Three short days ago I got back from my honeymoon in Florida where we spent the majority of our time outdoors. It’s not exactly autumnal weather down south, but it certainly still felt just as magical as our fall’s usually do. This is because we went to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios for our newlywed getaway!
I’ve always correlated Harry Potter with this time of year, so it was absolutely incredible to walk around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. We were fortunate enough to spend 3 days in the parks and it only got better as the time went on.
Our first day was filled with overwhelming excitement. Witnessing Diagon Alley for the first time, just as Harry did, brought tears to my eyes. Everywhere you looked there was something to discover and we couldn’t take enough pictures. Actually, that’s pretty much all we did that day, aside from drinking butterbeer of course.
The second day, we were just as excited, but more so to be back in a place that felt like home. Rather than everything being new to us, we were able to appreciate the finely crafted details and really enjoy the ambiance. You truly feel like you’re in another world inside the park; I can never give enough praise to those who designed that space. By the end of the day, we had completed all of our spells and just relaxed by the The Hopping Pot as if we were another pair of wizards on the street.
Finally, our third and last day within the park was a bittersweet one. Knowing this would be the last time we’d be here for years, we again just found a place to sit with our drinks for the majority of the day to soak it all in. We adored watching people practice their spells and witness others see Hogwarts for the very first time. We even saw a marriage ceremony in front of the castle! But our favorite place in the busy village of Hogsmeade was the sitting area behind The Hogs Head. It didn’t seem like many people noticed the area and you get a gorgeous view of the castle; it was perfection.
While this isn’t your typical fall outdoor adventure, it was an incredible one that I’ll never forget. This season is so much more special to me now and we are so happy to have chosen Harry Potter’s world as our honeymoon destination. While most people relax in a tropical setting, we relaxed in one of the most magical settings there is, surrounded by happiness and excitement. The rest of our stay at Portofino Bay was also beautiful, but I’ll save that for another day.
Have you had any great outdoor adventures yet this fall? If so, share in the comments!
Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in the Fall Fun Series too!
Enjoyed this so much, you two look as happy as… well, newlyweds at the Wizarding World, who could honestly be happier?
P. S. loving the butterbeer stache!
Thanks, Jay! It was so incredible and I’m wishing I had a butter beer stache right now!
That’s incredible, Michelle, what fun! Nothing but respect for the theme park honeymoon – my husband and I did two weeks in Florida for ours. 🙂 And actually, we just took a totally impromptu trip to the Magic Kingdom for a couple of days to celebrate our 13th. I haven’t been to Universal to see the Harry Potter stuff, but it’s next on the list! Looks like you had a wonderful time, glad to hear it was awesome.
That’s awesome, Sandra and congratulations on the anniversary! I was surprised by how many couples we met in the park that were also on our honeymoon. You definitely have to check out Harry Potter world, such an atmospheric place!
[…] and Pumpkin Fest, Angela Kay’s festive entertainment, and Fall Fun Series’ newcomer, Melting With Michelle’s magical honeymoon. Much respect to you Michelle, getting married and embracing a blog series had to […]
How lovely!! It looks like the kind of honeymoon I would love. My husband, daughters and I adore both of the parks at the Wizarding World. I just bought us tickets to EPCOT to see the countries decked out in their Christmas glory only to find out that Universal Studios is decorating the Harry Potter places for Christmas for the first time this year. I ALMOST cried. Almost. But maybe we can see it next year. Mickey will have to do. 🙂 Congrats again and I hope you have a blissful holiday season.