Wizarding World Of Harry Potter At Universal Studios Guide
One of the best additions ever made to the Universal Studios theme parks was The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando have areas dedicated to the Boy Who Lived. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an immersive experience so that once fans step foot into the land, they will feel like they have stepped into the movies and books.
Universal Orlando has two Harry Potter themed lands: Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade is located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida. The Hogwarts Express connects both of these Harry Potter themed lands- you will need a Park-to-Park ticket in order to ride though since it transports you between the two main theme parks at Universal Orlando.
Universal Studios Hollywood only has Hogsmeade but with a larger amount of shops to compensate for Hogsmeade being the main focus. Universal Studios Hollywood is a working studio and doesn’t have the same capacity as Orlando to expand. Despite that, the experience of Hogsmeade at Universal Studios Hollywood is just as amazing and immersive as its counterpart in Florida.
Our guide covers everything you need to know about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in both the locations in California at Universal Studios Hollywood and in Florida at Universal Orlando. From British dining options to magical rides to the castle of Hogwarts guests can partake in their own Harry Potter themed adventure.
Attractions At Universal Studios Hollywood
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood has two themed attractions.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the main stop attraction at this theme park. The queue to lead to this ride is an experience in itself as it winds its way through Hogwarts where you will past Dumbledore’s office, a classroom featuring projections of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, the Fat Lady, the vials holding the house points, the Herbology garden, and more! The attraction takes you on a journey following Harry Potter and his friends using a combination of screen technology and classic dark ride technology.
The ride uses a robotic arm to transport guests on a bench that becomes magicked to fly by Hermione herself. The harness goes above your head, strapping you in, and leaving your feet dangling as you fly around Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest. The ride does not go upside down although you do get shaken around quite a bit backwards and forwards. It’s a fantastic ride- not to be missed! Must be 48 inches to ride.
Check Out The Knight Bus And 12 Grimmauld Place
Once youve seen everything on Diagon Alley, leave this part of The Wizarding World through the opening in the brick wall. Directly across youll see the Knight Bus. Here you can meet the conductor and the shrunken head that hangs at the front of the bus. Kids and adults love interacting with these two. Sit by the fountain to listen in.
Then, look across the way and youll see a replica of a London street. Upon closer inspection, youll see 12 Grimmauld Place, the home of Sirius Black . He gifted the property to the Order of the Phoenix, which used it as a headquarters. Look up toward the second floor and you may catch a glimpse of Kreacher, the Black family house-elf, peering at you from the window.
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Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade Station
When youre ready to leave this part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, walk through the arch toward Hogsmeade Station and get in line for the Hogwarts Express.
The train will take you back to London at Universal Studios. The experience is a bit different in each direction, so be sure to hop on even if you rode the train from London to Hogsmeade earlier in the day.
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Tip #: Dont Miss 12 Grimmauld Place
When visiting Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida, you might be tempted to stay inside the Alley but it turns out theres more outside the magical world!
If you exit through Kings Cross Station, youll step into a small slice of London in Florida! While you wont be able to tick off any of the items on my London Harry Potter bucket list, you can see the Knight Bus, snap a photo with one of Londons famous red phone booths, admire Piccadilly Circus, and spot Kreacher in the window of No. 12 Grimmauld Place.
Its a cherry-on-top experience that adds to all the magic youll experience in Diagon Alley and the rest of the Wizarding World.
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How To Get Early Entry Into Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
Getting into either land of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter early can really help you see more each day. The earlier you can get into the theme park, the more you can see before the lines get too long.
Early admission is a perk of staying at Universal Orlando hotels. These hotels are operated by Universal Studios and offer many benefits for guests.
Do not expect there to be no crowds, because everyone else has the same idea of getting in early! However, there will be less people than there will be once general admission opens.
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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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A Cool New Harry Potter Attraction Just Opened But This Time It’s Not At Universal Studios
ByKen Storey onThu, Jul 22, 2021 at 2:49 pm
One could argue that the Harry Potter New York store goes far beyond just a merchandise location. Its a Harry Potter experience. Therefore, it doesnt step on the toes of anything Universal has exclusivity over. Thus, does a virtual reality broom experience create a conflict of interest? Depends on who you ask. Is it technically a ride? Not really since you dont actually go anywhere, explains Young. Thus, the New York Harry Potter virtual reality experience sits in this gray area that allows it to even exist.
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Restaurants In The Wizarding World
Hogs Head Pub
The Hogs head pubs specialty is Butterbeer. Butterbeer is a non-alcoholic drink with flavors of shortbread, cream soda and butterscotch. It comes in frozen or regular form. For $8.50 you can get it in a souvenir mug as shown.
Which ever type you choose, it is certainly refreshing on a hot Florida day!
Over 21s can enjoy a refreshing beer. Choices include Bud Light, Budweiser, Stella, Newcastle, Guiness, Boddingtons and a specially made Hogs Head brew.
Insider tips! Listen carefully near the stairs to the left of the bar you might hear some voices from upstairs.
Go to the back of the pub and you can take your Butterbeer outside. There is a large outdoor covered seating area where you can take a load off and people watch for a bit.
Three Broomsticks
The Three Broomsticks is next door to the Hogs Head. Its a much bigger establishment. Here youll find a variety of British food including fish & chips, sheperds pie, BBQ ribs, Cornish pasties and turkey legs. Deserts include apple pie and chocolate trifle. There is also a childrens menu.
Insider tip to get a higher quality glass souvenir mug instead of a plastic one, order a Hogs Head brew. The Hogs Head brew comes with a glass engraved souvenir mug.
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Best Souvenirs From Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
There are so many fun things to find within both lands of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. After all, this is a unique world of its own that you cant find many other places. So be sure to pick up these best souvenirs before you leave!
Among the souvenirs you definitely want to save money for are:
- Butterbeer
- Harry Potter Robe
- Postcard or Letter with Hogwarts stamp and postmark
- Gringotts Bank Notes
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- The Miraculous Harry Potter Rides at Universal Studios
A day at Universal Studios presents a lifetime of memories. The famous dinosaur simulator offers the largest ever upgrade to its thrilling thrill ride. Jurassic Park fun arrived at Universal Studios in July 1994. The ride looked promising.
Jurysaur was disappointingly opened and tanked. But the Harry Potter fun continued with the encounter with the basilisk in the 13th wand shop.
Not only Harry Potter fans, but reptiles, dragonflies, and some tiny people fascinated by Harry Potter adventures flock to Universal Studios.
The Harry Potter continues today with the new puppet theater show The Magic of wizard Rock, and with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter just around the corner.
The ride looks stunning. The studio favorites remain, along with a dazzling selection of the Wizarding equipment.
The Studio Exclusive attraction of the day is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This will be the « Rated rated» Rated expanse of Harry Potter you never know would you like to come and dance in theories of fans?
It promises to be the par excellence of Harry Potter Luxury. 14 superbly cosy 1920s Baker Street Wookey Lane represents Harrys London during the period of the films.
The Triwizard tournament of 1991 sees the Three Broomsticks shopping place of Harry Potter fame.
it is the second floor due to the Forbidden Journey attraction, this is the Forbidden Journey Wing, here you will be in the Hogsmeade
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What To See And Do In Wizarding World Of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley
Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios theme park.
Note: This can be confusing, because the entire Universal Orlando Resort is often called Universal Studios. However, one of their two theme parks located in Orlando is called Universal Studios.
Have you seen pictures of a fire-breathing dragon on top of Gringotts Bank? This is the land where you can get that picture! The dragon spits fire every 15 minutes, and you will know before it happens because she starts to rumble and growl beforehand.
The heat underneath the dragon can get pretty intense when its breathing fire. So on a hot day, you might want to stand a little farther away!
Where To Get Butterbeer
Butterbeer is a famous drink from the Harry Potter books. It is a very sweet drink that is a cross between cream soda and butterscotch flavor. It is not alcoholic, unless adults specifically order an alcoholic version.
Butterbeer comes in several different varieties in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. These include:
- Frozen Butterbeer
- Cold Butterbeer (found at Leaky Cauldron, Hogs Head, The Hopping Pot, Fountain of Fair Fortune, Three Broomsticks and food service carts
- Hot Butterbeer
- Butterbeer Ice Cream
- Butterbeer Fudge
- Potted Cream
You might be able to get your Butterbeer served in a souvenir tankard if you choose the cold or frozen varieties.
Be aware, you cannot buy butterbeer outside of Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There are no other locations to purchase the drink at Universal Orlando Resort. You cannot buy butterbeer at Disney World, either.
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Ultimate Guide To Wizarding World Of Harry Potter At Universal Studios Orlando: 2022
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is definitely the most popular place in all of Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. Harry Potter land at Universal Studios is an immersive experience that will thrill everyone, whether or not you have ever read J.K. Rowlings book or seen the movies.
This massive and magical world actually spans two theme parks and features two unique locations from the Harry Potter movies. From thrilling attractions and rides, to shows, shopping and unique food and drinks, there is a lot that you want to make sure you dont miss!
Our Ultimate Guide to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando in Florida will help you understand what there is to see, the best ways to experience all of Harry Potter land, and helpful tips to save you time and money.
Here is how we have organized this guide and the table of contents:
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Tip #1: Dont Skip Knockturn Alley
A hidden gem, most people miss Knockturn Alley when visiting Diagon Alley I know, its hard to divert your attention from the giant fire-breathing dragon atop Gringotts bank.
Knockturn Alley is a spooky area tucked away down one of Diagon Alleys dark corridors. Youll find it near The Leaky Cauldron. Get your courage up and venture into the world of the Dark Arts. You can also visit the Borgin and Burkes store here.
The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Universal Hollywood Studios
Universal Hollywood Studios opened their Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2016, only 4 years after the final film of the franchise. The success of the Harry Potter books and films across the world is almost incomparable to any other popular culture franchise- now spanning 3 decades. Despite the world of Harry Potters first book being released in the late 90s, the worlds love for all things Potter has not waned, and instead, a new generation of Potter fans emerges each year.
Harry Potter fans can not get enough of the wizarding world and all that comes with it and Universal is best placed to indulge any massive Harry Potter fan at its Theme Parks with its Wizarding World attraction. As BIG Harry Potter fans ourselves, we could not wait to experience a taste of Harry Potter in real life. Here we show you exactly what to expect from your visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal Hollywood Studios
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Tip #: Go Straight To Ollivanders For A Wand
No matter what time you arrive, your very first stop in the Wizarding World should be Ollivanders Wand Shop.
You can visit the Ollivanders in Hogsmeade , or be a purist to visit the Ollivanders in Diagon Alley . You might have to wait in a short line as only a small number of witches and wizards can attend each wand-choosing ceremony, but its worth it. Watching the wandmaker help a young wizard or witch find their perfect wand is a fun experience.
Lines at Ollivanders typically only get longer as the day goes on so start the day with this one and you wont have to wait even longer later in the day.
Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts
For five straight years, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts towered over everything else at Universal Orlando.
This ride was the unquestioned alpha at the park and, arguably, all of Orlando, at least until Avatar Flight of Passage arrived.
Since then, a different Harry Potter attraction has surpassed Escape from Gringotts, but that speaks more about the greatness of the new ride than any dig at its predecessor.
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts marries two disparate concepts: the dark ride and the roller coaster.
The best way that I could describe it is that Universal took the ride structure of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Then, ride designers put everything on a coaster cart with ride tracks.
So, youre still experiencing a brilliant Potterverse story, only everythings happening during a roller coaster ride!
The events take place during the sequence from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, when our heroes break into Gringotts Bank.
However, the rider isnt with Harry and his friends at the start. Instead, guests luckily encounter Hermione, Ron, and Harry, as the trio saves the day.
Perhaps the greatest thrill is that the greatest evil wizardess, Bellatrix Lestrange, is trying to capture you throughout the experience. Oh, and Voldemort joins later.
This ride is a true masterpiece of storytelling and theme park design. Somehow, Universal still created something better, though
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