I
arrived at Universal Studios at around half past 12 in the afternoon and to my
surprise, there was no queue. After paying 7,200 yen for the admission ticket,
I immediately made my way to the Harry Potter World timed-entry ticket kiosk. I
really had no intention of exploring USJ again because I already did so a
couple of years back before HPW came to existence. The earliest available time
was at 3 PM, which was more than okay for me. I had more than two hours to
kill.
My friend’s warning about the heat was true. I hadn’t had lunch yet, but in my mind I was wondering whether I should look for a place with good food, or somewhere I could shower. I decided against jumping into the lake, because the embarrassment was not worth it. I tried to seek refuge at Hard Rock and maybe feast on a nice juicy steak, but the lady at the exit said I would have to buy a ticket again if I wanted to come back. And so I had no choice. Shopping for souvenirs, it is then!
Many
forums would tell you that you should just buy your Harry Potter souvenirs
outside Harry Potter World, and this is not without reason. First, there are
so many people inside HPW and the shops are always full. Why would you choose
to endure such misery when almost everything you can buy outside is the same
anyway? There are a few exceptions, though. The wands classified by main
ingredient such as vine and oak seem to be only available at Ollivanders. So
are the keychains that come in fours or fives.
Overanalyzing which souvenirs to buy could only take so much of your
time. For a moment there I thought it would be nice to shop for Christmas
gifts, but I realized how useless they would be because most of the people I
would be giving them to are not really fans of the boy who lived. What are they
supposed to do with Narcissa Malfoy’s wand if they could not even Avada Kedavra
someone with it? Why exchange my Baguio broomstick for a Nimbus 2000?
I
then decided to do one lap of sightseeing, but gave up at once because the heat
was getting intolerable. I saw a diner serving Bacon Mushroom Burgers! There
were no more seats inside, but the al fresco dining area was okay anyway because it
had a roof over it. Katy Perry was Roar-ing in the speakers while Taylor Swift
was asking random people to write on her Blank Space. But it was Weezer who
described the current situation more appropriately with Island in the Sun.
With
one hour left to kill and nowhere else to go, I invaded the first establishment
I saw with the words “air-conditioned” in it. Just across the street was
Monsters Rock and Roll show, where the queue was not long and we were allowed
to sit on the carpeted floor while waiting for the show to begin. I thought I
was going to be really bored, but when Frankenstein started rocking to
Santana’s Smooth, I realized that I was enjoying more than anybody else in the
audience. Damn, am I weird?
And
then Dracula shook his moneymaker to Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca. That’s
when I started to think, what the heck? Even if we say that these Japanese kids
are that fluent in English to understand the lyrics, most of them were born
after the year 2000. How are they to relate to pop songs that came out before
that? True enough, it was the parents who came along with them who were seen clapping
and rocking to the beat. But hey, almost an hour of air-conditioned goodness!
As
the clock stroke three, I was already in line at the entrance of Harry Potter
World. There was a steady stream of people getting out, but not as many as
those trying to get in. There was always a crowd by the entrance, with people
holding timed-entry tickets for 2:50 PM still battling it out with those who
had 3 PM. Everyone eventually got in, but do not get too excited, because more
muggles are waiting for you once you get there. In fact, this is more of a muggle
attraction than a wizarding one.
The
first attraction to cross off your list is the Ford Anglia, which is almost by
the arc at the main entrance. A Korean kid already claimed it as his, posing
with his wand in true Hufflepuff fashion. I’m a Slytherin, kid. But I backed
off anyway. Harry Potter helped define my high school years. Why should I stop
it from playing a big role in this kid’s childhood? And so I just took a
picture of the kid with his picture being taken in front of the Ford Anglia.
It’s a nice photo, actually.
Once
you reach the arc is when you would realize how this is so not Hogwarts. The
multitude welcoming you would make you think as though you’ve just stepped foot
in a mall having a grand clearance sale. Muggles of all ages and sizes would be blocking
your way, and unless that attraction you’d like to snap a photo of is situated
on one of the snow-covered roofs, then good luck trying to get a clear shot.
Feel free to Avada Kedavra them with your wand, but you’d eventually be
outnumbered.
Summer
is not really the ideal time to go, what with all the muggles and the extreme
heat from the merciless sun. The atmosphere would be rife with the scent of
sweat, and the fake snow would be taunting you from the rooftops. I imagine
winter to be a more appropriate time to visit. That way, you would be able to
dress up in your favorite HP apparel and not risk dying of heatstroke. Oh
well, we’re already here. So, what attractions should be on our checklist?
The
Hogwarts Express is right by the entrance and hard to miss thanks to its
burning hot presence. A photo-op would be nice next to the luggage on the
platform, but you are not allowed to go up there unless you apparate. You would
then be seeing a lot of shops, most of them full. Imagine the Chinese tourist
infestation at every Prada or Michael Kors outlet shop you could think of and multiply it by ten.
That’s how crowded the shops are, so I suggest you no longer enter unless you
really have to buy something.
The
road then divides into two: one of them narrow and seemingly depicting Diagon
Alley; the other surrounded by more stores and dummy shops that are just there
for display. Both paths lead to a fairly large square with a stage, where I
suppose presentations are held at random times during the day. Ollivanders is
right at the corner before the castle. You might want to enter despite the
muggle invasion if you want a particular wand not available outside HPW.
You
could also exit on the other side and get a clear view of the castle by the
lake, which would be a perfect photo-op spot if the sun is not that stark
raving mad. Otherwise, you’d end up a shadow taking a selfie. It is also a good
resting spot if you could tolerate the heat, because few muggles seem keen on
loitering out there. The next stop is obviously the castle. There is a
hippogriff ride but it’s a mere roller coaster catering to kids. I doubt you
would enjoy it.
The
Harry Potter ride has been praised over and over again, and the queue getting
there is just as legendary. Think 160 minutes of waiting time! If you don’t
have the luxury of time, then just opt for the castle walk, the line for which
is shorter. Just a word of caution, though. The entrance is similar for both
attractions, which means you would be getting glares of judgment from those in
queue for the ride. Why so? Because they would be thinking that you’re cutting
in, but you’re not. Oh well, fuck them.
The
castle walk is a must because what you’d see inside is all worth it! The place
itself as well as the embellishments seem like they jumped right out of the
film! Even the moving paintings would leave you in awe, so have your cameras
ready. There are parts inside the castle where you would be walking with those
who opted for the ride, but you would be separated by railings. If you are
quick, maybe you could cut in without them noticing. Otherwise, prepare your
wand for a duel inside Hogwarts’ walls. FUN!!!
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