To Hogwarts We Go...Again! This time with the Muggle. Nov. 2015 PTR

[samheatherwhite]

This marks the beginning of our last day. I was sad to leave but was really missing B and G. I started off the morning taking a few pictures around CBBR so we could show the kids.

This is one of the windows of the gift shop. They were super cute and beginning to show some fun touches of the Christmas season.

B is very interested to see the real tree that grows inside. The lobby area of CB is very nice.

I made Sam pose by the sign and then we caught the bus for EE to IOA for the last time. Busses were always so prompt!
We decided to start our day with a ride on FJ. I took my phone on and grabbed a couple of pics.

Hogwarts is a bit like the dragon on Gringott's. You can never have too many photos of them!

I made sure to get G a picture of all of the house founders for G. Rowena is my favorite.
G is collecting the chocolate frog cards so we stopped at Honeydukes after our ride on FJ to buy a few to bring home for her. At the time she had a Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw, and a Dumbledor. We got her two chocolate frogs, one for when we got home and we saved the other for Christmas. We bought B two bags of fudge flies. He loves those and they did not last long.
She opened the frog right when we gave it to her and was thrilled when it had a Slytherin card. Unfortunately the Christmas frog had another Gryffindor so on our next trip we will continue our search for Helga Hufflepuff.
While we were in Honeydukes I also checked to see if they had any Treacle Fudge. G asked me if we would bring her some home. I guess that they don't make it anymore the witch behind the counter acted like she had never even heard of such a thing. I can totally see why they discontinued it. I did not like it at all. (Who the heck puts raisins in fudge?!)

 

[macraven]

Still here reading along

I always find that the last day in the parks before I leave for home, go by too fast

 

[schumigirl]

Last days are always tough, but least you would see the kids soon.......

Never tried treacle fudge.....had treacle toffee which is gorgeous.......but not for folks like me with crowns.......I'm sure they loved the gifts you got them and enjoyed the pics too!

 

[samheatherwhite]

I wanted another warm Butterbeer so we ran into The Hog's Head and grabbed one. We never bought anything at the carts and we never waited more than 2 minutes by going into the bar.

I savored this cup of yumminess in the back seating area of the 3Bs.

It is beautiful back there and once again we had it to ourselves.
Here is where I began to fail as a trip reporter. I was just not feeling the pictures. I was just focused on soaking in every last minute of vacation.
I wanted to ride Gringott's again so we headed to the HE for a last ride to the studios.

After another close escape we had a last stroll through DA. I could really spend a whole day in there just soaking up all the wonderful HP detail.

Soaking up a bit more of the beautiful Florida sunshine. Look how blue the sky looks in the above pic.
We headed around the studios doing a few more favorites. We got in line for MIB and it said a 15 minute wait. We waited over 45. It was awful. We were crammed in there and there did not seem to be a way to get out without wallering all over other people so we stuck it out. After that, Sam was hungry but had trouble deciding where to eat. I wanted to try Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck but he did not. I told him that I would go wherever he wanted but after much deliberation he decided that he would go into the Simpson's fast food boulevard and try something other than what he got last time. I chose to try the truck and told him that I would get my food and meet him inside.
There was a bit of wait for my food so Sam was eating when I got inside. For reasons known only to him he got the exact same thing that he got the other time we ate there. Poor guy is so boring sometimes! He said that the chilidog and curly fries were just as good as last time. He was pleased with his meal again.

I was undecided on what flavor of taco to order but everyone in line ahead of me got chicken so I went with the crowd. These were pretty good and definitely fresh. Next time I would get the hot sauce on the side. I just didn't love the flavor of it but it did not stop me from eating them. I am not a big fan of cilantro and I think that that was the flavor that I found off putting in the salsa. The chips were fine but boring. The fix this problem I got a side of guacamole. It was really good. I was glad that I got it. There were big chunks of onions in it though if that is not your thing. I don't really like raw onion but it was super easy to eat around them. To drink I got the Buzz cherry cola. This I won't order again. It was okay but like many other reviews that I have read it tasted a little like flat cherry coke. I think I'd rather have just a plain dt. coke.

 

[pepperandchips]

We never bought anything at the carts and we never waited more than 2 minutes by going into the bar.

This seems to be a disboards secret and I am more than happy for it to stay that way! You are so right though, we were in on a weekend when the lines at the carts were SO long and the line at the bar was nonexistent...

We were crammed in there and there did not seem to be a way to get out without wallering all over other people so we stuck it out

Where are you from? You sound like a fellow Georgia peach with the "wallering" vernacular. Love it. This literally made me laugh out loud. (Edit: I see from your earlier posts that it looks like y'all are from Texas, which is awesome. I had no idea the dialect was so pervasive.)

The fix this problem I got a side of guacamole.

You, my friend, are a genius. I didn't like those chips on the side of R's tacos but covered in a bunch of yummy toppings? Pure heaven. Next time I will ask for a side of sour cream, a side of guac, a side of the salsa, etc... But then again I am a cilantro lover (it's okay, we can still be friends)

 

[macraven]

Pepper is from ga?

 

[schumigirl]

I hear you on not feeling photographs some days.........we have times where we don't take the camera and just want to soak in every moment too without living it through a lens!

Glad you went to the three b's instead of the cart........we told someone in the very long queue for the cart once to do that........they didn't believe me......lol.......their loss!

Not a fan of cilantro either......although we call it coriander.......tastes like soap!

Sorry your trip is coming to an end.....it's been fun reading along with you.........

 

[macraven]

Oh no, your trip is ending soon


That means you need to make plans for a future trip so you can do another trippie!

 

[samheatherwhite]

This seems to be a disboards secret and I am more than happy for it to stay that way! You are so right though, we were in on a weekend when the lines at the carts were SO long and the line at the bar was nonexistent...

We always went inside. I had my poor husband fooled that I was a genius, LOL! He hates to research and plan and is always amazed that I enjoy it.


Where are you from? You sound like a fellow Georgia peach with the "wallering" vernacular. Love it. This literally made me laugh out loud. (Edit: I see from your earlier posts that it looks like y'all are from Texas, which is awesome. I had no idea the dialect was so pervasive.)

We live in the Texas panhandle, 25 miles from town in any direction. It blows peoples minds sometimes but we like it. (Except for the back in forth for the kids sports stuff. That gets old.) I keep seeing all of the weather posts about all of the snow and cold temps and it blows my mind. Georgia sounds wonderful but we have never been!


You, my friend, are a genius. I didn't like those chips on the side of R's tacos but covered in a bunch of yummy toppings? Pure heaven. Next time I will ask for a side of sour cream, a side of guac, a side of the salsa, etc... But then again I am a cilantro lover (it's okay, we can still be friends)

Yay for new friends!

 

[samheatherwhite]

Oh no, your trip is ending soon


That means you need to make plans for a future trip so you can do another trippie!

We are planning another trip this summer so we can bring the kids! We are going to stay for a week at CB at the beginning of June. We also have a day trip to Clearwater planned so G can see Winter the dolphin!

 

[schumigirl]

We are planning another trip this summer so we can bring the kids! We are going to stay for a week at CB at the beginning of June. We also have a day trip to Clearwater planned so G can see Winter the dolphin!

Nice to have another trip planned.........we adore Clearwater! Beautiful place........

Have done little toot and the sea screamer in the past........was so beautiful to see dolphins swim freely.........

Winter is the dolphin they fitted with the prosthetic tail??

 

[samheatherwhite]

Nice to have another trip planned.........we adore Clearwater! Beautiful place........

Have done little toot and the sea screamer in the past........was so beautiful to see dolphins swim freely.........

Winter is the dolphin they fitted with the prosthetic tail??

Yes, Winter is the dolphin with the prosthetic tail. G has loved the dolphin Tale movies and books and has always wanted to go see her in person. Her 6th birthday party was at the pool and was Winter themed, I made cupcakes and frosted them in turquoise icing and made little white chocolate dolphins with prosthetic tails. Generic dolphin party would not work for her. She is really excited and B has always expressed interest in seeing a beach. I think that it will be fun and a nice break from the parks midweek.

 

[samheatherwhite]

Sorry that it has been so long. I have been slammed lately. I am the PTO president at G's school and the spring fundraiser was wrapping up at the same time as the deadline for the box tops for education mail in. I coach G's basketball team and that is also in full swing and best of all my sister had her baby yesterday.

This is the last picture I took. After lunch I think that we rode the Mummy and Transformers one more time and then we headed to the HE for one more ride in the other direction. In Hogsmead we grabbed one last frozen Butterbeer for the road. We decided to slowly stroll out of the parks taking in all of the warm weather that we could.
As we were walking out Sam noticed the strong man game with the minion toys that Gina-Bo-Binas husband always wins. He thought that it would be fun to try it out. There was a 20 something guy already taking a turn so we watched. He was a pretty big fella and he never got it up into the 90s. I was a little worried that this might hurt Sam's ego a bit. He is not a huge guy. He got 3 swings and hit a 98, then hit off center and got a 89, and the third swing got a 99. He was very irked and has mentioned several times that he wants to try it again on our next trip on the first day when he is not tired. Boys are weird, lol.
As we were walking through the Marvel area we felt someone crash into us from behind. Not hard, just kind of skid into Sam and then slide off using him to change direction. We heard a muffled voice say, "sorry man." As we turned around we saw Spiderman running off parallel to where we were headed. Spiderman had just ran by and bumped into us. We got a good laugh about that. It was both weird and kind of cool.

Sadly we caught the CBBR bus and headed back to retrieve our bags. We hung out in the lobby and relaxed for a while until our ride picked us up and took us to the airport. It was a great trip!

 

[schumigirl]

Yes, Winter is the dolphin with the prosthetic tail. G has loved the dolphin Tale movies and books and has always wanted to go see her in person. Her 6th birthday party was at the pool and was Winter themed, I made cupcakes and frosted them in turquoise icing and made little white chocolate dolphins with prosthetic tails. Generic dolphin party would not work for her. She is really excited and B has always expressed interest in seeing a beach. I think that it will be fun and a nice break from the parks midweek.

Cupcakes sound adorable!! What a lovely thing to do........

Oh it absolutely will be a lovely break from the parks........sorry to see your trip end......was fun to read along with you.......and glad you had such a lovely trip.......

 

[pepperandchips]

Ha! I love the Spider-Man story. A funny way to end the trip for sure. Great report, Heather! It sounds like Cabana Bay was a great place to stay - I am looking forward to my trip next month and as of now I have my mom and sister booked at Cabana Bay so I loved hearing how well it worked for you guys!

Sorry to see your trip end but it's always fun to look forward to the next one and it will be here before you know it. The dolphin experience sounds like a great "best day of my life" kind of thing for your G. I am sure it will be something she'll never forget.

Thanks for writing the report and taking all the great photos! I've loved following along.

 

[samheatherwhite]

Thanks for your sweet replies Pepper! (and others) We had a great time and I look forward to sharing again!

 

[samheatherwhite]

I have finally downloaded some more pictures and I thought that I would share G's Harry Potter themed Valentine's Day Box.