It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you love Harry Potter you need to check out the gorgeously detailed theme park of Harry Potter World in Orlando. It looks exactly like Hogsmeade in the movies. And it also helps that J.K. Rowling was there to supervise construction.

Obviously because there are a lot of Potterheads, the park is incredibly crowded, but when I was just there with my friends crowds started to thin at about 5 or 6 so lines were relatively short. So it’s better to go obscenely early in the morning or in the evening when things are cooler.

The park is open till about 11 so you have plenty of time to check things out while you’re not in the scalding heat. I recommend getting an express pass. When I was there my friends and I bypassed a giant line to get to the Dueling Dragons ride so that we only had to wait about 20 minutes to get on. When I say giant line, I mean the line was going down from the tall hill the ride was on to pretty much where the Hogwarts Express is stationed outside. Not to mention the inside of the caverns leading to the ride is a long path of twists and turns. So yeah, get an express pass so you don’t have to wait 2+ hours for a ride.

It’s a long walk to get to the Hogsmeade itself because it’s way at the back of the park and you have to go through pretty much all the attractions to get there. But man, it’s so worth it.

There are 3 rides in Harry Potter World. Dueling Dragons is two coasters, a Hungarian Horntail (blue) and a Chinese Fireball (red). The Chinese Fireball is a lot faster and the ride doesn’t have many loops while the Hungarian Horntail is slower but has lots of loops and turns.

The hotel you stay at may sell tickets in the lobby and you can get them for a little bit cheaper and a good bundle price versus right at the door. We got 20% Merchandise discount tickets at the big Universal store that’s near the entrance of the park so we decided to hold off shopping in the actual stores in Hogsmeade except for Honeydukes (because we wanted lots of candy!)

There’s a really short ride called Flight of the Hippogriff. It’s usually a short line, I don’t recommend waiting more than 20 minutes for it. If you’re tall, getting on it might be a mistake too. The only highlight I thought was the nice view of Hogwarts you get.

The final ride is in the Hogwarts Castle itself and lets out to a Filch’s Emporium which is the biggest gift shop in Harry Potter World and has lots of things exclusive to that shop such as a replica of the Marauder’s Map. Of course, most of the stuff you can buy in the stores you can buy online and you can also ship things back for $10. There are plenty of options for getting your souvenirs so that shouldn’t be a big concern for anyone.

DO NOT BRING A BAG IT WILL SLOW YOU DOWN AND IT WILL SUCK. There are lockers, but they can add up to be a lot more expensive than you initially expected.

If you’re not intending to go on any rides or you desperately want to take pictures, get a slim camera and put it in your pocket or set aside a day or time for shopping and pictures.

You have to try the butterbeer. There is a frozen slushie and just a cold kind. Personally, I liked the frozen kind better because the taste wasn’t as overpowering but it was still delicious. The food in the Three Broomsticks is traditional English food like shepherd’s pie, corn, and rosemary chicken. I suggest going there at least once for the ambiance. They also have drinks that aren’t offered in other areas of the park like pear cider. There is also the Hog’s Head Tavern for those who want some real beer.

All in all, spending an entire day in Hogwarts seems like it’s an easy thing to do, but after a few hours of rides and eating the only other thing there is to do is go shop. At least make sure to look at the inside of the shops, not necessarily buy anything but experience it.

If you’ve been to Disney before and have kids with you that are a little bit too old, Universal is seriously the place to be. There is more fun to be had for a wider range of people. There are lots of outlet stores and nice restaurants at the entrance of Universal that stay open pretty late

Charter Bus R Us takes you to your wildest destinations for the best prices. We have a large fleet available and we are Department of Defense approved which is no small feat.

You can call 1-888-877-5999 to talk to a live agent 24/7 or visit Charter Bus R Us to get a free quote.

If you are a fan of comic books or graphic novels, then lo and behold! There is a museum in New York where there is currently a display containing works from Will Eisner, the creater of The Spirit and helped establish the graphic novel as a form of literature. MoCCA, or The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art features illustrations from every genre such as anime, caricatures, political cartoons and of course, comic books. If you’re in New York and you’re looking for a deviation from the more well known art galleries, I definitely reccomend checking this out. Admission is only $6 and free for those under 10. Checking out MoCCA is definitely a must- do for any fan of art, comics, anime or cartoons and will appreciate the museum.

If you’re going to New York with a group of art enthusiasts or at least people being forced to take some sort of art class, you can’t miss visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art. They have a vast amount of famous paintings and photographs that you’re allowed to take pictures of, so go nuts. The Met has sponsored “free Fridays” so that’s always an idea if you want to pop in and give it a quick once around. Definitely consider checking out the Alexander McQueen exhibit if you’re up there. The dresses and outfits are sublime.

You may have heard the name before, but may not be sure of where or how. In the legendary Lady Gaga video, Alexander McQueen’s famous Lobster Claw heels were strutted around. Pay tribute to this legendary fashion designer by visiting his exhibit and bask yourself in the glory of his creativity and the legacy that will continue on inspiring fashion designers and eccentric pop artists for years to come.
The exhibit closes on August 7^th so be sure to get there and experience the art before you miss your chance.
If you have a large group of people interested in going for school, day trips, family outings or what have you, Charter Bus R Us will take you there with one of our state of the art buses.
We have a large fleet that can accommodate any group size that will fit your budget.

You can call 1-888-877-5999 to talk to a live agent 24/7 or visit Charter Bus R Us to get a free quote.

Museums to visit in NY

apemann:

Bodies…The Exhibition
Normal Entry Price: Adult: $26.50

Bronx Museum of the Arts
Normal Entry Price: Adult: $5.00

El Museo del Barrio
Normal Entry Price: Adult: $9.00

The Hispanic Society of America
Free Admission

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Donation

The MoMA

Normal Entry Price: Adult: $20.00

All of them are definitely worth the price. Especially the Bodies exhibit, though it might be a bit unsettling for those faint of heart.

Now I’m not of age to do anything interesting in Casinos (I will be in November yay) but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something to do for everyone in Atlantic City.

Before horrible flashbacks of that one time you watched Jersey Shore come rushing back to you, rest assured that not everyone who goes there is like that. There are a lot of great things to do for gamblers and non-gamblers alike.

If you’re a weirdo like me, you should definitely check out Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum on the Boardwalk. If you’re not exactly sure what to expect, it’s filled to the brim with amazing and unsettling exhibits so please be sure to check out their website and gauge whether or not it would be appropriate for your group. I am not taking any responsibility for anyone who is scarred for life! You have been warned!

If you’re looking for a little bit of a thrill, check out the Steel Pier that’s home to many fun rides and amusement park games. Also an awesome 225 foot tall slingshot ride called The Rocket. Definitely a must-go-on for any adrenaline junkie. From 0-225 ft in 1.5 seconds? Yes please.

When you get hungry, You need to check out the White House Sub Shop. They have some monstrously delicious subs. Depending on the day and the time you go the line can reach around for blocks, so if you’re deadset on eating there (as you should be) prepare for at least an hour long wait.

But it’s so worth it. Oh man is it worth it. I can smell the bread right now. Okay okay next stop.

For dinner (see now I can’t stop thinking about food. These are the after effects of having a sub from the White House). If you’re ready to indulge yourself a little bit (actually a lot), Go to Buddakan. Please, for my sake. When I went I had the best meal of my life. I had the pan seared sea bass and my dad had the grilled lamb chops. Though we both kept on stealing a little bit of each others’ food…So be sure everyone gets something different so you can share.

If you’re looking for something a little bit cheaper I suggest Dock’s Oyster House or Little Saigon Restaurant. They’re also quality picks, but Buddakan will always have a special place in my heart.

Charter Bus R Us offers multiple types of one-day trip tours. You can reserve a party bus, luxury minibus or coach bus to head up there and if you do, you will be eligible to receive charter bus service at a reduced cost as well as earning free play and free food credit at select casinos.

Whether you’re planning a bachelor/bachelorette, birthday party, family vacation or anything, Charter Bus R Us will help get you there comfortably and for an affordable price.

You can call 1-888-877-5999 to talk to a live agent 24/7 or visit Charter Bus R Us to get a free quote.

In a few weeks time, the 18th annual Otakon convention is back in Baltimore! Otakon registration ends this Saturday, so hurry up and make sure you get a ticket if you’re interested in going. Prices are a set $75 and there are no day passes. Which it totally fine because when you consider the amount of guest speakers, events and mass amount of nerds in fantastic costumes, why would you want to only be there for one day?

Your favorite voice actors and actresses from your favorite anime shows will be in attendance like Johnny Yong Bosch the voice of Vash the Stampede from Trigun (one of my favorite anime shows). Along with other heavy hitters like Atsuhiro Iwakami a producer from Aniplex who helped work on Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Here is the full guest list. 

If you’ve already gotten your ticket, good on you! But now you know the challenge isn’t in preparing what to wear or figuring out what to do, it’s getting there with all your gear in tact. 

At Charter Bus R Us we will help you get to Otakon comfortably and with enough space for all of your equipment in tact. We have a large range of buses in our fleet in many different sizes. So no matter how large or small your group is, we have a bus to cater to your needs. 

Call 1-888-877-5999 anytime for a free quote or visit our website at http://www.charterbusrus.com/.

While we may have 3 theme parks within our midst, some people may want to adventure off a little to the north and head off to indulge in the chocolate sensation that is Hershey Park.

I went there for the first time a few months ago during a company event that my friend’s father was invited to. And it was awesome.

We took a bus from Charter Bus R Us up there which made the 3 hour drive so nice and comfortable so I could catch up on some sleep. Ever notice how it’s really difficult to sleep when you’re really excited for something? Yeah, me either. I must have slept for like 12 hours before we got there.

Anyway.

I’ve been to a lot of theme parks and most of them only have maybe 5 (at most)epic rides. Not Hershey Park. There are 11 full fledged oh my god these are ungodly coasters.

There is so much to do at the park that I doubt even one full day could take care of it all. Because it definitely didn’t for us.

Upon entering the park you are greeted with a kiss. I’m sure you know where that joke is heading so I’ll just move along then.

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The Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights have both agreed to headline the 2011 Atlantic City Airshow on Wednesday, August 17. That should be reason enough to go venture off to Atlantic City for a weekend to catch a spectacular show.

It’s free admission and the even starts at 10am, so of course, make sure to get there early. 

These planes go as high at 15,000 feet and as low as 50 feet over the water. It’s sure to keep you holding your breath with antici—-pation.

photo source: atlanticcitynj.com

If you have a large group and don’t know how to get there in one piece, trust Charter Bus R Us to get you there safely and comfortably. 

You can call 1-888-877-5999 to talk to a live agent 24/7 or visit Charter Bus R Us to get a free quote and we’ll be happy to help you plan your vacation to Atlantic City!