Harry Potter World: The Three Broomsticks

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I've just returned from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and will be doing a series of posts on my experiences in Harry Potter World. I'm a big fan... and the park had a lot to live up to... I'll try not to give too much away for those of you who haven't journeyed to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But hopefully my posts will either bring back memories of your own trip or entice you to travel there yourself!
This post will highlight: 
The Three Broomsticks

The Three Broomsticks was actually one of my unexpected favorite parts of the day.  It was well-organized, reasonably priced, tasty, and we got to sit down and relax.  And do not be dismayed if you look in and see there aren't empty tables.  The place is big, and they have people who's job it is to show you to a table.  If the wait time isn't too bad, I definitely recommend it!

There's a line to get in outside, but that went pretty quickly.  Inside you stand in another line that takes you past a window that displays the food options and a TV screen menu.  The menu is mostly British dishes like fish & chips, shepherd's pie, etc.  Most meals come with a fresh garden salad.  You can also order wizarding drinks like butterbeer, pumpkin juice, or the special Hogshead brew (alcoholic beverage).  

I ordered the meat & veggie stuffed pastries which came with the garden salad and a butterbeer.  It was delicious, not too filling, and my butterbeer was the perfect sweet desert to top it all off!  I will be craving butterbeer for the rest of my life now.  It is sooooooo yummy.  I wish we could get it somewhere other than Orlando, Florida...

And a funny story: My brother wanted to try the Hogshead brew instead of butterbeer because he's the big beer drinker in the family.  He ordered one at the register and they carded him, but then when we got our food/drinks... there was no beer.  He told the guy who showed us to our table that he didn't get his beer, and the guy checked out the receipt.  Turns out, the girl at the register didn't ring up the Hogshead beer.  But the guy was like, "No problem, man.  I'll get you one."  My brother ended up getting a FREE Hogshead beer.  If you're curious what Hogshead tastes like, my brother said it reminded him of Yuengling.

I didn't take pictures of my food.  Darn!  But here are a few pictures from outside and inside The Three Broomsticks:

The outside--so charming!

The inside--I loved the mismatched chairs and brooms everywhere.

If you watch the Hogshead by the bar... he moves!

Look what they have on draft!

One thing I wish they had at Harry Potter World:
I really wish there was some sort of Great Hall show/attraction.  I want to sit at one of the house tables.  I want to look up and see floating candles.  I want to see the ceiling that is bewitched to look like the sky.  The Great Hall is definitely one of the most important settings in Hogwarts, and I want to experience it.

The natural attraction/show to have in Hogwarts' Great Hall is a Sorting Ceremony.  I think this would be a great opportunity to add an attraction for younger kids.  The audience could be seated at the tables in the Great Hall.  Children (or adults) could be picked out ahead of time to be part of the Sorting Ceremony.  There could be animatronic or screen projections of the professors.  The audience could watch and applaud as the Sorting Hat chooses houses for members of the audience, and then the show could end with a sing-a-long to the Hogwarts School Song.  How wonderful and fun does that sound?

Check tomorrow's post for another ride/attraction I wish they had at Harry Potter World...

Harry Potter World: Ollivander's Wand Shop

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I've just returned from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and will be doing a series of posts on my experiences in Harry Potter World. I'm a big fan... and the park had a lot to live up to... I'll try not to give too much away for those of you who haven't journeyed to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But hopefully my posts will either bring back memories of your own trip or entice you to travel there yourself!
This post will highlight: 
Ollivander's Wand Shop, Dervish & Banges, and the Owl Post

A lot of people say to skip Ollivander's because it's a quick little attraction and typically has a much longer wait.  But I'd already resigned myself to the fact that I'd be waiting in lines all day (it was a holiday weekend and quite crowded).  And I figured if I came all the way down here, then I'm not skipping anything!  I didn't want to miss something and regret it later.  So yeah, the line for Ollivander's was long (I think our wait was over an hour).  And yeah, the attraction is only 5-7 minutes.  But I'm still glad I saw it!

If you think back to the first HP movie and when Harry gets his wand, this attraction very much tries to recreate that experience.  One person from the audience is chosen by Ollivander (our Ollivander was a very good actor and charming fellow) to hold different wands and instructed to wave them about.  Strange things happen when the wands are waved in the shop, similar to how it was for Harry.  It's fun and cute and one of the few calm attractions in the park.  And what I loved was feeling like I was in the Wizarding World for even just a few minutes.

So I'd vote against skipping Ollivander's.  Grab a butterbeer or pumpkin juice to sip while you're in line.  Play a silly game with the people you're with (like "I Spy" or the alphabet game with Harry Potter characters).

And people say only kids get chosen by Ollivander, but in our group it was a 20-something girl in the front instead of a kid in the front.  I think the real key is just being up front!

Below are some pictures of Ollivander's:

Ollivander's sign

Wand Display Window

Wand boxes in the bottom left corner

I did end up buying a wand.  One of my brothers was making fun of me saying I was paying $30 for a stick.  And that he would go outside when he got home and pick up his own "wand" off the ground for free.

But I love the wand I got.  It's Luna Lovegood's and it's beautiful. My other brother bought Snape's wand, but I don't have any pictures of his.  So below are pictures of my wand aka Luna's wand:

Label on the Wand Box

Rich brown color

Pretty tulip handle

Not a toy?

Ollivander's wand shop is connected to Dervish and Banges and the Owl Post.  They are kind of all just one big shop.  You can buy wands, stationary, postcards, stamps (postage stamps as well as a wax seal kit) journals, quills, robes, stuffed owls, brooms... If you buy postcards, they will postmark them with a special Hogsmeade stamp.  So cool!  This is one of the bigger shops and was crowded all day long.  But it's fun!!!  You should definitely stop in here!  Below are some pictures from Dervish and Banges and the Owl Post:

Dervish and Banges sign

The Bludgers were fighting to get out!

The Monster Book of Monsters!

Owl Post sign

Shop window outside the Owl Post

Owls and packages to be delivered...

There are owls up in the rafters!

One thing I wish they had at Harry Potter World:
EVERYONE was buying wands.  Hogwarts scarves and wands are by far the two most popular souvenirs.  Everyone was walking around the park, waving their newly purchased wands and feeling so magically cool.  But... it'd be awesome if they had an attraction that USED your wand!  How cool would it be to have a "Charms Classroom Experience" where you get to enter a Hogwarts Charms classroom and have a 15 minute lesson on how to perform a few basic spells (Wingardium Leviosa?).  If you didn't have a wand, you could borrow one, but it might not "work properly."  The classroom could be rigged to follow with the pace of the lesson/instructor so that different magical things (floating feathers or explosions) happened throughout the lesson when students started waving their wands.

I definitely think an attraction like this is possible, and I think the park needs more of this kind of attraction.  The rides were all thrill/scary/intense rides, but we Harry Potter fans really want to feel like we're in the world J.K. Rowling created.  We want to pretend we're wizards for the day.  The thrills and roller coasters are fun, but I'd much rather experience Hogwarts firsthand.

Check tomorrow's post for another ride/attraction I wish they had at Harry Potter World...

Harry Potter World: Hogwarts Castle

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I've just returned from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and will be doing a series of posts on my experiences in Harry Potter World. I'm a big fan... and the park had a lot to live up to... I'll try not to give too much away for those of you who haven't journeyed to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But hopefully my posts will either bring back memories of your own trip or entice you to travel there yourself!
This post will highlight: 
Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Journey ride

If you head down to Harry Potter World, you have to hit the castle first. Anyone who's been there will agree with me. You avoid the long lines, you go on Forbidden Journey before eating, and you start the day with awesomeness.

There are two things I can say that Universal Studios did well: the attention to detail in the construction of the buildings and creating rides that are a thrill.

Hogwarts Castle is definitely the standout feature of the park. You can see it from anywhere in Universal Studios (it's that huge), but you don't fully appreciate the astounding detail until you get up close. From each angle you notice something different. The beauty of it is breathtaking. Below are some pictures from various angles to illustrate my point.

As you wait in line for the best HP ride in the park, Forbidden Journey, you get to walk through Hogwarts castle where you see various statues, moving portraits, and you kinda get to see some rooms in the castle. I say kinda because everything is at a distance and the employees in the park rushed you through the line. I'd recommend just slowing down and letting people pass you if you want to look because chances are you're only going to do this ride once. The portrait hall was my favorite! I recommend standing there for a bit and listening to the Hogwarts founders chat it up! Here's some pics of statues, portraits, the Sorting Hat, and the Pensieve:

Entrance to Dumbledore's Office

Hogwarts Founder statue

Dumbledore's Pensieve

Portrait Hall (with moving, talking portraits!)

The Sorting Hat

And finally, I'm not going to spoil the ride, but it is INTENSE.  If you get motion sickness, I really don't recommend going on it.  And definitely wait to get butterbeer until after the ride!  It's probably the most technologically advanced ride I've ever been on.  But Universal Studio's approach to making a Harry Potter ride was to take every scary, thrilling bit from the movies and throw it into one ride.  I wouldn't say it's very "little kid friendly."  But maybe little guys are tougher than I was back in the day...  Here's the warning sign for the ride.  The 90 minute wait time was the shortest we saw all day...

At the end of each post this week, I'm going to write about one thing I think they SHOULD have had at Wizarding World of Harry Potter but sadly they don't...  (While my brother and I waited in lines all day, we brainstormed rides and attractions we wished the park had, and came up with quite a "dream park")

One thing I wish they had at Harry Potter World:
A mine cart ride through the underground vaults at Gringotts.  The ride could begin with a line that winds though the inside of a big marble bank interior "to speak with one of the goblins and request to access your vault."  Then you hop in a mine cart and zoom through tunnels and caverns past vaults filled with Galleons and Sickles and Knuts.  Maybe a waterfall that flips you upside down...  And of course a dragon!  Seriously, this scene/location from the books begs to be made into a ride.

Check tomorrow's post for another ride/attraction I wish they had at Harry Potter World...

Harry Potter World Post Line-Up

I've returned from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  It was so amazing, and I have so much to share!  My mom is a semi-pro photographer with a big fancy camera and I've been waiting for her to sort through and upload the amazing pictures she took before I started my posts.

You'll notice I said POSTS.  As in plural.  I've decided I have too much to share (and too many amazing photographs) to just do one post.

I'll be doing a series of posts on different areas of the park:

• Hogwarts Castle & Forbidden Journey Ride
• Ollivander's Wand Shop
• The Three Broomsticks
• Hogsmeade Village and Shops

I'll try not to give too much away for those of you who haven't journeyed to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  But hopefully my posts will either bring back memories of your own trip or entice you to travel there yourself!

Here's two teaser pictures:

View of Hogwarts Castle with the Winged Boars in front

Me with my brothers in front of the Hogwarts Express!

MIA: Going to Harry Potter World

I'm going to be missing from the blogosphere for the next week because I'm going to Harry Potter World in Orlando, Florida!!!  I'm stoked.  I've been bugging my family to go since it opened and we're finally doing it (and a week before my birthday, how awesome is that?!?!)  My grandparents also live down in Florida during the winter and I'll get to spend some quality time with them, too.  Plus, 80 degree weather is way better than 20 degree weather. I am definitely going to need it, because this week I'm working two 14-hour workdays because of parent conferences.

So I won't be around much.  All I'll have is my iPhone for internet access.

I'm excusing myself from writing this week, which hopefully means I'll knock a few books out and post some reviews when I get back.

And I'll definitely have pics and a full review of Harry Potter World!  Wheeeee!

Anyone been to HP World already and have some tips to share?

Writing Resolution: Week 6

My New Year's Resolution was to write. Preferably for a novel, but any creative writing will suffice. I must have my butt in my chair behind my desk for two hours each night to write. The time frame I set up was from 6-8pm Monday through Friday. Weekly posts will report on my progress and keep me on track!

Week Six Results:
Did I write all five days for two hours? YES
Word count for the week = 2079 words

What I Learned This Week:

1. My word count is up from last week.  I was less stressed out and my creativity wasn't blocked by worries.  Woo hoo!
2. I wrote a fight scene!  Kicking, choking, and clawing all ending in fire and flames.  I think I'll have to go back and add some more setting details to help ground the action further, but it was a tough scene to write and I'm glad I got it done!  
3. I also tried writing a practice query letter for my work-in-progress now that I am beginning to have a more solid idea of my story.  Obviously it will go under a lot more revision before it is used, but it was a good little exercise and helped me get excited about the core of my story.

Anyone have any good tips for writing a fight scene?
How was your writing week?

A Major Dilemma: Where to get Books

Normally I do a "Behind the Story" post on Thursdays, but I think this is much more important.  Anyone who cares about books should read this article regarding the publishing industry: Publishing Ecosystem on the Brink: the Backstory.

I really do recommend reading the whole article (it's not terribly long).  But it essentially discusses how Amazon has been bullying all booksellers (both Indie and chains) as well as publishers (both Indie and the Big Six).  It also details how Amazon becoming a monopoly would be a very bad thing for new authors.  (I also did a post earlier in the year when Borders closed and discussed why brick and mortar stores are important.)

I already felt confused regarding where to get my books, and now after reading this article, I just feel even more confused.

Here are my options when it comes to buying books:

Amazon via my Kindle: I adore my Kindle.  I've had one for three years now, and it's convenience is unmatched.  But I obviously feel a huge sense of guilt for two reasons.  One, every time I buy an eBook, I'm taking money away from traditional book sale and traditional book stores.  Two, I now know that Amazon is a bully, and I don't like bullies.  But I love my Kindle!  *super duper sad face*

Indie Bookstores: This is my favorite place to buy books because I know I'm supporting great people.  My favorite Indie Bookstore is Browseabout Books in Rehoboth, Delaware.  But I don't live in Delaware, and I only go there maybe 5 times a year.  I always make a point of buying a stack of books when I'm in town, but it's not local.  I've yet to find an Indie Bookstore in my area to frequent.  And then there's the fact that Indie Bookstores may not always carry the book you're looking for.

Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million: These are the two chain bookstores that I have in my area.  I used to frequent Borders, and that was my favorite.  But obviously that is no longer an option.  BAM is cool.  I'm just getting to know them now that Borders is gone.  I was super impressed with how well stocked they were and bought a chunk of my Christmas gifts there.  I've never been as big a fan of B&N.  I frequently can't find the books I'm looking for, and the store that's near me is always crowded and terrible for browsing.  But now that I realize they are Amazon's big contender and possibly the hope of brick and mortar book stores, I feel a lot of pressure to support them and do some of my purchasing there.  Then again, I also don't have space in my tiny place to store tons of books... eBooks are more convenient.

The Library: Another fantastic option.  Libraries are fantastic.  Librarians are some seriously cool people.  And free books are a gift.  But popular books often have wait lists, and then there's the whole date due back thing.  I can't read books at my leisure.  And sometimes I want to own a book.

So when it all comes down to it, I feel like I'm being pulled in so many different directions when it comes to where I get my books.  
Do I go with what's cheap?
Do I go with what's easy?
Do I go with who I want to support?
Do I really have the strength (and wallet) to boycott Amazon?  I don't know if I do.  I just got a new Kindle, and I love it.  And I'm just a poor teacher who makes diddly squat.

So complicated.  And I don't think writing this post helped firm up any resolution on where to get my books.  But maybe it helped you?

Feel free to comment.  I'd love to discuss and hear your thoughts!

And feel free to share my post or the article!

Oldie but Goodie: The Giver

Oldie but Goodie will be about books that came out over 10 years ago, but are still great reads. I wanted a way to highlight books that aren't new releases or some of the books that I read before I began blogging (but still love).

This week's Oldie but Goodie:
The Giver
by Lois Lowry
Published in 1993

Why I chose it for this week:
I have a theory... There is a glut of dystopian fiction in the YA market right now, and I think it's because of THIS book.  Many of the authors who are writing dystopian fiction right now were teens themselves when this book came out.  More than once I've seen an author list The Giver under favorite books or books that inspire them.  The Giver truly is one of the "founding fathers" of dystopian YA, and if you haven't read it, you need to.  Right now.

Summary:
In a future utopian society, humans have managed to eliminate pain and strife.  However, they've done this by converting to a "sameness" that has eliminated color, choice, and love.  Jonas receives his job assignment, a unique position where he will be given memories from before sameness.  As he sees what the world was like before, he begins to question the life he's always known.

What I Love:
This book has such depth and makes you think about, question, and appreciate the world we live in.  The concept of giving and receiving memories is such a simple but awesome idea.  I remember wishing as a kid that it were possible to give and receive memories with such vivid detail as was done in the book.

Age Appropriateness:
There are some serious topics alluded to in the book, such as abortion, euthanasia, and suicide.  When I was younger, some of this went over my head.  But going back and reading it at an older age, the heavy issues were clear.  Appropriate for most middle schoolers.  Discussion encouraged.

Bragging Rights
Two years ago, I got Lois Lowry to autograph my copy of The Giver. Will totally rank up there in most awesome moments of my life (despite the fact that it was rainy and cold and disgusting that day).

Writing Resolution: Week 5

My New Year's Resolution was to write. Preferably for a novel, but any creative writing will suffice. I must have my butt in my chair behind my desk for two hours each night to write. The time frame I set up was from 6-8pm Monday through Friday. Weekly posts will report on my progress and keep me on track!

Week Five Results:
Did I write all five days for two hours? YES
Word count for the week = 1012 words

What I Learned This Week:

1. My word count was abysmal, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  I still worked on writing stuff like plotting and research (which I don't count towards my word count because it's in notebooks, not typed). But as you probably saw Behind the Story post... this was a rough week.
2. To solve my plotting/setting issues, I did something I hadn't done before.  I kind of did little synopses for each possible plot/setting combo with what I'd do if I chose that option.  It helped because I wasn't going over it all in my head.  After doing this, I saw the pros and cons of each option and which option fit best with my overall themes.  
3. I really think stress and personal life has an impact on creativity. The reason I had such a bad week was likely due to stress at work. When you're worried and stressed about other things, it's hard to get your brain to change directions. I wonder if there's like a stress chemical hormone in the brain that has to do with blocking creativity receptors.  Hmmm.

I hope all the black of the new layout doesn't bother anyone.  I was absolutely bored of the old one, and wanted something with either typewriters or owls (as I love both).  Plus I wanted my blog and twitter to match because I'm a goober.

How was your writing week?
Do you think stress negatively impacts creativity?

Joined Twitter!

Follow @wordyhughes


I'd been waiting until I had an iPhone to join Twitter.  I'm really looking forward to connecting with bloggers and the book world in a whole new Twitterific way  ^_^


Woot Woot!  I'm trying to find everyone, so if I haven't found you, follow me and I'll follow you back!

Behind the Story: Things Blow Up

Behind the Story posts will be about what goes on behind the scenes as a writer creates their story.  I'll be writing about my own writing process and sharing any tips or advice I've discovered on my own or gathered on the topic. Hopefully both readers and writers find these posts fascinating!

This week's topic:
When Your Story Blows Up


I was really struggling with what to post about this week for Behind the Story because, quite frankly, my work on my own story has been faltering this week.  So I'll give you a recount of what issues I've come up against, and how I'm trying to go about solving them.


How a story goes kablooie (and how I'm striving to fix it):

1. Comparing my own writing to published books: Kind of inevitable if you read a lot and dream of being published, but not productive at the stage I'm in with my current project.  Why?  Because it's like comparing a newborn to a college grad.  My book baby is cute and exciting and full of possibilities, but right now all it's doing is pooping, drooling, and crying.  We haven't moved beyond the basics of life yet.  I'm just getting a grasp on the characters, setting, and plot.  A published book is like a college grad.  You've proved yourself.  You've mastered the basics plus things like theme and voice.  You went on to get accepted with your fancy query letter (college admission essay).  And you've been groomed by editors (college professors).  So I've been really cruel to myself and my project this week and have been comparing it to other great books and thinking about how under-developed it is.  I keep trying to reason with myself and telling myself if I keep working, it will get there.  But what I really need is a brilliant idea to dig me out of this hole I'm in for the week.
2. Where to set my book: My game plan was to set my book in a setting of my own creation.  I even made a map of my city with different districts.  And drew geographical features surrounding the city.  And the city has a cool name.  But now I'm second guessing my decision because I had a plot idea to use real historical references in association with my villain and what her secret society had done in the past.  I really liked this idea, but I can't see how my made-up city will mesh well with real historical references.  And so that's where I've gotten stuck.  Someone suggested I read some "alternate history" books.  I think perhaps I need to finish Westerfeld's Leviathan series.  He's a genius at world-building and this series is an alternate history, so maybe it will help me figure out the logistics of what I'm trying to do. 
3. Finding a purpose besides just "looking cool": So for the sake of protecting my ideas, I'm going to use some substitutions here.  So, my main character is going to be creating something and the villain is after her creations.  Let's say she's making "GIANT OWLS."  I kind of got the idea because I thought GIANT OWLS would be really cool in a story.  (If you haven't caught on yet... my character is not really making giant owls.  I'd just like to keep a secret what she's making.)  So, this week I got to thinking why the heck would my villain want her GIANT OWLS besides the fact they they are insanely cool and look awesome.  What does my villain want to do with these GIANT OWLS?  What could be sinister or powerful about them?  So far all I got is one kind of lame idea that conflicts with my setting again.  Darn you setting!  I chatted with my brother tonight and that kind of helped.  He had some better ideas, but I have to mull them over because they conflict with some plot details.

So my verdict from this week:

My story blew up.  It's in pieces this week and I'm at a loss for how to put it back together and make some sort of sense.  But that's why it's so important as a writer to not get too attached to what you're writing.  I realized that I am probably going to have to change how I originally saw my story going (whether it's the setting or what my villain is after).  I still have pieces to work with, and hopefully whatever I come up with will be one step closer to an end product I can be proud of.

How do you overcome writer's block?  What do you do when your story blows up?