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Universal Studios Los Angeles Harry Potter. Universal Studios in Los Angeles, USA

During spring break we went with friends to Los Angeles, to the park Universal Studios, mainly for the sake of the newly built part dedicated to the Harry Potter universe. Under the sun of southern California, a hybrid of the village of Hogsmeade (with snow on the roofs), where the heroes of the films went from school on the day off to drink butterbeer (in the park, its role is played by lemonade like Pinocchio with a cap of ice cream foam, $7 per glass) and Diagon Alley is built. The old, shabby aesthetic of Rowling's books is very reconcilable with the plastic world of the amusement park.

A lot of goodies have been invented - in the toilets Moaning Myrtle talks through the speakers, in the Three Broomsticks cafe they serve food that pretends to be old English (in fact, it’s just normal food, unlike hot dogs and fried wings in other cafes), an ordinary ATM is decorated, like the ATM of the fabulous Gringotts bank, even the card terminals in the stores look old. Owls sit high under the roofs on the beams.

There are actually two attractions - flying on a broom (half virtual) inside Hogwarts Castle and a small roller coaster on the theme of flying on a hippogriff near Hagrid's house. The rest is essentially shopping, shopping, but taken to high art.

All the shops are there, there is a post office, you can buy candy with all the flavors (as in the book), all sorts of jokes in the corresponding shop. The most popular store is Ollivander's wands. Whoever is standing, sit down, or better yet, lie down immediately. A piece of plastic in a box costs 43-50 dollars, and in the store there is nowhere for an apple to fall. Almost every child in the park has such a wand, and the more expensive one activates “live” displays in the “village”, so it is almost impossible to refrain from buying it. In front of the display case, you need to stand on a specially designated point, make a special wave of the wand, and the sensor (infrared?) starts the movement. Quidditch balls start bouncing, chained in a chest or something. The idea with shop windows is simply brilliant - it ensures not only sales of sticks, but also constant crowds of people around the shops, giving children something to do for half an hour, or even more.

In souvenir shops the prices are scary and terrifying. It's unlikely that real millionaires would be interested in visiting an amusement park, so I'm inclined to think that people save up for a long time before going to such places. :) For us, the opportunity to drive six hours to LA by car creates a false feeling that this is not the vacation of the century, and we just went out to get some fresh air.
The children tried to price the broom. When it turned out that the broom cost something like $350, the immediate reaction was "But it doesn't even fly!!!"

The second high art is organizing a queue as a separate entertainment. Waiting times for popular attractions in the park can be up to two hours, but during this time, at a minimum, visitors will be shown cartoons, posters, interactive polls, and so on. In the case of Hogwarts Castle, we walked along a darkened atmospheric corridor past classrooms, Dumbledore's office, eerie natural living pictures spoke to us, for example, with the Fat Lady who guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor rooms. Lots of details to look at. In some places the queue goes out onto the street, where under the awnings you can see a greenhouse with plants from books.

In addition to Harry Potter stuff, we were given a tour of the cinematic Potemkin villages. I’m not sure, but I have a feeling that the last time films were shot on real sets was about thirty years ago. Nowadays they either film in Canada or draw everything on a computer.

On the issue of drawing on computers - not only Potemkin villages are dying out, but perhaps physical attractions as such? The latest fashion is virtual roller coasters. You sit down, buckle up, and virtual reality is broadcast to you. Sometimes with 3D glasses, sometimes just like that. The chair is shaken, tilted, air is blown into the face, sometimes heat is blown or water is splashed. It sounds pathetic, but in fact it is a complete illusion. You can fall from a skyscraper, you can “participate” in any fantastic adventure. It's not like going on the Surprise ride. (By the way, judging by YouTube, this horror still exists and works.)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter amusement park opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in April 2016, which means that now in California you can lazily stroll as a tourist along the mysterious streets, sipping drinks, and make a plan for the convenience of your visit.

The attractive village of Hogsmeade, Hogwarts and the Forbidden Journey - an incredible Dark Ride attraction - are part of the third location. The first and second opened in Orlando, Florida, and Osaka, Japan, but since Los Angeles is so freaking huge, being around tourists can be like being kissed by a dementor.

If the prospect of spending three hours waiting in the California sun for a four-minute ride sounds like a Saturday morning nightmare to you, the good news is that you don't have to. We have visited this place many times and have compiled for you a list of all the pros and cons of this entertainment.

Worth: buy a ticket in advance

By choosing a specific day to travel to Universal Studios Hollywood, you can notice the difference in prices and save 10 to 25%. You can also find a map and think about whether you are ready to see all the sights or want to skip something.

Worth it: go there early in the morning

On weekends, you can spend an hour or two queuing to enter the attraction around noon. So if you arrive when the park opens, you won't have to waste time jostling around in the crowds. It’s even better to be there in advance, an hour and a half before you go inside, so that you have time to park and find the entrance.

Don’t: count on being able to take a coffee break

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Cafe, which is located within the park, is perfect if you're about to melt like some fudge, partly naturally, since it's located inside a gift shop with sweets. There is very little space and you will have to spend hours waiting in line so that you will not even be allowed to bring food with you into the park. So it’s better to eat a hearty meal or drink a cup of coffee in advance.

Worth it: Head straight to the huge Hogwarts castle

As soon as you enter the gate, you will immediately plunge headlong into the magical world of Harry Potter. Here the train conductor waved to you, snow-capped turrets are visible in the distance, and the shop windows of Hogsmeade beckon you to enter... Hold your breath before you set off on the Forbidden Journey. Don't waste a minute exploring the magnificent fantasy world once you leave your luggage and begin your journey!

Don't: Ignore the scenery

The decorating team created a truly amazing atmosphere in the park, you just have to believe in the magic. In the greenhouse you can see mandrakes, and the statues near the entrance are made exactly like in the film. They tell the history of Hogwarts along with a picture room where you will see portraits of the school's four founders and houses. Seize every moment, because you are unlikely to return here again, even passing by.

Worth it: prepare yourself and your belly for one of the coolest rides

People from all over the world are madly attracted to this attraction because it is the most exciting entertainment. Seriously, all three Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations are so innovative that Universal Studios Holliwood has won the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Dark Ride Ever" 5 years in a row!

The Dark Ride is a roller coaster ride that runs throughout and around the castle grounds. There are several options for movement (family and alone), virtual reality glasses in which you can see the presented video sequences. Everything you need to know before you go on this Forbidden Ride, plunge headlong into all the proposed quests - it will be scary in some places, you may feel dizzy, especially on the 3D attractions, but in the end everything will be fine. After all, if Harry survived the final battle with Voldemort, then we should go through this exciting quest, right?

Don't: Wait in line to go through all the tests again

Once, of course, will not be enough, immediately plan a second round. If you're traveling with children, unfortunately you'll have to go back and get back to the back of the line to take the group seating test. But if you are in the company of adults or children who no longer need a nanny, then you can bypass the main crowd of tourists and go alone, the so-called Single Rider. This is a faster way to get to any corner of the park, for example, to defend the Dark Arts exam again.

Worth it: perceive everything in a new way every time you drive through the park

When you decide to go all the way a second time, we recommend lowering your glasses between video scenes. Due to the darkening of the lenses, you may not be able to see all the beauty of the details of the decorations and decorations. Enjoy only the video sequence with glasses - and you will be just as deeply immersed in what is happening.

Don't: Waste time on a hippogriff-shaped boat

Another way to travel around the park is to fly on the Hippogriff, which is extremely cumbersome and uncomfortable, even if you pretend to be Hagrid. Of course, you will want to go on this attraction - because from there you can hear cheerful screams, and you can see baskets flying past and piercing the clouds... But it's like the second season of the series: it seems like it will be cool, but it disappoints. If you ride this attraction, it will seem to you that everything is over in 30 seconds, although 10 minutes pass! This is a good option to enjoy the views and get emotions only if you are traveling with small children.

Worth it: try a glass of butterbeer and explore all the nooks and crannies of Hogsmeade village

Hogsmeade pit stops and souvenir shops are scattered throughout the park. In each you will find some of your own entertainment, riddles and objects from the movies. You can send a letter with an owl and it will receive the Hogwarts seal. Or see how the monster book is acting up in the Dervish and Bangs magic supplies store. Or maybe even hear Moaning Myrtle howling in the restroom. Do you want to try Bertie Botts, but are afraid to spend all the money? It’s better to take a few by weight than a ready-made package - it will be a little cheaper, and you will definitely have enough of these sweets.

Don't: Participate in the wand matching show at Ollivander's store

You will see the famous wand shop and of course you will stand in line to see and buy the wand that is right for you, but stop for a second. Think about it: everyone wants the same thing, and the show is really wonderful and impressive... But, unfortunately, the store can only accommodate a small group of people, which creates a crowd, and only 1 person from the group who was part of the show can get the wand. This is great, but you can waste a lot of time here. Instead, watch the show through the back door and use the stick machine located there, then move on to new adventures.

Worth it: Grab a bite to eat at The Three Broomsticks

The level of detail in Hogsmeade is incredible, but nowhere will you find it as precise as Madame Rosmerta's pub, The Three Broomsticks. There is very tasty homemade English cuisine here and it is very useful to refresh yourself after such a busy program. It's also worth stopping by the pub near Godric's Hollow and ordering Harry Potter's favorite butterbeer if you want - you deserve it, as much as you want.

One way or another connected with the filming of the Harry Potter films. But it turns out that far beyond England there is an amusement park created based on the books of JK Rowling and influenced by the films about Harry Potter.

Today we are going to the USA, because it was there, in the state of Florida in the city of Orlando, in Universal's Island of Adventure - one of the two parks of the famous entertainment complex Universal Orlando Resort, that a new theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, was opened in 2010 World of Harry Potter).

"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter"

This is a huge amusement park created on an area of eight hectares, where all the attractions and surroundings are subject to one theme - to recreate the atmosphere of your favorite books and films about Harry Potter.

This was done in full. The help of designers and artists who took part in the filming of the Harry Potter films, and advice from the author of the books, JK Rowling, helped the creators of this project make the amusement park as close as possible to the events taking place in the books and films.

The accuracy of the reproduction of various little things and details is amazing, from the Hogwarts castle, the interior of its offices and halls, to the goods displayed in the windows of shops and shops in Hogsmeade.

Precision is maintained even in the old recipes for pumpkin juice and butterbeer, which are sold at the Hog's Head and the Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Walking around Adventure Island

Finding ourselves in a huge park in Florida, we again find ourselves in the world of an unusual school, where the famous boy wizard studied.

Lost in an unknown place in an unreal world, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry appears again in our world, and we, having found ourselves in this place, willingly agree that everything that happened and is happening takes place in our lives.

Our journey to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Island of Adventure begins in Hogsmeade Village (the only wizarding village where no ordinary people live).

Through the arched gates we find ourselves at Hogsmeade railway station, which is located on the very outskirts of the village, with the Hogwarts Express chugging at the station and further into the streets of the village with houses with snow-covered roofs and chimneys black with soot.

Hogsmeade is not a simple place at all. Here, in the world of Harry Potter, senior students from Hogwarts school rested and had fun.

There is an owl post office in the village. In Harry's world, this is where the owls rest after delivering letters. In reality, this is a place in the park where its visitors can relax. And at the same time, from here you can send a letter with the coat of arms of the village of Hogsmeade instead of a postmark.

There are a lot of different magic shops, quaint shops, and restaurants here. But we will talk about this a little later.

And now we will continue our journey along the cobbled streets to the main object of our route - the ancient castle of Hogwarts, which is also the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and where amazing adventures await us on unique attractions.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Major exciting events take place on the grounds of Hogwarts Castle, drawing visitors into a world very accurately recreated from the books and films.

Here, following the route developed by the creators of this amazing amusement park, we find ourselves in the most secret places of the magic school, participating in exciting events, accompanied by movie characters.

Before we take off on an amazing flight over Hogwarts, there are many more events and adventures awaiting us on the way to the Room of Requirement.

Attraction "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey"

When creating the main attraction "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey", robotic arms, animation, real scenery, music, sound and light special effects and, probably, a little magic were used.

They create specially illuminated scenes and use a 360-degree screen to show incredibly realistic video that creates the illusion of visitors flying in controlled vehicles with Harry and his friends Hermione and Ron.

The park's main attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, is located inside the castle. And to get on the attraction, you need to go through the doors of Hogwarts and go down into the dungeon, where the passengers of this unusual journey encounter many unusual objects, characters, and interiors familiar from books and films.

I think you understand why this attraction received such a strange name “forbidden journey”. Previously, in the time of wizards, the School of Magic and Wizardry was hidden from ordinary people in every possible way and they could not be in this place under any circumstances.

And here, please, everyone is invited to a tour of the amazing and mysterious places of the castle.

The first places on the way for castle guests are greenhouses filled with mandrakes.

Further through the corridor, everyone finds themselves in a gallery with real “talking” portraits of Hogwarts teachers, the characters of which, not at all embarrassed by the presence of non-wizards, animatedly talk and move from picture to picture.

In front of Dumbledore's office we come across a majestic statue of Griffin, which is recreated to the smallest detail from the Harry Potter films.

And here we are in Dumbledore’s office, in which the Hogwarts director greets the Muggles (that is, us) who visited this castle for the first time. Of course, Dumbledore himself is not in the room, and he greets visitors from the screen. But the illusory impression is created that he is among the guests of the castle.

The director's office is a very exact copy of the office that we saw in one of the films.

Amazingly realistic holograms of wizards and a talking sorting hat create the feeling that this stunning, delightful world exists in reality.

And the most impressive thing is the road of horrors with an unforgettable meeting with the Whomping Willow, a clash with dementors, dragons, giant spiders, participation in a Quidditch match and an amazing flight with young wizards over Hogwarts.

There are some restrictions for visitors to this attraction: height cannot be less than 120 cm.

Before entering the attraction, there are special testing devices that help you choose a comfortable seat, taking into account large height (weight) due to the way the passenger is attached to the seat.

The excursion and flight last approximately one hour. But let's not forget that on the territory of the castle there are several more interesting attractions and many more exciting trips to the shops and shops of Hogsmeade.

Attraction "Flight of the Hippogriff"

As we remember from books and films, the Hippogriff is a magical creature of a very unusual appearance: half horse, half griffin.

And the attraction itself is something like a roller coaster, but in a more gentle version. It is preferred by family tourists with children. Its height is 13 meters, speed is 45.9 kilometers per hour. Height limit – 91 cm.

On the way to the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster, you can pass by Hagrid's hut. You cannot go inside the hut, since this structure only exactly reproduces the appearance of the forester’s house.

But you can get instructions and guidance from Hagrid on how to properly approach, “tame” and ride the Hippogriff.

Attraction "Competition with the dragon"

Created based on the “Triwizard Tournament” from the movie “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”.

It is a high-speed double roller coaster in the form of an intertwined inverted coaster with multiple trains, symbolizing Harry Potter's battle with the Hungarian Horntail dragon and Viktor Krum's battle with the Chinese Fireball dragon in the first challenge of the Tournament. Three Wizards.

The Chinese Fireball reaches a speed of 96.6 kilometers per hour, and the Hungarian Horntail - 88.5 kilometers per hour. Height – 38.1 meters. The total ride time on the attraction is approximately 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

Height restrictions – 137 cm.

Not far from the attraction are the Triwizard Cup and Goblet of Fire, Hagrid's hut and Weasley's flying car.

The main attractions of the park are complemented by themed restaurants, shops, and stalls, which are also created under the impression of books and films read and with attention to the smallest details.

Quaint shops and shops in Hogsmeade Village

And here we are again in the village of Hogsmeade, which came to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park from the pages of books and from the screen of films with numerous shops, restaurants and cafes that we simply have no right not to visit.

Shop "Sweet Kingdom"

The most famous confectionery shop of all kinds of sweets in the world of wizards.

Here you can buy candies for a wide variety of tastes: chocolate frogs, exploding lollipops, licorice sticks, custard pots, Drubbles chewing gum, multi-colored Bertie Botts, sugar feathers, bloody lollipops, butter fudge - and surprise yourself and your loved ones with these extraordinary sweets.

Zonko's Shop

Shop of comic goods and magical jokes. Hogwarts students loved to visit this shop, and today it is one of the favorite places for tourists.

As a keepsake and as a souvenir, you can take away from here very unusual toys, such as screaming toys, retractable ears, pumpkin lozenges, flying firecrackers, a boxing telescope (copies of harmful scopes), and quite ordinary souvenir mugs and T-shirts.

Dervish and Bangs store

Be sure to visit this store. All sorts of magical things, props used in films, toys and souvenirs are sold here. For example, Quidditch sets, Triwizard Tournament uniforms, reminders, spectral glasses, The Monstrous Book of Monsters, sweatshirts, scarves, hats, shoulder bags.

Attraction “The Wand Chooses the Wizard”

The events take place in Mr. Ollivander's shop, or rather, in his absolute copy. Here everyone, like Harry Potter once upon a time, can take the test and find out which wand is right for you and buy it in this shop.

Try your luck, and the magic wand itself will choose you (well, only the actor and special effects will help her do this a little).

"The Three Broomsticks" and "The Boar's Head"

After a walk through the park, you can have a snack at one of the many restaurants. But, if you want to continue your journey to places associated with Harry Potter, it is better to do this at the Three Broomsticks restaurant. Visitors are attracted here not only by the original interior, but also by the opportunity to try butterbeer or a very tasty signature pumpkin juice, which was so loved by the heroes of films and books about Harry Potter.

Here you can also order national British dishes, various delicacies, such as baked turkey, Cornish pasties, fresh fruits and vegetables. Children are also taken care of: a special menu includes a sweet table with strawberry and apple pies, chocolate truffles, and ice cream.

Universal Orlando Park Hours

Universal Orlando Resort is open all year round. But opening hours may vary. Therefore, as always, before the trip we check all the information on the website.

Official website of the Universal Orlando entertainment complex: www.universalorlando.com. Official website of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park: www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.

The park has parking for strollers, toilets, ramps for wheelchairs, luggage storage, and entertainment for children.

Cost of admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for 2019

You can purchase tickets to visit two theme parks at once or just one: Universal Studios Florida or Universal’s Island of Adventure.

Cost of visiting 1 park:

1 day – adult/child – $115.00/$110.00

Cost of visiting 2 parks:

1 day – adult/child – $170.00/$165.00.

On the ticket purchase page there are various tariff plans for visiting 1, 2 or even 3 parks for a period of 1 to 5 days, as well as special advantageous offers.

This is where we end our journey through places dedicated to Harry Potter. Bye bye…

P.S. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park has now expanded. For several years now, new attractions and themed areas related to the story of Harry Potter have been opened in the second park of the complex - Universal Studios Florida, between which you can travel on the Hogwarts Express.

Today, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the most fashionable and famous theme parks in the world. Its secret is not only in high-tech attractions, but also in the accurately recreated atmosphere of the popular film and book epic about the young wizard. And even if you are not a Potter fan, the atmosphere of magic and enchantment will certainly overwhelm you.

What modern child, who grew up reading books about Harry Potter, did not dream of one day being invited to Hogwarts School of Magic, finding himself in a magical world with wonderful creatures, acquiring a magic wand, riding a flying broom and, of course, trying cold Butter beer, which leaves a funny foam mustache? And now dreams come true! All the adventures of Harry Potter were brought to life in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park, and now anyone can become a direct participant.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was opened in the summer of 2010 in the suburbs of Orlando (Florida, USA) and became part of a large amusement park (Universal World of Adventure).

Visitors to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, like the characters in the book, will be able to visit the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry recreated by Universal Resort specialists, see magical artifacts in the office of the school principal Albus Dumbledore, walk the paths of the Forbidden Forest, explore the surroundings of the nearby wizard village of Hogsmeade and have fun time in the favorite place of students and teachers of the Academy of Magic - the Three Broomsticks pub.

To begin with, you can follow in the footsteps of the famous wizard, taking an exciting journey on the notorious Hogwarts Express train. The first stop is the magical village of Hogsmeade. Among the snow-covered houses with shabby roofs and inviting storefronts, visitors will find many unusual things.

The amusement park is as close as possible to the fairy-tale world of Harry Potter, because JK Rowling herself took part in the development of the design of the park. When creating the interiors of the park, the scenery in which films from the Harry Potter series were filmed was used. The artists drew all the interior details with special care so that the decor was easily recognized by visitors to the park.

The village of Hogsmeade is a favorite place for recreation and entertainment from the world of Harry Potter. It is home to many curio shops and bustling pubs. Of particular interest is the owl postal service, the services of which can be used when sending a letter with the special coat of arms of the village of Hogsmeade.

The most famous magical confectionery store, Honeydukes, sells every conceivable sweet from the world of wizards: sugar feathers, chocolate frogs, exploding lollipops, colorful Bertie Botts jelly beans flavored with grass, earwax or earthworm. , fudge, licorice sticks and more.

At the Dervish and Banges store, visitors will find a large selection of magical equipment and souvenirs. Also on sale are four house uniforms, Quidditch uniforms, spectral glasses, reminders and the legendary Monstrous Book of Monsters.

Take a look at Mr. Ollivander's shop, where all kinds of magic wands are collected. It is surprising that in this place it is not the buyer who chooses the magic wand, but the wand - its owner. Replicas of local celebrities' wands and the interactive "Wand Chooses the Wizard" challenge are sure to delight children and adults alike.

The village of Hogsmeade is also home to two legendary pubs: the Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head, where guests are offered a wide range of traditional British food and drinks, including the signature pumpkin juice and butterbeer.

The largest building in the park is Hogwarts Castle, which houses the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of the same name. One of the attractions is dedicated to traveling around the Hogwarts school and magical adventures. Aspiring wizards will rise to the very heart of the castle, walking through long corridors and galleries, illuminated only by torchlight. And then they will take a flight in comfortable chairs - a unique high-tech ride show that creates the effect of flying through the halls of the castle and its environs, accompanied by Harry Potter and his faithful friends.

You will visit classrooms, Gryffindor faculty rooms, Professor Dumbledore's office, see with your own eyes moving and talking portraits reproduced from Potter books and films, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the Room of Requirement, the Quidditch field, the Forbidden Forest and other attractions from the most bright scenes of the film. Needless to say, today it is one of the most spectacular and sophisticated attractions in the world.

Hogwarts Castle houses another interesting store: Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. Here you will find a large assortment of magical souvenirs, including all kinds of healing potions, golden snitches, a Marauders map, Death Eater masks, Ministry of Magic employee badges, omninocles, fanged frisbees and much more.

In addition to the thrill ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey", in which park visitors will be able to see and even participate in most of Harry's adventures, the park also offers rides on the Hippogriff and "Dragon Race", which are based on roller coasters.

In the summer of 2014, the Harry Potter theme park opened Diagon Alley, a long-awaited new area that recreates the fabulous London area described in the Harry Potter books and films.

Diagon Alley is located in the American park Universal Orlando and is an addition to the themed area “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in the park Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

The zones are located quite far from each other and are connected by a railway along which the Hogwarts Express train runs.

Visitors arriving from Hogsmeade at King's Cross Station in central London will be able to stroll along the magical Platform 9 ¾. This platform is famous for the fact that only magicians who have passed through the wall between platforms No. 9 and No. 10 can get to it.

You can find yourself in Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron pub on Charing Cross Road. The alley itself is a winding street in the magical world, paved with cobblestones and stretched from northwest to northeast.

On the territory of Diagon Alley you can see the English branch of the magical bank Gringotts, on the roof of which there is a giant statue of the Ukrainian Iron-bellied Dragon.

Everyone will be able to feel everything that Harry and his friends felt during their escape from the bank building by taking a ride on the attraction “Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Bank.” The unusual four-minute attraction will begin with a meeting with Bill Weasley, and then descend underground, presenting all the secrets of the impenetrable Gringotts.

A good memory of adventures in the Harry Potter style will be memorable souvenirs in the form of magical things and magical goods. Almost all the shops mentioned in the books are located in Diagon Alley: Ollivanders, a shop selling Black Magic objects from the Death Eaters (Borgin and Burkes), and a Quidditch equipment store called Quality. Quidditch Supplies), Magical Menagerie, Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasion and, of course, the Weasleys' Wizard shop. Wheezes), created specifically for people with a good sense of humor.

35 comments

Can i ask you? Is the train free???

Sorry for the late response :)
Travel on the Hogwarts Express is free, but is only available to visitors with a Park-to-Park ticket. By purchasing such a ticket (now it costs 155 USD per adult), a tourist can visit both parks in a day: Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

To get from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley you need to take a ride on the Hgwarts Express?

Can you tell me how much tickets for attractions cost, min. and max. cost?

There is no need to buy a ticket for each attraction separately. You just pay the entrance fee to the park and then ride whatever you want for free.

There are currently several ticket offers:

1. 2-Park 1-Day Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure (with Hogwarts Express train ride) = 179 USD per adult;
2. One Park (without riding the Hogwarts Express) = 124 USD per adult;
3. Well, an option for the quickest 3-Park 1-Day Islands of Adventure + Universal Studios + Volcano Bay = 219 USD per adult.

When purchasing a ticket for several days in a row, there is a good discount. More useful information on the official website - http://www.universalorlando.com

What time does the park open?

and how much does a child ticket cost?

Currently, the park is open from 9:00 to 22:00, but from mid-August the schedule changes slightly, so it is better to double-check the information on the official website indicated in the comment above. The discount on children's tickets is funny..

1. 2-Park 1-Day Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure (with Hogwarts Express train ride) = 179 USD per adult; per child 174 USD.
2. One Park (without riding the Hogwarts Express) = 124 USD per adult; per child 119 USD.

Is there a discount for children?

Hello, there is a discount for children under 9 years old, but it is very small. In the previous comment, ticket prices are current to this day.

Tell me, do I understand correctly, when I buy a ticket for 2 parks at a cost of $274.99, I can go to the park 3 days during the week?

Yes that's right:)

Hello. I'm completely lost in these parks. please clarify. I counted 4 parks in this area:
1.Universal Studios florida
2. Universal's Islands of Adventure.
3. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
4. universal orlando resort
How are they connected and which ones are better to visit without children?

Hello! Today, Universal Orlando Resort includes three theme parks:
- Universal Studios Florida™ (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Diagon Alley™)
- Universal's Islands of Adventure™ (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Hogsmeade™)
- Universal's Volcano Bay™ water park
- shopping and entertainment zone Universal CityWalk™.

You can visit either each park separately or all together in one day, but usually they combine Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure (travel between them is possible on the Hogwarts Express train from the Harry Potter movie). The greatest excitement is happening around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (it is divided into 2 parks, the main part is located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure™). Although the parks are aimed at families with children, it will be interesting for every adult to find themselves here :)

Do you know how much a ticket to Florida from Moscow costs?

No, everything is as it should be - a permanent building :)

Can you buy wands from Ollivander? How much do they cost? And what else can you buy in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade?)
- But of course! By all means! :) In Mr. Ollivander's shop you can either simply buy the magic wand you like or take part in an interactive show where the wand will choose you. All magic wands are divided into collectible ($44) and magic ($50). Magic wands (they are equipped with sensors) come complete with a map on which the places where you can use them to create magic are marked. And there are so many souvenirs there: clothes, all kinds of accessories from the world of “Potter”, toys, sweets, comic souvenirs... you just couldn’t think of anything!

Thank you very much:)

Please tell me, can I buy a wand from Ollivander's store online? Does he have an online store? Or just go to the park and take it there?

Hello, you can also buy online at the official website. park website at https://shop.universalorlando.com/c/Harry-Potter-Wands.html.
The conditions for international delivery are described in detail there (though in English). They send everything inedible by international mail without any problems.

Hello, do the sticks from the online store of this amusement park fully correspond to those in the film?

Hello, they look exactly the same in appearance... but inside the magic wands it’s unlikely that you’ll find real unicorn hair or a phoenix feather... but who knows:) it’s magic!

Hello! Please tell me, is it possible to buy a ticket on the spot without any problems? Or is it better to buy in advance online?

Hello, it is better to purchase tickets online in advance. This will allow you to save time and get a discount. At the box office the cost of the entrance ticket will be higher.

Thanks a lot!

Hello! Can you please tell me through which website I can purchase tickets?

Good afternoon

Thank you for such a beautiful and informative article) Only after it did I understand which parks I need to go to.
Maybe you can tell me - I bought a ticket on the website, choosing a date. But the ticket itself does not indicate the date, only the name and barcode. Is this how it should be?) Maybe I printed something wrong.

Good afternoon! Thank you so much!
Each offer has its own terms and conditions on the website. Most likely, you purchased a ticket marked Anytime Season Ticket, which is why the selected date for visiting the park is not displayed on the ticket.

What attraction in Los Angeles would you most like to visit? Walk of Fame, Hollywood sign, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Downtown? I dreamed about Universal Studios Hollywood- an amusement park, the thought of which made my little Harry Potter-maniacal tachycardic heart begin to beat even faster.

I was in a hurry to see Hogwarts and stroll through the streets of Hogsmeade,

True, first you have to go through several long streets, full of shops with Chinese souvenirs of your favorite Universal characters.

A mandatory attribute is a spinning ball with the company logo at the entrance.

And a red carpet to compensate for the price of admission: from $105 to $116 online (depending on the date), $120 on the spot.

In the park itself, despite Monday, there are crowds of visitors.

On the way to the attractions and entertainment, you can see life-size puppets of the film company's characters and sculptures dedicated to the filmmakers.

Unfortunately, not a flying Fordik England.

In addition to the attractions, the park hosts entertainment and educational shows several times a day. We check that the coolest of them is WaterWorld- It starts in 10 minutes and let’s go take our seats.

15 minutes representation viewers can watch a real live movie with shooting and chases, fights and falls into the water from great heights, explosions and burning people, and even a small plane.

The second coolest show at Universal Studios Hollywood is studio tour. Reminiscent of a studio tour (which is recommended to be attended before), but shorter and more intense. And the excursion buses are much larger. I recommend sitting on the left side (be the last to enter), because most of the interesting things are on the left side in the direction of travel. So, in the far right seat, capturing, for example, an exhibition of equipment from various studio films turned out to be almost impossible.

The tour begins in much the same way as in Warner Park: we drive through the streets that serve as movie sets.

Do Back to the Future fans recognize the watch?

Often, instead of real building facades, films show painted ones.

3D attraction King Kong 360. The bus enters a tunnel, where visitors become direct participants contractions King Kong with tyrannosaurs.

They showed how the weather was controlled on set. It started to rain a little in this small village...

Which turned into a downpour and contributed to a flood that destroyed everything in its path.

In this part of the film studio they make films about the Wild West. The music of Ennio Morricone immediately plays in my head.

Earthquake in the subway. Everything crashes, shakes, falls apart, burns and drowns. The most interesting thing is how, after the end of the earthquake, everything is restored, extinguished, collected and returned to its place in seconds.

Shark attack from 1975's Jaws. Considering that the film was shot more than 40 years ago, it looks quite realistic from afar.

Once again about the facades of buildings in films.

The Grinch stole Christmas.

"Psycho" by Alfred Hitchcock. First, the man took the woman’s corpse out of the hotel and hid it in the trunk, and then chased the bus with a knife. An unenviable job for an actor: carrying a “corpse” every couple of minutes for 8-10 hours a day.

For the filming of Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds, a real Boeing 747 was cut up. The scale of the disaster is impressive: destroyed houses, mangled cars, smoke, sirens...

After the excursion, we wandered around a little more in search of the next show (the park is quite large and has two levels) and ended up on the lower level. We didn't have time to ride all three rides.

Jurassic Park It promised to be good, but I didn’t want to get wet from head to toe.

Mummy- the scariest attraction in the park and Transformers. Before entering, the approximate waiting time is indicated (at that time - 50 minutes for the Mummy). On a weekend, you can stand in line for 2 or 3 hours.

We return to the upper level and go to special effects show. It was worth coming here just to relax in the dark and cool - in the park it was about 35 degrees, while on the coast it did not exceed 25. They showed and told how in films they imitate sounds and cut hands, motion capture technology and burning people. Not very interesting, it would have been better to go to an animal show (we didn’t have time to go there) or go to another attraction.

Then (well, finally!) we went to the coolest part of the park, but since the anticipation of the holiday is better than the holiday itself, for now I’ll tell you about the remaining attractions, and I’ll leave Hogwarts and Hogsmeade for last.

The Walking Dead("The walking Dead"). I love and watch both this series and BHM, read comics and played games in the franchise. Waiting for your turn takes place within the walls of an abandoned Atlanta hospital, where the main character woke up after a coma in the first episode. They launch in groups of about 15 people, and it so happened that my husband and I were the first in line, so for the entire couple of minutes during which you need to go through the attraction, he pulled me by the hand, and I resisted and asked, “Can we not go?” first? Please!" It turned out to be not scary at all, only sometimes unexpectedly (I would go again), and often zombies (most of them, by the way, are played by real people) let the first people go ahead and jump out at the next ones.

Shrek 4D. First, everyone crowds into a basement full of instruments of torture, waiting for their turn. Then a 10-minute cartoon. The cinema was soon closed (not surprisingly, compared to other entertainment, its level is an order of magnitude lower).

Despicable Me. You are turned into minions and invited to a party, but not everything is so simple.

Each attraction is designed in the style of a film, cartoon or TV series: fans will find goodies while waiting in line, in photo zones on the street, and, of course, in souvenir shops.

The service staff is also dressed like characters from the movie, and the cafes sell themed food (I remember crowds of people taking pictures of donuts from The Simpsons immediately after buying them).

But most of all I liked the cool zones (play on words: cool - cool and cool) - fans blowing cool air with water (you remember, it was 35 degrees in the park? That day it seemed hot... haha, the day after tomorrow we We’ll be in Nevada, it’s really hot there!).

Super Silly Fun Land- carousels for the little ones.

The Simpsons Ride. As you may have noticed, almost all the slides in the park are 5D, and I like them much more than usual, because I am paranoid, I know that even if something breaks, I will not fall anywhere and fall out, but will simply get up from my chair. A side effect is that from constant shaking, bouncing and hitting the hard back of the chair, your back begins to hurt in the evening. As a “thank you” for visiting some attractions, they give you various bonuses. Here, for example, they gave samples of "Jelly Beans" - candies from "Harry Potter", and after a tour of the studio - a ticket to visit one slide without queuing.

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, our beloved Hogwarts...(humming). How did I feel at that moment? Imagine your favorite book, movie, TV series, computer game - any fictional universe. Imagine that a world is designed based on this universe - with characters and buildings, its own “laws” and paraphernalia, clothes and food. And you can see all this with your own eyes, touch it, participate, try it and even do magic if you buy a wand for fifty dollars. Now there will be a lot of photos, because I wanted to capture everything, everything, everything!

Of course, compared to the multi-park Universal Orlando Resort in Florida (where we were originally going), tiny Hogsmeade with 10 houses was not even close: there is and Diagon Alley, and Gringotts with a dragon on the roof, and the Hogwarts Express, which you can ride on, and the Night Knight, and various shops, and buildings, and shows... But Hogsmeade in Los Angeles is also interesting and beautiful. Hogsmeade in Los Angeles. Hogsmeade among the palm trees. Nothing unusual, scroll on.)

In the castle itself is the coolest attraction in the park - Harry Potter and the Forbidden Adventure(fans, watch the entire video, you won’t regret it!).

At the entrance to the castle, all personal belongings have to be checked into a storage room so that they don’t fall out during the ride, so I just had to bat my eyes in delight and admire the greenhouses and Hogwarts offices, statues and talking portraits (which, indeed, looked like portraits, not like screens) and projections of Dumbledore, Harry, Ron and Hermione without the possibility of photography. True, not everyone handed over their phones. The Korean woman in front of us took selfies with duck lips throughout the entire line (almost an hour!). One hour, Karl. I would have understood if she had been photographed against an interesting background, but she just spent an hour taking pictures of her face. The slide itself is even cooler than the buns waiting for it. It shakes, twists and sways more than on other attractions, but I would play Quidditch, escape from spiders and dementors one more time 5. Or 25).

Hogwarts Express locomotive. I love people who are in the right place, love and do their job well. Of course, there are activities that are much more difficult and more important, but standing in uniform for hours in 40-degree heat, posing and taking pictures with thousands of people every day, finding an approach to every child so that the child’s faith in magic only grows stronger - not everyone can do that. In front of us, the driver quietly told a little girl some magical story about his pocket watch, and she listened in fascination. Then we went up to take a photo with the driver, my husband told him: “You made that girl so happy,” and he replied: “And now I’ll make you happy.” And in fact, at that moment I was very happy).
Then a little boy ran up to the train and asked: “Is this the real Hogwarts Express?” "Of course it's real!" - answered the driver. The little boy let out a cry of delight and ran to show off to his mother.

A bit of snowy Hogsmeade.

By the way, Moaning Myrtle is howling in the toilets.

The shops on the street sell butterbeer of all types and varieties (it looks like a very sweet soda with whipped cream foam) and pumpkin juice in a cute bottle with a pumpkin cap (waiting in the wings on Halloween).

And we went to have lunch at "The Three Broomsticks"- the most attractive cafe with the most delicious and healthy food. True, there is little non-meat here.

Inside, everything is very Hogsmeade-esque, albeit blurry. I liked the uniform of the service staff (they also joke all sorts of magic jokes; and at the cash register you sign the check with a pen shaped like a feather).

Choir of frogs.

Before you get to Ollivander's shop (probably the only store where disorder in the layout of goods is encouraged), you can visit the attraction "The wand chooses the wizard". Usually a baby is chosen from the crowd, and he repeats the fate of Harry when his wand chose him. It was especially interesting to watch a plump, middle-aged Asian man in the role of Ollivander.

It’s not for nothing that a wand costs $50 - it contains a hidden mechanism with which you can create almost real magic. Some Hogsmeade buildings and storefronts have instructions on what to do, what spell to cast, and how to wave a wand. If everything is done correctly, something will appear, grow, flow, start spinning or dancing.

“I didn’t really want to, I was just passing by.”

Honeydukes(Sweet Kingdom) - this is where I got stuck for a long time.

That feeling when you buy a 40-gram chocolate bar in the shape of a frog for the price of 10 bars in Belarus just because it has the Harry Potter label (but I came across a card with Dumbledore - they are different, I Googled it! - and that compensated for everything) . The cauldron is delicious + there is still a mold for muffins, pudding with butterbeer - so-so, lemon slices (wrapped) - not bad, but ordinary candies, crystals - sugar with coloring and sourness (on which I later broke a piece of tooth). But I’ve probably bought almost a kilogram of Bertie Botts beans in America this whole time (I’m writing this post and eating the last of the candies). In the original, they can have absolutely any taste: sweet and harmless (cherry, cotton candy, apple...), unusual and exotic (black pepper, grass, sausage...) to the most disgusting (earwax, snot, vomit... .), but I only bought “tasty” options. And upon arrival from America, they gave me a package of jelly beans, where it was 50/50 - half tasty, half not. So, I’m still looking for people who want to share these candies in half with me - so far, for some reason, no one agrees. Are you sure no one wants it?)

And the most wonderful end of the evening was show projection to the castle. The official opening took place only a few weeks after our visit, but the projection was already shown in test mode. On the walls of the castle, to the music from the films, animals of all four faculties were running and crawling, turning into the coat of arms of each of them (so-so description, so-so photo, so it’s better to watch the video).

That's it, it's time to go home. Through shopping streets, shops and crowds of people.

Stay tuned - Las Vegas is coming soon.

Tl;dr. Universal Park- this is, of course, the dream of a Harry Potter fan (and not only - there are many interesting attractions there) of any age. Admission is expensive ($120), but I would come back here again (or better yet, to Universal Orlando). If anyone needs it (and for complete immersion), I added YouTube links to video of the attractions in the post. Mischief managed. Knox!