By Ysabel
Villaflor
This is a place no Harry Potter
fan should miss. Well, even though you
aren’t a Potter fan, you will surely be smitten by this place of magic and
wonder.
Universal Studios Orlando has two
distinct parts – Universal Studios (where they all have their originally
produced attractions like Shrek, The Mummy, Jaws, Terminator, Beetlejuice,
Twister) and Islands of Adventure (where they have their newer attractions-
with Universal even buying the rights to some well-known brands such as Marvel,
Dr. Seuss, Popeye ). Islands of Adventure, has 6 distinct “islands” or
themes. One of which is the Wizarding
World of Harry Potter (HP).
When I first heard that there was
Harry Potter Land, I couldn’t imagine how Universal was going to replicate
it. For one, there were so many
memorable places introduced in the book and shown on film, that it was probably
a feat for those producing to choose which places will be “brought to life” for
us Muggles to enjoy. Secondly, will the production
live up to the expectations of the die-hard fans who are known to be very
protective of the very well-loved book? I was about to find out for myself that
rainy May morning in 2011. And lastly, what other attractions will they put up
following the Harry Potter theme??
When we finished going through
all the rides at Universal, we proceeded to Islands of Adventure and went
straight to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. (We changed our previous plan of going
straight to HP since the day was marred by rain showers and most of the rides
in Universal were indoors so we finished those first. Turns out, the rain was a blessing in
disguise because there were no lines and no droves of people were in sight.) We passed by the first 3 theme parks of Dr.
Seussland, Toon Town, and the Lost World, until finally, we saw the arch
and…the famous Hogwarts Express parked just in front of quaint Hogsmeade.
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| This marks a spell you will be under. |
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| Wanna ride the Hogwarts Express? :) |
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| Bursting with excitement! Our first group picture in HPLand! |
Right then, it was like letting a
kid let loose in a toy store.
Hyperventilating, a smile permanently plastered on my face, this dreamy
and ecstatic glimmer in the eye, shrieks and laughs uncharacteristically let
out at different parts of the day. There was no mistaking it. It was like being
transported right in the book. We were
spell bound by its magic. We were in
Harry Potter heaven. We were so excited
that we didn’t know what to do first! There was so much to see as a lot of
places were adopted from the book.
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| My brother Juvie, Getting in on the fun with a new wand!! |
Going around Hogsmeade alone was
like feast for the eyes. The houses had
pointy, snow-capped roofs, cobbled walkways and dark alleys that were supposedly
mysterious but comfortingly familiar and homey.
The people you see around town added for the feel of Hogsmeade.
For fans, you would probably be confronted
with familiar stores which Harry Potter’s character frequented from the book but
are actually working stores in the park. Take for example:
a. the sweet shop
Honeydukes ;
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| Get your sweet tooth satisfied with a treat from Honeydukes! Chocoloate Frogs, All Flavored Beans are a crowd-pleaser |
b. the enchanted Ollivander’s where every wizard in Harry’s world got their
wands (which was actually a show about wands and where you can also buy
yourself one);
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| Get in line for the show! |
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| Inside Ollivander's Store - which was actually a wand show. |
c. the Owl Post where mails are sent through owls (which is actually a working post office and a
souvenir shop for notebooks, stamps, pens, scrolls etc),
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| My cousin Gela getting a souvenir at the Owl Post, a nice parchment paper perhaps? |
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| Some packages waiting to be delivered or received at the Owl Post |
d. Zonko’s the jokes and
tricks shop (was actually a shop that sold magic related toys and gag shop) and
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| Thinking of a gag? Go in Zonko's for ideas! My nephew Anton, can't help it!
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e. the Three Brooms-the ultimate hangout (which was actually a working restaurant).
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| At the Three Broomsticks where you can have lunch. We just wanted a jump shot haha |
Fans of the book will definitely be delighted to see it firsthand since the movie didn’t delve into the details too much. Now we know how it felt being in Hogsmeade for the first time.
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| the very charming Hogsmeade |
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| Someone's getting some magic! Your favorite character's wands can be yours for US$30! |
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| You can take home some Hogwarts Robes back home! |
Around Hogsmeade, you can see
crate-trucks selling the famous Butterbeer– the drink every student at Hogwarts
loves to drink in take-away mugs or plastic cups. True to the name, it has a subtle hint of
butter in carbonated cola with a “beer bubbles” or fluffy cream. For those who like rich drinks, Butterbeer
sure has that rich sweet caramel taste which can knock off the dizzy spells
after a ride of the Dragon Challenge, which is a must ride at HP.
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| BUTTERBEER!! The drink of choice while walking around Hogsmeade! Frozen or Regular? |
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| Still can't get enough of Butterbeer on our 2nd day in HPLand |
You would have to leave your
slippers and hang on to your shoes on this one since the feet dangle during
this roller coaster ride. The Dragon Challenge is one of the most exciting rides in HPLand. Rode it 3 times and I still can't get over it.
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| Leave your footwear behind for this Inverted Roller coaster! |
But the highlight is the Hary
Potter and The Forbidden Journey – a hybrid of a simulated and rollercoaster ride of Harry’s
Quidditch match, an encounter with the Dementors (scary characters from the novel), the Whomping Willow.. and other remarkable characters in the HP novel gone awry. What makes
this truly unforgettable is the fact that this is housed in none other than…where
magic is learned: Hogwarts itself. You
will never get bored waiting for your turn since there are a lot to see inside
Hogwarts – like the moving paintings or the Sorting Hat among other things.
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A Harry Potter Book or Movie ain't complete without Hogwarts!
inside the Hogwarts video c/o Bernadette Villaflor |
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| Renzo, Ginelle, Me and Andie right before we went in Hogwarts! |
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| Checking out the souvenir movie replicas in the Filch's Emporium right after the ride. |
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| Look at all the HAPPY FACES after the HP Forbidden Journey Ride. (It exits through Filch's Emporium) |
For a more family friendly ride, try The Flight of the Hippogriff Ride :)
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| It's a family affair. Tamest ride in the HPLand. |
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| The whole Crew at the Meeting Spot |
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| The resting area near the Owl Post. |
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| Hard to say goodbye to this magical place which will live on in our minds for a very very long time! |
After 2 days of immersing in the magic of Harry Potter, it was time to say goodbye. It was a sad but HAPPY experience. I can't help but think of re-reading my HP books at home when I get back.
This place is truly just MAGICAL. I don't mind going back for seconds..or thirds..
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter can only be found in Universal Studios Islands of Adventure in Orlando Florida.
Special thanks to:
Dr. Jess and Mel Poblete,
Arnel and Gela Poblete
Juvie and Bernadette Villaflor
Vinson Louie
Ginelle, Adriel, Andie and Renzo Poblete
Anton and Pauline Villaflor
