Universal Studios

We have gone to DisneyWorld every time we go to Florida to see Aunt Dolly and my cousins there. For this latest trip, we decided to forego Disney and see Universal instead, mainly because we wanted to see the Harry Potter villages they created in the two Universal parks.

The Harry Potter streets were filled with all of the stores and shops written about in the books, but not all of them were open for business. Most of the shops were empty, with just displays in the windows but no shopkeepers to talk to or merchandise to buy. The souvenirs were mostly wands (very expensive for plastic made in China), Hogwarts robes, scarves, and keychains, Butter Beer (very sweet but delicious) and Pumpkin Juice (we didn't try that because of the reactions from people who tasted it).

And shame on Universal..... there are two Harry Potter villages, one in each park. So they are forcing you to pay admission to both parks if you want the full HP experience. You take the Hogwarts train to get from one park to the other, and the train ride is fun but you don't see the outside world when you're on the train. There are scenes and sounds from the HP films showing on the train windows as you ride along.

We quickly saw the HP attractions, ate in the restaurants mentioned in the books, and walked around each of the parks. We paid for tickets for two days' worth of both Universal parks, but by nightfall of the first day, we had seen everything worth seeing. We bypassed all the extreme rides, enjoyed the colorful and joyous Dr. Seuss village, and wished for a better and fuller experience in the Harry Potter villages.

Now that we have seen the Harry Potter displays at Universal, I would not go back to those parks. Disney would have done justice to HP and J.K. Rowling, I'm sure. And Universal could take a lesson or two from the Disney parks concerning cleanliness and maintenance. Disney always does it better.... at the Disney parks, everything looks brand new and just-out-of-the-box. Always. No matter how crowded they are.

Next trip to Florida, it will be a Disney destination.