Melanie and Dustin scored a trip with the parental units, a.k.a. Greg and I, to Florida to visit Walt Disney World AND Universal Studios, home of Harry Potter World! Yes, they are EXTREMELY spoiled!
Melanie and Dustin (the teenagers) acted like they were 6 year olds - seriously!
First: wings were received on the flight.
Next: Disney World Magic Kingdom! Where dreams come true!
Yes, the padre IS on the phone - again!
Dustin took advantage of the talented Disney barber and got a haircut!
Then who to our wondering eyes should appear? It's Peter! "Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning!"
Notice Dustin's sweet black socks? Well so did a traveling garbage can! It stopped in front of Dustin and said, "Way to rock the black socks!" It was pretty hysterical!
We found Rafiki in Animal Kingdom!
And EPCOT! Where the teenagers went on a virtual reality ride that made them sick:) There were two lines for said ride. I asked the dutiful helper the difference between the lines and rides. She said, "spinning, or no spinning." I then asked, "Spinning, like throw up?" To which she replied with a simple, "yes". So the padre and I entered the non-spinning line, while the plucky teenagers, after mocking our "old age inner ears", headed into the spinning line. They weren't laughing when they came out! After sitting on a bench for a while during which their green shade diminished only slightly, the decision was made to call it a day and head back to our Marriott digs. Luckily it was at the end of the day, so we didn't feel too badly to end a little early.
Although much fun was had at the Disney parks for THREE whole days, the teenagers were super anxious for their REAL desired destination -- Harry Potter World! Entrance into this enchanting park was linked to Dustin finishing his requirements for Eagle before we left for Florida. We left on Sunday. He finished on Saturday:)
So, with wands in hand, we headed to platform 9 3/4 and boarded the Hogwarts Express!
We saw and did EVERTHING there is to see and do in Harry Potter World! We ate at the Three Broomsticks. We looked in the windows of every shop in Diagonally (that's all you could do, they were just for looking). We waited in line for ALL rides.
We drank butterbeer - twice! We waited in line for Olivander's Wand Shop, where Dustin was chosen by a wand made of oak with a dragon heart strings core, 13 1/2 inches! Look closely, and you will see Olivander and Dustin with the wand.
And we shopped! Scarves and sweaters and mittens and chocolate frogs and owl post stamps and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and butterbeer and chocolate wands and crybabies (the padre's personal favorite)!
As we left Harry Potter World after an extremely full and exciting day, Melanie turned and looked back at the gate wistfully and said, "I should live there!"
A happy ending to a happy trip with our two darling youngest chicks!
Oh truly magical - what a happy family time - I remember a trip to Disneyland with those to not too long ago - Happy Memories
Posted by: Cathy Hansen | January 26, 2012 at 09:32 PM
My boys would love Harry Potter World! It looks like so much fun!
Posted by: Shauna | January 25, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Is it weird that I teared up a little at your Harry Potter world pictures? I can't figure out why I want to cry. Maybe because I want to go? Maybe because I love the books more than almost anything else in my life? Maybe because you have the cutest family ever? Probably all of the above. Thanks for sharing your pictures!
Posted by: Emily Foley | January 25, 2012 at 08:36 AM