I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
I love Harry Potter. So much that I entered a raffle for a code, to get the chance to spend too much money on theater tickets to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. That's coming up in June and I'm already excited, but more to come on that later.
Needless to say, I was equally excited to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, because... MAGIC! Universal does a truly incredible job of making the magic of Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade, a reality. From the rides to the shops and eateries, everything holds so true to the books and movies.
The Knight Bus!
All aboard!
Diagon Alley
Riding in Hagrid’s motorbike
Hogsmeade
The magic!
If you don't mind spending the money, I highly suggest getting an interactive wand from Ollivanders. Sure, the wand ceremony is kitschy, but getting to use your wand throughout the parks let's you be a part of the magic. Each wand comes with a map of the park and spells to try. My husband got one for me, so our entire group had the benefit of trying different spells and we had a great time with it.
Ollivanders
The rides!
It was a good thing that my friend, Jenn, did some research on the park. Thanks to her, we didn't need to spend extra on the Express Pass and used the Single Rider lines which frequently moved just as fast. That's how we rode Escape from Gringotts and the Forbidden Journey in a fraction of the normal wait times. It's definitely a benefit to traveling with adults, whereas you may not want to separate if you're traveling with kids. The rides are fantastic and absolutely worth going on. Even riding the Hogwarts Express, despite having longer lines, made us feel like we were on our way to Hogwarts!
Hogwarts Express!
The treats!
Hot Butterbeer! Cold Butterbeer! Frozen Butterbeer! All overly sweet and delicious! I suggest sharing, especially if you want to try the different varieties. Florean Fortescue's ice cream is as amazing as people say. My brother went on a mission to find a Cauldron Cake at Honeydukes, but that was completely average and not worth it. Three Broomsticks actually has an English menu, which is fun, and Hog's Head is a great place to order Butterbeer without the lines you'll see everywhere else.
Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream
Honeydukes
Hog’s Head has a Butterbeer on tap!
This amazing world is delightful! The only thing better might be to visit the movie set in England one day.
(Photos courtesy of Rich, Jenn, and Zach