Memories March: Harry Potter

I wasn't too sure what to title this post. It is about both of my Harry Potter experiences combined, in Florida and in London. I think I will split it into two parts similar to how I sectioned my post about Sea World and Discovery Cove (click HERE). The first part will be about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando Florida and the Warna Bros Harry Potter Studios in London. My visits to the studios in London are a lot more recent so no doubt I will have greater recollection of that one. I love the Harry Potter books so much and was so grateful to be able to see all of this. 

Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour

This was focused mainly on how the films were made and the development of the props and costumes. You walk through each section looking at everything. You can get stamps for your own Harry Potter passport as you go through and there are hidden snitches to find. The film shown to you at the beginning of the tour gives you background information on the story and things, you got through the great hall and someone explains all about it. After that you can go through the rest of the displays at your own pace, it does take a while because everything is so interesting. When I went with my school, we were able to do a costumes workshop that wasn't available if you were to come individually. We were talked through what fabrics were used for which costume and even got to make some designs of own. Wand waving lessons were also available. There were outdoor and indoor areas and lots of photo opportunities. I think you could also buy butter bear. When I went with my family I got to ride a broomstick, the photo can still be seen on my twitter page. The exit left you in the gift shop which was full of all sorts of magical things.

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Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The purpose of this place was more to replicate Hogsmeade where as in London there was Diagon Alley. It was a lot like a theme park with three rides (that I can remember). There was a Hippogriff ride which was like a slow roller coaster. On the Dragon Challenge ride there were two circuits: one for a Chinese Fireball dragon and one for the Hungarian Horntail dragon, the two roller coasters would race each other to finish. The other ride I can remember was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. You would enter through the castle and the portraits on the wall would talk to you, explaining what was going on. I'm not sure if I remember this right but I think it was about Harry, Ron and Hermione wanted to avoid a History of Magic lessons with their invisibility cloak. The ride itself wasn't particularly fast but it was fun. You meet Hagrid who says "Have any of yer seen my dragon?" whilst holding empty chains. You even come face to face with Aragog who sprays water at you through his pincers. It's at that stage you have your photo taken, I can remember Pia looking terrified. 

Pia went into Olivander's. The queue was so long and she said it wasn't that great. In Fred and George's shop Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, I was tempted to buy some Extendable Ears but it would have taken up all of my spending money for the whole holiday. We also tried pumpkin juice. The packaging of it was so cool, I still have the little pumpkin that was attached to the lid. I'm pretty sure it was the water bottle I took to school for a while.

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