The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

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Harry Potters' Wizarding World of Adventure is one of the islands found in Universal Studios Islands of Adventure Theme Park, a sister park to Universal Studios.

Being a massive Harry Potter fan, it just wasn't possible for me to visit Orlando and not visit this little treausure.

There were many places selling tickets, including day, week and combination passes. We actually bought our passes in Walmart which seemed to be the cheapest option if visiting for just one day. The park was easy to find, and there was no wait to get into the parking area, which is several high-rise parking areas with escalators to the main park entrance.

Yet again, to actually get into the park, there was no wait, which was brilliant as memories of DisneyLand as a child brought back dread of hour long queues to enter the park.

The park is arranged in a large loop and it took around 10 minutes to get to 'Hogsmeade'. Hogsmeade village was filled with original shops from the movies, a few which you could walk in a buy items feautured in the books, such as Ollivanders, Bourgin & Burkes and Honeydukes.

There was a Hogwarts train with ticket inspector in front posing for photographs (an English man no less) and a stand selling butterbeer (there was a long queue for this but it is highly reccomended, especially frozen, it's kind of like a sweet vanilla taste.) There are three rides in the area, but by far the best in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Despite the two hour wait time I had to endure, the last half an hour was a queue through Hogwarts, seeing the Defence Against the Dark Arts room, the hallways complete with talking, moving photographs, and a sorting hat.

The ride is a mix between a moving row of seats, big motion simulator screens, sound, water (!) and props. It truly has to be experienced to understand how brilliant the ride is.

As you come out, you go through a shop with lots of Harry Potter merchandise and you are able to purchase your ride photo, however the shop and photos are on the pricy side.

Don't take a bag on the ride - otherwise you have to put it in a locker operated by a fingerprint recognition system, and it's a free for all to get yourself a locker.

The restaurant is the 'Three Broomsticks' (figures) which serves great food, mostly burgers, chips and the like. There is a 'Hogsmeade' station with lockers for you to store bags if you so wish, and various other shops for you to look in, but not walk into.

All through the day there are demonstations and entertainment by actors, ranging from magic tricks to choir singing.

A truly brilliant place to visit if you are as much a die-hard Harry Potter fan as I am!

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