I don't know about you, but I did shed a tear when the world of Harry Potter came to an end earlier this year. The thought of knowing that I will never get the chance to read a brand new instalment of the latest adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione and their quest to defeat Voldemort brought great sadness to my heart.
In June 1997, the world of children's writing took a colossal turn for the better when the first of J K Rowling's books was released. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone became an instant bestseller - something that hasn't been witnessed since the great books of Roald Dahl. Over the course of time, the Harry Potter series has sold over 450 million books around the world and been translated into 67 languages. That's over 1.25 million words translated 67 times!!! This roaring success was also translated for the big screen as the 8 box office movies grossed $8 billion worldwide, making the Harry Potter franchise the most coveted in the world, even more successful than the James Bond and Star Wars franchises.
If you are like me and still need to have your Harry Potter fix, then you can seek comfort in the fact that a mini theme park has been designed and dedicated to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (that is the name, by the way!). Universal Studios Island of Adventures in Orlando, Florida have created a 20 acre mini theme park for all us diehard fans and recreated several famous institutes mentioned heavily in the book and movies, such as Hogsmead, the wizarding village, The Hogs Head pub and of course, the one and only Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
This summer, I was privileged enough to visit Florida and of course, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I have to say, it was incredible! If you are a massive fan like I am, then you are in for an absolute treat as the scenes you imagine when you read the books and the scenes you watch in the movies don't even compare to the feeling you get when you are standing in say, Hogwarts or Hogsmead. When you walk around and take in all the scenery, you notice how accurate every single detail is - from the fake owl droppings on the perches in the Owlery to the Butterbeer sold in the Three Broomsticks tavern. According to reports in newspapers, J K Rowling herself was sent numerous tasting samples of the infamous beverage in order to get an exact flavour!
The only sour point of the theme park, like most theme parks in America, is that if you take a family like I did, your wallet will take a serious battering as it is super expensive. If you include entrance fees, food and, of course, gifts to bring back home, then this outing can cost several hundreds of dollars for one single day. One simple way of budgeting for all of these costs is to invest in a prepaid credit card which is what I did before I left for my holidays. Costs whilst you are away with the family, especially excited children can get way out of hand, particularly in a place like the Harry Potter theme park where memorabilia such as wands, broomsticks and copious amounts of pumpkin juice are a must for small children!
I have noticed that, nowadays, a lot of British tourists carry around prepaid credit cards. Prepaid cards work similarly to credit and debit cards apart from one difference - you have to load money onto the card beforehand in order to use it. This is fantastic to take away with you as you can eliminate the risk of overspending as you can only spend what you have loaded onto the prepaid credit card.
So here's the deal - in order to purchase a prepaid card, the first thing you should do is shop around before you make your choice as there are lots of cards on the market, good ones as well as not so good ones. Once you have decided on a card, you can load it with money at various banks and Post Offices. Once you have loaded your card, you can spend away, remembering the fact that you can only spend what you have loaded on the card. Plus prepaid cards are accepted in most places where the MasterCard or Visa sign is displayed - the Hogs Head pub, for instance, where an ale will be needed after a stressful day with hyperactive kids!
In June 1997, the world of children's writing took a colossal turn for the better when the first of J K Rowling's books was released. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone became an instant bestseller - something that hasn't been witnessed since the great books of Roald Dahl. Over the course of time, the Harry Potter series has sold over 450 million books around the world and been translated into 67 languages. That's over 1.25 million words translated 67 times!!! This roaring success was also translated for the big screen as the 8 box office movies grossed $8 billion worldwide, making the Harry Potter franchise the most coveted in the world, even more successful than the James Bond and Star Wars franchises.
If you are like me and still need to have your Harry Potter fix, then you can seek comfort in the fact that a mini theme park has been designed and dedicated to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (that is the name, by the way!). Universal Studios Island of Adventures in Orlando, Florida have created a 20 acre mini theme park for all us diehard fans and recreated several famous institutes mentioned heavily in the book and movies, such as Hogsmead, the wizarding village, The Hogs Head pub and of course, the one and only Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
This summer, I was privileged enough to visit Florida and of course, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I have to say, it was incredible! If you are a massive fan like I am, then you are in for an absolute treat as the scenes you imagine when you read the books and the scenes you watch in the movies don't even compare to the feeling you get when you are standing in say, Hogwarts or Hogsmead. When you walk around and take in all the scenery, you notice how accurate every single detail is - from the fake owl droppings on the perches in the Owlery to the Butterbeer sold in the Three Broomsticks tavern. According to reports in newspapers, J K Rowling herself was sent numerous tasting samples of the infamous beverage in order to get an exact flavour!
The only sour point of the theme park, like most theme parks in America, is that if you take a family like I did, your wallet will take a serious battering as it is super expensive. If you include entrance fees, food and, of course, gifts to bring back home, then this outing can cost several hundreds of dollars for one single day. One simple way of budgeting for all of these costs is to invest in a prepaid credit card which is what I did before I left for my holidays. Costs whilst you are away with the family, especially excited children can get way out of hand, particularly in a place like the Harry Potter theme park where memorabilia such as wands, broomsticks and copious amounts of pumpkin juice are a must for small children!
I have noticed that, nowadays, a lot of British tourists carry around prepaid credit cards. Prepaid cards work similarly to credit and debit cards apart from one difference - you have to load money onto the card beforehand in order to use it. This is fantastic to take away with you as you can eliminate the risk of overspending as you can only spend what you have loaded onto the prepaid credit card.
So here's the deal - in order to purchase a prepaid card, the first thing you should do is shop around before you make your choice as there are lots of cards on the market, good ones as well as not so good ones. Once you have decided on a card, you can load it with money at various banks and Post Offices. Once you have loaded your card, you can spend away, remembering the fact that you can only spend what you have loaded on the card. Plus prepaid cards are accepted in most places where the MasterCard or Visa sign is displayed - the Hogs Head pub, for instance, where an ale will be needed after a stressful day with hyperactive kids!
About the Author:
This author is a consumer products researcher, focusing in bank cards and personal finance. He suggests reading a free thirty six page guide called the 'Essential Guide To Your Money'. For more information, visit the prepaid card website.