Day 3 of Vacation

We could not wait to get back in the park Monday morning on day 3 of our vacation.  We had the whole lower level to still do and a few shows.  First up Shrek 4D it was adorable.

Then we were off to Harry Potter World again.  Something about that land made me just want to hang out there all day! The kids loved it too we had a blast playing in the toy store and finding fun candies like a chocolate frogs, fudge flies and the kids favorite rock candy. 

 It was then to casting spells.  The kids were pros by now and had fun following the map all on their own and showing other kids how to do it.

 We watched a fun a capella group sing with frogs.  Spencer loved it! I kind of got a head ach watching there mouths move so much.  It's such a cool talent but can get annoying too lol!

It was starting to get pretty crowded so we decided to head down to the lower lot of the park.  We had excellent timing that day because even though it was crowded we seemed to time where we were going against the crowd because the longest we waited on any ride was 15 minutes.  The lower level takes like 10 minutes to get too you.  You have to ride I think like 5 escalators down the view was really cool.  Once down our first stop was the Jurassic Park ride.  It had been 10 years since Spencer and I went on it and I was a little scared that it would be too much for the kids but the met the height requirements and were excited so we went for it.

It ended up being all of our favorite ride.  It was so cool! The drop was exhilarating! It was huge and for sure scary but thrilling at the same time.  We ended up going on it again right after we loved it so much.

 The boys really wanted to go on Transformers and I had read that was very scary so Aubrey and I wanted to pass.  I begged Carter to rethink his decision but his love for cars and being with daddy won and he went for it.

Aubrey and I were just going to hang out and people watch but then we went and checked out the sign for the Mummy ride.  I thought it was another 3D or 4D movie screen kind of thing but after talking to the worker we found out it was a roller coaster.  Aubrey was tall enough but we were both scared that it might be too much so we waited by the exit and asked other kids around her age. The conscience was that we should give it a try.

We jumped in line and had no idea what we were in for.

 

Well talk about a thrill ride! It was so fast, scary, crazy but still fun.  I thought for sure I would have a very upset girl after that ride but I didn't she was smiling and said it was fun.  It was kind of like Indiana Johns at Disneyland but faster and it goes backwards when you think it is over which was a huge shock.  I was pretty scared! After that ride we met up with the boys and both kids wanted us to each try the other rides so Daddy went on The Mummy again with Aubrey (Carter was too short)

and I went on Transformers with Carter.  I didn't think that one was that scary like I had read about but then again I just got of the scary Mummy ride.

After our rides we all got back together and meet the bad guy transformer.

 We were all pretty hungry by this time and Jonny Rockets out on the City Walk was calling our name so we headed over there for lunch. So so so so good!

 After lunch we went back to the hotel to relax a little.  Carter bought a cool TRex to build as one of his souvenirs.  After we got home we realized all Carter's souvenirs had to do with building I really think he will be an engineer like his daddy.

After some R&R we headed back to the park.  On the parks map it had tips and one tip was to go to Harry Potter world in the evening to bet the crowd man were they right, it was empty.  We almost had the whole land to ourselves it was awesome.  

We got to go on the Hippogriff roller coaster 7 or 8 times in a row. This was a great trip because our kids were old enough to pretty much go on everything and they wanted to go on everything.  It almost felt like we were just 4 friends hanging out it was really awesome.  I was surprised at how independent Aubrey actually wanted to be.  She would ask "can I go on this all by myself?" I think it was our 5 time riding the ride and she asked if she could be a single rider so we let her and she got paired up with another guy.  She said it was so cool and that he was very nice.  I did ride in front of her and dad in back so she wasn't that independent.

We then had dinner at Three Broomsticks in the park.  I had a great chicken salad and spencer had a half a chicken with veggies and the kids gobbled down some good old Mac and Cheese.

 and corn on the cobb

 After dinner we raced over to the waterworks show but were too late and the doors were closed so instead we went back over to Minion area to play with the Minions they were hilarious and really goofy.

 It took us forever to calm them down and get a picture with them lol.

We were then all in a goofy mood.  We played in the store

 and on some carnival games.

We didn't win anything but we had fun trying and then daddy surprised Aubrey with the Unicorn she really wanted.

We ended our night off right with a humongous Cinnabon, a comfy bed and an excited family for what tomorrow will bring.

Day 2 of Vacation

Day two of our vacation was very exciting; it was our first day in Universal Studios.  When we started discussing our vacation for this summer the kids were in love with Minions and all they could talk about was going on the Minion ride at Universal Studios.  Spencer and I’s last visit was around 10 years ago so we thought that would be a perfect family vacation.  We then found out earlier this year that the new Harry Potter land was opening up in April.  We have the movies and have seen them a long time ago but never got really into the books.  I thought since we were going to be going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter we better brush up on our Harry Potter knowledge so we started reading the first book together.  About half way into the book we were all obsessed and true blue HP fans!!  With our vacation on the horizon we didn’t have time to read all the books so we dived right into all the movies.  We finished the last movie Friday night before we left.  We could all not be more excited to see Hogwarts and to walk through the streets of Hogsmeade.  We made it to the park right when they opened.  We were staying at the beautiful Hilton that was the closest hotel to the park.  It was wonderful and being so close was awesome.

 We saw that the line for the Minion ride was super low so we decided that would be our first stop.  Lots of the rides at Universial are either 3D or 4D.  The kids loved the ride!

 After that ride you exit into a Minion world.  It was adorable!

After exploring that area we were so excited to make it over to Hogsmeade.  It was amazing! Just like walking right into the movie or the book.  It was a surreal experience.  It was really neat!

 The characters were wonderful and made it even more of a real experience.  It was so cool that we had just watched all the movies because the kids knew everything and I think it was such an awesome experience for them to feel like they were really walking into this world.

 There are 2 rides in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The flight of Hippogriff which we all could ride and was a family mini roller coaster.  This was the kid's favorite ride.  It was smooth and not that fast but still had the thrill of a roller coaster.  The second ride was, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.  This was like a 4D crazy wild thrill ride that you had to be 48" to ride and poor Carter is about 46" he was devastated but we tried to reassure him we might come back since we bought the year pass. They do have the child switch pass like Disneyland but unlike Disneyland the whole party must wait in the line and then at the end of the line one parent and the small child wait in a room while the other rides and then you switch.  It was too bad that poor Carter had to wait in the hour long line just to have to wait in the little room but if he didn't he would have missed all the cool stuff we got to see and going into the Hogwarts Castle.  I loved these screaming plants from the movie:

 It really felt so real!

 Aubrey and daddy went on the ride first while Carter and I waited.  When them came back to the room Aubrey had a huge smile and Spencer looked like he was going to puke and he was so sweaty.  He gets motion sickness and this ride put him almost over the top.  I was a little worried to try it out but went for it with Aubrey and I thought it was pretty fun but I could see how it made Spencer sick.  After that ride we got in line to go to Ollivanders Wand shop to get the wands the kids were dying for.  We got in line at a good  time and only had to wait like 10 minutes.  Earlier in the morning the wait was an hour I think because it's the first thing people see but we got an insider tip from a worker to wait and go later after the morning crowd died down.  When you go into the shop they have a wand maker talk about the wands and then a wand chooses one person in the group.   We orginally thought that person would get a free wand but then found out that even if the wand chooses you, you have to still pay for the wand.  We had our fingers crossed one of our kids would get picked but the wand maker chose another boy.  The magic was really fun to watch.

After the show you exit ino the wand store and the kids were beyond excited.  The wands are pretty pricey so it was such a treat that Nana and Papa sent the kids with some spending money to get their very own interactive wands.  Aubrey picked Hermionies wand which is a beautiful wood wand with vines going up it.  Carter picked Professor Dumbledores wand which is the most powerful wand.  Both wands came with a map.  After they got their wands they were off to set spells.

They have different spots marked all around Hogsmeade that the kids could use their wands.  Each location has a drawing on how to wave your wand and what spell to say and then you see something happen.  It was really cool.  It took lots of practice but once they got it they were casting spells all over.  We got lots of videos.  The kids are still saying the spells and doing the movements all around the house.

 Daddy and I got to enjoy a yummy butterbeer (non alcoholic) while the kids played.

It was then time to explore more of the park.  We went on the Simpson ride minus dad since it was another 4D thing in Springfield.  We watched a great show on movie stunts and then we made it to our absolute favorite ride, The Studio Tour.  That ride is so cool it takes you all around real movie studios and sets.  The ride is about an hour long and it's so much fun I was so into it I forgot to take pictures.  Here was the view from when we got on the tram.

and I got to meet Marilyn Monroe right before the ride.

 It was around 4 at this point and we were all getting pretty tired and hungery so we decided that it was time to leave and check into our hotel.  But first we got to met a few more characters.

 This cracked me up... We saw Spongebob and I said "Aubrey and Carter go take a picture with him." Aubrey ran over but Carter grabbed me and started pretend crying saying "nooooo I'm scared" then a mummy came out of nowhere and he ran and hugged him.  Later that day I asked why he was scared of Spongebob and he said because I don't let him watch that show lol.

We decided to go get a late lunch early dinner at a yummy Mexican place on City Walk before we went and checked into the hotel.  We then checked in.  We had a great room on the 17th floor whith a view of the pool and the Hollywood hills.

Carter was excited to break into his donut we got in Bart Simpson land:

It was huge! He loves donuts so this was a perfect treat for him.  We all had some and still didn't finsh it lol. After our treat we went down to the pool to swim and soak in the hot tub.  It was so nice! After that we came back to the room for some baths, room service and a good night sleep.  The kids slept with their wands.

What a great start to our Vacation!