Harry Potter Universal Studios Hollywood

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You’ll get the most out of your visit when you reserve accommodations at The Garland one of the most guest-friendly hotels near Universal Studios Los Angeles.

Beginning on March 4, 2022, and in accordance with government guidelines, guests will no longer be required to wear facial coverings, or show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test when visiting Universal Studios Hollywood. Facial coverings continue to be strongly recommended while indoors.

For questions about your visit to the park, please visit our FAQs and before your visit review our Important Safety Guidelines.

Thank you for your support and patience as the operations at Universal Studios Hollywood evolves to address the latest policies. We look forward to seeing you soon.

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter In Hollywood: Where Is It What Is It

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Los Angeles is an area entirely dedicated to the famous magician immortalized in J.K. Rowlings books, but it is not a park in itself rather, it is an integral part of Universal Studios Hollywood, an amusement park entirely dedicated to the world of cinema located in the San Fernando Valley in the vast Greater Los Angeles Area.

All you need to do is pay the entrance fee for the park, which includes all the attractions and rides. You can find more information on how to purchase tickets here. For information on how to get to Universal Studios by car or public transportation and other details on how to plan your visit, please refer to our comprehensive guide to Universal Studios in Hollywood.

Flight Of The Hippogriff

Walk through Hagrids pumpkin patch and stop in for a visit with Bane while on your way to board your Hippogriff. This ride is a fun roller coaster for the entire family . Kids will love the view of Buckbeak and adults will enjoy seeing a new perspective of Hogwarts Castle. The ride is quite short but fun. Head here early in the day when lines are short.

Tip: Visitors to both Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff benefit in Universal Hollywoods Front-of-the-Line tickets. The cost varies depending on the day.

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Universal Studios Hollywood Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood was inaugurated in 2016 and since then has become one of the major attractions of the theme park.

The Harry Potter World is not a separate theme park but is a themed land in the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles.

At this magical section of Universal, visitors explore the mysteries of Hogwarts Castle, ride adrenalin-pumping Harry-Potter-themed roller coasters, and try out Butterbeer.

This article shares everything you must know about Universal Studios Hollywood Wizarding World of Harry Potter before booking your tickets.

A Good Geographic Game Plan

The Wizarding World isnt the only thing in Universal Studios! Hit the two Harry Potter rides first , then take the escalators down to the lower lot. Save exploring Hogsmeade for the afternoon when wait times for rides will be much longer.

Do the three rides on the lower lot together , so you dont waste time making multiple trips up and down the long flights of escalators. Theres also a cute dinosaur-themed playground for younger kids who may not be up for the rides.

The studio tour is a must its a 60-minute tram ride through the buildings and sets where the movie-making happens. There are a few motion simulator stops and close encounters with dinosaurs and sharks.

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The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a themed area at Universal Studios Hollywood theme park near Los Angeles. The area is themed to the Harry Potter media franchise, adapting elements from the film series and novels by J.K. Rowling. The attractionthe second Harry Potter-themed area to exist at a Universal resortwas designed by Universal Creative from an exclusive license with Warner Bros. Entertainment.

After the successful debut of a similarly themed area at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Parks & Resorts announced the construction of a second Wizarding World of Harry Potter on December 6, 2011. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood officially began operation on April 7, 2016.

This attraction suspended operations on 14 March 2020 on grounds of COVID-19 pandemic.

Harry Potter Ride Universal Studios

After we had our afternoon fill of Harry Potter World Universal Studios Hollywood area, we had to see what was new on their behind the scenes movie tour.

I remember riding this as a teen and although a few things remain the same. The Jaws portion which still catches me off guard when we ride it. There are always new things to see and experience like the King Kong ride too!!

The last time we visited it was during their Grinchmas event which was great, and things had even been added since then.

If youre thinking of visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood Id recommend it. Especially if youre a huge fan! Dont leave the park without riding rides in the other areas though too because youll be missing out.

If you love movies in general Universal is such a unique experience with items of new and classic films so there is something for people who are 50 and 5 years old too. Different seasons offer different things too so if you visited in the winter time make sure to visit in the summer this year!

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Hogsmeade Villagethe Shops Dining And Beverages

Among the shops are Zonkos Joke Shop, which sells silly items such as extendable ears. All kinds of wizard stuff, quidditch gear, and Hogwarts school supplies are available at Dervish and Banges and Filchs Emporium of Confiscated Goods. Goods can also be purchased at Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment and Gladrags Wizardwear, two stores that are unique to Hollywood’s Hogsmeade. Honeydukes offers sweet treats such as Bertie Botts Every-Flavour Beans and chocolate frogs.

At the wand shop, Ollivanders, visitors can see a brief demonstration in which the wand chooses the wizard before heading off to purchase an authentic Harry Potter wand. At the original wand shop in Florida, the capacity is very small, and the lines can be very long to see the show. In California, the park has doubled the capacity, but the lines can still get quite long.

British fare such as fish and chips is available at the quick-service restaurant, Three Broomsticks. It’s surprisingly tasty and a definite cut above typical theme park food. The magic elixir, butterbeer, is available at the Hog’s Head Pub adjacent to the restaurant as well as at beverage carts. It is so popular, you would probably feel as if you hadnt truly visited the Wizarding World unless you purchased and consumed one. The delicious and curiously addictive non-alcoholic drink is available cold and frozen . Regardless, both are topped with a frothy foam that invariably gives those drinking it a white mustache.

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! All Park Prodigy Universal Orlando tickets will get you into the park one hour before regular park guests with Universal Early Park Admission! And to stay up to date on everything going on inside the theme parks be sure to check out our partners at Themeparktoday.com!

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The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Universal Studios

If youre looking for things to do in Southern California, Universal Studios is definitely a must. They always have such fun things in store. Always changing things up so each season offers something a bit different year round.

This was our first visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter though!

Snow capped buildings all around, with people smiling and using their wands, there is everything you could possibly want with the Harry Potter theme in mind.

Such great books and they did such a great job creating an interactive world right here in Southern California!

Shopping In The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

You can visit all your favorite shops like Zonkos Joke Shop,Honeydukes Sweetshop and Dervish & Banges Wizards Market. Honeydukes and Zonkos are one big store at Harry Potter World in Hollywood, but they are big, bright and full of awesome stuff. Buy a chocolate frog or a potion.

We loved Olivanders wand shop and loved looking at all the different options. There are usually reservations for children picking their wands, but during our trip it was cancelled due to Covid.

We also loved the Owl Post Office and seeing how many cool Harry Potter souvenirs their were.

Best Souvenir: Hogsmeade Cream Tea Set from The Owl Post Office

The set includes a teapot that looks just like the one in the movie! It also comes with cup, saucer and plate so you can enjoy tea on your very own Harry Potter adventure!

It was very crowded but the wait times were not long and there are plenty of things to do while waiting in line for rides. My kids loved all the interactive elements like shrunken heads and owls along with the people dressed up as wizards from all over Europe. Its much more than just shopping at Hogsmeade or getting butterbeer ice cream, it feels like an adventure that your whole family will enjoy! We cant wait to go back next time were in LA!!

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Dark Mark Braided Leather Keychain $20

This black braided faux leather keychain features various charms surrounding the Dark Mark.

Of course you have the Dark Mark itself, but then there is also the spell on a rectangular charm to its right, Morsmordre. There is also a full Death Eater mask charm to the left of the Dark Mark charm.

At the top of the keychain, there is also a small circular metal piece that reads The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal Studios.

Take A Forbidden Journey

The highlight of the land is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a highly sophisticated attraction that uses innovative robotic arm vehicles to send passengers on an adventure with the boy wizard. It incorporates both practical sets with wild effects and projected media to simulate flying and other sensations. Forbidden Journey is among the world’s best theme park attractions.

The ride is located inside the massive Hogwarts Castle. Getting to it is an adventure in itself. The tricked-out castle is loaded with delightful effects and artifacts. The pre-show, presented in a couple of acts, sets the stage with some intriguing theme park trickery.

One word of caution: Forbidden Journey a surprisingly aggressive attraction. Heed the pre-ride warnings. If thrill rides aren’t your thing, you may want to think twice before boarding it. When the ride first opened in Hollywood, it featured 3D media, requiring passengers to wear 3D glasses. Some guests had been experiencing motion sickness in reaction to the 3D experience the park has since removed the 3D media.

If the line to board the ride is especially long, you could break up your party and opt for the single rider line. You could also consider upgrading to front-of-the-line passes, which can be pricey, but could save you a lot of time in the Wizarding World and throughout Universal Studios Hollywood.

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The Rides In The Wizarding World

Flight of the Hippogriff

This ride is more for kids and was a lot of fun. It is a fairly traditional roller coaster but it is super cool because you can see all of Harry Potter world!

Our family loved this ride! It was so much fun that we went on it three times.There is a height requirement for this one so make sure you check before going.

The Forbidden Journey

This ride is a lot of fun. It takes you through Hogwarts and the grounds. You get to see Hagrids Hut, The Whomping Willow and Diagon Alley among other things! There are also some cool surprises in here that I wont spoil for you but it was one of my favorite rides at Hollywood Studios

Harry Potter addicts will love it because it has so many cool scenes from all the movies. I loved this one but there were some parts where you got a bit jostled, which is fine, but I want you to know ahead of time. This ride is half roller coaster , half 3D animation and even waiting in line is fun!

Universal Studios Hollywood Harry Potter Shops Hogsmeade

• Filchs Emporium of Confiscated Goods
• Wiseacres Wizarding Equipment
• Gladrags Wizardwear

Hogsmeade StationOverall, the Hogsmeade in Universal Studios Hollywood uses its space to allow more shopping for guests. You will not find Zonkos, Gladrags Wizardwear or Hogsmeade Station Shop over in Orlandos Hogsmeade.

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Dark Mark Crossbody Bag $45

This crossbody bag is made of faux leather and features various Dark Mark symbols. The back bag has the Dark Mark as the clasp that opens up the bag. At the bottom of the bag, it reads Morsmordre.

The sides of the bag are plain. This side features the two rings where the crossbody strap clips to the bag.

The back of the bag is lacking in detail, just plain black.

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The bottom of the bag is also plain faux leather with no details.

Go In Expecting To Bleed Galleons

No big surprise here, everything is expensive. Set a budget, then double it.

Theres a reason J.K. Rowling is a bazillionaire. Universal Studios admission starts at a non-negotiable $109 per person, and once you enter itll take all your willpower to not buy everything in sight. The cute little shops of Hogsmeade are filled with souvenirs for purchase, sweatshirts, stuffies, marauder maps, you name it.

That mug of butterbeer will set you back a ridiculous $15.33 its basically super-sweet soda in a plastic cup. But when in Hogsmeade

If you want to dress up, youll be in good company. Youll see lots of wizards and witches walking around in school robes. Robes at Universal run $140 apiece we pre-bought a knockoff on Amazon for a fraction of that price.

Universal Studios allows you to bring in your own snacks, just not a full-on four-course meal. Not as fun as ordering English pub food at the Three Broomsticks, but probably healthier and definitely more budget-friendly.

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Universal Studios Hollywood Shows

WaterWorldA Live Sea War Spectacular

This action-packed water show based on the movie by the same name is something you will want to see while at Universal Studios Hollywood.

It is filled with thrilling stunts, combat scenes and even pyrotechnic special effects!

Dreamworks Theater Featuring Kung Fu Panda

When you enter the theater, you might think that you are going to be seeing a movie. And while you will see a movie playing on the screen, you are going to actually be part of the action!

While the film plays, your seat will match the movement and motion on the screen.

Harry Potter Land Shops Universal Orlando Florida Vs California

Double, double toil and trouble! Looking for a cauldron, magical creature or your very own wand from the famous Ollivander? Both Universal Studios Harry Potter Worlds offer a variety of shops to get all of your witch-y needs! But which shops are better California or Florida? Lets compare Wizarding World shops in Florida and California.

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Linger And Take In The Ambiance

Rather than rushing to the Forbidden Journey attraction and skedaddling on to another area at Universal Studios Hollywood after it’s over, visitors, especially diehard Potter fans, should take the time to linger in Hogsmeade Village. The level of immersive themeing is incredible. You’ll feel as if you have truly entered the Scottish village depicted in Rowling’s books and the movies they inspired.

There are actual props from the movies embedded around the land. The “ancient” buildings look as if they have endured centuries of wear and lean this way and that from settling. Window displays spring to life when activated by specially equipped wands that are available for purchase. Even the bathrooms are themed. Tanks are mounted above the toilets as if they were installed eons ago. And if you listen carefully, “Moaning Murtle” can be heard lurking in the loos.

At the front of the land is Hogsmeade Station and the Hogwarts Express. Stationed in front of the train’s smoking engine, a conductor greets guests as they enter. The train, however, never leaves the station. Inside the station is a reproduction of a Hogwarts Express passenger compartment in which guests can have their photos taken.

Harry Potter World Orlando Hogsmeade

Here is where we are going to see our biggest difference between Florida vs California Harry Potter Worlds. While a lot of shopping is jammed into Hogsmeade in Hollywood, these shops are spread out a lot more in Orlando between the two parks. So if youre planning on only visiting Hogsmeade in Florida, you will miss out on some shops that are in Hollywoods Hogsmeade.

• Wiseacres Wizarding Equipment

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