The Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Goblet of Fire Feature - Review

Leo is just about to turn 7 years old, and it seems rather crazy to think that my little blog baby has grown up so much, and it's just as crazy to think that my blog is the same age! Over the last 7 years I have shared so much of myself and my blue eyed boy here, and I love that all of those memories are safely tucked away.

Just over a week ago we took a family visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour to experience their latest feature: The Goblet Of Fire. The Goblet Of Fire experience commenced on the 30th March 2018 and runs through to September 23rd 2018.

If like myself, you have visited more times than you can count on your fingers.... You will still go along and see so much for the first time. This was Leo's second visit, and on the run up to our visit we worked our way through the first 4 films all over again. I wanted Leo to come along and have everything in the very forefront of his mind. I wanted him to be able to recognise what he saw on screen in the studios, because after all that is what it is all about. 

It's been 2 years since Leo's first visit, it was nice to see that he had retained many of the memories he made even after all this time. The tour starts as it has always done, only this time while you are lining up in reception you can feast your eyes upon the very large Goblet of Fire that has taken up residence there.

Ok... So before I go into our most recent visit, all I am going to say is... I hope you like photos. I have so much I want to share with you, so sit back and prepare yourselves for photo spam!

You are then taken into a side room where you are shown a history of the Harry Potter series and how Potter mania was born, once this wraps you are taken into a cinema screening, and this is where the real fun begins. I never like to give to much away on this front because I will never forget that initial WOW factor I felt when I first visited... I would hate to take that away from any of you!

Just trust me, you will not be dissapointed!

Once the cinema screening wraps your first point of official set touring is within the.... *Drum Roll*.... Great Hall! This set is not to be underestimated, it is incredible. The floors are solid slabs and the attention to detail is second to none. 

You look up expecting to see a bewitched ceiling (which of course isn't there), but the rest of the room is exactly as you see it in the films. As everything is set up for The Goblet of Fire, you will find the special effects version here, and you will even get your own demonstration, so that you can witness how the cup drew the names. You will even get your own parchment to take away with Harry Potter's name on it!

Fact: There were 2 versions created of the Goblet of Fire. The original goblet was handcrafted by head prop maker Pierre Bohanna. This was crafted from one single piece of wood. A mould was then taken from the original and the special effects version was made (You can see the original goblet on the tour).

I loved that they had even set up the age line around the goblet and had the Weasley twins trying to put their own names into the cup. You could quite easily spend all your time in this one set, but your time in this room goes very quickly, as the next set of people on the tour have to come in. We moved on into the next part of the tour at this point and I was impressed to see just how different it all was to the last time I went along.

Some of the props and arrangements that have always had a place were still there, but it was nice to see that they had been refreshed or had some additional details added.

You will recognise this from the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I have always been impressed by this particular piece.

Remember when Harry Potter receives the egg from the dragon in the first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament? You will recall that Cedric Diggory gives Harry the heads up about taking the egg with him for a relaxing bath. These are the Prefect's bathroom taps complete with the multi-coloured water from the 53 spouts! 

The original Goblet Of Fire: It was carved out of one single piece of wood that was specifically chosen for its twists and knots!

In all my visits I had never come across the Philosopher's stone before, I loved this cabinet that was full of little trinkets from the films. You will even spy a Rememberall to the very back left of the below photograph!

The egg Harry retrieved from the dragon in the first Triwizard challenge.

Leo inspects the Gryffindor common room at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The magical car that almost had Harry and Ron exposed to the muggle nation in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is set up against the green screen to show it's encounter with the womping willow!

Another favourite from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Many people thought that the door to the chamber of secrets was in fact a computerised effect... But as you can see, that is not the case. It is a real work of art.

Now here is a pretty cool aspect for those of you who are really into your dark arts or have a secret (or not so secret) soft spot for the Dark Lord. Tom Riddle's grave is on display at the studio tour and it really does have to be seen to be appreciated. 

Leo really threw himself into our most recent visit to the studio, and for me that just makes me so happy. Leo can often hold himself back from experiences because he feels unsure about them, you could say that he over thinks the scenarios that he faces. This really does make me feel sad at times because I know that deep down he really does want to take part. 

He had talked about going on a broomstick against the green screen, but he didn't want to dress up. In fact it wasn't just that he didn't want to, he was going to point blank refuse. When the time came though, he slipped on his Slytherin robes (his choice of house no less), and he rode that broomstick like he was a pure blood wizard. 

And doesn't that smile speak volumes? I know it sounds crazy to be proud of your muggle son for riding a green screen broom, but on that day he overcame obstacles and stopped caring what everyone thought for a moment. At that precise moment in time he was as carefree as any other boy his age. 

With our green screen photos under our arms we moved toward the Forbidden Forest. Luke and I had both come along just before it opened to the public last year, but for Leo this was the highlight of his visit, and we hadn't even got all the way through the gates before he was telling me just how cool it was!

Now I know that Hippogriffs are entirely a creation from J.K Rowlings imagination, but seriously.. How cool is Buckbeak? Leo was convinced that he was real, and reluctantly edged closer so I could snap the picture below, all was good until Buckbeak moved his head forward, which of course caused Leo to jump right out of the way! I am still not convinced that Leo doesn't believe it was just an animatronic model...

 

Another highlight from the Forbidden Forest was the spiders... You MUST go along and see Aragog.... and prepare yourselves for a jump or two. I am absolutely gutted that I didn't capture Leo's reaction on film!

Leaving the spiders far... far behind us we made our way through to Platform 9¾. 

On our last visit this had been the absolute honey pot for Leo, but I think this time it came a close second to the Forbidden Forest. 

We tried are darndest but unfortunately we are all muggles through and through.

So instead we focused our efforts on simple muggle opportunities (maybe that is why there are so many photographs in today's blog post!).

We tried Butterbeer, and Leo decided that it is nice but the best bit is the frothy top.

And finally we made our descent from the castle, preparing ourselves to walk back into the muggle world. I may or may not have got very excited to spot the Beauxbatons carriage complete with their winged horses flying in to Hogwarts ready for the Triwizard games!

I particularly loved this shot because you can barely see the wires holding it in place. 

I will finish this post with a photo of Luke having way to much fun with the baggage trolley...

It was yet another incredible visit, we all had the most amazing time (even Luke who hates to admit it!), and we WILL be returning again. 

Disclaimer: We were invited along to the Goblet of Fire feature and provided with entry and a few other little goodies. All views and opinions expressed within this post are completely honest and my own.

Despicable Me 2 Talking Dave Soft Toy Review

Has anyone else noticed the Minion phase that has swept over the children of the nation? I am sure it isn't just me, from Despicable Me it was inevitable that these cute little yellow characters weren't going to capture the hearts of the nation. In fact for me the Minions were the only things to get me through Despicable Me 1 and 2 so I had high hopes for the film, which in my honest opinion was a bit of a flop after such a dramatic build up. 

Despite the film not living up to expectations, we still love Minions in this house. Minion Dave in particular. Leo has recently been cosying up with a Plush Talking Dave, and the play value that Leo has shown with this soft toy has actually provided more play time than I first anticipated. Leo has never really been one for cuddly toys, but then I suppose those cuddly toys weren't Minions...

Minion Dave is a nice size at 29cm tall, and he is made out of soft cuddly material. The only aspect of him that isn't cuddly are his goggles which are quite heavy. The Minion straight out of Despicable Me 2 has a variety of words and phrases that he speaks when you push his tummy. When you do push his stomach and he speaks, his eyes also light up and bulge out of his head which is a feature that Leo really enjoys.

Minion Dave has been Leo's right hand guy, and it has been rather nice seeing him take to a soft toy like he never has before. Leo has always been all about his blanket, a cot duvet that he has had since he was a baby, and even today he cannot go to bed without it. So Minion Dave has slotted in quite nicely between blanket and cuddles at bedtime, and it is not un-common to hear random Minion chatter coming from Leo's bedroom after the lights go out... If it's not Dave, then it is usually Leo shouting 'BANNANA'.

Dave requires 3 X AA batteries that come included when you purchase him and so far they seem to last rather well despite the non stop use he has had since arriving with us. Dave is currently on offer at the House of Fraser for £34.99, discounted from £39.99.

We really enjoyed Minion Dave, and it would seem that he will be heading off to sleep with Leo for some time to come.

With Christmas just around the corner, Dave could make the perfect gift to open on Christmas morning, so if you are already thinking about the big day (that isn't all that far away) keep an eye out for upcoming reviews that may help you make the all important gift selections. 

Disclaimer: We were sent a Despicable Me 2 Talking Dave Soft Toy for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are completely honest and those of Life Unexpected.

Shoes are a Girl's Best Friend: French Connection at Cloggs

In the last year I feel like I have found a part of me that had been lost, forgotten...gone. My fitness journey has really opened my eyes and in achieving goals that I always thought were out of my reach, I have found a new love for fashion, for treating myself and making more of an effort in my appearance. 

I feel better in clothes, I feel happy in what I wear. I no longer feel frumpy and fat. I was so excited about jetting off to sunnier skies at the beginning of June, I had replaced my entire wardrobe and I was ready to wear everything that I had longed to wear for such a long time. I was going to look, and I was going to feel good.

Tunisia captured my heart, and our time there went by far to quickly. From lazy pool days to full on adventures, we certainly packed a lot into our 7 days. All of my new outfits got out of the suitcase and enjoyed one or two cocktails...

I relished wearing hot pants, and felt confident in my crop tops. I wore play suits and being able to wear anything and everything I had ever thought about wearing made my hard work feel worth it, really worth it.

Of course as any girl will tell you, a big part of any outfit is her shoes. I only took two pairs of shoes with me on holiday, one pair of flip flops and a pair of beautiful wedge shoes.

My French Connection Latrice Wedges from Cloggs.

I fell in love with this pair of wedges as soon as I saw them, they go with so many different outfits that I was more than happy to take them with me on holiday as a primary pair of shoes. In fact I practically lived in these shoes while I was away, and even now I am back again they are a staple item of my every day wardrobe.

They have made appearances on the beach, for trips into town and even to the office. The shoes can be dressed up or down and really add that 'wow' factor to complete an outfit. For an evening out you can pair them with a play suit as above, or you can dress down, but still look the part in a pair of denim shorts.
 

Wedges have always been my go to shoes for over all comfort satisfaction. If you could see me attempting to walk in heels you would undoubtedly giggle. Wedges on the other hand are so comfortable, I can keep my balance and get the heel height that I crave. Everyone likes to dress up every now and again, but heels aren't for everyone, especially on a day to day basis. I couldn't imagine having to wear heels day and day out.

These wedges are a statement in my shoe collection. I have worn them all day, I even traveled in them when we flew out to Tunisia in June. They didn't let my feet down once, and I secretly relished how long they made my legs look! You have to enjoy these optical illusions right? I mean at 5ft 5 I am not tall...

The French Connection Lattice Wedges retail at £90.00 and I am sure you will agree that they are just gorgeous! They have them in a selection of other styles and I am already eyeing up  the Lata style. You can never have to many pairs of shoes right?

Disclaimer: I was sent the French Connection Lattice Wedges for the purpose of this post. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

The Mirage Beach Hotel Review - Hammamet Tunisia

At the end of April we booked a family holiday, it had been a long time coming and it was something that we all needed. We had a budget that we needed to stick to but we wanted somewhere further a field than Spain, not wanting to end up in England under the sun as you seem to do in so many resorts these days. 

We wanted somewhere hot, cultured and somewhere we could really un-wind, and as I scoured the last minute deals on Thomas Cook, Tunisia was a resort that popped up on multiple occasions and really caught my eye. I clicked through to the hotels, I studied the images, imagined myself there sat around the pool, but just like Goldilocks none of them were for us. 

It was then I came to the Mirage Beach Hotel located in Hammamet, Tunisia. 

It was the price that leaped out at me first thing, drawing me in like a moth to a flame. I studied the photographs just as I had done for each of the other hotels and it looked absolutely perfect. My first instinct was to have a look on Trip Adviser at all of the reviews and see how they stood up in reality, and it was then I discovered that there was no trace of them at all. Upon further investigation I found their Facebook page, and realised that at that moment in time the hotel wasn't open. It had been closed prior to changing hands and was formally known as Club Med. This gave me a little more information to go on, and the reviews on the former hotel were super. I was adamant that this is where I was going on holiday.

We booked and the holiday count down began. Before I knew it the day had arrived and we were crossing the patchwork sky to Tunisia. We arrived around 1am and were promptly checked in, the staff from the very get go were superb and couldn't do enough for you. We were issued with our all inclusive bands, and shown to our room where they set out a big basket of fruit for us to enjoy. This was such a lovely touch for us as we were ravenous from all the travelling, So before going to bed we all indulged in the nectarines and peaches. 

The housekeeping team had turned all of our towels into marvelous creations and that really brightened Leo's very first night. 

The Room

We opted for a family bungalow within the hotel grounds, it was situated a short walk from the main complex which was fantastic for us.  The bungalow consisted of a living room with two sofa beds in, they were all ready to be used which was great at gone 1am when we just wanted to get Leo straight into bed. Going through from the lounge there was a toilet and additional shower room with sink on the left hand side, going to the end of the corridor was the main bedroom. 

The rooms all come with air conditioning as standard, ours didn't seem to work for the most part but with the temperature in June being average it wasn't something that we missed. I am sure if we had mentioned it at reception there would have been a resolution, but like I say this wasn't something that effected our stay.

The room was comfortable and suited us perfectly for our needs, we all slept beautifully and recharged ready for another day of adventure. The only things that I would have liked to see in the room were tea and coffee making facilities and perhaps a mini fridge to keep a few bits and pieces in, being all inclusive however they weren't essential items as there was always somewhere to get a beverage or something to eat.

Although the hotel has been refurbished it's apparent that the money has been spent within the hotel rather than on the rooms. The rooms are a little tired, ours came equipped with a hand held shower head, but that for us was no issue at all, the rooms are clean and adequate. In fact I loved our room, and cannot wait to re-book for the next few months time. 

The Mirage Beach Hotel

This hotel was heaven for us, we had the most amazing time. From the 3 available pool choices that all feature different depths, to the beautiful beach that was right on the doorstep, to the absolutely FANTASTIC entertainment team. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and would go out of their way to make sure you enjoyed your time there.

With the hotel only being open a month before we visited, there weren't many other guests. This for us was just incredible. We could float around the pool, lounge on the sunbeds and let Leo enjoy himself as loudly as he wanted without having to worry about to many other people. In fact because of this it meant that the guests all formed a community and by the end of the holiday I felt like we had made so many new friends.

The entertainment team really did help make our holiday, they engaged with everyone, and even if you are like me and don't usually get involved, you will by the end of your time there have danced with the amazing dancers (They can all move!) taken part in water gym, practiced your archery or even played volley ball on the beach.

The evening shows cannot be missed, they will make you laugh like you have never laughed before, and you will be amazed by just how talented the team are. They even persuaded Luke to dress up as a lady and rollie pollie across the stage, Leo couldn't believe his eyes, and for that matter neither could I...

Make sure you check out the entertainment soundtrack and learn the moves, they will insist you join in!

All Inclusive

I think sometimes booking an all inclusive deal can be a little worrying, but Leo, Luke and I were really impressed with the food presented to us each day. There was absolutely something for everybody, even Leo who is the fussiest eater imaginable. From Omelettes and cooked breakfasts to pastries and fruit for breakfast, to pasta, salads, pizza and fresh fruits for lunch, to traditional cuisine, lasagnas, meats and fish to the tastiest puddings...

The chef in the restaurant was so kind, and by the end of the holiday he was putting up plates of the food he rated the best for us. He was right and really did look after us all. You should have seen the fresh chips portion he plated up for Leo on a nightly basis...

Do not miss the Crepe chef in the bar when it comes to your afternoon snack. They are delicious, and just reminiscing has my mouth watering..

Within the all inclusive package you are provided with breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks (excluding the well known brands) and snacks. If you want ice cream from the bar this comes at an additional cost.

Over all

We had the most fantastic time and the week went by far to quickly. I needed another week, but then that may not have been long enough. We were completely spoiled by everyone who worked there, to the destination it's self. It's not everyday you have such a beautiful hotel all to yourself and the friendliest community right around you. I was sad to go home after such an amazing week, so many people to say goodbye to, so many things I still wanted to do. 

So with those feelings still at the very pit of my stomach, I am determined to go back. I intend to visit again in September this year to catch some more sunshine and make many more memories to go hand in hand with the ones we have already made.

If you are in any doubt about booking the Mirage Beach, push them aside. You will absolutely love this place.

Disclaimer: I have not been compensated for this post. We booked our own personal holiday there in June and these are my own honest views and opinions.