As with all trips, there is fun along the way that may not have been included in the game plan. the hunt for a Winn-Dixie that couldn't be found, and stumbling upon great roadside oddities such as the building shaped like a fresh orange, the Gator Motel with it's amazing plaster gator eating a car, the upside down building and of course, the three story McDonalds shaped like a box of frys. We discovered a great little snack bar by the pool at our hotel, and laughed that most of the seven channels we were able to get on our cruddy TV were in black and white.
We packed as much in as we could on this amazing free trip and thank Alloy and Do Something from the bottom of our hearts for this great escape!
THE END
Monday, May 2, 2011
Epcot Center, DisneyWorld
As much as Harry Potter geeks, we are Disney geeks. To have a trip to Orlando and not see DisneyWorld would have been heartbreaking. Robyn Needham to the rescue. Just out of the blue she mentioned she had some unused tickets that would expire at the end of may, and would we be interested? Unbelievable! She even had food coupons!!! So plans went into motion on when and how we would do Disney. Becca had never been to DisneyWorld so I was extra thrilled to be able to give her that opportunity.
I had been when my first three kids were little but I had forgotten how massive the property is. You could NEVER walk there from a hotel like you can with DisneyLand. I spent more time driving on the Disney property to the parks than I did from the hotel to the property itself. So impressive. We went first to the Animal Park which has been a dream of mine, but they were CLOSED. I should have known something was up when the sign on the parking building said "Continue to parking" without charging. I mean, when would Disney not charge for parking? So, we went on to Epcot. You would think that I would feel disappointed that I didn't get to do the Safari that was on my bucket list, but I was too excited to be at Disney to feel let down. When we walked into Epcot the smells were amazing. HGTV was doing a gardening festival and topiary's of the characters were everywhere and the flowers were abundant, spectacular and more fragrant than I can describe. We wandered from one adorable character to another, amazed that they could do that with plants. It was enough just to be there to see that! But we also enjoyed the rides, the hats, the people watching, and, thanks to Robyn, a fabulous meal. We even got to see Paul Revere and the Raiders in concert! Becca's new medication causes her to tire quickly (we've gotta get her some new stuff) so we left, just before the fireworks. Quite a magical day!
I had been when my first three kids were little but I had forgotten how massive the property is. You could NEVER walk there from a hotel like you can with DisneyLand. I spent more time driving on the Disney property to the parks than I did from the hotel to the property itself. So impressive. We went first to the Animal Park which has been a dream of mine, but they were CLOSED. I should have known something was up when the sign on the parking building said "Continue to parking" without charging. I mean, when would Disney not charge for parking? So, we went on to Epcot. You would think that I would feel disappointed that I didn't get to do the Safari that was on my bucket list, but I was too excited to be at Disney to feel let down. When we walked into Epcot the smells were amazing. HGTV was doing a gardening festival and topiary's of the characters were everywhere and the flowers were abundant, spectacular and more fragrant than I can describe. We wandered from one adorable character to another, amazed that they could do that with plants. It was enough just to be there to see that! But we also enjoyed the rides, the hats, the people watching, and, thanks to Robyn, a fabulous meal. We even got to see Paul Revere and the Raiders in concert! Becca's new medication causes her to tire quickly (we've gotta get her some new stuff) so we left, just before the fireworks. Quite a magical day!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Universal Studios, FL. That is where we thought we were going. We wanted to see what they did when trying to make a theme park out of the Harry Potter books. But we were wrong. After a long walk through the lost civilization, we saw it, and when we stepped through the gates we knew we were someplace else. We were REALLY in Hogsmeade. What a transformation. I can't imagine that it could have been done any better. Spectacular. To be fair, I have to admit we are complete HP geeks. Yes, we are the ones you laugh at who are wearing robes and carrying wands at the latest book or movie opening. But then that might make us more hard to please in this situation. But it is AMAZING!
From the moment you step in you hear the Harry Potter theme song welcoming you in. The charming British train conductor is there welcoming you next to the Hogwarts Express. The train is exactly as I envisioned it, but you can't ride it. The snow capped houses with their little crooked chimneys made you feel chilled, even in the 90 degree heat. We meandered through the streets, stopping at HoneyDukes candy store, Zonkos Joke Shop, and stopped to drink DELICIOUS Butter Beer at the Three Broomsticks. Hogwarts Castle looms majestic at the end of the streets, and we chose the walking tour rather than the ride for fear that a ride would cheapen this experience that felt so completely real. I loved the "Owl Post" which was the post office, filled with Owls in the rafters waiting for their assignments. The shops did NOT sell heavily merchandised things such as "My Grandma went to Harry Potters Wizarding World and all I got was this dumb T-shirt." Sure you could get a hoodie that said "Harry Potter" on it, but mostly it was things that students themselves could buy on a HogsMeade trip. Sneek a Scopes, Extendable Ears, Pigmy Puffs, Chocolate Frogs, Robes, Wands, etc. When Becca bought her choclolate frog, she had to sign her credit card receipt with a quill. The details are amazing, right down to something like that. As usual, a bathroom visit was required, and Moaning Myrtle was crying and complaining all through the bathroom. The whole "world" was better than I expected could be done at all. It was true to the books which I loved. Thank you Universal, for making a place where HP fans can step into the world they love!
P.S. If you are planning a trip, I highly recommend the ButterBeer, not so much the Pumpkin Juice....
From the moment you step in you hear the Harry Potter theme song welcoming you in. The charming British train conductor is there welcoming you next to the Hogwarts Express. The train is exactly as I envisioned it, but you can't ride it. The snow capped houses with their little crooked chimneys made you feel chilled, even in the 90 degree heat. We meandered through the streets, stopping at HoneyDukes candy store, Zonkos Joke Shop, and stopped to drink DELICIOUS Butter Beer at the Three Broomsticks. Hogwarts Castle looms majestic at the end of the streets, and we chose the walking tour rather than the ride for fear that a ride would cheapen this experience that felt so completely real. I loved the "Owl Post" which was the post office, filled with Owls in the rafters waiting for their assignments. The shops did NOT sell heavily merchandised things such as "My Grandma went to Harry Potters Wizarding World and all I got was this dumb T-shirt." Sure you could get a hoodie that said "Harry Potter" on it, but mostly it was things that students themselves could buy on a HogsMeade trip. Sneek a Scopes, Extendable Ears, Pigmy Puffs, Chocolate Frogs, Robes, Wands, etc. When Becca bought her choclolate frog, she had to sign her credit card receipt with a quill. The details are amazing, right down to something like that. As usual, a bathroom visit was required, and Moaning Myrtle was crying and complaining all through the bathroom. The whole "world" was better than I expected could be done at all. It was true to the books which I loved. Thank you Universal, for making a place where HP fans can step into the world they love!
P.S. If you are planning a trip, I highly recommend the ButterBeer, not so much the Pumpkin Juice....
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