Universal Islands of Adventure

Besides hanging out at the Nick hotel (which is a vacation in itself), our goal after the Disney cruise was to get to Islands of Adventure to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (aka Harry Potterland). We had never been to Universal (being the Disney purist that I am), so this was truly an adventure. The other reason we hadn't been there was because I live in a family of roller coaster wimps! The only one that I have a shot of riding 'big rides' with me is currently too short to do most of them. But I was determined to ride some 'killer coaster' this trip, even if I was fairly confident I would be doing them solo.

Here's Mark and the girls at the entrance of the park:






Katie on some store prop wave:

Katie and I waiting for the park rope to drop:

So we headed straight for the Harry Potter section (along with 29 million other people). Here we are in Hogsmeade in front of the Hogwarts Express (this is for you Nannie Jane!)

Hogsmeade (notice the snow on the roof - too cute)

The castle at Hogwarts:

Emma and I waited in line to ride the smaller roller coaster called the Hippogriff where we saw Buckbeak. I am trying to culture her love of thrill rides:

The girls and I with the masses in front of Hogwarts castle:

Posing with my favorite Hermione dress:

The Owl Post:

This was the big Incredible Hulk roller coaster that I did the 'single rider' line by myself. It was huge!

Dr. Seuss carousel:

This ride is a little more Katie's speed:

We ran across the Cat in the Hat lunch show in a restaurant we stopped at for lunch. It reminded me of the old Disneyworld days when characters did random shows in restaurants and then you could meet and greet afterwards. (ah... the good ole days) Anyway, here was the show:

Then the characters walked around afterwards and you could take pictures. The girls with Thing 2 before:

... and after:

... with Cat in the Hat:

Katie and I were fascinated with the hand dryers in the bathroom. (and for all you Harry Potter fans, you gotta potty in wizardland b/c Moaning Myrtle is in there!)

I'm not real good at this section because I am not a big Marvel Hero person, but this was Wolverine (.... but I didn't see my boyfriend Hugh Jackman anywhere):

Emma playing on the Jurassic Park computers - making her Dinosaur genetic splice:

The girls and Betty Boop in the comics section:

Now.... Mark basically never asks to have his picture taken with any characters. We were on our way out of Universal b/c it was steaming hot and the girls were very tired. I had just taken the picture above of the girls with Betty, and I am turning to leave and I hear.. "wait, I want to take a picture" from behind me... what, you want to what.... oh... okay, big guy!

So here is Mark's one requested picture:

I personally , would have taken Ariel on the cruise before this girl, but... to each his own.

That kinda wraps up our vacation. Hope you have enjoyed it. I may do a wrap up blog next, and then move on to T-ball and dance recital. Later - I gotta go work on my scrap book now.