The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Harry Pottery & The Forbidden Journey)

NOTE: Watch out! This is a super thrill ride! You also must leave your things including loose articles in the provided lockers inside (close to the entrance). Lockers are free.

If you have fear of heights, and sudden drops and twirling, this ride is not for you. You will be seated on a shaped chair, buckled up with metals for safety and watch out for those chairs that are constantly moving along! You have to be careful in going to your seats because they continue to move along and you have to catch an empty one.

After you've been seated and buckled up, you will then be making your way through a series of simulated classrooms and corridors of the Hogwarts, just like what you see in the movie...the typical classroom scenes. You will then be soaring up above the castle grounds, and you'll be suddenly high up in the air but all you can see is actually like a big screen that seems like you're there joining Harry Potter riding on that broomstick! LOL!

Expect a sudden drop anytime, then soar high up suddenly, a sudden twill and twist, and it goes on like that for several minutes.

You'll then end up going down the corridors as you watch the whole gang cheering up on you to a job well done!

Hurray! you've done it!

Reunited in Orlando!

July 16-19, 2010 -Trip to Orlando, Florida

It was still the peak of summer, an ideal time to meet a classmate-friend whom I haven't seen for 20 years!
So, we were reunited in Orlando, FL where she is currently based at. We met at Universal Studios on July 17, 2010. It was my request to go there and see Universal's "Islands of Adventure".
I and hubby frequent Universal Studios but the Islands of Adventure wasn't there yet so with this visit, I took the chance to suggest it, which was openly approved ;).

We did some rides, including "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" - which was the only one I got curious with, - the main reason of why I wanted to be there.


It was funny, but the first attempt to go to the ride was like - I gave up, - and the lines were horribly long and super crowded! so we skipped it and went somewhere else instead.
But we went back later, and endured the 3 hours wait in line!

Hubby had to stay behind to watch our belongings because there were no available lockers to put our small items and purses, since these are not allowed to carry on the ride.

The ride lasted for about 10 minutes or so, and I decided, I won't do it again!!!!

I couldn't stand the constant twirling and turning around. Our day ended up with a sumptuos dinner at a Chinese restaurant, meeting my classmate's family for the first time! :)


The entire day was so tiring, but we all enjoyed it.

Thank God for meeting a long time friend after 20 years! I've discovered, we both didn't change...it was still like the same old us, except that our ages have gone up and we both got married! LOL!

Our Trip To Holy Land (Experience) ...

If you're thinking we were visiting Israel, nah!...thanks to The Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida. :).
Fresh from the airport, we decided to go directly to the place after a late lunch. The place was just 20 minutes away, so not bad for the driving. We arrived there at 2:45pm. We were just in time for the "Character Meet & Greet" where I got to meet Jesus-the actor. Although he's not the real one because we know there is only one Jesus, - it was like a big fulfillment for me to see him look like real. We then proceeded to Shofar Auditorium to watch the musical show presentation "Praise through Ages" (35 minutes).

“Praise Through the Ages” – a 35-minute show of artistic expressions of faith and worship down through the ages with presentations of great images of art works throughout history alternated with a live musical presentation with music from the oldest in history progressing to today’s musical songs and rythms, in the Shofar Auditorium. It was awesome and captivating. The singers and performers were all excellent!...worth watching. You can sing with them as well. How I wished I could get photos but it is strictly prohibited once you are inside.

The museum closes at 5PM, and so we were able to watch the last and considered to be the highlights of all the live shows there; a 20-minute passion drama called "Behold The Lamb"
Before the show, there is a 15 minute talk presentation at the Calvary’s Garden Tomb about the injustices of jesus' trial.
The passion drama shows the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in a musical presentation. The actors and actresses sing live and they have great voices. I love their voices! I took some short video clips as well just to share you the idea on what the show is all about.
Video are a little bit blurry, bu I guess it is still recognizable. That is usually the case when you watch it for free! hehehe...

Opening - (with the song "Via Dolorosa") by Sandi Patti.
I am familiar with this song usually sung during the Lenten season.


The Crucifixion of Christ:
I actually spent long hours to edit this video because it was long. I can't seem to share it because the length is too much on my video streaming site :).


The resurrection:


Holy Land Experience is an ideal place for church group trips and tours or for family as well.
Some Photos of the Place and The Drama:

My Disney World Adventure (Part 2)

January 20, 2007 - Magic Kingdom, Orlando, FLORIDA

The park was crowded since it was week end, but didn't stop us from going. This was our last itinerary before going back home Maryland the next day, so we had to make sure we'll take it and have fun! :)

Our future home..LOL!

There are a lot to visit in this big park. We should have stayed longer to complete the visit, but we didn't have enough time. Perhaps, next time. :).

Swiss Family Tree House: A walk-through tour of the Robinson's home. This is cute, going up on a tree house.

That's me going up the tree house! :)

Jungle Cruise: They call it a silly safari boat tour. The tour lasted for 15 minutes, but our wait for the ride was at least an hour or so...silly, isn't it? lol.

The scenes on the safari boat tour:

There are many photos of elephants in this tour...no wonder because they are hubby's favorite animal...and he was holding the camera. :)

eeeewwww...snake!

Liberty Square Riverboat: A short cruise along the river.

The haunted Mansion - we actually did this journey through the dark with happy haunts. Photos are not allowed, so better behave :). It was not actually horror. Ghosts are not scary, but cute hehehe...go find it for yourselves.

"It's a Small World" - this is really ideal for your kids. I guess this is one of the most well visited spot. Loong lines during the weekend, but pretty much fast :).
Poor me...I lost my video files for this.

Visit to Ripley's Odditorium, Titanic Experience and Pirates Cove

January 19, 2007

Ripley's Believe it or Not Odditorium

As early as 9am, we were ready for our first itinerary. Ripley's aren't new to me, but was my first time to go inside the museum. These are more on oddities and records of unbelievable, strange and bizarre things, all of Ripley's collections.



"Titanic Experience"
I became so curious about this because I was thinking we were actually boarding on a ship :)....it wasn't. It was just a big building simulated as the Titanic ship inside. Once inside, it seems you feel you're really in a ship. Nice simulations!...all fake copies, LOL!

Getting the feel on the iceberg...that's real ice, not a simulated one :)

The clothes of Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet they actually wore on the Titanic shoot. Hubby is wooing "Jack"??

Pirates Cove Adventure Park

This is a good sports at night...playing mini golf! My first time to play actual golf and I won, :)). That was so much fun to do with hubby.

Visit to WonderWorks

January 18, 2007 - Wonderworks, Orlando, FLORIDA

Hubby was free the whole afternoon, so we decided to visit Wonderworks few blocks away from our hotel. We actually walked going there, so at the same time that was a good exercise. Weather wasn't too hot, so it saved us from getting sunburns! :).

The Wonderworks building is very much intriguing because of the architectural design turned upside down. Don' worry, when you enter the building, it's still like a normal building and you are not turning upside down. :) Inside is a whole fun about science and discoveries, oddities, and inventions, etc...you can let your imaginations run wild!

Me infront of Wonderworks building

Our Wonderworks Experience!

Hubby is lying down on this sharp bed made of 3, 497 nails!..doesn't hurt.

Me making bubbles

Hubby made 2 big bubbles!

Universal Studios - Florida

January 16, 2007

Since this is not part of Disney, I would separate it from my Disney Adventure posts. Universal Studios is also a wide park, with a lot to see and fun thrilling rides! Although I wanted so much to try the thrill rides, fear always captures me ahead. Besides, my husband is afraid of heights and doesn't want thrill rides. So, we would always be in a long line and when it was turn to go, we were backing out because it was a thrill and scary ride. Geesh, we were both crazy, isn't it? LOL!
We only watched 3D and 4D shows such as the Shrek and Terminator 2. The rest of the day was spent on taking photos of ourselves and shopping!!!my favorite thing to do :)).

My Disney World Adventure (Part 1)

January 12-20, 2007 - Orlando, Florida

Yes, it's Disney's own world so to speak!...a very HUGE place for a variety of theme parks. Disney World comprises 7 theme parks; - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom park, blizzard beach, typhoon lagoon and downtown disney area.

Universal Studio which has 2 main parks are not part of Disney World. However, I included it in one of our trips. If you're planning to visit the entire park, you should at least have a week's itinerary, but if you're planning to visit Universal Studios as well, it's more than a week trip!

Since weather is good, it was very ideal & perfect for us to do the long walks in the parks.

January 15 - Itineraries:

1. EPCOT- First thing we did was we went to Spaceship earth ride which glides gently through an audio-animatronics story of communication. Wasn't able to take photos there.

Perfect weather..yay!

The Seas With Nemo & Friends. This is very ideal for kids, but it's for all ages anyway, so we tried it. We boarded the "clamobile" and went through "under the sea" adventure, meeting Nemo's friends and enemies along the way. This is inspired by Disney-Pixar's "Finding Nemo". Cute sya!

Inside clamobile

One of the scenes - "under the sea" aboard clamobile

Imagination! - Our journey into imagination that engages the imagination and the senses, This is more on science stuffs, good for students...I just hated the smell that went into my nose...the skunk's smell! eeewww!!! Not much of a good photo here. It's more on educational ride for students, but it's a free ride anyway, so why not? It's our adventure trip, remember? :)).

Honey, I shrunk the Audience 3D movie adventure. This was fun!...You know...the 3D or 4D shows where you will feel water being sprinkled on your face, jolting of your seats, eerie wind that comes behind your head, lighting effects around you, etc...(I know the secret...check those openings on, infront, around and beside your chair...if you don't want to get wet, cover it! LOL!)