We got up early to head deep within the Island of Adventure and spend our day exploring Hogsmeade and Hogwarts at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! We had stumbled upon the entrance the previous evening, but Katie was very stern about turning me around and reminding me that we were saving the experience for the following morning. I stared back over my shoulder longingly as she drug me away.
Here's the entrance to Hogsmeade...
And the Hogwarts Express...
Our view of the Hogsmeade streets...
The girls of Pulse love some butterbeer...
Hogwarts...
One of the longest lines we waited in on our trip was for the Dragon Challenge rollercoaster. Not worth it. Come to find out, it's just the 20 year old Dueling Dragons rollercoaster that has always been at Universal Studios, just with a new name. LAME. We rode the blue coaster or the Hungarian Horntail and decided to not waste any time waiting to ride the red Chinese Fireball. The Flight of the Hippogriff coaster was fun, but not thrilling. While waiting in line you get to pass Hagrid's Hut, so that was pretty cool, and Buckbeak greets you from his nest on your ascent, also very cool. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was awesome! Thanks again to the tattoos and my big mouth, a friendly line attendant named Ryan, escorted us inside Hogwarts and showed us some amazing props on our way to the front of the line. Thanks Ryan! Immediately after riding we had yet another friendly Universal employee lead us back to the head of the class, and we were able to enjoy this ride twice in a row too! I'll admit to being a little dizzy after our second go!
To get our heads together and recollect after the Harry Potter rides, we decided to sit down for a meal at... The Three Broomsticks! Katie had the fish and chips and I had the shepherd's pie. Both of our meals were delicious (sorry for the lack of pictures!) and we both enjoyed a frozen butterbeer with our lunch. So good! Butterbeer tastes kind of like a butterscotch soda and they put this (forgive me) MAGICAL whipped cream on top. We tried the frozen and regular and both were to die for. They also serve Pumpkin Juice and Pumpkin Fizz. I was excited about both, but after inquiring about the ingredients and discovering both contain an apple juice base, I was not able to try either. Anyone who knows me will tell you that there are no circumstances in which it is safe for me to drink any amount of apple juice. I'll spare you the details here. Which is sad, because I do like it. Someone out there try it and tell me how it is!
We tried to mail postcards from the Owl Post, and that turned out to be a complete cluster F@%*. There are only four Potter postcards to choose from and the website leads you to believe there are stamps and other mail novelties, of which we found none. We were able to get the Hogsmeade postmark stamped on our cards before we left the store, but we had to mail them ourselves from our hotel. LAME. As a matter of fact, other than the Three Broomsticks, I found most of the Hogsmeade village to be a complete cluster F@#%. Katie from Pulse is the nicest person I know in real life and it even made her angry and mean! Which I appreciated. Ha.
All in all our day in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was very fun. The attention to detail was amazing, but as a huge fan, I was a little let down by the less than spectacular attractions. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey inside Hogwarts was outstanding, but it left everything else pale in comparison.
The ascent is completely verticle and even though that looks like a loop, you are never actually upside down! The aren't even shoulder harnesses on this ride! Just a lap bar! It was awesome. This rollercoaster has a touch screen and speakers in each seat and you get to pick what song you listen in your personal speakers while you ride. I chose Motley Crue's "Kickstart My Heart". I sang and danced and screamed my way through this entire ride, and I was only slightly mortified when I discovered I was filmed the entire way. Instead of a picture available for purchase at the end, this ride offers a video! I looked SO stupid! We had a really good laugh at my expense.
