Universal Studios!

The day we went to Universal Studios was very cold!! Not like winter at home or anything, just cold enough that the girls were very happy to have the toques that Mike bought in one of the Harry Potter shops.  

Again we headed straight for the Harry Potter section, which in this case was Diagon Alley.  It's really quite incredible how they constructed the whole thing.  As in the book, you have to go through an unmarked wall to get there. There aren't even signs as you would expect in a theme park.  Once you pass through the wall (really just around a corner) at King's Cross station, you are there.  The large dragon on top of Gringott's bank breathes fire apparently, but after standing for a long time without seeing any action we gave up.  

There is one ride in Diagon Alley, which is called "The Escape from Gringott's".  Rose was able to go on this one but didn't want to, so Grandma sat with Rose and Henry in the Child swap area while Mike and I rode with Paige.  This ride is really incredible, even the queue with the realistic looking Goblin's as the bank teller's on the main floor.  At the back of the bank you begin to head into the basement of the bank and eventually take an "elevator" deep into the vault.  Even for someone not riding, like Grandma Val, the experience is really something.  The ride itself was so fun, and not too scary.  We begged Rose to go on it.  I can't remember if she did right away or that day, but eventually we convinced her to go on it too and she loved it.  

Because of the success of the lunch at The Three Broomsticks, this time we dined at "The Leaky Cauldron". 

We also had fun at the Simpsons's section, the animal actors show, and the transformers ride.  That ride was totally crazy, and Mike and I felt extremely nauseas after that one.  After that we were done and had to leave, saving a few things for our next park day.