Trick or Treat

It may be Monday, but it's also Halloween, and that means it kind of feels like a party night, although sadly we must all go to work and school tomorrow.  But this holiday deserves some fun and libations, does it not?  We started our celebrating on Saturday night with a party at the Vandegriff household.  The boys did not go as Rob had racing and Spenser preferred to stay home.  So Lady Gaga and Miss Fender went off by themselves. 

Here is Sienna as a version of Lady Gaga's skeleton tuxedo lady.  You have to imagine Sienna's ponytail as blonde and her face made up skeleton style.  At least she's got the monster claws and grimace right!

I got this guitar costume last year on clearance.  A bargain that was made for me!

We had fun at the party.  The boys missed out.

On Halloween day, my school did their annual teacher costume contest, and I played Bella this year.  Here I am in my classroom with Edward and my good friend and fellow teacher, Ms. Gillette.

 The teachers also performed a flash mob to 'Thriller' in the courtyard as a surprise for the students.  It was fun!  There is a video of it on You Tube and Facebook.  It's not the best, but you get the idea.  Look for Bella in white and blue, front and center!

 Tee hee!  Now that's not something teachers do every day!


When it was time for trick-or-treating, Sienna was who you'd expect her to be -

a Hogwart's student!

And Spenser was a typical spooky-masked something!  Here he is lying in wait to scare his friends.

A few margaritas and beers, lots of candy, and lots of fun!  Another good Halloween.

The Forbidden Journey

Warning, if you are prone to motion sickness, do not get on this ride.  Can you imagine my anxiety after seeing this sign and contemplating whether or not to attempt it?  I had heard from a friend that after getting off the ride they witnessed several people vomiting in the exit corridors.  So then I started to wonder if I should ride it, in case I am one of those unlucky fools.  Sienna told me I should just go on it; even if I do throw up, no one knows me so it's no big deal.   I figured that as big a Harry Potter fan as I am, I didn't want to miss the experience that the ride would provide.  So I sucked it up as they say and rode it proudly with my family.  Thankfully I did so, because it was the most rewarding ride I've ever been on. 

First of all, just like 'Flight of the Hippogriff' and 'Dragon Challenge', standing in line is a treat not to be missed.  As you enter the gates of Hogwarts, enthusiastic young employees greet you,

and direct you to lock up your valuables (as they may fall out) and then get in line.

Along the way you pass Professor Sprout's greenhouse (for some reason I don't have a picture of that) and then you enter the halls of Hogwarts.

On the walls moving pictures greet you, and you visit the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom.

This is the room where Professor Lupin teaches the students to defend against their biggest fears, and to Harry that is the dementors.  This part of the plot can be found in The Prisoner of Azkaban, my favorite movie of the series. 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione talk to you in the classroom as well, another cool feature.

A trip to Hogwarts wouldn't be complete without a visit to Professor Dumbledore's office.  It has a secret location, which begins at this Phoenix sculpture.

He speaks to you as well, from a videotron above.

To enter the Gryffindor common room, you must give the password to the fat lady.

She will let you pass as long as you have the right password, or if you listen to her sing badly.

One last important feature of waiting in line is seeing the Sorting Hat.  It talks too!

One final warning is offered before boarding the 4 person mechanical tram.  You get bolted in and begin to hear the Harry Potter theme.  Hermione talks to you and after casting a spell, you are off!  Floating, twisting, turning, flying, you are on top of the castle and take off on your broom to escape the dragon.  You fly with Harry as you play Quidditch and with him you face the Dementors and Aragog, the giant spider.  In the end you are the hero as the whole Gryffindor house salutes you upon your return. 

We rode 'The Forbidden Journey' three times, which shows our dedication to it, especially as it broke down twice.  I can't remember every aspect of it, but know that we all loved it.  After the first day we all agreed it was our favorite ride in all of Universal. 

Universal Day 2

After a long first day in the parks, almost 12 hours including dinner, we headed back to the Hard Rock to rest and recuperate.  Our goal remained to enter the park early every day, since that was a perk of our on-site hotel.  So Day 2 began much like Day 1, entering the Wizarding World. 

One of the first Harry Potter rides we got on was a small coaster called 'Flight of the Hippogriff.'  The Hippogriff's name is Buckbeak, a prominent creature in the book and movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban.  Harry appreciates animal creatures and befriends Buckbeak, who allows him to fly on his back.  Here is a picture of good ol' Buckbeak.

To entertain you while you wait, the line meanders past Hagrid's Hut, the home belonging to Hogwart's groundskeeper, professor of magical creatures, and mentor to Harry.

Here we are in front of the gentle giant's home.

Here is a picture we snapped of the castle while on the Hippogriff ride.

Another cool ride that the girls were not brave enough to tackle was 'The Dragon Challenge.'  The boys on the other hand rode them all.  Here they are in front of the gates.

In The Goblet of Fire, Harry along with 3 other contestants must defeat a dragon to continue on in the Triwizarding Tournament.  This ride is a feet hanging coaster with two separate tracks, hence two battling dragons.  Rob and Spenser rode both several times, and preferred the red one, or Chinese Fireball.  Here is that coaster.

Sienna and I did walk through the line to get on the Dragon Challenge because we didn't want to miss any decorative replica amusements, such as:

flags bearing the names of the competitors, and the infamous flying car of Ron's in The Chamber of Secrets. 

After riding it was time to attend our 9 am breakfast at The Three Broomsticks.

Here we are enjoying our English meal.

Here are a few more sights inside the restaurant.

After breakfast we headed out to the patio for a photo op.

One of the most loved treats in the Wizarding World is butterbeer.  It might sound gross but it tastes great, like a butterscotch milkshake!

The cup that Sienna is holding is of the frozen variety, and mine is more like a cream soda.

As you can see, spending the morning in the land of Harry Potter becomes us.  I've left out the best ride in the land, but that's because it may warrant it's own posting.  So I'll save that one for next time.

First Day in Hogsmeade

Our first day in Universal Orlando had to start in the village of Hogsmeade.  With early park admission we had to take advantage of enjoying the sights and rides before they became overpopulated.  Sienna and I were giddy as we neared the entrance to Hogsmeade.  If you can believe it, an attendant had to tell us not to run!  Tee hee!  Here is Sienna at the entrance to the Wizarding World.  Behind her you can see the Hogwart's Express and the Hogsmeade sign.  Check out her sweatshirt too.  Yes we're representin'!

A stroll into the Wizarding World transports you to a quaint winter village. 

There we are in front of the famous Butterbeer cart.

If only we were really boarding the Hogwart's Express!

See the luggage behind Sienna?  We like to imagine two of the trunks are ours, packed with robes and books for our first year at Hogwarts!

Here is the Owl Post, which is a Harry Potter style post office, and if you were lucky maybe you received a postcard postmarked from the owlery!

Inside the Owl Post you will find owls, like these....

as well as wands by Ollivander, and many highly valuable (and highly priced) Potter wares!  Believe me we purchased a few things but don't want to reveal too much in the first post.  Other important stops in Hogsmeade are:  The Three Broomsticks (a restaurant),

the Hogs Head (a pub),

and the candy store, Honeydukes.

And perhaps the best sight in the village....

Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!  And behind those walls lies the most exhilarating ride in all the land - The Forbidden Journey!!

Stay tuned for the next post in which I'll highlight the rides and more sights that Hogsmeade and Hogwarts have to offer.

Fun and Frolicking in Florida

The long awaited dream trip finally came to fruition as the Samours ventured across the nation to visit witches and wizards, a legendary race track, and ocean waters warm enough to swim in.  Here are some quick family highlights of the trip-

Here we are at the entrance of Universal Studios on the first day.  Every morning started with early admission to the park, which meant we were among the first allowed in to see the Wizarding World.

Here we are on the scenic walk between our hotel and the park entrance.

After theme park fun, it was time to hit the beach - Daytona that is.

We even hit the race track for family fun!

Trevor Bayne's winning car is behind us.

After the track it was back to the beach for the duration of our vacation.

Riding bikes and beach bummin' it, now that's our idea of a good time.

There are many more pictures and tales to tell, so consider this just a teaser.