Since I’m in Florida this week, I took a trip to Universal Studios and spent a great deal of time at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction. I’ve always been a Harry Potter fan so going to the theme park was a truly amazing experience, and inspired me in a way much different than I’ve been inspired before.

For most theme parks, you’re put into a small setting that has a lot of references to whatever that ride is based on, but you’re still aware that you’re in theme park. This was completely different; the way it’s set up is as if you’re literally in a different world.

When you’re in the town they have set up to be a part of the wizarding world, you can’t see any other parts of the theme park. No other rides, no references, no signs pointing to anything outside of Harry Potter. It’s as if you’re in the actual town from the books. They have shops and small cart vendors and places to eat and everybody is in character for all of it!

Just being there and seeing how they made it possible for people to completely immerse themselves and enjoy this world someone else created was so inspiring. They were able to bring books to life, and it made me realize that I want to be able to make something, or at least be a part of something, that can make people feel the way this did.