It was an amazing day. The butterbeer was perfect. All three of us got chosen for wand fittings (*gasp*) and we learned a password that got us to the front of the line on a ride with an 80 minute wait time.
I am very grateful for all these experiences, believe me. But something struck me about the way the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is being marketed--and I'm not sure I agree with all the choices.
For starters--no bookstore. No. Books. Well, except for a teeny tiny shelf in Filch's Emporium (perhaps they should re-think that name?).
The only thing resembling a bookstore was a false front, with nothing on the inside. The people at Universal Studios could make a *killing* on book sales this way. And speaking of false fronts...
There were way too many--the externals were fantastic...but the stores were Tom Thumb tiny on the inside. Especially Zonko's--I've had cubicles with more width.
And then I realized why--they are marketing this land to kids, without remembering the whole slew of adults that read these books too. I mean, there's the Hog's Head and the Three Broomsticks, which were great...but most everything else was reserved for those 12 and under.
I'm not saying that it wasn't worth it, by any means--it was a beautiful day, especially at Ollivander's (which really is something to see). But with the technology at their disposal, I'm wondering why Universal isn't pulling all the stops with their Harry Potter experience regarding Hogsmeade. Hogwarts, by comparison, was completely majestic and even had some hologram technology to make the figures in the paintings move:
Perhaps it is a money thing--the best sights and experiences are reserved for those willing to fork over the most cash. I don't know. Regardless, it is a wonderful experience, and despite all the above, I highly recommend it.
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