HarryPotterLand

Despite the tornado warnings, I spent my Orlando Tuesday at Universal Studios' Islands of Adventures, better known as the home of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.   And I went alone, which was okay because it seemed like every Brazilian was in Orlando that week, so I was actually with thousands of my closest Portuguese-speaking friends.

I've been wanting to go to HarryPotterLand ever since I first saw the preview on The Half-Blood Prince.  They did an excellent job of making you feel like you were walking through a replica of Hogsmeade.  The styrofoam snow on the roof kind of gives it away, although the dark ominous clouds of the day added to the atmosphere.  I hope that the staff do not have to wear their robes and capes during the summer season.

The entry to Hogsmeade

You could stand in line to get a picture of the conductor,
but I chose to just steal this girls' photo op instead.
She's rockin' the fanny pack.

. . .except the train doesn't actually move.

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Yummy Displays

Not the cheapest way to buy candy, but definitely yummy.

It would've been cheaper to buy a chocolate Easter bunny and
pretend it was a chocolate frog, but then I wouldn't have the cool box
and the Rowena Ravenclaw trading card.

Hogwarts Castle, home of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

A roller coaster is a roller coaster is a roller coaster, unless you put it in Hogwarts Castle, and then it's an EXPERIENCE.  Most of the fun was in the line through the castle and grounds.  Lots of attention to details.

The whatchmacallit that keeps track of the House Points

Um, I don't think they were really enforcing this rule that day.

Yes, of course, the Sorting Hat talked to me, as did all of the pictures.

I was impressed with the effects and setting, but decided that the Forbidden Journey was the type of "roller coaster" that I did NOT like.  The Dragon Challenge, on the other hand, was TOTALLY AWESOME!!  Two intertwining roller coasters that are FAST.  Those are okay, I guess.  The kind that jerk you around back and forth, up and down are the ones that make me ill.  And the set up to the Dragon challenge was equally cool, with lots of Tri-Wizard tournament banners and tie-ins, including a car crashed into a tree, but I had locked my camera in the locker.  Sigh.

Buckbeak bowed, so I could ride the Flight of the Hippogriff.  Phew.

Random overpriced souvenirs.  I stuck with the candy.

The wicked, snarling Monster Book of Monsters

The Three Broomsticks for lunch

Fish, Chips, and Butter Beer.  Mmmmmm. 

  

No, the Lorax was not in HarryPotterLand,
but he was my fave from Seuss Landing so he's here.

Was it fun?  Yes.  Was it expensive?  Duh.  Was it worth it?  Depends on how big of a Harry Potter fan you are.  I made a point of riding every ride in HarryPotterLand and even threw in a few rides from the rest of the park. I did decide that I would pass on Dr. Doom's Fearfall, The Incredible Hulk Coaster and the Jurassic Park River Adventure(it wasn't THAT warm). 


I could have brought home bottled pumpkin juice (ick), but they didn't have Butter Beer in a bottle (sigh).  I decided that I didn't need something with Gryffindor or Hogwarts on it, and really, who buys the Slytherin stuff?  I didn't need a wand or a robe or a snitch or a sneakoscope, and they didn't have a Marauder's Map, so I brought home a bunch of candy and called it good.  One note:  Any Flavor Beans are NOT just jelly bellies.  I probably spit half of them into the garbage because really, who needs to eat dirt or beef gravy jelly beans?


If you are planning a trip to HarryPotterLand, or just dreaming of one, the website is pretty cool:


http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/