The Ultimate Guide to Harry Potter World

I’ve talked about our trip to Universal Orlando in-depth, but I wanted to break out The Wizarding World of Harry Potter into its own post. I mean it’s THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER. It may be giving Disney a run for their money as “the most magical place on Earth.” We specifically planned our trip to Universal around Harry Potter World. For me, it was a life-long dream of mine fulfilled. I’m already counting down the days until we can head back. While I do that, I figured I’d be more productive and write out my guide with tips and tricks for navigating through Harry Potter World.

First, it’s important to know that there are two separate areas – Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley – that span between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. You’ll need to buy tickets to both parks to see both parts of Harry Potter World. If you want to ride the Hogwarts Express between the two then you’ll need a park-to-park ticket. If you’re looking to just explore the Harry Potter sections of Universal, you can certainly do that in one day; but we enjoyed a two day park-to-park pass and felt like it was the best option. It allows you to revisit favorites from the day before without feeling rushed.

I’ll break down what’s within each park and how to get between the two below. If you’re interested in reading about where to stay or how to get to the park in general, you can read my Universal Orlando overview here.

Islands of Adventure: Hogsmeade

What to Ride

There are three rides located in Hogsmeade and each one is a bit different from the others.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

This motion-oriented 3D/4D ride was one of my top favorite rides of the park. As you wait for your turn on the ride, the line takes you through the Hogwarts dungeons up to the Room of Requirement where you eventually get seated into the ride. Once you take off, you’re taken through the Floo Network until your flying on a broom over Hogwarts with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley by your side.

This happens to be the first ride we got onto when we got into the park and it set the stage for the rest of our day. I genuinely felt like I was flying over Hogwarts. The details that went into making the magic of flying come to life are insane.

For me, the ride was more exciting than scary; but there are life-like dementors in the ride that could scare younger children. There aren’t any inversions though you are put on your back a couple of times. Other than that, it’s mostly just twisting and turning like a typical motion ride.

PRO TIP: If the line is long, try returning around lunchtime (1 – 1:30 PM) for better luck. This trick works for other high demand rides as well. We were able to get on immediately using our Express Pass around this time.

The Flight of the Hippogriff

The queue line weaves through the grounds of Hogwarts and leads you to the Care of Magical Creatures class. From there, riders board the vehicle that allows students to learn how to ride Hippogriffs.

This ride is a family-friendly roller coaster right outside of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. This is the tamest ride throughout Harry Potter World, so the line is filled with families with young kids. There aren’t any inversions. We skipped this ride because it’s more suited to kids but it would be good for families.

Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure

This was my favorite ride of the entire park – like all of Universal. We rode it 3 times over two days, but I would have rode it a million more if the line wasn’t so long. It was probably one of the most unique rides I’ve ever been on and the cost backs it up. Several reports state that it cost $300 million to build.

As you wait in line, you navigate through Hogwarts grounds passing Hagrid’s Hut making your way inside Hogwarts. Once you’re able to get on the ride, you have the opportunity to choose between 2 different types of seats – the motorbike or the carrier. Each seat is going to give you a different experience on the ride. The ride is classified as a “story-telling” ride with Hagrid talking to you throughout. Wow! The magic really comes alive on this ride. It speeds through the Forbidden Forest passing several magical creatures along the way. There aren’t any inversions but there are twists, speed ups, and a surprise drop.

If you only take on thing away from this post, let it be that this ride is worth the wait. There isn’t an Express pass line available, but you can bypass the standby line by using the Single Rider Line. Just note that this will split up your party. We opted to wait in line together so we could guarantee we got the seat we wanted – taking turns on the motorbike.

PRO TIP: I recommend riding it at least twice so you can test out both seats. Hart and I played rock, paper, scissors for the motorbike on our third ride because that’s such a unique way to ride a rollercoaster; but I actually think I liked the feeling of riding in the carrier better. No matter the seat you choose, you’re going to have a blast.

Where to Eat & Drink

The Three Broomsticks

This is the primary restaurant in Hogsmeade and it has a menu full of British fare. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner so you have plenty of opportunities to try it. They have items like Shepard’s pie, beef pastries or fish and chips. We both got the fish and chips and it was great for a quick lunch. You can also try several types of drinks like Pumpkin Juice or Dragon Scales beer. The setup is similar to a food hall. You’ll order your food at the cash register and then pick your food up at a separate counter before sitting down. Hog’s Head is a bar at the back of the restaurant if you’re looking to get an alcoholic beverage.

Vendor Stalls

There are several vendor stalls throughout Hogsmeade selling Butterbeer. Some of the lines can be pretty long, but they move quickly. There is one stall right outside of The Three Broomsticks selling fruits, waters and the yummy vegetarian Shepard’s pie pastries shown above.

What to Do

• Honeydukes – This is a sweet’s shop for you to buy all of the different candies and desserts from the books like Chocolate Frogs with the wizard trading card, Fizzing Whizbees, Cauldron Cakes and more.
• Ollivander’s Wand Shop – So this shop is technically in Diagon Alley in the books and movies, but it is located in both parks at Universal. This is where you can buy your wands. You can get either a regular wand or an interactive wand that matches your favorite characters’ wands from the series.
• Other notable shops are Dervish and Bangers, The Owl Post and Zonko’s Joke Shop. You can buy House accessories like robes and scarves and wands these shops as well. You can also mail letters from the Owl Post with official Hogwarts postages!

PRO TIP #1: You can buy Harry Potter candy and goods at the park gift shops if the lines in Hogsmeade get overwhelming. You can also buy the candy throughout the different Hogsmeade’s stores.

PRO TIP #2: If you are planning to buy an interactive wand, I encourage you to get it at the beginning of the day so you can practice spells as you navigate Hogsmeade. But note that you’ll have to put it into one of the free lockers when riding a roller coaster.

Hogwarts Express

If you have a park-to-park ticket, you can ride the Hogwarts Express between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Both areas are at the back of their park so the Hogwarts Express is a great way to give your feet a break, especially if you’re going from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley. The line can get long though so having the Express pass can be very helpful. You can use the Universal Orlando app to keep track of queue wait times.

If you are planning to take the the train then I recommend you take it both directions. Each direction is going to give you a different experience as it mimics Harry’s journey in each direction. Overall, this is a very family-friendly ride and catered to children. We enjoyed seeing the Hogwarts Express come to life, but wouldn’t need to do it again unless we were with children. It was helpful and convenient to avoid walking between the two parks though, especially if you’re looking to go from one Wizarding World to the other.

Universal Studios Florida: Diagon Alley

What to Ride

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

This is the only Harry Potter ride in Universal Studios Florida. It’s a 3D/4D motion ride that takes you through the Gringotts vaults similar to the journey that Harry, Hermoine and Ron took in The Deathly Hallows. Like other motion rides, there aren’t any inversions but there are twists, turns and drops.

In my opinion, the line is the coolest part of this ride. As you wait in the queue, you walk through the Gringotts bank. It is set up just as you see in the movies – goblins and all! What’s cool about the goblins is they actually talk and move realistically. We used the Express pass here, but I hear it is almost better to stand in line so you can experience the details. It is worth noting that during some point of the line, the Express and standby lines are merged. There is a Single Rider Line here.

PRO TIP: Like most rides, you can’t take any loose articles or backpacks into ride, including wands. You’ll want to make sure you put your belongings into the free lockers to the right of the Express line entrance prior to getting into the queue.

Where to Eat & Drink

Leaky Cauldron

This is the primary restaurant in Diagon Alley and similarly to Three Broomsticks, it serves traditional English meals such as bangers and mash. I got the bangers and mash while Hart tried the beef stew in a bread bowl. I thought the bangers and mash were great. Hart liked his stew as well, but didn’t care for the bread bowl.

Leaky Cauldron is more of a sit-down restaurant. You’ll order food at the counter and then a server will bring it to your table once you’re seated. We went for dinner around 5:30 PM and we were out by 6 PM. It was much faster and less packed than the Three Broomsticks lunch we had. What I enjoyed most about the restaurant was how detailed it was. It felt like the same Leaky Cauldron you see in the movies, including an animated WANTED sign of Sirius Black.

Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour

This ice cream parlor is seen in the very first movie when Harry arrives to Diagon Alley. It’s filled with fun flavors like Butterbeer, Earl Grey & Lavender, or Sticky Toffee Pudding. Although the line is long, it moves quickly and is worth the wait. We found it to be the perfect way to take a break in the middle of a crazy day. You can get an ice cream sundae, a cone or a cup. We grabbed two ice cream cones – one with Salted Caramel Blondie and one with Chocolate & Raspberry – and then headed over to the steps across the street (next to Gringotts) to eat them and rest our feet.

PRO TIP: If you want to try some ice creams seen in the series, try Chocolate & Raspberry with chopped nuts or the Strawberry & Peanut Butter.

London Taxi Cart

The London Taxi Cart is just outside of Diagon Alley across the street from from the King’s Cross Hogwarts Express station. It’s a great walking snack if you want to keep things moving. You can grab a jacket (baked) potato with different toppings before getting in line for the Hogwarts Express or on the go as you explore the other areas of Universal Studios Florida.

Alcoholic Drinks

Talk about the two different bars here. You can get a variety of drinks at the Leaky Cauldron, but you can also get more adult drinks at Hopping Pot or Fountain of Fair Fortune. They have whiskey and wine (at Hopping Pot), different types of beers and of course, butterbeer. The butterbeer is non-alcoholic.

What to Do

• Ollivander’s Wand Shop – I mentioned this above, but both parks have an Ollivander’s. If you want stay true to the books and films, you’ll want to get your wand from the Ollivander’s in Diagon Alley. You can get either a regular wand or an interactive wand that matches your favorite characters’ wands from the series. You can also pick up a wand from Wands by Gregorovitch.
• Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes – You can step into Fred and George’s store to see what kind of mischief knick-knacks you can buy like an Extendable Ear. The store is connected to Sugarplum Sweets so be sure to stop by and grab a sweet snack for the road. Try the Chocolate Frogs, No Melt Ice Cream or Butterbeer fudge. You can buy all of the candies found at Honeydukes here as well.

• Gringott’s Bank – the Gringotts bank house the only ride in Diagon Alley, but if you don’t like rides then you can still enjoy watching the dragon breathe fire every 10 minutes. You can also take out money at Gringott’s Money Exchange to use throughout Diagon Alley. It’s not necessary as muggle money is accepted throughout, but it’s a fun addition for children.
• Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions – pick out your robes and then stand before the magical mirror to hear it’s opinions – both compliments and critiques.
• Discover the hidden Knockturn Alley where it’s always dark and with a permanent chill. You can try a few hidden spells with your interactive wand here. While walking through, you can stop into Borgin & Burkes for your dark magic needs.

• The Knight Bus is just outside of Diagon Alley and you can talk to the driver or even the shrunken head. Make sure you capture a picture with them before you head out!

Which Park is Better?

Alright, so I recommend you hit up both parks, but sometimes that might not be possible. Hopefully I can help you determine which park is better for you if you’re only able to visit one this trip.

If you’re looking for rollercoasters and rides, Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure is going to be the better option. There are more rides and the newest rollercoaster is located there. If you’re looking to be fully immersed in Harry Potter World, both parks are great – but I think Diagon Alley is more detailed and immersive. There are plenty of shops, places to eat or drink, things to do.

The Bottom Line

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must see attraction for Harry Potter lovers and newbies alike. It brings the books and movies to life and truly immerses you into the world of magic. It has something for everyone whether that’s food and drinks, rides, shops or interactive spells. I’ll go back again and again and I’d love to explore the other Harry Potter Worlds at other Universal Parks. Stay tuned to see how quickly I’m able to convince Hart to head to the next one!

Tips & Tricks for Navigating Harry Potter World

• Head for the high demand rides right around or after lunch for shorter lines. We had a lot of success getting on rides around 1 -1:30 PM
• Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure will give you two different experiences depending on the seat you choose. Try riding it twice to figure out your favorite.
• You can utilize the Universal Orlando app to keep track of what the queue wait time is on each ride.
• Start in Diagon Alley before making your way to Hogsmeade to follow the same path that Harry Potter did.
• Take the Hogwarts Express in both directions for two different experiences
• You can get butterbeer three different ways – hot, cold or frozen. Try all three before your day is up!

You can check out my mini vlog recap of our trip on my Instagram here. Let me know what you love about Harry Potter World or what you’re excited to see in the comments below!