Universal Studios! Part 2 (Everything HARRY POTTER!!!)

Continuing on with our Universal Studios adventures.... This post contains photos/stories from the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter." I'm a total Potter nut. I've read all of the books (all of which I started on THE day they were released). I've watched all of the movies (except the latest, because, well, I have a toddler...). I've read pretty much ever article I could get my hands on regarding the opening of the attraction at Universal Studios. Anyway, needless to say, I'm a fan.

So a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (link takes you to the "official" site) was pretty high up on my MUST DO list! And I can't believe it, I've been! And for the 8 or so hours we were at Universal Studios, I think I spent 7 of it in Harry Potter land! (Poor Matt, he's such a good sport - and an even better husband - because I kept asking him to turn around so I could see just ONE MORE thing...)

Anyway, I know you want to see the photos, so here goes. I've reduced the sizes, so click on each one to make them bigger.

Starting with, the official entrance:
A view up the main street. Wow, just look at that attention to detail. I'm sounding like a broken record, but their designers didn't miss a beat with this place!
Right up front was the Hogwarts Express:
Family shot:
I just love the crooked chimneys:
And the narrow, pointy rooftops:
The shops were straight out of the books (first pic is where the students get their school supplies, second pic is where the wands are purchased):
And the main attraction - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:
(This is actually a ride - but in the sunlight, it was amazing! Can only imagine how awesome this place looks lit up at night!)
Before we went in, I stopped in a really, really long line and got some Butterbeer. It had a cream-soda taste, but it kept foaming and foaming as we drank it down. Couldn't help but getting a butterbeer mustache as you drank it - see:
We let Carter try some and he was QUITE a fan... And kept asking for "More! More!"
(Might also see in Carter's hand a little plastic pumpkin. I also tried Pumpkin Juice while we were there. It came in a plastic bottle and had this little pumpkin as the topper. He dropped that thing like 85 times and all of the very nice people visiting Universal Studios kept giving it back to Carter. It would clank and clack all over the pavement and we just wanted it to get lost... But nooooo.... All those nice people giving it back... It now resides in my office here in Albuquerque. Yay...)
While in line for the Hogwarts castle ride, we saw some of the Mandrake "plants" - again, these were straight from the book and had little faces and I'm guessing if you pulled one out, it would scream...
While the queue wasn't all that long, it was clearly time for Carter to be taking a nap. Tough break kid, this day was about MOMMY!
Once inside the castle, there were neat little displays everywhere. Thought these were just filled with black sand, but when I snapped a photo, they were all the different "house" colors!
A statue of a Hippogriff:
Despite being entirely prone to motion sickness, I was NOT going to NOT ride this one! But if you click on this photo, check out all the other "warnings"...hehe!
The hallway, complete with "moving" portraits:
Yeah, yeah...
The pensieve in Professor Dumbledor's office:
Inside the "Defense Against the Dark Arts" classroom... yeah, it was snowing...inside (up on the ledge was Harry, Ron, and Hermione - but hard to capture since they were holographic):
Classroom instructions on the blackboard:
Hallway as we were headed toward the ride - yep, "No Muggles" allowed:
And finally, the ride. Took off from the Main Hall (complete with a zillion candles):
The ride was one of those types where you watch the screen and your chair moves around on hydraulics. I got TOTALLY sick, but it was OH SO WORTH IT! At the very end of the queue, just before the ride, they had a "Parent Room." So since I went through the line once with Jennifer and Marilyn, Matt was able to come back through with me and ride it too. I just waited in the Parent Room with Carter, Brett, and Henry (I couldn't stomach a second ride....).

At the very end and at the bottom of the castle was the gift shop. I bought FOUR scarves, one from each house at Hogwarts (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw). Sure, you can probably find them online somewhere for a lot less, but I got MINE at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Whoooo hoooo!
And just a few more photos, here I am with the conductor in front of the Hogwarts Express (suave camera action by Matt...he cut Carter off completely...whoopsie!):
And two parting shots from the backside of Harry Potter land:
If you asked me to return, I'd be on the next plane. It was AMAZING! If you ever get the chance to attend, I say GO FOR IT!

And I almost forgot... We ate the "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans" (from the Honeyduke's candy shop) when we got home from Orlando. Sure, they're made by the Jelly Belly company, but we totally enjoyed the wonderful flavors of grass, vomit, bogies, earthworm, sausage, dirt, rotten egg, earwax, black pepper, and even soap (along with the regular flavors of apple, watermelon, cherry, lemon, etc.). Gotta say, completely and totally authentic. Nasty! :)

Hope you enjoyed the adventure too! (And an early Merry Christmas to you!)
~kerrie