Cheating on Mickey with Harry Part 1
- Thread starter Fantasmic23
- Start date
momabaarjo
Rather Sail Away with Mickey than Run Now
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2010
Joining in too..
Sazzo'sMommy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2003
More, please?
Metro West
On the west side of Orlando
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
This started out as a good report, too bad it's disappeared.
Fantasmic23
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
Monday, April 18th
Well, we arrive at our hotel, La Quinta Inn & Suites, around 3:00. I wait in the car with the kids while my husband checks in. I roll down the windows and almost recoil. Are you kidding me with this heat and humidity? Talk about going from one extreme to the other! As usual, I'm cursing myself for putting full faith in weather.com. Well, anything's better than the weather we left far behind in Connecticut. Looks like we'll have to find a Target or Walmart so I can buy some shorts. I forgot to pack a bathing suit, too.
We head into the lovely air-conditioning of the hotel and I look wistfully at the brochure rack at the front desk: A dozen or so brochures for Disney, but there are plenty for Universal, too. We find our room and I begin to unpack and set up tolietries in the bathroom. I'm so anal about this ... I have to get organized and do this right away or it puts me into a funk. The weekend's driving has finally caught up with everyone, but we're too keyed up to nap. I suggest showers and then a trip to City Walk so we can pick up our tickets at Guest Relations.
The kids are a bit confused as to what City Walk is. Even though I've never been, I explain that I imagine it's a bit like Downtown Disney, only Universal's way. My husband has a half thought of driving to Downtown Disney for dinner, but I say no: It's about Universal this week. Thanks to our GPS, we're there in no time. City Walk is a bit like Downtown Disney, though smaller and bit congested. We poke around in a few shops (My husband loves all of the Harry Potter merchandise and my son is hungrily eyeing the wands) and survey the restaurants. Mararitaville looks promising (to me at least), but I am more thirsty than hungry at this point. We buy some bottled water at a cart that also sells those gigantic turkey legs, everyone's favorite (Well, except for me). My husband buys two (one for him and one for the kids to split). It proves to be a waste, as none of them care for the turkey (which they claim is pink, greasy and raw). "It's not like Disney turkey legs." Grrrr. I don't say anything, as I've been waiting for the Disney comparisons to start. It's hot, we're slap-happy, hungry and everyone seems like they're at their breaking point. Much better to return when we're all well-rested. We pick up our tickets and head out.
On the way back to the hotel, we spot an Italian restaurant (It's bothering me that I can't remember the name!). I am hesitant since I've never had a decent Italian meal in Florida (Even in Italy in World Showcase) before. No one feels much like pizza, so we opt for dinners. The prices are very reasonable and when the food arrives ... It's delicious. I judge Italian cuisine on the sauce (Or "gravy", if you will) and the sauce is on the money: Flavorful and hearty. The dinners also come with generous-sized salads and warm, crusty bread and soon our bellies are full and we're a lot less cranky.
Back at the hotel, I advise going to bed as we have an early and busy day ahead of us. We all settle down as my husband pops "Deathly Hallows Part 1" into our portable DVD player, gently teasing the kids that they'll have no idea what's going on at the WWOHP since they've shown no interest in the films. That's when the kids triumphantly surprise us: They've been watching all of the films in secret in their rooms for the past month! They begin throwing out plot lines and characters and quotes and my husband and I are thoroughly impressed.
Tuesday, April 19th
We are all up early (5:30 a.m.) as we have Early Admission into the WWOHP and a free breakfast at the Three Broomsticks. I am excited but a bit cloudy without coffee. Our room has a coffee-maker as well as small packets of coffee, sugar and powdered milk, but I've been this route before. Not a Dunkin' Donuts (Or even a Starbucks) in sight, not any we can find at the moment anyway. I'll be coffeeless until the Three Broomsticks. Grrr.
Soon, we are joining the throngs of people (I have to explain to everyone that Early Admission doesn't mean we'll have the place to ourselves) heading over to the WWOHP. I can feel the excitement building, especially as we pass through Seuss Landing. It's all so colorful, pastel and Seuss-like! A slew of Seuss songs are running through my head ("Thing 1 and Thing 2! Thing 2 and Thing 1! They can do anything, anything, anything under the sun!") I can't wait to get back to this area, this area of my childhood, and properly explore.
We're getting nearer, as we all spot ... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Without sounding hopelessly corny and nerdy, it truly is a breathtaking site, as my family (and many others around us) all collectively and excitedly exclaim, "Whoa!" and "Wow!" My stomach begins doing those nervous yet excited flip flops. I look at my husband, who cannot take his eyes off of Hogwarts. "What do you think?" I ask tentatively. "Oh my God, it's awesome!"
Now, Disney knows theming and delivers it exceptionally and marvellously well, but this ... This is something else. All of the details, some in your face and some quite minute. My husband happily and dreamily remarks that he feels like he's in a Dickens Village ... A Christmas Carol. Already, I'm thinking that we'll just have to see this place at Christmastime. My daughter, the family photographer, is busy snapping pictures. I am just trying to take it all in and I know that after we ride Forbidden Journey, we're coming back to inspect every square inch! I spy a train and Ollivander's Wand Shop (Wow! An impressive line already!). And look! The much talked about Butterbeer! Oooh! There's the Flight of the Hippogriff! I feel like I'm five years old again, eager and anxious to start running around and touching things.
The Journey Begins With a Locker ...Now, thanks to the Dis Boards, I had been informed that cumbersome bags (And bags of any kind) were not allowed on FJ. I did panic for awhile, as my son is a type 1 diabetic and has a myriad of food allergies. What to do? What to do? The solution seemed to be Cargo-style shorts with deep, wide pockets. My husband took care of transporting my son's blood sugar meter in his shorts and my son stuffed a juice box and a Baggie of crackers in his pockets. We still had to lock up my bag, though, that contained the rest of our A-day-in-the-park paraphernalia. Things are very simple once you approach the entrance: All those with non-bags this way and those with bags ... Right through here. Here was pure pandemonium. Pure chaos. This is one area in my opinion that has many kinks and needs some serious fine-tuning. I referred to it for the rest of our trip as the Locker Situation. People pushing, people shoving. Help! Seriously, help ... No one seemed to know how the Locker Situation worked. And though they appeared on other days, not a Locker Attendant was in sight. We finally got the bag successfully sequestered away and plodded on to The Line.
Well, we arrive at our hotel, La Quinta Inn & Suites, around 3:00. I wait in the car with the kids while my husband checks in. I roll down the windows and almost recoil. Are you kidding me with this heat and humidity? Talk about going from one extreme to the other! As usual, I'm cursing myself for putting full faith in weather.com. Well, anything's better than the weather we left far behind in Connecticut. Looks like we'll have to find a Target or Walmart so I can buy some shorts. I forgot to pack a bathing suit, too.
We head into the lovely air-conditioning of the hotel and I look wistfully at the brochure rack at the front desk: A dozen or so brochures for Disney, but there are plenty for Universal, too. We find our room and I begin to unpack and set up tolietries in the bathroom. I'm so anal about this ... I have to get organized and do this right away or it puts me into a funk. The weekend's driving has finally caught up with everyone, but we're too keyed up to nap. I suggest showers and then a trip to City Walk so we can pick up our tickets at Guest Relations.
The kids are a bit confused as to what City Walk is. Even though I've never been, I explain that I imagine it's a bit like Downtown Disney, only Universal's way. My husband has a half thought of driving to Downtown Disney for dinner, but I say no: It's about Universal this week. Thanks to our GPS, we're there in no time. City Walk is a bit like Downtown Disney, though smaller and bit congested. We poke around in a few shops (My husband loves all of the Harry Potter merchandise and my son is hungrily eyeing the wands) and survey the restaurants. Mararitaville looks promising (to me at least), but I am more thirsty than hungry at this point. We buy some bottled water at a cart that also sells those gigantic turkey legs, everyone's favorite (Well, except for me). My husband buys two (one for him and one for the kids to split). It proves to be a waste, as none of them care for the turkey (which they claim is pink, greasy and raw). "It's not like Disney turkey legs." Grrrr. I don't say anything, as I've been waiting for the Disney comparisons to start. It's hot, we're slap-happy, hungry and everyone seems like they're at their breaking point. Much better to return when we're all well-rested. We pick up our tickets and head out.
On the way back to the hotel, we spot an Italian restaurant (It's bothering me that I can't remember the name!). I am hesitant since I've never had a decent Italian meal in Florida (Even in Italy in World Showcase) before. No one feels much like pizza, so we opt for dinners. The prices are very reasonable and when the food arrives ... It's delicious. I judge Italian cuisine on the sauce (Or "gravy", if you will) and the sauce is on the money: Flavorful and hearty. The dinners also come with generous-sized salads and warm, crusty bread and soon our bellies are full and we're a lot less cranky.
Back at the hotel, I advise going to bed as we have an early and busy day ahead of us. We all settle down as my husband pops "Deathly Hallows Part 1" into our portable DVD player, gently teasing the kids that they'll have no idea what's going on at the WWOHP since they've shown no interest in the films. That's when the kids triumphantly surprise us: They've been watching all of the films in secret in their rooms for the past month! They begin throwing out plot lines and characters and quotes and my husband and I are thoroughly impressed.
Tuesday, April 19th
We are all up early (5:30 a.m.) as we have Early Admission into the WWOHP and a free breakfast at the Three Broomsticks. I am excited but a bit cloudy without coffee. Our room has a coffee-maker as well as small packets of coffee, sugar and powdered milk, but I've been this route before. Not a Dunkin' Donuts (Or even a Starbucks) in sight, not any we can find at the moment anyway. I'll be coffeeless until the Three Broomsticks. Grrr.
Soon, we are joining the throngs of people (I have to explain to everyone that Early Admission doesn't mean we'll have the place to ourselves) heading over to the WWOHP. I can feel the excitement building, especially as we pass through Seuss Landing. It's all so colorful, pastel and Seuss-like! A slew of Seuss songs are running through my head ("Thing 1 and Thing 2! Thing 2 and Thing 1! They can do anything, anything, anything under the sun!") I can't wait to get back to this area, this area of my childhood, and properly explore.
We're getting nearer, as we all spot ... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Without sounding hopelessly corny and nerdy, it truly is a breathtaking site, as my family (and many others around us) all collectively and excitedly exclaim, "Whoa!" and "Wow!" My stomach begins doing those nervous yet excited flip flops. I look at my husband, who cannot take his eyes off of Hogwarts. "What do you think?" I ask tentatively. "Oh my God, it's awesome!"
Now, Disney knows theming and delivers it exceptionally and marvellously well, but this ... This is something else. All of the details, some in your face and some quite minute. My husband happily and dreamily remarks that he feels like he's in a Dickens Village ... A Christmas Carol. Already, I'm thinking that we'll just have to see this place at Christmastime. My daughter, the family photographer, is busy snapping pictures. I am just trying to take it all in and I know that after we ride Forbidden Journey, we're coming back to inspect every square inch! I spy a train and Ollivander's Wand Shop (Wow! An impressive line already!). And look! The much talked about Butterbeer! Oooh! There's the Flight of the Hippogriff! I feel like I'm five years old again, eager and anxious to start running around and touching things.
The Journey Begins With a Locker ...Now, thanks to the Dis Boards, I had been informed that cumbersome bags (And bags of any kind) were not allowed on FJ. I did panic for awhile, as my son is a type 1 diabetic and has a myriad of food allergies. What to do? What to do? The solution seemed to be Cargo-style shorts with deep, wide pockets. My husband took care of transporting my son's blood sugar meter in his shorts and my son stuffed a juice box and a Baggie of crackers in his pockets. We still had to lock up my bag, though, that contained the rest of our A-day-in-the-park paraphernalia. Things are very simple once you approach the entrance: All those with non-bags this way and those with bags ... Right through here. Here was pure pandemonium. Pure chaos. This is one area in my opinion that has many kinks and needs some serious fine-tuning. I referred to it for the rest of our trip as the Locker Situation. People pushing, people shoving. Help! Seriously, help ... No one seemed to know how the Locker Situation worked. And though they appeared on other days, not a Locker Attendant was in sight. We finally got the bag successfully sequestered away and plodded on to The Line.
Fantasmic23
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
This started out as a good report, too bad it's disappeared.
So, so sorry for the delay! I take care of my 91 year old grandmother during the week and things have been a bit difficult lately. I have had some time to write this weekend, though.
Fantasmic23
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
Seems odd her husband is fan of all that fantasy/sci-fi adn never bothered with Potter.
It was odd to me, too. He can be a weirdo, especially where movies are concerned.
Fantasmic23
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
The Journey Continues With A Line
Now, the line on this day wasn't that bad. It was Early Admission, after all. Still, that didn't mean that we could just breeze through Hogwarts and plop ourselves down onto FJ. We did have to play the Waiting Game for a bit. We people-watched for awhile: So many people were wearing Disney-themed tee shirts! Rebels ... I love it! It reminded me of the days when I would attend a U2 concert and wear an INXS tee-shirt. My son was wearing a Harry Potter Lego tee-shirt that I found at Walmart for $7.00. Good ol' Walmart. My husband and I joked about waiting and that began a discussion about the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and the gang are waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. My daughter chimed in about a South Park episode (I know, I know) where Cartman and the boys are at an amusement park waiting in line for a ride ... But the line itself was the ride. The Line Ride. When we got to the Greenhouse portion of the line (Those who are going, you'll soon see what this is!), the kids started singing this song that I thought they had made up on the spot: "Snape, Snape ... Severus Snape. Dumbledore! Ron, Ron, Ron Weasley!" They were in hysterics and when I pried further, I learned that the song was from a YouTube video entitled "The Potter Puppet Pals and the Mysterious Ticking Noise". My kids always manage to have fun, no matter what kind of line they're waiting in!
The Greenhouse is a bit hot and muggy (It's a greenhouse, after all), but there are powerful fans whirring and there is a drinking fountain. Also, when you first get to the Greenhouse portion of the line, there is a cart where beverages (and I can't remember what else) are sold.
The Ride To End All Rides
So, we survived The Line and now, we're inside Hogwarts. Get those cameras ready, Potter Nerds (And I mean this in only the highest, most affectionate terms), for there is A LOT to look at! I'm not going to get into the nitty-gritty details ... There are far too many to recount and I want all of you to be surprised! Of course, there is a lot for me to soon fret about. I waited in line all of this time for a ride ... That I know absolutely nothing about. Ugh. And it doesn't help when I see those signs ... And you know the signs I'm talking about. The those-prone-to-motion-sickness signs. Uh oh. I've had a month to go on YouTube to preview the ride (And of course a month to inquire on the Dis about this ride). Did I? No. I was more concerned about The Flight of the Hippogriff (Think Goofy's Barnstormer). Besides, I did try to preview FJ on YouTube, but all the videos were so dark and grainy. Posters on the Dis told me that previewing the ride first wouldn't ruin anything, but I wanted to be a "purist" about this.
Now, aside from my daughter, we're not thrill ride kind of people. It took me years to finally ride Big Thunder Mountain (One of my favorite rides now) and I'm still trying to work up the courage for Space Mountain and Expedition Everest. Tower of Terror just isn't going to happen, my friends. Not unless someone is waiting at the end of the ride with balloons, a bouquet of roses and a big substantial check. But according to what I've read and what I've heard, Forbidden Journey is the BEEP and I have to see what it's all about.
I convinced myself that FJ would be like Disney's Soarin', only with Harry Potter. Or like Mickey's PhilharMagic, only with seats that moved up, down and all around. I started to get that nervous, What Am I In For? kind of feeling, all the while trying to hide my anxiety from my son. He had a minor freak-out on Soarin' last November: "Oh, no! Oh, please! I don't like this! Mom!" And I found myself kind of nauseated on ... Ellen's Energy Adventure. I tell myself that if I don't like FJ, I will just keep my eyes closed. Bad mommy that I am, I won't tell my son this until we are seated.
Think Disney's Haunted Mansion, and you'll soon visualize how you have to board this ride: The seats are already in motion and you have to quickly hop aboard. And I mean quickly, friends. We rode this ride at least five times and on each occasion, the Team Members were quite firm, impatient and cranky about this. My husband enters first, then my son, my daughter and then me. "Close you eyes, bud, if you don't like it!" I call to my son, quickly followed by his startled little, "What?" I see my husband throw his right leg across my son's legs (below the knees) and I say a prayer. "Say observatory!" Hermione commands and my husband dutifully calls out "Observatory!" My daughter and I crack up, loving the fact that my husband is such a dork. And then we're up and away (really) and on our way. On instinct, I close my eyes. Oh Harry, I don't think I like this! My daughter commands me to open my eyes: "Mom, it's not bad. You're missing it!" And I do. And she's right ... It's not bad. In fact, it's wonderful! It's unique. I've never been on a ride like this before. Disney does not have anything like this and if they do, I haven't experienced it yet. Again, I'm not going to go into specific ride details. You'll have to ride for yourselves. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite rides now. Oh, and have fun retrieving your locked up bag after the ride.
At Last, Coffee ... And Butterbeer
Before our breakfast reservation, we decide to brave The Line one more time. We ride again (My God, this ride rocks!) and this time, we linger in the gift shop. I'm still amazed by these rides that exit-into-a-gift-shop. Get 'em off the ride, get 'em shopping and spending. My mother-in-law has politely requested that I bring her home a Harry Potter coffee mug (And this was my intention all along, way before she asked me). There are some nice mugs, but can you people stop pushing? Stop shoving? Does anyone say, "Excuse me?" anymore? Before I get poked in the eye by a wand and really lose it, I need to get out of here and get some coffee.
We slowly make our way to the Three Broomsticks, stopping to gawk and sigh at the sights and sounds around us. We approach a Team Member with a clipboard standing in front of the restaurant and give her our name. My husband then claps his hand together, starts rubbing them together (Think "The Karate Kid") and says, "We'll have four American Breakfasts with two coffees." "That's great, sir. But you have to order inside." My daughter and I are in hysterics again and we will joke about this for the rest of the trip. My husband, forever the good sport, will joke around with us.
If memory serves, it works this way at Three Broomstciks: You walk in and see the choices. There's the American Breakfast, The Continental, The Pancake Breakfast, The Porridge Breakfast and some breakfast involving Salmon. Drinks run the gamut from Coffee to Pumpkin Juice. We order, then stand in line for our food. I believe a Team Member then leads you to your table. On this particular day, my husband is sporting a blue UCONN Huskies tee-shirt. Husky fans and fellow Nutmeggers will stop and talk with my husband for the remainder of the day and at Three Broomsticks, it's no different. We meet a young Team Member who hails from Stamford, Connecticut and we have the "How Much Does I-95 Suck?" discussion. We talk Connecticut VS Florida for awhile and we'd like to chat more, but he has a job to do. And I have to have coffee before I kill someone. We have all chosen the American Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, a butter croissant, link sausage, bacon(?), I forget what else. It's not bad. Not bad at all. Anyway, we're all too busy discussing FJ (And planning our next ride) to even care. The coffee is good, too. My husband is momentarily confused and remarks that the dining room doesn't look anything like the dining room at Hogwarts. We all explain that we're not at Hogwarts; we're at the Three Broomsticks.
After breakfast, we head to The Flight of the Hippogriff. No line whatsover. Blink and you'll miss this ride. Seriously, it lasts all of 30 seconds. Big ride baby that I am, I'm worried about drops. There are none ... Well, none that had any negative impact on me. What made it more entertaining was the little boy seated behind me and my daughter. He had his recently purchased wand out and was shouting, "I'm the Wizard of the World! I don't want to die!" This will quickly become another in-joke for the remainder of our trip.
Now it's time to explore. The line at Ollivanders is still going strong. It reminds me a bit of Studio 54 ... And people have funky outfits on, too! My husband gets on line for Butterbeer, while the kids and I wait off to the side. I'm expecting him to come back with two plastic, no-nonsense cups. He splurges and presents the kids with two souvenir mugs! The kid are surprised and delighted and we all prepare to take our first taste. Due to the heat, my husband has chosen the frozen Butterbeer. I've noticed that everyone has their own way of describing Butterbeer. To me, it tastes like a liquid version of those hard butterscotch candies. It's very sweet, very rich and is not a thirst-quencher in my opinion. Diabetics Beware: Your blood sugar will be off the charts. It is delicious, though.
I'd like to stay and explore but the WWOHP is becoming quite crowded. Like the mall at Christmastime to the tenth power crowded. Yikes.
Now, the line on this day wasn't that bad. It was Early Admission, after all. Still, that didn't mean that we could just breeze through Hogwarts and plop ourselves down onto FJ. We did have to play the Waiting Game for a bit. We people-watched for awhile: So many people were wearing Disney-themed tee shirts! Rebels ... I love it! It reminded me of the days when I would attend a U2 concert and wear an INXS tee-shirt. My son was wearing a Harry Potter Lego tee-shirt that I found at Walmart for $7.00. Good ol' Walmart. My husband and I joked about waiting and that began a discussion about the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and the gang are waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. My daughter chimed in about a South Park episode (I know, I know) where Cartman and the boys are at an amusement park waiting in line for a ride ... But the line itself was the ride. The Line Ride. When we got to the Greenhouse portion of the line (Those who are going, you'll soon see what this is!), the kids started singing this song that I thought they had made up on the spot: "Snape, Snape ... Severus Snape. Dumbledore! Ron, Ron, Ron Weasley!" They were in hysterics and when I pried further, I learned that the song was from a YouTube video entitled "The Potter Puppet Pals and the Mysterious Ticking Noise". My kids always manage to have fun, no matter what kind of line they're waiting in!
The Greenhouse is a bit hot and muggy (It's a greenhouse, after all), but there are powerful fans whirring and there is a drinking fountain. Also, when you first get to the Greenhouse portion of the line, there is a cart where beverages (and I can't remember what else) are sold.
The Ride To End All Rides
So, we survived The Line and now, we're inside Hogwarts. Get those cameras ready, Potter Nerds (And I mean this in only the highest, most affectionate terms), for there is A LOT to look at! I'm not going to get into the nitty-gritty details ... There are far too many to recount and I want all of you to be surprised! Of course, there is a lot for me to soon fret about. I waited in line all of this time for a ride ... That I know absolutely nothing about. Ugh. And it doesn't help when I see those signs ... And you know the signs I'm talking about. The those-prone-to-motion-sickness signs. Uh oh. I've had a month to go on YouTube to preview the ride (And of course a month to inquire on the Dis about this ride). Did I? No. I was more concerned about The Flight of the Hippogriff (Think Goofy's Barnstormer). Besides, I did try to preview FJ on YouTube, but all the videos were so dark and grainy. Posters on the Dis told me that previewing the ride first wouldn't ruin anything, but I wanted to be a "purist" about this.
Now, aside from my daughter, we're not thrill ride kind of people. It took me years to finally ride Big Thunder Mountain (One of my favorite rides now) and I'm still trying to work up the courage for Space Mountain and Expedition Everest. Tower of Terror just isn't going to happen, my friends. Not unless someone is waiting at the end of the ride with balloons, a bouquet of roses and a big substantial check. But according to what I've read and what I've heard, Forbidden Journey is the BEEP and I have to see what it's all about.
I convinced myself that FJ would be like Disney's Soarin', only with Harry Potter. Or like Mickey's PhilharMagic, only with seats that moved up, down and all around. I started to get that nervous, What Am I In For? kind of feeling, all the while trying to hide my anxiety from my son. He had a minor freak-out on Soarin' last November: "Oh, no! Oh, please! I don't like this! Mom!" And I found myself kind of nauseated on ... Ellen's Energy Adventure. I tell myself that if I don't like FJ, I will just keep my eyes closed. Bad mommy that I am, I won't tell my son this until we are seated.
Think Disney's Haunted Mansion, and you'll soon visualize how you have to board this ride: The seats are already in motion and you have to quickly hop aboard. And I mean quickly, friends. We rode this ride at least five times and on each occasion, the Team Members were quite firm, impatient and cranky about this. My husband enters first, then my son, my daughter and then me. "Close you eyes, bud, if you don't like it!" I call to my son, quickly followed by his startled little, "What?" I see my husband throw his right leg across my son's legs (below the knees) and I say a prayer. "Say observatory!" Hermione commands and my husband dutifully calls out "Observatory!" My daughter and I crack up, loving the fact that my husband is such a dork. And then we're up and away (really) and on our way. On instinct, I close my eyes. Oh Harry, I don't think I like this! My daughter commands me to open my eyes: "Mom, it's not bad. You're missing it!" And I do. And she's right ... It's not bad. In fact, it's wonderful! It's unique. I've never been on a ride like this before. Disney does not have anything like this and if they do, I haven't experienced it yet. Again, I'm not going to go into specific ride details. You'll have to ride for yourselves. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite rides now. Oh, and have fun retrieving your locked up bag after the ride.
At Last, Coffee ... And Butterbeer
Before our breakfast reservation, we decide to brave The Line one more time. We ride again (My God, this ride rocks!) and this time, we linger in the gift shop. I'm still amazed by these rides that exit-into-a-gift-shop. Get 'em off the ride, get 'em shopping and spending. My mother-in-law has politely requested that I bring her home a Harry Potter coffee mug (And this was my intention all along, way before she asked me). There are some nice mugs, but can you people stop pushing? Stop shoving? Does anyone say, "Excuse me?" anymore? Before I get poked in the eye by a wand and really lose it, I need to get out of here and get some coffee.
We slowly make our way to the Three Broomsticks, stopping to gawk and sigh at the sights and sounds around us. We approach a Team Member with a clipboard standing in front of the restaurant and give her our name. My husband then claps his hand together, starts rubbing them together (Think "The Karate Kid") and says, "We'll have four American Breakfasts with two coffees." "That's great, sir. But you have to order inside." My daughter and I are in hysterics again and we will joke about this for the rest of the trip. My husband, forever the good sport, will joke around with us.
If memory serves, it works this way at Three Broomstciks: You walk in and see the choices. There's the American Breakfast, The Continental, The Pancake Breakfast, The Porridge Breakfast and some breakfast involving Salmon. Drinks run the gamut from Coffee to Pumpkin Juice. We order, then stand in line for our food. I believe a Team Member then leads you to your table. On this particular day, my husband is sporting a blue UCONN Huskies tee-shirt. Husky fans and fellow Nutmeggers will stop and talk with my husband for the remainder of the day and at Three Broomsticks, it's no different. We meet a young Team Member who hails from Stamford, Connecticut and we have the "How Much Does I-95 Suck?" discussion. We talk Connecticut VS Florida for awhile and we'd like to chat more, but he has a job to do. And I have to have coffee before I kill someone. We have all chosen the American Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, a butter croissant, link sausage, bacon(?), I forget what else. It's not bad. Not bad at all. Anyway, we're all too busy discussing FJ (And planning our next ride) to even care. The coffee is good, too. My husband is momentarily confused and remarks that the dining room doesn't look anything like the dining room at Hogwarts. We all explain that we're not at Hogwarts; we're at the Three Broomsticks.
After breakfast, we head to The Flight of the Hippogriff. No line whatsover. Blink and you'll miss this ride. Seriously, it lasts all of 30 seconds. Big ride baby that I am, I'm worried about drops. There are none ... Well, none that had any negative impact on me. What made it more entertaining was the little boy seated behind me and my daughter. He had his recently purchased wand out and was shouting, "I'm the Wizard of the World! I don't want to die!" This will quickly become another in-joke for the remainder of our trip.
Now it's time to explore. The line at Ollivanders is still going strong. It reminds me a bit of Studio 54 ... And people have funky outfits on, too! My husband gets on line for Butterbeer, while the kids and I wait off to the side. I'm expecting him to come back with two plastic, no-nonsense cups. He splurges and presents the kids with two souvenir mugs! The kid are surprised and delighted and we all prepare to take our first taste. Due to the heat, my husband has chosen the frozen Butterbeer. I've noticed that everyone has their own way of describing Butterbeer. To me, it tastes like a liquid version of those hard butterscotch candies. It's very sweet, very rich and is not a thirst-quencher in my opinion. Diabetics Beware: Your blood sugar will be off the charts. It is delicious, though.
I'd like to stay and explore but the WWOHP is becoming quite crowded. Like the mall at Christmastime to the tenth power crowded. Yikes.
momabaarjo
Rather Sail Away with Mickey than Run Now
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2010
Monday, April 18th
We're getting nearer, as we all spot ... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Without sounding hopelessly corny and nerdy, it truly is a breathtaking site, as my family (and many others around us) all collectively and excitedly exclaim, "Whoa!" and "Wow!" My stomach begins doing those nervous yet excited flip flops. I look at my husband, who cannot take his eyes off of Hogwarts. "What do you think?" I ask tentatively. "Oh my God, it's awesome!"
I have to totally agree...WOW, no words can really describe the first time you see Hogwarts! I got to be there on Opening weekend last summer and I can't wait to take my kids this Christmas!
The Journey Begins With a Locker ...Now, thanks to the Dis Boards, I had been informed that cumbersome bags (And bags of any kind) were not allowed on FJ. I did panic for awhile, as my son is a type 1 diabetic and has a myriad of food allergies. What to do? What to do? The solution seemed to be Cargo-style shorts with deep, wide pockets. My husband took care of transporting my son's blood sugar meter in his shorts and my son stuffed a juice box and a Baggie of crackers in his pockets. We still had to lock up my bag, though, that contained the rest of our A-day-in-the-park paraphernalia. Things are very simple once you approach the entrance: All those with non-bags this way and those with bags ... Right through here. Here was pure pandemonium. Pure chaos. This is one area in my opinion that has many kinks and needs some serious fine-tuning. I referred to it for the rest of our trip as the Locker Situation. People pushing, people shoving. Help! Seriously, help ... No one seemed to know how the Locker Situation worked. And though they appeared on other days, not a Locker Attendant was in sight. We finally got the bag successfully sequestered away and plodded on to The Line.
My first time with the lockers, duh locked the money inside and we were over the time limit. Thank goodness for a nice attendant who after being yelled and and cursed at by several other guests opened ours for us...we apologized for the other people, reassured her she was doing her job right, and even tipped her. I felt so awful for this young lady!
MrsSparrow..
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2007
Loving this TR! Can't wait for more 
Fantasmic23
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
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