Florida Days Three & Four - Drive Down and Harry Potter

Today we spent time in the most magical place on earth, Universal! Specifically Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. Yesterday we woke up really early (7am again!!) and made the long drive from Key West to Orlando. The view along the Keys was beautiful. Camille was disappointed though that we didn't see more pelicans on this trip. Apparently they used to be all over the place but we saw maybe two of them on our drive up and none in Key West.

Jon's picture of the drive along the Keys

Christian's toy shark

We made the drive up in record time for us. We left early, kept our stops short, and had a great conversation about the relationship of virtue to freedom. Thirteen years in and talking to James is still my favorite thing to do. Anyway, we made it to Orlando right at 4, just in time for check in. We are staying at the Bonnet Creek Resort again and we love it. Check in was easier than last time and this time there was no pressure for the timeshare talk, they barely mentioned it at all. 

Camille and Will at Planet Hollywood

Since we got in so early we were able to head out to Disney Springs for dinner. We ended up eating at Planet Hollywood, mainly because we were tired and it was right at the entrance where we were parked. The restaurant was rather overwhelming. A giant imax screen dominated one wall and there were frequent sing a longs. I managed to mortify Christian by joining the rest of the restaurant and singing Sweet Caroline. Our food was decent and our waitress very good. But we were all exhausted and ready to go home soon after eating. 

Watching Studio C with my boys before bed

This morning we had a slower start. James and I still woke up at 7 and happened to be up when Christian came out of his room. We got a huge hug which was wonderful. But since it was too early to be awake on vacation we decided to get some more sleep. When Christian saw us heading back to bed he said in a shocked voice "What are you guys doing??" He is such a morning person!

Ready for Universal

Will is so excited!

Wizards at Universal

It didn't take Will and Christian long to ditch the robes

We caught Jaws!

Today is Harry Potter day and once we got in we went straight to Diagon Alley. The entrance is a plain brick wall which looks as if it had just opened to create a passage. Once inside the area is crammed with wizarding shops and it really feels like walking into Harry Potter's world. At the top of the street in Gringotts Bank and atop that sits a dragon that periodically roars and breathes fire. It is amazing. 

In Diagon Alley

Dragon on Gringotts Bank

Our first stop was Ollivanders. We were here last year and had bought the boys interactive wands but they didn't work anymore. But the staff "repaired" the broken wands (replaced them with new ones) and the boys were able to do magic again! All over Diagon Alley are stations where you can wave your wand in a certain way and something magical will happen. In one place a puppet show starts, in another a fountain rains down. These are so much that James and I bought ourselves a wand too so we could do the spells without stealing wands from the boys. Jon had a map of all the locations and ran around trying to do every single one.

Christian on Hagrid's motorcycle

One of the many cool shops

Shopping for potions

Jon spent all his money on candy

We didn't spend too much time on the magic at first though. After we bought the wand we went on the Escape from Gringotts ride. (I know I've written about this area before so forgive me if I repeat myself). The ride is a lot of fun but one of the things Universal does really well is the lines and atmosphere. To get to the actual ride you spend a long time walking through the bank, going deeper in until you reach the vaults. The ride itself was the story of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's break into and out of Gringotts. It was a blast.

Gringotts Bank

The head clerk goblin

3D goggles for the ride

Guarding the bank

After that we had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. The food was decent and arrived quickly, but the real treat was the drinks. We had hot, frozen, and regular butterbeer, all of which were delicious. And James got his favorite Green Fizzy drink which he'd been looking forward to since he first tried it last year. It has little blueberry balls which explode in your mouth and he and the boys love it.

The Leaky Cauldron

Christian and I enjoy the view

After lunch it was time for shopping! Camille teases me because I am not a shopper and avoid it whenever I can. But here in Diagon Alley I could (and did!) shop for hours. There are a ton of little shops, Zonko's, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Madame Malkins, Borgin and Burkes, etc. and we went into them all. It was great! Jon of course went straight for the candy and bought himself a giant lollypop and a potion of peace which you can add to drinks. Will was particularly interested in all the quiddich clothes, and Christian loved the manegerie. Grandma was very generous and bought him a stuffed Fawkes which he carried around and hugged for the rest of the day.

Dragon fire

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes shop

Wizard theater

Oh the shopping! So many stores and so many details! Everywhere you looked there were new little things. Universal did a tremendous job on this area and really got all the details right. One area led down into the dark of Knockturn Alley. Here there were more spells you could do. Jon's favorite, the Alohomora spell, unlocked a door which also hissed and blew steam at you when you approached. I got James to go up to it and made him jump. Borgin and Burkes was also down here and they were selling some dark and unique items. We loved looking around.

Borgin and Burkes shop

Death Eater mask

Talking to a snake

I could go on but I'm tired tonight and we spent hours in Diagon Alley. It is really an amazing place and I've never seen an area like it at any theme park. Eventually though we saw enough that it was time to move on. So we left Diagon Alley and entered Kings Cross Station to board the Hogwarts Express. Once again the details were amazing. At one point in the line it looks like you are actually entering through the wall. And the train itself is beautiful. The ride wasn't too long but did have some great scenery as we drove through London and past Hogwarts.

In Kings Cross Station

The boys can't wait to ride the Hogwarts Express

We arrived at Hogsmeade pretty tired but not quite down. There isn't as much to do in the Hogsmeade area but we still checked out the shops and of course Jon had to do all the magic he could in this area too. After a little time shopping here we went over to the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. I've never been on this one. Last time we were on the Islands of Adventure Will and Jon were way too little to go and I didn't want to ride alone. But this time we all went on. 

Hogsmeade

Shopping at Honeydukes

You are probably tired of hearing this but once again Universal did an amazing job with the line and the details. There were multiple rooms of talking portraits or characters and in one Ron made it actually snow. We were there at a good time because the line moved just slow enough that we could see everything but didn't have to wait long. The ride itself I can't describe, it isn't like any other ride I've been on. It was a mix of movie screens and actual rails where you moved past huge monsters and through forests. We flew forward and were flipped on our backs, we soared and were blasted with fire and sprayed with water. I was a little motion sick by the end but it was a fantastic ride. 

Hogwarts

These portraits held conversations with each other

After the Forbidden Journey all the adults took a break while the three boys went on the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster. I love that they are old enough to go on rides by themselves now. And at the same time I don't want them to get too independent... I still need someone to ride with me! By the time the boys got off we were done. It was getting late and we were all exhausted. So we headed off to find some dinner.

Christian loves all these little bikes and motorcycles

Very tired boys waiting for dinner

For dinner we went to the Chocolate Emporium, a steampunk style restaurant that we'd wanted to try for ages now. The food was amazing, by far the best we've had here. James, Camille, and I all had steak that was just heavenly. Christian complimented the chef as he wolfed down his burgers, and Will and Jon both devoured their own adult sized alfredo plates. (I am not ready for them to stop eating off the kids menu!) It was all so good and I desperately want to go back one more time for that steak!

The atmosphere in the restaurant was great too. The staff was all dressed in steampunk outfits which was a lot of fun. And "the owner" of the restaurant came and talked to all the guests. She asked us to keep an eye out for her robot who was currently in a dispute with the toaster. And she asked the boys to come up with a milkshake recipe which they did. It would be called "The Sugar Bomb" and would be made of mint chip ice cream with brownies and oreos, and then topped with strawberry whipped cream, chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles, and a cherry. The boys were very proud of this and excited to keep an eye out for the robot. We did see him from afar but alas we didn't get to speak to him this time.

As wonderful as the food and atmosphere was, the desserts here were even more impressive. The menu had pages and pages of desserts and milkshakes but we settled on the chocolate creme brulee and a brownie sundae. It was delicious but giant and even with six of us we couldn't finish it all. But we will have to come back again before we leave!

Today was a wonderful day. And probably the only time on this blog that I will talk so much or so positively about shopping! But tomorrow is an early morning so I am off to bed. Goodnight!

Islands of Adventure Lighthouse