Welcome to my guide for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter—I’m so happy that you’re here! I’ve grown up reading the books, watching the films and visiting the Wizarding World as a Universal Orlando
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Hogsmeade
Hogsmeade is the original “Harry Potter Land” located in Islands of Adventure. It features the classic Hogsmeade Village as well as Hogwarts Castle. Hogsmeade is filled with shops, sights and a restaurant, the Three Broomsticks.
Attractions/Entertainment
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is Universal’s hallmark attraction that first opened with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter back in 2010. To this day, I think it’s the best attraction that Islands of Adventure has to offer. Set inside Hogwarts, the queue features memorable locations from the books and films, like the Herbology greenhouses, Dumbledore’s Office, the portrait gallery and the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
The ride pairs animatronics and real-life set elements with screen simulators. You get to play Quidditch, journey through the Forbidden Forest and even encounter Dementors. The whole ride is so well done and does justice to the first three books/films of the Harry Potter franchise. If you get motion sick easily or afraid of heights, I would keep that in mind since there is a lot of rapid movement within the ride vehicle.
Flight of the Hippogriff
Flight of the Hippogriff is a family coaster with a view of Hogwarts Castle. The theming and coaster mimic the storyline of flying on Buckbeack in the Prisoner of Azkaban. The view of Hogwarts from above makes the ride worth it on its own.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
This long-anticipated new addition to Hogsmeade just opened a little over a week ago. I haven’t yet had the chance to ride it, but I’ve heard so many amazing things about the queue and uniqueness of the ride itself. The storyline follows Hagrid through the Forbidden Forest to discover magical creatures in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You encounter Fluffy, centaurs and even a blast-ended
Frog Choir/Triwizard Spirit Rally
Near Hogwarts Castle, you can experience Hogsmeade’s live entertainment. Performances by the Frog Choir alternate between a spirit rally for the Triwizard Tournament.
Food
Hog’s Head
Hog’s Head is a quaint little pub located in the back of the Three Broomsticks. You can find quite the variety of magical beverages here, ranging from alcoholic drinks like the Hog’s Head Brew to Butterbeer, Gillywater and Pumpkin Juice.
Three Broomsticks
The Three Broomsticks is Hogsmeade’s feature restaurant and a delicious one at that. I’ve tried quite a few things on the menu, and I’ve never had a bad meal here. I recommend the fish & chips (next-level quality for theme park food) and the shepherd’s pie. The tavern is open for all three meals. In terms of atmosphere, the theming instantly transports you into the books and has so much incredible attention-to-detail to the little things.
Butterbeer Carts
No trip to Hogsmeade is complete without Butterbeer! You can order this drink cold, frozen or hot at the carts next to the train station and in between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. It’s also available at the Three Broomsticks and Hogs Head if you want to sit down to enjoy a nice glass in the air conditioning. Butterbeer tastes a lot like a butterscotch cream soda—it’s absolutely delicious and something you can’t miss on your trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Shopping
Ollivanders
This is your one-stop-shop for creating your very own wand. There’s quite a selection to choose from here, whether you want to purchase Hermione’s wand or choose one based on your birthday. You may even get lucky and be chosen for the true “wand chooses the wizard” experience here. One of the big draws is that you can purchase interactive wands that actually cast spells in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley! A map comes with your wand so that you can easily find all the spell locations in both Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas.
Honeydukes
This little sweets shop tucked away in Hogsmeade is my favorite shop in all of Islands of Adventure. The candy is delicious and you can find so many unique treats straight out the books and movies. Chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, licorice wands, cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties— you name it, they’ve got it. It’s the cutest little shop to indulge your sweet tooth. The merchandise theming here dives even deeper into the world of Harry Potter than anywhere else in Hogsmeade. I can’t recommend it enough.
Dervish and Banges
You can find a wide array of wizarding merchandise here. Quidditch supplies, stationary, magical items like Sneakoscopes and Hogwarts clothing can all be found in this shop adjacent to Ollivanders.
Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods
Filch’s Emporium is the gift shop located in Hogwarts at the exit of the Forbidden Journey. It’s a great stop for finding clothing and accessories inspired by each Hogwarts house and the attraction itself.
Owl Post
Owl Post sells exactly what you would think—writing materials and owl-themed merchandise. You can even send out mail from here that’s postmarked with a special Hogsmeade stamp!
Photo Spots
Bridge to Jurassic Park
This is the iconic photo spot for overlooking Hogwarts. Follow the sign for Jurassic Park and find this bridge to the left of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts.
“It’s important to remember that we all have magic inside of us.”
—J. K. Rowling
Hogsmeade Architecture
Hogsmeade is the perfect spot for iconic Wizarding World of Harry Potter photos. If you’re walking towards Hogwarts, you’ll see some great architecture and details to your left, from eaves to signs to shop windows. The rooftops near The Three Broomsticks are especially photogenic.
Castle Turrets near Forbidden Journey Entrance
This is another photogenic but not as photographed spot in the Wizarding World. You can get some amazing shots with Hogwarts towering over you in the background. These shots were taken in between the entrance to the Forbidden Journey queue and the exit gift shop, Filch’s Emporium.
Tips and Tricks
- If you’re visiting during the summer, ride Flight of the Hippogriff and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures earlier in the day before the storms hit. Since they’re outdoor rides, they close during thunderstorms.
- Dine on the Three Broomsticks patio for a spectacular view of Hogwarts Castle in the distance.
- Don’t use an Express Pass for the Forbidden Journey—you’ll miss all the unique elements of Hogwarts that you can’t otherwise see.
- Make sure to pick up some wizard candy from Honeydukes for the trip home.
- The frozen version of Butterbeer will change your life.
King’s Cross Station
Hogwarts Express
The Hogwarts Express is your magical form of transportation between the two lands of the Wizarding World: Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. You need park-to-park admission to ride the Hogwarts Express, and a Universal team member will check your ticket before you can enter the line.
The Hogwarts Express is like a ride in and of itself—as you travel between the parks, you experience an interactive journey in your train compartment. The windows and doors interact to the storyline of traveling from King’s Cross to Hogsmeade (Universal Orlando to Islands of Adventure) and back again. You’ll encounter Hagrid, Hedwig, Hermione, and more lovable characters from the films.
It truly gives you the full experience of what I imagine traveling aboard the Hogwarts Express would be like in real life. The Dementors portion alone makes it worth it IMO. Make sure you ride both ways so you can experience the two storylines!
Diagon Alley
If you thought Hogsmeade was immersive, wait until you see Diagon Alley. This expansion opened in 2014, four years after Hogsmeade and the attention-to-detail seems better here if that’s even possible. It looks exactly like it was dropped right out of the films and into Universal Orlando. I seriously get chills every time I turn the corner around that unassuming brick wall and get my first glimpse of Diagon Alley.
Attractions/Entertainment
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is Diagon Alley’s marquee attraction. There may only be one ride in this portion of the Wizarding World but it definitely follows the rule of quality over quantity. This ride takes you deep into the vaults of Gringotts and follows the storyline of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Harry, Ron and Hermione must get into the Gringotts vault and escape with a dragon while fending off Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort.
Unlike the Forbidden Journey, Escape to Gringotts is a rollercoaster, but it also incorporates screen elements to immerse you into the story. Personally, it’s my favorite thrill ride at Universal Orlando—the theming is so well done and you truly feel like you’re deep underground Gringotts. The queue portion is an attraction in and of itself because you get to actually walk through Gringotts Bank and interact with the goblins that work there.
Knight Bus
The Knight Bus is located just outside the entrance to Diagon Alley in front of the London-themed facade. You can even spot Kreacher nearby in one of the windows. The Knight Bus conductor and shrunken heads interact with guests and you can actually see in to look around the bus. This is one of the two buses that were used when The Prisoner of Azkaban was filmed!
Gringotts Money Exchange
This little shop lets you actually ask the goblins questions and exchange your $10 or $20 dollar bills for wizard money. You can use this currency throughout the Wizarding World and a few select other locations around the parks. In addition, if you don’t end up spending it all, you can get your wizard banknotes converted back into dollars.
Food
The Leaky Cauldron
Just like in the books, The Leaky Cauldron is Diagon Alley’s one-stop-shop for food and friendly conversation. You can order a lot of the same menu items here as you can at the Three Broomsticks. The difference is that the Three Broomsticks serves a lot of poultry, while the Leaky Cauldron offers more sausage dishes and meat pies. The menu is primarily British fare. I recommend grabbing a table by the giant cauldron for the true Leaky Cauldron experience.
Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
This is where to find the holy grail: Butterbeer ice cream. Everything tastes better in ice cream form, and Butterbeer is no exception. You can find so many other unique flavors here too, like Granny Smith apple and Earl Grey & Lavender.
Fountain of Fair Fortune
You can find a wide variety of drinks at this fountain tucked away in the quieter part of Diagon Alley. This little shop serves nonalcoholic magical beverages, like Butterbeer, Fishy Green Ale and Gillywater, as well as beer. I always order my frozen Butterbeer here because it tends to be less crowded.
The Hopping Pot
This is the walk-up stand for Butterbeer in Diagon Alley. They also serve a few drinks that are unique to Diagon Alley here, like Tongue Tying Lemon Squash and Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice. This is the only large outdoor dining area in Diagon Alley with picnic tables for you to sit and sip on your drinks.
Shopping
Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment
Wiseacre’s is the ultimate souvenir shop in Diagon Alley. You can find a wide assortment of wizarding wares here, from crystal balls to hourglasses to apparel for each Hogwarts house. The facade of the shop is my favorite little corner of Diagon Alley—that star print overlay is just dreamy.
Ollivanders
This wand shop gives you the same experience as the Ollivanders in Hogsmeade, but the lines move a lot quicker here.
Wands by Gregorovitch
Wands by Gregorovitch is probably the least crowded option out of all of the wand shops. You’ll probably have the shortest wait to select your wand here.
Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes
Fred and George’s novelty joke shop come to life. You can find some of your favorite pranks from the books for sale here, like Extendable Ears, Skiving Snackboxes and Decoy Detonators.
Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions
This robe shop is the best spot in Diagon Alley for finding wizard and witches apparel, especially to represent your Hogwarts house (proud Ravenclaw over here 🙋🏼♀️). One of my favorite parts about this shop is the replica of Hermione’s Yule Ball gown on display—you can even take one home with you!
Magical Menagerie
Magical Menagerie might be my favorite shop in Diagon Alley to wander through and explore. The shop is centered around magical creatures and the pets that young witches and wizards could bring with them to Hogwarts. There are some incredible animatronics in here and always something new to see that you may not have noticed before. You can find the widest assortment of plush toys here inspired by Crookshanks, Fluffy and even Fang.
Scribbulus
Scribbulus is like Hogsmeade’s version of the Owl Post. You can find assorted stationary and writing implements for sale here.
Quality Quidditch Supplies
This is a fan favorite because everything in this shop revolves around the wizarding game of Quidditch. Broomsticks, golden snitches and team apparel can all be found here, whether you’re a fan of the Chudley Cannons or the Holyhead Harpies.
Borgin and Burkes
Knockturn Alley is perhaps one of the more underrated areas of Diagon Alley, but one of my absolute favorites. The ambience is unsettling but immersive and a welcome respite from the Florida heat. Borgin and Burkes is located near the end of Knockturn Alley and sells exactly what you would think. Merchandise emblazoned with the Dark Mark, crystal skulls and even Tom Riddle’s diary can all be purchased from this grim little shop.
Photo Spots
Middle of Diagon Alley
This is the iconic shot of Diagon Alley facing towards Gringotts Bank. I recommend visiting as soon as the park opens if you want the background of your photos to be as empty as possible. This shot was taken around 10:30 in the morning, and the land was already quite crowded at this point. You can also sometimes get lucky with night shots shortly before the park closes.
Fire-breathing Dragon
The dragon atop Gringotts is an incredible detail to this area and one of the hallmark elements of Diagon Alley. Every 15 minutes, the dragon breathes fire, so try to time your photo shoot for that extra bit of magic.
Fountain of Fair Fortune Wall
When you first step into Diagon Alley, this wall is located to your right and towards the Carkitt Market area. It’s one of my favorite tucked away photo spots because it really captures the magic of Diagon Alley. Plus you don’t have to contend with any photo bombers 😊
Ollivander’s Doorway
My favorite doorway in Diagon Alley—Ollivander’s is a classic. I feel like this little corner is so representative of feeling like you’ve walked straight into Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Tips and Tricks
- Get your Butterbeer at the Fountain of Fair Fortune
- Don’t miss the dragon breathing fire atop Gringotts
- Get in line for Escape to Gringotts when the park opens
- Go to the Carkitt Market area if it starts pouring
- Take time to explore all the hidden alleyways and details—just soak it all in
That just about wraps up my guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter ⚡️ What’s your Hogwarts House? Any fellow Ravenclaws reading? Let me know in the comments 😊
For more Orlando travel guides, visit my Walt Disney World guides here:
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