Universal Resort Orlando, FL 2015 - Day 2

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Ali and I were on the hotel shuttle at 7:00 this morning, because resort guests get to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour before the park opens and we heard the crowds are horrendous. The fact that our bodies thought it was still 4 am didn’t even matter, because our excitement gave us all the energy we needed.

Universal Orlando Resort’s two theme parks are Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, and guests must have park-to-park tickets in order to visit both. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has attractions at both parks: Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle are at Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios. Connecting the two Harry Potter worlds is the Hogwarts Express, and you can ride the train back and forth all day long. I tell you this, so you can have a general idea of what I’m talking about when I describe our day.

We lined up at the gates to Islands of Adventure, and there were only about 10 people in front of us. A few minutes before 8:00, the gates opened and we began our walk to the back of the park, straight to Hogsmeade.  

The rooftops of Hogsmeade

Right before our trip, Ali finished her seventh reading of the Harry Potter series and watched all the films, yet again.This trip is such a big deal to Ali, and I didn’t want her to be let down, so I watched her closely as we approached Hogsmeade. She was not even a little disappointed; in fact, she actually stopped in her tracks when we arrived. Ali wandered through the village, absorbing everything and inspecting every detail. Store windows of shops like Dervish and Banges, Ollivanders, and Honeydukes were stocked with all things magical, and for a few moments, I almost believed it was real. 

We made our way to Hogwarts Castle to go on the Forbidden Journey ride, and as we approached the castle gates, an employee greeted us by saying, “Welcome, Muggles.” Ali was stunned. “Excuuuuuse me?” she said as we continued on. “I have never been so insulted in my life!” (For those who don’t know, “muggles” are non-magic people.) We made our way through the school’s corridors, and just as we entered Dumbledore’s office, the ride attendant announced that the ride was not working and they weren’t sure when it would be fixed. This didn’t bother us at all; we simply got out of line and went on Flight of the Hippogriff instead, which is a tiny, super-fast (and short) roller coaster.

At Ollivanders wand shop, we watched the wand selection process, where a wand chooses a “wizard,” and it was one of the most enchanting and engrossing attractions I have ever experienced at a theme park. You can purchase an interactive wand that comes with a map and walk through the Wizarding World casting spells. All day long, we saw hundreds of people waving wands around and making magic. If I come home with a wand (made from elder with a phoenix feather core), don’t anybody make fun of me. I’ll petrificus totalus you so fast.

So many wands in Ollivanders dusty little shop

Next, we went to Hogsmeade Station and boarded the Hogwarts Express. The porter ushered us into a train car that was an exact replica of the one Harry, Ron, and Hermione ride in the film. The window is actually a screen, and as the train moves, you see beautiful views of the countryside and Hogwarts, and Fred and George even fly by on their broomsticks to wave hello. I watched a grin spread across Ali's face when the twins appeared. Next, three shadows appeared outside the door of our car; they were Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and they had a conversation with each other before walking along the train corridor. I look at Ali, and there it was—subtle and fleeting—but I saw it. Tears welled up in her eyes and then they were gone. 

12 Grimmauld Place

So, Hogsmeade was astounding, and if that had been our only experience, I would be happy we made this trip. But, when we stepped off the train at King’s Cross Station in London (Universal Studios, actually) Hogsmeade suddenly seemed a lot less charming. We walked out of the train station and there was the London waterfront, the Knight Bus, and Grimmauld Place. Ali just walked away taking pictures not giving me a second thought. I watched her face as she stared up at Sirius Black’s house, walk up the stairs, and knock on the door. I loved the look on her face—pure wonder and enchantment.

Along the storefronts we saw an unmarked brick wall. We walked behind it, and there was Diagon Alley, straight through another brick wall whose entrance was just a large hole of missing bricks. And I was absolutely speechless. Now listen, I have never experienced anything as magical and transportive as Disneyland. Never ever, not even once. But, I believe Diagon Alley matches Disney in its ability to transport you. In fact, I think Diagon Alley actually rivals parts of Disneyland. I said PARTS! Sheesh.

Ali and I spent hours exploring and didn’t even scratch the surface of all there was to see. We went into Gringott’s Money Exchange and traded our U.S. dollars for Gringott bank notes that we can use throughout the resort. We were completely astonished and properly creeped out by Knockturn Alley. We visited shops and aimlessly wandered with not one single plan.

Universal Studios

Eventually, we remembered that there were things to experience besides The Wizarding World, so we walked around Universal Studios for a bit. We stopped in front of the Twister attraction. Ali didn’t want to go and I said, “Come on, just do it.” (I believe this is the phrase that results in teen pregnancies and minors under the influence, so I’m sorry.) And when it was too late to turn around, she told me that natural disasters really scare her. Like, really. 

Luckily, the ride wasn’t traumatic. At all. You stand it front what looks like the movie set of a rural town and witness a tornado. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt narrate the ride. Remember Twister from nearly 20 years ago? Yeah, the ride is based on that movie. Hello, Universal? I just came from Diagon Alley and walked into this? Time for some updates. During the ride, water was splashed on the audience. It smelled like... you know when people wash their clothes and then leave them sitting in the washing machine for a couple days, but they still put them in the dryer and then wear them and smell sour like grody mildew? That’s what the water smelled like that dumped all over us. Not great.

We shopped for souvenirs, rode Revenge of the Mummy, ate fresh fruit by the water at Fisherman's Wharf in the "San Francisco" part of the park, and finally, we were ready for a change. Back at King’s Cross Station, on platform 9 ¾, we boarded the train and went back to Hogsmeade. By this time, the village was as crowded as everyone had told us it would be, so we just bought some Gilly Water and a churro (Universal doesn’t rival Disneyland in the churro department), and headed over to Jurassic Park. We got soaked on that ride, and guess what the water smells like? Yep.

Having some like, non-wizard fun, Scoob!

After seven hours in the parks, we were tired and sweaty. It was 93 degrees and humid. Why there has to be weather like this in the world, I will never know. It began to feel like someone tried to cram a theme park into a sauna at the YMCA. Clearly, these fair-weather-loving Washingtonians needed a break.

We went back to the hotel to rest, but we ended up at Hogsmeade just a couple hours later. We bought a couple of butter beers and sat on a bench to see what all the fuss was about. We bought regular butter beer, not frozen, not hot, just 2 cups of regular butter beer. For eleven dollars. Our cups were filled, then a little foam was poured on the top of our drinks. Listen people, it’s the FOAM that’s delicious. I really don’t think it’s the butter beer. It’s the foam. Or cream. I don’t know what they call it. The taste of butter beer is similar to cream soda, but the foam tastes like a blend of salted caramel and butterscotch. I think that’s what the fuss is about.

Ali wanted to end the night at Diagon Alley, so that’s just what we did. We went on Escape from Gringotts and that ride may be the most high-tech ride with the most exciting story we have experienced in a long time. Inside Gringotts Wizarding Bank, guests take an elevator down to the vaults. They then go on an amazing 3-D roller coaster ride that left Ali and I amazed. I looked over at Ali when the ride ended (after the applause died... seriously) and she had both hands covering her mouth and her eyes were opened wide. Her smile didn't disappear for the rest of the night. 

Diagon Alley at night

The magical entrance
to Diagon Alley

When we got off the Escape from Gringotts, the park was closed and there were only a few people left in Diagon Alley. We hung around, not wanting to leave, but we finally dragged ourselves back through the hole in the brick wall, and started the long walk back to the shuttle.

On our way, we stopped at Red Oven Pizza Bakery and picked up some pizza to take back to our room. Carrying steaming hot pizza in 90 degree muggy weather on a shuttle bus full of smelly, exhausted guests is probably not one of my favorite things to do.

Ali fell asleep almost immediately after eating dinner, and we have another early morning to look forward to in just six hours. Good night, Muggles. Sweet dreams.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

             - Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

- Rachel