Harry Potter Lovers Unite!

After twenty years, Harry Potter and the Wizarding World are alive and well at Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Orlando. A recent family visit let everyone channel their inner wizard as we drank butter beer, rode the Hogwarts Express between the two parks, visited Hogsmeade as well as Diagon Alley at Kings Cross.

So, things to know if you are a Harry Potter fan. Number one, you need a ticket to both parks at Universal if you want to ride the Hogwarts Express. (The train goes between the two parks and they will check your tickets and scan them, so be prepared. They may ask for your ID as well.) On our particular visit, we arrived at the park around 10 am and made a bee-line for Hogwarts. We explored Hogsmeade, visited Hogwarts Castle, rode Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (amazing scenes throughout Hogwarts Castle while you wait to board the ride)and took a break at the Three Broomsticks where we took part in a feast for everyone! After a ride on the Flight of the Hippogriff, we were ready for the Hogwarts Express! Here you actually go the train station, and walk through the wall at platform 9 3/4! Such fun!

The train looks just like the movies and there are scenes from the countryside as you go from one park to the other where you will see Hagrid's hut, the forbidden forest and even dementors! After arriving at Kings Cross, you disembark to explore Diagon Alley. It's also a great time for a butter beer break! It comes frozen or non-frozen and you can get it in a sovounier cup or just a regular one! If you're looking for magic, you can visit a variety of shops and have dinner at the Leaky Cauldron. It's all worthwhile! As the sunsets over Hogwarts, it's time to dodge the dragon at Gringotts Bank and head back to the castle where you can get comfortable for the lazer light show done on the Castle. This show usually takes place the last two weeks in January when the park celebrates Harry Potter and his friends, but we were lucky enough to see it extended into February and Presidents Weekend when we were there.