Universal Date in Hollywood, California

Dear Darren Carter, 

I’ve had my eye on you for some time now. Your new jeans do an awesome job accentuating your… and your Donald Duck voice is the best reminder of how great a father you are. (A real turn-on for this gal.) Your jokes always keep me laughing, your smile brightens my day, and your commitment to a healthier lifestyle is admirable. 

Would you go on a date with me this Saturday? As a disclaimer, I haven’t been on a date in years and my dating skills are lacking but I promise to think of something fun for us. 

I anxiously await your response and I’ll think about you until I hear more. 

Lesley Carter

Dear Lesley Carter, 

You can pick me up at 10 am. I’ll be at *********. (Just walk outside of our bedroom and turn right toward the main entrance.) Don’t be too early; I heard you have a little bit of a problem with that. 

I have to be back at 6 pm because I have a reading date with another beautiful girl. 

See you Saturday, 

Darren Carter

Athena is two years old, yet I can count on one hand how many times Darren and I have gone out on a date. It was time! We love movies, entertainment, and adventure. Combining the best of the best in action-packed entertainment and exciting fun, Universal Studios in Hollywood, California was the ideal fit. Universal Studios Hollywood supplied me with two free media passes as well as two Front of the Line passes and I booked a babysitter. It was just what the dating/marriage doctor ordered. No matter how many kids you have or how much money you have, you need to go on a date with your spouse at least once a month. It will save far more than it costs. Our first date was a walk in the park; this date was a run through another type of park and it matched our adventurous personalities perfectly.  It was a full day of entertainment, including thrilling theme park rides and shows and a real working movie studio.

Our first stop was the House of Horrors. We held hands as we wandered through the dark and windy terror maze. We came face-to-face with Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Chucky, and several of the most frightening characters from some of the scariest horror movies of all time. Although I know that they are not actually going to hurt me or even touch me, they do a believable job of scaring the pants off of me. It’s a great date setting; I jumped, screamed, and laughed nervously all while holding Darren’s hand and enjoying having a strong man next to me.

With adrenaline already pumping, we headed toward the most adventurous rides next. Transformers: The Ride and Revenge of the Mummy are the next generation in thrill rides, blurring the line between fiction and reality. Transformers fuses HD 3D media and flight simulation technology to create an epic ride unlike anything I’ve experienced. We felt like we were in the middle of the ultimate war zone starting from the army dresses employees and lasting the entire ride. Then, the heart-pounding effects and unexpected twists at speeds of up to 45 mph of the Mummy continued the life-like horror.

Luckily, we had the Front of Line Pass because the normal wait time for these rides was almost an hour. We skipped the lines and rode both Transformers and the Mummy in less than 25 minutes. Not only did it allow us to enjoy more rides, but it eliminated the stress of waiting in long lines. It made every aspect of the day perfect. We felt like royalty, experienced all of the rides, and didn’t get a sunburn waiting in lines.  If you’re going to spend the money to experience Universal Studios, you might as well make the most of it. A one day pass isn’t enough but if you have the Front of Line Pass, you just might see it all!

Since we were already in the lower lot, we rode Jurassic Park – The Ride next. I didn’t have high expectations at first. I thought it was just another water ride with one drop that would leave me wet for the rest of the day. It was only because we had the Front of Line Pass that I even considered it. Well, thank you Front of Line because it was one of my favorite rides. When the gates opened and our journey began, we came face-to-face with “living” dinosaurs like a 50-foot T-Rex. The creations were stunning and beyond life-like. I should have known; I mean, these people are the actual creators of Jurassic Park. The 84-foot plunge was the icing on the cake and my middle seat choice left me dry and smiling.

We saved the shows until after we did all of our favorite rides at least once. The most notable show was WaterWorld. Packed with huge stunts, awesome explosions, and high-quality acting, it was like being on a movie set. A man was on fire and jumped from a platform that was at least four stories high. An actual plane, that was also engulfed in flames, crashed before our eyes and explosion after explosion blew up pretty much the entire set. It was as thrilling as the rides and I had a front row seat and didn’t have to wait in line.

We ran from attraction to attraction like children, holding hands and excitedly chatting about our favorite parts of each experience. Jobs and money and traffic jams didn’t exist. We were just in love and having fun together. I had almost thought we’d forgotten how to relax without Athena. As a mother, I always stress about not taking her everywhere with me, but I forget that Darren and I need alone time too. Universal Studios is our idea of an awesome date. Maybe we should get season passes and guarantee a monthly date there or maybe we should plan unique monthly events; either way, we need to find the time for us as a couple. It will remain a priority.

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”

– Mignon McLaughlin