Home from vacation!
My husband and I are home from our vacation to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida! We lucked out with the weather; it was warm (upper 70's most of the time) and sunny. Couldn't have asked for better; especially when we knew at home it was snowing, sleeting, and 12F **shudder**. Driving home, we saw the 'carnage' on the interstates from the ice storms that had happened only 24 hours before; it was seriously like a movie set from Twister, we saw so many mangled semis and vehicles in ditches.
Our main reason for going to Universal (other than my husband has never been before) was of course the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A smallish corner of the Universal's Adventure park, it was easily the most popular and most-attended place. Luckily our hotel room keys got us in an hour earlier than the unwashed masses (ha) so we did get to totter around Hogsmeade without having to constantly dodge other people and avoid stepping on toes/getting our toes stepped on.
What was possibly even more fun was looking at the variety of house colors our fellow fans/vacationers would choose. More Hufflepuffs than I'd have imagined, and not nearly as many Ravenclaw as you'd suppose. Of course the majority were Gryffindor, but I'd proudly say there were almost an equal number of Slytherin being represented. And often, the staff of the parks in other areas (security guards, cashiers at other stores) would raise a fist to me in solidarity when they'd note my scarf and shout, "Go Slytherin! Best house!"
One retail store worker informed us that there are serious talks of expanding the Harry Potter park into other parts of the Adventure park. Which would of course be wise; even though the books are all out and the movies are finished, there seems to be no slowing down of fan interest. Universal would be stupid not to capitalize on our willingness to spend our money on more attractions.
So, I'm happy in the knowledge that my farewell to the little village of Hogsmeade, with its snow-capped peaked rooftops and crazily-jutting chimneys, was not my last. We will be back. :)
Our main reason for going to Universal (other than my husband has never been before) was of course the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A smallish corner of the Universal's Adventure park, it was easily the most popular and most-attended place. Luckily our hotel room keys got us in an hour earlier than the unwashed masses (ha) so we did get to totter around Hogsmeade without having to constantly dodge other people and avoid stepping on toes/getting our toes stepped on.
What was possibly even more fun was looking at the variety of house colors our fellow fans/vacationers would choose. More Hufflepuffs than I'd have imagined, and not nearly as many Ravenclaw as you'd suppose. Of course the majority were Gryffindor, but I'd proudly say there were almost an equal number of Slytherin being represented. And often, the staff of the parks in other areas (security guards, cashiers at other stores) would raise a fist to me in solidarity when they'd note my scarf and shout, "Go Slytherin! Best house!"
One retail store worker informed us that there are serious talks of expanding the Harry Potter park into other parts of the Adventure park. Which would of course be wise; even though the books are all out and the movies are finished, there seems to be no slowing down of fan interest. Universal would be stupid not to capitalize on our willingness to spend our money on more attractions.
So, I'm happy in the knowledge that my farewell to the little village of Hogsmeade, with its snow-capped peaked rooftops and crazily-jutting chimneys, was not my last. We will be back. :)