It has been 14 years since our last trip to Universal. We were reaquainted with some family favorites, and introduced to some new things. Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley both blew me away with their attention to detail, which brought you into that experience in a profound way. It was sad to see attractions like Jaws and Back To The Future no longer there, but time moves on and new things come along.

One thing that struck me is how words become real and tactile at these parks. Movies are great at bringing you into a world; but when that world is built for “real” and you get to walk about in it, then it’s a story that you get to be a part of. You see people from all walks of life coming together in a common interest, which is heartwarming; together, we are there just to have an experience that will go with us into the future.

I was glad to be there with Laura, who did a great job in making this thing happen. We had a blast at Cabana Bay Resort, The City Walk, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. I flew for the first time in 25 years on Allegiant Airlines, who provided great service. This vacation came at the right time – it brought us closer together, and helped us reconnect with each other and with our shared interests.