Universal Studios!

I wasn't really sure if I was going to write about the family days in Universal at all, but Mom actually TOLD her readers to come over here and read more, so. I guess I'm postponing talking about my Disney training and first days in favor of The Other Park!

We spent two days there, the first staying mostly in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That's the only reason anyone ever wants to go to Universal anymore, anyway. We looked around Hogsmeade for a bit, admiring the scenery and magic and everything. It looks beautiful and perfectly like Hogsmeade, but really eerie to have all the snow-capped roofs in such hot weather!

Almost right away, we got in line for the castle ride ("Harry Potter and the forbidden journey") and the line wasn't too excruciatingly long at all. Especially since in one waiting room, Ron made it snow. REAL ACTUAL SNOW!!!

The ride itself was, and is, amazing. Hermione transports you all out of the castle on these flying benches, and then through the magic of screens and turns and...I don't even know what it was besides magic, you end up flying all around the grounds. It's almost as realistic as Disney's "Soarin'", and we were worried about hitting the tree-tops. At one point when you enter the forbidden forest, there are TERRIFYING spiders that spit, a dragon that blows smoke....all sorts of frightening things like that. Probably one of the most amazing rides I've ever gone on, and definitely the best part of the park, as it is.

After that ride, we went to "Flight of the Hippogriff", which was laaame. But going to Ollivander's after that was just...I still can't believe my luck. As Mom said in her post, he chose me to get a wand! This is absolutely outrageous, because Ollivander is supposed to pick an 11-year-old. And I may act like one, but I certainly do not look like an 11-year-old. But hey, I won't complain! I tried the first one and broke a bunch of shelves (absolutely terrified me), the second one set off a thunderstorm in the ceiling of the shop, but the THIRD wand, a 15-inch reed wand with phoenix feather, chose me. There was wind rushing and everything. It was absolutely gorgeous, too.

I though about buying it, but decided that I'd rather go through the park without something to have to put in a locker. Which was a good choice! We really enjoyed just getting on rides whenever we wanted. And we did some other stuff, like looking at more shops, getting soaked at Sinbad's show, and going to some other rides that I don't remember, but eventually had to head to catch the shuttle back to the hotel.

The next day at Universal, we went around the whole park. WELL THAT'S A LIE, we went around the whole Islands of Adventure, so half the park. Dad got his fix of roller-coasters (as well as losing his hat on "Doctor Doom's Fall of Terror", because he didn't listen to the rules about hats!!), we three were all absolutely drenched from the Popeye ride and "Ripsaw Falls", rode my old favorite "Jurassic Park River Adventure", and did a few other things. I still looooove the drop in that River ride, by the way. Quality ride right there, even if it's a lot older than, say, the Castle ride.

While in Jurassic Park, we also went to the Nursery were they hatch baby dinos. We got to watch a little lady raptor hatch, and yet again, the worker there ignored the obviously younger children in lieu of letting ME name the baby raptor and keep her birth certificate!
I'm quite certain this had something to do with the fact that I was practically playing peek-a-boo with an animatronic raptor, but whatever.

We picked up a bunch of stuff at Hogsmeade before we left, including my wand and fizzing whizzbees! Which are chocolate and magically fizzle in your mouth. HIGHLY recommend them. :)

Anyway, I think that's a good enough summary. As of right now, I'm several days into my DCP, two days into training, but I can summarize these days later for a different post. I just wanted to get that out!