Should I Use Photo Key at Busch Gardens/ Sea World/ Aquatica

If you go on a lot of rides, Photo Key might be the way to go for you. You can get packages that include more than one park and it is convenient for getting your whole family in your vacation photos.

For me it wasn’t really worth buying the package.

At Aquatica I didn’t see photo ops on any of the rides and we only missed one or two. We did get our picture taken inside the main entrance. 

It was supposed to be in front of one of the animal sculptures but we weren’t lined up with it and so the background was of a crowd of people we do not know. The second place you can get pictures taken is at Roa’s Rapids. We went on this several times throughout the day as it was our favorite. A photographer showed up late in the afternoon and we tried two photographs. One had an unknown child in the front of it, the other was okay but not anything special. The photographer was standing in an area where the current is swift and there is nothing special in the background. With the foliage and water features you would think there would be a better spot to take a picture than in front of the blue and white tiles which makes it look like you are at any generic pool. I did buy the pictures so we could have them but they weren’t spectacular and it was much cheaper to buy the pictures than to buy the package. We also got three frames to go with them.

We didn’t do many rides at Busch Gardens. It was our first time there and I’m the only one who enjoys roller coasters so we spent all of our time looking at the animals. If you did the rides, the package might be of value to you. We had our picture taken just inside the entrance and I saw they were taking pictures in the bird enclosure. We went on the train and the Skyride, neither had photographs. 

We had bought the package to go feed the giraffes. You are allowed to take your camera in there but it was very crowded and so difficult to get a good picture. I did buy the package when we left – these pictures are not included in the Photo Key package. I was very disappointed with the pictures, we were in a hurry when I purchased them and didn’t realize that there were no pictures of any of us actually feeding the giraffe and the one picture that they organize  was of our family under the giraffe but we were not looking at the photographer. It was very disappointing. 

At Sea World we didn’t go the rides either – so if you do it might be worthwhile to buy the package. We did get our picture taken just inside the park and at one of the waterfalls. We tried to get our picture taken in the shark’s mouth but the system wasn’t working when we were there. That is three pictures total. 

We had signed up to do the Arctic Adventure and you are not allowed to take your cameras or phones in there – no photos allowed. The photographers here were actually very good and they got some awesome shots of our family. These photos are not included in the Photo Key either but they are for sale at the same area as all the other photos which is convenient. We really wanted the other pictures that were taken in the park and the cashier added the price of a second day of Photo Key to our Adventure photos so we could get both, which was really nice. This was the one park where I was impressed by the photographers.

Should I Use Photo Key at Busch Gardens/ Sea World/ Aquatica

If you go on a lot of rides, Photo Key might be the way to go for you. You can get packages that include more than one park and it is convenient for getting your whole family in your vacation photos.

For me it wasn’t really worth buying the package.

At Aquatica I didn’t see photo ops on any of the rides and we only missed one or two. We did get our picture taken inside the main entrance. 

It was supposed to be in front of one of the animal sculptures but we weren’t lined up with it and so the background was of a crowd of people we do not know. The second place you can get pictures taken is at Roa’s Rapids. We went on this several times throughout the day as it was our favorite. A photographer showed up late in the afternoon and we tried two photographs. One had an unknown child in the front of it, the other was okay but not anything special. The photographer was standing in an area where the current is swift and there is nothing special in the background. With the foliage and water features you would think there would be a better spot to take a picture than in front of the blue and white tiles which makes it look like you are at any generic pool. I did buy the pictures so we could have them but they weren’t spectacular and it was much cheaper to buy the pictures than to buy the package. We also got three frames to go with them.

We didn’t do many rides at Busch Gardens. It was our first time there and I’m the only one who enjoys roller coasters so we spent all of our time looking at the animals. If you did the rides, the package might be of value to you. We had our picture taken just inside the entrance and I saw they were taking pictures in the bird enclosure. We went on the train and the Skyride, neither had photographs. 

We had bought the package to go feed the giraffes. You are allowed to take your camera in there but it was very crowded and so difficult to get a good picture. I did buy the package when we left – these pictures are not included in the Photo Key package. I was very disappointed with the pictures, we were in a hurry when I purchased them and didn’t realize that there were no pictures of any of us actually feeding the giraffe and the one picture that they organize  was of our family under the giraffe but we were not looking at the photographer. It was very disappointing. 

At Sea World we didn’t go the rides either – so if you do it might be worthwhile to buy the package. We did get our picture taken just inside the park and at one of the waterfalls. We tried to get our picture taken in the shark’s mouth but the system wasn’t working when we were there. That is three pictures total. 

We had signed up to do the Arctic Adventure and you are not allowed to take your cameras or phones in there – no photos allowed. The photographers here were actually very good and they got some awesome shots of our family. These photos are not included in the Photo Key either but they are for sale at the same area as all the other photos which is convenient. We really wanted the other pictures that were taken in the park and the cashier added the price of a second day of Photo Key to our Adventure photos so we could get both, which was really nice. This was the one park where I was impressed by the photographers.

Ghostbusters

I went and saw the new Ghostbusters last night. About a month ago I watched the older ones in anticipation of this one. I must say the special effects have come a very long way. I enjoyed the movie, it kept my attention and I even felt a little creeped out in the beginning which was a pleasant surprise. I always love Melissa McCarthy but the unexpected surprise for me was Kate McKinnon. She was fabulous! I had to look her up to see if I had seen her in anything else, which I hadn’t, not really, unless you count voices. She was in both Angry Birds and Finding Dory. Nothing against the rest of the cast but she did stand out as one of the best to me. I am looking forward to what she will do in the future.

I liked that the characters in this movie were developed but they didn’t take forever to tell you who they were and there was an actual storyline. Sometimes in these types of movies it is all fight sequences and special effects but this had a little more depth than that. The dialogue was witty and well delivered. I enjoyed this movie and will probably take go again this weekend with my husband. I think teen and preteen children would also enjoy this movie, especially if they are not prone to nightmares or bothered by the supernatural. Younger children I would leave at home as some of the scenes could be frightening to them. 

The Secret Life of Pets

I went to see this with a friend because nothing else was playing. The theatre was packed with people of every age. I love it when the theatre is full and you can get everyone’s reaction. This movie was funny and cute. The entire theatre was laughing. I thought the animation was really well done in this movie and I enjoyed the jokes as much as the children. Take your kids, if you want an extra treat, eat at McDonalds first, they have the pets in their kids meals – and make a night of it!

The Legend of Tarzan

So I’ve been to see this movie twice. The first time I was with someone who enjoys movies with constant action and little story telling. I was a little worried that she wouldn’t enjoy it. Also, before we left another woman told us the acting would be horrible. She was wrong, but maybe she was just a little jealous that she wasn’t invited. Either way I went in thinking it might not be very good. We did enjoy the movie even though my friend thought there was too much background story. She did think that Alexander Skarsguård was hot and therefore worth watching. I would have to agree.

The second time I went with my daughter and husband. It was only about a week later but I enjoyed it the second time just as much. I liked the background story. I liked how Alexander Skarsguård played the part as the strong and silent type who showed more communication with the animals than people. All of the main actors did a great job in my opinion.  I was a bit distracted by Margot Robbie’s hair. It was a strange yellow/orange color – completely unnatural and out of place. Every time she came onto the screen I was thinking what on earth did they do to that woman’s hair!

I liked the relationship between Tarzan and Jane and the relationship they had with the village people. This isn’t just a fluffy love story, this movie has a plot line and deals with a serious subject matter. The scenery and jungle animals were magnificent and beautiful to see. I wouldn’t recommend this movie for really young children but your teenage children could enjoy this with you.

Peggy’s Cove, NS

                                             

A couple of weekends ago we took a day trip to Peggy’s Cove and it was absolutely beautiful. I was only there once before and I don’t remember it being that impressive because we could basically only see what was in front of us due to fog. The weather was beautiful on this day and we could see forever, what a view! Make sure you check the weather before you go on this trip.

These are a few of the pictures I took of the lighthouse its self. So beautiful. 

 

The water is very powerful here and you can see that the undertow is going in two different directions and would bash a person into the rocks with immense force if you fell in or were knocked in by a wave. For people who have not grown up near the ocean, some waves that come in are small,  most are average size but every once in a while a huge wave comes by and crashes over the rocks with much more size and force. There are lots of signs posted for people to not go on the black rocks and there have been so many stories of people dying there but despite all these warnings I saw several people venture onto the black rocks to tempt their fate. Please don't do that - you can get much better pictures away from the water. I didn't get any real  good pictures of this, unfortunately my timing was always off.

The village is quaint and very photogenic as you can see. There are several little shops selling souvenirs, artwork, jewelry and food. When you first enter there is an information building where you can get a map and info on the area and there are bathrooms there as well but be warned they are of the outhouse variety, even though you would not think it to see the beautiful building. There are bathrooms at the restaurant as well but I never thought to check to see what type they were.

 

We thought about eating at the restaurant on site but found nothing we really wanted on the menu. It wasn’t the same as I had seen online before we left. There were quite a few things that weren’t as advertised online. Such as, we couldn’t find where you could send yourself a postcard from the lighthouse. Granted I did not ask staff because it was so busy on this particular day but I did have a look around and could not see where you would do this. We had also planned to go on the Peggy's Cove Boat Tour but after asking around we discovered there was some mystery about why this company was not running - they were supposed to open in May and hadn't. There was no indication of a late start up on their website. It was very disappointing and I got the feeling the owners were not very popular in the village. Below is a picture of the on site restaurant.

We ended up going down the road several coves over to eat at a place called the Finer Diner. There were a few options on the way but my husband is a big fan of the all-day breakfast (I had seen the menu online). It was a great choice for us. We sat out on the deck which was fully covered and we had an amazing view of the cove. Further out we could watch the sailboats drift by. The service was great, always a plus and the food was good and filling as well. We really enjoyed our meal there and it was worth the drive over. I did go inside to check out the dining room and washrooms. There were large windows overlooking the water and some comfortable looking booths. I would definitely recommend this diner and I would use their bathrooms over the ones found at the information center. This is a picture of the view from our table.

If travelling from the Halifax area you can travel in a loop and not backtrack or miss even a moment of the great view. We wanted to try out High Head Walking Trail in Prospect on the way and although we had directions from online and also talked to a gentleman at one of the information booths, we could not find this trail. I even asked some of the locals who were in the area and they did not know where it was either. I was very disappointed about this as it will be years before we will go back and the pictures I saw online looked amazing. We continued on enjoying the small towns, coves and water views that we came upon.  

Just before you get to Peggy’s Cove there is another walking trail which leads to the lesser known, Polley’s cove. There is a small parking area on the side of road where a few cars can park, if it is full go on to Peggy’s Cove and come back later if you wish. The trail is as wide as a four wheeler trail at the beginning, up to an old building foundation covered in graffiti. You can see the water from here but the better thing to do is to take one of the narrow walking paths that people have created over the years to either side. Even though it was a dry time of year, some spots were still wet and boggy but mostly it was fine. These trails are not marked in any way but are fairly easy to follow. This area has the same strewn boulder look with a great view of the ocean and the waves crashing in. If you want to get off the beaten path, this is a great place to check out.

Next stop Peggy’s Cove. After exploring this area we drove in the opposite direction and found more coves, towns and water views.  The drive back was more scenic and picturesque than the drive there. We stopped in several places to take pictures. It was a great day trip, one that we will reminisce about for a very long time. We had fantastic weather the day we went but it is known to be foggy and the temperature drops near the water so make sure you are prepared and wearing layers, no matter the temperature when you leave the house.

Things I Loved about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Things I Loved About the Wizarding World of Harry Potter 

We visited Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and took the train to Hogsmead at Universal’s Island of Adventure. It really was done spectacularly and you can immerse yourself as fully into the world as you wish. We saw everything from families in full robes, girls in witchy costumes of all types and styles, an abundance of Harry Potter themed t-shirts and people dressed in full muggle attire. Our time there was truly a magical experience and I’m so glad we were able to go. These are some of the things that I loved about it, in no particular order:

Interactive wands - these are so much fun, you buy the wand you would like and use the map to cast spells on things. It is great fun but hard to get a good picture of as most of them are through windows. Trust me, it is worth it and there are two hidden ones to find as well.

People in costume - these are just the staff in costume, didn't want to post strangers in costume but trust me, it is fun to see.

The entrance to Diagon Alley

The home of Sirius Black

The Night Bus

Ministry of Magic Phone Booth

Harry Potters luggage at the train station

Disappearing through platform 9 ¾ and seeing others do it as well

Seeing costumes from the movies - there were so many more than this but difficult to get a good picture through windows, dark lighting or crowds of people.

Fred & George’s store! It is amazing inside and outside.

The names of the stores – Scribbulous, Filch’s Emporium, Olivander’s and so many more

Honeydukes

Butterbeer

Cauldron cakes - love these!

The Leaky Cauldron & Three Broomsticks - both are dark and themed well. It's hard to get pictures without having other people in them so I'll just tell you that it was a fun park of the experience. My daughter's favorite meal of our whole trip was at the Leaky Cauldron. My husband didn't like the Three Broomsticks that much as he found the chairs too small and uncomfortable.

Hagrid’s Hut

Owls

Everything you could want to buy in the wizarding world from parchment and ink to phoenix and owls, puking pasties, pumpkin pasties, chocolate wands, the ear that Fred and George use to listen in at Sirius Black’s house, every flavor beans, the time turner that Hermione uses, even the sweater Ron’s mother knitted him for Christmas.

Buckbeak – I wish you could get pictures with him

The rides – become immersed in the world. There is just one ride at Universal Studios and three at Islands of Adventure. I don't count Olivander's choosing ceremony as a ride but it is available at both places. There is also the train ride which takes you from one area to the other, which is cute but more  of a nice place to take a breather than a ride per say. 

Goblins – the whole bank area was pretty spectacular.

Everything Pumpkin

The shape of the buildings. 

The castle - loved when it snowed in the ride lineup too.

Knockturn Alley - hard to get good pictures in here as it is very dark and creepy. 

Hagrid's Motorcycle

The train

Street signs

Cornish pixies

Hogsmead

Seeing things from the movie like the pensive, diadem, the monster book, sword of Griffindor, etc. (I didn't get good pics of all of these things but it was pretty exciting to see them)

The fire breathing dragon

 

Plus all these things I didn't get pictues of and more!

I solemnly swear I am up to no good maps.

Shutterbutton – do this! It is really a fabulous souvenir. My advice is to watch a video first so you have an idea what you are supposed to be doing.

Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom.

The background music played in many locations.

Madame Malkin's.

The buggy that was pulled by thestrals to take students from the train to the castle.

The muggle car in the Dragon Challenge Ride line up – just wish it was in a spot where you could get a picture.

The employees joking around, asking if I would buy them a pumpkin pasties too and warning me to be careful with the time turner. 

Even signing my Visa slip with a quill.

Pretty much everything there is magical, you can put yourself right in the world of Harry, Ron and Hermione. This was our first trip to Universal and we spent three and a half days in the parks. If I ever returned I would only go for a day and spend the entire time between Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. There were a few rides that we liked at Universal and Islands of Adventure but they were few and far between. Don't try to do this place on a budget, enjoy every second of it, get the butterbeer and the chocolate cauldron, the frogs, the wand, the photos - do it all and make the memory of a lifetime!