Pinch me, did it REALLY happen????? - All wrapped up, and yes, it DID happen!

[MomToPrincePhillip]

Thank you for all the great up dates! We were at IOA last spring and had a great time, your photos helped me to enjoy it all over again, as I sit in a freezing cold winter wonderland. (No, it's not pretend snow on my roof top )

 

[dgbg100106]

Alison, I am loving the updates....

Everything looks wonderful and hope you guys are having an amazing time!

 

[Pinkocto]

Oh no! I've been wanting to ride that for so long!!! Star Tours makes me woozy after one ride and seasick after two. And Star Tours doesn't bother you right? But this one did?

Everything looks so cool.

 

[rentayenta]

Holy theme Harry Potter. Star Tours in the only ride that makes me remotely sick so I'm not sure this is something I'd ride but it looks so very cool. I dig the puking sign.

 

[franandaj]

Amazing description and I definety know... I'm not riding it but I will enjoy the queue.

I love RNR and other true roller coasters but I cannot do simulation. I can't do Star Tours etc. just tosses my tummy too much. I don't think I'd realize you could enjoy the queue so much, thank you!

They have a door that you can go out, and there is even a queue only line where you can take your time and just enjoy the queue before exiting.

I don't get motion sickness on any ride except for Mission Space.....and when I see a boat.


So, I just LOVE this ride. Love your description of the queueing area and the ride.

This is the first ride that I have ever got motion sickness on.

I did the queue with the family and took the chicken exit, and then we all went back and took the Castle Tour Line. It was really cool to see everything twice and not feel rushed at all.

I LOVE that park! They did a fantastic job with it!!!
Did you make it to Olivander's? My boys were both picked for the show (he split it up between them). One of the coolest things EVER!!!

Then we had lunch at the Three Broomsticks and saw the House Elf's shadow in the rafters.

I can't wait to go back! I have terrible motions sickness, so I will never get to ride - but the castle alone is worth the trip!!!
And the Butterbeer.

I'll have more detail on what we did in the next update....but go to go to dinner!

I would love to have seen what you rode. That is the only way to know if I would ride something. I hate places that take a long time to get to the ride. By the way did the roast get some radiation? Looks like your having a blast.

I wish others who rode it would have been able to describe it better so I knew what I was getting into...or maybe not. Before I went on this ride I never imagined I would have motion sickness. The only thing I don't like is the coasters that are so bumpy and you have big steel bars on each side of your head so that your ears bounce back and forth and hurt your earrings (ie push the studs into your neck). Note to self, take off earrings before going to RnRC!

 

[franandaj]

Thank you for all the great up dates! We were at IOA last spring and had a great time, your photos helped me to enjoy it all over again, as I sit in a freezing cold winter wonderland. (No, it's not pretend snow on my roof top )

I'm glad to help you relive it!

I've rarely experienced real snow, so I take the fake kind anytime!

Alison, I am loving the updates....

Everything looks wonderful and hope you guys are having an amazing time!

Thanks, we are taking it easy and having a very nice time!

Oh no! I've been wanting to ride that for so long!!! Star Tours makes me woozy after one ride and seasick after two. And Star Tours doesn't bother you right? But this one did?

Everything looks so cool.

If you have a problem with Star Tours, you will definitely have a problem with this. It is like you are in four seater, belted in like RnRC but instead of moving only forward, you move in every direction, forward, backward, side to side, it turns you over on your back and you slide sideways to avoid your foes and you pull back and forth much like the ocean ebbs and flows, or a branch moves in the wind.

I never thought anything would make me queasy and went into this with a completely open mind. About halfway through the ride, I was thinking. "OK, I will be OK if this ends anytime soon." I wasn't sad to get to the end like I am with so many other rides. Normally rides aren't long enough for me, but this one certainly was.

Holy theme Harry Potter. Star Tours in the only ride that makes me remotely sick so I'm not sure this is something I'd ride but it looks so very cool. I dig the puking sign.

The theming was great and I knew that going in, so I made sure Fran came through that part with me. I was glad she had the wheelchair to sit in while I was on the ride although she could have sat in the child swap area that they had too.

 

[rentayenta]

We need cooked roast dinner pics.

 

[franandaj]

We need cooked roast dinner pics.

We haven't got there yet!































Y'all haven't even left Harry Potter Land!

 

[franandaj]

Next it was on to an important destination. We enjoyed the sights along the way.

Our destination:

I really enjoyed the little symbol outside the ladies room. And who would I find in the restroom? Moaning Myrtle!

We got a look at the façade for Olivander’s

And notice the square at around 9:30ish AM

Our next stop….

With our frozen butterbeers we got in line for Olivander’s Wand Shop. Now I’ve had several folks ask about “what butterbeer tastes like?” It’s really hard to say. It is very sweet. Fran said it was like a mixture between Ginger Beer and Root Beer. I could definitely taste the Butterscotch overtones. As eandesmom pointed out, it was very rich. Combined with my queasy feeling from the ride earlier and the richness of the butterbeer, I still wasn’t feeling well after about 30-45 minutes in line there.

Once inside, the mom and daughter who had been standing behind us were selected for the “wand choosing”. It was a cute little show with some pre programmed effects. I wonder if they do the same show every time or have a few different variations.

They have quite a little scam going, of course the kid is going to want to buy the wand after it “chooses them”. In the gift store after the show there are plenty of associates to help you find a wand to “choose” you.

 

[franandaj]

I enjoyed the “Big Book of Monsters”.

Fran bought another T-shirt, some luggage tags, a Gryffindor flag and a couple other things. I bought this.

We walked around the town a little bit longer and checked out the various sights. Here is a wand display outside of Olivander’s.

Remember the shot that I told you to remember around 9:30ish? This is about 11:00AM.

I took this picture of the cart next to us because they had Pumpkin Juice!

We checked out the Three Broomsticks and their menu.

We both decided that we were not hungry yet and decided to move on to the other shops. Next stop, Honeydukes!

 

[franandaj]

They had Chocolate Frogs

There were shelves of candy everywhere

And of course Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans!

 

[franandaj]

Then we headed over to the joke shop

We decided to purchase a pair of matched T-shirts. I got the Muggle and she got the Wizard.

This was pretty nasty

We took a few more shots around the area.

We determined that the reason for the big line through the square was that the Coaster Dueling Dragons was down. The queue had gone back to manageable. We decided to get a non frozen butterbeer to compare it. I could only take a couple sips, they were just too sweet and I still wasn’t 100%.

We took one last look around the area and then headed out. I was starting to feel a little better from the ride in the morning, but still not all the way.

 

[ACDSNY]

You're UP at 6 am?????

Really?? Pinch ME!

I've actually been awake since a little bit before 4AM, it just took me a while to break down a move to the computer and start posting!

Are pigs flying??? You're up way too early!!!

Woo hoo the DSL connections stayed up long enough for me to catch up on the last 4 pages. Looks like you're have fun so far.

 

[TruBlu]

They have quite a little scam going, of course the kid is going to want to buy the wand after it chooses them. In the gift store after the show there are plenty of associates to help you find a wand to choose you. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

Amen, Sista!
My boys BOTH had to have the wands that chose them! And my little Ron broke his within the hour. (We taped it up when we got home - Just like Ron's )
They are made of a poly-resin type material - definitely not to play with!!!

 

[TruBlu]

Your pictures are beautiful! I didn't get any nearly that good!!!
We loved the frozen butterbeer, but didn't like the non-frozen too much. We also tried the pumpkin juice & couldn't drink it at all. It was super sweet!

I am loving your report & can't wait for more!

 

[rentayenta]

You're so prompt with the updates Alison that I forget we're not on real time. I'm still very interested in the roast.

That Butterbeer sounds too sweet for me. Was it better frozen or were you feeling too icky to enjoy either?

The wand shop sounds like a total scam. My kids would love it. And of course I'd buy it.

Sounds like you had a great day aside from the upset stomach. Fun trinkets too.

Admittedly I've read the HP books but lost interest after the 3rd. I know that's blasphemy but your report is making me want to finish them. HP land looks really fun and the details are amazing.

 

[Leshaface]

Wow, that ride really did you in!

Gasp, did you buy Hermione's Time Turner Necklace?! So pretty.

Mmm, that butter beer sounds delicious. Oooh, have you heard anything about the pumpkin juice? Wonder how strong of a pumpkin taste it is...

All of your pictures of Hogsmeade makes it look like it's freezing there, and then I see everyone in your pics and everyone's wearing shorts

Must go to Honeydukes whenever I get there.


p.s. you have no idea how excited I am seeing all these pictures of WWoHP

 

[lulubelle]

Following along with your fabulous TR. We loved the frozen Butterbeer, but it was in May and pretty hot outside. Looking forward to tomorrow's report!

 

[TruBlu]

Wow, that ride really did you in!

Gasp, did you buy Hermione's Time Turner Necklace?! So pretty.

Mmm, that butter beer sounds delicious. Oooh, have you heard anything about the pumpkin juice? Wonder how strong of a pumpkin taste it is...

All of your pictures of Hogsmeade makes it look like it's freezing there, and then I see everyone in your pics and everyone's wearing shorts

Must go to Honeydukes whenever I get there.

p.s. you have no idea how excited I am seeing all these pictures of WWoHP

It's been two years, but we had the pumpkin juice. I love all things pumpkin & couldn't wait to try it. I can't remember the specific flavor - just that it was bad. A very sweet fruit juice blend I think. All four of us hated it.
But, we loved the frozen Butterbeer! We even sprung for the souvineer mugs! I think it was about $50 for four!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[PrincessInOz]

Fantastic update. Love the butterbeer and given the queasiness, I'm guessing you didn't have an extra one or six for me.


I think staying on site and having early entry is worth it just for the picture of Hogsmeade at 9.30 am.

Congrats on that necklace. It's beautiful.