The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal Studios. Los Angeles Hogwarts Universal Studio

During spring break we went with friends to Los Angeles, to the park Universal Studios, mainly for the sake of the newly built part dedicated to the Harry Potter universe. Under the sun of southern California, a hybrid of the village of Hogsmeade (with snow on the roofs), where the heroes of the films went from school on the day off to drink butterbeer (in the park, its role is played by lemonade like Pinocchio with a cap of ice cream foam, $7 per glass) and Diagon Alley is built. The old, shabby aesthetic of Rowling's books is very reconcilable with the plastic world of the amusement park.

A lot of goodies have been invented - in the toilets Moaning Myrtle talks through the speakers, in the Three Broomsticks cafe they serve food that pretends to be old English (in fact, it’s just normal food, unlike hot dogs and fried wings in other cafes), an ordinary ATM is decorated, like the ATM of the fabulous Gringotts bank, even the card terminals in the stores look old. Owls sit high under the roofs on the beams.

There are actually two attractions - flying on a broom (half virtual) inside Hogwarts Castle and a small roller coaster on the theme of flying on a hippogriff near Hagrid's house. The rest is essentially shopping, shopping, but taken to high art.

All the shops are there, there is a post office, you can buy candy with all the flavors (as in the book), all sorts of jokes in the corresponding shop. The most popular store is Ollivander's wands. Whoever is standing, sit down, or better yet, lie down immediately. A piece of plastic in a box costs 43-50 dollars, and in the store there is nowhere for an apple to fall. Almost every child in the park has such a wand, and the more expensive one activates “live” displays in the “village”, so it is almost impossible to refrain from buying it. In front of the display case, you need to stand on a specially designated point, make a special wave of the wand, and the sensor (infrared?) starts the movement. Quidditch balls start bouncing, chained in a chest or something. The idea with shop windows is simply brilliant - it ensures not only sales of sticks, but also constant crowds of people around the shops, giving children something to do for half an hour, or even more.

In souvenir shops the prices are scary and terrifying. It's unlikely that real millionaires would be interested in visiting an amusement park, so I'm inclined to think that people save up for a long time before going to such places. :) For us, the opportunity to drive six hours to LA by car creates a false feeling that this is not the vacation of the century, and we just went out to get some fresh air.
The children tried to price the broom. When it turned out that the broom cost something like $350, the immediate reaction was "But it doesn't even fly!!!"

The second high art is organizing a queue as a separate entertainment. Waiting times for popular attractions in the park can be up to two hours, but during this time, at a minimum, visitors will be shown cartoons, posters, interactive polls, and so on. In the case of Hogwarts Castle, we walked along a darkened atmospheric corridor past classrooms, Dumbledore's office, eerie natural living pictures spoke to us, for example, with the Fat Lady who guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor rooms. Lots of details to look at. In some places the queue goes out onto the street, where under the awnings you can see a greenhouse with plants from books.

In addition to Harry Potter stuff, we were given a tour of the cinematic Potemkin villages. I’m not sure, but I have a feeling that the last time films were shot on real sets was about thirty years ago. Nowadays they either film in Canada or draw everything on a computer.

On the issue of drawing on computers - not only Potemkin villages are dying out, but perhaps physical attractions as such? The latest fashion is virtual roller coasters. You sit down, buckle up, and virtual reality is broadcast to you. Sometimes with 3D glasses, sometimes just like that. The chair is shaken, tilted, air is blown into the face, sometimes heat is blown or water is splashed. It sounds pathetic, but in fact it is a complete illusion. You can fall from a skyscraper, you can “participate” in any fantastic adventure. It's not like going on the Surprise ride. (By the way, judging by YouTube, this horror still exists and works.)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Orlando, USA) - detailed description, address and photo. Reviews from tourists about the best entertainment in Orlando.

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One of the brightest and most interesting parks in the huge entertainment region of Orlando will not leave indifferent those for whom incomprehensible and somewhat tricky words like “Quiditch”, “Hogwarts”, “Hogsmeal”, “Gryffindor”, “Hufflepuff” and others like them are not just a random collection of vowels and consonants. And they serve as a signal to begin the process of rapid heartbeat. To put it in simpler and clearer terms, we are talking about a huge park where the world of Harry Potter, his friends and enemies is recreated almost in the original and with attention to the smallest details.

The area of this self-sufficient mini-world is 8 hectares. And it was opened quite recently, only in 2010. It is no wonder that only the latest technologies were used to create the park.

In addition to the latest achievements of scientific thought, artists and designers who participated in the creation of the film epic were involved in the creation of The World of Harry Potter. And of course, it could not have happened without the participation of the writer Joanna Rowling herself - the author of Harry. So you don’t have to worry about the fact that the world of your favorite heroes is practically no different from what everyone has seen on the screens. For example, in one of the halls of the famous school of magic at Hogwarts Castle there hang exactly the same portraits and, by the way, no less talkative than in the movies. And on one of the streets, despite the eternal and very warm, to put it mildly, Florida summer, a real Christmas atmosphere reigns. And on the roofs of half-timbered houses there is quite natural-looking snow.

In the World of Harry Potter, every tourist will have a unique chance to try butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks and purchase a magic wand at Ollivander's Store.

The journey will begin with the fact that you will be offered to board the real Hogwarts Express, which is heading for the village of Hogsmeade. You will have a unique chance to try butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks and purchase a magic wand at Ollivander's Store. In the center of the park stands the majestic Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, next to which you will find the Whomping Willow and a greenhouse with screaming mandrakes. Here you can visit the pubs where the heroes of the work sat and drink a pint or two of pumpkin juice. In "The World of Harry Potter" there really is a complete immersion in the world of Harry Potter, the main thing is not to completely lose touch with reality.

To summarize: all fans of the Harry Potter saga should visit this magical park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which, by the way, is located on the territory of Universal Studios.

Harry Potter World

Coordinates

Address: 6000 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32819.

Opening hours: different parts and attractions of the park open at different times depending on the season: on average from 9:00 to 21:00, but it is better to check before visiting.

How to get there: the easiest way is by metro or buses (the nearest station is called Universal / Studio City Station, red metro line). In this case, you don’t have to pay for parking and don’t frantically look for a place closer to the entrance to the park. Opposite the bus stop and the subway exit, visitors will find a free shuttle bus that operates 7 days a week and delivers to the main entrance to Universal Park and further to the World of Harry Potter. Parking costs 18 USD per day, privileged parking costs 25 USD.

Cost of admission: To enter the park they offer a whole host of multi-day passes and one-time tickets. The easiest and most convenient option for tourists is to buy a 1-day ticket for 155 USD for adults and 150 USD for children (does not include travel on the Hogwarts Express).

Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Today, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the most fashionable and famous theme parks in the world. Its secret is not only in high-tech attractions, but also in the accurately recreated atmosphere of the popular film and book epic about the young wizard. And even if you are not a Potter fan, the atmosphere of magic and enchantment will certainly overwhelm you.

What modern child, who grew up reading books about Harry Potter, did not dream of one day being invited to Hogwarts School of Magic, finding himself in a magical world with wonderful creatures, acquiring a magic wand, riding a flying broom and, of course, trying cold Butter beer, which leaves a funny foam mustache? And now dreams come true! All the adventures of Harry Potter were brought to life in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park, and now anyone can become a direct participant.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was opened in the summer of 2010 in the suburbs of Orlando (Florida, USA) and became part of a large amusement park (Universal World of Adventure).

Visitors to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, like the characters in the book, will be able to visit the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry recreated by Universal Resort specialists, see magical artifacts in the office of the school principal Albus Dumbledore, walk the paths of the Forbidden Forest, explore the surroundings of the nearby wizard village of Hogsmeade and have fun time in the favorite place of students and teachers of the Academy of Magic - the Three Broomsticks pub.

To begin with, you can follow in the footsteps of the famous wizard, taking an exciting journey on the notorious Hogwarts Express train. The first stop is the magical village of Hogsmeade. Among the snow-covered houses with shabby roofs and inviting storefronts, visitors will find many unusual things.

The amusement park is as close as possible to the fairy-tale world of Harry Potter, because JK Rowling herself took part in the development of the design of the park. When creating the interiors of the park, the scenery in which films from the Harry Potter series were filmed was used. The artists drew all the interior details with special care so that the decor was easily recognized by visitors to the park.

The village of Hogsmeade is a favorite place for recreation and entertainment from the world of Harry Potter. It is home to many curio shops and bustling pubs. Of particular interest is the owl postal service, the services of which can be used when sending a letter with the special coat of arms of the village of Hogsmeade.

The most famous magical confectionery store, Honeydukes, sells every conceivable sweet from the world of wizards: sugar feathers, chocolate frogs, exploding lollipops, colorful Bertie Botts jelly beans flavored with grass, earwax or earthworm. , fudge, licorice sticks and more.

At the Dervish and Banges store, visitors will find a large selection of magical equipment and souvenirs. Also on sale are four house uniforms, Quidditch uniforms, spectral glasses, reminders and the legendary Monstrous Book of Monsters.

Take a look at Mr. Ollivander's shop, where all kinds of magic wands are collected. It is surprising that in this place it is not the buyer who chooses the magic wand, but the wand - its owner. Replicas of local celebrities' wands and the interactive "Wand Chooses the Wizard" challenge are sure to delight children and adults alike.

The village of Hogsmeade is also home to two legendary pubs: the Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head, where guests are offered a wide range of traditional British food and drinks, including the signature pumpkin juice and butterbeer.

The largest building in the park is Hogwarts Castle, which houses the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of the same name. One of the attractions is dedicated to traveling around the Hogwarts school and magical adventures. Aspiring wizards will rise to the very heart of the castle, walking through long corridors and galleries, illuminated only by torchlight. And then they will take a flight in comfortable chairs - a unique high-tech ride show that creates the effect of flying through the halls of the castle and its environs, accompanied by Harry Potter and his faithful friends.

You will visit classrooms, Gryffindor faculty rooms, Professor Dumbledore's office, see with your own eyes moving and talking portraits reproduced from Potter books and films, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the Room of Requirement, the Quidditch field, the Forbidden Forest and other attractions from the most bright scenes of the film. Needless to say, today it is one of the most spectacular and sophisticated attractions in the world.

Hogwarts Castle houses another interesting store: Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. Here you will find a large assortment of magical souvenirs, including all kinds of healing potions, golden snitches, a Marauders map, Death Eater masks, Ministry of Magic employee badges, omninocles, fanged frisbees and much more.

In addition to the thrill ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey", in which park visitors will be able to see and even participate in most of Harry's adventures, the park also offers rides on the Hippogriff and "Dragon Race", which are based on roller coasters.

In the summer of 2014, the Harry Potter theme park opened Diagon Alley, a long-awaited new area that recreates the fabulous London area described in the Harry Potter books and films.

Diagon Alley is located in the American park Universal Orlando and is an addition to the themed area “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in the park Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

The zones are located quite far from each other and are connected by a railway along which the Hogwarts Express train runs.

Visitors arriving from Hogsmeade at King's Cross Station in central London will be able to stroll along the magical Platform 9 ¾. This platform is famous for the fact that only magicians who have passed through the wall between platforms No. 9 and No. 10 can get to it.

You can find yourself in Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron pub on Charing Cross Road. The alley itself is a winding street in the magical world, paved with cobblestones and stretched from northwest to northeast.

On the territory of Diagon Alley you can see the English branch of the magical bank Gringotts, on the roof of which there is a giant statue of the Ukrainian Iron-bellied Dragon.

Everyone will be able to feel everything that Harry and his friends felt during their escape from the bank building by taking a ride on the attraction “Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Bank.” The unusual four-minute attraction will begin with a meeting with Bill Weasley, and then descend underground, presenting all the secrets of the impenetrable Gringotts.

A good memory of adventures in the Harry Potter style will be memorable souvenirs in the form of magical things and magical goods. Almost all the shops mentioned in the books are located in Diagon Alley: Ollivanders, a shop selling Black Magic objects from the Death Eaters (Borgin and Burkes), and a Quidditch equipment store called Quality. Quidditch Supplies), Magical Menagerie, Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasion and, of course, the Weasleys' Wizard shop. Wheezes), created specifically for people with a good sense of humor.

35 comments

Can i ask you? Is the train free???

Sorry for the late response :)
Travel on the Hogwarts Express is free, but is only available to visitors with a Park-to-Park ticket. By purchasing such a ticket (now it costs 155 USD per adult), a tourist can visit both parks in a day: Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

To get from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley you need to take a ride on the Hgwarts Express?

Can you tell me how much tickets for attractions cost, min. and max. cost?

There is no need to buy a ticket for each attraction separately. You just pay the entrance fee to the park and then ride whatever you want for free.

There are currently several ticket offers:

1. 2-Park 1-Day Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure (with Hogwarts Express train ride) = 179 USD per adult;
2. One Park (without riding the Hogwarts Express) = 124 USD per adult;
3. Well, an option for the quickest 3-Park 1-Day Islands of Adventure + Universal Studios + Volcano Bay = 219 USD per adult.

When purchasing a ticket for several days in a row, there is a good discount. More useful information on the official website - http://www.universalorlando.com

What time does the park open?

and how much does a child ticket cost?

Currently, the park is open from 9:00 to 22:00, but from mid-August the schedule changes slightly, so it is better to double-check the information on the official website indicated in the comment above. The discount on children's tickets is funny..

1. 2-Park 1-Day Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure (with Hogwarts Express train ride) = 179 USD per adult; per child 174 USD.
2. One Park (without riding the Hogwarts Express) = 124 USD per adult; per child 119 USD.

Is there a discount for children?

Hello, there is a discount for children under 9 years old, but it is very small. In the previous comment, ticket prices are current to this day.

Tell me, do I understand correctly, when I buy a ticket for 2 parks at a cost of $274.99, I can go to the park 3 days during the week?

Yes that's right:)

Hello. I'm completely lost in these parks. please clarify. I counted 4 parks in this area:
1.Universal Studios Florida
2. Universal's Islands of Adventure.
3. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
4. universal orlando resort
How are they connected and which ones are better to visit without children?

Hello! Today, Universal Orlando Resort includes three theme parks:
- Universal Studios Florida™ (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Diagon Alley™)
- Universal's Islands of Adventure™ (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Hogsmeade™)
- Universal's Volcano Bay™ water park
- shopping and entertainment zone Universal CityWalk™.

You can visit either each park separately or all together in one day, but usually they combine Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure (travel between them is possible on the Hogwarts Express train from the Harry Potter movie). The greatest excitement is happening around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (it is divided into 2 parks, the main part is located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure™). Although the parks are aimed at families with children, it will be interesting for every adult to find themselves here :)

Do you know how much a ticket to Florida from Moscow costs?

No, everything is as it should be - a permanent building :)

Can you buy wands from Ollivander? How much do they cost? And what else can you buy in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade?)
- But of course! Definitely! :) In Mr. Ollivander's shop you can either simply buy the magic wand you like or take part in an interactive show where the wand will choose you. All magic wands are divided into collectible ($44) and magic ($50). Magic wands (they are equipped with sensors) come complete with a map on which the places where you can use them to create magic are marked. And there are so many souvenirs there: clothes, all kinds of accessories from the world of “Potter”, toys, sweets, comic souvenirs... you just couldn’t think of anything!

Thank you very much:)

Please tell me, can I buy a wand from Ollivander's store online? Does he have an online store? Or just go to the park and take it there?

Hello, you can also buy online at the official website. park website at https://shop.universalorlando.com/c/Harry-Potter-Wands.html.
The conditions for international delivery are described in detail there (though in English). They send everything inedible by international mail without any problems.

Hello, do the sticks from the online store of this amusement park fully correspond to those in the film?

Hello, they look exactly the same in appearance... but inside the magic wands it’s unlikely that you’ll find real unicorn hair or a phoenix feather... but who knows:) it’s magic!

Hello! Please tell me, is it possible to buy a ticket on the spot without any problems? Or is it better to buy in advance online?

Hello, it is better to purchase tickets online in advance. This will allow you to save time and get a discount. At the box office the cost of the entrance ticket will be higher.

Thanks a lot!

Hello! Can you please tell me through which website I can purchase tickets?

Good afternoon

Thank you for such a beautiful and informative article) Only after it did I understand which parks I need to go to.
Maybe you can tell me - I bought a ticket on the website, choosing a date. But the ticket itself does not indicate the date, only the name and barcode. Is this how it should be?) Maybe I printed something wrong.

Good afternoon! Thank you so much!
Each offer has its own terms and conditions on the website. Most likely, you purchased a ticket marked Anytime Season Ticket, which is why the selected date for visiting the park is not displayed on the ticket.

The famous American cinematic amusement park Universal Studios, of course, is also in Los Angeles, because what is in Los Angeles? That's right, Hollywood! ?

Of course, the coolest American park, Universal Studios, is located in Orlando, Florida; in California, it’s a little smaller, but we’re happy about that. And especially tourists who come to the City of Angels for famous attractions, which, however, are not in Orlando.

You can buy tickets in advance at official website of Universal Studios , I will not write specific prices, because... As new attractions open, prices appear to rise. Previously, as I remember, a one-day ticket cost $69, but now, with the opening of Harry Potter themed attractions, a weekday ticket began to cost as much as $95, and even more expensive on weekends. This is how Universal decided to actively make money on Potter fans . Well, in addition to a regular ticket just for one day, there are annual passes and all sorts of VIP tickets.

And since we're talking about Garrick, let's start with this part of the park. On April 7, 2016, Universal Studios Hollywood opened attractions and shops based on the Harry Potter films. And then people poured in! There are a lot of fans! Well, we went there in a friendly crowd, and even I, as a complete non-fan, still went – it’s interesting!True, we expected a little more. In total, only two Garrick rides were made - one was 3D and the other was just a roller coaster. We all liked 3D, though it’s short, but we all rode it several times, but we weren’t impressed with the roller coaster, it was more of a children’s version than everyone in America is used to the terrible loops and sudden drops of the trailers down at speed.

But this part of the park was decorated in a very atmospheric way: Hogwarts Castle on the mountain itself and many shops below. The castle is cool, it’s just a pity that there’s no way to climb into it, it’s just decoration. The shops are nice, but from the outside it seems like there are a lot of them, but in reality there are only a few shops with the same souvenirs, they just have several doors from the street. That is, you see two different magic shops, you go in, and there is an ordinary one and there is only one. Would you like more shopping and more souvenirs?.

Well, of course, there is a store with chopsticks. Their prices range from $30 to $50 per piece, depending on how cool it is. There are sticks that have a built-in sensor, and if in a park you stand on the desired mark on the asphalt, and there are a lot of marks there, and wave the stick correctly, then some kind of movement will begin in the window of one of the stores - cups will spin in the window of a pastry shop, for example. Little children with such sticks stand in queues for such marks. Great idea, of course!

And by the way, for those who are not interested in magic wands, you can buy chocolate ones in the sweets store. Wave it and eat it! Very comfortably. And besides the stick, you can buy a chocolate frog, pumpkin juice in a beautiful bottle, and other movie goodies.

And I was personally surprised by the food in the Three Broomsticks and Boar's Head taverns, they are again adjacent inside into a single cafe. Great quality at good prices and delicious. Although usually other places in the same Universal where we ate had expensive fast food. And here they also maintained the style - meat, potatoes, salads, corn. Everything is as it should be in a tavern. And, of course, butterbeer, also known as butterbeer. I liked it, eaten with or without crushed ice. Not so sweet with ice. And the taste is similar to the cream soda lemonade from my childhood. Butterbeer can be bought both in the tavern and in a tent on the street.

And we were all pleased with the cash registers in cafes and shops. They let you sign the payment receipt with a pen with a large black nib, and the cashier, while you take out your bank card, asks how you will pay? Uh, muggles plastic? It was funny!

In general, we liked the part of the park with Harry Potter, although the conclusion is that in Orlando they made it cooler, there is more space for this activity, unlike the center of Los Angeles, and therefore a different scope.

And Universal Studios is also full of other excellent attractions for every taste and age, although most of them are made on the 3D and 4D principle (where it’s easy to look at, and where else it blows at you, and there is steam, and water, and even smells ). There are also cartoon entertainment based on the cartoon Shrek, Despicable Me and The Simpsons.

And there are also more serious ones, based on the films Transformers, The Mummy, or an attraction where you float on a trailer on the water, Jurassic World, aka Jurassic Park.

Also in the park, you should definitely go to the Water World show, remember that old movie?

The shows with animals and how movies are made did not make a strong impression on me, but children should like it.

And of course, the main movie attraction is the tour of Universal Studios. You are driven on a long open locomotive with trailers to different sets, where they filmed, for example, the TV series “Desperate Housewives” or the film “War of the Worlds,” where they sawed a real airplane into pieces.

And the main feature of the Studio Tour is the “King Kong” attraction in 4D. You drive into a long tunnel and inside it you watch a “film” of King Kong himself attacking your poor little engine. In general, it was a cool idea. The only thing is, when you go on the tour, try not to sit at the very end on the last trailer, otherwise you will miss a lot of interesting things and you will be at the end of the tunnel with King Kong.

In general, although tickets are expensive, it’s definitely worth going to Universal Studios. Everyone who was there most often remains very satisfied with their cinematic adventures! ?

ZY Special thanks to the girls who sent me their photos for this article?

One way or another connected with the filming of the Harry Potter films. But it turns out that far beyond England there is an amusement park created based on the books of JK Rowling and influenced by the films about Harry Potter.

Today we are going to the USA, because it was there, in the state of Florida in the city of Orlando, in Universal's Island of Adventure - one of the two parks of the famous entertainment complex Universal Orlando Resort, that a new theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, was opened in 2010 World of Harry Potter).

"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter"

This is a huge amusement park created on an area of eight hectares, where all the attractions and surroundings are subject to one theme - to recreate the atmosphere of your favorite books and films about Harry Potter.

This was done in full. The help of designers and artists who took part in the filming of the Harry Potter films, and advice from the author of the books, JK Rowling, helped the creators of this project make the amusement park as close as possible to the events taking place in the books and films.

The accuracy of the reproduction of various little things and details is amazing, from the Hogwarts castle, the interior of its offices and halls, to the goods displayed in the windows of shops and shops in Hogsmeade.

Precision is maintained even in the old recipes for pumpkin juice and butterbeer, which are sold at the Hog's Head and the Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Walking around Adventure Island

Finding ourselves in a huge park in Florida, we again find ourselves in the world of an unusual school, where the famous boy wizard studied.

Lost in an unknown place in an unreal world, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry appears again in our world, and we, having found ourselves in this place, willingly agree that everything that happened and is happening takes place in our lives.

Our journey to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Island of Adventure begins in Hogsmeade Village (the only wizarding village where no ordinary people live).

Through the arched gates we find ourselves at Hogsmeade railway station, which is located on the very outskirts of the village, with the Hogwarts Express chugging at the station and further into the streets of the village with houses with snow-covered roofs and chimneys black with soot.

Hogsmeade is not a simple place at all. Here, in the world of Harry Potter, senior students from Hogwarts school rested and had fun.

There is an owl post office in the village. In Harry's world, this is where the owls rest after delivering letters. In reality, this is a place in the park where its visitors can relax. And at the same time, from here you can send a letter with the coat of arms of the village of Hogsmeade instead of a postmark.

There are a lot of different magic shops, quaint shops, and restaurants here. But we'll talk about this a little later.

And now we will continue our journey along the cobbled streets to the main object of our route - the ancient castle of Hogwarts, which is also the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and where amazing adventures await us on unique attractions.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Major exciting events take place on the grounds of Hogwarts Castle, drawing visitors into a world very accurately recreated from the books and films.

Here, following the route developed by the creators of this amazing amusement park, we find ourselves in the most secret places of the magic school, participating in exciting events, accompanied by movie characters.

Before we take off on an amazing flight over Hogwarts, there are many more events and adventures awaiting us on the way to the Room of Requirement.

Attraction "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey"

When creating the main attraction "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey", robotic arms, animation, real scenery, music, sound and light special effects and, probably, a little magic were used.

They create specially illuminated scenes and use a 360-degree screen to show incredibly realistic video that creates the illusion of visitors flying in controlled vehicles with Harry and his friends Hermione and Ron.

The park's main attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, is located inside the castle. And to get on the attraction, you need to go through the doors of Hogwarts and go down into the dungeon, where the passengers of this unusual journey encounter many unusual objects, characters, and interiors familiar from books and films.

I think you understand why this attraction received such a strange name “forbidden journey”. Previously, in the time of wizards, the School of Magic and Wizardry was hidden from ordinary people in every possible way and they could not be in this place under any circumstances.

And here, please, everyone is invited to a tour of the amazing and mysterious places of the castle.

The first places on the way for castle guests are greenhouses filled with mandrakes.

Further through the corridor, everyone finds themselves in a gallery with real “talking” portraits of Hogwarts teachers, the characters of which, not at all embarrassed by the presence of non-wizards, animatedly talk and move from picture to picture.

In front of Dumbledore's office we come across a majestic statue of Griffin, which is recreated to the smallest detail from the Harry Potter films.

And here we are in Dumbledore’s office, in which the Hogwarts director greets the Muggles (that is, us) who visited this castle for the first time. Of course, Dumbledore himself is not in the room, and he greets visitors from the screen. But the illusory impression is created that he is among the guests of the castle.

The director's office is a very exact copy of the office we saw in one of the films.

Amazingly realistic holograms of wizards and a talking sorting hat create the feeling that this stunning, delightful world exists in reality.

And the most impressive thing is the road of horrors with an unforgettable meeting with the Whomping Willow, a clash with dementors, dragons, giant spiders, participation in a Quidditch match and an amazing flight with young wizards over Hogwarts.

There are some restrictions for visitors to this attraction: height cannot be less than 120 cm.

Before entering the attraction, there are special testing devices that help you choose a comfortable seat, taking into account large height (weight) due to the way the passenger is attached to the seat.

The excursion and flight last approximately one hour. But let's not forget that on the territory of the castle there are several more interesting attractions and many more exciting trips to the shops and shops of Hogsmeade.

Attraction "Flight of the Hippogriff"

As we remember from books and films, the Hippogriff is a magical creature of a very unusual appearance: half horse, half griffin.

And the attraction itself is something like a roller coaster, but in a more gentle version. It is preferred by family tourists with children. Its height is 13 meters, speed is 45.9 kilometers per hour. Height limit – 91 cm.

On the way to the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster, you can pass by Hagrid's hut. You cannot go inside the hut, since this structure only exactly reproduces the appearance of the forester’s house.

But you can get instructions and guidance from Hagrid on how to properly approach, “tame” and ride the Hippogriff.

Attraction "Competition with the dragon"

Created based on the “Triwizard Tournament” from the movie “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”.

It is a high-speed double roller coaster in the form of an intertwined inverted coaster with multiple trains, symbolizing Harry Potter's battle with the Hungarian Horntail dragon and Viktor Krum's battle with the Chinese Fireball dragon in the first challenge of the Tournament. Three Wizards.

The Chinese Fireball reaches a speed of 96.6 kilometers per hour, and the Hungarian Horntail - 88.5 kilometers per hour. Height – 38.1 meters. The total ride time on the attraction is approximately 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

Height restrictions – 137 cm.

Not far from the attraction are the Triwizard Cup and Goblet of Fire, Hagrid's hut and Weasley's flying car.

The main attractions of the park are complemented by themed restaurants, shops, and stalls, which are also created under the impression of books and films read and with attention to the smallest details.

Quaint shops and shops in Hogsmeade Village

And here we are again in the village of Hogsmeade, which came to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park from the pages of books and from the screen of films with numerous shops, restaurants and cafes that we simply have no right not to visit.

Shop "Sweet Kingdom"

The most famous confectionery shop of all kinds of sweets in the world of wizards.

Here you can buy candies for a wide variety of tastes: chocolate frogs, exploding lollipops, licorice sticks, custard pots, Drubbles chewing gum, multi-colored Bertie Botts, sugar feathers, bloody lollipops, butter fudge - and surprise yourself and your loved ones with these extraordinary sweets.

Zonko's Shop

Shop of comic goods and magical jokes. Hogwarts students loved to visit this shop, and today it is one of the favorite places for tourists.

As a keepsake and as a souvenir, you can take away from here very unusual toys, such as screaming toys, retractable ears, pumpkin lozenges, flying firecrackers, a boxing telescope (copies of harmful scopes), and quite ordinary souvenir mugs and T-shirts.

Dervish and Bangs store

Be sure to visit this store. All sorts of magical things, props used in films, toys and souvenirs are sold here. For example, Quidditch sets, Triwizard Tournament uniforms, reminders, spectral glasses, The Monstrous Book of Monsters, sweatshirts, scarves, hats, shoulder bags.

Attraction “The Wand Chooses the Wizard”

The events take place in Mr. Ollivander's shop, or rather, in his absolute copy. Here everyone, like Harry Potter once upon a time, can take the test and find out which wand is right for you and buy it in this shop.

Try your luck, and the magic wand itself will choose you (well, only the actor and special effects will help her do this a little).

"The Three Broomsticks" and "The Boar's Head"

After a walk through the park, you can have a snack at one of the many restaurants. But, if you want to continue your journey to places associated with Harry Potter, it is better to do this at the Three Broomsticks restaurant. Visitors are attracted here not only by the original interior, but also by the opportunity to try butterbeer or a very tasty signature pumpkin juice, which was so loved by the heroes of films and books about Harry Potter.

Here you can also order national British dishes, various delicacies, such as baked turkey, Cornish pasties, fresh fruits and vegetables. Children are also taken care of: a special menu includes a sweet table with strawberry and apple pies, chocolate truffles, and ice cream.

Universal Orlando Park Hours

Universal Orlando Resort is open all year round. But opening hours may vary. Therefore, as always, before the trip we check all the information on the website.

Official website of the Universal Orlando entertainment complex: www.universalorlando.com. Official website of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park: www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.

The park has parking for strollers, toilets, ramps for wheelchairs, luggage storage, and entertainment for children.

Cost of admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for 2019

You can purchase tickets to visit two theme parks at once or just one: Universal Studios Florida or Universal’s Island of Adventure.

Cost of visiting 1 park:

1 day – adult/child – $115.00/$110.00

Cost of visiting 2 parks:

1 day – adult/child – $170.00/$165.00.

On the ticket purchase page there are various tariff plans for visiting 1, 2 or even 3 parks for a period of 1 to 5 days, as well as special advantageous offers.

This is where we end our journey through places dedicated to Harry Potter. Bye bye…

P.S. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park has now expanded. For several years now, new attractions and themed areas related to the story of Harry Potter have been opened in the second park of the complex - Universal Studios Florida, between which you can travel on the Hogwarts Express.

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter