A Deeper Look into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter fandom runs deep in my house. I read the books way back when they first came out, even waiting in bookstores for the midnight releases of a few of the later books. My oldest has read the books and dressed up as Harry Potter for multiple Halloweens. My youngest is into the trivia so much that he refuses to accept a wand as his because it’s not one that chose him.

If you have Harry Potter fans in your house, a visit to Universal Orlando is an absolute must. Hogsmeade is in Islands of Adventure, Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios Florida, and the Hogwarts Express connects the two. I wrote The Harry Potter Fan’s Guide to Universal after our last visit and it covers the rides and major attractions. If you’re unfamiliar with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, be sure to check that out as it gives you the basics of what you’ll see. But after our most recent visit, I decided to share a few of the details that Potterheads will notice and really appreciate.

Image courtesy of Universal Orlando

Everyone talks about the Butterbeer- and it really is SO GOOD. But don’t overlook all the other goodies you can find in Honeydukes: Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, Sherbert Lemons, Fizzing Whizzbees, Licorice Snaps, Pepper Imps, and more (I plan on trying the No Melt Ice Cream next time!). My boys bought Sugar Quills for their teachers- if you wet the tip of the quills, they write. You can find some of these treats over in Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes as well, but if you really want to satisfy your sweet tooth, stop in Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.

Dervish and Banges is where you go to find brooms and other Quidditch equipment, while of course you get a wand from Ollivander’s(which is a MUST so you can do the spells throughout the two parts of the Wizarding World). Filch’s Emporium is at the back of Hogwarts Castle and you can find things from all four houses here(it’s sometimes hard to find House gear for Houses other than Gryffindor- it’s not in every store, which is important to me as a Ravenclaw).

Of course, you’ll be doing spells as you walk around Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Most are in shop windows, so as you do your spells, make sure to look for the details- my favorite is a copy of “Magical Me.”

The rides are filled with Easter eggs to find: the pensieve, the Goblet of Fire, Hagrid’s Hut, Buckbeak, the Weasley’s car, plants from herbology, and on and on. I could really spend hours just looking at all the details.

There are more rides in Hogsmeade than Diagon Alley, but more shops to explore on the Diagon Alley side.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando

Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes has all the fun you’d expect from Fred and George: puking pastilles, extendable ears, love potion, U No Poo, and most of the other charms the Weasley twins had cooked up. You’ll also find Pygmy Puffs. You could buy these at different places in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but they do the naming ceremony in Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes so if you buy one elsewhere(like the Magical Menagerie where you can also buy Fluffy or Crookshanks among other things), make sure to take your Pygmy Puff to the counter there and tell them its name and they’ll do a cute (and very quick) naming ceremony. We have Flufflepuff living with us now.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando

You can get fitted for robes in Madam Malkin’s- it’s not just pulling a robe off the rack, you know. You can see Hermione’s Yule Ball dress in there and there’s a talking mirror as well- my family debated whether or not it was the Mirror of Erised since it doesn’t show you what you want, but instead talks to you.

You’ll find time turner necklaces (and keychains) in Wiseacre’s, which also has gear from all the Houses. I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t nab a Ravenclaw bookmark since that’s pretty much perfection.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando

I’m not trying to encourage dark wizards, but Borgin and Burkes has some of the coolest things in it: the hand of glory, the cursed necklace that Katie Bell got hurt by, dark mark tattoos, and plenty of Deathly Hallows trinkets.

As you walk around The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, look for Dumbledore’s hat, Wizard Chess, the sweaters that Ron’s mom gave Ron and Harry for Christmas, the sword of Gryffindor, Advanced Potion Making book, Dumbledore’s Phoenix, The Monster Book of Monsters, sneakoscopes, Cornish Pixies, quaffles, golden snitches, bombtastic bombs, the Vanishing Cabinet, Sirius’ motorbike, Kreacher peeking out of Number 12 Grimauld Place, Dre Head in the Knight Bus, quills, Hedwig, Harry’s trunks, all four potions(you can choose one to mix in with your Gillywater- I chose the Draught of Peace)… pretty much everything you come across in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you’ll recognize from one of the books or movies.

If you happen to be traveling with Muggles who aren’t into Harry Potter(I cringed typing that), they’ll still like all the rides and the food is fabulous no matter what, but for the witches and wizards with you, you can probably spend all day just looking at everything you recognize from the books come to life in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

My family attended Family Forward at Universal Orlando. With our paid conference fee, we received discounted park admission, hotel, and experiences like the VIP Tour. All obsession with all things Universal and especially Harry Potter is our own.