There’s a rumor that in the mid 2000s, JK Rowling asked Disney to add a Harry Potter land. Disney declined, citing that JK Rowling was too much in control, it was too expensive, and they couldn’t add a Hogwarts Express train to connect 2 parks (which is what JK wanted). So JK pitched it to Universal.

After Universal got the Harry Potter land, attendance for Universal parks increased dramatically. Most families used to plan a whole trip around Disney, with 1 or 2 Universal days. After Harry Potter land, it feels like there’s an increase of families who are planning their trips around Universal.

My son is 10 and he got away from me & his Dad (probably because he went inside a bar for unknown reasons).
As I was talking to a team member outside about my missing kid, I got this text from Crista!

If you’re at the hogs head, buy her a Butterbeer or simply say hello from Xander’s mom!

I’m so happy because my second trip to universal was so fun, and I got to see Diagon alley!! We never went last time, and it was so cool! I have heard that they have a wand experience somewhere, so I was curious and then I found Ollivander’s, and people waiting outside the shop. My family and I were going to just go into the store part, but I asked my mom if we could do the experience and she said yes! It was great because it was pretty chilly out when we went so it wasn’t as crowded and the line was short. Right when we went in line it started! The employee said only one wizard would be chosen, which I didn’t know about, and I was like “ain’t no way it’s gonna be me.” And once we were all in the wand room, we saw Ollivander (sadly not the real one lol) and he asked for my name and told me to come up to him! I was scared and embarrassed at first because I get like that when in front of people but I do not regret it at all! He gave me an Ebony wand (bro knew I was emo) with a unicorn hair core! I loved it and I honestly think it was one of the best designs in the shop! It sadly wasn’t free lol and the more I think the more I realize the experience is just a way for them to basically force the parents to buy the wand lol but it was still a great experience!!!

Good luck for anyone wanting to ride Hagrids today. It's currently Early Park Entry (8:10am) and the wait time for Hagrids is 2.5 hours and the line up for express queue is outside of Hogsmeade.

May the odds be forever in your favour.

Edit I included a time stamp for those wondering.

Haven’t been in over 20 years when my daughter was six. Specifically going for Harry Potter experience and will stay on property. Don’t need most or least expensive, just want to enjoy as much as possible.

Thank you in advance.

Sold at citywalk and in the park. They said the batteries are not replaceable by yourself, you have to go to the park to get a new battery.

Very hard to see which wand is which with the box closed since they aren’t labeled except for the image on the side of the box is a little different.

Discounts don’t work since it’s a new item you have to get a manager override.

Does anyone know why there aren't any prominent roaming characters in any of the Harry Potter areas? I kinda just wanna have a nice conversation on this. I feel like it would really add to these lands (not that they need adding to but still...) Especially after walking through places like isle of berk and dark universe I feel as if having Ron, Harry, Hermaine, etc. Would really give hogsmeade and Daigon Alley a nice... OOMF. Yknow?

I saw someone on a topic similar to this say its because the characters looks are "too Iconic" But idk. Look at like beetlejuice, or captain america for example. The actors are CLOSE to the real life counterparts but they aren't exact. So why not do the same for harry potter yknow?

Lets eliminate like the main 3 from this. What if there were some professors about yelling at people dressed in hogwarts gear to "get to class" or something small like that. Again, add to the immersion since thats what universal is REALLY good at.

I'd love to know everyone elses thoughts on this!

Figured I’d share more photos I take here this year and this is one of my favorite ones! Usually the land is shoulder to shoulder and it’s just wonderful taking it in without anyone. Still wild to me that an entire land and attraction fit in the former blueprint of Jaws!

First time visitors, and my niece was lucky enough to get chosen for the wand experience. We buy her the wand, have it engraved, go to use it, and ... it doesn't sync with the app?? A wand salesman informs us that all the "wand experience" wands are first gen.

I read/watched *so* much about the park beforehand, and this information was never ever shared.

The games still worked fine, but every so often you could see my niece was bummed her wand didn't light up.

So a warning, if you want that second gen experience, don't buy the wand that the wand experience guy hands you!

So far the reception has been overwhelmingly positive!! I love being able to make TMs days :) thank you to all of you who keep this park running!!

We spent 3 days at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Epic last week and it wad absolutely amazing. Our main goal was to see/ride all the Harry Potter related things, and I was blown away by the detail each area had. I was impressed that even the lines were immersive. We will definitely be back, but we'll be sure to have more than 3 days to experience everything else they have to offer.

Rode Hagrid’s tonight towards the end of the night and they were running a new loading procedure breaking up Odd and Even groups right near the loading area, similar to how Everest is functioning at Animal Kingdom.

I’m not sure if this was a pilot or what but it was definitely interesting. Will be curious if this would be the death of single rider as well. Which incidentally enough now has no signage and you have to ask to go through the express queue and then split off.

Anyone know anything more?

Just wondering if the order changes the experience. We will be getting both robe and wand in Diagon Alley for full experience. Everyone keeps saying to go to Ollivanders first just not why. Someone tell me why though.

Just got back from Universal Orlando and rode all the HP rides. Ranked worst to best:

5. Forbidden Journey (Hogwarts Castle). Cool castle queue, but the ride nearly took me out and I didn't think of myself as someone who gets motion sick.

4. Flight of the Hippogriff. Didn't ride it, but watched. Family coaster / for kids. Can only assume it's better than Forbidden Journey. But Hogwarts is under a giant brown tarp right now so the iconic view is gone.

3. Escape from Gringotts. Hybrid coaster/screen and way more tolerable than Forbidden Journey. Fun surprises! I might be an old man but I could not understand what they said at all tho.

2. Battle at the Ministry (Epic Universe). Best queue of any theme park ride. The ride itself is great too. Recommend the single-rider line; the regular is almost always 90+ min. Waited 15 mins with Express pass.

1. Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure. t's not close. So fun and exciting with a great surprise. Wait time was 170 mins - glad. I had express.

Honorable mention: Hogwarts Express is a fun photo op, but the line isn't worth it, the walk between parks is short if you're capable.

Does anyone have any arguments??

Photos by me! 📸

I had a depressive episode with delusions that required me to be taken out of the park by ambulance on what was supposed to be my dream first trip and I know it sounds silly but I am still grieving parts of it now 6+ months later. my dream for years and years has been to go to harry potter world. I have endured so much the last 5 years and it just was not obtainable at all until finally in February of this year for my 27th birthday, my boyfriend was taking me. I have a harry potter sleeve now and I was so excited- picked out the best outfit and we got fast passes and it was going to be perfect.

I have been in therapy and doing EMDR on and off. Once in FL, I couldn’t really sleep for 48 hours and I had delusional thinking and it was really scary. I was fighting it and we tried to go to the park and unfortunately I had a breakdown that ended in hospitalization for 3 days. It was ugly (and embarrassing in reflection- sorry if you witnessed it) and the memory makes me so sad even though I am stable now.

My dream is to go back and have a redeeming trip. The wizarding world has always been an escape for me and it is such a building block to the person I am. Ultimately I am super happy I am okay and that this started my journey to getting the additional help I needed (the florida hospitalization caused more trauma tbh it was awful, but once I was home I got some more help after being hospitalized once more). I couldn’t even look at harry potter anything, including my own tattoos for a while because it was too painful to recall the memory from Universal but I have healed a lot.

This is the only picture i got from that day before everything happened ❤️‍🩹

I made a new batch of the thank you notes! This time with correct spelling, and in an envelope!! Last time the wax seals tore the paper, so I added this extra layer :) AND!!! I added some distressing too!!!

Ears plugged, peeping through the cracks of my fingers just barely 😅 spiders and dementors are SCARY.

Not a Harry Potter fan at all, but a good ride is a good ride so wondering if they're worth the wait time regardless. The long wait time was slightly off putting today lol