Leave the Stilettos at Home When Visiting Universal Studio's CityWalk

Common sense should tell us that any place with “Walk” in its name means women should leave the five-inch heels at home, right?

Not so last Saturday night when all the single ladies were strutting their stuff at Universal Studio’s nightclub scene, CityWalk, in Orlando.

CityWalk is an entertainment hub of restaurants and movie theaters adjacent to Universal Studios theme park. Access to CityWalk doesn’t require an admission ticket during the day. Just getting there from the parking lot requires walks down long concourses or airport-style moving walkways.

Destination eateries line both sides of a waterway where floating shuttles transport people to and from their hotels, a smart way to save shoe leather.

Recognizable restaurants include Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (still open at MOA), Hard Rock Café (closing Sept. 30 in downtown Minneapolis) and NBA City (formerly where Hubert’s is at the Target Center).

The Red Coconut Club, Bob Marley’s Tribute to Freedom and The Groove were the hottest dance clubs, judging by the lines to get in. We ate a skewered shrimp and coconut rice dinner at Bob Marley’s which was okay, but it seemed as though serving food was an afterthought to the large center stage and dance floor.

When the sun goes down, several of the restaurants morph into nightclubs with live music and a cover charge. Determined to see how the younger half plays, this “over 40” empty nester downed a five-hour energy drink and put on her best pair of one-inch heels for a night of “clubbing” with my favorite dance partner.

We’d bought discounted CityWalk Party Passes online at www.VisitOrlando.com for about $9 each. If we hit at least three clubs, the pass should pay for itself.

If you go, plan to arrive after 6 p.m., when the parking fee drops from $15 to a mere $3.

Also, erase any expectations you might have about the type of music that, say, an Irish pub or Jimmy Buffett’s house band might be playing. Pat O’Brien’s dueling pianists played everything but Irish music, which appealed to several stagette parties. It reminded me of the former Mall of America dueling piano bar — talented musicians who tickle the ivory and sometimes change the lyrics for adult humor. I must admit, listening to a gray-haired former Detroit blues singer croon Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” was funny.

Then it was on to Margaritaville after dark, where the house band was rockin’ to the 70’s and 80’s instead of singing about boats, beaches and bars. Kicking up their heels were more bridesmaids and soon-to-be brides, who were still in diapers when the rest of us were climbing the “Stairway to Heaven” with Led Zeppelin. In platform shoes, I might add.

As we strolled down CityWalk toward the next nightclub, a young couple was sitting on a bench. By the look on her face, she regretted wearing her stilettos; he looked as though he’d pay any price to buy a pair of Margaritaville flip flops, if only she’d wear them with her sequined black dress.

Even in my low-heeled sandals, I managed to get a major blister on each of my big toes. So, if you’re planning a night of “clubbing” at Universal’s CityWalk anytime soon, you might want to start getting your feet in shape by wearing those pumps to Cub Foods or jogging the Lebanon Hills Regional Park trails.

As for me, I’m going back to my usual nightlife — standing in line at the red box; I’ll be the one wearing slippers.