Universal Studios Florida: Diagon Alley

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

Diagon Alley turned out to the complete opposite of Hogsmeade. While it also only has transfer only thrill rides, the area was much more open allowing us to actually navigate and enjoy it.

Finding Diagon Alley was slightly confusing, but amusing once we noticed you just wander through the passages in the buildings to find Diagon Alley hidden in London just as it should be.

We were happy to immediately find Sugarplum's Sweet Shop, which doesn't have as big of a selection as Honeydukes in Hogsmeade, but did have the Fudge Flies Mik wanted and, of course, Chocolate Frogs I wanted along with several other sweets such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The shop was also much smaller, but the layout was more open and thus easy to navigate, especially since there was no one else shopping in there when we visited.

We didn't wander into any of the other shops, but we did enjoy walking around Diagon Alley with it's much wider areas than Hogsmeade.

We did visit the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, which is just a queue for the ice cream making it an easy go in one door and out the other after paying experience.

Mik enjoyed the Toffee Apple flavor.

I had the Butterbeer flavor.

Our wandering included ending up in Knockturn Alley.

Overall we really enjoyed the Wizarding World experiences of London and Diagon Alley, especially after the disappointment of Hogsmeade.

Destination Info:
Diagon Alley
Universal Studios Florida
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Universal's Islands of Adventure: Hogwart's Express

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

Riding the Hogwarts Express was the one Wizarding World experience we not only enjoyed, but found even better than we expected. Mik was slightly disappointed that the one elevator wasn't as he had hoped, though.

Finding the elevators lifts to the platform were easy. We especially enjoyed how well the stations were themed to the British settings.

The accessibility of the train really surprised us as once you're in the compartment it doesn't seem any different than a regular.

Getting in and out is quite different though as one half of the last compartment's bench opens backwards to allow you to roll in.

Then you hope they remember to let you back out when you get to the other side because you sure can't go out the side door. Actually, it was just kind of amusing when we got to King's Cross and the conductor had to go back to the front of the car to get they key to let Mik out as he definitely didn't forget we were there and, yet, arrived to let Mik out without the key.

It's obvious the window is really just a digital screen, but it is still fun that it really represents the journey including starting with the wall of the station.

It was fun to see the various things happen including going through Forbidden Forest with centaurs waving and the Weasley twins making an ad for their shop in Diagon Alley.

The corridor side also adds to the experience and surprised Mik when "passengers" came by.

He loved it, though!

In King's Cross, it was fun to be at Platform 9 3/4.

Again finding the lift was easy. Getting on it when at destination not so much as the whole train is unloading at once rather than people more staggered timing getting in line to get on the train. We had to wait a few loads to get on as it is also used by strollers, but that just meant more time to enjoy the station.

Or for Dad to take photos and then get yelled at that he still wasn't ready when it was our turn for the lift...

The lift at King's Cross ended up being the one part that didn't meet expectations because of the buttons. Mik had really wanted it to say "To Platfrom 9 3/4 "and not just platform, but it is still good that it says "Exit to London."

I can't remember if this part where you go "between" Platforms 9 and 10 was before or after the lift when we took the train back to Hogsmeade. I think it was after the lift and thus the lift would part of the muggle world of King's Cross so "To Platform," fits, but then it should actually say, "To Platforms."

On the way back to Hogsmeade, we experienced dementors boarding the train and a patronus.

Overall the Hogwarts Express was a fun experience. We were glad we had gotten the tip early in the day to ride it both directions as it was definitely worthwhile and I somewhat wish we had rode it even more.

Destination Info:
Hogwart's Express - Hogsmeade's Station and King's Cross Station
Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Universal's Islands of Adventure: Hogsmeade

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

Hogsmeade was part of the main reason we went to Universal Orlando. We had planned to visit years ago on a WDW trip, but decided we weren't sure it was worthwhile since we aren't into thrill rides and there's little else to do. As this year's annual family trip included Dad for the first time and we again had the ability to go to other area attractions, we decided to finally just go and stop wondering if it was really worth it or not for us. Ultimately, not so sure it was, but it certainly was better we waited to go and did not go in 2012 when there was only Hogsmeade as this area was the worst part of our visit to Universal Orlando and it was the Harry Potter stuff that opened since then that we enjoyed, especially Hogwarts Express.

The one thing that was a good experience in Hogsmeade was the butterbeer cart, which was an easy way to get some to enjoy.

Mailing ourselves postcards from Hogsmeade was a fun souvenir, but not an easy process. Getting the stamps wasn't too difficult, but only because Mik decided to not go in the shop, which was hard to get into with people selecting wands and as often happens with stores didn't have much room for maneuvering. However, it wasn't as bad as Honeydukes, which really was barely navigable with no people and Mik got mad at me for not wanting to put up with the line myself to buy what he wanted for him (luckily we later found what he wanted over in Diagon Alley where the selection was limited, but had more open space and at the time also had no one else shopping).

Mik and I watched the Frog Choir while Dad was trying to figure out how to mail our postcards, which took awhile as they just said you mail it around the corner from the shop and we assumed that meant you drop it in a post box and not that you hand them to the cashier at what seems more like a souvenir stand than a place to mail something. I thought the Frog Choir was interesting, but Mik didn't.

Overall found Hogsmeade to be a rather unenjoyable due to everything being too compact. Of course, the main reason we had never gone before was that we knew all the rides required a transfer and weren't worth it for us as they're thrill rides. However, I really expected that we could at least enjoy Honeydukes. We did at least easily enjoy some butterbeer and it was a light crowd day, so it could've have been so much worse in terms of navigating through parts.

Destination Info:
Universal's Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Universal's Islands of Adventure: Caro-Seuss-el

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

The Caro-Seuss-el not only has some very unique creatures to ride on, but the wheelchair accessible part is more than just a bench.

Mik usually enjoys carousels even though he just ends up by the stationary bench. The Caro-Seuss-el, though, makes the stationary bench it's own unique experience as it's own Seuss-themed vehicle.

The side opens and there is a ramp to roll into the vehicle. The two seats fold up allowing plenty of room for maneuvering to get in place making this the easiest ride we did in Seuss Landing.

One seat can be folded back down to ride with the wheelchair. Mik even ended up being the one that wanted to go again when they asked.

Destination Info:
Caro-Seuss-el
Universal's Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Universal's Islands of Adventure: Suess Landing

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

While we visited Universal Orlando to experience the Wizarding World, our favorite area ended up being Suess Landing. Not only were there three rides Mik could go on without transferring, but there was fun things from different Dr. Seuss books to discover.

McElligot's Pool 

Horton Hatches the Egg

One favorite was The Street of the Lifted Lorax with the truffala trees.

Whale - If I Ran a Zoo

Best find was the photo opp where Mik could actually roll into the sidecar.

Destination Info:
Universal's Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Universal’s Islands of Adventures: The Cat in the Hat

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

The Cat in the Hat ride was a fun journey through the story of the classic Dr. Suess book.

Dad and I enjoyed the quotes from the book that were on the walls in the queue. Mik did not because we read them aloud.

However, Mik did still enjoy the scenery of the queue.

As expected once at the front of the line we had to wait for the wheelchair vehicle to come around, but at least that meant the lead was there to load when it did. Getting Mik's wheelchair into the vehicle did end up requiring lifting it some as there is barely enough turning room to roll in and position to allow the tie downs to be placed and door closed. Definitely something Mik wouldn't do again, but it still fun to do once.

Destination Info:
The Cat in the Hat
Universal's Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Universal’s Islands of Adventures: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Date of Visit: January 10, 2020

As Dumbo is a favorite of mine (and would probably also be for Mik if it was accessible as he enjoys the Magic Carpets of Aladdin), it seemed fitting that our first ever ride at Universal was One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

The queue was easy, especially since there was no line. Discovering how they handle loading was a tad annoying, though, as when we got to the front we then waited as the ride went half full twice before the lead arrived for us to be able to load. I would hope that if this area ever is crowded they have a lead per ride and not the one that ended up being for multiple hence the wait for her at each we did.

Mik was excited that it was a red fish that was designed to slide out and have a ramp to roll onto.

The sliding in part was somewhat problematic. At first they had his chair seemingly too far back as his armrests bumped into the low part of the back of vehicle. Then they moved him too far forward and his knees were a problem. We were able to get it right eventually, though. (I think the first time would've worked fine if Dad had just listened to me and took off the armrests). I really did appreciate that they cared to keep trying to make it work because one reason Mik is always hesitant to do the Triceratops at Animal Kingdom because one time we tried they insisted he had to use a park wheelchair instead of letting us try to make it work without a transfer.

We also liked that we got to ride next to each other instead of behind him like on TriceraTop Spin or in front on Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Now seriously, though, why didn't they make Dumbos bigger or whatever needed to have a wheelchair accessible one when they expanded???

Mik was afraid to lean forward to be able to control the fish, but it was easy for me to reach and he enjoyed going up high and using his camera during the ride. Staying up the whole time also seemed to be one way of avoiding getting wet even though we didn't pay enough attention to really follow the song to stay dry.

Destination Info:
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Universal's Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819