Ride Solo To Save Time
If you are visiting Universal Orlando with children, then this may not work for you. But if your kids are older, or if you are adults and hate waiting in long lines, then you may want to use the single rider line at the Forbidden Journey at Hogsmeade or Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley.
Riding solo will cut down on wait times, which may be more important than experiencing the ride together.
How Many Days Do You Need For Harry Potter World
Plan to spend parts of at least two days at the Harry Potter theme parks in Orlando if you want the complete experience. Arrive early, try to see and do as much as you can before the crowds fill in, then enjoy the other parts of Universal Studios Florida and Universals Islands of Adventure for parts of the afternoon before returning to the Harry Potter theme parks for the evening. After all, you havent fully experienced Harry Potter world until youve seen Hogwarts Castle lit up at night.
Where To Buy Souvenirs
As for souvenir shopping, guests at the Harry Potter theme park should definitely visit all the shops you’ll find familiar from the books:
- Honeydukes and Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop for candy
- Owl Post, where you can send mail
- Dervish and Banges which is crammed with robes, Gryffindor scarves, Ravenclaw t-shirts and all manner of merchandise for sale, and also has delightful details such as a caged biting book
Note, however, that all of these shops are small and can get very crowded. For an alternative, try shopping at Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, in the lower regions of Hogwarts Castle: a much bigger store with some different merchandise.Some Harry Potter merchandise is also available at the large Port of Entry shop near the entrance/exit for Islands of Adventure however, not all items can be bought there. Wands, for instance, are only available in the Harry Potter theme park itself.
There are several places to eat in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
In Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron is a quaint pub serving a menu of traditional British food including cottage pie, fish and chips, and bangers and mash, in addition to butterbeer and other signature drinks. There’s also a children’s menu with staples such as chicken fingers and mac and cheese.
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Fancy A Conversation In Parseltongue Check Out The Reptile House
Address: The Regents Park Outer Cir, London Nw1 4ry, United Kingdom
Located in the London Zoo, visit the Reptile House to see where poor, terrified Dudley was suddenly stuck behind the disappearing glass in Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.
And dont worry! The zoo has upped its glass since Harrys fiasco. No snakes are getting out today.
Hogsmeade Restaurants At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter In Orlando
Theres only one restaurant in Hogsmeade, but there are two Butterbeer carts and a pub, so you wont go thirsty.
Three Broomsticks
The rustic charm of Three Broomsticks lends itself to hearty fare like beef pasties and rotisserie chicken, or go for the full Harry Potter world experience by ordering The Great Feasta family-style meal with all the fixins.
Hogs Head
Located in the back of Three Broomsticks, Hogs Head serves Butterbeer, Pumpkin Juice, and alcoholic drinks, including the Hogs Head Brew thats only available in Hogsmeade at Universals Islands of Adventure.
Butterbeer Carts
There are two Butterbeer carts in Hogsmeade where you can get frozen or cold Butterbeer, water, and other Wizarding World beverages.
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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!
The Ultimate Guide To The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter At Universal Orlando
From Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley, here’s everything you need to know about the Harry Potter rides, restaurants, and shops at Universal Orlando.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort consists of two immersive lands based on the Harry Potter books and films. The Diagon Alley area is located in Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade is located in Islands of Adventure. The two Harry Potter theme park lands are connected by the Hogwarts Express.
Both of the Harry Potter lands at Universal Studios have themed shops, rides, dining, and entertainment, and the best way to travel between the two is on the Hogwarts Express train. If you want to hop on the train or visit both lands in one day, youll need to purchase Park-to-Park tickets that include both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure for your visit.
Both Harry Potter Orlando theme park lands accept Express Passes, an add-on to your regular park ticket that lets you skip the line on many rides and attractions. You can purchase Express Passes online or inside the park, and its included as a free perk if youre staying in a Universal Premier hotel.
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What Are The Diagon Alley Shops In Universal Studios
There are so many Potter-inspired stores for you to get lost in, but our first stop is at the Gringotts Money Exchange!
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1.Gringotts Money Exchange
Trade your plain US dollars for $10 or $20 in Gringotts and use them at several locations in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade and a few other areas throughout the Universal Resort.
You can exchange the money back to U.S. dollars at Guest Services.
On your way out, dont forget to ask the goblin behind the counter a question!
2. Quality Quidditch Supplies
The perfect store for aspiring Quidditch players. This shop has all the supplies you need to get started including sweaters and brooms.
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3. Borgin and Burkes
When its not being used to smuggle Death Eaters into Hogwarts, you can view the Vanishing Cabinet located inside the Borgin and Burkes shop.
Pick up cool Harry Potter accessories, collectibles, and even a skull or two in the spooky store made even more ominous with its low lighting.
Hipster Power Tip: If you pay attention, you can hear birds in the Vanishing Cabinet at Borgin and Burkes. You can also stare in the mirror at Madam Malkins Robes store for a great surprise!
4. Weasleys Wizard Wheezes
This novelty store is inspired by the jokester antics of George and Fred Weasley.
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6. Sugarplums Sweetshop
Tips For Visiting Hogsmeade At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter In Orlando
In the Harry Potter series, Hogsmeade Village is the charming snow-capped village near Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At Universal Orlando Resort, Hogsmeade is located inside the Islands of Adventure park theme park.
In addition to shops, dining, and rides, theres a small stage near Hogwarts Castle where you can watch the Frog Choir and Triwizard Spirit Rally shows multiple times each day.
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What Universal Park Is Best For Harry Potter
The first thing you need to know about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida is that it is at two different theme parks located right next to each other. Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios theme park and Hogsmeade is at Islands of Adventure. Visit both for a perfect Florida weekend getaway.
Both have incredible Harry Potter theming and offer slightly different experiences. Im just a tiny bit partial to Hogsmeade, but well talk about that later in the article.
Guests can ride the Hogwarts Express in between the two parks, which is more than just transportation its a ride in itself with a different experience each way.
However, to do this, you must have a ticket that allows you to visit both lands within a single day.
Buy A Wand But Skip The Robes
The stores throughout the park are beautiful, and inside each, there are a lot of magical, alluring toys for sale. But transforming yourself into a wizard gets mighty expensive.
Wands are one of the few toys that might be worth the price. They run around $55, but you get more than a run-of-the-mill souvenir: At both parks, brass markers indicate spots where you can cast a spell and “magically” make things happen. Youre essentially buying an extra attraction.
The wands are fun, but you can skip the show in Ollivanders Wand Shop. Only one person in each group is selected to be paired with their wandeveryone else just has to watch. Go into the store next door to discuss what kind of wand you want with, uh, one of Ollivanders assistants. You arent missing much.
Although it’s tempting to complete your Hogwarts uniform with a robe, they cost about $114, dont get you anything special in the park , and you can find one for much cheaper online. You should still visit the talking mirror inside Madam Malkins for a nice confidence boost, though.
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What Is The Best Way To Do Harry Potter World
Everyone has their own way that they enjoy exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, however below are some of the best tips and tricks we have learned over the years to get the most out of your day. As youll see there is so much more to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter than just rides and having a solid game plan is key to seeing everything these two lands has to offer.
- Always use Early Park Admission
- Start out at Islands of Adventure over Universal Studios Florida if only visiting for one day
- Always start with Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Upgrade to the Park-to-Park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express
- Be sure to ride the Hogwarts Express both ways
- Dont forget about the interactive wands
- Make sure you leave room for a Butter Beer
- Be sure to make a visit to Knockturn Alley in Diagon Alley
Check Out The Goods At Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes
Dive into the shenanigans of the devilishly clever and chaotic Weasley twins when you spend some well-earned galleons at their shop in Diagon Alley. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes is a tribute to the ingenuity and impeccable comic timing of these ginger-haired jokesters.
This brightly colored novelty joke shop is the ideal locale to birth your next boisterous prank or practical joke. Stock up on toys and tidbits, including Pygmy Puffs, U-No-Poo pills, Skiving Snack boxes, Puking Pastilles, and more.
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Ride Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
The anchor of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade is the thrill ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and it’s pretty great. This is a motion-based dark ride thats located inside the Hogwarts castle, during which you board an enchanted bench, take hold of your broomstick, and are whisked away on a flight in and around Hogwarts thats augmented by 3D screens and practical effects.
Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint appear in the ride as they shot the scenes during production of the Potter films, and they guide you along a journey that takes you to the Quidditch field, into the Forbidden Forest, and to the tiptop of Hogwarts Castle itself.
The ride is thrilling and wholly immersive, and its the closest youll get to feeling like youre flying on a broomstick. But honestly, the queue itself is almost as good as the ride. The folks at Universal Orlando have taken great care to create a full Harry Potter experience, so as you make your way to the station to board the ride, you walk through various hallways, corridors, and rooms in Hogwarts Castleincluding even Dumbledores office. These areas are augmented by high-tech screens in which the characters from the films interact, making the experience wildly enjoyable. And of course theres the paintings, which move and converse with one another just like in the books and films.
Go Inside All The Shops
Especially in Diagon Alley, make sure to allow enough time to explore all the shops.
Just like in J.K. Rowling’s version of the magical shopping street, you’ll find everything from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes joke shop to Madame Malkin’s robe shop to Florean Fortescues Ice-Cream Parlour to Quality Quidditch Supplies to Ollivander’s wand shop .
You can even shop for dark objects in Borgin and Burkes down Knockturn Alley.
Yes, most of the shops sell souvenirs and t-shirts instead of actual wizarding goods, but it’s still really fun to wander through them all anyway.
And keep an eye on the fake shop windows, too these are often animated in fun and magical ways.
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The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
| Hogwarts Castle, which houses Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, at Universal Studios Japan |
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| July 15, 2014 |
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The table below shows the different attractions across the park.
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| Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods | Shops |
| Ollivanders Wand Shop in Hogsmeade | Shops |
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| Former |
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Mosey Through Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts
Ill admit it: we love it when the stars align and we can walk right through a queue and straight to a popular ride but theres something to be written about having to mosey through a queue.
For one, if youre visiting when its hot and humid, the air conditioned queue is such a relief. And second, the details in Escape from Gringotts are so fascinating its worth a trip even if you dont plan on riding the ride, which you can absolutely do.
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Let Your Wand Choose You At Ollivanders
If youre truly a Harry Potter nerd, you already know its necessary to queue up to see a wand ceremony when you first arrive at the Wizarding World in Hollywood.
The wand-makers shop, Ollivanders, nearly always has a line, so if you plan to purchase a wand during your time at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I recommend doing it right away.
Inside Ollivanders youll see a wand-maker help a young witch or wizard find their wand through a series of magical tests. Often, the young witches and wizards are scared or nervous to perform magic in front of a crowd in a darkly lit room but the look of wonder on their faces as they finally meet their match is priceless.
After the wand ceremony, you can explore the rest of Ollivanders shop to find a magic wand for yourself.
Pro-Tip: The interactive wand is worth the splurge!
Down A Few Butterbeers
Head over to the Fountain of Fair Fortune or the Hopping Pot for a glass-full of delight! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the only place where you can savor Butterbeer, a delicious and exciting drink unique to the realm of magicians. It comes in two types regular or frozen. If youre of the adventurous kind, try your luck with the frozen one. Its surely the most delicious, but, as Hermione would lecture you: Watch out for brain freeze!
If the magical flavor of Butterbeer is the taste-bud heaven it is for me, then look out for other Butterbeer-flavoured delights! The Florean Fortescues Ice-Cream Parlour makes a wonderful Butterbeer soft serve. Theres Butterbeer fudge at Honeydukes and Butterbeer potted cream at both the Leaky Cauldron and Three Broomsticks. We cant get enough!
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Ride The Indoor Rides
There aren’t a *ton* of rides in the Harry Potter parks in fact, there’s only ONE in Diagon Alley and 3 in Hogsmeade. Meaning it’s pretty easy to ride them all if you want to. My personal favorites? It was the innovative indoor rides that really blew me away.
The Forbidden Journey, located inside Hogwarts Castle in Hogsmeade , is a grown-up motion simulation ride in which you feel like you’re following Harry around on a broomstick, dodging dragons and dementors.
And the Escape From Gringotts ride in Diagon Alley is a mixture of an indoor roller coaster and a 3-D ride where you get chased by Voldemort and Bellatrix through the vaults. Both were unlike any ride I’ve ever been on before!
*Be warned: The Forbidden Journey ride made me feel a bit sick, so if you’re prone to motion sickness, I’d definitely take some Dramamine for this one!*
And, pro tip: don’t be scared by wait times. Wait times of up to 30 minutes will seem like nothing once you get inside, because the lines have you winding your way through Hogwarts and Gringotts respectively, complete with talking photos, animatronic goblins, and some appearances by Harry Potter characters.
The first time we went on the Forbidden Journey the line was only 10 minutes long and I felt like we actually missed out on part of the experience because we went through the line so fast!
There’s also a kid-friendly coaster in Hogsmeade , and the new Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in the same area of the park.