WDWCP97 Journal. Days 49-50.

Date: October 29-30, 1997 

Places: Universal Studios, Florida Mall, WestSide, Pleasure Island, Goodings, Typhoon Lagoon, Seminar room #3

People: Vinny, Jamie, Dan, Marcy, Holli, Sarah, Justin, David

Sights: Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights VII, Hard Rock Cafe

Dining: McDonald's, Spaghetti Os, Pretzel grilled cheese/curly fries

Lodging: Vista Way

Expenses: $5 necklace & $10.50 sweater - Pacific Sunwear, $4.50 - McDonald's, $18 - Universal Studios entrance, $13.76 - Typhoon Lagoon, $12.61 - pictures, $10.50 - lapel pins @ U. Studios, $18 - Halloween Horror shirt, $3.26 - fries/Coke, $9 - food & Walgreens, $13 - water camera


I'd like to point out how cheap my Halloween Horror Nights ticket was. $18??? Are you freaking kidding me?? Now you need to get a bank loan if you want a single night ticket - especially if you want to buy a pass to be sure you get through each house. This is absolutely amazing to me. Eighteen dollars. Wow.

I had my Conversation with Ride & Show people. We found out about Test Track and other new rides. (This is how old I am! Test Track didn't exist. I watched Disney's Animal Kingdom construction from the top of Blizzard Beach. So old.) When I got home Dad called, then Vinny. We talked for a while & verified that Thursday we're going to Downtown Disney together. Sarah, Marcy & I went to the Florida Mall. I got a necklace & sweater vest. Shut up, I love that sweater vest! It was the 90s.

Sarah and I - before we knew what we were in for!

Then, we went to Universal Studios. A lady used her Florida ID to buy us tickets ($10 off!). That place is so scary. I've never screamed so much in my life. Medical students kept jumping out at us. There were 4 haunted houses.

1st Museum of Horror with movie people. We had to be the front of our group & I had to pull us along until Jason (Friday the 13th for you non horror fans) jumped out at us. We ended up running out a side door (to backstage) & he had to show us the right way to go. The guy from "Scream" ignored everyone but me. (Scariest moment of the house. OMG it was terrifyingly awesome!) Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) apologized to Marcy for stepping on her foot. He even tried to do it in a scary voice, which I did find amusing in the moment of terror. 

2nd - a New Orleans graveyard & house. In it there was a bloody bathroom, girl in a window covered with live rates &  a white trash couple. The wife threw water on us & the husband attacked Marcy with his ax. It was legit so real feeling and beyond scary. I had pure horror movie screams when I saw the guy coming from behind Marcy with the ax. It almost felt like slow motion when I was trying to save her from him. I love HHN, and I seriously loved the old days of small groups going through at a time versus one long continuous stream of people. We had so many moments of isolation that were just.... aagghhh!!! We ran & screamed through it all. The guys behind us were so annoyed.

3rd Midway of the Bizarre. In current HHN life we would just call this a scare zone. It was very foggy & filled with carnival games. Clowns & other scary people walked through & scared you. Somehow, both times through we befriended the nasty guys - psycho clown & werewolf.  I should also note that we still refer to him as the hot clown based on his hands. Sarah will attest to this I'm sure!

4th Hotel Hell. Terrifying! I almost skipped this one because I was exhausted from all the fear and my shin splits were killing me. I'm so glad I didn't miss it! A butcher chased Sarah & Marcy out of the room, turned, looked at me & laughed. I was shaking and begging him to let me go. I ended up trapped between 2 slabs of meat. He tried to lick me & I got away - but he chased me down the hall. A butler kept following Marcy & breathing down my neck. There was a room of strobe lights - Marcy grabbed me, shut her eyes & walked on. By the end we were so jumpy. We ended up in an alley, thought it was over, but a guy jumped out of the dumpster. Marcy & I ducked, grabbed each other, screamed & ran - of course we screamed the entire time we were running! I'm worn out just reliving all of that. It was the scariest house of the night. You don't get that kind of stuff these days with so many people in there at one time.

We also went on ET, Back to the Future, Jaws, Earthquake, stood in line for Terminator - left for parade - & watched Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue. The parade was awesome. It was like Mardi Gras. People were on stilts, and huge floats had people throwing beads at us. The Devil came and wrapped his arms around me. They had celebrity impersonators outside Mel's Diner. It was so much fun!  I invited Vinny - I'm kind of glad he didn't go 'cause I'd have been embarrassed 'cause of my screaming. I firmly believe Halloween Horror Nights with Vinny would be incredibly fun and memorable. 2021 maybe???

Thursday Jamie & I went to Typhoon Lagoon. It was fun, but cold. I had a grilled cheese sandwich in a pretzel. Jamie & I got a waterproof camera. We're gonna have awesome pictures.

I was pouting 'cause I thought Vinny stood me up, but he did call & we went out. He picked me up & we went to Downtown Disney's WestSide. It was so sweet! We walked around and sat outside House of Blues. we were gonna leave, but we went to the water front first. Ah! - Ronda & Vinny in the romantic place! We had our first kiss there! He was so late getting home - but he didn't even care. 

I ended up going to PI by myself 'cause no one else wanted to go. I walked alone a lot. I talked to Justin a couple of times & walked with him a bit. I talked to Holli for about 30 seconds. Finally, I saw David & Jamie right him. we hung out for a while. The good old band was back at the Beach Club! I met Jamie's roommate, Amanda & a girl, Cristina, who'll be working at Pecos next week. Giddy Ronda's life is going so great! *Still friends with Cristina to this day and she even visited me in Oregon!

That was so much activity for two days! WOW!! Holy cow!!

Next time we meet... back to Pecos... and what looks like a start to a sad, unintended tradition for Vinny and I. Did someone say McDonald's?

  

 ~ See ya real soon! º0º ~