Universal park has adult appeal
CHRISTINE HICKS- USTA Travel
Pardon my unabashed partiality, but I love Universal Studios. Given the choice between it and that other mega-park, I choose Universal without hesitation. Why? My reasons are strictly my own but perhaps may shed some light for you as well.

I have visited the Disney theme parks in both California and Orlando. I have also visited the Hollywood Universal Studios Park and that in Orlando. In both instances, the Orlando versions were the later and larger built by far. My recent visit to Universal Studios Orlando confirmed what I already suspected.

Disney's magic has broad family appeal. It's a place intended to be safe and delightful, most especially to young children. The Magic Kingdom is magical to children of all ages. Those who still believe in Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and the rest of the Disney gang are those most profoundly engaged by its wonder. And it is cute to watch them.

Universal Studios Orlando is a counterfoil to all this. It is two parks in one - three, if you count CityWalk. Universal Studios Park has its share of childhood diversions. Take, for example, Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast and the Shrek 4-D show, the E.T Adventure and A Day in the Park with Barney. These are G-rated, to be sure, tame and fanciful for even the youngest guest. On the other hand, the edgier parts of the park, like The Mummy ride and The Universal Horror Make-Up Show (very funny), while not unfit for some kids, are clearly skewed for a teen to adult audience. And when we stopped for lunch at the Monster's Café, expecting inflated prices for nondescript food - surprise! It's cheap and delicious - something this adult appreciates.

The Islands of Adventure part of the park has the majority of thrill rides (I did them all before lunch - a wise strategy). The roller coasters "rock," though my preference lies with 3-D simulation rides such as Spiderman. I love Poseidon's Fury, an interactive show, wondering how they turn water into a walk-through vortex. There's fine dining at Mythos Restaurant, winner of the best theme park restaurant for the past four years, given by the Theme Park Insider Award.

Universal CityWalk is unique. Diners choose from Emeril's fine dining to the NASCAR Sports Grille for burgers. Musically, you can take in jazz, reggae, alternative rock, Latin or Caribbean-inspired sounds at combination restaurants/nightclubs populating the large avenue that accesses the other parks. You don't need park tickets to enter CityWalk at Universal Orlando. And parking is a breeze.

It's not that I don't like watching children have fun. It's that, selfishly, I like to spend my entertainment dollars on things slightly edgier, yet every bit as magical to me as Mickey is to a toddler. I've have been there twice and look forward to any opportunity, sooner rather than later, to return to these parks that are packed with fun for those of us who prefer our entertainment a little less "buttoned up."

(Christine Hicks-Usta has enjoyed more than 30 years of globe-trotting as a member of the travel industry. Direct questions to her at Bee Group Newspapers, P.O. Box 150, Buffalo, NY 14231-0150.)