Review: Harry Potter's Wizarding World, Universal Orlando March 2012

Jan115 · January 28, 2013

I thought I would update this non-cruising board and post a review which I contributed to TripAdvisor last March. The trip was nearly a year ago, but I think it is probably still relevant. So, sit back and read my take on Harry Potter, butter beer and some tips on how to improve the whole experience if you decide to visit.

I visited the Wizarding World with my two adult daughters, one of whom was on college break. We purchased a Universal package which included a nearby hotel (Holiday Inn Express, Universal), a 3-day base ticket to both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, early park entry each day, and breakfast at the Three Broomsticks. I cannot stress enough the importance of buying the Universal package with early park entry. We were in the front of the line at the Wizarding World's entry at 8:00 am, and sprinted directly to The Forbidden Journey ride, the most popular ride in the park. We got right on, absolutely loved this very magical ride, and went next to Dragon Challenge, Flight of the Hippogriff, and then Olivander's for the wand exhibit. By the time we got to Olivander's, it was mid-morning and the Wizarding World was packed and the line queues hours long. If your main objective when visiting Universal is the Wizarding World, I recommend purchasing at least a 2-day flexible pass, where you can visit multiple parks in one day. This way, you can visit HP each morning with early park opening in order to avoid waiting in line for hours (3 hours in some cases) for Hidden Journey and Dragon Challenge, and save the rest of the parks for the afternoon. Better yet, do the Studios in the afternoon, because it does not get nearly as crowded over there. The rest of Islands of Adventure can be done anytime, though the lines for the popular rides will be much longer mid-day.

Two things I would do better next time: fly to Orlando early morning, so I can fully utilize my 3-day ticket, and check the closing times of the parks before arriving. The park closed at 7 pm our first day, and because we only got to our hotel at 4:00, we lost a whole day. We did manage to make it up somewhat on the last day, when we returned to HP for the breakfast at Three Broomsticks before catching our flight home. As for Three Broomsticks, it was good, all about atmosphere, and offers a great view of Hogwarts from the restaurant patio, but I probably wouldn't do it again. That time could be utilized better beating the lines at the rides, I think.

One other recommendation: many rides at the parks don't allow you to bring any bags or packages on. If it doesn't fit comfortably in your pocket, you must give to a friend to hold or lock it up. Don't use the lockers available right at the ride. This is especially true for Forbidden Journey. The locker room is tiny, crowded and confusing. The lockers are electronic and the system is chaotic. If you have stuff to lock up, use the lockers at the front of the park just inside the entry. If you buy anything, have it shipped to the entrance where you can pick it up when you leave.

Visited March 2012