Welcome, Muggles!
By now, you’ve surely heard of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that magical place in Florida where you can finally ride the Hogwarts Express, buy your own wand, and dive deep into the vaults of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. It’s a place where, if you’re anything like me, your childhood dreams of going to Hogwarts and soaring with Hippogriffs can at long last come true.
A visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is unlike anything you’ve seen before. The experience is so immersive, so authentic, that it changed the theme park landscape forever. I was there, way back in 2010, when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade welcomed its first guests. I worked at the Flight of the Hippogriff attraction, and later at the now-defunct Dragon Challenge, and I experienced the magic of Hogwarts firsthand months before any guests stepped foot into the land. I sipped Butterbeer in the shadow of dragons, sampled chocolate toads and pepper imps at Honeydukes, and ran giggling through the passageways of Hogwarts Castle.
Now, ten years after the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade exploded onto the scene, I’m here to share all the must-know tips and must-see things within the Wizarding World located at Universal Orlando Resort.
It’s a Two-Park Experience
This is probably the most important thing to know before planning a trip to the Wizarding World. Universal Orlando is comprised of two parks, both of which have their own unique take on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Diagon Alley, the street in London where Harry and his friends purchase their robes, wands, textbooks and more, is housed within Universal Studios Florida. Hogsmeade, the magical village located just outside of the Hogwarts Castle grounds, is part of Islands of Adventure. This is the only place in the world where you can experience both lands, and in order to see absolutely everything, you must have a two-park ticket.
The two magical lands are connected by none other than the Hogwarts Express, the iconic red steam engine that takes Harry and his classmates to and from King’s Cross Station and Hogsmeade Station. The train does more than just ferry visitors back and forth. It is a fully developed ride; a journey between the Muggle world and the Wizarding World. Be sure to ride the train from both stations, as the journey is different depending on your departure point. Your two-park ticket doubles as your ticket to the Hogwarts Express, so make sure to keep it on hand throughout the day!
What to Do
Try Your Hand at a Little Magic
For the ultimate magical experience, you absolutely must visit Ollivanders Wand Shop and witness the pairing of wand and wizard. If you are lucky, you might be chosen to participate in the pairing, and get to practice a few simple spells until the right wand presents itself to you. This is an especially wonderful experience for children and true Potter fans, who are most willing to believe in magic. Newer wand styles include an RFID chip that can be used to cast spells at set locations throughout Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. You might make it rain, for example, or send sheet music flying in a frenzied burst of sound.
For the most authentic experience, witness the wand pairing and then purchase a wand at Ollivanders. If you’re not interested in the experience, or just looking for shorter lines, you can buy the exact same wands elsewhere. My recommendation is to shop at Gregorovitch’s, a smaller and lesser-known wand shop located just inside the entrance to Diagon Alley. You can also buy wands online, at the main gift shops in the parks, at Universal’s onsite hotels, or in CityWalk. This is especially good advice for busy days or very short trips, when you just don’t have a lot of time to spare on wand shopping at Ollivanders.
Visit Hogwarts Castle
What Harry Potter fan hasn’t dreamed of seeing Hogwarts Castle in real life? Not only can you see it here, you can actually go inside and explore some of the series’ most beloved settings, like Dumbledore’s Office or the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Hogwarts is home to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a soaring adventure through the castle grounds. For those who prefer not to ride, ask the attendants at the entrance about castle tours. You can still walk through the castle without waiting in line or being expected to get on the ride at the end.
Help Hagrid Wrangle Magical Creatures
There are two Hagrid-themed rides at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. The first is Flight of the Hippogriff, a small but fast coaster designed to accommodate the youngest Harry Potter fans. Here, you learn to approach a Hippogriff and then climb aboard its back to soar beyond Hagrid’s grounds and zoom past the castle.
The second is Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, a thrilling coaster that pushes engineering boundaries to create something entirely new, the likes of which you’ve never seen in your life. See classroom materials from Hagrid’s unusually dangerous Care of Magical Creatures class, then plunge deep into the Forbidden Forest on a ride that sets all kinds of new coaster records. When the ride premiered in 2019, it featured the most launches of any roller coaster in the world, as well as the longest coaster track in Florida, at nearly a mile long!
Board the Hogwarts Express
Whether you board at Hogsmeade or King’s Cross Station, riding the train is an iconic experience for Harry Potter fans and casual readers alike. While you can opt to walk from one park to the next, you can’t beat riding in an air conditioned cabin while watching the British landscape pass by, or seeing Hogwarts Castle from across the lake. On hot Florida days, it is a relief to just sit and watch the world go by.
Court Danger at Gringotts
Take note of the warning sign as you enter Gringotts Wizarding Bank at Diagon Alley. “If you seek beneath our floors, a treasure that was never yours, Thief, you have been warned, beware, of finding more than treasure there.”
Marvel at the massive crystal chandeliers and try not to make eye contact with the goblins as you enter Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts to search for Horcruxes inside the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange. Hold on tight as you careen miles below the earth to vaults guarded by powerful enchantments and fire-breathing dragons.
Take in a Show
There are two shows at Diagon Alley. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which reenacts the beautifully-animated Tale of the Three Brothers as seen in part 1 of the final Harry Potter movie, is my favorite show in the Wizarding World. You can also catch a performance by Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees, a particular favorite of Mrs. Weasley’s.
In Hogsmeade, marvel at performances by the men of Durmstrang and women from Beauxbatons Academy, both memorably introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Stick around for a sampling of a Capella wizarding hits from Hogwarts’ Frog Choir (complete with singing frogs).
Do Some Shopping
Both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are popular shopping destinations for the wizarding community. Madam Malkin’s, which sells robes, collectibles, and accessories, is a popular choice, as is Honeydukes, which sells a unique assortment of candy found only in the wizarding world. Diagon Alley has far more shops than Hogsmeade, making it an especially interesting shopping destination.
Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley also have a wide range of tasty food options. In my opinion, this is where you will find the best counter service food in either theme park. Which brings me to my next big topic…
What to Eat & Drink
Butterbeer
If shrimp is the fruit of the sea, Butterbeer is the fruit of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There’s frozen butterbeer, cold butterbeer, hot butterbeer, butterbeer soft-serve, butterbeer fudge, butterbeer potted cream…you get the picture. In Hogsmeade, you can find butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks, The Hog’s Head, or at the barrel-shaped Butterbeer cart out in the street. At Diagon Alley, you can find butterbeer at The Leaky Cauldron, the Hopping Pot, and the Fountain of Fair Fortune. The fudge can be purchased at Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop, and the ice cream is available at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Exclusive Brews
In addition to Butterbeer, you can find all kinds of unique alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Exclusive brews include the Hog’s Head Brew (a red ale), Wizard’s Brew (a stout with chocolate and coffee notes), and Dragon Scale (an amber lager). There is also one exclusive liquor called Fire Whiskey, which tastes similar to Fireball Whiskey. Mix it with Strongbow Cider for a little extra kick. One bartender, when we asked for a boozy Butterbeer option, said he could add Fire Whiskey to the Butterbeer but it would curdle, so we needed to drink up quickly. I call it the Flying Car Bomb.
Other non-alcoholic offerings include Pumpkin Juice, Gillywater, Fishy Green Ale, and Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice.
The Great Feast
Offered exclusively at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, the Great Feast serves four people and is a great way to try a little of everything from the menu. It includes garden salad in a signature vinaigrette, rotisserie smoked chicken and spareribs, corn on the cob, and some of the most delicious roasted potatoes I’ve ever had in my life.
Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron
I love breakfast in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter because it includes a non-alcoholic beverage in the entrée price. Butterbeer for breakfast!? I think yes. Breakfast options range from a traditional English breakfast of eggs, sausage, beans, tomato, and more, to a traditional American breakfast of bacon, eggs, and breakfast potatoes. Nothing too fancy, but the food is filling, the setting is spectacular, and—need I remind you—it comes with Butterbeer! The Leaky Cauldron is a great place to start the day in the Wizarding World. Their lunch and dinner options are really tasty as well. I recommend the Beef, Lamb and Guinness Stew, the Ploughman’s platter, and of course, the Fish & Chips.
Tips For Maximizing the Magic
Stay at an Onsite Hotel
There are currently five hotels located on Universal Property, as well as two more affordably-priced hotels about a mile away from the parks, conveniently located just off International Drive. Staying at any one of these hotels will grant you access to early park admission, in which you and your fellow hotel guests enter the park a full hour before it is scheduled to open. At this early hour, only the Wizarding World will be open. Check at the hotel to find out which of the two lands will be available during your stay. If you’re lucky, you might even get access to both parks!
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Review
Universal’s three premier hotels (Loews Portofino Bay, Loews Royal Pacific, and Loews Hard Rock Hotel) also grant access to the much-shorter Express lines throughout the day. The passes are valid at most rides throughout the resort, and are enormously useful in navigating the rest of the park once you’ve finished up with the Wizarding World. I always recommend staying onsite if you visit during an especially busy time, because those Express passes are like gold.
Beat the Lines
If you do not opt to use Express passes, there are two convenient ways to reduce your wait times while in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The single rider line can be a desirable alternative to waiting in an hour-plus line for popular rides such as Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts or Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It’s usually available in peak seasons, such as spring break, summer, or the holiday season. The catch? You will be separated from your party once you get to the front of the line. The single rider line helps employees to fill every seat and reduce the regular wait time, and it helps you to get on more quickly if you don’t mind riding with strangers. It’s also a good option if no one else in your party wants to ride! Note: single riders is currently not in use due to social distancing precautions.
Recently, Universal introduced a virtual line option for some of its most popular rides, including Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. When it is available, guests can use the Universal Orlando Resort app to select a virtual “return time” later in the day and enter the line at their designated return time. There is usually a wait even with the virtual line, but it is much shorter than it would be if everyone piled in at the same time of the day. You could wait 30 minutes, for example, instead of 3 hours.
Download the Universal Orlando Resort App
The Universal app is key to a simplified, accessible vacation. Here you will find updated wait times, show times, menus, mobile food ordering, height requirements, park maps, and more. It is especially helpful for visiting the Wizarding World in three ways: reserving a virtual line time for Hagrid, housing your mobile ticket to easily ride the Hogwarts Express, and ordering food (or butterbeer!) while you shop.
Bring a Small Bag
Bags are not allowed on Universal’s thrill rides for safety reasons. Free lockers are provided at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures, but they are relatively small in size. It’s difficult to cram a large backpack into the free lockers, for example, and impossible to squeeze in a midsize hard cooler. If you do bring large bags, there are larger lockers available to rent at the front of the park.
Check Ride Requirements in Advance
The last thing you want to do is wait in a long line, only to get to the front and find out that you or someone else in your party can’t ride after all. Check height requirements online and again using the height stick at the attraction entrance. The seats can also be a bit restrictive for adults in favor of meeting safety requirements, so take advantage of the test seats at the entrance to see if you can safely fit in the seat before getting into a long line. This is especially true for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, which many say is surprisingly unforgiving for people with wide shoulders or a tall upper torso.
blissmersion says
I stumbled across this post today. I’m looking forward to one day exploring this myself! I also *really* appreciate the spoilers!
blissmersion says
I meant that I appreciate the *lack* of spoilers!
Adventuring The Great Wide Somewhere says
Hooray! Half the fun is discovering it for yourself, right? Hope it make it out soon!
Nikita says
Urgh, I’ve been wanting to go to Harry Potter,s world for such a looong time. I just can’t wait for this day to finally arrive. I’m so happy you enjoyed it !
Beth says
It’s such a gorgeous place and so true to the feeling of the series. Have a Butterbeer for me when you get there!
Saint Facetious says
I keep hearing good things about this park. I’m gonna definitely have to give it a go when I’m next in Florida. Sounds really cool.
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
It’s awesome, especially if you are a Potter fan! And if not, there are plenty of rides, shows and shops to keep you entertained.
Jane says
I would so love to visit here! I looked into it last year but we didn’t end up going. that is just too much fun!
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
It’s well worth a visit, if you do come back this way in the future. The areas are so well done, you can have a good time just by walking around, poking around in the shops, and just enjoying a Butterbeer.
Tatiana Sieff says
Believe it or not I have just read all the Harry Potter books for the first time ever this summer! Now I am DESPERATE to visit the studios in London now! I’m all jealous of you! xox
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
No way! Sounds like you’ve been converted then! I would love to visit the studio tour as well. It looks so immersive, and that model they have of Hogwarts Castle looks just incredible.
Jessica McCarty says
How fun! Such an interesting blog post! Thanks for sharing! I bet my daughter would love something like this!
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Definitely take her here if you get the chance! It’s such an immersive experience, and the spell-casting aspect is perfect for kids!
Maria says
That’s interesting! I’m not such a big Harry Potter fan but I have a friend who is obsessed, I will definitely share your post with her:)
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Thanks Maria! The place was definitely created with the fans in mind, so I’m sure she will love it!
Tita Pacita says
I looove Harry Potter!!!!! More photos, please? If that’s okay. Hehe
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Haha! Oh, I definitely have more. I just didn’t want to spoil the surprise! I’ve been thinking of doing a followup photo essay post though, so keep an eye out for that coming soon!
Lexie says
Wow I’m a Harry Potter fan, I even went to the exposition in Brussels and it was amazing really amazing. I’m so jealous that you have visited this muggle city. I wanna see this one day .
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Ooohhh, I didn’t hear about the exposition, but I just looked it up and am super jealous! I would love to see Hagrid’s Hut and all of those beautiful costumes.
juelzjohn says
Am a huge fan of harry potter and i have all the books.I even have all the books
Hopefully one day i will be able to visit that place too.Looks like you had soo much fun
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Yes, me too! I grew up on the series and getting to see it brought to life is a literal dream come true. I hope you see it soon, and if not, there’s always the studio tour in England, traveling exhibitions, and of course, the other Universal theme parks, if there is one closer to you!
Kristan says
Wow, I’m not a huge Harry Potter fan but even I geeked out over this post. It looks and sounds so amazing and memorable. Thank you for sharing your experience!!
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Right!? The way they brought it to life is just incredible.
Lavanda Michelle says
My daughters are huge Harry Potter fans and after I reread the post and share the picture, they are excited and ready for it. Thanks you made their day.
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Awww that made MY day! I’m so happy you all enjoyed the post and the photos! Are you guys headed there soon?
Luci says
Great post. I haven’t been to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter but I’ve always wanted to go. It looks so much fun.
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
There is so much to see there, and the food is actually great as well. Hope you get to visit for yourself soon!
shivee sirmauri says
I just love Harry Potter and this is a lovely post with so many interesting pictures.. Lucky you!!
Adventuring the Great Wide Somewhere says
Thank you! It’s such a great experience for Potter fans, and I hope you get to come visit!