Monday, July 26, 2010

Forbidden Journey round 2

I enjoyed the ride much better the second time around. The first time through, I was overcome with such excitement that I missed half of what was going on. I nearly lost my phone midway through the ride, which didn't help matters.

The second time though, I really had a chance to relax and take it all in. The ride has its flaws, but it's much better than I originally thought. You can expect a full review when I return home.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Pumpkin Juice

You know the cider you have every year around Christmas time? Tastes like that only cold.

I don't even like pumpkin but I enjoyed this. Definitely has a slight pumpkin flavor but it's mixed with apple flavors as well.

Hogwarts

>> Not sure how much blogging I will be able to do as our hotel doesn't have free WIFI :( I have tried to attach a video of our first glimpse of Hogwarts; however, I'm not sure if it will come through or not.
>>
>> My quick thoughts on the park...Harry Potter needs a park all to his own. I have loved nearly everything I've seen, but it's only left me wanting more (maybe a wee bit greedy).
>>
>> My quick thoughts on everything I experienced today. More detail to come later.
>>
>> Forbidden Journey ride: Above average but not quite perfect
>>
>> Butterbeer: Absolutely AMAZING!
>>
>> Chocolate Frogs: Frogs are just plain chocolate. The cards are pretty cool. Way overpriced at $10.
>>
>> Shops: Amazing detail, but they need more room. There were lines just to get into the shops. Prices weren't too outlandish, but definitely way above average. I had to splurge on a sweet Gryffindor hoodie.
>>
>> Dragon's Challenge: Still the same, great roller coaster that was formally known as Dueling Dragons (queue was an upgrade, but I think they could have done better)
>>
>> Disappointed that they were sold out of the Ash Wand (for my birth month). I'll probably look to pick one up online.
>>
>> Still looking forward to eating at the Three Broomsticks, sending a letter via Owl Post (special postmark), experiencing Ollivander's, and definitely riding the Forbidden Journey ride once more.
>>
>> Hope the video works. Look for more soon (if not then, definitely when I return).

Edit: I'll post the video later.
>>

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Dear Mr. Francis...

...you have been accepted, into Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That's right, tomorrow my family and I will depart for Orlando, Florida to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Saying that I'm pumped for this trip is a drastic understatement.

I have literally been counting down the days since the park was announced. As a matter of fact, I've actually been dreaming of a Harry Potter theme park long before Universal even made the official announcement.

SO, I would love to tell you that I haven't been blogging recently because I've been hard at work on my novel; however, that isn't the case. Sadly, I haven't worked on it much at all. The truth is that I have been working really hard to find a new job. I've actually started working in a part-time position and have had multiple interviews for a specific full-time position. Much of my time has been devoted to those two goals, as well as grad school

With all that being said, you can look forward to a plethora of quality blog posts over the next few days. They may not be long, but I can assure you they will be interesting (at least if you're a Harry Potter fan, and let's face it, if you aren't a fan...you should be). You can expect to see updates ranging from my first butterbeer, my wand selection, and of course...a review of the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. So, with that being said, I hope you will follow my blog over the next week to see what all Universal's new park has to offer.

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