Pics from Hogsmeade

[SunnySooner]

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss38/sooners93/IMG_2611.jpg
Me and the kiddos at the entrance.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss38/sooners93/IMG_2651.jpg
Quidditch balls--the bludgers were shaking, trying to get out.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss38/sooners93/IMG_2646.jpg
Hogwarts Castle at night.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss38/sooners93/IMG_2625.jpg
Think these come in Natty Lite? Vet would be set for like, 2 weeks!!

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss38/sooners93/IMG_2623.jpg
A view looking down the street.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss38/sooners93/IMG_2618.jpg
Pumpkin juice, anyone?

[C&CDean]

****. Alls I get is the red x's.

[sooner59]

This is hilarious. Harry Potter is for kids.....and fat adults who can't get on the rides, lol.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-harry-potter-fans-deemed-too-heavy-for-wizarding-world-ride.html

[fadada1]

must be cold in orlando this time of year - you see all that snow!!!

[JohnnyMack]

Dean is jacking it right now. Guaranteed.

[yermom]

except that he can't see the pics :D

[olevetonahill]

except that he can't see the pics :D

Red Xs turn him on ;)

[Tailwind]

This is hilarious. Harry Potter is for kids.....and fat adults who can't get on the rides, lol.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-harry-potter-fans-deemed-too-heavy-for-wizarding-world-ride.html
Kiss my *** kid. ;)

[GKeeper316]

This is hilarious. Harry Potter is for kids.....and fat adults who can't get on the rides, lol.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-harry-potter-fans-deemed-too-heavy-for-wizarding-world-ride.html


fat ****s need to lose some goddam weight instead of whining that universal's rides dont accommodate their gigantic asses.

[1890MilesToNorman]

Sunny, you gots some *** kickin to do. All these boys need to be roped, prodded and hog tied with a cob up they ***.

The kids had a damn good time, right?

[SunnySooner]

Here's the deal on the big people--on a lot of the rides, a big group of seats come in, bunch of people leave, bunch of people get on, so you can have a row or two set aside for those needing extra room. They just all wait in the line for that particular row of seats. On the Harry Potter ride, however, the flying benches are in constant motion. They seat 4 to a bench, and you walk onto a moving conveyor belt thingy to get onto your seat on the bench, and they just come one after the other, there's no stoppage inbetween. So, I don't see how they could make big people seats. They'd have to make a special big people line, I guess, with just one "big" bench that floated thru the rotation, only being filled with big people every time it came around. IDK, maybe they will come up with something like that, in the meantime, I found the seat to be plenty roomy. I saw where one guy is doing a weight loss blog with his goal to be small enough to do the ride. Maybe it will motivate others to do the same, which will benefit them in the long run in ways beyond getting to fly with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

BTW, I found this video of the queue experience, gives a good idea of what you see before the ride and shows how real it all looks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCvxmI6sIA8&feature=player_embedded#!

[SunnySooner]

Sunny, you gots some *** kickin to do. All these boys need to be roped, prodded and hog tied with a cob up they ***.

The kids had a damn good time, right?

Dayum skippy!! And this big (but not too-big-to-fit-on-the-ride) girl did too!!!:P ;) :D :D :D

[Leroy Lizard]

That's all fine and good, but considering the average weight of an American man is 191 pounds (and rising: in 1960 it was 166 pounds), "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" could be turning away quite a few potential revelers.

Yeah, I'm sure the company is going broke.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Kiss my *** kid. ;)
I did that once and you farted. Thus quoth the Raven "Nevermore".:D

[Tailwind]

I did that once and you farted. Thus quoth the Raven "Nevermore".:D

Oh, you are quite the comedian! :D hey, I didn't mean to burn off your mustache! :D

[JLEW1818]

nice pics!!! i love Potter

was Voldy there?

[SunnySooner]

Thanks J! And, no, no Voldy, but Draco makes a cameo in the quidditch match and then...dementors!:eek: :eek: :eek:

[badger]

Thanks J! And, no, no Voldy, but Draco makes a cameo in the quidditch match and then...dementors!:eek: :eek: :eek:

We should totally go dress up as Death Eaters (Dean, wanna be Voldy?) to scare the kids... and the adults.

The spell's name is Boomerus Sooneravra. Death to all Seminoles (the FSU variety), Hurricanes and Gators of evil Florida. :D

[SunnySooner]

lol, Baj, that would definitely make the line WAY shorter!! It felt like we were at some sort of weird UN convention being held in Orlando--people from all over, languages I couldn't identify, and a healthy sprinkling of jort-wearing Gators, frat-boy 'Noles, and Guido 'Canes mixed in. I prolly saw about 7 Sooner shirts over the 3 days we were there, and I got 2 "Boomers" on the day I wore one, so that's always fun.

Besides the locals and other 'Muricans, I'd say Great Britain had the next largest # of folks there, lots of different British accents. And if you ever think you need some sun, 'cause you're starting to look a little pale, you'd still look like a bronze goddess compared to those people. I didn't know white skin could be that white--it's like translucent, glow-in-the-dark, super mega ultra white. Except for the spots that they missed with their sunscreen the day before, and those places were fire engine red. I guess they really don't see too much of the sun over there in Londontown.

[badger]

I guess they really don't see too much of the sun over there in Londontown.
It's the red hair. My hair's partially red and you will never be able to tan if you have red hair. You will be pale, or you will burn. Burning does not mean your skin will permanently change color either - it'll just peel off and you'll be back to pale after a few painful weeks :mad:

[C&CDean]

It's the red hair. My hair's partially red and you will never be able to tan if you have red hair. You will be pale, or you will burn. Burning does not mean your skin will permanently change color either - it'll just peel off and you'll be back to pale after a few painful weeks :mad:

I have the exact opposite problem. I spend hours - sometimes 10-15 a day - in the sun. No sunscreen, unless I'm at the lake (which never happens anymore cause I'm in the hay business). I'm browner than the average Mexican, and damned near negro. It's kind of weird. Every so often I feel a dull pain when I've been in the sun all day, but usually people just go "dang, you're dark. Been in the tanning booth?" I go "yeah, been in there sucking some dong, cause anybody that hits the tanning booth sucks them some dong."

[Stitch Face]

That pumpkin juice costs what, $12, probably?

[C&CDean]

Whatever the price, buy some. It's ****ing pumpkin juice fer cryin' out loud.

[Stitch Face]

Which means, probably, something like V8 Splash with added artificial pumpkin flavor. I'm just not a theme park person.

[olevetonahill]

Which means, probably, something like V8 Splash with added artificial pumpkin flavor. I'm just not a theme park person.

I aint a theme park peeps Nor am I gonna drink punkin juice cause I think folks gonna drank shat they prolly suck shlong also

[StoopTroup]

If your in to picking up nerdy little ghey dudes...that looks like a great place.

[C&CDean]

If your in to picking up nerdy little ghey dudes...that looks like a great place.

I ain't nerdy or little.

[IB4OU2]

I ain't nerdy or little.

Chuck says 1 outta 3 aint bad.

[Chuck Bao]

Chuck says 1 outta 3 aint bad.

Dude, really. And kicking your *** doesn't count.

I tan easily. Must be that cajun blood with American Native and African thrown in the French mix. It is not a blessing. I damaged my skin working out in the fields as a teenager and I regret it now. I did laugh at those wearing long-sleeved shirts as if they were some Amish pilgrims. Farrah, I love you, but your t-shirt really didn't give me that sun screen. Wrong is not the right word I want to use here. Stupid is.

[IB4OU2]

Chuck, I apologize... that was a stupid and insensitive comment to make.

It won't happen again.

[Chuck Bao]

Dude, I laughed. I should have put a smiley thing in there. And, I DO have a thing for Dean. Dean won't smack me in the head, but SunnySooner probably will for wrecking her thread. Pumpkin juice sounds dirty anyway.

[SunnySooner]

If your in to picking up nerdy little ghey dudes...that looks like a great place.

lol, ST, when we were there I was thinking the exact opposite--it's not just Harry Potter land, that's just a small part of Universal's Islands of Adventure, which includes more roller coasters, a white water raft ride, a log ride, Dr. Suess land with younger kid rides, etc. So, there's a lot of teenagers there, and since it's so hot, and since you get totally drowned on the wet rides, a lot of peeps wear swimsuits with shorts, stuff like that. In fact, in that first pic of me and the kids, that's a swimsuit I'm wearing with a skirt/cover-up thingy because my son loves all the water rides, and I HATE walking around in wet clothes.

Anyway, I was thinking all the teenage boys must really love the park this time of year, because there sure was a lot of female skin on display. A lot of the teen girls just wore bikini tops with really short shorts and flipflops, and I'm sure the teen boys (and boys of all ages, for that matter) appreciated it. :P ;) :D

[C&CDean]

Dude, I laughed. I should have put a smiley thing in there. And, I DO have a thing for Dean. Dean won't smack me in the head, but SunnySooner probably will for wrecking her thread. Pumpkin juice sounds dirty anyway.

That's why you wouldn't even stop and see me when you were here?

I'm cornfused. Speaking of which, the sweet corn is ****ing awesome right now.

[SunnySooner]

No prob, Chucky, Dean is my hero too. Could be because I've been man-less for almost 11 months, but when he talks about hauling hay....er, ahem, nevermind. ;) :D

And the damn pumpkin juice costs $6 for 16 ounces, it's 100% juice, mostly pumpkin, but with a little apple juice and some spices/seasoning thrown in. Both of my kids liked it, as did I, but it's kinda rich, you can only drink a little at a time. It reminded me a whole lot of pumpkin pie flavor, so if you like that, you'd prolly like the pumpkin juice as well.

The butterbeer was the bee's knees, though. YUMMMM-MMMYYY!!! If they ever come out with a diet version, I'll be happier than a pig in fresh mud. Frozen or not, just deee-lish.

[badger]

I'm cornfused. Speaking of which, the sweet corn is ****ing awesome right now.

So are my tomatoes... I grabbed a few straight off the backyard plants yesterday and ate them like apples. Mmmm.

Harry Potter related because the Weasleys have tomato-colored hair :D

[silverwheels]

Cool pics. I'd like to go, but it will probably be at least a year if not more before I'm able to.

Also, the first official trailer for the Deathly Hallows premieres online tonight.

[Chuck Bao]

That's why you wouldn't even stop and see me when you were here?

I'm cornfused. Speaking of which, the sweet corn is ****ing awesome right now.

Your place was in the opposite direction, Dean. Stop by, my ***. Get a map. Okay, next time I will stop by and show you how a real Oklahoman can work it with a pair of chaps and none of that fancy Savage equipment.

[Stitch Face]

The corn is really good this year. My in-laws', at least, is the best I've ever had.

[badger]

So a dog nabbed a tomato that had gone slightly bad and loved it so much that they're nosing around my dinner plate for more tomato... and then when I sent them outside, they started nosing around the tomato plants.

All because a tomato had gone slightly bad and I threw it where they could sniff it, lick it and then eat it. What have I done?!

[C&CDean]

So a dog nabbed a tomato that had gone slightly bad and loved it so much that they're nosing around my dinner plate for more tomato... and then when I sent them outside, they started nosing around the tomato plants.

All because a tomato had gone slightly bad and I threw it where they could sniff it, lick it and then eat it. What have I done?!

This is why you never feed your chickens leftover eggs. They acquire a taste for them and will start eating their own eggs.

Our dogs always liked the green beans. When momma would pick them, she'd toss the dogs a bean or two and they loved them. Pretty soon, she'd catch them out in the garden munching the green beans. Looks like you might have created a couple tomato monsters.

Back on topic, I made my second-ever purchase from the innerwebs last week. Ordered up the audio books of HP 1-6 (we already had 7) from Amazon.com. I chose the free shipping (they said it would be 7-9 days) and they showed up 2 days after I made the order.

Yes, I've read them all multiple times, but when I'm in the tractor for hours and hours I can pop in a CD and listen to Jim Dale narrate the stories. Makes the time fly by.

[C&CDean]

Your place was in the opposite direction, Dean. Stop by, my ***. Get a map. Okay, next time I will stop by and show you how a real Oklahoman can work it with a pair of chaps and none of that fancy Savage equipment.

I wanna be a cowboy baybeeee...

[NormanPride]

So the butterbeer was good... What was it like, though? Was it alcoholic, or like root beer but more... buttery?

[SunnySooner]

Here's what I posted in the other thread when I got back, the full recap...


I'm back!! And my calf muscles are KILLING ME, but it was worth it. Spoilers ahead for those wanting to do the ride themselves!

I got to ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" twice, and it is ALLSOME!!! You ride a flying bench (which is sorta like a cupboard/locker thing--4 people to a bench, with dividers inbetween), as Harry, Ron and Hermione accompany you on brooms. They are sneaking you out of the lecture you're supposed to hear so you can go to the Slytherin/Gryffindor quidditch match. It's a bit of an ordeal getting there (escaped dragons, huge spiders, and that damn Whomping Willow), but finally you're zipping around the pitch, having a great time--until the dementors show up and all hell breaks loose. Our heroes use their skills to rescue you and you make it out alive, yippee. The ride is just amazing, a combination of props, holograms, big video screens, fog, lighting, etc. Sitting in the cabinet/bench thing, your feet dangle, and a track overhead moves you thru the ride, so it often does feel like flying! The line before you get on the ride is fun too. Just before you enter the castle, you go thru Prof. Sprout's greenhouse with all kinds of funky plants, then into the castle, into a room with talking portraits of the 4 Founders (amazing, don't know how they did that, it looks exactly like a normal oil painting, but the people are moving, unreal) along a hallway into Dumbledore's office. You'll recognize statues from the books, and the office looks just like the movies. Dumbledore speaks to us from the balcony, the effect is so real, even when the line moves to the side, the image seems to have depth. Then into Prof. Binn's classroom where our 3 heroes reveal their plan to help us ditch the lecture.

Then, it's into Hogsmeade, where you can enter Olivanders and hopefully a wand will choose you ( a little show where they pick someone from the group and do a little magic), but if not, for $30 you can still own one. We had dinner at The Three Broomsticks, they have rotisserie chicken, ribs, Cornish pasties, etc., it was good, and not outrageously expensive. Butterbeer comes frozen or non-frozen, and it's only $10 if you get the souvenir cup. It's really good, like a very rich cream soda with a dash of butterscotch thrown in. The frozen was my group's fave, but both were good. We also had some pumpkin juice, and it's good too. If you like pumpkin pie, you'd prolly like it.

The crowds were pretty bad during the day, but thinned out in the evenings. The first night, we waited in the regular line, we got there about 8 p.m. and it took about an hour and a half to get thru, not bad. The next night, I went thru the single rider line, where they just stick you in wherever there's an empty spot, so you don't ride with your friends, but that line was only about 20 minutes during the 8-9 pm timeframe. I would say go thru the regular line at least once, because that's where you see Dumbledore and all that, the single line skips it, but after that, the single line is way faster, and the way the ride is set up, you can't see anyone you're riding with anyway, so what does it matter?

The lines into the shops (Zonko's, Honeydukes, and Olivanders) were all pretty long, so we just looked thru the windows. The Hogwarts Express is near one entrance, and there are costumed conductors, complete with British accents, who will pose with you for pictures, or take the picture for you. The other 2 rides are The Flight of the Hippogrif, which is a little family-style roller coaster, fun for smaller kids, but fun for me too, and then Dragon Challenge, which is 2 rollercoasters that intertwine. They are the type where your feet dangle and our experience is the red one is a little faster, the blue one is a little twistier, the blue is my fave, but they are both really good.

Overall, as a HP fan, I was very happy with how it all turned out--it's so detailed, down to the smallest things, that it just all works together, and it really matched a lot of the pictures I had in my head from reading the books. From the window displays in the shops, to just the detail in the mouldings along the walls, things like that, it was all very well done, and I wasn't the least disappointed.

I hope y'all get to go, from previous experience, I can tell you that October and November are very uncrowded times at Universal. We went one year over Veteran's Day in November, and the weather was perfect, and we could just walk on to almost all of the rides. Good time to go if you can.
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[NormanPride]

Thanks!

[Stitch Face]

Is Harry Potter anything like those fabulous Percy Jackson books?