At Diagon Alley™, we felt as though we had traveled to London and that Harry, Ron and Hermione would round the corner at any moment. We beelined for the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™ ride, which spun and whirled us down a track past massive 3D screens as Harry dashed through the perilous underground bank vaults. The excitement left us parched, so we ordered two specialty beers found only in the Harry Potter lands: Wizard’s Brew (a dark and sweet porter) and Dragon Scale (very malty). In a word: Refreshing! Aft erwards, we snapped one last pic in front of the purple, triple-decker Knight Bus™, then headed for our final thrill: the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit® coaster. Throwing it back wayyyyyyy old school, I decided to rock out to M.C. Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” while the roller coaster zipped along, 17 stories over the park. The coolest part? The whole experience was recorded on video, which could be edited into a music video. We were rock stars for a whole minute! Then it was on to date night—dinner, drinks and a show at Universal Studios. Before we left home, we snagged reservations for Universal’s Cinematic Dining Experience, which began with crispy calamari and lobster bisque at Lombard’s Seafood Grille. Aft er feasting on blackened salmon and lobster rolls (yum!), we headed outside and took seats in an exclusive viewing area to watch Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular® – 100 Years of Movie Memories. While indulging in key lime pie from the dessert buff et, we relived fond memories of our favorites, from “Back to the Future” and “Sixteen Candles” to “Jurassic Park” and “JAWS.” Scenes appeared on waterfall screens synchronized to fountains, fireworks and music. We had a total blast and we’re already planning a return trip! Indulging our inner child at Universal Orlando™ turned out to be the perfect way to take a break and revitalize. *HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s16) Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2017 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. THEME PARKS THE MAGIC OF INTERACTIVE WANDS Grasping a willow wand in my hand, I aimed it at the feather quill at Scribbulus, recited the words “Wingardium Leviosa” and flicked my wrist. Would the spell work? As the pen began to levitate, I smiled and knew—yes, indeed, it was time to add spell-casting to my resume. Interactive Wands at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ can turn any guest into an enchanting wizard. Simply swirl your hand, recite the incantation and magic occurs at special locations throughout Diagon Alley™ in Universal Studios Florida™ and Hogsmeade™ at Islands of Adventure ™ . Following in Harry’s footsteps, I found my wand at the dimly lit Ollivanders™: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. I consulted my map to find the bronze medallions in the pavement where spells can be cast. Outside Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley™, I raised my wand and watched in awe as ginormous eyes opened. Then, using the Dystyl Phaelanges spell, I made a skeleton on screen follow my moves. It was incredible—but don’t take my word for it. Grab an Interactive Wand and see for yourself. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ -Diagon Alley™ is home to 25 interactive locations, while The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ -Hogsmeade™ has 9 more. Other cool spots: Harry Pott er U Can’t Touch This. ExperienceKissimmee.com 15 ROLLER COASTER ZIPPED ALONG 17 STORIES OVER THE PARK WHILE I ROCKED OUT TO M.C. HAMMER’S THE HOLLYWOOD RIP RIDE ROCKIT ® • At Spintwitches, keep your eye on the Quaff le. • Will the shrunken heads ever be quiet at Knockturn Alley? • At Horizont Alley, the umbrella is dry... for now...
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