The Harrison Family (2 adults and 2 teenage girls) from Collinsville, IL traveled to Orlando in July to experience the newly opened Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventures.  The family stayed at the Loew’s Royal Pacific which is an on-site hotel.  They really liked the convenience of walking from the parks to your room in under 10 minutes.  One night they were rather tired and took a pedicab to get back.  You just pay the driver what you feel is appropriate.  The family enjoyed the hotel and its tropical ambiance.  A nice respite from the parks.  They felt like they were on an island rather than in the middle of Orlando.  The breakfast buffet was very nice with excellent service albeit pricey.  So they also opted for the lobby bar which serves an a la carte breakfast every morning.  Jake’s American Bar got high marks for lunch and dinner.  Despite long lines for a ride or two at the parks, the family had fun exploring Diagon Alley’s shops and displays and sampling butter beer and pumpkin juice.  Daughter Rachel’s favorites were the Olivander’s Wand Experience and Nocturne Alley. They noted that Diagon Alley felt more spacious and less cramped than Hogsmeade.  The Forbidden Journey ride in Hogsmeade was great fun and the Hogswart Express train was really cool too.  The entrances and exits to the ride really made you feel like you were in an actual train station.  Following Orlando, the Harrison’s traveled to Vero Beach for a few days at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.  They said it was very relaxing (although 2 nights was not enough) with an OK restaurant.  They found plenty of other good dining options in the cute town of Vero Beach.  Overall a really fun trip!