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| Excuse the shine. It's Florida. |
WARNING: This is a long and photo heavy post. (Click on the pics to open a new window and click again enlarge.)
With that kind of warning, you'd think I like to take a lot of photos. Well, what has two thumbs and forgot to charge the batteries in her camera before embarking on the trip of a lifetime? THIS GIRL. My camera died after two hours. Gaaaaah. I'm still kicking myself. Anyways, the photos below are a mix from my camera and crummy iPhone 3GS (not even iPhone 4 or Droid!)
Before I left, my friend Chrissie advised me not to bring my DSLR because you can only bring on the rides whatever fits into your pockets. No bags or purses allowed. (Those must be stowed in lockers, conveniently provided for free for the first 30-40 minutes or so. After that, it's $3/hr! With a crowded park, the locker fees can easily rack up.) So I made sure to bring my point-n-shoot and wear loose jeans with big pockets. Despite the warning, we got lucky - the park was relatively empty. By that I mean, most everyone at Islands of Adventure could be found in Hogsmeade. The rest of the park was empty; we actually walked onto The Hulk and Superman! Jody tells me this is unheard of. Even with the "crowd," we only paid a locker fee once.
Holy Hogsmeade!
I really felt like I was in Britain, with tilting buildings and narrow streets. Not all the stores are operational, but the storefronts make you wish they were so you could buy a self-writing quill at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, or take home a Mimbulus mimbletonia from Dogweed & Deathcap (also featuring a live, screaming mandrake!) Tomes and Scrolls carries the whole Gilderoy Lockhart collection, including his best-selling autobiography Magical Me. But what I really coveted was Hermione's beautiful, ombre pink chiffon gown for the Yule Ball in the Gladrags Wizardwear display case. *Sigh*
Zany Zonkos!
Zonko's is an actual store. Hooray! All of the merchandise is, obviously, jokes and toys and most is for sale - Extendable Ears! Pygmy Puffs! Fanged Flyers! However, for the keen-eyed observer, you can spot merchandise from the books only for display - Portable Swamp, Dr. Fillibuster's Fireworks, and a tangible, hanging recreation of the fire-breathing firecracker that chased down Umbridge. So much fun. I know there are more that I missed, but I was hindered with only one pair of eyes.
Honeydukes!
Honeydukes could give Willy Wonka a run for his candy-coated money. Again, rows upon rows of chocolates and candies, many of which are adapted from the books. I bought a box of Peppermint Toads (delicious!) and hard candies in a Honeydukes jar.
Beauxbaton and Durmstrang!
The Triwizard Rally is a show that takes place several times a day at the top end of Hogsmeade, before you get to Hogwarts. The show features routines from the students at Durmstrang Institute and the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The Durmstrang guys were pretty intense; this guy looks angry. Or maybe he just resented wearing a brown polyester uniform and combat boots in 100% Florida humidity. Also, where can a girl get a peaked felt fedora? I want one.
I heard the other show offered is the Frog Choir comprising four Hogwarts students, one from each house, accompanied by singing frogs. I didn't see them at all though, so all I can conclude is that they alternate shows.
Two tidbits before I move on: 1) Moaning Myrtle greets you in the loo; and 2) the park is fun for Potter novices and fans alike. You don't have to achieve fanboy status to enjoy yourself. But if you are a fan, the park designers hid Easter eggs all over the park. I won't give them away (not that I caught them all anyways), but it's fun to look up and spy, say, a jar of doxy eggs or a pot of bubotuber pus while drinking your butterbeer.
Next up...HOGWARTS! All aboard the Hogwart's Express!
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