Q: How Many Rides Are At Harry Potter World
There are 5 Harry Potter rides at Universal Orlando Resort split between the two main theme park which are Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Islands of Adventure is home to 3 Harry Potter rides, and Universal Studios is home to one Harry Potter ride with both parks sharing the last ride with it being the Hogwarts Express.
Go To Olivanders For The Wand Choosing Experience
Remember in the first book when Harry visits Olivanders wand shop, and he learns about how the wand chooses the wizard?
You can experience that moment for yourself! Go to the Wand Ceremony room to be a part of this small group ceremony. Youll enter a dimly lit replica of Olivanders shop, complete with stacks and stacks of wands all the way to the ceiling.
Youll receive some instructions from the staff, then Olivander will enter the room and choose one lucky witch or wizard to find their perfect wand.
The person chosen for the demonstration will get to try a few wands and perform a few spells to find the wand thats perfect for them.
They are not obligated to buy the wand that chooses them, nor do they receive it for free. Nevertheless, its a fun memory, even for those who arent chosen. Its a delightful way to step into the magic of the books!
After the ceremony is finished, youll be directed to the wand shop where you can peruse the many different wands from characters in the books and movies. My daughter chose Professor McGonagalls wand. The wands are interactive, and you can use them to try different spells around the park. Your wand will come with a map to show where these interactive spots are.
All The Rides At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Orlando Ranked
Fly with a Hippogriff … or hop a train ride with Harry? Here’s all there is to know about the five Potter-themed rides at Universal Studios Orlando.
Nikki Ridgway
©2018 Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved
Happy International Harry Potter Day! Were celebrating the May 2 commemoration of the Battle of Hogwarts with a deep dive into all the rides at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Orlando the originalplayground for Potterheads across the globe.
The five attractions cover the thrill-seeker spectrum, from a low-key chug on the Hogwarts Express to a wild turn on the newest attraction, Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Each ride has lots to love and some insider tidbits to know. Where will you find the shortest lines? Whats best for the littlest Potter fans? Who makes a guest appearance, and where? And what are the story nods not to miss? Read on to find out!
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Whats The Difference Between The Wizarding Worlds In Orlando And Hollywood
While just as magical, Universal Studios Hollywoods version of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter only features the Hogsmeade area and is significantly smaller than the Harry Potter world in Orlando. Theres still plenty of shopping, you can dine at Three Broomsticks, get a drink at Hogs Head, and ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff at the Hollywood park, though.
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Eternelles Elixir Of Refreshment
Location: Diagon Alley
Here, you can try a variety of colorful elixirs. All you need to do is choose your elixir, pour it into Gilly Water, and watch it transform into a tasty beverage. You can pick from Fire Protection Potion, Babbling Beverage, Draught of Peace, and Elixir to Induce Euphoria.
Pro Tip: Not only are they delicious, but theyre a fun gift to bring home for your Muggle friends.
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Is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter A Separate Ticket
It is important to know if youre planning a trip to Harry Potter World, access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is included with any valid Universal Orlando ticket. It is important to know that, if you purchase a one day ticket ticket to Universal Studios, then your entry to Diagon Alley will be included in that ticket. If you purchase a one day ticket to Islands of Adventure, your entry to Hogsmeade will be included in that ticket.
If you want to visit both parks in the same trip, consider buying a park-to-park ticket to Universal Orlando. Plus all of discount one day Universal Orlando tickets that we sell will include Early Park Admission to the Harry Potter rides!
What Are The 3 Harry Potter Rides At Universal Islands Of Adventure
Another common question we receive is, what are the 3 Harry Potter rides at Universal Islands of Adventure? The 3 Islands of Adventure Harry Potter rides are Hagrids Magical Creatures, Motorbike Adventure, Flight of the Hippogriff, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Its also important to note that Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida share a ride in the Hogwarts Express.
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How Scary Is Escape From Gringotts
On a thrill scale of 0 to 10 , Gringotts rates at a 4, mostly for its mild coaster thrills, but also for its dark themes, loud noises, and special effects. For comparison, Pirates of the Caribbean gets a 2, and Revenge of the Mummy scores a 6.5 on the same scale. For Universals Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions, the fairly mild Flight of the Hippogriff rates 3.25 on the thrill-o-meter, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey merits a 5.5, and the more thrilling coaster, Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Coaster clocks in at 6.5.
Could you handle Gringotts? Only you could answer that. But if you are really freaked out, it should help you to know that the scary parts are over quickly. Plus, the ride is so well done, you’ll likely find that it’s worth toughing it out so that you could experience the five-star attraction. Perhaps the folks at Eternelles Elixir of Refreshment could whip you up a special potion to help calm your fears.
By the way, for the first few years it was open, Escape From Gringotts was not included on Universal’s Express program. Everybody had to wait in the standby line . Now, however, guests who have Universal Express can skip the lines of both Gringotts and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. You can learn more about how to bypass the lines at Universal Orlando as well as how to use the resorts Virtual Line program in our handy-dandy article.
Arrive Early To Have The Best Experience With The Interactive Wand Spots
Once you have your interactive wand from Ollivanders or Gregorovitch, open the box and youll find a map inside. The map marks the magical wand spots in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade where you can test your wizardry. Each spot is marked by a golden medallion on the ground that shows which direction to move your wand and what spell to recite.
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There are also hidden wand spots you wont see on the map. To find them, ask a witch or wizard working in the area if they can point you in the right direction . Team Members can also give you a few pointers if youre having trouble casting spells. If even that doesnt work, your wand may be faulty and you can get a free repair at Ollivanders.
What you really need to know about the interactive wands and wand spots, though, is that they quickly become crowded and overwhelming on a busy day . If casting spells is tops on your kids list of activities , make it a priority to arrive early to the Harry Potter lands and get your spellcasting in before the crowds really fill in . Nothing will make your magical experience feel less magical than waiting in line to cast a spell, and unlike the Harry Potter rides, there are no Express Passes for the wand spots.
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Magic In Muggle London
- If you dial 62442 in the red phone box in London, outside Kings Cross, you can speak to the Ministry of Magic.
- You can catch a glimpse of Kreacher the house elf at 12 Grimmauld Place every few mins as he peeks out the window. You dont need to knock he comes out on a timer.
- Visit the purple triple decker Knight Bus and chat to Stan the conductor and Dre Head the shrunken head he will chat to you directly.
- Ask the staff at Londons King Cross station how to find Platform 9 3/4. They may look very confused!
- At Kings Cross Station, as you walk through main the queue towards Platform 9 3/4 there is a trick mirror that makes it appear youre walking through the wall between Platforms 9 and 10.
- At the record store, look through the window there are lots of references to the film JAWS .
The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Hogsmeade
The original and first land of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade is located in Universal Islands of Adventure, and you will want to head right over to this section as soon as the park opens. For the fastest entrance to the Wizarding World of Harry Potteris to go to the right as soon as you enter the park and take a left once you hit Seuss Landing.
For fans of the books and movies you will recognize Hogsmeade as the charming town covering in snow, and home to the famous butterbeer! You will also find some of the best attractions, stores, and restaurants in all of Universal Orlando.
You can also find the newest and coolest Harry Potter World attraction in Hogsmeade: Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure which is included with all of our Universal Early Park Admission tickets!
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Planning A Trip To Universal Studios Harry Potter 2023
So now that you know what tickets to buy for Harry Potter World, lets plan your perfect Universal Studios Harry Potter Itinerary! Not everyones Harry Potter Itinerary will be the same though. Some might prefer to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one day and others might have a full weekend. We are going to start with the basics tips for visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and then break down the best way to visit Harry Potter World based on your trip length.
If You Want To See All Of The Harry Potter Orlando Theme Park Arrive Early And Make A Plan
The Hogsmeade area and Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure often open early for Universal hotel guests as part of Universals Early Park Admission perk. If youre staying onsite or can get to the park close to opening time, your best bet is to tackle Hogsmeade early in the morning. Its not as large as Diagon Alley and can get crowded as the day wears on. If it gets too crowded, hop over to Diagon Alley and come back to Hogsmeade in the early evening.
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Harry Potter Rides Universal Overview
Witches, wizards, muggles, and alike are drawn to Universal Orlando Resort from all over the world, specifically to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Wizarding World offers two different themed lands designed after iconic Harry Potter locations. Between two magical Harry Potter lands, there are a variety of Universal Studios Harry Potter rides for everyone to enjoy. Some of which are the most imaginative and entertaining rides to ever be made! Islands of Adventure has a Harry Potter land designed after Hogsmeade Village, filled with shops, restaurants, and of course, rides. The Harry Potter rides at Islands of Adventure are a completely different sets of attractions than in the other Harry Potter Land, Diagon Alley, which is located in Universal Studios Florida. Diagon Alley only has one Harry Potter ride at Universal but is still rather popular among the wizarding and muggle folk.
Diagon Alley At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter 2023
The second land added to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Diagon Alley . If you are entering from the front of the park walk straight until you hit the Revenge of the Mummu attraction and make a right, then continue until you see the Knight Bus. The area outside of Diagon Alley is themed to fill like London, and you will need to make your way through the brick wall until it opens up as Diagon Alley.
Be prepared especially if you are a die hard Harry Potter fan as the attention to detail is unmatched in Diagon Alley. You will be in the middle of shops and cooked buildings, as well a fire breathing dragon nestled over Gringotts Bank!
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History Of Flight Of The Hippogriff
This one is oddly beloved. Its a roller coaster, of that, theres no doubt. But its a roller coaster the Wizarding World inherited from the former land that occupied the space where Harry Potter reigns supreme today.
The Flight Of The Unicorn was its original name, and Ive heard old-time Floridians grumble, they couldnt even give us a new ride? many times before. This sounds petty but let me remind you that this wasnt the only roller coaster Harry inherited from the former version of the theme park.
Dueling Dragons, epic double B& M inverted coasters that have been standing at Universal since the day it opened until 2017, were also absorbed by the Wizarding World.
Sincerely the finest example of a very popular coaster model that Ive ever ridden, The Dueling Dragons were simply repurposed into The Dragon Challenge just like the Unicorn coaster when Potterville came to town.
Many people complained about it, but the truth is, they are/were great rides. If I may take a brief moment to digress, I miss the Dragons. The park let us know they were shutting down permanently a few months before the official closure, so I was able to get one more set of ridesin.
I went to Uni all by myself and rode those things 3-4x all alone. Whether or not I cried on my last go around with the red dragon, I do not feel the need to discuss it here.
You will always be missed, Dueling Dragons er, um Dragon Challenge!!!
How Crowded Will The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Be
The first step to successfully planning your vacation to Universal Orlando Resort is to be aware of the season in which you are visiting. If you havent already, check out our free 12-month Universal crowd calendar to learn how crowded we expect the theme parks to be during your visit. Make a note of what time the parks will open and close, bearing in mind that Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida may shutter at different times and may have different special events taking place.
Below, we will discuss the ideal setup for your visit to Universal and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Please be aware that the advice given on this page is based on two fundamental assumptions: that fully experiencing Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley is your primary objective at the resort, and that you are going to Universal when crowd levels are expected to be busy or very busy when the headline attractions, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and the newest ride, Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure have wait times over two hours. In addition, during high crowd levels and due to the lands replicating the cozy feel of the wizarding worlds boutique shops, the stores can get very packed and may even develop their own queues and wait times.
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Are You Ready To Plan Your Next Universal Orlando Trip
If youre ready to plan your trip to Universal Studios, be sure to check out our Universal Orlando Tickets! Not only will you save money vs buying direct, but all of our Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits which can help save you up to three hours in the parks!
And to stay up to date on everything going on inside the theme parks be sure to check out our partners atThemeparktoday.com!
Planning A Trip To Universal Studios Harry Potter World 2023
There is no doubt that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has quickly become one of the most popular destinations in all of Orlando. But with this increased popularity can sometimes come increased lines, and families left overwhelmed trying to figure out which rides to go on and when. While there is so much involved with planning a trip to Harry Potter World, the most important thing is to remember to have fun! And thats why we have created this guide to the best way to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Including all of our tips and tricks for using Harry Potter early park admission tickets to get on the most popular rides with very little wait!
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Tips For Visiting Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade & Diagon Alley
Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter is no place for the faint-hearted during high season. The lines for almost everything can risk breaking even the most indomitable spirit, but don’t be deterred: with a little bit of smart planning, a visit to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley can be magnificently joyful, easy and stress-free.
Stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel Harry Potter attractions open one hour early for guests at four on-site hotels. Arrive at least 30 minutes before the gates open to the general public, and do not dawdle.
Strategize Head to Islands of Adventure’s Hogsmeade on one morning. Hit Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Flight of the Hippogriff, and finally shops and restaurants . The other morning, zip straight to Universal Studio’s Diagon Alley, hop on Escape from Gringotts, and then explore at leisure. There is an Ollivander’s Wand Shop in both parks on one of the two days, make this your first stop.
Buy a park-to-park ticket This allows you to ride the Hogwarts Express between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
Visit during low season Do not go Christmas through early January, March and summer.