Easter Saturday was spent at Island's of Adventure. We decided to get there by heading in to Universal Studios and catching the Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross Station in Diagon Alley. This would take us into Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure. What a great start to an adventure... platform 9 3/4 even had the famous wall to walk through... if you didn't catch the video I linked to at the time, have a look here from 25 seconds in! Brilliant!  

The Hogwarts Express was a great experience in itself, a video screen in the windows and special effects on the doors into the carriages really made us feel as if we were heading to Hogwarts... such clever technology. 

DSCF9546 DSCF9552 We weren't disappointed when we got to Hogsmeade either, it looked amazing. Slightly bizarre to be looking at snow topped houses on a scorching hot day though!

  DSCF9553 DSCF9555 DSCF9558

The first and only time I managed to convince Kitty and Henry to pose with a character... they were having none of standing with Mickey Mouse or his friends! ​ DSCF9563 H DSCF9564

Hogwarts itself was a huge imposing structure towering high above Hogsmeade on a mountain of rocks... it looked amazing! DSCF9565 DSCF9566

This is the family friendly rollercoaster, 'Ride of the Hippogriff'. Not a patch on the rather awesome 'Dragon Challenge', which we loved, but still fun!

DSCF9568

I loved those chimneys! DSCF9570 DSCF9571 DSCF9574 DSCF9575 DSCF9577 No detail was spared in this place. Children could buy a wand in 'Ollivanders', just like Harry Potter, and then wave it at the assorted shop windows to watch something magical happen in each!

DSCF9578

DSCF9581 DSCF9584

Hogwarts dominating the blue sky!

 ​ DSCF9585

Refillable drinks cups - a great idea and very popular with the children who could choose from about a hundred flavoured drinks! (all very healthy of course!)

DSCF9588 DSCF9591

After exploring the 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' we headed to ​'Toon Lagoon'. This area was amazingly colourful! DSCF9592

At a later date we got extremely wet on this ride!

​ DSCF9593 DSCF9595

No comment!

DSCF9597 DSCF9599

'The Hulk' roller coaster - one of our favourites of all the parks! DSCF9600 DSCF9603

Dr Doom's Fearfall... the one ride that scared me more than any other! I sat on the seat really wishing I'd chosen not to partake... but in the end it wasn't as bad as I had feared! Why do we do these things to ourselves?! DSCF9604 DSCF9605 DSCF9607 DSCF9610 DSCF9612 DSCF9613

Next into 'Seuss Landing'... in keeping with the famous stories this place was full of colour too!   DSCF9614 DSCF9616 DSCF9617 DSCF9619 DSCF9621 DSCF9623 DSCF9624 DSCF9625 DSCF9629

I really should give up trying to get a good photo of these two! DSCF9636 DSCF9644 DSCF9650

Just to satisfy the reflection addict in me...!

DSCF9656 DSCF9660

Another long day reaches its conclusion as we race back to our hotel shuttle as the light fades... DSCF9664 DSCF9666 DSCF9667 DSCF9671

Wish I'd had my tripod with me for this bit! DSCF9673 DSCF9679 DSCF9681 DSCF9682 DSCF9686 DSCF9691

Another great adventure done and dusted!