Our Harry Potter Experience, Part 3

I guess I've already talked your ears off about how cool our Harry Potter Vacation was...so I can tell you about Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure now instead.  Then I'll be done talking about this vacation.  Ok?  Ok.  

We did have an amazing time though!  As much as it was hard to leave Nora behind, I think that it made us realize too how much we need short breaks from her in order to keep our relationship strong.  We need "us" time, where we are just a happily married couple and no necessarily parents at that moment.  If we want to stay happy and married then I think we've decided that these types of short trips with out kids are important.  Its not like we'll be doing this all the time or anything, but I we did realize that we need it.  Maybe every couple of years or something.  

This trip was a bit bigger and more expensive than we usually do, but it was a celebration of  couple of important things.

* Our 5th Wedding Anniversary is in about a week *

* I will be graduating with my Master's in Nursing Nursing Administration and Health Systems Management from the University of Texas at Austin in May *

Our trip started back in July when our special welcome package arrived...so cool!  I love the owl, so I decided he would help chronicle our adventure.  #owladventures

Waiting to leave Austin.

Our first taste of the Harry Potter excitement at the Orlando Airport!

The owl wanted to go to the pool once he saw our great view from the room!

Ok...so on to the parks and the Non-Harry Potter stuff :)

There was a really sweet Curious George Splash Pad that Logan would have loved!

Does anyone know what movie this is from?  

The Priscilla Hotel - For Single Young Ladies

It's one of my favorite movies ever!

The Transformers Ride was not my favorite...I really can't handle the 3D adventures or the motion simulator stuff.  We also went on the Simpson's Ride (which I did not like either) so we didn't even bother with the Minions Ride or the Shrek 4D thing.  I don't think we really missed anything.  We hit up all the roller coasters, several times!

 

The Back to the Future ride is gone (not sure when, it had been quite a long time since either of us had been to Universal Studios) but they still sell goofy stuff from the movie :)

There was a really cool parade every day at 7pm.  We caught it one day and really enjoyed it!

My favorite ride at Universal Studios was the Hollywood Rip Tide Rockit!  It was great!  You got to choose a song right when you got on and it played in your headrest during the coaster!  So cool, plus the coaster was awesome!  I think Shawn's favorite parts of Universal Studios were the Mummy Ride (which was really cool)  and the entire Simpson's area!  

Welcome to Springfield!

Duff Beer anyone?

Krusty Burger for lunch :)  Yummy!

 My silly striped sunburn from day 1!  My tank and lanyard made me zebra-esque :)

Islands of Adventure was also really fun!

The Jurassic Park section didn't really have many rides, but there was a decent water ride.

One of the coolest parts was the Dr. Suess area!  The rides are all for kids, but it was really cool anyway!  It really felt like you were stepping into a Dr. Suess book!

 

Even the trees were done up Dr. Suess style!

Shawn thought of you as soon as he saw this shirt, Amie :)  

Of course, Shawn loved the superhero stuff!

 

 

 

 

The Hulk Coaster was awesome!  Best part of Islands of Adventure!

 

This water ride was awesome...but let's not talk about it.  RIP Shawn's phone.

Typically I would say this after a vacation, but not this one!  We had a great time at the parks, but we also spent a lot of time at the hotel pool and just lounging.  It was really nice to have the 3-day park ticket so each day wasn't so stressful.  I would do this vacation again in a minute...although I think our next trip like this will be in a few years when Nora is old enough to enjoy it and we'll go to Disney.  Shawn is hoping that by then they'll have a Star Wars section :)