"I did my waiting! ... 4 years of it!"
It is no joke when I say that. After the pandemic, and other 'technical difficulties' it took 4 years to finally plan a vacation to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Universal Orlando Resort). And at last, I was there. WE were there! Sara and I. It's our happy place, our happy thought. If we were to produce a Patronus, this is the very scene we would picture. Our friendly snowman, in his Gryffindor scarf, stands there opposite the magical Hogwarts castle. There's a wreath above him during the holidays. We get a frozen Butterbeer from the Butterbeer cart and there are two straws stuffed into the thick, crispy, super chilled magical concoction. And we stand there, against the clear blue skies, staring!
Inside the Hogwarts castle is the Forbidden Journey ride. It's a robocoaster that drops, spins, twists and turns, and at one point we are laying on our backs! (When the Whomping Willow attacks!). It's a scenic dark ride and I have never attempted to film a POV from the fear of dropping my phone. The waiting line is an inside the Hogwarts castle experience and I have done it so many times but it never gets old. The portraits talk and move true to the Wizarding World. In the scene above it's the House heads praising Harry's flying and Quidditch skills and guessing if one of us would be the next Hogwarts student! Salazar Slytherin, of course, had a different vibe going. Haha!
The lights show at Hogwarts around the winter holidays is beyond magical. I always get moved to tears when it plays out and climaxes with fireworks! The light scenes projections are dedicated to the Hogwarts ghosts, Ford Anglia, Yule Ball, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Hedwig's flight, Hogwarts houses, and more.
Hogsmeade village is studded with lit up wreaths framing the triangular buildings. The nighttime stroll through the festive, magical place and freezing sips of Butterbeer are worth the wait.
Even the Kings Cross Station is decked with presents and lit up trees.
Smoky (I petnamed him!) is the Ukranian Ironbelly dragon that is perched atop the Gringotts Bank at Diagon Alley (Universal Studios, Orlando). He's Bua Beeya's friend as Chunky (niece #02) wrote in her travel journal. It was a magic beyond words to stand under it again as it roared and blew fire! The Bank was deccked with wreaths, and Smoky looked more larger than life as ever.
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