One Book Two Books, Old Books New Books

Having just returned from a week-long trip to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, I’m beginning a series on the educational opportunities available at Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.  Welcome to Post #1 in that series!

How great is it that there’s a whole world at Universal Islands of Adventure devoted to a book series? Even if you don’t love Harry Potter, you must appreciate the fact that it made book releases more exciting than film releases. Just knowing that kids were rushing to book stores to pick up the next book in the series made my English teacher heart grow three sizes.  But wait–was that a Dr. Seuss reference? I think it was! And, in fact, there’s more to Islands of Adventure than just the Wizarding World (though the Wizarding World is pretty awesome–but more on that later!)

My husband at the entrance to Seuss Landing

Seuss Landing is a great place to take younger children to introduce the to the world of Seuss–or to enhance an already-formed love of all things rhyming and wild.  The Cat in the Hat ride is an actual journey through the book itself, much like the Winnie the Pooh ride in Disney’s Fantasyland.

But there’s more to Seuss Landing than just the famous cat.  You can ride the Carou-Seuss-al, a fanciful carousel where there are no straight lines to be found.  What a great place for a quick geometry lesson–after all, the closest distance between any two points is a straight line.  Good luck finding one here!

Me and my husband on the Carou-Seuss-al!

Or you can pose for a photo opportunity with my favorite environmentalist, the Lorax, while taking a moment to discuss all of the amazing things trees provide.  Hey son–enjoying that air you are breathing?  Thank a tree!

Yes, there’s lots to be learned in Islands of Adventure’s Seuss Landing.  But what you’ll probably do upon arrival is run past it on your way to the Wizarding World.  Don’t worry–there’s lots to learn there, too.

Up next–What the Wizarding World can teach us, learning a literary term in Universal Studios, and finding an Italian fishing village in central Florida.

If you’d like to read about the non-educational details of my trip, check out my traditional travel blog, Blog on the Run.  Thanks for visiting!