The Wizarding World of Harry Potter & Other Highlights of Universal Studios Orlando
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Updated June 2026
For fans of Harry Potter, a permanent immersive Harry Potter world being announced at Universal Studios in 2010 was a dream come true. Since then, it has been a fan-favorite, filled with Harry Potter experiences, souvenirs, and rides.
I’m one of those Harry Potter fans, so of course while living in Orlando, I had to get a season pass to Universal Orlando. There are three parks that make up Universal Orlando and each have their own Harry Potter section. I have visited many times and always feel like the Harry Potter sections are the most exciting parts!
Beyond Harry Potter sections, there are so many exciting rides and themed areas at Universal Orlando! Read on to see my guide to visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other highlights of Universal Orlando.
Add this trip to a visit to Disney World or other attractions in Orlando!
Quick Planning Facts:
Harry Potter World is not a Disney park—it is located entirely inside Universal Orlando Resort. Walt Disney World is across town and has its own four parks that require their own tickets.
The Wizarding World is divided into three sections: Diagon Alley (in Universal Studios Florida), Hogsmeade (in Universal's Islands of Adventure), and Ministry of Magic (in Universal Epic Universe).
Ride between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade via the Hogwarts Express by buying a Park-to-Park Ticket. A standard single-park ticket will lock you out of half the experience!
The Wizarding World sections are part of the larger Universal parks. There are so many other attractions and themed worlds to check out, included in your entry to each park.
Harry Potter World Attractions
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the most popular areas in Universal Orlando—and it was the major draw for me to visit initially! If it is your priority as well, I recommend making a beeline to the back of Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure—where the Harry Potter worlds are—as soon as you arrive to the park. The crowd there gathers early, especially compared to the rest of the park, and will only grow as the day goes on.
The areas are compact to make visitors really feel like they’re in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, but there are tons of activities to do there for all Harry Potter fans. Here are 12 experiences you won’t want to miss—number 11 is my absolute favorite!
For more family-friendly vacations, check out my posts on Things to Do in Salt Lake City for Families or The Ultimate Family Getaway to Grapevine, Texas.
1) Ollivanders Wand Shop
Within Diagon Alley, Ollivanders sells replica wands from characters in the movie, including Harry, Bellatrix, and Dumbledore. I got a Hermione wand and my travel partner got a Voldemort wand. If you don’t want a character wand, there are others to choose from, based on a personality chart or simply by whatever fits you best.
Choosing a wand is half the fun, but using the wand really makes the experience (and cost of the wand) worth it! Throughout all parts of Harry Potter worlds, there are symbols on the ground, on walls, and on objects that correlate to a wand movement. Cast a spell and see magic unfold! Maps to each symbol’s location come with the wands. I had so much fun making things throughout the park move, disappear, speak, and more.
In addition to purchasing wands, Ollivanders has a wand choosing ceremony that happens throughout the day. Just gather in the small room next to the shop and watch a wand choose a person from the crowd. The ceremony is a lot of fun to watch, even if you’re not the chosen one.
Pro tip: For families or groups visiting Universal Orlando who can’t afford to purchase a wand for everyone, you can bring your own wands and still feel like a wizard. However, I recommend still buying one wand in the park that you can all share in order to practice your magic on the symbols.
2) Escape from Gringotts
One of my favorite Harry Potter rides is Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley, located at the end of the alley. You won’t be able to miss it—there’s a giant dragon on top that shoots out fire every few minutes! The line to the ride feels like being inside Gringotts, complete with goblins and lots of gold. The ride itself is an exciting motion simulation with appearances from the real actors in Harry Potter.
3) Hogwarts Express
Instead of walking between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, take the Hogwarts Express! A park-to-park pass is the only way to ride it because it allows access to both parks. Start in Diagon Alley at King’s Cross Station and end in Hogsmeade, or do the reverse trip. I rode both directions and loved it. You’ll sit in a cozy cabin with a few other people and watch scenes on the window that look like the countryside on the way to Hogwarts.
4) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
When you arrive in Hogsmeade (part of Universal’s Islands of Adventure), the first thing you’ll see is the giant replica of Hogwarts—the highlight of Hogsmeade and the location of my favorite Harry Potter ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Another motion simulation experience, this ride includes Quidditch, dementors, and real Harry Potter actors on brooms.
The ride isn’t the only thing worth visiting Hogwarts for—the line itself is amazing! I’m the type of person who always gets in the single rider line to cut down on wait time, so it’s saying something if I want to wait in this line. You get to see the inside of Hogwarts, including Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor common room, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
5) Butterbeer
Butterbeer gets its own section in this Harry Potter World guide because it’s delicious! I have tried butterbeer replicas from Starbucks and other places and was not a fan, so I had my doubts when visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I was blown away at the creaminess and incredible flavors of this drink and can never seem to get enough. There are hot and frozen options, but my go to and favorite is always just the cold soft drink version.
Find butterbeer at restaurants throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or at the soda shops that only serve specialty Harry Potter drinks, including pumpkin juice. Note that butterbeer is non-alcoholic and kid-friendly. You can also get it in ice cream form from Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor in Diagon Alley.
6) Harry Potter Performances
There are a handful of live performances in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, perfect for when you need a break from walking and standing in lines. In Hogsmeade, find the Triwizard Spirit Rally, with performances from Durmstrang boys and Beauxbaton girls, as well as the Frog Choir performed by Hogwarts students.
In Diagon Alley, watch Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees sing and then stick around for a puppet performance of the Tales of Beedle the Bard. The Tale of the Three Brothers is my favorite Harry Potter performance.
7) Diagon Alley Shops
There is a lot to find in Diagon Alley, just like in the Harry Potter movies and books! Fred and George’s joke shop, Weasley’s Wizards Wheezes, Madame Malkin’s Robes, and Quality Quidditch are just a few spots worth checking out for all your Harry Potter souvenirs. I brought home a wand, chocolate frog and wizard card (Dumbledore, of course), and butterbeer mug.
8) Knockturn Alley
Knockturn Alley is a hidden area next to Diagon Alley—it’s dark, narrow, and off the beaten path. I would’ve missed it if I didn’t see it on the map I got with my wand! This area includes Borgin and Burkes, the perfect place to buy Dark Arts souvenirs. Even if you’re a good witch or wizard, you’ll want to visit and experience the interactive objects throughout Knockturn Alley.
9) Hogsmeade Shops
Hogsmeade feels a little smaller than Diagon Alley, but it also has tons of fun souvenirs and Harry Potter shops that will make you feel like you’re really in Hogsmeade. My favorite areas were Honeydukes and Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. You will also find the Owl Post and Dervish and Banges.
10) Knight Bus
Near the entrance to Diagon Alley, you can find the Knight Bus that Harry first takes in the Prisoner of Azkaban. This purple triple decker bus is fun to visit to interact with the bus conductor and listen to the shrunken head chatter.
11) Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures
I’m saving the best for almost last—this roller coaster rates as a thrill ride and is a blast! Riders sit side by side in a motorbike, one on the motorcycle part and one on the cart part. I prefer the motorcycle part, but both are really fun! On this ride, you’ll zoom through the sky seeing many of the magical creatures that Hagrid takes care of.
12) Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
At Epic Universe, explore Paris during the Fantastic Beasts era and then make your way to the thrill ride inside the Ministry of Magic. The story for the ride revolves around one of the most hated villains of the Harry Potter series: Dolores Umbridge. In the line, you’ll see the grand atrium and other highlights of the Wizarding government building.
Other Universal Orlando Rides
Although you could easily spend several days exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, while you’re at the Universal Orlando parks be sure to check out the other themed rides. Here are my top ten Universal Orlando rides and attractions, outside of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. For more fun rides, including kiddie rides and Dr. Seuss land, check out Universal Orlando Resort’s online interactive map.
1) Simpsons Ride
This ride is a classic at Universal Studios Florida—hop inside a carnival car and make your way through America’s favorite cartoon town, Springfield, in a hilarious motion simulation. Simpsons character appearances include the whole Simpson family, Krusty the Clown, and Itchy and Scratchy, among others.
2) Revenge of the Mummy
This ride is a must-do at Universal Studios Florida—whether you’ve watched The Mummy or not. The speed of the ride, the atmosphere, and the thrilling theme of being in a mummy’s tomb are what make it so great! My favorite part is riding through fire and almost getting my eyebrows singed off. It’s that intense.
3) Race through New York starring Jimmy Fallon
If you’re a fan of Jimmy Fallon from The Tonight Show you’ll love this ride in Universal Studios Florida! Instead of a line, there’s a waiting room where you can watch clips from the show or play games on a screen. When it’s your group’s turn to ride this motion simulation, get ready for a fun adventure through New York City!
4) Jurassic World VelociCoaster
If you’re scared of roller coasters, this ride may not be for you! For thrill seekers, however, this ride is an absolute must! For me, it is tied with Hagrid’s ride as the best ride Universal offers. The line tends to be very long for this ride, but I had one magical day where I was able to ride it back to back three times with no regrets! Three was plenty though—there are lots of twists and upside sections that can make you dizzy after a while.
5) Jurassic Park River Adventure
I am not at all a fan of water rides, so Jurassic Park River Adventure is the only water ride I went on and guess what? Even I had a good time! You don’t get too wet and the dinosaur theme is a lot of fun to experience at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
6) Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Another Islands of Adventure thrill ride you won’t want to miss is the King Kong ride. The line is creepy and dark, but worth braving for the ride. There are a lot of intense moments, but the ending where you can see a huge replica of King Kong up close is the best part of the experience.
7) Stardust Racers
This ride is super fast and a solid roller coaster. There are two tracks that you can choose from—the green or yellow track. If the line isn’t too ridiculously long, try riding both and decide for yourself which is better!
8) Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall in Islands of Adventure is one of those quick drop rides that I get a big thrill from! This ride isn’t as high as other drop rides I’ve been on, but the lines were short and it was fun enough for me to go on several times in a row. The top provides great views of the rest of the park and surrounding area.
9) The Incredible Hulk Coaster
The first ride you’ll see from the entrance to Islands of Adventure is the Incredible Hulk Coaster. Ride it! It’s intense, super fast, and will make you unable to tell up from down. Now that’s my kind of ride! Be sure to get a free locker to put all of your stuff in before you get in line—no glasses, phones, hats, or loose articles allowed.
10) Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
This ride in Epic Universe is packed with spooky animatronics, including Frankenstein and Dracula. It’s not exactly a haunted house ride, but there are lots of monsters and a dark theme overall.
Tips for Visiting
Tickets to Universal Studios Orlando
There are three parks at Universal Studios Orlando: Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe, the newest park. All three have Harry Potter World areas, thrilling roller coasters, and other themed rides.
For visiting the first two original parks, I would definitely recommend getting a 1- or 2-day park-to-park pass so you can experience both parks when you want and take the Hogwarts Express between them. The distance between the parks is walkable, unlike Walt Disney World in Orlando, which spreads out its four parks.
Find tickets to Universal Studios Orlando, including Epic Universe, here, as well as annual passes and discount tickets for Florida residents.
You may also want to consider purchasing an Express Pass which allows you to skip the lines on most rides throughout all parks. I’ve never used one, but have visited on days where the park was so packed I could only ride a few rides all day and wished I had one.
Note that there are no Harry Potter World tickets available—admission to the three theme parks includes the Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas and they cannot be visited on their own. In order to visit them all, you must purchase a ticket to each park.
Hotels near Universal Orlando
There are hundreds of hotels and other places to stay in Orlando. I recommend booking a hotel close to Universal Studios to save drive time and possibly money by not having to pay for parking at the park. I stayed at Holiday Inn, which was close enough to the park that I could walk there. Several other hotels are in the vicinity, including Courtyard by Marriott, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort, Wyndham Garden, and Universal’s Loews Sapphire Falls Resort.
Universal Studios Mobile App
The Universal Orlando Resort mobile app is very useful for finding your way around the park and making your day more enjoyable. Use the interactive map to find the nearest restaurants, rides, and attractions, discover wait times for the rides you want to go on, and upload your tickets for entry into the parks.
Nearby Orlando Amusement Parks
There are several amusement parks around Orlando, including their most famous amusement park, Walt Disney World. Check out my guide to Disney World and consider adding it to your Universal Studios Orlando trip. Other fun amusement parks include SeaWorld, Fun Spot America Theme Parks, and ICON Park.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights
No blog about Universal Orlando would be complete without mentioning their most famous event—Halloween Horror Nights! If you love horror movies and want to live inside one for a night, don’t miss this fall event! You’ll have the chance to visit haunted houses, see horror shows, and meet your favorite serial killer. Who wouldn’t love to run into Jason or Freddy Krueger after dark? (Me, that’s who…)
This event is not suitable for children or people who don’t want to come face to face with Freddy Krueger—scary monsters and other costumed villains lurk behind every corner. Instead, opt for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom when visiting Orlando during Halloween!
If you plan to visit the Disney parks while in Orlando, check out my insider tips for visiting Disney World as a former cast member.
