SeaWorld and Universal Studios

Hey all! I visited SeaWorld and Universal Studios Islands of Adventure last weekend and I had soooo much fun! I had a really great experience at both parks, and I'm really excited to share my tips and tricks on enjoying both parks, as well as the many photos I took!

SeaWorld

One of the best parts of our trip was going in the fall, it was beautiful weather- with temperatures in the mid-70s with light breezes. It wasn't hot, but it wasn't too hot that the water rides didn't cool you off. Above is a photo of my brother and sister and I in front of the Shamu Stadium sign. 

They have Shamu pretzels! Like, they are whale shaped pretzels! Isn't that amazing!

We went to the "One Ocean" show. It was very cool- although there was like five Shamus there. 

The trainers were very great with the animals. I would really reccomend you get to the stadiums at least 30-45 minutes before the show starts to get the best seats. If you are bored waiting, do like we did and raid the snack bar. We ate while we waited so we weren't distracted during the show.

Another thing that we did  (which I would definitely recommend) is visit the Dolphin Nursery. This is a quieter, cheaper, and less crowded alternative to the dolphin feeding station. When we visited the SeaWorld in San Antonio last spring break, we went to the dolphin feeding station and it was very crowded, not to mention it costs an obscene amount of money to purchase food for the dolphins. Since we had already visited the feeding station before, we decided to try the Dolphin Nursery in Orlando. It was great! While you don't get to interact with the dolphins, you do get to see them- including the tiny ones!

We also visited one of the Clyde and Seamore shows they have there. These are the "funny" shows that included audience interaction as well as sea lions, otters, and walruses. These are definitely better shows for younger kids as they are funny, relatively short, and include a wide variety of animals.

Here's a photo of the adorable little otter carrying the treasure map!

Here are the trainer/actors with the animals featured.

We also saw "Blue Horizons" which is a dolphin and parrot show. It's very "symbolic" and follows a "story line." Really, it's a very beautiful show with fabulous acrobatics courtesy of the dolphins. 

This was really a once-in-a-lifetime shot. It's really not the best photo I've ever taken, but it shows every part of the show- the five dolphins, the parrots, and the actors in the background. 

Here are travel tips that will make your trip at SeaWorld very enjoyable:

• visit in the fall- smaller crowds and more enjoyable weather
• plan around the shows- the shows are really the best part and really make the "SeaWorld" experience
• snack throughout the day- it's much cheaper to snack throughout the day and save your money, then go to a restaurant outside of SeaWorld and get a huge meal, vs. eating all day at the park

Islands of Adventure (at Universal Studios)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is definitely the best part of the trip! This time around, we did everything- eating there, going to Ollivander's, and riding Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

It's really a picturesque park- it feels like you're walking into J.K. Rowling's books. 

Hogwarts. Ahhh....

Anyways, here "takes place" the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. This is only ride in the Harry Potter part of the park that does not allow you to use "Express Passes," so it's especially important to get to this ride early and have it be the first thing you do. It really is worth the wait! Speaking of waiting, the wait line is "in Hogwarts." You walk through the greenhouses, Dumbldore's study, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the hallways or Hogwarts. It's not a boring wait, but it can be a long one. I recommend if it's your second+ time on the ride or you are going by yourself, use the "Single Riders Line." While you don't pass through the above locations, you do get in and out in about 10 minutes.

Here's a photo of my brother, sister, and I in front of Hogwarts. If you're curios, my sister is drinking butterbeer (you HAVE to get it if you're there). They have both chilled and regular butterbeers, and while I liked both, the chilled was just a teensy-bit better.

Move right over to Jurassic park, they have this cute little photo-op perfect ride. My brother and sister both enjoyed it. 

We also ate at the Three Broomsticks in Harry Potter. The food was actually really good with decently priced kid's meals. It really completed the Harry Potter experience. 

Here's another shot of the restaurant. It looks a lot like it does in the movies!

Here are travel tips that will make your trip at Islands of Adventure very enjoyable:

• visit in the fall- smaller crowds and nicer weather
• spend the extra money and stay on-sight- you get easier access to the parks as well as a free express pass
• if you can't stay on-sight, still purchase the express pass, it really is worth it, especially if you love going on roller coasters
• while this post was mainly about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the other sights are fun too, like Marvel and Jurassic Park

Have you ever been to the parks above? Do you think I provided got tips? Did you like this post, anyways? :-)

~Margaux

Favorite Quotes from Harry Potter (part 2)

Hello all! I'm very sorry for the hiatus, I would give you excuses, but quite frankly, I don't think you all would want to hear them. Anywho, here are the rest of my favorite quotes from my favorite series! Enjoy!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Sirius Black: We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are.
Phineas Nigellus: You know, Minister [Cornelius Fudge], I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts...but you cannot deny he's got style...
Dumbledore: Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.
Luna Lovegood: Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.
Ron: From now on, I don't care if my tea leaves spell 'Die, Ron, Die,' I'm chucking them in the bin where they belong.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Fred and George's Advertisement: Why are you worrying about YOU-KNOW-WHO, when you should be worrying about YOU-NO-POO? The constipation sensation that's gripping the nation!
Minerva McGonagall: Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world.
Dumbledore: I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Dumbledore: Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?
Dumbledore: Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.
Kingsley Shacklebolt: We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving.
Fred: For instance, this new idea that You-Know-Who can kill with a single glance from his eyes. That’s a basilisk, listeners. One simple test: Check whether the thing that’s glaring at you has got legs. If it has, it’s safe to look into its eyes, although if it really is You-Know-Who, that’s still likely to be the last thing you ever do.

I hoped you enjoyed this! More posts coming soon!
~Margaux

Favorite Quotes from Harry Potter (part 1)

Hello! I have to say- I am quite brilliant! Excuse me for being arrogant, but I like to think that I came up  with quite a fun idea. How about I list some of my favorite quotes from each Harry Potter novel (my favorite book series) and then the films? I really, truly love Harry Potter and I think this would be a great way to share my favorite series with my good 'ole readers. Enjoy!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone
Dumbledore: What happened down in the dungeon between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret. So, naturally, the whole school knows.
Dumbledore: It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.
George Weasley: I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid-we know we're called Gred and Forge.
J.K. Rowling: There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Dumbledore: It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
Moaning Myrtle: Oh well... I'd just been thinking, if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet.
Harry: Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to pick one that fights back.
Fred and George: Make way for
the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ......



Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Marauders Map: Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.
Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.
Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.
Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball.
Cornelius Fudge: Why, dear boy, we don't send wizards to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts.
Dumbledore: A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who've forgotten how to listen.
Hermione: They [wizards] see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Sirius Black: If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
Dumbledore: Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.
Dumbledore: Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.
J.K Rowling: It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up.
Ron: Percy wouldn't notice a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing one of Dobby's tea cozies.

I hope you liked this post! I will continue with the last three books tomorrow or later this week. What are some of you favorite Harry Potter quotes from the first four books?
~Margaux
ps. Feel free to do a post like this on your own blog, whether it's about Harry Potter or another book series- I would love to read it!