Attraction of the Week: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando

I have read the Harry Potter series many times and seen the movies countless times, so I knew I had to explore Universal’s newest park addition as soon as it opened (Hogsmeade opened in June of 2010 and Diagon in 2014). The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split into 2 sections: Hogsmeade (at Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley (at Universal Studios). I visited each of these sections soon after they opened. It’s crazy to think how long I waited in line for The Forbidden Journey, Escape to Gringotts, and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure when these fantastic rides first opened!

You will need to purchase a park-to-park ticket to enjoy the Hogwarts train ride between both sections of the park. I also recommend booking a Universal property to enjoy hour early admission. My hotel of choice is the Cabana Bay. It’s the cheapest option but the amenities are actually pretty decent (these include an awesome lazy river, several pools, a bowling alley, a Starbucks, and a cafeteria style restaurant).

In April of 2016, Universal opened another Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood. I would love to visit this park one day to compare the 2.

Update: On May 22, 2025, The Ministry of Magic opened up as one of 5 portals at the new Epic Universe park. You can read about my experience at the newest park for more details. It’s hard to believe that the original park opened 15 years ago! It doesn’t seem like that long ago.

A must visit for Harry Potter fans!

Even if you are not big on traditional theme park rides, I recommend any Harry Potter fans plan a visit. There are so many attractions besides just rides including: special shows, a nightly projection over the castle, treat stands and themed restaurants, and endless shops recreated perfectly from the books & movies. Here’s just some of the things you can do if you can’t handle motion simulator rides & coasters:

• Take the Hogwarts Express train ride between both parks
• Buy a wand and enjoy interactive experiences throughout Diagon and Hogsmeade
• Treat yourself to a frosty frozen butterbeer (they are so delicious, trust me!)
• Explore all the shops in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade
• Try pumpkin juice
• Enjoy butterbeer flavored ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
• Dine in the Three Broomsticks or The Leaky Cauldron, both themed after the movies. Where else can you enjoy a Butterbeer waffle?
• Enjoy endless themed photo opps
• Walk through the incredible Hogwarts castle queue for The Forbidden Journey (there is an exit for non riders)

And, if you haven’t read the Harry Potter series yet, what are you waiting for?! It would be silly not to read the books or at least watch the first few movies before visiting as The Wizarding World now takes up a large portion of both parks! I have no problem with this – although I love the original rides, this is easily my favorite attraction.

The Hogwarts Express: Convenient & fun transport between parks

This 10 minute movie themed train ride provides convenient transportation between Diagon Alley at Universal and Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure. With all the miles you will be putting in walking around the parks, it’s nice to relax for a few minutes on this ride.

You will need to purchase Park-to-Park tickets to experience the train ride, and thus, both Harry Potter experiences. Personally, I like Diagon better overall, but The Forbidden Journey ride at Islands wins for best queue and overall ride for me. In terms of other park rides, I like Islands for the water rides and coasters, while I love the movie magic of Universal.

Note: there is no separate ticket required for entry. Your park-to-park ticket includes access to Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade at each park. I also highly recommend wearing a lanyard (shown in the photo below). You can store your park ticket and early admission pass conveniently, so you do not need to scan your phone to board the Hogwarts Express, open lockers, or enter the park. Most rides like The Forbidden Journey require you to store any loose items in lockers (note they are free).

As of spring 2025, I have visited both parks many times. I have been visiting every year or 2 since my first trip back in 2008. I have compiled my guide to the best rides, shows, and attractions throughout both parks. This guide will just focus on the Harry Potter section but I recommend also taking a look at my general guide as there are so many great rides and shows to look forward to besides Harry Potter themed attractions.

Diagon Alley (Universal Studios)

Diagon Alley opened on July 8, 2014. Both author JK Rowling and the production designer of the films were involved in the design process. The shops and restaurants found here are exact replicas from the movies, and I have to say they did the most amazing job. I am always in awe no matter how many times I visit. If this is your first visit to the parks, I highly recommend booking an on-site hotel so you can explore for an hour before it becomes really crowded.

It’s the closest you can get to feeling as if you are actually in the scenes with the movie characters: an absolute dreamland for fanatics. We always see so many guests dressed up in full robes (I don’t know how they do it in the Florida heat).

Everywhere you look, you see people with their wands out enjoying the interactive experiences, Harry Potter t-shirts, etc – it’s a complete overload of everything wizard. And yes, I am one of those who wear a Gryffindor shirt! I absolutely love just walking around taking pics (esp during early admission when there is no one else around).

I really get the feeling that I am right in the movies movies as I meander down the narrow cobblestone streets and visit such iconic shops like Ollivander’s, Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, and Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions.

You can easily spend hours browsing through wands, robes, and quidditch supplies. One of the most unique items I’ve seen recently is a Hogwarts Houses Chess set, a beautiful collectible piece for die hard fans. If I had a spare $400 bucks, it would definitely be on my shopping list.

Diagon Alley shops

Ollivander’s: Choose your own wand from any character in the series. Seriously, you can find anyone’s wand, even minor side characters! Interactive wands, built with an RFID chip, can be used throughout both parks to cast special spells (you will receive a map with your purchase). Throughout the day special wand ceremonies take place, where selected guests will have Ollivander himself select their wand.

We just bought interactive wands on our most recent trip and had fun casting some spells. They used to offer a choice between interactive and regular, but all the new ones are all interactive. So far, I have the following wands in my collection: Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Snape, and Luna. On a funny side note, on our recent trip we couldn’t find a Ron wand anywhere. We looked in all the shops and the stands and the staff basically told us they were sold out everywhere besides the Universal store at Citywalk.

I recently found this gorgeous Noble Wands wall hanging wand holder than holds 10: it’s so gorgeous! You can buy it at one of the park stores or online.

Wands by Gregorovitch: Pick up your preferred wand without all the fuss at Ollivanders. It’s a bit small and cramped, but really cool with floor-to-ceiling wands of almost every character.

Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes: Great shop for gag gifts and novelty toys. You will find lots of the oddities shown in the films here! I really love the exterior of this shop – they did a really nice job. It’s so colorful and whismical.

Borgin and Burkes: Located down Knockturn Alley, this shop features dark Death Eaters inspired gifts. I found some great Halloween gifts here. The shop is loaded with really cool (and really fragile) items, including a beautiful dementors themed crystal ball.

Magical Menagerie: Stuffed animal lovers will have a field day exploring all the different film characters plush toys available, including owls and Cornish Pixies.

Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions: If this is your first time exploring, you will be surprised at the number of guests wearing long robes in the hot sun. This is where they get them. Also you can pick up one of those adorable sweaters Ms. Weasley knitted for Ron and Harry’s Christmas presents!

Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment: Pick up all your necessary wizarding supplies such as hourglasses and crystal balls. You can also shop for souvenirs from your favorite houses such as mugs, t-shirts, etc.

Quality Quidditch Supplies : Shop for sporting apparel and accessories from your favorite teams. You can even find a Broom and golden snitch in here!

The Gringotts Dragon

The fire breathing dragon at the top of Gringotts bank is quite an impressive site. I usually walk over here first during the early admission hours so I can enjoy the show before it becomes really crowded later on in the day.

To me, this really is the standout feature, and completely impossible not to notice. You can really feel the heat! It goes off every 10-20 minutes or so, and therefore, would be difficult to miss unless you are rushing through the park. Take time to explore everything!

Butterbeer: A treat worth splurging on

You can find so many treats at theme parks: one of the highlights of any vacation for me is splurging on treats I would never have at home. On a hot & humid afternoon, nothing tastes better than a refreshing butterbeer. It sorts of tastes like a butterscotch smoothie.

The frozen variety is even better: it’s such a cooling treat during those hot afternoon hours. I find that it holds me over until our combined lunch/dinner. For some reason, I skipped out on this amazing drink on my first few park visits. Probably because I am not a huge fan of sweets, but really this drink is so delicious and not overly sweet. I now order it every time as it is so delicious and refreshing on a hot afternoon. Most of the time, it’s so hot, I don’t even feel like eating lunch and this drink (and a few snacks) easily hold me over until the park’s closing when I head over to Citywalk to dine.

Rides in Diagon Alley

Escape to Gringott is one of the major Harry Potter rides, this one located at Universal. This ride is basically a rollercoaster which combines 3D and 4D effects. The tech is great and there are some cool movie character appearances along the way. The queue through the Wizarding Bank is pretty cool with realistic looking globlin bank tellers. Plus, the entire queue is inside in the AC so you can cool down a bit.

I waited 3 hours for this ride when it first opened and much of the line was outside (covered but still excruciatingly hot). Thankfully, the line is usually much shorter today (as long as you check on the Wait Times app all day). On our last vacation, we actually easily got on this ride twice, and waited no more than 30 minutes each time.

The Hogwarts Express train can be accessed at both parks. At Universal, you will find King’s Cross Station, which will transport you over to Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure, where more shops, fun, and rides await you. As you take the short ride over, you will enjoy some nice views of the English countryside. You can even pick up a treat (chocolate frog or pumpkin juice anyone?) at the station to accompany you on your ride. There are a few surprises along the way which I won’t give away.

King’s Cross looks exactly like the real London location that was used for filming. Be sure to be on the lookout for the fantastic mirror illusion near Platform 9 3/4 where it looks like you are disappearing into the wall! This is a really fun trick – we took some cool videos one day when it wasn’t as crowded. Sometimes there is no wait, and other times I’ve waited over an hour and a half. And it can get miserably hot and stuffy if there are a lot of people around so again check the Wait Times app.

The train compartments look exactly the same as those Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat on in the films. It’s a really exciting experience to take the iconic ride, not to mention a relaxing break from walking around the parks all day. Back in the day, you had to do so much walking if you wanted to visit both parks in the same day. I already put in 8-9 miles a day on average (not including Citywalk) so I’ll gladly take this mode of transportation.

Dining in Diagon Alley

Butterbeer stands are not hard to find in either park. You can grab one from a quick stand or enjoy one in The Leaky Cauldron. They offer a frozen variety which I prefer and also a regular. You can pay a few extra bucks for a souvenir glass.

The Leaky Cauldron is the main restaurant in Diagon Alley. Here you can enjoy British favorites like Fish and Chips and Bangers and Mash. They also offer butterbeer waffles and ice cream. You will find a few plant based entrees including a vegan curry. The setting is set to resemble that from the movies, with replicas of the artwork. We dined here once and it was a cool experience but the line is often as long as the rides! A great one time experience in my opinion.

Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour allows you to test out Butterbeer flavored ice cream! This is on my list, I just never get around to it.

Hidden surprises throughout Diagon

There are dozens of little surprises all throughout the park. I find new things each time I visit. During your first visit, you will probably be too excited about the major attractions and rides to notice the little hidden gems. As a regular visitor, I find that I pay attention more to the little details with each new visit.

Here are just a few unique experiences to check out:

• The disappearing trick at Platform 9 and 3/4. I recently had Mike take a video where i appear to be walking through the wall. Pretty cool!
• Kreacher appearing in the window of 12 Grimmauld Place: knocking on the door can prompt the house elf to peek out the window.
• You can dial 62442 in the telephone booth at Diagon to hear a message from the Ministry of Magic.
• There are tons of special effects in the queue for The Forbidden Journey: moving portraits, cast appearances via holograms, the talking Sorting Hat, and much more. It’s the best queue I’ve ever seen.
• Self knitting needles at the Spindlewarps Wool shop
• Gilderoy Lockhart moving portrait at Flourish and Blotts
• At the Gringotts Money Exchange, you can talk to the goblin and he will answer questions. You can also exchange your money for special Gringotts bank notes which can be used at the park gift shops.

Overall there is just so much excitement and magic that comes together to make a visit to Diagon Alley such a memorable experience for fans. Everywhere you look you will see signs, merchandise, shops, and characters from your favorite movies and books. So much thought was put into the design of the shops, restaurants, and rides. Additionally, being able to keep the experience going by enjoying themed food and drink really adds to the experience. I love everything about it and would honestly change nothing.

One thing I noticed as that all the shop and ride assistants do a great job of playing their roles. Seriously, they are perfect every time I visit. No one ever seems to be in a bad mood or irritated by the crowds or heat – they really do a great acting job. It is obvious that the park puts a lot of thought into the hiring process and it pays off.

If that isn’t enough, you can’t walk a few feet without seeing a Potterhead casting spells with their wand, dressed in Harry Potter robes, all while enjoying the lively atmosphere. Talk about feeling like you are really there! Even those who have never seen the movies can’t help joining in on the fun.

Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure)

Hogsmeade, located in Islands of Adventure, is home to the original Wizarding section, having opened back in June 2010. The design is outstanding with cobblestone streets, snowy rooftops on each building, and storefronts that resemble those seen in the films. I like the rides here better, but Diagon Alley is just so magical that I give it the slight edge. Still both parks are as picture-perfect as you could imagine.

Attractions at Hogsmeade include 3 rides: The Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, and the new exciting Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure coaster. This ride replaced Dragon Challenge, a dual coaster which closed in Sept of 2017. This one was pretty cool, but it gave me a splitting headache so I don’t mind.

Shops/treats at Hogsmeade

Ollivanders: Pick out your favorite characters wand or get your Christmas shopping done early for all the Harry Potter fanatics on your list.

Honeydukes: Feast your eyes on wall to wall treats, including Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and Chocolate wands.

Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods: You’ll find a little bit of everything here including movie prop replicas, Hogwarts apparel, and Quidditch apparel.

Dervish and Banges: Shop for magic items like Sneakoscopes, Quidditch supplies, and Hogwarts clothing.

The Owl Post: You can send mail out with an official Hogsmeade stamp.

Rides at Hogsmeade

Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure is one of my favorite rides within both parks. This coaster is smooth and fast with lots of surprises which I won’t give away. I waited hours in the heat when this one first opened. On my most recent trip (June 2025), I still waited 60 min as a single rider right at park opening! It’s that fabulous! Everyone just loves it and I can honestly understand the brutal wait! On a side note, the seats are really small. Mike at 6’4″ loves this ride but it’s definitely a tight fit (choose the motorcyle if you are tall, not the sidecar).

The first park ride, The Forbidden Journey, is housed inside the Hogwarts castle. The ride itself is one of the most intense in the park, very thrilling and entertaining at the same time with great 3 and 4D special effects. You will follow Harry on a broomstick through various Hogwarts scenes as you spin in every direction imaginable. Overall, the journey is pretty fun with lots of twists, turns, and surprises. Caution: I would say skip this one if you have motion sickness! But do still walk through the queue – it’s awesome!

The waiting line inside the castle is simply amazing. Highlights in the queue include talking portraits, Dumbledore’s Office, the Gryffindor Common Room, and appearances by Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Flight of the HIppogriff is a family-friendly coaster located right next to The Forbidden Journey ride. You might as well check the wait time as you will be right there. The coaster is not very intense, however, it’s fun and the views of the castle are great!

This is a great alternative for those who can’t handle the more intense upside down/big drop roller coasters. The theme is great and it’s much less intense than Gringotts and the Forbidden Journey, yet still enough fun enough for those who prefer thrill rides. The seats are pretty small though, so I am not sure if a bigger person can fit on this one.

At the Hogsmeade Station, you can take the quick ride over to King’s Cross Station at Universal to explore Diagon Alley. The nice aspect of The Hogwarts Express is that the ride over to King’s Cross is completely different than the ride from King’s Cross. Be sure to take the ride both ways as you will see different characters each time! I prefer the ride from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley.

Nightime Lights at Hogwarts Castle

One of my favorite shows is the incredible evening spectacular over Hogwarts castle. It really gives the Magic Kingdom a run for their money. This high energy show features dazzling lights, music, and all 4 Hogwarts houses, as well as an exciting quidditch match projection.

It took us several visits to finally check it out as we are usually so busy with the rides. I find that I add more new shows into my itinerary with each new visit. Check the park website for details as it only runs select nights.

Three Broomsticks

This rustic themed cafe serves British favorites like Shepherd’s Pie and Fish and Chips. You can also treat yourself to some Butterbeer or Pumpkin Juice with your meal. If you have a big party, you can select The Great Feast option, which includes salad, Rotisserie Chicken, Corn on the cob, Roasted potatoes and ribs. A hefty feast for sure! Be aware, there are often huge wait times to get into this restaurant, and in my opinion, the food was just okay but the ambiance was great.

Depending on the wait time, you are better off picking up some Butterbeer and dining somewhere else to maximize your time in the parks (who wants to wait in line for a restaurant?). You are already limited in terms of time and there is just so much to see!

A magical experience for fans!

Overall, the park is just so detailed that you could never take everything all in, which is also part of the reason why it is so great. You can come back so many times and still be amazed. I never get bored no matter how many times I visit and with the new Epic park there’s just so much to explore. It’s such a magical experience for book fans, movies fans, and anyone else who enjoys the theme park atmosphere. It would be difficult not to have a great time with all the excitement around.

Things to Know

• You get hour early admission by staying at an on-site resort. This is the best time to take pictures without crowds.
• Universal hours are: 9am-9pm. Islands hours are: 9am-10pm. Hours vary based on time of year and parks may close early due to private events.
• I would say at least a 2-3 day park-to-park pass is needed to explore everything. There are discounts the more days you buy. Florida residents receive special rates.
• Only some rides are open for early admission and these may change during the year.
• Many rides require the use of lockers. These are free and you will need to scan your ticket. This is why I recommend wearing a lanyard so you can just scan your ticket without pulling out your phone each time.
• Free water is available at Coke Freestyle stations throughout both parks. An unlimited soda deal is available for $18.99 for 1, $16.99 for 2, and $14.99 for 3 people.
• You can cut down your wait time tremendously by riding as a single rider. Note: the single rider lines can close throughout the day due to capacity.
• You can get free fast passes by staying at on-site resorts (Cabana Bay excluded). This is a great deal if you are limited on time.

• A new Ministry of Magic world just opened at the Epic Universe theme park. The wait as of this summer can be hours long. I tried to get on this ride all day. With an average wait time of over 200 minutes plus many tech delays, it was almost impossible. I finally got on later in the evening as a single rider (the wait was about an hour).

Where to stay

Cabana Bay is a nice budget friendly Universal resort which features: the early admission perk, a free park shuttle, an on-site diner (open great hours from 7am-11pm), a Starbucks, 2 pools with a lazy river and water slide, a sand beach. a bowling alley, arcade, and 2 poolside bars. Rates are often as low as $150 per night.

Tips for a smooth vacation

Wear a lanyard. I bought a pack of 6 online before my trip. These waterproof necklaces can store your park ticket, credit card, cash, and early admission pass. It’s so nice not to take your phone out all day for lockers and to board the Hogwarts Express. I no longer have to worry all day about my phone going dead.

Avoid summer and holiday visits. Summer afternoons in Orlando are brutal, both in terms of heat and humidity. If you do plan a summer visit, definitely enjoy Island’s incredible water rides. Holidays, especially the week between Christmas and New Year’s, spring break, 4th of July, and Memorial Day often see the highest traffic.

January, February, September, and November are great times to visit as the crowds aren’t as bad as the above mentioned times, plus the weather is a bit cooler. I highly recommend avoiding Epic during the summer months. There are no water rides and little shade.

Pack a backpack with water bottles and snacks. The park does allow you to carry food and drinks throughout the parks. I like to munch on snacks while standing in long lines. I recommend trail mix, mini bags of chips, a sandwich, Gatorlyte packets, crackers, and anything else small that won’t melt.

Pack all the essentials like sunblock, sunglasses, a water mister, etc. (all are way more expensive at the parks).

Download the free Wait Times App. Conveniently, this handy app will let you check wait times for all rides, and thus, plan your day accordingly. I use it all day – it saves me time as I can combine rides with short wait times.

Save shopping at Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade for early morning or late evening. During the afternoon hours, you can barely walk due to crowds. All the shops and streets are packed and it is not a pleasant experience! As an alternative, there is a very large gift shop at Citywalk which you can browse after the park closes and not waste any time.

You can send purchases for free to your resort (if you are staying at a Universal property) and pick them up the next day. This is a nice perk I just found out about recently.

Purchase at least a 2 day park-to-park pass to give yourself time to explore everything including all the fantastic rides, attractions, and shows within both theme parks.

Get on the major rides early in the morning – first thing! This will allow you to get one of the rides out of the way before the big crowds hit. Some to visit first include: Gringotts, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure, and The Forbidden Journey (as I stated earlier, rides which are open early are subject to change).

For ticket pricing, hours, and more info visit the park’s website.