Sacre Bleu! Invaders!

The Beast's castle is underway and looking mah-vehlous for the 2012 opening. Can't wait!

Darth Vader does Disney

Guess what?

Disney's Star Tours is now up and running. Did they alert the public with an ad showing kids playing in the ride, or demonstrate how fun the new refurbishments are now that they are (completely?) changed?

That would be nice, except this is Disney.

The result? Darth Vader goes and spends a day at Disneyland!

Irish SPF

It's finally summer. To many, this means soaking up the sun, walking outdoors without worry of massive amounts of sunscreen, or spending time outdoors without consequences. To those of us that have skin that will resemble a lobster without proper protection, it means the time has come to smell like a cheap coconut tree.

The battle between Mother Nature continues...

Sun: 2
Meg: 0

I think the only step to take would be those Banana Boat butlers with the umbrellas. Think I can craigslist them?

Harry Freakin' Potter

Orlando has many different attractions to offer tourists: Sea World, Busch Gardens, Universal, Disney, and countless others. It's a challenge to check everything off the "must see" list, whether the Orlando vacation is six days or (in my case) six months.

I didn't have a chance to see Universal when I was part of the College Program. I have wanted to go to Orlando's Universal Studios for a few years now, having only been there once as a child. Since it has been more than a decade between visits, I really can't remember anything about Universal except for the Jaws ride (and no one wants that as their only theme park memory!)

When the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened, I thought it was high time, and my duty as an Orlando civilian, to pay Harry and his gang a visit.

Was it worth the wait?
Yes.

Was it everything I could have wanted and more?
Yes (though I wish there was actually room in the shops to move around let alone breathe!)

Was the butterbeer wonderfully amazing?
Ohhhh yes.

Harry Potter is the new reason to visit Universal. As soon as the park opened at 8 a.m. we bolted in the direction of Hogwarts' magical spires, along with the countless others with the same idea in mind. We visited the ride inside Hogwarts first, where the wait time jumped from 40 minutes to 80 minutes. The interior of the castle was absolutely incredible, with an attention to detail that would make J.K. Rowling smile with pride.

We attempted to walk through the Hogsmeade shops, but between the frowning cast members and swarms of tour groups with color coded shirts, the shops were stifling and overcrowded at best. Despite this, it was still a magical experience to feel transported to Hogwarts. I would recommend going straight to the Harry Potter castle ride first, followed by the Flight of the Hippogriff, and topped off with a glass of Butterbeer while strolling the shops. If there is sweltering heat (as we experienced) or rain, don't expect to find shelter inside.

If you have a chance, grab an ice-cold Butterbeer, climb aboard Platform Nine and Three Quarters and pay a visit to Harry Freakin' Potter!

I Would Walk 500 Miles

Or maybe I would just drive the 1, 200 miles to Orlando.

Still, 20 hours, six states, and many cramped muscles later, we made it! My mom and I drove in record time with the help of Belle (the car) and Gaston (the GPS). We were greeted late Sunday afternoon with a bristling temperature of 101.

Welcome to Florida!