First Travel Post: Universal Orlando

Hey there! Welcome back to my blog. Today, we‘ll look at part-one of my trip to Orlando, Florida—specifically Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. I went during Mardi Gras break, and Universal Studios even had their own parade. I think it's safe to say that it was pretty magical, too, because we went to the Wizarding Word of Harry Potter! Now, let's get into the fantastic things that happened at Universal.

Food

We had lunch at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade where I ate a British classic, fish and chips, with a Butterbeer. Afterwards, we headed to Diagon Alley where we stopped by Florean Fortescue’s where I got two scoops of delicious chocolate chili ice cream with hundreds and thousands! For dinner, we ate at Toothsomes Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen with the truffle fries being my absolute favorite. We also had some of their grilled steak and macaroni with crab and shrimp which were also really good. Unfortunately, we didn't get any of their many desserts, but we did grab some of the famous Voodoo Donuts located across the CityWalk.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

We went to both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley and took the Hogwarts Express there, too! We sipped Butterbeer, went shopping at Honeydukes, and had adventures with dragons. I wore my Time Turner necklace which makes an appearance in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Going to the Wizarding World is an amazing experience where anyone of all ages can bond over their love of magic and cast spells around the park. The architecture and attention to detail is spectacular. Below are photos I took: (L to R) Diagon Alley, inside Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and Hogsmeade.

Photos

Souvenirs

I got this sweatshirt that I've been eyeing since my last trip to Universal from the stall next to the purple Knight Bus which says "Grimmauld Place." I bought a lot of candy from Honeydukes: Chocolate Frogs, Peppermint Toads, Fizzing Whizzbees, and Shock-O-Choc. My last purchase was this cute camera keychain that says "Universal Studios."

This is the end of part-one of my trip to Orlando. My next post on Disney World will come next Tuesday like always. My favorite rides have to be The Incredible Hulk, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Escape from Gringotts. I had so much fun going to the world of heroes, dinosaurs, magic, and minions. I hope to come back very soon to Universal to experience the magic again!

-Katelyn Cao