Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Post 2

I'm so pathetic at blogging. I guess this is one way to savor the experience we had with our first family vacation!

These pictures are all of WW of Harry Potter, but in no rhyme or reason order. It's the way they appeared when I uploaded them and because it takes so much effort to rearrange them, I'm just going to leave it as is.



Gage and Emma at the entrance of The Forbidden Journey. This was our first of three times to ride, so we were very excited with anticipation!


Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: The Forbidden Journey





As you wait in line to ride The Forbidden Journey, part of your time is spent weaving through the greenhouse. Thankfully we were there first thing in the morning, so it wasn't too miserably hot.



Scott, Gage and Emma entering the castle.




The hall of portraits was pretty amazing. The portraits that were interactive didn't show up on my camera, unfortunately. It is better when there is a longer line for this ride, so you have time to take in the sights. If there is no line, you are kind of rushed through and end up missing alot of the conversation between the portraits.




It started snowing while we were in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Harry, Ron and Hermoine were in the balcony talking, but because it was a holographic image, my camera wouldn't photograph them. It was very life-like. Unfortunately, the Forbidden Journey is the only place you see Harry, Ron and Hermoine in the park. This ride is what makes it a true Harry Potter experience.




Just before exiting the line and getting on the ride, you will find the Sorting Hat, which actually talks.





Once you leave the line, you get onto the ride in the Great Hall, where you find floating candles.




We rode The Forbidden Journey three separate times, so I was snapping pictures each time, to make sure I didn't miss anything. Here are Gage and Emma back in line, in the greenhouse. There are mandrakes in the fenced area.




This is where they keep track of house points. Gryffindor is in the lead!!!!





A statue of Goddrick Gryffindor.




Time to stop and take a picture with the Hippogriff!





The wall of portraits once again.




Dumbledore's Office.





Dumbledore's desk.





Gage and Emma with the Sorting Hat. I wonder which houses they would be sorted in to?




Hagrid's Hut which you can see when getting onto the Flight of the Hippogriff ride. It's a tame rollercoaster, and also the first one we rode.




Hagrid's Hut.




Buckbeak on his nest. This was taken from the actual roller coaster and is about the only place you can see this.




Dogweed and Deathcap shop window. Screaming mandrakes were heard. Thankfully we lived to tell about it!





Ollivander's Wand Shop is another big attraction at WWHP. This was high on our "to see" list, and was the first place we went on our first day at WWHP. They allow about 25 people into the wand shop at a time. The shopkeeper will choose one lucky soul and go through a production of the wand picking the wizard. We went to Ollivander's twice, because Gage really wanted a wand to pick him. Unfortunately neither Gage, nor Emma, were chosen. However, Gage's wand really did choose him. After the show is over, everyone is exited into a gift shop where you can pick out a wand to purchase. Because Gage was so bummed about not being chosen by the shopkeeper, he had a hard time trying to decide which wand to get. He opened several boxes and was just bummed. Finally, he opened up a wand box which had a core of Hawthorne, and a huge smile came over his face. I believed that this was a sign, and he was thrilled with his new wand.



A view of all the wand boxes in the shop.




Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.




Hogsmeade


That is all for this post. I think I am also going to upload all of the pictures to FB. Much faster and easier to do.