For those like me who grew up with characters in books and movies, visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios parks is a dream come true.
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But even if you don't consider yourself a fan of the books or the movies, the area created for today's most famous wizards is well worth it for its ambience and attention to detail.
Although there is also a Harry Potter park at Universal Studios in Hollywood, in this post we will only cover the parks found in Orlando!
The 2 Harry Potter areas found at Universal Studios Orlando Resort parks are the most amazing areas of both parks, and will leave every visitor's jaw dropped!
Undoubtedly this post will be very extensive because we will talk about all areas, attractions, restaurants, shops and tips from all areas of Harry Potter Park in Orlando.
Come on?
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando 2022
Before we start our post, let's answer 2 questions that we receive very often on our instagram and other social networks:
Where is the Harry Potter Park in Orlando?
Is Harry Potter Park at Disney?
We grouped the 2 questions together because the answer is the same for both.
There is no 1 specific Harry Potter Park!
There are areas of Harry Potter that are inside Universal Studios parks (not Disney).
Each of the Universal Studios parks in Orlando has a Harry Potter area, they are:
Universal Studios – There we find the Diagon Alley from Harry Potter
Island of Adventure – There you will find Hogsmeade and Hogwarts castle.
Is it possible to do both Harry Potter areas on the same day?
Yea!!
Even though they are located in different parks, they are connected by the famous Hogwarts Train.
If you've ever imagined yourself going to Hogwarts Castle on the famous train that appears in every book, this is your chance to make that dream come true!
Which ticket to buy to enjoy Harry Potter?
This question is very important and relevant.
There are basically 2 types of ticket, the “hopper” and the “non-hopper”.
The difference between them is that the “hopper” allows you to enter 2 parks on the same day, while the other one allows you to enter only 1 park per day.
Why is this relevant?
As the Hogwarts Train attraction connects the 2 parks.
In addition to being an attraction, it is in fact a means of transport between parks.
Which means that if you enter it through the Island of adventure, you will leave at Universal Studios.
That is, to ride this attraction you must have a Hopper ticket.
If you need more help with your tickets, Do not hesitate to contact us to help you with your choices!
We will talk in detail about each of the things found there in both areas of Harry Potter.
Before we start, let's give you some quick tips for planning your visit.
Quick Tips for Enjoying the Parks in Harry Potter 2022
– Arrive at Universal Studios Harry Potter World before the park opens
– Start in Hogsmeade, go to Diagon Alley at noon and return to Hogsmeade at night.
– Buy one interactive wand. There will be fun little stops at both parks where you can do some of your own magic.
– Free lockers are available for attractions found in both areas of Harry Potter.
– Take a small bag if you can to avoid having to use the lockers, as the space gets extremely crowded! (This is a general tip for visiting Universal Studios parks)
Hogsmeade – Harry Potter Area at Island of Adventure
Both in the books and in the Harry Potter films, Hogsmeade it is the only British wizarding village that Hogwarts students can visit on weekends, starting in the third year.
The snow-covered village features fake storefronts and physical places you can enter, like Honeydukes, the famous restaurants Three Broomsticks and Pig's Head.
In addition to the Ollivander wand shop and even Dervishes and Banges.
All along this area are places where you can cast real spells.
This is a pretty cool interactivity found in both parks.
If you see the symbol below, you will be able to perform some magic according to the instructions.
For this you need to buy an interactive wand. It is sold in several stores in the park, it is very easy to find and buy one.
Many of the interactive spell locations can be found in the fake storefronts of the Zonko Joke Shop, Madame Puddifoot Tea Shop, Spintwitches Sporting Needs and more. Rest under the Owlery where you can send emails with a special Hogsmeade stamp!
In front of Honeydukes, they pose next to the Hogwarts Express with the train conductor.
He is happy to share his favorite tips and suggestions for things to do in Hogsmeade.
Between the Hogwarts Express and the Owlery is the entrance to the newest ride, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
In line, you'll pass Hagrid's hut before reaching the abandoned ruins, where Hagrid cares for his creatures in the middle of the Forbidden Forest.
During this thrilling high-speed roller coaster, it feels like you're flying deeper into the forest as you fly past a rocket and escape the devil's trap.
I have to say, it is one of the best attractions in the park without a doubt. The first time we walked, we were in line for 4 hours (as it was very recent) and it was worth every minute of waiting.
Outside Hogsmeade and on the way to Hogwarts, there is a small stage area where you can watch some performances by Hogwarts students singing and dancing. It's pretty cool to watch.
These short programs take place throughout the day and alternate. Stay here later to take a picture with the artists!
Hogsmeade attractions 2022
There are some attractions around here, and they are even 2 of the best attractions in the parks, and we will start talking about them exactly.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
It's the famous Hogwarts Castle attraction!
The castle itself is already full of interactions and is without a doubt one of the best attractions for fans of the series.
I remember the first time I went there, and as a huge Harry Potter fan, I was just crazy about everything I saw there. It's really magical!
The attraction itself is an amazing 4D simulator that makes you feel like you're in the movie and you never want it to end.
A very important detail is that just like the theme of the movies and books, there are several “dark” things along this attraction.
It can be quite scary for some kids since in this simulator you will find dementors, giant spiders and you will be chased by a dragon!
If you don't want to go to the attraction but want to see the castle, you can!
Just ask to do the “castle tour” for the employee at the attraction's door.
You can take your tour with your camera and everything, skipping the line and taking your time to see each room at Hogwarts.
The castle tour does not pass in some parts right at the beginning, but it passes through the vast majority of points worth visiting and is the best way to get to know Hogwarts without facing the lines (which can be quite long).
When the tour comes to an end, you can still ask to see the sorting hat which is right next to the attraction's boarding area!
An important tip is if the park is full, we recommend that you ride the attraction through the Single Riders line (which separates you from your group but is much faster) and then visit the castle more calmly with this tour.
Me and Nath have ridden several times using the Single Rider and we got lucky and got together in the cart (but it's luck)!
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
The latest themed roller coaster is one where you ride Hagrid's motorcycle through the Forbidden Forest.
Precisely because it is the newest attraction, it is also the one with the longest queues in this park so far.
To make matters worse, Universal often opens the attraction later (because of maintenance) or closes early (because of the length of the line), so it's the attraction that most complicates planning your day at the park.
When we went for the first time, we were in a little more than 4 hours in line and during that time the attraction stopped working at least 5 times.
However, even with all the complications, it's still worth it because it's the best in the park!
It's an attraction full of details for fans and a sensational roller coaster even for those who don't love Harry Potter.
The tip here is to arrive when the park opens and go early if it is open.
If it's not open, then follow along with the Universal application to run there as soon as the queue opens and the waiting time is acceptable.
Hogwarts express
This attraction is between the two parks and actually goes from one to the other as we talked about briefly above.
It brings two different experiences, one for each direction of travel.
On the way from Hogsmeade/Hogwarts (Islands of Adventure) to London (Universal Studios) you see as if it were the students returning to their homes with some different details from London and other characters.
An important detail is, it is worth doing the 2 senses because they are very different.
Remembering that to be able to ride this attraction you need to have a park-to-park (or “hopper”) ticket that entitles you to enter both parks on the same day.
Flight of the Hippogriff
It's a children's roller coaster with the theme of hippogriffs, which played an important role in the story, especially in the third book/film.
This was a flying unicorn attraction and was adapted to the Harry Potter theme.
It's pretty silly for adults, but really fun for kids. It's in the same style as The Barnstormer, Goofy roller coaster at Disney.
Olivanders Wand Shop
I was in doubt whether to put this option as an attraction since it is more of a mix between store and attraction.
Olivanders is present in both parks, although I consider Olivanders in Diagon Alley to be the official one (since in the book it is there).
Here is a show showing how a wand chooses a wizard exactly as in the scene where Harry is going to buy his wand.
It's pretty cool for fans and kids alike, and it's pretty fast.
Ah, the show of the 2 Olivanders units is practically the same, only changing the store itself.
Concerts on stage
As we mentioned a little above, when you are walking through Hogsmeade on the way to Hogwarts you will see a stage where some different presentations by Hogwarts Students take place.
One of the shows features a kind of Hogwarts choir, with singers, one from each house, singing a cappella with a frog.
The other show has a hyper-fast performance by students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.
It's kind of random, but it's still a cool thing to watch when you're there.
The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle
A nightly projection show at Hogwarts Castle that celebrates the 4 houses of book history.
It takes place several times a night, on select dates, from when it starts to get dark until the park closes.
Be sure to check the timetables as soon as you secure your place. park map, which has all the hours of the shows.
Hogsmeade Restaurants in 2022
The Three Broomsticks
This is the Hogsmeade's main restaurant and offers a fantastic range of British food.
It is decorated to look like an old tavern and is actually very well done.
The portions are big and it's healthier food. We usually share the dishes around here (especially if you go for breakfast).
It is also home to the famous pumpkin juice, which is simply wonderful!
Hog's Head
In this bar, you can buy classic butterbeer, pumpkin juice and other adult drinks like beers and etc.
Neeps
These stalls in Hogsmeade offer bottled drinks and snacks. There was a wide variety of fresh fruits, for which I was very grateful after all that buttery beer!
butterbeer
There are several Butterbeer stalls in Hogsmeade where you can buy cold Butterbeer or a Frozen Butterbeer, which is like a Butterbeer Slushie.
Despite the name “beer”, it is not an alcoholic beverage.
It's almost an absurdly sweet milkshake. I don't particularly like it!
Hogsmeade Stores – Harry Potter 2022
It's no surprise to anyone who regularly reads the blog that I love a store, but the stores in the Harry Potter areas are going to drive you crazy.
Although I like stores, I'm a zero consumer and I don't usually buy on impulse or anything, but I admit that in these stores it's pretty easy to lose your mind if you're a fan of the series.
Let's see what stores are found there.
Honeyducks
It's the Hogsmeade bakery that in Portuguese books is called Honeydukes.
If you've seen the movie or mainly read the books, you already know the amount of goodies that are mentioned there.
And in this store you can find a lot of things like chocolate frogs, beans of all flavors (even those disgusting farts and vomit), pumpkin juice, among others.
The prices are not the cheapest, especially the more classic items like chocolate frogs.
It's pretty easy to get carried away and buy a bunch of stuff, but always check prices before you buy something.
For example, the box of beans of all flavors is much more expensive than the same candy sold in bulk at the store itself.
Dervishes & Bangs and Owl Post
These two stores connect from the inside and have some pretty cool stuff.
On the outside of the Owl Post is a howler that you can actually record your message to play every time it is opened.
These stores have very interesting things, like a monster book that snarls and shakes and brooms that move.
There you can also buy stationery, stamps, and even send a postcard with the Hogwarts stamp.
Shop at the exit of the castle attraction
This store was made to make you buy a lot after you leave the Hogwarts attraction excited and that's why they took great care in the amount of items found there!
The variety of products is simply gigantic and all are very nice for those who really like the Harry Potter saga, there is even a collector's items section (I freak out).
There you'll find Marauder's Map, Mugs, House Clothes, robes and much more.
Olivanders Wand Shop
We've talked about it before in the attractions section.
Right after the show, you can choose your wand! In the store you can find super different models, including several cool characters!
Here you will see that some wands have a gold label while others have a half white, half gray label.
The difference between them is exactly the interactivity that we talked about at the beginning of this post!
Gold-labeled wands are a little more expensive precisely because they are the ones with which you can cast spells at certain points in the parks!
It's amazing! These interactive wands come with a map of where you can cast spells, but they're easy to find by walking around the park too. Just follow the spell's indication with your wand and something will happen there.
Their price difference is not absurd, especially for those with children, it can be a bit of fun!
We have reached the end of what we found in the Harry Potter area of the Island of Adventure, if you found a lot, get ready because we still have an entire park to cover.
Let's get the Hogwarts Train now and go straight to Universal Studios where the wonderful Diagonal Alley is!
Diagon Alley – Harry Potter Area at Universal Studios 2022
Harry Potter was one of the first books that I read with pleasure in my life, I remember that I was around 14-15 years old when I read the first book.
One of the scenes that stayed in my memory was the arrival of Harry in Diagon Alley as it is a remarkable fact for the character's entry into the wizarding world.
The scene in the movie was equally striking for me and in my opinion, the Diagon Alley at Universal Studios was one of the best things Universal has done to date.
They managed to portray exactly the “scare” that one gets when entering this magical area and so different from our world of “muggles”.
So let's see what we can find there!
Diagon Alley attractions in 2022
This area doesn't just have 1 attraction of those that you take a line and walk in it, which is the Gringotts simulator, and the first on this list.
However, there are several other fun things to see there that can also be considered attractions.
Let's list them all here!
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Without a doubt, it's one of my favorite attractions in all of Orlando!
There are usually very long lines as it is one of the newest attractions in the park. I even believe that this attraction has the worst Locker of all Universal.
It's always very confusing and very crowded.
The attraction is a mixture of a roller coaster, with a 4D simulator and is unlike anything you see in parks today. It even has details like changing the track in the middle of the attraction! That's awesome.
The queue is already beautiful and an attraction on its own if you are a fan like me.
If you are not a fan of Harry Potter, then you can opt for the Single Rider if the line is long, and just take a peek at the hall with the main line to satisfy your curiosity.
If you're a fan, you can do the same thing if the line is huge but then try to go back to watch the whole attraction.
I say this because in addition to enjoying the beautiful line, whoever goes on the Single Rider misses the pre-show and in my opinion, it's really worth it!
In reality, attraction attraction even just we only have the Escape from Gringotts in this area of the park, but we are going to list 2 that can somehow be considered an attraction for their interactivity.
Gringotts Money Exchange
Like a good bank, here you can buy wizard coins in exchange for your american coins directly with one of the Gringotts goblins.
He is a very realistic animatronic that interacts with you and is worth seeing even if it's through the window!
Cool only for fans anyway, since no one else will be interested in paying to have wizard money, right?
One detail, this money is valid within the entire property of the Universal studios, but don't try to use it at Disney, because naturally it is not accepted there!
Beco Diagonal Restaurants
Leaky Cauldron
The hotel bar that gives access to Diagon Alley in JK Rowling's history is an important part of the London scene in the Harry Potter saga and could not be left out.
You can't build Diagon Alley and forget about Leaky Cauldron, huh? Universal didn't forget and made it a good restaurant option too.
We really like the atmosphere and we believe that it is worth stopping by during your stay at Universal studios.
Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor
Mr Floreans ice cream shop! As delicious as it looked when we read the books! If you like ice cream, it's worth a visit!
The Hopping Pot
A corner that sells some snacks and drinks, including butterbeer and some meat empanadas. A good place for a quick break.
Fountain of Fair Fortune
A place for drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), most of them based on the Harry Potter story.
Diagon Alley Shops
Like Hogsmeade we have a great selection of stores here, in fact even more.
If you remember from the movie/book, Diagon Alley is the place where all Hogwarts students go to do their shopping, as well as adult wizards.
In short, Diagon Alley is almost a wizarding mall heheheh and with that, there could not be many stores there.
Weasleys? Wizard Wheels
Without the slightest doubt, this is the coolest store ever in the books and there was no way to miss it.
It's the mischievous Weasley twins' shop! It's full of prank products and fun little toys they've used throughout the books.
It's pretty cool for those who enjoy Harry Potter because you'll find several products that were mentioned in the books!
It is an identical replica of the store in the movie.
Borgin and Burkes
A store where people go unnoticed by the entrance of Travessa do Tranco that was discreet and amazing in the park, exactly as it should be!
I didn't even see it the first time I went there.
Don't miss this part of the park.
See the details of Travessa do Tranco, cast some spells if you have your wand and then enter the store most loved by death eaters, Bogins and Burkes!
This is an unmissable store, both in terms of details and products sold.
It's impossible for a Harry Potter fan not to love this part of the park, there are even Horcruxes for sale!
There you can find all sorts of dark things mentioned in the books, like Tom Riddle's diary, the closet that Draco used to bring the Death Eaters to Hogwarts and even the hand of glory is also there.
Hidden and obscure, but a must-see for fans.
Olivanders Wand Shop
I've already talked about it in the Islands of Adventure store section and I recommend you read it if you're considering buying a wand.
Sugarplum's Sweet Shop
It's a candy store that sells pretty much the same stuff as Honeydukes (Honeydukes), but it's in Diagon Alley.
Shutterbutton?s
In this store it is possible to create your own portrait that moves, like the ones in the movies. They have a couple of studios where you dress up like in the movies and make short videos in the different scenarios of the story.
You can buy the digital copy (as if it were a GIF) or the DVD package. It's very different and interesting
Wands by Gregorovitch
Another wand store in the Harry Potter universe.
Scribbulus
It's a stationery store in Diagon Alley.
There you will find all kinds of pens, quills, ink, parchment and notebooks for those who want to take an authentic souvenir back to school.
Magical Menagerie
Here is the place where you can find all kinds of stuffed animals from the world of Harry Potter like Crookshanks, Fluffy, Hippogriffs and other strange animals =).
This concludes our guide to the Harry Potter Park in Orlando.
As you can see, there is no shortage of things to do, eat and buy there.
If you're going with someone who's a fan of the series, spend most of your days at Universal's parks to enjoy these areas. They are very rich in detail and very worthwhile.
I hope again that this post helped you in your research for your trip to Disney or Orlando.
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About the Author Carlos Braga:
Unparalleled experience in Orlando and Disney! As a former Universal Orlando team member and a passionate devotee of the magic of Disney, I have become a true Orlando travel expert. Before becoming a renowned travel consultant dedicated to Orlando, I had already made hundreds of visits to the parks, cultivating my knowledge and passion mainly over the last 7 years as a consultant and specialist in Disney travel.
My journey into this enchanted world began in 1995, when I took my first trip to Orlando. Since then, my love for Disney and the city has only grown. In 2023, we celebrate the sixth anniversary of 'Partiu Disney Parks', consolidating our role as one of the main sources of information about Disney and Orlando Parks.
During these six years of existence, we have continued to offer quality and updated content, being the reliable source for all those looking for essential information to plan their trip to Disney and Orlando. With my vast experience and passion for this magical destination, I am here to guide you every step of the way towards the most incredible Orlando and Disney experience!
