So the reason why I decided to stop in Orlando again is simple. I wanted to go to the Harry Potter theme park that had opened about a month ago. I got up early so that I had enough time to spend there because I really did not want to be stressed in there.
Luckily two other girls from the hostel wanted to go to the Universal Studios too (that's the park where Harry Potter is located). That meant that we were enough people to get the hostel shuttle to drive us there. The same couple as last year runs the hostel by the way, however, they do not bring their dog Tiffany to work anymore. By shuttle it took us about half an hour to get there, by bus it would have taken about two hours!!!
Universal Studios are divided into two parks. There's the Universal Studio park and the Island of Adventure park. I bought a ticket for the Island of Adventure. These two parks contain different little parks. The Island of adventure has Jurassic Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in it among others. The two other girls bought a park hopper ticket which allows them to visit both parks on the same day. I had seen the actual Universal Studios in Los Angeles and did not need to see it again.
After buying the ticket from a guy who now thinks that I am crazy because I asked him everything like 5 times because I was just unable to understand him, I went in and went straight to the Harry Potter section because honestly, that's why I was there.
When I walked into "Hogsmeade" I could have cried because it looks just sooooooooo awesome and soooooooooooooo real. I felt like I was walking on the movie set. Everything was there, Honeydukes, Zonkos, Olivanders, the 3 broomsticks, the hogshead, the train station with the Hogwarts Express and of course, towering over everything, the Hogwarts castle. It was just beyond amazing, they really did an amazing job creating this!
The first ride I went on was the dragon challenge. The line was long, i stood there for about an hour but it was worth it. It's a fast rollercoaster, so fast that they make you hold your shoes in your hands cause they could fly off your feet :)
I wanted to check out the stores next but you even had to stand in line for that so I postponed that. Instead, I went into the castle. There is another ride in the castle and the line was long again, however, I learned that there is a single rider line that is way faster. Every time a seat is free, they take someone from that line to fill up all the carts. I only waited about 15 minutes but even if I had had to wait longer it would have been worth it. This ride was amazing. I was flying above Hogwarts castle, playing in a Quidditch game, escaping dragons etc. really really awesome!!!
It was time to taste the Harry Potter food now so I stood in line to go to Honeydukes to buy a chocolate frog and Berty Botts every-flavour beans. Then I bought a bottle of pumpkin juice and stood in another line to get a butter beer. With my provisions in hand I left the busy Harry Potter World to find a quiet place to eat. I decided to go back to Harry Potter later that afternoon hoping that less people would be there then.
I found a spot at the entrance to Jurassic Park and started to eat. Let me tell you, Pumkin juice is disgusting but butter beer is even more disgusting. I could not even finish it!
Anyway, I spent the next 3 hours of the day in the rest of the park going on rides like the Spider Man ride, Poseidon's fury or the Popeye water ride.
Then I went back to Harry Potter. I still had to check out all the stores. Let me tell you, they then absolutely great. All the important details are there, it's really like being in the books!
I also wanted to go on the Hippogryphe ride but it is an outdoor ride and lightning and some thunder were going on then so they had to stop the ride. The one in the castle was still open though cause it is an indoor ride so I went back there.
People who were in front of me asked the guy working there if they could go into the single rider lane. He said that if they did they wouldn't get to see the whole castle. I did not know until then that there is more to see so I decided not to go into the single rider lane this time.
Turns out it was a good decision because there is a whole lot to see in that castle.
They have the magic mirror there, the statue that leads to a secret pathway, they have the defense against the dark arts class room with hologramms of Harry Ron and Hermione who talk to you, there's also Dumbledore's office to visit and also the Gryffindor common room and all the pictures are moving and talking, it's just amazing.
After that it was about 8.00pm already. I had done and seen everything I wanted to but I still had 2 hours till Dawn (the girl from the hostel) would pick us up. I left the park and hit the universal city walk where I spent some time at Starbucks and then had late dinner at Panda Express. The last 45 Minutes I spent in front of a stage where a band was playing cover songs. They were very good and it was a lot of fun. And that's how this AWESOME day ended.
that's it for now
xoxo
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