The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley

Guess what arrived at our house 

by Owl Post?

I went outside of the house and there

was a big box on the porch.  I do love

to get packages but usually I know

what is coming.

This one was a huge surprise.  The return address

said Universal Promotions.

Inside I found this fabulous surprise.

Wow, I wish every trip I took came

with this kind of a

"Special Delivery"!!

My niece had booked the trip-

Universal Exclusive Vacation Package,

so she knew that we would be receiving

a package by Owl Post but it was

a complete surprise to me.

So we are off to Diagon Alley

where everyone attending Hogwarts

must pick up their supplies for school,

at Universal Studios  Theme Park

in Florida.

It just opened July 8th

and we are there!!  

(Butterbeer copycat recipe.)

We were just enchanted by 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

that opened a few years ago where

we could enjoy delicious cold

drinks like the Hogwart students'

favorite, Butter Beer.  We love

the frozen, slushy one.  And don't worry

this isn't beer, the kids weren't drinking beer,

it is a butterscotch flavored slushy drink.

Stop at Florean Fortescue's

for ice cream.  The line gets

significantly longer as the day

goes on, so we decided to stop

early in the morning!

How about Butterbeer
soft serve ice cream.

Yum!! We also tried their hand scooped
ice creams with the Salt Caramel and 
Chocolate Chili coming out as group
favorites.

Be warned, no Muggle (non-magical folk)
 food is served here so no diet drinks, but
it is fun to try all of the fun sugary drinks -
we are on vacation!

Find these special mugs at the Fountain of Fortune-
frozen Butterbeer on the left and cold Butterbeer
on the right - a butterscotch flavored soda.
(Use your American Express card and you
get 10% off at Universal!)

How about this fun drink 
that we had - 
Fishy Green Ale -
a mint flavored beverage with

blueberry "fish eggs"
that pop in your mouth!

The main attraction is

Escape From Gringotts 

where you get to ride down into the Goblin

Vaults to see where Harry's money is stored

and see Harry, Ron and Hermione along the way.

You need to escape from Bellatrix and He Who

Must Not Be Named.  It combines 3D, motion simulation

 and a rollercoaster ride. 

I have to say the Gringotts guards

were all very friendly!

 It is

very fun starting with the animated goblins

up in the bank.

The architecture of the building

is just stunning.  You enter the bank

and are greeted by these massive chandeliers

and marble columns.  As you pass down the

center of the bank you can observe the

goblins hard at work on either side.

This is a thrill ride.

A troll even grabs your underground

cart and shakes it - Wild!!

The beauty of the ride is that even 

younger kids get to ride it (42 inches) That is so

nice as my 8 year old grandson is already

reading Harry Potter.  They wanted more

fans to be able to enjoy this ride.

What a spectacular bank to deposit

all of your gold into and they have

stacks and stacks of it.

The other highlight is the

huge fire-breathing dragon that

sits atop the bank.  

I asked one of the bank guards

how often this happened and

he replied, "Well, she is a dragon 

you know, so it is unpredictable, but

I can tell you she does a little rumbling

and growling before it happens."

Great answer and true.

Be sure to go back at night to see

the dragon and to see all of Diagon Alley

lit up.  It is just magical.

Don't forget to turn down Knockturn

Alley and step into Borgin and Burkes -

this place played a big role in the 

Harry Potter books.

See the famous vanishing cabinet in the back.

You can buy all kinds of "dark" souvenirs here.

This alley actually gets lit up a little

more at night so check it out twice.

I was at Universal Studios in Florida last year

and was disappointed that Jaws was being

torn down, but who knew that it was being replaced

by Diagon Alley, a nearly $450 million dollar

expansion!!!

Our package also included breakfast at the

Leaky Cauldron

and breakfast at the Three Broomsticks.

We came back for fish and chips

and a banger sandwich.  The fish

and chips are exceptional. 

We have to be off to Hogsmeade.

You must enter by walking through

the brick wall at 9 3/4 King's Cross Station.

You can't see yourself go through the wall

but have a family member or friend take

a picture of you.

Another thrill is the opportunity to

ride the Hogwart's Express, not just

take your picture in front of it.  You

get to share the ride with your favorite

characters in your carriage.

And yes, they have expanded Ollivander's 

Wand Shop.  That was highly entertaining

but hard to stand in line in the past 

for 45 minutes to

an hour since the space was so small.

Now they have it in both parks 

and it is much quicker.

Oh, and you can't miss being entertained

by the driver of the Knight Bus.

He is fun and will pose for a picture

with you and sometimes interact with

the talking head that hangs in the 

front window.

Be sure to go around the back

and take a peek inside or 

stand on the back for a photo.

One thing I can say about 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,

both sides, is that you are truly transported.

Of course I brought my Gryffindor robe

that I purchased last time I was here.

And yes, I took the Sorting Hat test

years ago and I am in

GRYFFINDOR!!

J K Rowlings had a big hand in this

wonderful project.

I have to say, one of my favorite things

about having to stand in the lines at either

Harry Potter worlds, and 

they are long, is that there is plenty of

entertainment going on around you from

talking pictures to your favorite characters,

including snow in Hogwarts.  Sometimes

we had to stay and be entertained and let

people pass in front of us!

Universal, you have enchanted us again.

(Yes, those were real birds!  I thought they 

must have been fake!!)

Click here to read my other post

about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.