Spring Break - Universal Studios Day 3

Our third day - we feel like we had it figured out.

We started the morning having breakfast at the Three Broomsticks. Kevin tried pumpkin juice, and he insists that it is better than butterbeer. Otherwise it was a standard breakfast, although my husband talked about it for days since he got a traditional English breakfast.

Gwyn took this picture!

Family photo in Hogsmeade.

In line for yet another ride on the Hogwarts Express.

We tried to ride all the rides in the parks. Here we are on the (The Simpsons') Twirl n Hurl. We also rode ET, Rip Ride Rocket (MY FAVORITE!), and Men In Black (the boys' favorite after Simpsons, and we rode MIB over and over), but I didn't get pictures of those.

Lunch at Krusty Burger. Kevin had a Krusty Burger, but it was the same burger that you got every where else in the park. He was hoping it would be different, but it wasn't. The good news is that they sold giant donuts, pink like in the Simpsons, and we got to eat that for lunch as well. Of course, Colin loved it.

Remember when I said we were given clues to a speakeasy? We went looking! (I was so excited. I think it embarrassed my husband.) I had no idea that we were looking for a poster. I thought it was an actual pig. (I couldn't remember the poster until I saw it.) Anyway, we spent about 15 minutes walking through NYC looking on the ground, in windows, on signs and buildings. I honestly wasn't sure if I was lied to. I stopped at a restaurant nearby and recited the clue. The first person looked at me like I was crazy and said he had never heard that before. The second woman asked if I was sure they were telling the truth, and I said "No, but I was hoping it was true." The man said, "I am sorry I don't know what you are looking for..." then whispered, "...but it is right around the corner!" I was so ridiculously excited. As I walked around the corner husband had just found it. And this was it! It is the poster on the door to the speakeasy in FBAWTFT! (We tried knocking. No one opened it.)

Another Hogwarts Express trip. It was our main form of travel from one park to the other. And we traveled traveled between parks at least once a day.

How cute are these two?

As we left King's Cross Station, husband noticed Number 12 Grimmauld Place! If you look closely, every few minutes Kreacher will look out the window on the second floor.

The Night Bus.

We finally worked our way through the insane crowds and got each kid a wand. Gwyn choose Hermione's wand. Kevin choose Yaxley's wand, which is an awesome-looking wand, even if it is a death eaters. (Who cares - the kid loved the wand!) And Colin... Oh Colin. Colin had already picked out Lucius Malfoy's wand. Which is in a giant cane that is almost as tall as he is. We had already told the kids that we would pay for the wand, so Colin agreed to pay the extra amount himself. Thankfully, the cane part was sent to our room for us, and Colin could keep the wand part in our bag at the park. (We also bought shirts to wear the last day and had those sent to the room as well.)

THIS is the wand that Colin bought! It is so tall is goes up to his nose. The entire snake head is metal, and is considered a weapon by airport security and can not go on the plane. (We kept the original box and checked it with the luggage. Thankfully it arrived safely.)

This was the only time we rode the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross to Hogmeade, so this is the only time we got to "walk through" the brick wall.

Some with more style than others.

We headed back to Hogsmeade at the end of the day. Kevin took Kevin and Gwyn back on Forbidden Journey. (There was no line since it was about 15 minutes before the park closed. And we again put socks in her shoes, but this time it was even closer to her being too short. The guy who checked her height side-eyed my husband and said "I guess.....?" Good enough.) Which meant that Colin and I got to ride Flight of the Hippogriff 5 times! It was so much fun - we would run from the exit back to the entrance. Our last time we ran around, and the chain was up. Colin was sad, but I pointed out that I think they let us on the ride once or twice after the time was up. As we waited, we got butterbeer for everyone.

As a parent, it was so much fun to see the kids in the hallway since they all had a version of carpet lava. Gwyn always ran on the flowers.

Colin had to step on the middle/dark spot of the flower. Kevin walked on the grey parts.