Deep down, we all secretly want to step into the life of Harry Potter and get a feel for what it is like to live the life of a wizard. At least, I do! Well, the closest you are going to get to this fantasy life is by visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. This magical world is nothing short of amazing, and I am already dreaming about when I can make a return!
While there are many components to visiting the Harry Potter mother ship, one of the largest aspects is planning. In-depth research and strategy is key in order to have a successful visit here. A few quick starting points to mention:
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is located at Universal Studios in Orlando, and NOT at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
- There are two lands within this world: Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Hogsmeade is located in the Universal Studios Park, Islands of Adventure. Diagon Alley is located in the Universal Studios Park, Universal Studios.
- You need an individual ticket for both of these parks, or you must purchase the park-to-park add on for your ticket. Both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are connected via the Hogwarts Express.
- Finally, there will be a boatload of people visiting! You cannot escape this, and there is no magic spell to make the crowds disappear.
But do not let the crowds scare you, and do not let the feeling of becoming overwhelmed deter you from visiting this magnificent place! Although the crowds can be frustrating, these are not Dementors. They will not suck the life (or fun) out of you. With the detailed guide, I present you within this blog post, you will be able to handle The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando with confidence!
STAY ON UNIVERSAL PROPERTY
The absolute best part about my time visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Staying on Universal Studios property! Why? Because you get early access to the park! Complete game changer!
There are several Universal Studios’ properties you can stay at. Some of the best reviewed properties include:
- Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel
- Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Universal’s Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Universal’s Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
EARLY ENTRANCE TO THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER ORLANDO
Diagon Alley opens at 8:00 am in the morning for hotel guests. That is a complete hour earlier than the parks open to the general public. During this one hour, I was able to capture all the photos I wanted AND ride the two most coveted rides in the lands: Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR MORNING
In order to accomplish what I did, here is what you have to do! Arrive at your hotel bus stop at 6:50 in the morning, as the first bus arrives at 7:00 in the morning. The amount of time it takes the bus to drive to City Walk, drop you off, for you to walk through City Walk, and get to the front gates… It will most likely be around 7:30 in the morning. This lets you get to the front of the line and just relax before the gates open. If you are lucky, Universal will open the gates a few minutes early. They let me in ten minutes before the early hours officially started!
Then walk quickly (DO NOT RUN) back to Diagon Alley! Once you arrive in Diagon Alley, head to Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. This should essentially be a walk-on or less than fifteen-minute wait. After this ride, walk around and take some glorious photos! Glorious because no one will be in the background of your photos. This is such a dream! Also, during this time, if you have an interactive wand, work on perfecting your spells. I will talk more about the interactive wands later on!
Now, get in line to hop on the Hogwarts Express, which will take you over to Hogsmeade. Since Hogsmeade does not open until 9:00 in the morning, you honestly cannot get there any earlier. But get in line for the Hogwarts Express at about 8:40 in the morning, and you will literally be stepping off the train into Hogsmeade at 9:00 on the dot! Then make a beeline to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey for essentially another walk on or fifteen minute time wait.
There you have it. All of that can be accomplished within one hour! And I am living proof that it works because I personally just did it.
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is all about the details. And without doing your research in advance, you would never know these little, magical extras existed.
Whether you pay your respects to The Dark Lord or not, you must wander down Knockturn Alley. It is quite chilling and makes me never want to run into he who must not be named.
If you are feeling a little too dark after your time in Knockturn Alley, then head to the nearest phone booth to give the Ministry of Magic a ring! The red phone booth outside of Diagon Alley is what you need to be on the lookout for.
When you are done chatting it up with the Ministry of Magic, head a few feet over to the Knight Bus. Do not forget to talk to the shrunken head and the Knight Bus driver!
Thinking of some loved ones back home? Send them a little Harry Potter love via the Owl Post! You can purchase Harry Potter themed postcards and stamps and have an owl whisk away your sentimental thoughts across the world.
Having some apprehension about using your Muggle money throughout Diagon Alley? Do not fear! The Gringotts money exchange is here for you. Get rid of your Muggle money and receive Gringotts bank notes instead, which you can use to purchase all sorts of wizarding goods!
INTERACTIVE WANDS AT HARRY POTTER WORLD
Ever wanted your own wand that actually performed magical spells? Well, your dream can be made into reality now! At The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you can purchase a regular wand or an interactive wand. You can also order your own wand online and have it waiting for you when you get there. I 110% vote getting an interactive wand because you can go all around Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley making real magic happen!
OLLIVANDERS WAND SHOP
Whether you want a regular or interactive wand, I recommend letting the perfect wand choose you at Ollivanders Wand Shop. I mean, this is THE place to go for the most prestigious wands. And before you set foot into Ollivanders Wand Shop, you must be part of the interactive wand show where the wand truly does choose the wizard… That is, you could get chosen to receive a free wand! To be part of this show, and possibly be the chosen one, just line up outside of Ollivanders Wand Shop and wait. A few people will be let in at a time, and soon enough, it will be your turn to take part in the magic!
But back to this interactive wand business I talk so highly of. When you are graced with the presence of your own wand, you will also receive a descriptive map of both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Throughout this map, you will see different numbers, with corresponding wand spells. When you reach a numbered location, in either Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, look for the gold emblem on the ground that matches up with the map. Now, the real magic begins. Point your wand, complete the whimsical wand movement, and recite the spell. If your wizarding skills are up to par, you will see the magic unfold. If not, keep trying! It took me about ten tries to complete my first spell. But once I nailed it, I was so excited!
EAT AND DRINK UP
Did anyone say butter beer? But for real. The first question to come out of most people’s mouths is, “Where can I get butterbeer?” The great news is you can get it all over! You can find various forms of butterbeer at the restaurants or street carts. And the best part? Butterbeer comes cold, frozen or warm! You can also get butterbeer fudge, ice cream and cream. This is what dreams are made of! Butterbeer can be found in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
DIAGON ALLEY DINING
In Diagon Alley, the main restaurant is The Leaky Cauldron. This is a quick service restaurant located to the left, right when you enter Diagon Alley. They serve traditional British fare there, and it is quite tasty! One aspect I truly love about this quick service restaurant is that after you order, a hostess seats you. This way, there is no chaotic mad dash to find seats.
There are also quite a few little treat spots throughout Diagon Alley. My favorite was Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. The ice cream here is so delightfully yummy! I tried the chocolate raspberry and my taste buds fell in love. There are so many unique flavors here, that I truly wanted to try them all!
Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop is also a must! You will be overwhelmed with all the scrumptious sweets they have to offer. For some thirst-quenching drinks, you can stop at Eternelle’s Elixir of Refreshment, Fountain of Fair Fortune, and The Hopping Pot.
HOGSMEADE DINING
In Hogsmeade, the main restaurant is Three Broomsticks. You cannot miss it as it literally has three large broomsticks out front! This restaurant is similar to The Leaky Cauldron as it is a quick service restaurant that also features delicious British fare.
Do not miss out on some of the other yummy spots in Hogsmeade. You cannot forget about Honeydukes! Grab some sweets to fuel your day, and do not forget to try a chocolate frog or the fizzing whizbees. If you need a cool refresher during a warm day, head on back to the Hog’s Head for some cool treats like, pumpkin juice and butterbeer.
THE RIDES
I have briefly talked about a few of the rides in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and to be honest, there are not many (even though a new one is in construction). In Diagon Alley, you have Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. In Hogsmeade, you have Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, along with Flight of the Hippogriff. Then connecting the two lands, you have the Hogwarts Express.
Flight of the Hippogriff is a short and sweet rollercoaster that typically never has a long wait. It is located in the back of Hogsmeade, right next to the castle. My favorite part of this ride is that it does take you past a real Hippogriff!
Hogwarts Express can be taken from both Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley and Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade. I encourage you to ride both ways, as you will have different “encounters” based on where you are coming from and going to.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Hogsmeade) and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (Diagon Alley) are the two rides that deserve the most attention and time management. They both can have lines can be hours long, but that is because they are out of this world! I cannot even begin to explain these rides, so you will just have to ride them yourself to see what all the hype is about.
While the single rider option can be a lifesaver for these two sought after rides, I highly encourage taking the extra time to go through the queues, as they are both artistic masterpieces. Caution: If you are prone to motion sickness, I would highly consider forgoing these rides or timing these rides appropriately in your day, in case you feel a little queasy after riding.
TIME FOR SOME SHOPPING
If you are a true Harry Potter fan, you will most definitely be coming away from your adventure with some phenomenal Harry Potter-themed merchandise. Take your time walking slowly through both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley to see all the different shops that are offered. Deck yourself out in house pride! However, before you visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, make sure you know what house you are in. Just a note, even if you are not interested in all the beautifully curated merchandise, it is a treat just to see the details of each shop.
WATCH HARRY POTTER WORLD COME TO LIFE
Make sure to be aware of all the magic happening throughout The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! There are shows and magical interactions throughout both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, during the whole day. These various shows and interactions will leave you smiling and even laughing to yourself! For shows and showtimes at Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, check the time schedule.
Finally, whatever you do, end your magically filled day with the nighttime lights at Hogwarts Castle. This remarkable spectacular starts happening from dusk to close and will leave you taking the magic from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter home with you.
OFF YOU GO
Now, all you have to do is just wait for your acceptance letter, and off to Hogwarts, you go! In all honesty, I hope each and every one of you who reads this has the chance to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are exquisite and were designed and created with such imagination, that it is unbelievable! I guess the only way to actually believe it is to make a visit there yourself.
We hope that this article has inspired you to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.
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Our Top Places In Universal Studios, Orlando:
- Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel
- Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Universal’s Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Universal’s Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
- Find the best price on hotels near Universal Studios, Orlando
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We Are Travel Girls Contributor Ashley Woldman of OhDarlingLetsSeeTheWorld.com
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Jake Roberts says
This entire post absolutely ROCKS! Thank you for all the hard work you put into it. It really shows.