Universal appeal...a must for all Harry Potter Fans

I've never been one for theme parks, especially roller coasters and white-knuckle rides. I was always happy to stand and look after the coats and bags with my mum whilst my dad and younger sister were thrown upside down on a metal wagon!

That was until I visited Universal some 10 years ago for the first time. Being a big film fan, I loved all the references to iconic movies, such as E.T., Back to the Future and Blues Brothers. Fast forward to June 2017 and I was fortunate to win a place on a VIP Educational trip to visit Universal again, experience the wizarding world of Harry Potter and to see the brand-new waterpark, Volcano Bay.

We spent five days as a guest of Universal staying at the brilliant Sapphire Falls. There’s a lovely pool area, great facilities (especially a great gym - perfect for the first two jet lagged days) and it’s just a short water taxi ride away from the entrance to the parks and city walk (Universal's entertainment hub).

Rather than bore you with lots of boring details about the colour of carpets in hotel rooms and the number of restaurants at each hotel with the world of Universal, here are my top tips and ideas you may feel useful. Of course, if you do have questions about the type of carpets in the hotels, do get in touch as I have loads of photos and information to share.

So here we go:

1) Stay onsite and benefit from the early opening hours, especially to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

2) If you want to be 'cool' parents, treat your kids to a stay at The Hard Rock Hotel, with live music, staff that look like rock stars and the closest hotel to the entrance

3) Make sure you look out for the Blues Brother show in Universal Studios, try and get there five minutes early to get a good spot

4) Take motion sickness tablets, if you suffer with that kind of thing, as a lot of the rides are simulators.

5) Eat at the Gruesome Toothsome factory. I highly recommend the milkshakes

6) Stay at Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino and benefit from the fast passes - well worth it!

7) Families blessed with more than two children like me, check out the Tower Suites at Cabana Bay

8) If you're there without kids and looking for a place to go out in the evening, check out the Irish bar and the duelling pianos.

9) Volcano Bay - really understand the map and the rides to maximize your time

10) For shopping visit the premium outlets, especially for Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secrets and loads of sports shops.

I have been selling holidays to Florida for over 20 years. I have been to Orlando four times, Clearwater, Miami and the Florida Keys. Please do bear me in mind when you're planning a holiday to the U S of A!