Checking out the Wizarding and Surreal Worlds

Having accomplished eating ALL the food at Thanksgiving dinner and running the Space Coast Half Marathon, we were ready for a change of pace. We didn’t have much set in stone for our second week in Florida. Stephen would be running a trail Ragnar with some friends. I planned to work all week but schedule was relatively open on Friday. Seizing the opportunity, I took Momma for another adventure. We landed on checking out the Wizarding and Surreal Worlds in Florida! (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Surreal World of Salvador Dali, that is.)

Inauspicious Beginnings

Monday through Wednesday were sort of “business as usual” for our crew. Anise and I worked during the day. Chris and Stephen were both off, so they got to watch the World Cup while Momma split her time between watching Harry Potter films and chasing Gizmo and Lucky around the house.

On Thursday, Anise headed north for a family wedding, while Stephen headed west for the Ragnar relay race.

Hoot, Hoot…Hogwarts Next!

Friday morning, Momma and I made our way to Universal and made our way to Diagon Alley. For those not up on all things HP, Diagon Alley is a cobblestoned street with wizarding shops and restaurants. Children who study magic at Hogwarts can get all their school supplies and uniforms here.

Off of Diagon Alley, is a very dark corridor that leads to Knockturn Alley. This cobblestone street specializes in shops that cater to darker forms of magic. I found it so disorienting, that I made my mom hold my hand so we wouldn’t get separated. Because I’m five. Obviously.

We left the Alleys and headed to the King’s Cross train station to grab the Hogwarts Express. This ride actually takes you between Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

We walked the queues at Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and the Hogwarts castle. Though neither of us can do motion rides, the park does a great job of recreating items from the movie and they provide holographic scenes for everyone to enjoy.

Around 4, we decided to head back to Hogsmeade Station to head back to Diagon Alley. We found out there were actually two different rides on the Hogwarts Express – depending on the direction you were taking. The one to Hogwarts included images of scary, racing demons – known as Dementors. While the ride to Hogsmeade included a fun release of spiders and a chocolate frog.

Meanwhile – On the Trail

While this was going on, Stephen and his team took the trails to compete the 200 mile race in 24 hours.

My favorite story was that an announcement was made that an angry rattle snake was blocking one of the trails, so an adjustment had to be made.

My least favorite story was that in the middle of the night, Stephen fell 5 times, lost his glasses and potentially broke his toe. I don’t know, I sort of think Universal was the better way to go.

St. Petersburg and Dali

Saturday morning, Momma and I hit the road early for the 2.5 hour drive to St. Petersburg to visit the Surreal World of Salvador Dali.

Although I took a picture of every work on display, I’ll just share a few of my favorites here.

After a couple hours, we headed to lunch at Doc Ford’s on St Pete’s Pier.

Reunited and It Feels So Good

We picked Stephen up at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Lakeland before heading back to Casselberry for our last Florida night.

Breakfast was home made potato pancakes and adult beverages, thanks to our lovely host.

That afternoon, we took our last walk through the trails and visited with the critters outside and inside.

The Voyage Home

Flight home was around 7pm and we were back in our beds by 1:30am. It made Monday a little tough but it was so worth it. When else would we be able to help my mom cross some big items off her bucket list!

It was still gray and cold back in Michigan. But I know we will be to Florida soon. (The first week in January, in fact.) I heard Stephen telling the kids that our next year of travel will make 2022 seems like we were a couple home bodies.

Up Next

Here are the travels we know for next year:

• Orlando – January
• Jacksonville / Tokyo – February
• Tokyo / Louisville – March
• Boston / London / Big Sur – April
• Cincinnati / Zion National Park / Cleveland /Traverse City – May
• Ann Arbor / Charlevoix / Grayling – June
• Berlin – September
• Chicago / Dublin – October
• California – December

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