Our most FAVORITE family trips of all time up to this point in our lives was when we went to Disney World with Julie and TJ and their kids 3 1/2 years ago. It was SOOOOO fun and we’ve been counting down the days til we could go back. Well, earlier this year my parents asked my siblings and I if any of us would be interested in going to the BYU vs Florida State football game in Florida this fall. We thought it would be fun and when Julie and TJ thought that since they would already be in Florida then they would take there kids and go to Disney World, we decided to follow suit. Heather and Steve decided to come too but unfortunately because of when Ryan and Nic’s kids started school they weren’t able to work it out.
Anyway, we made our flight reservations and because we were flying on points we had to leave a day earlier than everyone else. So, after what seemed like the longest countdown in history the day arrived and it was time for our vacation to begin! We landed in Orlando at about 11 pm Eastern time on Thursday night but we were on Pacific time and starving. After checking into a hotel near the airport we walked to the neighboring Denny’s for a midnight feast! Denny’s at midnight is an interesting place let me tell you and to walk in with 4 kids (we left Avery at home with two of my besties here in CA who traded off halfway through the week) at midnight was a fun time. Lots of stares and funny looks! Now that I think about it, that happens even when its not midnight.
Anywho, the next morning we slept in a little, woke up, got ready and headed back to the airport to pick up our rental car. Since we had arrived in Florida a day before everyone else and no one else in the family really cared about Harry Potter, we decided to use this day and go to Universal Orlando and check out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Let me just say it DID NOT disappoint! After checking out a few of the other rides at Universal we headed back to see the Harry Potter stuff. The only way I can describe it is to say that I honestly felt like I was picked up and dropped into the middle of a Harry Potter movie! The place was AMAZING! No detail was overlooked and everything was exactly how I imagined it when I read the books and how it looks in the movies. Every person who works that part of the park spoke with an English accent and stayed in character the whole time! Our favorite was the train conductor who called out for the kids to come over to him as they walked into Hogsmead. Adam and I were busy taking pictures and by the time we got to them they were all in stitches laughing at him. He was HILARIOUS!!!!
When we walked into the park we could see Hogwarts as soon as we passed through the main street shops. It was Magestic to see it across the lake and we could hardly wait to get over there. We decided to try a few of the other rides first to build up our excitement even more. HULK the roller coaster was AWESOME and the Spiderman Ride was pretty cool too!
Entering Hogsmead
The HILARIOUS Train Conductor (see Spencer and G laughing)
After getting a picture with the Conductor we checked out the trick shop, the candy store and the wand shop/gift shop. One thing we had on our to do list was to try the Butter Beer. Oh. My. Gosh. It was SOOOOOOOO good! The minute I felt the stuff on my lips I was in Heaven! It was fantastic and like nothing I’d ever had before!
Butter Beer Mustaches
After walking through Hogsmead we rounded the corner and this is what we say! Hogwarts in all its glory!
Couldn’t resist and had to buy a chocolate frog. Helga Hufflepuff was the card we got and she really did move!
The singers and Ollivander in his wand shop!
The kids had spent many months earning “Disney Dollars” by doing lots of extra jobs. They each had decided exactly how much of their $ they would spend at The Wizarding World and how much they would spend at Disney World. One of the most exciting parts was choosing their wands. I had so much fun watching and helping them and in the end they each got a wand that matched their personalities perfectly! One of the things they say in the Harry Potter books is that “you don’t pick the wand, the wand picks you” and it really was true! Spencer looked through all the different wands and just couldn’t decide. He just wasn’t feeling it with any of them. He was about to surrender his desire for a wand when we pulled a box we hadn’t seen yet. Adam, Spencer and I were all standing around it and the minute we opened the box we all went “aaaahhhhhh”! That was the one! Spencer looked up at us with the biggest smile on his face and knew his wand had found him!
Logan was loving it soooo much, especially because he was tall enough to go on the main ride! It was close but he made it. With his white blonde hair and glasses all the employees called him the “blonde Harry Potter”. He was thrilled!
The main ride was incredible as it took us winding through all the different Harry Potter books. As we were waiting in line for the ride, we couldn’t believe how detailed every thing was. From the Sorting Hat to Dumbledore’s office everything was just like the movie!
I could go on and on about the magic of the place but will let you decide for yourself! Whether you are a huge Harry Potter fan or not, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is definitely something you should see the next time you are in Florida!
As the day came to a close and we started walking out of the park we realized that we hadn’t eaten a thing all day long and we were STARVING! We stopped for dinner at the NBA Restaurant and then headed over to the Disneyworld Property to check into the Villa that my parents had so generously reserved for us from their Vacation Club Membership!
With one fabulous day down, we were excited for everyone else to arrive so we could continue the fun!
