Universal Studios Orlando

Before entering the Studio, visitors run the retail and restaurant gauntlet known as CityWalk, which has attracted some big name eateries as its Hollywood counterpart has done: Emeril Lagasse opened his namesake here, offering cuisine with his mix of Southern and Portuguese flavor; those looking for something more mellow can pull up a salt-rimmed glass at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, which offers a more basic American menu but tasty nonetheless.

CityWalk also boasts the Hard Rock Cafe and Hard Rock Live, NBA City and NASCAR Cafe for hungry sports fans, and regional tastes at Pastamoré and the Latin Quarter, plus the Universal Cineplex theaters in case you're in the mood for dinner and a movie. Plenty of entertainment venues offer a variety of experiences, including City Jazz and a tribute to Bob Marley, plus shopping to be done as well, if your wallet is still full after your meal and shows (good luck on that count).

Across the bay are Islands of Adventure

We reach the central bay between the two Universal parks: to the left, Islands of Adventure beckons those seeking exotic excitement at their newest park; but today we'll turn right and head straight to the Studio park (its entrance appeared on the previous page).

Once inside, those familiar with the Hollywood Studio immediately note how much more expansive the Orlando park is by comparison, and much more varied in its theming due to the increased footprint. Universal designed entire neighborhoods and districts around its various attractions, with varied success -- some of it bolsters the rides' themes, other offer little more than window dressing for them. But a worthy effort that gave the Studio creators plenty of room to run with their concepts.

New York and San Francisco all in one shot

Above are two of the Studio's regional recreations: to the left and extending into the distance is the New York district, home to the Kongfrontation attraction and the live Blues Brothers show; to the right we catch our first glimpses of the San Francisco district, hosting Earthquake - The Big One and Beetlejuice's Rock 'n' Roll Graveyard Revue. The streets of San Francisco extend behind the wharf area seen here, though its recreation struggles to succeed thematically -- the Orlando topography is just too darned flat to pull off the illusion of the famous hilltop city. And as evidenced in this photo, the rather abrupt juxtaposition of such different "cities" exposes a design weakness in the Studio's planning -- it's a worthy attempt by Universal to develop themed lands, and their first true challenge to Disney's dominance in Orlando's themed entertainment market, albeit only partially effective in its results. Universal learned a lot by the time they created the Studio's sister-park next door, but more about that in the Islands of Adventure pages.

For now, let's explore some highlights of the Studio's attractions for some movie-based adventure . . .