I took a trip to Orlando, FL the other week and visited The Harry Potter Wizarding World at Universal Studios. I've been a HP geek since I was in grade school and know pretty much everything there is to know about Harry Potter.
Don't believe me? I dare you to quiz me.
I'm proud of my HP knowledge. I think Harry Potter was the greatest piece of literature ever written.
It's the second best selling book next to the bible. And I believe that if both books had come out at the same time, that HP would def be in the number one spot.
The movies are pretty cool too but they lack the tiny little details that made the books so special.
That's is why visiting the Wizarding World was so amazing coz it was like bringing the books to life. It was like stepping into the movie. No words could describe the awesomeness. Only a true Harry Potter fan could appreciate it.
Play this music while reading my post for the full Harry Potter experience!!
As I entered Hogsmeade and turned the corner, my jaw literally dropped. All of the perfectly crooked, snow-capped houses, the butter beer stand and the HP music blasting in the air was enough to make me feel twelve again.
Right at the entrance of Hogsmeade stood the Hogwarts Express full steam ahead. The conductor chatted with me with a British accent before taking a pic with me.
As I walked further into Hogsmeade, I could see Hogwarts in the distance. It was stunning. Just like I had imagined.While gazing at it, I began longing to be wizard just like I had done as a child.
Most of the shops in Hogsmeade were actual shops straight out of the book. No crappy Universal gift shops in HP world. Everything was as authentic as could be. A HP geek's fantasy!
While I waited in line to visit Dervish & Banges, the wand shop, I passed by the Quidditch store which displayed a quaffle, a snitch and some Quidditch gear. Nimbus 2000's could be bought inside for $300!! But what do you do with a broom that can't really fly once you get home?
Once in the wand shop we witnessed a little boy get fitted with his wand. It was awesome...just like in the movie!! The first two wands shattered stuff around us and when he put his hands on the third wand, he lit up, air swooshed around him and angels sang.
It was crazy how the shop looked identical to the one in the movie. Thank you Universal for hiring the Harry Potter movie set designer to make the Wizarding World! He done good!
My next stop was Honey Dukes!! They had all types of normal candies and even HP candies such as chocolate frogs, chocolate wands and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans.
I've been wanting to try the Every Flavor Jelly Beans since I was about 15 so I got a big bag of them.
Now when they say every flavor they really mean EVERY flavor.
A few flavors that I tried were dirt, vomit and soap. They really taste exactly like what they were supposed to!!! Dirt was the grossest and was almost enough to make me lose my breakfast. Other nasty flavors were boogers, earwax and sardines. BLAH
I can't wait to offer my friend some yummy jelly beans when they come over my house. *evil laugh*
Zonko's, the joke shop, was attached to Honeydukes and was filled to the ceiling with jokes and pranks from the HP books. Who can forget extendable ears??
Right next door was Dogweed and Deathcap, the exotic plants store, which had screeching Mandrakes in the window. Am I confusing you Muggles yet??
Next was a clothing store which had Hermione's Yule Ball dress in the window sill. It wasn't an actual store but a fake storefront.
Ron's car was crashed into a tree in one of the lines to a ride!! I was sad to see there was no Whomping Willow. But there was an exact replica of Hagrid's hut!!
One of the things I just had to do before I left the Wizarding World was to try a Butter Beer. And because the line for the outdoor stand was a mile long, we ventured into the Three Broomsticks to get one at the bar.
It was so amazing inside. They even sold British foods like Shepard's pie and umm...other British stuff that I can't remember.
My Butter Beer cost me $4 for a tiny cup and for any other drink I would have been outraged but this was Butter Beer!! Oh Universal..taking advantage of us naive HP freaks.
In the book, Butter Beer is supposed to taste somewhat like butterscotch and it warms you and and makes you feel great. In the real world, it tasted like cream soda with a thick butterscotch foam on top.
And even though I hate cream soda, I drank it all! Because I'm greedy and want to take in everything Harry Potter that I can!!
Ok Muggles, hope you understood all of my Harry Potter lingo. I gotta go pray for J.K. Rowling to make another HP book.
BYEEE
Don't believe me? I dare you to quiz me.
I'm proud of my HP knowledge. I think Harry Potter was the greatest piece of literature ever written.
It's the second best selling book next to the bible. And I believe that if both books had come out at the same time, that HP would def be in the number one spot.
The movies are pretty cool too but they lack the tiny little details that made the books so special.
That's is why visiting the Wizarding World was so amazing coz it was like bringing the books to life. It was like stepping into the movie. No words could describe the awesomeness. Only a true Harry Potter fan could appreciate it.
Play this music while reading my post for the full Harry Potter experience!!
As I entered Hogsmeade and turned the corner, my jaw literally dropped. All of the perfectly crooked, snow-capped houses, the butter beer stand and the HP music blasting in the air was enough to make me feel twelve again.
Right at the entrance of Hogsmeade stood the Hogwarts Express full steam ahead. The conductor chatted with me with a British accent before taking a pic with me.
As I walked further into Hogsmeade, I could see Hogwarts in the distance. It was stunning. Just like I had imagined.While gazing at it, I began longing to be wizard just like I had done as a child.
Most of the shops in Hogsmeade were actual shops straight out of the book. No crappy Universal gift shops in HP world. Everything was as authentic as could be. A HP geek's fantasy!
While I waited in line to visit Dervish & Banges, the wand shop, I passed by the Quidditch store which displayed a quaffle, a snitch and some Quidditch gear. Nimbus 2000's could be bought inside for $300!! But what do you do with a broom that can't really fly once you get home?
Once in the wand shop we witnessed a little boy get fitted with his wand. It was awesome...just like in the movie!! The first two wands shattered stuff around us and when he put his hands on the third wand, he lit up, air swooshed around him and angels sang.
It was crazy how the shop looked identical to the one in the movie. Thank you Universal for hiring the Harry Potter movie set designer to make the Wizarding World! He done good!
My next stop was Honey Dukes!! They had all types of normal candies and even HP candies such as chocolate frogs, chocolate wands and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans.
I've been wanting to try the Every Flavor Jelly Beans since I was about 15 so I got a big bag of them.
Now when they say every flavor they really mean EVERY flavor.
A few flavors that I tried were dirt, vomit and soap. They really taste exactly like what they were supposed to!!! Dirt was the grossest and was almost enough to make me lose my breakfast. Other nasty flavors were boogers, earwax and sardines. BLAH
I can't wait to offer my friend some yummy jelly beans when they come over my house. *evil laugh*
Zonko's, the joke shop, was attached to Honeydukes and was filled to the ceiling with jokes and pranks from the HP books. Who can forget extendable ears??
Right next door was Dogweed and Deathcap, the exotic plants store, which had screeching Mandrakes in the window. Am I confusing you Muggles yet??
Next was a clothing store which had Hermione's Yule Ball dress in the window sill. It wasn't an actual store but a fake storefront.
Ron's car was crashed into a tree in one of the lines to a ride!! I was sad to see there was no Whomping Willow. But there was an exact replica of Hagrid's hut!!
One of the things I just had to do before I left the Wizarding World was to try a Butter Beer. And because the line for the outdoor stand was a mile long, we ventured into the Three Broomsticks to get one at the bar.
It was so amazing inside. They even sold British foods like Shepard's pie and umm...other British stuff that I can't remember.
My Butter Beer cost me $4 for a tiny cup and for any other drink I would have been outraged but this was Butter Beer!! Oh Universal..taking advantage of us naive HP freaks.
In the book, Butter Beer is supposed to taste somewhat like butterscotch and it warms you and and makes you feel great. In the real world, it tasted like cream soda with a thick butterscotch foam on top.
And even though I hate cream soda, I drank it all! Because I'm greedy and want to take in everything Harry Potter that I can!!
Ok Muggles, hope you understood all of my Harry Potter lingo. I gotta go pray for J.K. Rowling to make another HP book.
BYEEE
