I will. my to-read list has gotten out of control while reading these books. Lots of stuff I want to get to, that Ive put on hold. I'll come back itt when I read it. Maybe if Im in the mood I'll do a running thoughts during Fantastic Beasts too.
Theres no need to avoid this thread because you haven't read cursed child. 1. It's really never really bumped anymore unless jk does an interview that reveals something and 2 we never discuss cursed child anymore. It's treated like the SW prequels. We know it exists, but we'd rather it didn't.
Thanks for the Red Rising rec, sir, already 16 chapters in. Fun stuff. If the thread at large wants, I could introduce Truman or any of you to the fucking weirdness of HP Fanfiction. Just caught up on one of my recent favorite stories, Harry augments himself early on with blood ritual magic, matures rather early, gets pretty powerful and bucks the system, fucks a bunch of witches, gets himself into a harem-esque arrangement with Fleur and a few others, starts his own vendetta serial killer thing on old Death Eaters, etc. I don't know, guilty pleasure perhaps. I enjoy these alternative universe stories most, where a drastic switch (typically HP's first year or earlier) changes everything.
By all means, close to half the data on the internet is devoted to Harry/Draco 69ing, but it's easy to avoid once you figure out how to use the system.
Really though just check everything out. You can check it all out in a day. It's worth eating a meal in one of the places just to check them out. The details on the different things are really cool. I enjoyed the lines for rides more than the rides themselves. Hang out where they do the shows to check them out
Haven't been to the new Diagon Alley part yet, but Hogsmeade is really well done. Waiting in line for the Forbidden Journey (Hogwarts) ride is as enjoyable as the ride itself. And if the line for the wand ceremony at Olivanders is 30 min or less, it's totally worth it. In fact I'd make that the first thing you do since it's more of a show than a ride, so the line is really slow moving. And if memory serves correct, there's no cover for the line so you're just baking in the sun.
Diagon Alley is really cool too and he's right about the wand show. Definitely see it and you're just kinda in the sun so earlier is better
Buy one interactive wand. It's expensive but worth it. Also, mix some vodka or rum with the butterbeer. Makes it much better
Diagon Alley literally feels like you're in a different place once you walk in. Unreal. In addition to everything else, I recommend the ice cream shop right across from Escape From Gringotts.
yea, they did much better with Diagon Alley than they did with Hogsmeade. The interactive wand stuff is really well done. The train ride between parks is pretty cool though they lose points for it not being a real train. IMO they rushed Hogsmeade and didn't really think it out. Ex the wand experience being one small room with a 45min+ line that is entirely in the sun, the shops all being really small and cramped, etc.
Cramped shops honestly feel pretty Harry Potter immersive. The shops always looked so cramped in the movies. I do agree that diagon alley is much better than hogsmeade though
I agree to an extent. You can have a store that feels cramped but is actually large enough to fit 50+ people in it comfortably or you can have what Universal did in Hogsmeade and have stores so small they can barely fit 20 people in them at a time resulting in 20 minute lines just to walk through the joke shop on days when the park is full.
one brilliant move by Universal. Offering to trade money for paper Galleons. You know at least 20% of that money never gets spent and families walk home with a bunch of useless paper that doesn't even make a good keepsake.
I loved the pumpkin juice. Wasn't a big fan of the butterbeer as it tasted like a cream soda to me (not a fan). Also enjoyed the Hogs Head Red ale in the Hogs Head.
Hogs head ale is excellent. Universal does a great job of creating novelty beers that actually taste good.
That's right. That's actually the one I was thinking about. Love hot and frozen. Regular is my least favorite. Had the hot with breakfast at hog's head.
Couple more HP pics from Edinburgh. The Elephant House has a sign that says "The birthplace of Harry Potter" because it's where JKR wrote the series. The coffee shop looks out at the Edinburgh Castle which sits high up on some cliffs, so it's easy to see where some of the Hogwarts inspiration came from. Also, she got some of her character names from an old graveyard near the coffee shop and we were able to track down this headstone
Been listening to book 3 and Hermione is just a far better person than Harry or Ron. 1. She tells McGonagall about the Firebolt to protect Harry even though she knows Harry will be pissed. 2. Harry and Ron cut her out even though they know she was doing the right thing, and then continue to cut her out because Crookshanks "ate" Scabbers. 3. Hermione helps Hagrid prepare for Buckbeak's trial on top of her ridiculous course load. Harry and Ron forget all about it. She's just great.
She's also infinitely smarter than the two of them combined. Hermione has always been my favorite character of the three, and she's in my top 3 overall with Sirius and Lupin.
Can she change her entire body/appearance or is it just from her shoulders up? If it's the entire body/appearance, oh the possibilities...
this may be the best thing ever. cliffs. somone pulls a Truman and reads HP for the first time, but accidentally downloads a fanfic version of OotP instead of the real one.