It’s 1990. I’m standing with my family (and my glorious mullet) in the middle of Universal Studios Florida. For a kid growing up on a steady diet of movies and TV, there was no place else in the world I’d rather be.

With its incredibly immersive themed lands, insanely thrilling roller coasters, and top-notch restaurants, Universal’s Islands of Adventure has a lot to offer. Some of my favorite days have been spent morning to evening exploring the theme park and enjoying all the sights, rides, and tasty treats throughout Islands of Adventure.

Horror has always played an important part in Universal Studios’ history. Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) has transformed the horror industry by creating our own dreadful storylines and characters, as well as placing you right in the middle of your favorite scary movies. On select nights in the fall in Universal Studios Florida, you can step into terrifying haunted houses, come face-to-face with ghastly creatures in scare zones, and marvel at mind-bending live shows. Written words don’t do the event justice, but I will say it’s so realistic and intense, there’s a reason why Halloween Horror Nights has earned the title of the “World’s Premier Halloween Event”.

As you make your way through Universal’s Islands of Adventure, you’ll come upon a mysterious — and somewhat foreboding — presence of ancient ruins adorned with skulls. This island is home to one of the iconic legends, King Kong, in a thrilling ride that explores the secrets of Skull Island and brings you face to face with the treacherous creatures.

Do you remember reading the Sunday comics? Or, for those of us who still receive an actual newspaper, maybe you still read the Sunday comics. I still receive our local Sunday newspaper just for the coupons and store flyers!

Visiting Universal Orlando Resort with a big family means big meals, big rides and of course big fun! With four kids ages 8 to 13, we had a variety of interests to accommodate on our recent trip. Add in differences due to gender, height, and thrill-seeking comfort level and I worried the kids wouldn’t find anything to agree on. It turns out I worried for nothing. My family of 6 had an exciting adventure we’ll always remember.