Hey, Harry Potter fans! You are going to want to see ALL of these magical places during your visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. Be sure to take along a copy of our complimentary printable list with you.
Fans of the Harry Potter series will love seeing the characters and scenes from the books and movies come to life at Universal Orlando. Where else can you cast spells like real witches and wizards, walk through the brick wall at Platform 9 ¾, face off with dementors, wander the hallowed corridors of Hogwarts, catch a glimpse of Buckbeak the hippogriff and sip on an iced butterbeer?
It’s magically delightful, and you won’t want to miss a single magical thing there!
Lucky for you, I have created this Ultimate List of ALL the Magic Harry Potter Stuff. Read through the post and take a copy of the complimentary printable checklist with you.
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All the Magic Harry Potter Stuff in Universal Orlando
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split between two of the Universal Orlando Parks – Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Universal Studios Florida contains London, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. Islands of Adventure contains Hogwarts and the town of Hogsmeade (including the park’s newest ride, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure). The Hogwarts Express train transports its passengers between the two parks.
And, throughout all of these areas, you will find magical small details to wonder at and delight in.
PRO TIP: To make the experience more meaningful, I recommend that you read and/or watch the Harry Potter movies before your visit to Universal Orlando. At the very least, watch the first three Harry Potter movies before your visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That should be enough to familiarize you with most of the story references throughout the parks.
For your convenience, you can use these helpful links to quickly jump ahead to a different topic.
NEW RIDE FOR 2019! Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
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Wands Up
First things first, all witches and wizards need a good wand to cast spells and conduct magic.
I highly recommend purchasing an interactive wand. Interactive wands allow you to cast spells throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. These wands are available for purchase at Ollivanders Wand Shop.
Ollivander has shops in both parks. Look for them in Diagon Alley and in Hogsmeade. If you prefer to purchase it ahead of time, you can also buy interactive wands online. Each wand also comes with a map revealing magic spell locations throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
While wandering through the streets of Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley or Hogsmeade, watch for golden circles along the ground indicating areas where you can cast magic spells. Say the spell on the circular plate while doing the indicated wand motion, and be amazed by the wondrous (and amusing) things that your spell made happen.
There are also a few secret places where you can cast spells. More on that later in this post!
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All Aboard
All aboard the Hogwarts Express! You won’t want to miss out on riding the famed magical train that delivers young wizards and witches to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
At Universal Orlando, the train will transport you between the two parks – Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
PRO TIP: Splurge on a Park-To-Park Pass that allows you to visit, both, Universal Studios Florida AND Islands of Adventure in the same day. A Park-To-Park Pass is required to ride the Hogwarts Express. See more helpful tips for families visiting Universal Orlando.
And, of course, be ready for fun and magic during the train ride. Anything can happen while you are aboard the Hogwarts Express. You might receive a special delivery by owl, catch a glimpse of the Knight Bus navigating nearby streets, knock over a cart of chocolate frogs, see a car fly by your window, or even witness a dementor pass by. *Shudder*
PRO TIP: Be sure to ride the Hogwarts Express both ways. It is a completely different experience in each direction.
The train stations themselves are fun experiences. I’ll tell you more about each of the train stations later in this post.
Universal Studios Florida
In the Universal Studios Florida park, you will find London (including Kings Cross Station) and Diagon Alley. A short turn off from Diagon Alley will also lead you into the dark crevices of Knockturn Alley.
London and King’s Cross Station
As you enter the London area of the park, keep your eye out for Number 12 Grimmauld Place (the former residence of Sirius Black and family). Wave hello to Kreacher the house elf. He occasionally peeks out second floor window above the front door.
As you continue to walk towards King’s Cross Station, you will see a red phone booth. Step inside to make a call to the Ministry of Magic by dialing M-A-G-I-C.
Directly across from King’s Cross station, you will find the Knight Bus. Enjoy a chat with the conductor and Dre Head.
PRO TIP: Don’t want to wait in line for a photo opportunity with the Knight Bus conductor? Just wander around to the back of the bus instead. There you can pose for a picture as if you are hopping onto the Knight Bus. Also, you can look in the windows of this magical bus.
Inside King’s Cross Station, you can walk through a brick wall to access Platform 9 ¾, catch a glimpse of Hedwig the owl, and hop aboard the Hogwarts Express to ride over to the Islands of Adventure park.
As you enter King’s Cross Station, do the Five Dare Challenge for Harry Potter Fans and ask any of the muggle employees for directions to Platform 9 ¾.
If you are not catching a ride on the Hogwarts Express yet, look for a small break in a brick wall at Leicester Square. This is the entrance to Diagon Alley.
Diagon Alley
Upon entering Diagon Alley, check out the “Wayfaring Wizards Welcome” sign on the brick walls surrounding the entrance.
Of course, the first business you will find inside of Diagon Alley is The Leaky Cauldron. Beware! The cauldron on the sign does indeed leak from time to time. If you are standing directly beneath the sign, you may get wet.
Look further down the street, and you will see a HUGE FIRE-BREATHING DRAGON atop Gringott’s Bank. The dragon typically breathes fire every 10-15 minutes, and there is usually some rumbling noises in the moments leading up to a fire blast.
While in Diagon Alley, stop over to Gringott’s Money Exchange. There you can exchange some of your muggle cash for Gringott’s bank notes (in 10 and 20 dollar denominations) allowing you to shop like real witches and wizards do. Gringotts bank notes are accepted as currency throughout Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
While exchanging your muggle cash, you may want to have a chat with the animatronic goblin there. He is surprisingly lifelike and every bit as grouchy as you would expect a goblin to be. If you are brave enough, I dare you to ask the Gringott’s Exchange Goblin if he is a house elf.
Stop in to the Magical Menagerie store to see and hear about magical creatures (including Luna Lovegood’s favorite, the Crumple-Horned Snorkack) and potions and more.
If you dine at the Leaky Cauldron, be sure to check out the instructions to the right of the exit door on your way out.
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When shopping at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, be sure to look up. There are fireworks constantly going off in the skylight window.
Stop in to Ollivanders Wand Shop. Here you will see magical brooms sweeping away cobwebs and have the opportunity to watch a wand choose some lucky wizard or witch. Even if you are not chosen by a wand, it is still a fun (and funny) experience for bystanders. And, of course, this is one of the locations where you can purchase yourself an interactive wand.
Try on a robe at Mme Maulkins and look in the mirror. The mirror will comment on your appearance. (The comments are not always flattering though. Ha!)
Find the two secret spell locations in Diagon Alley:
- At Scribbulus Writing Implements, there are two spell locations – one listed on your map and a secret spell location not listed on the map. The secret location is in the right window. Just point your wand at the book (look for the sensor) and do a triangle motion to see what happens.
- Another secret spell location is at Mr. Mulpepper’s Apothecary. Stand in front of the storefront window, point your wand at the pile of poop, and wave your wand in a triangle potion. If your children (or you) find flatulence funny, they may giggle as they feel wind come from the window.
Stop into Gringott’s Bank to ride the popular Escape From Gringotts ride. While going through the queue lines, pay special attention to the goblins. It will send shivers down your spines every time they make eye contact with you.
PRO TIP: Ride the popular Escape From Gringotts ride first thing in the morning to avoid long lines. Read 20 Helpful Tips for your Family’s First Trip to Universal Orlando for more helpful information.
Do yourself a favor and check out the newspapers displayed in The Daily Prophet window. The want ads are so funny!
Be sure to take in a couple of shows while visiting Diagon Alley – songs from Celestina Warbeck and a puppet show from the Beedle and the Bard.
Before leaving the Diagon Alley area, make sure that you turn off from its brightly-lit lanes to check out the dark recesses of Knockturn Alley.
Knockturn Alley
Here’s a fun little fact about this dark street’s name. Knockturn Alley is a play on the word “nocturnally” (which refers to night and/or darkness).
READ ABOUT MORE HARRY POTTER WORDPLAY: Rowling’s Magic Way With Words – Chicago Tribune
Be sure to hold your map up to one of the many blacklights in Knockturn Alley to discover more opportunities to cast magic spells.
There is so much to see at the Borgen and Bourkes shop windows… including every child’s favorite place to cast spells with interactive wands. Outside Borgen and Bourkes, there is a spell sensor by a screen featuring a large skeleton. Cast your spell correctly, start dancing, and watch the skeleton mimic your dance moves. It’s a riot to watch!
Find the secret spell location in Knockturn Alley:
- Visit the storefront of Slug and Jigger’s Apothecary. Point your wand at the barrel with a brown bubble. Wave your wand in a clockwise circular motion, and then, strike downward to see what happens.
Do some window shopping as you pass by the tattoo parlor in Knockturn Alley. Our family enjoyed seeing the magical motion tattoos on display in that shop window.
Islands of Adventure
In the Islands of Adventure park, you will discover the delightful town of Hogsmeade and be able to wander the hallowed halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hogwarts Castle
There are so many fun details to watch for as you explore the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
PRO TIP: If you don’t want to go on the ride, you can still tour the castle. Simply tell the employee at the start of the queue that you want to tour the castle without going on the ride. He/she will direct you to a special line queue. (For a sneak peek of the castle beforehand, check out this video tour of the Hogwarts Castle on youtube.)
Pay attention as you enter the castle. Some of the first things you will see are the dungeon, the Mirror or Erised, and the statue of the one-eyed witch.
You will also pass through a greenhouse. Don’t worry! Not a single mandrake screamed during our visit to the greenhouse area.
Upon re-entering the castle, keep your eyes open for a statue of a hippogriff.
Also, pay attention to the paintings on the walls. They move and talk just like the ones in the movies and books! If you are paying attention, you will notice that these paintings include portraits of the four founders of Hogwarts – Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Take a moment to eavesdrop on their conversations. It’s pretty amusing!
You will pass through Dumbledore’s office (where the prestigious headmaster himself greets you) and the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. Peek around in the classroom for the Defense Against the Dark Arts. If you are looking carefully, you will see the Cloak of Invisibility in there!
As you may have guessed, the portrait of the singing fat lady stands guard at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. She is hilarious!
Other highlights inside the Hogwarts Castle include:
- The Great Hall
- The Room of Requirement
- The ever chatty Sorting Hat
- A moving staircase
Of course, The Forbidden Journey ride is at the line queue. On this ride, you will fly into the excitement of a Quidditch Match, detour through the Forbidden Forest, catch a glimpse of the Whomping Willow, get up close and personal with Aragog the giant spider, and maybe even see dementors.
PRO TIP: Be sure to stop back in the evening for the Hogwarts Nighttime Lights Show. This mesmerizing light and sound show is sure to entertain the entire family. Read our helpful tips to find out how early you should plan to arrive for Universal Orlando’s evening programs.
Hogsmeade
Just outside of the Hogsmeade Station, stop to enjoy a little conversation with the Hogwarts Express Conductor. He is always happy to pose for a picture with fans in front of the Hogwarts Express Engine.
If you haven’t already stopped by the Ollivanders in Diagon Alley, you can swing by the one here in Hogsmeade. See the shop demo (it’s the same show as at Diagon Alley location), and get yourself an interactive wand.
PRO TIP: The line is usually shorter at the Hogsmeade Ollivanders location for purchasing an interactive wand or seeing the show (where a wand chooses a wizard).
This may seem like a really odd bit of advice but… listen carefully when you visit the restrooms in Hogsmeade. You just might hear Moaning Myrtle.
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to dine like wizards at Three Broomsticks! The Great Feast is a delicious option for feeding your entire brood. We recommend ordering a Butterbeers and pumpkin juice to go along with it for the full Harry Potter effect.
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At Dervish and Banges, you can find the Monster Book of Monsters. I dare you to walk up close to this monstrous book and see what happens.
Visit the Owl Post. If you hang out long enough, you are bound to hear a howler screech at someone.
And while you are at the Owl Post, why not mail a letter home? It will have a special Hogsmeade postmark on it.
PRO TIP: Bring a few stamps with you! You can actually send letters or postcards from the Owl Post, and it will be stamped with a special Hogsmeade postmark.
While in Hogsmeade, check out the Tri-Wizard pep rally and the frog choir. (Find showtime listings here.)
Pay attention to your surroundings while waiting in the queue lines for the Flight of the Hippogriff ride. There you can see Hagrid’s hut and a hippogriff!
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Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
So exciting! Hogsmeade is welcoming a new ride in June 2019 – Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure! Join Hagrid on a motorbike adventure into the Forbidden Forest. Wave hello to Fluffy the three-headed dog, look for centaurs, and beware of those pesky Cornish Pixies! Watch where you are going on your motorbike adventure though. I have heard there is Devil’s Snare around, and you definitely don’t want to become entangled with that!
Keep your eyes out for at least one “never before seen” magical creature, too! (I wonder if this could be a creature that will eventually make an appearance in an upcoming Fantastic Beasts film. Wouldn’t that be fantastic?)
READ MORE: Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Newest Ride – People
This newest Wizarding World of Harry Potter ride opened to the public in 2019 at Universal Orlando.
The Ultimate Checklist of Magical Universal Locations for Harry Potter Fans
Be sure to print a copy of our complimentary checklist (PDF document) before your trip!
If you are brave enough, you may want to also print a copy of our Five Dare Challenge for Harry Potter Fans.
Don’t Miss a Single Magical Location at Universal Orlando!
There you have it – a complete list of every bit of magic that I can recall from our last visit to Universal Orlando!
- Have you been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Is there more HP magic that should be added to this list?
- What are you most excited to see/experience on your next visit to Universal Orlando?
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