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Universal Studios

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We've all been looking forward to having some time off to enjoy sunny CA and what better way to start off the trip with a visit to Harry Potter World? 

We got to Universal Studios when it opened at 10am but the place was already as zoo. I felt a bit better that mask mandates were in place and it is required to be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID test before you get in. The lines to go through security and show your COVID status were long but moved fairly quickly, which was a precursor for the rest of the day.

I haven't been to Universal in at least 15 years (since we moved to Seattle) and know that there's lotsto do but of course, first up was we HAD to go to Harry Potter World and go to Olivander's! This was Evie's only request for the trip so we made a beeline for the shop. The line to get to the "show" was already 40 minutes long so while Nora and I jumped into the line, Scott and Evie grabbed butterbeer - one frozen and one cold. If you haven't read the HP series, butterbeer is the drink of choice that all the wizards drinks. It's basically like a butterscotch soda and way too sweet for my tastes! It was still fun to try though just to say we've had it.

Olivander's ended up being a highlight of our day because guess what? Evie got selected to be the young wizard to try out a wand! She was part of the "show" they put on and had to test 2 different wands with different spells until a wand "chose" her. Evie was absolutely giddy with joy after the show. It was pretty fun  to watch and an ingenious way for Universal to sell parents on a $65 wand toy because what parent would say no to their kid when they finally get a wand that "chooses" them? Of course, Nora couldn't be outdone so had to also find a wand in the store.

For the rest of the day, there was a LOT of taking the wand in and out of the box to ooh and ah at them, and to practice spells a various interactive spots throughout the Harry Potter land. Evie, especially, wanted to keep practicing spells all day.

We bribed Nora to get on the first ride (the Flight of the Hippogriff mini roller coaster) and once she had her first taste of that, there was no going back. The girls LOVED going on the rides, but we didn't actually have a lot of time to go becaues the lines were so long. Other than that one, we only went on the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride (ugh, so motion sick after but the girls loved it), the Studio Tour (always fun!), Kung Fu Panda (lame) and watched the Animal Actor show and the Waterworld Stunt show (really spectacular!). We also grabbed dinner at the 3 Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, so that was neat.

We explored a bit of the other areas of the park like Springfield (Simpsons), the Minions area, Whoville (from Grinch) but the kids kept wanting to just go back to Harry Potter. In fact, we didn't even make it down to the lower lot to try the other rides like Jurassic World! I guess that just means we'll have new things to see the next time we go!


The park was all decked out in holiday decorations
Butter beer at 10:30am was a bit much.


More than 14 thousand wands in the room!

Hogswarts castle in the day


Evie doing spells

Another view of the castle

The castle at night. There is a holiday light show that was eh.

Inside the castle

Dinner at 3 Broomsticks

Hogsmeade at night

Family selfie


The big tree at Citywalk as we were walking back to the parking lot

 

Comments

  1. WDecember 26, 2021 at 7:10 PM

    Looks so fun! I can't wait to see the wands in person. I have a feeling Ian and Owen will want one after they see their cousin's wands.

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