Gone with the Family

Potted Potter - A Perfect Parody

Katie, Emma and I attended a performance of Potted Potter at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto last evening that was one of the funniest things that I have seen in the theatre in a long time.  Arriving in Toronto direct from London's West End, Potted Potter is an unauthorized parody of the Harry Potter series written and performed by British actors Dan Clarkson & Jeff Turner.

A Day at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

 

Our family's obsession with Harry Potter goes back a lot of years.  I think Katie was about 6 years old when I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to her, carefully editing as I read to take out any bits that I thought might be too scary.  As each new book was released we would buy it straightaway and I would read it aloud to her even though she was, by then, quite capable of reading it herself.  After reading the book together she would then immediately re-read it herself multiple times.  The theatre release of each movie was eagerly anticipated and then watched countless times on DVD.  Rarely a day would go by in our home without some discussion about Harry Potter and his friends.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - An 8 Year-Old's View

Emma in front of Hogwarts at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

  

Our family recently visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.  My husband and Katie had visited 16 months earlier, however, it was a first-time experience for Emma and I.  Katie was excited to learn about her return trip and immediately started bugging me about going on the park's signature ride, The Forbidden Journey, with her.  I don't do roller-coasters so I wasn't sure whether or not I would but the one thing that I was certain of was that Emma would not be going on that ride.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

This is a guest post by my 14 year old daughter, Katie, who went on a father/daughter trip to Universal Studio's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter last Labour Day weekend.

 

 

 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a one of a kind park that is located in Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.  It is an immersive experience that allows guests to step into the magical world of Harry Potter.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a Harry Potter fan's dream come true - a chance to enter the world of Harry Potter and experience things they have been reading about and watching on screen for more than a decade.  The design of the park is phenomenal.  From the snow-covered rooftops of Hogsmeade Village to the details in the shop windows - the park honestly feels like you are standing in a scene from the books. 

At the Corner of Harry Potter Blvd. and Hogwarts Way

On July 12th the Canadian premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was held at the Scotiabank Theatre in the heart of the entertainment district in downtown Toronto.  On a typical day this theatre is located at the corner of Richmond and John Streets however, as a tribute to the Harry Potter phenomenon, Toronto City Council renamed the streets Harry Potter Boulevard and Hogwarts Way for the day.  Although we weren't able to obtain tickets for the screening, I agreed to take my daughter to the city on the train and accompany her and a friend to wait in the crowds outside the theatre. 

Dreaming of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The buzz leading up to the July 15th release of the final Harry Potter film this week has at least one member of our household so excited that it has rendered her incapable of having a thought or a dream about anything else.  My teenage daughter, Katie, has been a fan of the Harry Potter franchise for many years and with the theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2  just days away her interest, like that of many other Harry Potter fans, is bordering on obsession.  Fortunately, we have been able to indulge this interest in the past year and a half by taking her to visit some Harry Potter attractions in Canada, the U.S. and in England.  Rather than satisfying her, however, these trips have just left her dreaming of more.

London Taxi Tours - Harry Potter

My daughter, Katie, is a Harry Potter fanatic so when we began to plan our itinerary for London last year it was very important to her to see some of the locations that she would recognize from the movie franchise.  I began searching on line for Harry Potter tours and Katie and I selected  London Taxi Tours which had a range of tours available to choose from.  Despite some reservations on my part, we chose a 13 hour tour that included movie locations in Lacock, Oxford and London as well as a stop at Stonehenge.  (I was actually quite pleased about the visit to Stonehenge as I had always wanted to see it and I'm not sure that I could have talked my family into a trip out of London for that purpose alone.)   

Harry Potter Exhibition at Discovery Times Square

On April 5th, 2011 the Harry Potter Exhibition opened at Discovery Times Square (www.discoverytsx.com) in New York City on its final North American stop (mere days AFTER we had visited NYC for spring break).  Discovery Times Square which bills itself as "more than a museum" is New York's first large-scale exhibition center.  It is a vast space which once housed the New York Times printing presses and is located on W. 44th between Broadway and 8th.

Visiting Hogwarts - aka Alnwick Castle

Here's a place that my kids would love to visit.  Alnwick Castle is located in the historic market town of Alnwick in the northeast of England about 450 km from London and is instantly recognizable as Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter movies.  Alnwick Castle was built as a medieval fortress and has been the home of the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309.  Today it is the second largest inhabited castle in England as it is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and their family.