We're Doing WHAT For My Birthday??? - Final Thoughts

[Trentmom]

I would have worn the button each day too

Loving all your pics. Have not been since before Trent was born, so am thinking a trip is in order for us

bummer on the ride going down. Hope that person was okay

So cool that you go to go backstage sort of

 

[mnmrmustard]

I love the Dr Seuss stuff. I have always loved Dr Seuss.

I would so wear my birthday pin the whole trip too!! Why not? What are the chances that outside of the CMs at your resort that you will even see the same CM again. If you do what are the odds they'll even remember you if you do see them again?

Am I strange but I don't care about the rides at Universal but I do care about seeing all of the things? I want to see the Seuss area and the Harry Potter area.

Yeah, some really good theming in Dr Seuss, not a single straight line to be found.

Thank you on the b-day pin thing, if I was getting money or something I would have felt bad, but it really just came down to having a bunch of people say "happy birthday" to me.

I'm totally with you on seeting the stuff - the rides are fun but I'm all about the theming

I would have worn the button each day too

Loving all your pics. Have not been since before Trent was born, so am thinking a trip is in order for us

bummer on the ride going down. Hope that person was okay

So cool that you go to go backstage sort of

It was nice that Universal started doing buttons, up to this point they just did stickers

We hadn't been since 2002 so it was a big treat to see all that had changed. I would say it is certainly worth a couple of days, two seemed to do us fine.

Yes, I hope the person was okay too. As far as the ride, it is more of a walk-through looking at big animitronics and pyro stuff. I saw it the first time through and was okay taking a miss on it this time.

Yes, I enjoyed the whole back stage thing for sure, I was jazzed.

 

[mermaid764]

How was your experience with Mears Transport overall? We're considering doing this for Universal on our next trip as well.

Islands Of Adventure Looks amazing, and neat that you guys got to see a bit of a backstage area.

Looking forward to hearing all about your day

 

[mnmrmustard]

How was your experience with Mears Transport overall? We're considering doing this for Universal on our next trip as well.

Islands Of Adventure Looks amazing, and neat that you guys got to see a bit of a backstage area.

Looking forward to hearing all about your day

We were very happy with our Mears experience both days that we used it. Courteous, knowledgable drivers and helpful reservation clerks on the phone

 

[mnmrmustard]

We rounded back past Mr. Dribblebeard and hung a right

Loved the theming in this area

We had seen a guy with a sign about vouchers for Harry Potter pointing towards the Sinbad area but didn’t know what it was for so walked past him. We kept walking through the marketplace

We rounded on the entrance to Hogsmead village and found a barrier.

It turned out they have a limit as to how many people they let in and you had to get vouchers to return. We winded back around to the Sinbad area.

We found several of Universal’s versions of CMs holding out vouchers. Our return ticket was for about 45min later. We puttered around the marketplace a bit longer and then found some shade. It was already getting pretty hot.

Soon enough our time came and we headed in. One of the gate attendants took a couple of pics for us

The rooftops were all snowy, which was interesting considering the 90 degree weather and the humidity..

As I had said before, the Wizarding World was all for Roxy. I enjoyed it but she said she got that tickling feeling of excitement that she doesn’t even remember having as a kid! I got her pic with the conductor of the Express

And then beside it

Another shot of the shops

She got a kick out of the Puking Pastilles

The shops really fit the theming well

The Butterbeer was a big hit

All of the shop windows had great stuff in them including those little screaming plants

Here's a vid of the plant and Hogsmeade

We walked on and got our first look at Hogwarts Castle

More pics of the castle comin’ atcha!

Hogwarts Large Shot

We got in line for the ride, they have lockers for you to store you stuff in (free for the wait time of the ride). Having not rode the ride before I didn’t want to risk my camera so it got stowed too (don’t worry, I got pics later on). The line wait was 90 minutes when we went in. And early on in it they had a drink station. Here is when I embarked on the “no kids with us, let’s have a beer” part of the journey. They were selling tallboy Heineken among other things so I grabbed one. I can tell you it made the line wait easier to take – lol

The theming inside was fantastic and the ride was a total blast, good mix of real sets and video screens that you “fly” through.

When we came out I found that lo and behold, it was hot and there was another vendor of cool refreshing beverages! I grabbed another Heineken and we got in line for Ollivander’s Wand Class. At the end of the line we took a pic of a Japanese couple in front of Hogwarts and then he took a pic of us

And yes, just one more shot of Hogwarts itself

We went past a display of the Quidditch ball case – all of the balls were jumping around in their restraints just like in the first movie

Here's a vid of the Quidditch balls in action

Next up - my drinking tour continues!

Click here to view the next chapter: Day 2 Part 3 – My Drinking Tour of Hogwarts Continues

 

[mnmrmustard]

The line went pretty slow because they only let in small groups at a time. We passed the façade of the book store which of course had several of Gilderoy Lockhart’s books displayed (some showed live motion of the ex-professor).

We made it a ways further in the line when lo and behold; I was in need of another cool, refreshing beverage (Roxy had been sipping on water like a smart person). Roxy kept our spot while I went back to the beverage cart.

The village was really humming

Dervish AND Bangles!

The Griffin (it was the Unicorn the last time we were here)

Loved the snowman, made me feel almost a degree cooler ;D

I stopped in on the facilities – had to mention them simply because they have Moaning Myrtle talking to you while you’re in there. When I came back out the ladies from Beauxbaton were performing.

I got another refreshing beverage and came back just before Roxy got to the front. I apologized for being away but Roxy said she understood and that she knew I needed to satisfy that picture bug.

We went into Ollivanders and he started speaking about choosing a wand

He picked a girl and she tried a wand

It didn’t go well, we had a lightning strike. They tried a couple more.

Roxy took a pic with me and Ollivander

Lots of wands in there!

The “class” empties out into the gift shop. I swear they had a wand for every character and every occasion. They even had the monster book

They also had the post with an Owlrey – they even ship hats!

Roxy kept shopping while I “refreshed” myself. This time the Hogswart singers were out with their croaking toads. They were very good.

I even got a pic with them after they finished

Next up we tour the shops and take in the shows!

Click here to view the next chapter: Day 2 Part 4 – Front Row Seats

 

[kaoden39]

How cool is it that Roxy was so excited about the whole Hogsmeade area!! I love that!! I have to ask, does butterbeer taste like butterscotch?

 

[mnmrmustard]

How cool is it that Roxy was so excited about the whole Hogsmeade area!! I love that!! I have to ask, does butterbeer taste like butterscotch?

Yes, very butterscotchy with a separate creamy foam head that they pour on it. It is amazing stuff - go for the frozen kind, it is the best. Roxy LOVED it!

 

[Trentmom]

Not into Harry Potter, but have to say, Wow, that is some great theming

That is so cool how excited Roxy was about it

Sounds like u were enjoying yourself

 

[kaoden39]

Yes, very butterscotchy with a separate creamy foam head that they pour on it. It is amazing stuff - go for the frozen kind, it is the best. Roxy LOVED it!

Yummy sounds good.

 

[mnmrmustard]

Not into Harry Potter, but have to say, Wow, that is some great theming

That is so cool how excited Roxy was about it

Sounds like u were enjoying yourself

Agreed, I've watched the movies but was never into the books or the fandom of them. But still very cool place.

Having Roxy so excited was very cool

Yes, it was my "liquid lunch" day

Yummy sounds good.

I had a sip and thought so - we went back there on our Universal Studios day and she got another one

 

[mermaid764]

Wow the theming is amazing, that's awesome that Roxy was so excited to be there!

You got some awesome pics of the area, and I'm looking forward to more

 

[mnmrmustard]

Wow the theming is amazing, that's awesome that Roxy was so excited to be there!

You got some awesome pics of the area, and I'm looking forward to more

Indeed! Very cool theming - they did a great job with the smallest details. And I was so happy that Roxy was happy here

More awesome pics coming up!

 

[mnmrmustard]

By now it was really, really hot. Did I mention it was hot? I headed back through the village

Roxy and I decided to head into Honeydukes and get some goodies. They had chocolate frogs in the window - yum

A nice clerk from Jersey took a pic of us in it

We picked up some fudge for Roxy, a chocolate frog for each girl, and peppermint toads for mom. Beyond Honeydukes is Fred and George’s Joke shop

We didn’t buy anything in there but it was fun to look through. We headed back outside. I mentioned it was hot, right? Roxy found a spot of shade and I got in line for a frozen butterbeer for Roxy. There are two places to get butterbeer, both are unfortunately in direct sunlight. I stopped off at a liquid refreshment stand (only a couple of people in line there). Then I was able to brave the long line for the butterbeer.

Roxy had sat in the shade and talked to another lady while she waited. They had a nice conversation and I was pretty much feeling no pain. I brought Roxy her first butterbeer and she LOVED it! We then moved to the wall in the spot where the performers come out. There was just enough shade there to keep us cool while we sipped our drinks and waited for the next performance.

It turned out to be the singers who were up next. They march in singing from somewhere near Hogwarts Castle. They put on a very cool show.

There was a conductor and a representative from each house at Hogwarts

The frogs gave cool bass tones

The girl from Slytherin was the most talented vocalist and did the majority of the lead work

After watching the video our girls both dinged the conductor for not really knowing how to conduct - lol

They sang 4 songs I think

Close-up of the performers

The guy from Ravenclaw did a kind of rap take on Hogwarts choral, which was kind of fun

They had a cute little interaction with the frogs towards the end

Big finale

They unfortunately did not stay for pictures this time. I believe this was due to the heat. I can’t blame them, very hot and humid and you’ve been performing in direct sunlight in black cloaks – ugh!


Here's Roxy's Hogwarts Choir Video



Next up were the girls from the Beauxbaton Academy of Magic and the guys from Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning. The ladies marched in first, each giving a coy look to the gathered crowd

They guys followed looking very stern of course

Next up, the competing schools perform!

Click here to view the next chapter: Day 2 Part 5 - Acrobatics and Dance – Wizard Style

 

[kaoden39]

The performers sound so cool and I will watch those for sure. And fudge? Dare I ask? Was it good fudge?

 

[mnmrmustard]

First both schools lined up while a Hogwarts student introduced them

Beauxbaton and Durmstrang Large

The guys came out first and came out strong

Then it was the ladies turn, they were all grace and elegance. They even did the little sighs like in the movie - lol

They finished and did a quick pose, also apologizing for not being able to stay for pictures with them

Group Picture Large View


And here's the Vid Roxy shot of their performance


With that we were done with the Wizarding world, it being after 2pm with a big chunk of the park unexplored. Next stop, Jurassic Park!

Click here to view the next chapter: Day 2 Part 6 - Looking for a Do-you-think-he-saurus

 

[Trentmom]

Performers looked like they put on a good show

Butterbeer sounds good. I will have to try that sometime

 

[mermaid764]

Wow what amazing details they put into everything, how neat that they had all those performers and your pics and video turned out great!

Looking forward to hearing about Jurassic Park

 

[mnmrmustard]

Performers looked like they put on a good show

Butterbeer sounds good. I will have to try that sometime

They put on a great show, we very much enjoyed it. Yes, gotta do the butterbeer. We found a knockoff recipie online that we're tempted to try

Wow what amazing details they put into everything, how neat that they had all those performers and your pics and video turned out great!

Looking forward to hearing about Jurassic Park

Yes, I wish it was bigger, but what they do have they've done well

Thank you on the pics and vid, we have a vid from the Jurassic park area too

 

[lovebuzzandwoody]

All caught up!

I always say I don't want to go to Disney without my kids and then I read a "adults only" TR and I start thinking about it again!

I am enjoying your WWoHP pics immensely! We were going to include Uni in our upcoming trip just for Harry (we're BIG fans!) but we decided not to. We'll wait and do a long weekend later when hopefully the crowds die down a little bit. I can see by your pics that has not happened yet! LOTSA people!!

Looking forward to some skeery dino pics!