HaRRy PoTTer FaNaTiCS

A couple of weekends ago the King of the Crazies and I got away from our crazy kids for an anniversary weekend.  It was his year to decide what we do and where we go and he picked Universal's Islands of Adventure.   This post will be about the Harry Potter crazies fans, the Harry Potter village area and Hogwarts.

I read online that if you wanted to ride the Harry Potter ride, you should go there first.  Because it was new we of course wanted to go on it.  We got there before the park opened and were held back once inside the park until the clock struck 9:30 AM.   After that, for some, it was the race of all time.  We took our time.  Some people broke into a full on sprint.  There was also frantic walking, people jumping up to see ahead of where they couldn't wait to get.  It was all quite comical.

Anyway...

Disclaimer:  Know that I did not read the books but a saw a few movies.  The husband has read all the books and seen most of the movies.  So I may be wrong in some of my labeling. 

The Harry Potter village area:

 Hogwarts.  This is where the "Forbidden Journey" ride was.  This ride was not the old "Dueling Dragons" but it is in that area as a Harry Potter ride.  This ride used a movie screen and jerked you around a lot.  I think I got hurt. ;o)  It did move and I think it blew hot air on us at one point.

 I thought it was funny that black birds were flying around and landing on the point.

Some statue inside the castle where we waited for the ride.

 There were faces on these!

 The architecture was amazing.

 :)

 My feet while on the ride!  Buhahaha

 Me with the car.  My husband thought it would be funny to cut me in half.

 Hogwarts students and singing toads?

 Hagrid's home

We also found out that there are three rides in this area that are H.P. themed.  This one, the old Dueling Dragons coaster (which is actually two roller coasters) and what appeared to be a kiddie roller coaster.  (We did not ride that one.) 

These gals were in front of us in the line for the ride.  We later found out you had to wait in a line to get into the store to spend money!

The boy in the dress/cape again.

Nimbus 2000?!  We heard someone that had been in the store saying how one of the brooms (or was it a wand?) was $250.  Um, nothankyouverymuch.  Oh, if only I were as cool as this man.  ;)