Hogsmeade

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

"Please Respect The Spell Limits". Yep...those are the words that greet you the very minute you reach the gates of Hogsmeade at Universal's Islands of Adventure. You walk through that gate and suddenly you find yourself actually in Hogsmeade...completely surrounded by J.K. Rowling's imagination.

Walk straight ahead and you'll walk straight into The Hogwarts Express. Turn left through those gates and you'll be in Zonkos Joke Shop...and, right next door, Honeydukes. Now, I have to admit to bein' addicted to Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans...and I've had a chocolate frog or two too...and be sure to try a jar of U-NO-POO...

This main street through Hogsmeade is just plumb packed to the gills with wild and wonderful wizardry stuff. That line over there? Well, that is for a mug of Butterbeer...can't get the stuff anywhere's else in the country ya know...nope, only here in Hogsmeade...and boy is it good.

You hungry? Well, taint no place better than The Three Broomsticks...and, if you go in there, pay attention...the shadows of House Elses upstairs have been spotted up there...so have the shadows of Owls deliverin' letters...and enchanted brooms and dust rags and things cleanin' all by themselves. The food's good here too...try the chicken and ribs, or fish and chips, or shepherd's pie...they're some of my favorites...

What's that? You need a wand? Well, the best place for that is Ollivanders across the way. As the sign says...Ollivanders Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.

Then, you'll wanna stop by Dervish and Banges and The Owl Post...especially if you need wizard supplies, robes, and such.

You see...just down the way there, beyond that curve in the street is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...

Yep, you'll find yourself completely immersed in Harry Potter's world here...and, if you've read the books or watched the movies, you are simply gonna love this place...every little detail...from Pumpkin Juice to the latest Quidditch supplies. You'll walk down a corridor in Hogwarts and suddenly discover the Mirror of Erised...or the Sorting Hat...or the Fat Lady's Portrait.

You find yourself in Professor Dumbledore's Office...and you are not alone. Nope, that's Professor Dumbledore himself up there welcoming you.

Then you'll be in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom waiting for Professor Binn's lecture when suddenly Harry, Ron, and Hermione appear from under the invisibility cloak! They are plotting a way to get you out of the lecture and down to the Quidditch Pitch to see a game...and you might even see Ron make it snow inside the classroom...

There is soooooo much to see, to savor, and enjoy here. Universal and Warner Brothers have clearly put their heart and soul into this thing and muggles have been showin' up by the millions... And, yes, you can actually go on a flyin' adventure with Harry and Ron...a forbidden journey...you might say...and, uh, expect a surprise or two along the way...dragons and giant spiders and whompin' willows and dementors and such...

And, there's a rumor goin' around that one day real soon, Muggles are gonna be allowed in Diagon Alley too...and they will be able to board the Hogwarts Express to get to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts... Maybe even visit Gringott's Bank...and the Leaky Cauldron...and, who knows, maybe even Weasley's Wizard Wheezes...

Are there any other rabid Harry Potter fans out there like me? Have you been to Hogsmeade yet? What did ya think?

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

---------- Post added 04-19-2012 at 02:39 PM ----------

Howdy Pards,

Now...perhaps I should have mentioned Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods...you can find amazing stuff in there...why...on my wall, this very minute, is The Sword of Gryffindor itself. I found it in Filch's Emporium...along with the Marauder's Map... Filch's Emporium is located right there in the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle...not far from Hagrid's Hut... Did you know that Buckbeak the Hypogryph is over there?
He is...and the Weasley's Family Car, you know, the one Harry and Ron flew to Hogwarts, it's out there
in the woods just behind Hagrid's Hut too...still kinda enchanted you might say...

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[steamboatpete]

Butterbeer is delicious.

The shops were the most jammed, busy, crowded shops I've ever seen except for post-Thanksgiving early bird shopping days.

The Hogwarts ride was one of the most amazing I've ever seen anywhere.

The architecture is perhaps the most amazing and immersive I've ever seen in a theme park.

[KingEric]

I love Hogsmede... I was there today. No better place in the world.

[Trekkie Dad]

This thread lacks pictures, so I offer two:

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

Well, my gosh, seems like I'm not the onliest feller who's been to Hogsmeade...and loved it.

If you've read the books and/or watched the movies...I guess you just can't help fallin' in love with this place. They've taken the whole idea of "theme park" to wonderful new levels...stayin' 100% loyal and true to J.K. Rowling's vision. If you take the time to truly savor the magic here...well, there's a whole lotta magic here to savor...and you are gonna want to return again and again and again.

How wonderful it is to see folks of all ages wanderin' around in Wizard Robes...sippin' on butterbeer... and window shoppin' for Gilderoy Lockhart's latest book or a new cauldron...

I've bought three cauldrons now...not at Pottages, they were closed...but at Dervish and Banges. They make wonderful candy dishes...

And, speakin' of candy...last time I was there I only bought one box of PEPPERMINT TOADS over at Honeydukes...sure wish I woulda bought more... Have you tried 'em?

And that's one of the wonderful things about visitin' Hogsmeade...all that themed merchandise you can find right out of those books and movies... it gives ya the feelin' you are actually in another world...a wizarding world...and, for some reason or other, well...it just kinda feels mighty comfortable...

Pay no attention to that voice you hear in the restrooms...that's just Moaning Myrtle...

Say...we better get a move on...I hear tell that those lovely ladies of the Beauxbaton Academy of Magic are gonna be dancin' down by those big rocks 'tween Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. The fellers from the Durmstrang Institute are gonna be down there too...





Seems we're in town just in time for that Tri-wizard Turnament thing... Watch out for loose dragons...

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

So...if you've been wonderin' what all the fuss is about...this...this is one of the things all the fuss is about. You can't find it anywheres else but Hogsmeade...and many millions of muggles (wizards and witches too) seem to be rather fond of it....

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[s8ntmark]

I'm so excited for WWoHP to open at USH!

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry



Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

Here's a shop in downtown Hogsmeade...Potages...where you can find the latest in Cauldrons big and small.

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[Trav1Disney]

i have been there , loved it , and can't wait to see it again next year I'll be even happier when they bring it to hollywood but I can't wait that long

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

The bookshop in Hogsmeade is literally packed with Gilderoy Lockhart's various wizarding masterpieces of course.

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

Well now, whenever I visit Hogsmeade one of the places that requires extensive research is a place called HONEYDUKES. I can understand why Harry was kinda fond of this place...





Peppermint Toads, Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, they are all here! What a delightful spot to visit! Usually kinda crowded though...

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

I've seen these same two unknown tourists wandering around Hogsmeade before... Anyways, here they are posing with the famous Hogwarts Express.

These fellers always seem to be hanging out near Zonkos joke shop for some reason or other...

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

[Barbaraann]

The twins are so adorable. Thanks for the photo Dan.

---------- Post added 05-11-2012 at 05:16 PM ----------

I showed my husband the pictures of the Weasley twins, and he didn't know who they were despite the fact that they are his favorite characters of the Harry Potter series. I guess he wasn't aware that they were not natural redheads.

[Wild Ol' Dan]

Howdy Pards,

Well...here's that famous feller Mark Woodbury from Universal discussing all the wonders of Hogsmeade with some unknown tourist...

Wonder why they had the red carpet out like that...why you'd think they were expectin' someone really special or somethin'...

Anyways...whoever that unknown tourist is...she seems rather pleased with the whole thing don't ya think?

Course, just about everybody that visits Hogsmeade kinda likes it...sorta like walkin' through the imagination of J.K. Rowling herself...yep...it's that good...

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan