Universal Harry Potter Day

Navigating

• Plan Summary:  This plan covers The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in-depth, at the exclusion of all other attractions in both Universal Orlando parks.

• take Uber or Lyft to Universal Studios – Destination:  6000 Universal Blvd – 40 minute travel time

• You'll walk through City Walk and decide which direction to go based on if you have early admission or not.  Your first ride should either be Escape from Gringots (if US) or Hagrids Magical Motorbike (if IOA). Make sure to take a picture of the family in front of the globe.

• Plan your day around meal reservations at Leaky Couldron or Three Broomsticks and the shows you want to see.  You should have plenty of time to see all of HP in one day and go back and fourth between the two parks

  • My plan from 2006: http://touringplans.com/plans/print?id=1751266  

Wands  

• It is best to do a wand choosing ceremony first and then go buy your wand.  You can do this with Olivanders in Diagon Alley or with an Olivanders Trainer at Gregoravich in Hogsmead.  They will choose one person from a group of 20ish to do the wand choosing ceremony.  Then you can go through to the shop to buy a wand.  You do not have to purchase a wand if you don't want to.  You can just watch the show.  

  • Olivanders has more selection of wands than Gregoravich.  

  • Wands can be serviced at Olivanders - they will realign the tip, clean it and/or replace it if it is broken.

Meal Suggestions

• Snack:  Best Ice Cream in Universal is at Florean Fortescue Ice Cream Parlor 

• My Quick Service Restaurant Suggestion: 

• Leaky Cauldron - Universal Studios Florida side - fish & chips

• Three Broomsticks - Islands of Adventure side - smoked meats - has breakfast

My Perfect Day Notes

Hogsmeade - Universal Island of Adventure

• Hagrids Magical Creatures Motobike Adventure - must ride this at rope drop

  • You go backwards

  • There’s a drop

  • Purple button and ignite the dragon fire

• Three Broomsticks

  • fish & chips are best here if your looking for it

  • If you look on the side of the building, you can see the dishes cleaning themselves

  • Trash cans have a spot in the bottom so the elves can empty them.

  • Drink comes with breakfast menu

• Hogwarts Express to Kings Cross Station.

  • Photo Opp - picture with the conductor at the front of the Hogwarts Express

Diagon Alley - Universal Orlando

• London area

  • the road is Charing Crossroads - is a real road in London that Diagon Alley is based on

  • store is Screed & Sons - selling books

  • Leaky Cauldron sits between a Bookshop & a Record store - unfortunately you cannot go in this way as that is the Wizard Entrance and we are not wizards.

  • Record shop

  • Leicester Square Station

  • The Red British Phone Box in front of King’s Cross Station will connect you to The Ministry of Magic if you dial 62442. “Welcome to the Ministry of Magic.  We apologize for the container of Bewitched muggle artifacts is broken open in the atrium so the visitors entrance is closed at this time.  The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day” 62442 is Magic on the phone

  • #12 Grimmauld place - Sirius Black’s family house - knock on the door and Kreetcher peaks out the window - you can tell it’s #12 - the brick here is more worn

  • Fountain is a replica of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain in London - this one has water - the real one has not worked for a really long time.

  • Knight Bus

    • you can chat with the conductor and the shrunken heads hanging from the mirror

    • You can climb in the back of the bus and see inside - see toothbrush holder

• Diagon Alley

  • Listen to the brick moving as you walk through

  • Photo:  “wayfaring wizards welcomed” sign right when you enter Diagon Alley above your head

  • Go to Olivanders to get your wand.

  • Quality Quidditch Supplies store - trophies on the top of the shelves are actual props from the movie - flags flying

    • Firebolt in the window

    • Chuddley Cannons Poster - Ron’s Quidditch team

  • Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes - the music you hear is actually the same played in the background on the movie

    • Spell - shop window with the yellow and orange toilet - Descendo - The U-NO-POO sign swirls down into the toilet, amid flushing sounds

    • The rabbit in the hat is there sometimes and disappears sometimes

    • You can see fireworks boxes on the 2nd & 3rd floor

    • Umbrich working within the store (on bicycle)

    • Decoy Detenator Boxes - Ducklike honking things to distract in Deathly Hollows at the ministry

    • Black and white boxes are muggle magic boxes

• Carkitt market

  • Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop

  • Owl post

  • Brown E Wright’s blacksmith shop

    • Spell - Reparo - A suit of armor is magically repaired

    • Spell - Locomotor Bellows - Blacksmith bellows pump up and down

    • The blacksmith is the created the Golden Snitch - the little birds were getting killed

  • Hopping Pot - where you can get your drinks

  • Stage performances

  • Mermaid fountain

    • Spell - Aguamenti - Activates the frog spout, while occasionally spraying out the top (watch out!)

  • Wands by Gregorovitch

  • Travel Agent - Globus Mundi Travel Agents

    • Portkeys are everyday items and you can enchant them - see sign

  • Dr filibuster’s

  • Museum of muggle curiosities

  • Coco bells

  • Weevanwhisker’s barber shop

  • Gringotts Money Exchange

    • The money can be used anywhere in Universal Orlando.  $10 & $20 denominations available

    • Ask the goblin questions 

      • what is your favorite color?

      • Has Gringotts had a break in?

      • What’s your name?

      • How old are you?

      • Do you know Harry Potter

      • Where are we?

      • Are you a House Elf?  Note, they will say “next”

• Horizont Alley

  • Scribbulus Writing Implements

    • Spell - window to the right of the feather quill window - Mystery Spell #1 - Hidden messages appear on the parchment – cast multiple times for different messages - “rivelo”

  • Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment

    • there are 2 barometers at the top of the shop above the store, which hung in Dumbledore’s observatory in the films and you can see them briefly when Dumbledore was killed

    • Spell - shop window of Wiseacres that faces Gringotts Wizarding Bank - Dark Detectors - Orbs open, revealing eyes that follow the movement of your wand

    • Spell - shop window near the front door of Wiseacres - Specialis Revelio - Look up to the star map to see an animated archer fire an arrow for his dogs to retrieve

    • Lots of things from Jaws

  • Gringotts

    • Ukrainian Ironbelly Dragon on top of Gringotts throws fire at 3500 Degrees every 10 minutes / 15 minutes - need to confirm it

    • Photo Op spots with the motor bike

    • Gringotts is the lobby - their eyes follow you so you feel like they are watching you

    • After the Gringotts lobby, you go through the Goblin offices and Bill Weasley's office, 

    • Note that ron & hermaine don’t look like themselves, they look like Belletrix and 

  • Magical Menagerie

    • Spell - The birdcage in the right-hand window - Silencio - The noisy bird in the window stops squawking

    • Snake in the window

    • Rats in the cage inside shop

  • Restrooms

    • Spell - Umbrella - Metelojinx - The umbrella lights up and emits rain and thunder noises, while spraying water onto the street

  • Flimflam’s Lanterns

    • Spell - Incendio - Lanterns in the second-floor windows light up

  • Potions for all afflictions

  • Fountain of Fair Fortune - can get butterbeer & beer & unique drinks

  • Pilliwinkle’s Playthings

    • Spell - Tarantallegra - Curtains open and troll marionettes dance across the stage

  • Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour

    • The best ice cream 

    • There are stairs next to gringotts that you can sit on to eat your ice cream. 

• Knockturn Alley - if you place your spell map under the black light, the shapes of the spells will appear as they are written in “invisible ink”

  • Trackleshanks locksmith

    • Spell - courtyard around the corner from Borgin and Burkes - Alohamora - Use the spell to try to unlock the door, but when you grab and turn the handle, it is still locked, and you’re hit with a blast of air

    • Harry’s key for gringots is here between two triangle locks

  • Spell - look  for a bird in a cage in a window in the courtyard around the corner from Borgin and Burkes - Incendio - Lights a candle, the fumes of which have a magical effect on the little birdy – cast multiple times for different effects

  • Markus & scarrrs - Tattoo shop - there is mention of one in the books, but it didn’t make it into the movie, the props are from the set - tattoos move

  • ELM and wizards

  • Chimney Sweep Elf Sign

    • Spell - Locomotor Chimney Sweep - house-elf climbs a chimney away from a burst of fire

  • Dystyl Phaelanges

    • Spell - Moving Skeleton - skeleton projection copies your movements – try playing the chimes or interacting with other on-screen elements

  • Window to the left - Spell - Look for a cadre of shrunken heads, in a window to the left  - Mimblewimble - Silences the talking heads

  • Borgin and Bourkes

    • On the outside, you can see wizards trying out spells in the basement.  The basement light turns green “Abrakadaba”

    • The little sculpture with nails sticking in him was taken from Lupin’s Dark Ats classroom

    • Bellatrix’s dagger which she used to kill Dobby

    • Vanishing cabinet that Draco Malfoy uses to get the Death Eaters inside the castle of Hogwarts - You can hear the bird chirping inside the Vanishing Cabinet

    • Necklace is here

    • Proclamations are changed out

    • Boggert trunk is shaking - ridiculous - what is your Boggert?

• Diagonal Alley

  • Cauldron shop

  • Madam Malkin's Robes 

    • there's a giant standing mirror which will actually talk to you when you stand in front of it to try things on. Warning: sometimes she's not the *nicest*. She might school you on your fashion sense, or you might get lucky and receive a compliment! - come in from the right side - she speaks quietly 

  • Shutterbuttons photography studio

  • Slug and Jiggers Apothecary - competitors next to each other

    • Spell - Mystery Spell #2 - suspicious-looking pot of brown stuff (Dragon Poo) moves and emits a sulfuric smell - “Engorgeo” and move wand counter clockwize

  • Mr Mulpepper’s Apothecary sells potions

  • Diagonal Alley Arts Club

  • Ollivander’s 

  • SpindleWarp Wool Shop

    • Molly Weasley’s sweater is being knitted

  • The Daily Prophet

    • Can hear people typing away and sharing the news when you put your ear to the door

  • Flourish & Blotts

    • First window is lockhearts books

    • Crate of monsters book of monsters

  • Leaky Cauldron

    • If you watch the sign, the crack opens up and it actually leaks

    • 80 pieces of artwork on the walls

    • Bongers & Mash is good

    • Wanted posters are found here

• King’s Cross Station - there is an illusion mirror where you can snap a video and looks like your’re actually disappearing into the wall at platform 9 ¾ 

  • Define Magic Billboard - perfume 

  • Ask the conductor where 9 ¾ is

Hogsmeade - Universal Island of Adventure

• Hog’s Head

  • Stop here for a snack

  • Pub ran by dumbledore's brother

  • Hogshead moves 

    • Get the apple pie

      • Make sure to eat the crust, not just the filling. 

    • Pumpkin juice

      • Juice is better than fizz 

• Dogweed and Deathcap

  • Exotic plant and flower shop

  • Baby mandrake in the window

  • Spell - right hand window - Herbivicus - The flower blooms in the window (aim your wand high and look down low)

• Restrooms - you will hear Moaning Myrtle in the bathrooms

• Gladrags Wizardwear

  • Spell - right-hand window - Ascendio/Descendo - Raises/lowers a measuring tape on the wizard robes

  • Hermines dress from the ball is in the window

• Scrivenshafts - purchase quills - the book is registry of new magic born - right across from the post office so McGonicagal can take the hogwarts letters.

• Madam Puddifoot’s

  • Spell - window with cakes displayed - Locomotor Snowman - Snowman cake-topper moves around

  • Hogwarts students take dates here so they can snoog in the corner

  • Tea shop

• Cebiwens Cauldrons

• The Magic Need - Shepherd’s Pasty Pie - not part of the original book series

• Photo Opp:  Grab butterbeer and head to Adventureland bridge - between Adventureland and Jurassic park.  If you're on the bridge, you can see the full castle in the background.

• Flight of the Hippogriff - skippable - has buckbeak & Hagrids huts (you can hear the dog barking)

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - take your time through the que - 

  • One eyed witch with the hunchback - below is the secret passage to honeydukes - to the left is Snape's office 

  • Potions classroom

  • Kitchen - house elfs are working hard

  • Mandrakes

  • Statue of the builders of hogwarts - icon of the 4 houses - hard to see the snake

  • Counters for the house points - which house is ahead?

  • Moving portraits - each one is wearing a horcrux

  • Dumbledore office

    • Sword of gryffindor in glass case

    • Bowl where they they see memories - pencie

    • Books are moving up and down the shelves

  • Defense against the dark arts classroom - nod to each of the teachers

    • Dragon skelton - coral

    • Lockharts books

    • Candles for lupin

    • Madie moody walking stick

    • Hombrich books

    • Projector from snape

  • Fat lady talks to you

  • Sorting hat is the loading zone

  • Floating candles above the loading area

  • don’t sit on the right side if things scare you - dragon sprays fog on you

  • Gift shop - has all the things taken from the students at hogwarts

• Stage for the performances

• Spinwitches - sporting needs

  • Spell - Spintwiches - Wingardium Leviosa - The quaffle and bludger balls wiggle and float in their case

• Tomes and Scrolls Specialist Bookshop

  • Spell - Alohomora - Unlocks a copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard

• Olivanders

  • 3 wand ingredients in the window

    • Dragon Heartstrings - Hermine

    • Phoenix Feathers - Harry

    • Unicorn Hairs - Ron

• Owl Post - you can mail something from here with a cool post.

• Dervish and Banges

  • Spell - backside in the shop window with the Hogwarts model - Locomotor/Arresto Momentum - Start and stop the music box in the window – a tune plays and the dragon chases a quidditch player

• Zonko’s Joke Shop

  • The chess pieces move

  • Spell - shop window - Incendio - Sets off the spinning wheels and rockets

• McHavelock’s

  • Spell - Look up towards the wall-mounted cauldron - Arresto Momentum - The water stops pouring and the cauldron tips to reveal a cheeky pixie

• Honeyduke’s 

  • Cauldron Cake - note the silicon cauldron is reusable

  • Spell - window display at Honeydukes - Revelio - The large box lid lifts to reveal a croaking chocolate frog