Although I might not look like it on the surface, I am quick to let anyone know that I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I would dress up & force my mum to drive me to every midnight book release & then stay up all night until I finished. I painted a tie with Gryffindor colours so I could be Hermione for Halloween. I have re-read the books & seen the movies more times than I can count. I grew up with the series…& I am still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts.

So, I had one final stop before I left California…visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood.

So we did.

It was glorious.

& I was hardcore nerding-out.

^^ first stop…Butter Beer! They have both fizzy & slushy options, so we had to try both. The verdict was that in the heat & the long lines, the slushy beer was the better choice.

^^ We decided to do a little shopping at Honeyduke’s while we sipped on our beers…

You can’t really be a wizard without a wand, so we had to visit Ollivanders…

In Ollivanders, one lucky wizard gets fitted for their very first wand. In our group’s case, the lucky winner was the most adorable little boy. He looked like a young Harry Potter, with everything from the cloak to the glasses. When he was asked to come up to the desk, he could barely see over it. When the wizard was asked if he was here for his first wand fitting, he replied quietly with a “yes, sir”. Standing on his tip toes, he put his palm face up on the desk so the wizard on the other side could read it. After adorably trying two different wands with a couple different spells & causing some havoc in the store, the 3rd time was the charm. We all knew he had found his wand because music began to play & his face lit up. I could not stop smiling throughout the whole thing because it was maybe the cutest thing I had ever seen. No flashes were allowed, but I had to capture & share something, even if it was blurry, because it made my day.

^^ wands aren’t just for show. With the wand & the map that comes with it, you can find several spots where you can practice your spells & interact with various store shop windows throughout the park. So beware if you bring your kid here, because you will either have to drop $50 on a wand or deal with tears for the rest of the day.

There are two rides in Wizarding World. One ride is a really amazing simulator located in the Hogwarts castle while the other is a fairly short roller coaster.

^^ passed by some mandrakes while waiting in line.

^^ saw the whole crew.

^^ & the sorting hat.

^^ & of course all the paintings moved & talked.

^^ Buckbeak!

So, I guess you could say that I enjoyed seeing the world I had read about in the books, under the covers, way past my bedtime, come to life.

Does Hogwarts have a grad school program?