US East Coast 2018: Good 'Ol Movie-Making Magic

Universal Orlando consists of two theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure), and a water park (Volcano Bay). We adults were looking forward particularly to this day, as the grandparents were taking our kids to the Animal Kingdom on their own, and so the two of us got a day out at the parks with my sister.

Universal Studios Florida is premised on the wonderful art of film making, and the rides reflect this emphasis, like Transformers: The Ride 3D and Men In Black: Alien Attack. Islands of Adventure has guests embarking on an adventure to visit different islands. We enjoyed the rides at Universal Studios Florida, which mostly involved a 3D simulation with some twists and turns. What was fascinating about Islands of Adventure were the shows, which gave the audience a glimpse of special effects and the movie making experience, such as Poseidon’s Fury and the Universal Studios Horror Make-Up Show. We loved the old-school presentations, on-cue humour and classic effects like loud explosions and lots of smoke.

It is fascinating how far film-making has come in terms of its special effects, and that is what sets Universal apart from the whole Disney franchise; in the wonderful Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade, in Islands of Adventure, and Diagon Alley, in Universal Studios Florida. And there is the mysterious Hogwarts Express, connecting both parks, should you get a Park Connector at an additional cost.

Having read the books when they first came out some years back, and having my sister with us who had read all the books many times over as a child, it’s safe to say that the Harry Potter world is the main highlight here. We were bowled over by the manner in which each detail of JK Rowling’s books has been brought to life in such intricacy and authenticity, in keeping with her stories. We sipped butter beer as we watched wizards whiz by, draped in their fine robes and waving wands which actually worked, turning on water fountains and making pictures talk. We witnessed a Wand Choosing Ceremony, where two little wizards stood in anticipation as a senior wizard selected a choice wand for them. We went into Gringotts Wizarding Bank and got some currency and the chance to chat with the Chief Goblin. The Hogwarts Express was amazingly conceptualised, down to the Platform 9 3/4 and the scenes of London and the countryside whizzing by.

The two Harry Potter rides, The Escape from Gringotts and The Forbidden Journey, were really what made Universal stand out for us in terms of their state-of-the-art technology. We personally felt that the first was too short and ended rather abruptly, but the latter truly thrust us headlong into the magical world of Harry Potter as we entered through the towering castle gates and made our way past familiar places such as Dumbledore's office and the Gryffindor™ common room. We then went on a thrilling ride, soaring above the castle grounds, dipping into valleys and joining Harry and friends in a Quidditch match with battles against magical creatures.

Perhaps that is the magic of Universal - good old movie-making magic, now with modern technology, but still the same stories of good vs evil and the good guys always triumphing in the end.

The Previous Page: Space - the Next Frontier. Read here.
What's Next? Beauty in Nature - the Florida State Parks. Read here.

From the Beginning - Start reading the record pages of our US East Coast Travel Adventure here.

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