The newly released Harry Potter movie, Deathly Hallows, has me wanting to get to Universal’s “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” theme park exhibit even more.  I had plans to go this summer but family emergencies got in the way.  I tabled plans for a while, thinking maybe next summer would be a nice time to visit, but now, with all the hubbub around the movie, I am not sure I can wait that long. 

My son has grown up right along with Harry and he’s starting to look at colleges now.  It was pouring through the Potter series that he learned to read.  My young son who had no desire to spend a minute with books was transformed by stories about Hagrid, Dumbledore, Harry and friends.  Now an Honors lit student, I see a visit to Universal as our final hurrah before my little guy is just too big to want to spend time with mom.  It’s as if he’s gone to Hogwarts right along with Harry and the gang, and is becoming an adult with them, too.  I know they're just characters in a book, but they were more than that to my son and I as we bonded before.  I'm hopeful a visit to Universal would strengthen that special bond as he grows into his own man, a character of his own.