Best Water Ride: Dudley Do
If youre looking to escape the Florida heat, climb aboard Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls®, a themed log-flume ride set in the Canadian mountains. Experience a 75-foot drop, then plummet below water level for a real rush! Be warnedthis ride will leave you soaked.
Still haven’t made your decision yet? Try perusing our Ultimate Guide to Universal Orlando Resort for the best coupons, discounts and deals to help save you time and moolah.
Get Candy At Honeydukes Or Ice Cream At Florean Fortescues
You of course can’t go to Hogsmeade without visiting Honeydukes, the famous wizarding candy shop. Pick up a Chocolate Frog, some Fizzing Whizzbees , and of course some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.
Play a fun game with your Every Flavor Beans: don’t look at the flavor guide, and simply hand them out to your friends and have them guess the flavor!
If ice cream is more your speed, be sure to stop into Florean Fortescues Ice-Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley they even sell butterbeer-flavored ice cream, which is very popular.
Plan Your Meals Out And Try To Avoid The Lunch And Dinner Rushes
Lunch took longer than we had hoped. My son is a huge, huge, huge Simpsons fan so of course we wanted to eat Krusty Burger. I would probably not do Krusty Burger again. The fries were great but the burgers all came with a weird cheese sauce and I kind of felt like it was a dressed up gas station burger. But the real reason I would avoid it is because the lines were so long, and seating was minimalI walked circles for fifteen minutes before snatching up a dirty table when I saw someone else leaving. We spent over an hour here, waiting to get food and eating, and with limited time to get everything in, it felt a little wasted. And that was eating lunch around 2pm, which I would think would be an off time.
We did get a giant donut though, so theres that.
For dinner we did The Leaky Cauldron, and that was very good and also not crowded when we got in for dinner around 8:30 that night!
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Is Universal Studios Worth It
So you can probably tell by now that we spent a lot of money and a ton of energy on our trip . Was it worth it?
Yes. I am glad we did it. I loved, loved, LOVED The Wizarding World of Harry Potter . The kids were so excited about it, and havent stopped talking about it. I feel like the memory will last a lifetime. I dont think well do it again any time soon , and that makes me extra glad we made this trip work!
I will say this most of the rides are 3D rides, or rides that involve a screen of some sort. I didnt expect this and I had crazy motion sickness, so I avoided a bunch of the rides. But it was still worth it to me, just for Harry Potter world and to see my kids having so much fun!
So, yesyou can do both parks at Universal Studios in one day and have an amazing time!
Details Matter At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
The attention to detail is what I found fascinating about the entire Harry Potter experience. The details are everywhere in the paint, walls, lights, doorknobs. It all looks so realistic, and its an entirely immersive attraction if it werent for all the Muggles wandering around, you would honestly think that you are in the movies.
Any fans of the series will surely be delighted at all the little details and places you can visit the candy at Honeydukes is just as sweet as you imagined, Weasleys Wizard Wheezes is as chaotic and fun, and Flourish and Blotts even has a Monster Book of Monsters .
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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
Planning A Trip To Universal Studios Harry Potter World 2022
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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Recommended Plan Of Attack For Rides
Ive given my full itinerary, but in case youre looking for just a plan of attack to get on the rides, I recommend jumping on Harry Potter and Forbidden Journey in the morning, first thing. Then Flight of the Hippogriff, followed by Escape from Gringotts. Id split up the rides between the early morning and late at night.
As for Hagrids, I recommend setting up a wait time notification and squeezing it in whenever theres an opportunity.
And dont forget to count the Hogwarts Express in your rides, if you have a park hopper.
Taking The Hogwarts Express
Regardless of which Park you start in The Hogwarts Express will usually start running about 15- 30 minutes before actual Park open, so if you can be among the first on that train ride over to whichever park you didnt start in, it will put you ahead of the people who are coming in when that Park opens. This makes taking the Hogwarts Express between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley your best bet to maximizing your time in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade are located far from the entrances of their respective Parks. So taking the train over early will put you ahead of those without Early Park Admission racing to the back even if you dont catch the first train ride of the day. Youll want to experience the train in both ways anyway so this is your first opportunity. Its a pretty short ride and is the only way you should be getting from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley. Check out our first-timers Guide to Wizarding World of Harry Potter to help get your bearings on the layout, rides, shops, restaurants, and more.
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Are The Express Passes At Universal Studios Worth It
The Express Passes at Universal in Orlando are similar to a Fast Pass as Disney. You get on all the rides with a much shorter line if you have an Express Pass. With a Fast Pass, though, you can only reserve 3 rides a day. The Express Pass is for all the rides .
There are two Express Pass options one that you can use once per ride, and one for unlimited rides . The price difference between the two was about $20. The cost of the Express Pass alone was nearly the cost of the admission ticket, so it basically doubled our costs to get in. I can safely say that it more than doubled the amount of rides we were able to get on, though, making it worth it for us.
The kids went on 18 or 19 rides each in one day, on a busy July day! The Express Passes are sold in a limited amount, which keeps the lines down. Most of the lines in July were about an hour long. I dont think we waited more than 15 minutes for a ride with our Express Passes, though. If youre cramming two parks into one day, and its a busy day, this investment is probably worth it .
The Express Passes dont work for new rides, so unfortunately we werent able to use it for the new Hagrid ride .
Can You Do Islands Of Adventure In One Day
Yes, its possible to do Islands of Adventure in one day. You wont be able to see or do absolutely everything that this park has to offer, but you can check out the main rides and attractions. If you have more time, then I recommend spending three full days exploring Islands of Adventure with a park-to-park pass.
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Which Universal Park Is Best For Harry Potter
When it comes to which Harry Potter park is better at Universal, Diagon Alley in Islands of Adventure is the clear winner. They have more shops, more merchandise, and the fun of trading your money for Gringotts bank notes. Plus, the younger kids will love the stuffed animals at the Magical Menagerie!
Can You Back And Forth Between The Parks At Universal Orlando
Yes! But you need a ticket for each park. The Hogwarts Express will take you between parks. You can buy a Park-to-Park ticket, which will get you into both parks on the same day. The Park-to-Park ticket was considerably cheaper than buying two separate tickets, which was definitely one bonus to cramming it all into one day!
Buy tickets and Express Passes before you go to save time .
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Guide To The Harry Potter Rides In Diagon Alley
Theres only one ride in Diagon Alley, and it sits just below that fire breathing dragon inside Gringotts Bank. But what a ride it is!
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
The concept for this Harry Potter ride is that youre there to take a tour of Gringotts, but, as so often happens on theme park rides, things go awry. Thanks to ride vehicles that can tilt and spin, 3-D glasses, and other special effects, this Harry Potter ride is a step up from your everyday coaster. The minimum ride height is 42, but there is a child swap room where one parent can wait with anyone who is too young or doesnt want to ride.
Take A Break And See A Show
After enjoying the rides, it might be a good time to see one of the shows staged in Hogsmeade throughout the day.
When we visited, we saw the Frog Choir and the Triwizard Spirit Rally. The stage is small but we never had trouble getting a close-up spot as long as we arrived a few minutes before showtime. Check the paper guide given out at the park entrance or the Universal Orlando app for showtimes.
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Can You Do Harry Potter World In A Day
You can do both Wizarding World of Harry Potter worlds into one day but it would leave little time for other attractions within Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure. However, if you get a 2-day park to park ticket use one day with Harry & friends and the other seeing the rest of the attractions.
Does The Wizarding World Have A Hotel
There are eight Universal Orlando Resort Hotels: The Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Lowes Royal Pacific Resort, Lowes Sapphire Falls, Aventura Hotel, Universals Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Surfside Inn and Suites, and Dockside Inn and Suites. Here are a few reasons it pays to stay on property.
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Buy An Interactive Wand Early In The Day
If you plan on purchasing a wand, do it as soon as you enter the park so that you can play with it the entire day. I hummed and hawed at the cost of the wands, and by the time I decided to buy one, it wasnt worth it because we were leaving soon.
When I say play, I genuinely mean PLAY. Keep your eye out for gold medallions on the ground, and with a flick of the wrist and a little incantation, you can interact with the displays and make magic! Many of the sections where you can practice your magical skills are highlighted on the map included in the interactive wand box. However, if you ask park staff, there may also be some additional secret spots to try your skills.
What Credit Card To Use At Universal
There is no one answer to the question: Which credit card should I use at Universal Orlando? The answer depends on how and where you purchase your theme park tickets and how that credit card codes purchases.
Data points from many travelers tell us that tickets bought at an on-site Universal hotel and charged to the hotel room have coded as travel, but tickets and VIP tours purchased directly from Universal have coded as entertainment.
If you know your charge will code as travel, youll do well to use any of the best credit cards for general travel purchases, including:
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Guide To The Harry Potter Rides In Hogsmeade
Hogsmeade is the Harry Potter theme park land to visit in Orlando if youre most interested in experiencing the different Wizarding World-themed rides. There are three of them here.
Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
The Wizarding Worlds newest ride is arguably the best of them all. Billed as a story coaster, this Harry Potter ride follows a haphazard motorbike lesson with Hagrid. Ride it twice so you can experience both the motorcycle and the sidecar.
This is the only attraction in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that doesnt utilize Express Pass, but it does often use a virtual queue rather than a typical line. Check the Universal Orlando app or ask a Harry Potter world team member for assistance joining the virtual queue. The minimum height for Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is 48 and, as with most of the other Wizarding World rides, child swap is available.
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Flight of the Hippogriff
This kid-size coaster has a minimum height requirement of only 36, but its thrilling for kids of all ages . Its a very quick ride and the wait to board through the normal queue can stretch for hours on busy days. With an Express Pass, though, you can often do the ride as many times as you want with very little waiting.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Flight Of The Hippogriff
Flight of the Hippogriff, dubbed a family-friendly coaster, is across from the lockers at Hogwarts Castle.
The twists, turns and drops reminded me of a slightly tamer Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. My husband is not a fan of roller coasters and didnt want to ride this one even if it is just a junior coaster so I went alone. Plenty of little kids were riding and loving it children have to be just 36 inches tall or taller to ride.
This ride is super quick, so I had to ride a few times to take it all in. The track is elevated so you get a nice view of Hogsmeade. The queue is neat, too, as you walk by Hagrids Hut and on to an open area where youll recognize the Care of Magical Creatures class site.
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Is Hogsmeade Or Diagon Alley Better
Shops and magical products aside, Diagon Alley is superior to Hogsmeade because of the opportunities to bump into friends outside of Hogwarts! Hogsmeade might be pretty, but it’s practically next door to the castle. … Sorry Hogsmeade, you just can’t compete with this bustling hub of wizarding activity!
Tip #: Get To The Park About 5 Minutes Before Opening
Check the park hours and get to the gate a few minutes before opening. We paid a little extra to park closer to the entrance and this saved us some time when walking from the garage to the parks.
Of course having early access to the park is beneficial, but we had regular tickets and found that we didnt need early access to make the most of our day at the two parks.
There was only a few people ahead of us in line at the gate to enter the park, so it was perfect and super quick to get inside.
If you are planning on taking photos in front of the Universal Studios globe, I suggest taking them before entering the park in the morning since theres usually fewer people.
Youll look your best in the morning before you start sweating from the Florida heat. .
Looking for more fun things to do while youre in Orlando?
You may want to consider getting theOrlando Explorer Pass. This gives you free admission to over 15 top Orlando attractions, such as LEGOLAND.
Save up to 35% off vs. paying for individual tickets at the gate.You can learn more here.
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