hogwarts students to shop on Hogsmeade trips. As it carried "jokes and tricks to fulfil even Fred and George Weasley's wildest dreams." Such products were Dungbombs, Hiccough Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, Sugar Quills and Nose-Biting Teacups.

In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, you can visit Zonko's to buy Extendable Ears, rubber chicken, U-No-Poo, whoopee cushions, and many other jokes and pranks.  They also have a giant bell to ring!

Three not to miss areas of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter -- Zonko's, Three Broomsticks, and Honeydukes.  Let us know your favorite of the three.

One of the most popular (if not the most popular) attractions at the new Harry Potter park is the Ollivanders Wand Shop show.  The show features an old wizard in Ollivanders going through the process of wand selection for one lucky guest.  The wands either work or not, depending on whether they're a "correct match" for the customer.  This results in quite a few interesting "special effects" in the shop.

The line for this show gets quite long, even on less busy days in the park, so come prepared to wait.  There's really no way around this wait, but don't be fooled....you don't have to wait in this line to buy a wand!!  You can go in through Dervish & Banges to buy a wand, visit one of the wand kiosks throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or the shop at the front of Islands of Adventure to buy your wand.

Also, be sure to check with the airport when leaving the Orlando area.  We've heard that some TSA agents confiscate the wands at the security checks.  To be safe, you may want to ship the wands home or better yet, just buy them online at the WBShop Harry Potter shop -- they have the same wands that you'll find in the park, with a few exceptions.  I know this isn't as exciting, but it may prevent a TSA agent's child from getting your child's wand for Christmas.

Want to get into the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey faster?  Want to take your time and see the castle in all it's glory?  Maybe you just want to avoid standing in the Florida heat for 45 minutes.  Regardless, this post will teach you how to most effectively navigate the crazy lines for the new Harry Potter ride at the Wizarding World park.

The title's no exaggeration, either.  This past summer, shortly after the park opened and the ride experienced lines of over 2 hours, I was into the park, through the castle and done with the ride in under 10 minutes, even though the "time from here" said 90 minutes and the line extended into Jurassic Park even beyond the "90 minutes from here" sign!...and no, I did not know anyone on the inside.  Anyone can do it and here's my tips for you to do the same.

1. Skip the locker line!

I did not have a bag -- not even so much as a camera bag.  Even if I did bring one to the park, I would have put it in a locker at the front of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park, near the Hogwart's Express train.

What does this matter?  Well, most people walk up to the Hogwart's Castle for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and see this really long line coming out from the front entrance.  They see the sign that says, "90 minutes from this point" and walk to the end of the line to wait for the ride standing out in the Florida heat and sun.  Here's a video showing you what I mean:

What do "most people" miss?  You don't have to wait in that line if you don't have a bag! Sure, you're unfamiliar, don't know much about the park, and so on.  So this point gets missed!  The line is for stowing your bags in lockers located just inside the castle entrance.  The secret: You can access those lockers from inside Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods, stow your bags and walk into the "actual" line for the ride, inside the cool, air-conditioned castle walls!

Now, we're not done, yet.  You could conceivably wait another 50 minutes (of the 90 minutes shown when I went through) inside Hogwart's Castle.  So, how do you avoid this slow down?

• Use the single rider line!

Yes, the single rider line.  Even if you have a party of 10, use the single rider line.  I guarantee you will not ride together in a single ride vehicle, even if you're just a party of two, but it doesn't matter!  The ride experience does not involve the other people in your ride vehicle.  It's very much an individual experience.  So, what does it matter if you ride now and meet your family at the exit a few minutes apart?  I know, with smaller children this could be an issue, but I wouldn't let smaller children ride this ride, anyway.

Finally, what if you just want to see the castle and could care less about the ride, itself?

• Take the Hogwart's Castle tour.

That's fine!  See Hogwart's Castle.  Just don't do it while you're waiting in line for the ride.  Come back and speak to a cast member about doing a free tour of the Castle without the ride.  It's much more enjoyable.  You don't have to stand in the hot, Florida sun.  You don't have to hurry through a room just because the line's moving and you can stop and take some photos, too!

Also, there are lots of videos of the inside of Hogwart's Castle, too.  If this will satisfy your need to see the inside of the Castle, you can just check out YouTube for your favorite tour of Hogwart's.  Here's ours:

Finally, one last tip for actually riding the ride.

• Wait for late in the day.

Another way to avoid a good deal of the line for the Forbidden Journey ride is to wait until later in the day.  All the crowds and lines die down significantly around 5-6PM.  I did not employ this tactic when I rode in under 10 minutes -- in fact, I rode during the absolute busiest time of the day.  I wanted to get a real idea of how much time my tactics saved.

One other thing to note on skipping the "bag" line.  If you think there's any chance that you won't fit into the ride vehicle, be sure to stop by the test vehicle just below that time estimate sign, attached to one of the Hogwart's entrance pillars.  You will miss this opportunity if you enter the ride through Filch's.  There will be another test vehicle inside the Castle, but you don't want to get that far in just to find out you can't ride.

Using one or all of these suggestions can significantly reduce your time in the Forbidden Journey line.  Do you have any secrets of your own to share?

The new Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park is the hottest new ride in Orlando.  It's won awards, rave reviews, and garners long lines.

Although I find the ride to be enjoyable, I actually enjoy the queue line better than the ride.  For Harry Potter fans, you get to explore Hogwart's Castle as you wait in the line (unless you use the single rider line -- I'll talk more about that, tomorrow).  You'll see the classroom of the Dark Arts, Dumbledore's office, the sorting hat, and much more....if you take the time to see it all.  Many guests hurry through the line to get to the ride and miss a big part of the "show" that Universal's created.

As for the ride, you're crammed into the ride vehicle very tightly.  Universal has pretty strict ride restrictions on size, so make sure to get into the test vehicle outside the castle gates before waiting in the line if you think it may be a close call.  The Harry Potter ride also has a 48" height restriction.

The ride uses a new ride vehicle technology that includes a fully articulating arm and allows for some crazy movements.  One thing to note: this ride could be too intense for younger riders.  Many of the more scary elements of the Harry Potter books and movies show up during the ride in amazing detail and close-up.  The 48" height requirement may deter some of the younger riders, but my 6 year old son meets that height requirement and I would not take him on the ride.

Although it's very fast-paced, the Forbidden Journey ride seems to last for quite a bit of time.  A nice end to what's sure to be a long wait.  Also, the ride vehicle has four seats and each one offers a different view of the show, so be sure to ride it a few times in different seats.  Quick note: This can be hard to do as a single rider, since the Universal staff tends to stick singles on the end of a group of three, so you always get the same seat.

Tomorrow, I'll give you some insider secrets to getting through the Harry Potter ride queue and on the ride as fast as possible.  Be sure to come back and check it out!

Since I talked about the differences between Universal and Disney, yesterday, I figured I'd keep it a Universal themed week on the Insider's Guide to Disney Blog.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park opened to throngs of people back in June.  Since then, the park has changed the way people vacation in central Florida.  Previously, Disney World guests would inquire about Universal about 2 out of 10 times.  I'm now hearing that Disney guests ask about getting to Universal 8 out of 10 times when checking in to their Disney World resort!!  This is significant!

Before the official opening on June 18th, Universal had a VIP grand opening celebration that included many of the stars from the Harry Potter movies and we were lucky enough to be in attendance.

It was a fantastic party and feel very fortunate to have attended.

Have you visited the new Harry Potter park?  Plans to attend?  Leave us some feedback in the comments, below!