Howdy Bookworms!
Soooo, I just got back from vacation… Again. I KNOW we were just at Disney World in March, but shortly after we got back my parents called. They had a two bedroom condo booked in Orlando for May and offered to let us stay with them. I mean, how can you turn down free accommodations?! (We are, in fact, grown ups, though, so we ponied up for our own airfare, food, and park tickets.) Plus, this time we not only went to Disney, but also to Universal, which means… HARRY POTTER!
I drank a lot of butterbeer (YUM), rocked a Ravenclaw top and a time turner necklace (#housepride), and generally nerded the frick out. If you’re unfamiliar with the Universal theme parks, there are two: Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure. Islands of Adventure houses Hogsmeade and Universal Studios houses Diagon Alley. (Sorry to disappoint y’all, but neither is an entire HP theme park. Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are each a segment of larger parks.) I had fun at both parks, but if you only have one day to set aside for a Harry Potter park, Universal Studios is where it’s at. Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure is cool and Hogwarts Castle is certainly something to see, but it is cramped as all heck in those shops. Authentic maybe, but the park was pretty dead overall and you couldn’t even walk in the Hogsmeade shops. Apparently the good folks at Universal learned their lesson though, because Diagon Alley is three times the size of Hogsmeade and the shops (though perfectly charming) are much more equipped to deal with a large, nerdy crowd. Sometimes it’s just NECESSARY to procure a Ravenclaw bookmark without being jostled.
I don’t care how old I am, I will NEVER be too old for mouse ears and Disney ridiculousness. I bought myself a Minnie Mouse headband only to later see the world’s most glorious Alice in Wonderland ears. My mom bought me the Alice ears because apparently she likes me. Also, Cheshire Cat candy now exists, and if you’ve got a spare $700 you can buy the killer painting in the corner. (I do not have a spare $700 dollars, so it stayed in the shop, but it’s so pretty!)
Here are just some oddball photos. You can see where I got my capacity for being adorable in mouse ears. Also, DESSERT. And cocktails. And flowers. And my name because it’s two first names and it amuses me endlessly. Oh yes, and that’s Chilly Willy the Penguin hanging out in the middle there. So, other than pining for my theme park homeland(s), things are great. What were y’all up to last week? Catch me up, Bookworms!
Megan M.
Endlessly jealous! I want to go to HP World sooooo bad, and without these darn kids weighing me down! I’ve never heard that about how the parks are split up – excellent travel tip, Katie! What did *I* do last week? I can’t even remember what I did two days ago.
Words For Worms
When the kids are a little older and fully indoctrinated, take them with you! 🙂
Quirky Chrissy
I’ve never been to the Harry Potter stuff, but I still think I would prefer Islands of Adventure because thrill rides.
Words For Worms
I dunno, the coaster count seemed pretty even to me.
Joules (from Pocketful of Joules)
My husband and I went before Jack was born and I LOVED the Harry Potter area! That was when it was only at one park though…. I can’t wait until Jack gets bigger so we can go back and I can DRINK ALL THE BUTTERBEER!!!!
Words For Worms
Oh my gosh, Jack will be the cutest little wizard!
Melissa
Fun!! Jason and I got to go to the Harry Potter stuff at Universal after hours for an IBM function a couple of years back. No lines and free butter beer is seriously a dangerous thing! You know I’m anti fantasy genre but it almost made be want to read the books:)
Words For Worms
Melissa, girl, you need to just read the books. They’re the exception to everyone’s “no fantasy” rule. Also, totally jealous of your private party in Hogsmeade. Free butterbeer?!
Jennine G.
THat is my vacation goal! To take my family to the HP parks! Looks great!
Words For Worms
You’d have a blast!
Lindsey
You lucky ducky! We went to Disney in January and we are already saving and planning for our next trip in a few years. I’m glad you had fun!!
Words For Worms
Right?! I feel super lucky right now. Of course, now I need to save my pennies so I can go back, too!
Heather @ Capricious Reader
Chilly Willy the Penguin! Glad you had a great time there old girl. Way to live it up in your old age, Mildred.
Words For Worms
I sang the theme song when I acquired him. “Ha, Hee, Ha-Achoo!”
Melissa
ZOMG. So when I went there they only had Hogsmeade. And you said “authentic,” so I must ask – when I was there, they had shops in Hogsmeade that are actually not located there in the books. Like Ollivander’s, for instance. Has that been fixed?
Sooper jealous!
Words For Worms
It has not been fixed, and that irked me some. They have another Ollivanders in Diagon Alley, where it belongs, but they definitely took some liberties with Hogsmeade. I meant “authentic” in that the shops were cramped and wizard-y the way I’d have expected. I was pleased with the Diagon Alley shops, though. They even added Knockturn Alley and it’s gloriously creepy.
Kelly
SO VERY JEALOUS. I am just dying to get to Harry Potter World one of these days!!! Glad you had an amazing time!
(Also, please tell me I am not the only one who read the title of this post and immediately thought of the SNL segment that Jimmy Fallon used to do as a radio DJ…one of them was with Ben Affleck…anyway, random hilarious SNL tangent.)
Words For Worms
HAHAHAHAHA! I didn’t think anybody would get that SNL reference!!! Kudos to you!
Melinda
Looks like you had a great time!
AMB
That looks like a lot of fun!
Words For Worms
Oh it was!