Just a quick report - really backed up with work for the last and next couple days so Im sure it will take a couple of days for me to catch up with the board, but we DID get out there for an all-day soft yesterday.
It was GREAT to finally see the main walls (in front of the main enterance) down completely, the enterance looks fantastic with a full view instead of a gate and wooden/black wall up.
My youngest daughter got picked in Olivanders, and today is still running around with her wand trying to "create magic". Lunch FINALLY in the 3 broomsticks: fish was tasty and very lite, Shepards Pie was just OK, I like our family recipe better myself, but if youre not familiar with it you will most likely enjoy it. Picked up a new "supply" of pumpkin juice and cauldron cakes, so my dessert menu in the fridge is re-stocked.
Saw one piece of new merch that I hadnt seen before - Rita Skeeters quill and notebook - 24 bucks. They have restocked the brooms, stamps, etc, so thats good. Still no word on the three missing wand types in Olivanders, they are still awaiting approval. But we did find out that one of the new merch things they are waiting on approval is the Exendable Ears - this was straight from a store manager - so theres lots of merch still in the works.
Mauraders maps (which are the same as the Noble Collection) have been selling out so fast at the 65.00 price that they are planning on raising the price by 20 dollars TODAY - again straight from a merch manager. So prices are still in flux as they are finding out what daily supply and demand will bear - so watch yourselves when purchasing! LOL.
Hogsmeade and Hogwarts AT NIGHT is a SIGHT NOT TO ME MISSED! (I have been waiting to see it all lit up!) They kept the area open until park close (except for FJ - it closed about 4:30) but all the shoppes and shows were still running. Great evening (actually great day) as the park was suprisingly NOT crowded (even spidey and JP were walk-ons nearly all day - I think it was because of the concert in the other park last night), HG and DC never got above 15-20 minute wait even after FJ was shut down, and the conductor was wandering the streets all evening all over the village - we ran into him nearly everywhere in the last 2 hours of the night.
As I said it was suprisingly not crowded yesterday - we actually were able to bring the stroller into the shops last night (and if youve been in there, you are well aware how few people were in the shoppes last night after 830PM then - cause even with the shoppes empty it is still tight in there).
Again - lit up and at night, this place REALLY comes to life and is truly magical, and with loss of view of the show building, etc in the evening you really feel immersed in the land. The train and castle look totally different at night - with the show lights on: really makes them seem and feel real!
Lots of painters and touch up people around all evening in Hogsmeade, as well as Seuss Landing having a crew of painters working around the playground and Green Eggs area, so they are busy getting things ready for opening. Felt bad for the painters in the 95 degree heat, but at least with the humidity being low for a change in Fl, it wasnt a muggy heat.
Lots of stages set up in the area now, and they erected a giant video screen right at the lake as you enter the park, and a stage - they were showing clips of HP movies and ads for WWoHP on it, looks like that will be semi-permenant at least through the opening: funny seeing the crowds gathering to watch these commercials and movie clips standing around, I wondered how many of them didnt even realize the land was wide open for them to experience just around the corner!
I took a LOT of pics yesterday, especially at night, but again with work restraints it will take me a couple of days to get them posted and to answer many questions again, so bear with me - ill be back!