Here is our trip in pictures:
Doogle (Sarah's dad) took our picture at MSP before we went through security. We were excited.
This is our hotel- the Royal Parc Suites in Kissimmee. We had a suite on the 1st floor with a living room, kitchenette, bathroom and two beds in the bedroom. The whole hotel was open air so our door opened up into a courtyard with the pool. It was kind of cool (except the complimentary breakfast was terrible).
We took a shuttle in to the park every morning at 7:40 a.m. Our bus drivers were different every day and they were hilarious. We watched "The Lion King" to and from the park on the first day and our favorite bus driver was the second day in the afternoon. We were watching "Enchanted" and he clearly had seen it a million times and after the "That's How She Knows" musical scene, the bus driver goes (in reference to Patrick Dempsey's character) "His phone's going to ring. Its going to be Nancy. Thanking him for the flowers sent by birds!" It was THE FUNNIEST MOMENT of our entire trip and the line we repeated over and over for the rest of the time.
This was as we waited for the gates to open to the Islands of Adventure at 8:30. Little did we know that as soon as we got through these gates, we'd be stopped in Marvel Comics Land with awful pulsating music until 9 a.m. when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter actually opened. Two park employees were there to stop us initially (one of their names was Omega- he was cool) but as the crowd turned in to an angry mob, they called in reinforcements and about six park employees ended up holding us back.
The angry mob in front of us as we walked through Jurassic Park. When the park employees released us for the park (and tried to walk us down there), they gave us rules: no running, no kicking, no pushing or shoving. They should have enforced line basics like in 5th and 6th grade.
We held on to each other as we walked with the mob to HPOT because we didn't want to get separated.
Our first glimpse of Hogwarts as we passed through Jurassic Park. It was AMAZING.
Looking in to Hogsmeade from our place in the Butterbeer line.
Liz's first sip of Butterbeer. Awesome.
Liz and me in Honeydukes, the candy shop. It was colorful and lovely and fun, just as we hoped it would be. We bought chocolate frogs, sugar quills, sherbet lemons, a pumpkin tart and taffy. It was amazing.
Our picture in front of the Hogwarts Express on the first day. We took a picture every day (the best was on the last day- see below).
This is what Sarah and I renamed the "Holy Shit" ride (more commonly referred to as the Tri-Wizard Dragon Challenge). You're strapped in, feet dangling, and go shooting down this track with twists and turns, loop-de-loops and intense speeds. It was AMAZING and probably one of the most fun rides I've ever been on.
After the ride, we went in to a shop called Dervish and Banges. We had to wait in a line to get in and once we entered, it was filled to the brim with people and trinkets, brooms and decorations, robes and wands. It was so cool and fun to look at- we could have sat in there for an hour and probably not seen every little detail.
The line for the Hogwarts ride was always a 60-minute wait or more. We played I-Spy the two times we went to wait in that line for the ride that was SO totally worth it.
Inside Hogwarts, there were two choices. Follow one path to the ride or take a walking tour. After we went on the ride (a completely baffling experience where you honestly feel like you're flying on a broom with Harry Potter), we took the walking tour to take a better look at the inside of the castle. These were the talking portraits that actually talked to each other and moved. They looked just like paintings!
This was in Professor Dumbledore's office- he was up in the balcony talking to us! It was SO realistic and cool!
We walked in to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom next where the Golden Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) introduced us to the ride where essentially they save us from a boring lecture by letting us go fly around the castle where we then run in to a dragon and Dementors and then fly in to a Quidditch game.
The sorting hat! The only thing that would have made that better would be if we could have been sorted.
I love this picture because Liz is honestly smiling for real. FOR REAL. That's how happy she was. Its a beautiful thing.
Day Two: We went on the Flight of the Hippogriff ride (WITH LIZ!). Liz hates rollercoasters but she went on this one and loved it. It was a fast but boring rollercoaster but I was proud of her for going on it since she refuses to go on rides anywhere else.
After the ride = all smiles. :)
Back in Dervish and Banges, this time to try on robes. Liz almost bought some but its good she didn't because she definitely didn't have room in her suitcase.
Day Two: Hogwarts Express.
Churros were easy to find at the park so Liz was pleased. This particular purchase was buy one get one half off so Liz enjoyed two feet of churros this afternoon.
Day Three: We tried out Universal Studios (we had park-to-park passes). It was cool to see that iconic globe (that happened to be misting cool water which was nice due to the Florida heat).
The best part about Universal Studios was this tiny section of the Nickelodeon building where they were playing old Nick cartoon theme songs and you could play a character trivia game. It brought us back to our childhoods. I don't know why Liz is making this face (maybe because she was so sad about our favorite shows not being on Nickelodeon anymore?)
Day Three: Hogwarts Express- this time with the conductor!
Back home at MSP, waiting for Sarah's parents (and Jersey) to pick us up. We left our hotel at 4 a.m. for the airport, left Orlando at 6:30 a.m., made it to Philadelphia around 9:30 then back home at 12:30 p.m. It was nice to be home because we were so tired and worn out from our trip!
And there you have it- our amazing experience to Harry Potter World. If I could describe it in one word, it would be: AWESOME.
