Recent Grad, Still Visiting Schools
- Hannah
- May 25, 2016
- 5 min read
Ironically, the first vacation I take after graduating from Auburn University is to my favorite school: Hogwarts. For a couple of days, I have road tripped with my sister to Orlando, FL while she begins studying for a really big test. Luckily for me, I have no tests for the next 2 months, so I got to spend my spare time in some of the parks here! Today, I went to Universal Studios... alone.
To be honest, I planned for this trip to be some inspirational moment about finding myself. I thought I could find a cool slogan like: "To find yourself, you have to be brave enough to be alone." I still think this is true, but I can't exactly say that this was the ultimate lesson I learned today... What I did realize, however, was that I had to make concrete decisions for myself-- without anyone else's input. I think this could be a baby step towards Maslow's "self- actualization" if it really does exist. So, I'll modify my initial inspirational speech to: "To find yourself, you must practice making decisions for yourself, which is best done by doing a couple of things alone." This way, you learn what you truly like and what you don't.
Anyways, whatever inspiration I may have gained today was really just a culmination of my brain (and sometimes my stomach) telling my feet where to go as I ventured through Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure!
The main part of my day was standing in lines. I now LOVE roller coasters, so that was at the top of my to- do list. Before I even ventured to Harry Potter World, I covered all the roller coasters I could because I knew that I wouldn't be able to leave once I set foot in Diagon Alley. Being a solo visitor had the perk of skipping a lot of lines in the Single Rider Line! I even met and talked to a couple of other brave loners. However, when the lines got really long, I did wish I had at least one companion with me. We often had to lock our belongings and cell phone in a locker before standing in line, so I couldn't even check Facebook or Instagram. In the perspective of a new "millennial", I was completely isolated. I also realized that I'm a lot more quiet on rides. I didn't really scream or put my hands up in the air because it was awkward next to a stranger. Maybe roller coaster mannerisms are more social than instinctual...
As a pointed aside, I just want Universal Studios Theme Parks to know that I'm on to their games. They built Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade in two different parks, so you have to buy a park- hopper pass in order to experience all of Harry Potter World (which is the whole reason I wanted to go). However, kudos to them for having the Hogwarts express take you between the two. That was a really cool pseudo-ride! You sit in a train compartment that holds 8 people just like Harry and the gang do in the movies. There aren't actually any windows because they have been replaced with video screens that show the rolling hillsides near Hogwarts, the London city streets, and even Hedwig and Hagrid! Even though they're taking more money for it, it was worth the fun bonus ride and to see both areas!
I also want to mention that some of these rides are kind of scary! The ride in Hogwarts takes you through Aragog's lair, the Whomping Willow, and some crumbling buildings! I definitely closed my eyes and clenched up for a couple of parts... This ride is really cool, though because it is part simulator, part roller coaster. I honestly have no idea how far, if even, we moved in the castle because it was such a fluid transition from simulator to ride! The Escape from Gringott's Ride was also kind of scary because it featured my most loathsome wizard: Bellatrix Lestrange. She and "He Who Must Not Be Named" make multiple appearances, and I had to close my eyes then, too!
I was impressed with how much detail they put into all of the Wizarding World! Hogsmeade is not as involved as Diagon Alley because it was built first, but there wasn't even a bolt left out of theme. Even when I handed a cashier my debit card, she called it my "muggle plastic payment". As I already mentioned, though, Diagon Alley was definitely my favorite of the two. It had so many touches of London that made me simply nostalgic and happy! The whole area reminded me a lot of "Borough Market", and outside of Diagon Alley they had King's Cross, the Underground, and the double decker bus. There was mostly shopping here and not as many rides, though. So, overall, Hogsmeade is better for roller coasters while Diagon Alley is better to experience Harry Potter's world.
Lunch was taken in the Three Broomsticks. They served traditional British pub food, so I had a Shepard's Pie. Instead of getting the Butter Beer, I got actual "Hog's Head Beer". I thought I would be lonely eating by myself, but I actually didn't mind being out of the bustle and in the quiet for a bit. As I said, standing in lines was the loneliest I got. Which leads me to another point...
I spent a lot of time today taking pictures and texting. I "live snap chatted" my adventures, which was fun to get my friends' feedback! The result was that my phone died about an hour before I left the park, however. Only then did I really get to take in the wholeness of the park. I enjoyed all the details when taking pictures of certain things, but when I stopped trying to involve other people, I felt a lot more present. Maybe that really is the curse of our technology: our minds aren't where our feet are.
Harry Potter World wasn't the only place I went, though! The Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster was my second favorite behind the Dragon Challenge Ride. It was just a good classic roller coaster where you could pick your own favorite music! The ride is also longer than usual, so that was a plus! They also take a video of your ride rather than one picture. The guy next to me didn't stop screaming, so I almost got the video just to watch him! Pro tip: there's a secret song play list that you can key in if you hold the logo sign for 8-10 seconds! Google it again next time you go... I also reminisced on the ET ride. That was a nice break from the walking around. The Hulk was closed, so I'll come back for that one later!
By the end of the day, I realized that I had walked for 10 straight hours only to sit down for rides, a 30 minute lunch, and the Hogwarts Express. My feet were tired and I was hot and sweaty, but I loved every minute at Universal! While I was perfectly happy going alone, I found that it's much more fun to share these kind of experiences with other people. I often wanted someone to hold my bags while I went to the bathroom, take pictures with, and keep me company in line. Mostly, though, I wanted to share my experiences with actual people rather than my phone.
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