OT Harry Potter in Orlando

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

I just returned from Orlando, where I went to Downtown Disney, Epcot

and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I've been to Downtown Disney

before, but first time in Epcot. Both were as great as Disney can make

it.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a HUGE disappointment. Parking

is $15 and maybe 8 blocks from the " City Walk " . City Walk is a boardwalk

with more than 25 stores, restaurant, gift shops and so forth. You have

to walk through all this to get to the entrance to the park. Another

maybe 10-15 block walk (city blocks). Then to the entrance. Admission

fee is $85 for ONE park, one day. They do give a discount to handicap

people and their guests, so it was $71 or there abouts, plus tax.

Have to walk through Suess World, filled with kids, Cat in the Hat,

Green Eggs and Ham and all the other Dr. Suess things we all read as

kids. Then through " The Land Time Forgot " or something of that name, and

FINALLY reach The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. LONG walk to get

there.

First thing you see is the Hogwarts Express - the train Harry uses to

get from London to Hogwarts school. It is sticking out of a station. NO

smoke coming from it, a few props like suitcases and a conductor who

isn't dressed like either a British train conductor OR a wizard. Also

locker rooms to store you stuff if you're going on the ride in the

castle.

Hogsmeade is next. Many facades and only one had anything going on.

The plant store had a plant that was moving. All the rest were just

window dressed, and false fronts. There was Junko's gift shop, with

bunches of Chinese imported toys, a candy shop, with lots of expensive

candy including Bertie Botts every flavor beans, and the wand shop, which

was jammed with people lining up to buy $30 wands. Nobody really in

costume working there. Had a few hats on, but nothing like you see at

Disney.

Because I have balance problems, I did not go on the ride through the

castle. They warn anyone with balance problems, vertigo, dizziness, etc.

etc. NOT to go on the ride because it takes fast drops. Some people

don't listen, and there are a lot of clean up things by the exit. We

walked through the castle instead. Very dark going up the steps.

First thing you see is Dumbledore's study. There is a hologram of

Prof. Dumbledore, and the study is well done. There were moving

portraits along the steps going to the study. Then further on, more

moving portraits. Finally get to a big room where Harry, Ron & Hermione

were talking in a holographic picture. They made it " snow " on everyone.

Then down the steps to the gift shop. That was IT.

Tee shirts for $30, Wizard's gowns for $100, neck scarves for $40 and

so forth. Saw 2 people wearing wizard gowns and what looked like a

school uniform. One person standing around with the book that bites

you, and that was pretty much the entire place.

There is a dual roller coaster ride, racing dragons, which is a

re-make of another roller coaster ride they had.

But with the wealth of things in the 7 books, it would have been nice

to see a classroom, perhaps a cauldron stirring itself, the car in the

tree, the Whomping Willow, the giant Spiders, etc. That may have been

part of the ride, but for those who can't ride the ride (and you must be

a certain height to do so), there wasn't much to see or do.

Butterbeer, which tastes like butterscotch flavored cream soda, and

is incredibly sweet according to the woman who said she's never get

another one was $11 in a souvenir mug. Also sold frozen. And pumpkin

juice was $8 for 8 oz bottle. Didn't try that one either.

The castle looks like you see it in the movies, but was way up on a

hill, and probably not to scale.

Hate to sound like a muggle about this, but it was a lot of money and

a lot of walking to get to something that offered so little in the way of

entertainment.

At Epcot, there is a cochlear implant on display. It's the Nucleus

24 straight array. Given that the contour, the Freedom and now the

Nucleus 5 have all been used since then, one would think they'd upgrade

the sample.

Weather was good though!!

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