Hogwarts Express Engine was the first thing we saw!
Hogsmeade in the winter; too bad they couldn't control the weather to make it colder for us.
It was hot!
To say it was packed is an understatement. Shoulder to shoulder!
This is Ollivanders wand shop. Jordan thought about getting a wand to use as a conducting baton, but when we found out how much there were ($75). . .there was no way!
Cool roof lines
Cool roof lines
Some of the stores were actual stores like candy or hat stores. Others were just for show
Jordan's new favorite-Frozen Butterbeer
I think this was his second one of the day. The trick is to drink it with your mouth so you get a combination of the foam and the drink. He's in front of the Three Broomsticks bar mentioned in the books.
Time to travel to London aboard the Hogwarts express
We also had to try Pumpkin juice-it was very strong. Not a favorite. It was like a very cinammony apple juice with strong pumpkin aroma.
The line to even get on the train was ridiculous!!! 45
We snuck a picture before we got on
Here's the famous 9 3/4 platform
Is Harry Potter's trunk in there?
Honestly-the train ride was the biggest disappointment of our time in Florida
The train was cool but then they shut us in our dark cabin and the window was a screen so we didn't get to actually look at real countryside. We saw videoed images of Hermione and Ron and Harry riding their brooms and shadows passing the window. There was also some lame images of Scotland scenery, but it was NOTHING like what we expected. We thought we were literally going to be passing through real scenery. Kind of a bummer.
Happy to be off the train and on the London side. Much less crowded.
I loved this red building and the whole feel of London
Train station
The Knight bus complete with the scrawny teenage driver and the talking shrunken head.
The driver had a real English accent too
We walked out of the train station looking for signs of where to go for Diagon Alley. There was nothing. We walked by this wall and I just HAD to see what was behind it.
Holy Cannoli I found it! One of my favorite things of HP World.
I loved how they made the wall look like we walked through it and a whole other world was behind it
How cool is this? This was Ari's favorite part of Harry Potter World.
Quidditch supply store. A real life Firebolt!
This stature of the mermaid was pretty cool. Jordan caught the little girl in full wand, casting spell action.
Cool rickety buildings
This ice cream was to die for! The flavors were interesting but super yummy!
Jordan got Sticky Toffee Pudding and Salted Caramel Blondie
I got Salted Caramel Blondie as well and Apple Crumble. The winner was Salted Caramel Blondie-Super good!
They also had flavors like Earl Grey and Lavender, Chocolate Chili, and Strawberry and Peanut Butter. We weren't feeling that adventerous. Jordan wishes he would have gotten the soft serve butter beer ice cream. Man- he cannot get enough of that butter beer!
Gringotts Bank- We skipped the regular line so we missed everything cool in the bank, but the ride was super fun! It was a simulated type roller coaster. Voldemort almost zapped us with a spell! This was Jordan's favorite HP ride. Wish it was longer!
The Owlery- top half anyway
The bottom part of the room was nothing, just some outlets to charge your phone, but notice the detail of the owl poop. Wow, they don't miss anything.
Jordan wanted this to graduate in. I was tempted until I saw the price tag-$80 american dollars. Sorry babe! Not happening
The boys really wanted a picture of this book. The eyes opened and closed for us.
This is what the book did. Ripped up paper
Funny candy in the Weasley Twins Wacky Joke store. U-No-Poo candy. Pretty funny.
The Leaky Cauldron
We had to experience Harry Potter type food
We got lamb and beef stew
Twasn't bad at all, the bread bowl was a little hard to break off and eat
Jordan is stoked for another Butter beer-#3!!
Nice ambiance.
After dinner we ran to San Francisco to catch the disaster movie ride. It was an interesting experience because they chose people from the audience to be in the movie (a hero, a villain, an innocent kid, etc.) Then we rode this ride and filmed a disaster then watched the movie. Very cool ride idea.
Then we ran to New York to catch the Mummy Ride. It was a lot like Spider Man and Indiana Jones combined. I like that ride a lot. At one point the whole ceiling was on fire.
After that we rode the "Rockin' Roller coaster" the whole point of this coaster is that you choose your soundtrack. The beginning of the coaster goes straight up into the air and it is VERY freaky. Ari for some reason did not mind this coaster, whereas I thought it was the scariest of the day. I was so stressed about getting my lap bar down that I missed my chance to listen to "Limp Bizkit's Rollin' Rollin'" and was stuck with some weird, generic elevatory rock music. Dumb. Ari was able to get her Fergie music on, Glamorous I believe. I was jealous. Luckily I survived that one because I seriously thought my bar was going to come up. It was also VERY jerky.
Then panic set in. I HAD to get back to the Hulk to ride it before it closed and Ari had to get back to Jurassic and Harry Potter to purchase our souvenirs.
After dinner we ran to San Francisco to catch the disaster movie ride. It was an interesting experience because they chose people from the audience to be in the movie (a hero, a villain, an innocent kid, etc.) Then we rode this ride and filmed a disaster then watched the movie. Very cool ride idea.
Then we ran to New York to catch the Mummy Ride. It was a lot like Spider Man and Indiana Jones combined. I like that ride a lot. At one point the whole ceiling was on fire.
After that we rode the "Rockin' Roller coaster" the whole point of this coaster is that you choose your soundtrack. The beginning of the coaster goes straight up into the air and it is VERY freaky. Ari for some reason did not mind this coaster, whereas I thought it was the scariest of the day. I was so stressed about getting my lap bar down that I missed my chance to listen to "Limp Bizkit's Rollin' Rollin'" and was stuck with some weird, generic elevatory rock music. Dumb. Ari was able to get her Fergie music on, Glamorous I believe. I was jealous. Luckily I survived that one because I seriously thought my bar was going to come up. It was also VERY jerky.
Then panic set in. I HAD to get back to the Hulk to ride it before it closed and Ari had to get back to Jurassic and Harry Potter to purchase our souvenirs.
Had to get the Universal Studios earth ball
This was before you got to the park-Lots of restaurants and a movie theater. We couldn't believe how many people were there.
To end the night- Jordan ran over to the Hulk coaster and tried to get on it really quick. The single passenger line was SO slow, he thinks it went even slower than the regular line. We had planned to meet back up at Hogwarts and ride the roller coaster in the castle again, but Jordan got off the Hulk right as the park was closing, so he didn't make it back in time. I decided to get an HP ornament for the tree. That is usually our souvenir of choice because it's cheap and we see it every year to remember the good times.
We were ready to leave and pass out at home. We looked back behind us and could not believe the crowd of people. We could have body surfed.
When we got back to the hotel a friend of mom's was calling us. We were planning to stay with her the night before and after the upcoming graduation. She wanted to let us know that she decided to get us a graduation AND a ten year anniversary gift. She booked us a night at a romantic bed and breakfast in Gainesville so we would be right there and not rush around in traffic. How sweet and thoughtful is that.
Goodbye Harry Potter World, we will miss you! Now- ON TO DISNEY WORLD!
To end the night- Jordan ran over to the Hulk coaster and tried to get on it really quick. The single passenger line was SO slow, he thinks it went even slower than the regular line. We had planned to meet back up at Hogwarts and ride the roller coaster in the castle again, but Jordan got off the Hulk right as the park was closing, so he didn't make it back in time. I decided to get an HP ornament for the tree. That is usually our souvenir of choice because it's cheap and we see it every year to remember the good times.
We were ready to leave and pass out at home. We looked back behind us and could not believe the crowd of people. We could have body surfed.
When we got back to the hotel a friend of mom's was calling us. We were planning to stay with her the night before and after the upcoming graduation. She wanted to let us know that she decided to get us a graduation AND a ten year anniversary gift. She booked us a night at a romantic bed and breakfast in Gainesville so we would be right there and not rush around in traffic. How sweet and thoughtful is that.
Goodbye Harry Potter World, we will miss you! Now- ON TO DISNEY WORLD!
Overall Hogsmeade was too crowded, the Dragon rollercoasters did Ari in and we should not have started the day with them. The Butter beer was worth the $6.50 price tag and so was the ice cream.
We loved that we got to see HarryPotter World!!
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