Orlando and HARRY POTTER

The first night in Orlando was cold for Florida, but much warmer then the last places we had been to. We landed early in the evening and were pretty tired from traveling so we had dinner and called it a night.

On our first full day we walked to one of the outlet stores which most people told us that we couldn't walk to. We didn't get anything in the first few shops and we started to worry, but that didn't last long as we made our way through and all came away with a thing or two. For dinner we went to this really interesting Italian buffet. I have never seen anything like it, they had salad, pasta, soup, pizza, bread and Italian desserts. The tomato soup was really yummy.

On Wednesday we got up early to get the bus to Universal Studios. I had made a game plan the night before and we decided to do all the Harry Potter stuff first. We had to clear security first and once we did we headed straight to the back of the park to Diagon Alley and went on Escape From Gringots. Even though we went on as soon as it opened, we still had about a 30 minute wait! It was really great though, the whole walk to the ride was inside the bank, and exactly like the movies.

Then we went on the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade which was located inside Islands of Adventure, and went on Forbidden Journey, the walk to the ride was through the Hogwarts Castle which was really cool. Both rides showed video while you moved around in a car on a track and wore 3D glasses.

Next, my sister and I went on Flight of the Hippogriff, and the Dragon Challenge. Both were roller coasters and I liked them both. We walked around Hogsmeade, went in and out of the little shops and had some Butterbeer. It tasted great, but very sweet. it was just like we were there. Then we went back to Diagon Alley on The Hogwarts Express and explored. There was a dragon on top of Gringots that actually breathed fire!

We went on the Men in Black ride which was very cool, you actually got a gun and had to shoot aliens. We went on The Mummy ride, which was like the one in Singapore-an indoor roller coaster. That was our favourite ride. After that we watched the parade which wasn't as cheesy as we expected. There was Dora, Minions, Spongebob and even dancing fish on roller skates, which impressed us!

An early start for the next day, Mum, my sister and I went straight on the Rock It roller coaster. I didn't really like it as it banged my head around too much. Then we went on Shrek 4D, and on the Transformers ride, both the same as the ones at Universal Studios in Singapore, but we still liked them, We walked through Springfield which was cool, went on The Simpsons Ride and my sister got a giant doughnut which we shared. We also went on the E.T. ride which, while for little kids, was really cool and there was so much to see on it. We saw the Terminator show which I thought was pretty cool.

Then we went over to Islands of Adventure and all went on Flight of the Hippogriff. Dad and I went on Ripsaw Falls, which is a log ride and we got soaked, then we all went on The Spiderman Ride, and Doctor Doom's Fear Fall, which I really liked.

Another early start the next day, and our last day at Universal. We went on The Mummy ride twice in a row, then the Men in Black ride and E.T. It was raining a lot so we had to try to dodge the rain a bit. We went to Islands of Adventure and saw a stunt show called The Lost Voyage of Sinbad. Then Dad and I went on the Jurassic Park River Adventure were we got wet, but we remembered spray jackets this time so it wasn't too bad.

My sister and I convinced Mum to go on Doctor Doom's Fear Fall and she did like it. Then we all went through Seuss Landing where Dad made us go on this really lame train ride. We also saw another show called Poseidon's Fury which had special effects with water. Then Dad and I went on Ripsaw Falls again, we stayed dry, but our shoes did not!

My sister and I convinced Mum to go on the Dragon Challenge, but she didn't like it that much. We also spent some more time in Hogsmeade drinking Butterbeer. Then my sister and I went on Doctor Doom's Fear Fall for the last time before we left Universal for the last time on this trip.

On our last day in Orlando we got public transport to have a look at Disney. We went to Disney Springs for some food and shopping. We got the free Disney public transport to try and have a look at some of the parks, but we couldn't see anything. When we went to get the bus back to our hotel it was raining, and when we got to the bus stop it was closed and we had to walk to the next one. A bit of a disaster, but a funny story.

Now it's back to college for me and back to Australia for my family, wont be long before I'm back home!