Spring Break, Glo Style--Harry Potter World and Cabana Bay

Glo and John have been wanting to return to Orlando for quite some time.  In fact, I think it was two or three years ago that we took Glo for her birthday.  The big draw was the new Harry Potter park, Hogsmeade.  We had visited Diagon Alley last time, but Glo, being the Harry Potter afficiando, wanted to see the new stuff.  And so did John.

I actually used this trip as a motivator for Glo.  She was letting her grades slip to about half "A"s and half "B"s.  I told her back in October that if she wanted to go, she would have to bring up her grades. As of the last report card, there were only two "B"s, and they were both in AP classes, so I was proud of her.  Too, despite my protests, she decided to try out for two PMEA festivals this year (chorus and orchestra).  We've never had a Kennedy kid go to PMEA All-State Orchestra, so I didn't have much hope.  However, she set a goal and worked like a dog.  In fact, she was completely self-motivated, spending two hours a day practicing just the PMEA music alone, and she rarely asked me for any help.  In the end, she ended up placing first chair in the second violins at Regional Orchestra...and naturally moving onto All-State!  So when we boarded that plane, she was completely deserving of the break.

I must admit that I have been to Orlando so many times that it just isn't that appealing anymore.  I think of crowds.  Lots and lots of crowds.  And lines.  So many lines that by the end of each day, my feet are killing me.  And inconvenience.  We never stay at any resort, so driving and parking and getting into the parks is a major nuisance.

John, knowing all of this, decided to meet me halfway:  let us go back to Orlando, and he would make it worth it.

And boy did he!  In fact, this probably goes down as my most memorable visit to Orlando.

John took advantage of the military benefits the parks offer, and got a three day military pass to both Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure.  This meant, we could park hop to our hearts' delight!  Too, in the best surprise of all, he booked us a gorgeous room at Cabana Bay, the newest Universal Resort (again getting a good military discount).  I couldn't believe how staying at the resort changed everything for me.  It was so easy to get to and from the park each day, breakfast was a delight, and we were so happy to come home at night.  More details about that later.

Glo could hardly wait to leave Pennsylvania.   She reminded me that she hadn't been on a vacation (aside from Interlochen which is really more work than anything) in over a year.  When we came home from Grand Cayman (with less than 24 hours to turn around), she was already packed and ready to go.  Seeing as Billy is on his own vacation in Ann Arbor with Mark, Sock Monkey was the accompanying friend :-)  We left Sunday night (after church) for Orlando, and got the best deal of all, flying out of State College.  WOOT!

I'm so thankful Glo is still with us.  As John pointed out (bringing tears to my eyes), our times of traveling with her are limited.  We need to take advantage of every moment over the next year.

When we arrived in Orlando late that evening, none of us could even believe the resort.  It is absolutely amazing.  The Cabana Bay is a retro-themed resort, and they have thought of every detail. In fact, John and I were a bit wigged out at first, because it looks like the kind of place that you wouldn't want to stay (and that would be torn down in this day and age).  However, who knew the 50's would make a comeback like this?

And the resort thought of everything, down to the Zest soap and VO5 shampoo!  Glo, of course, thought it was beyond cool.

This is just a small wall in a huge eating area.  There are giant TV screens on the walls, playing TV commercials from the 50's and 60's.

The breakfast was just perfect.  Bagels and fresh fruit.  I didn't need much more.  It'd been so long since I'd seen berries, that I actually had to take a picture of them:

Our room.  Sock Monkey kept watch while we were gone.
We were on the fourth floor, overlooking a huge pool and lazy river.

We were actually up at 6:30 the next morning, because we needed time to pick up our tickets, eat breakfast and catch the bus to the park to make the best use of our "free hour in the park before the park opens to the public" which was at 9 a.m.  It was funny to realize that I'd been "on vacation" for over a week, and hadn't slept in once.

We booked it to the back of the park to see as much of Diagon Alley as we could before the crowds descended.  It was a surreal experience, walking through the brick wall, and feeling like we had just stepped into the world of Harry Potter.  We were all rather giddy with excitement.

Gringott's was amazing.  In fact, we rode the ride twice (no lines that early), and both times both John and I were reduced to tears.  You just couldn't help wishing that it was all real.

One of my favorite parts of the experience was riding The Hogwart's Express between the two parks. Since both of the parks are at the back of their respective parks, it saves so much time and walking.  Plus, it's a ride in and of itself with dementors outside the cabin doors, and Hagrid and the English countryside flying along outside the window.  It was just magical.

Although there is a Platform 9 3/4 here, I must admit that I much more liked the REAL Platform 9 3/4 at the REAL King's Cross Station in London :-)

However, this platform allowed you to see people
walking straight into the wall :-)

Glo remembered riding the Dragon Challenge ride from last time...and she also remembered John getting sick on it.  Turns out, this time wasn't any different.  We let her hop back on it for the second time by herself, but when she headed back for a third time, John couldn't stand the idea of being labeled "old" so he got back on it again.  Hmmmm.....

After that, we were ready for some Butterbeer.  At least Glo and I had the stomach for it :-)  And it was super delicious, especially the frozen variety.

We reluctantly left the world of Harry Potter, but we knew we had two more days to return, so it was all good.  After all, there were other rides in the parks.  Unfortunately, John convinced us to go on a water ride.  Listen, I'm usually totally up for the water rides...when it's 90 degrees out, and the humidity is even higher, and I'm exhausted.  However, it was still early in the morning, it was just coming out of the 60's, and there was a cool breeze.  John insisted though that we wouldn't get wet.

And after ten days, I had actually STRAIGHTED my hair that morning!

Desperate times called for desperate measures.  I've always liked the "XCELERATOR", but I feel I now owe it for helping me return to a bit of dignity.

 And as if John hadn't learned, he pressured us to go on ANOTHER water ride.  Just look at him...and look at the sign.  Yeah, we weren't believing his assurances this time!

Instead, we sat outside the ride, rested and people watched.  It was nice to take a break.

As it turns out, one of my favorite places in all of Orlando is Dr. Seuss world.  I have always loved the stories of Dr. Seuss, and so I asked the family if we could spend some time there.  Like the rest of the park, it wasn't very busy so we hopped on all of the rides without even waiting.  And best surprise of all?

SQUEAKIE!!

We went on other rides that day, but nothing that could equal Harry Potter world.  And so, the next morning, we were up just as early again and back again.

I really wanted to eat at The Leaky Cauldron.  It was delicious legitimate ENGLISH food, and it tasted so good.  We ate it too fast, and we had to leave before I was ready.

 I must record for posterity that people were actually taking pictures of John's t-shirt (given to him on Father's Day by Hannie).  They loved it, and in my mind I wondered why no one has opened a "Lord of the Rings" park :-)

The second afternoon in Orlando, we left the park "early" (we'd been in there six hours already), changed our clothes back in our room, and headed to the Orlando temple.  We've been there many times before, so it feels familiar, and I love it.  I was struck by the phrase from the talk that was given several years ago when I saw it pop up on the horizon:  "you're lost when you can see the temple".  And once again, I set my sights on living within a reasonable distance of a temple if and when we ever move.  It was only ten minutes from our hotel.

The next morning, Glo had one goal, and one goal only.  She wanted to SHOP!  She had been saving up for this trip for months.  She had spent the last two days, casually looking through stories in Harry Potter world, trying to decide what she wanted to take home.  

Despite the crowds, we did our best to recreate this scene from Harry Potter.  Do you know what it is?

Too, since being in Orlando, Glo discovered the website "Pottermore" which is managed by J.K. Rowling.  She found out to what house she belongs (Gryffindor) and what wand chose her.  She also got all of us to sign up, so we were on the lookout for great gifts for everyone.  In the end, we really didn't want to leave, so we took one last parting shot.

It would not be hard to convince me to go again.