Anna’s birthday cake in our Orlando hotel room
It was delayed a week because of the hurricane but we made it to Orlando for our trip to Harry Potter World. I came straight from London, having just finished our LendIt Europe conference. I met up with everyone on Thursday night. Then on Friday we went to Universal and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Both Jude and Anna were excited. It was nice to see Jude get into being a kid again after shunning most childlike things over the previous few months. Harry Potter world is divided into two parts. There is Diagon Alley where all the wizarding stores are and then there is Hogsmeade with the Hogwarts School. They are connected by the Hogwarts Express which you take from Kings Cross Station just like Harry did in the books.
Waiting for the Hogwarts Express on platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station
The favorite attraction for the kids was Hogwarts. It was really cool with a giant replica of the building from the movies with many of the rooms as well. Then there was a great ride that we all loved where you essentially get to fly around with Harry and Ron and even get involved in a Quidditch match. We did that ride about 7 times.
There was also many roller coasters and the rest of Universal Studios to explore. We did a little of this but we spent most of our time in Harry Potter World. The good thing is that the height cutoff was 48″ for most of the rides and Anna is now 49″ – it was only the crazy roller coasters that she couldn’t go on. But they both enjoyed the Hippogriff roller coaster outside Hogwarts.
Riding the Hippogriff roller coaster together
Universal was really crowded every day and so we decided on Sunday to rent a car and go to the beach. We drove to New Smyrna Beach where Marcy was able to see the house where her Uncle Lynn and Aunt Judy lived (and where she lived one summer). We then went down to the beach which was nice although the water was not that clean because of the recent hurricane. But give our kids sand and water and they enjoy themselves.
On the beach at New Smyrna
On the last day the kids got to buy the special gifts that they had decided on. Jude chose the chess set – it is based on the chess pieces in the first movie. They are very ornate and he loved them. He and Anna played with them on the last night in Florida. Anna decided to get the quills and ink so she can practice her penmanship.
Playing chess by the hotel pool on the last night