Harry Potter Theme Park

I got to cross off an item on my bucket list earlier than planned---visit the Harry Potter Theme Park at Universal Studios in Orlando! The reason I was able to go earlier was because there was an awesome deal in November---like 60% off flights and hotels---it was a steal because the cost was all under $500!! And that's the kind of vacations I look for! This theme park was only built a few years ago. I have to tell you that the HP park has 2 of the most awesome rides ever!! First there is the Forbidden Journey in the Hogwarts castle---you sit on a bench with your feet hanging free and the ride is totally interactive--you feel like you are in it and experiencing it as you chase a dragon, escape the gigantic spiders, get away from the whomping willow and have Harry save you from the dementors! You are spinning, flying, and dropping suddenly at every turn! The second ride is the Dragon Challenge---there are 2 coasters---one for the Chinese Fireball Dragon and one for the Hungarian Horntail Dragon---once again you are on benches with your feet hanging freely---the coaster takes you upside down with your feet in the air and the corkscrews you down and around the corners---such a rush!!! I couldn't get enough of those 2 rides! There is also a Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley town and you can visit the different shops that are in the books. With so much cool stuff in all the shops, it was quite the task to not buy it all! And of course there was butterbeer and pumpkin juice! I had the frozen butterbeer and loved it---butterbeer has a cream soda base. And pumpkin juice was yummy too---tasted like apple cider with a hint of pumpkin flavoring in it.

We did go to the rest of Universal Studios too. One day we got so drenched from 2 rides, we were just wet or damp all day and night---they provided "people dryers" but it didn't help much. Got to take pictures with characters---which is always silly fun! I always feel like I'm the only adult doing that! The other 3 rides I loved in Universal was Rip Ride RockIt---it started out going totally vertically up for many yards and then it just went crazy looping and curving around, all while listening to the music of your choice--then the Incredible Hulk ride was like the Dragon Challenge but your feet were not free hanging---and then The Mummy was a fun interactive one---not as good as the HP one though.

Another super thing about being at Universal Studios in February was that the weather down there was hot! 80 degree weather---can't complain with that! The humidity did frizz my hair everyday, but had to just deal with that! I loved wearing summer clothes! It was a good break from the cold winter temperatures in Utah!