Best Things to Do in the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ Hollywood

Phew! I’ve been wanting to go to Harry Potter World since I first heard it was going to be a thing all those years ago. However, I’ve only finally found the time! If you’re anything like me, you’re probably quite curious about what there actually is to do in Harry Potter World in Hollywood. Well…let me tell you – for such a relatively (6 acres)small place, it can really keep you busy! Although true that you probably can get through most of it in less than five hours, we ended up spending the entire day (10am to 5:30pm) in Harry Potter World.

First Off, You Might Be Wondering – What’s the Difference Between Harry Potter Worlds Hollywood and Orlando?

As seems to be the case when it comes to any park that has its counterpart in Orlando (or in LA), the Orlando option is much bigger. Not only are there more rides, but it is actually made up of two parks – one featuring Hogsmeade (same as Hollywood), the other featuring Diagon Alley. You can also ride the Hogwarts express between the two lands, which sounds pretty incredible.

What are the Best Things to Do at Harry Potter World Hollywood?

Universal Studios Hollywood’s Harry Potter World, however, also has plenty to do. It also has a Hogsmeade, and to make up for not having Diagon Alley, you get more shops than Florida’s version has in its Hogsmeade.

Here are the top things you’ll want to plan for when visiting the park.

Sup at the Three Broomsticks

I spent most of my time in the Three Broomsticks. My meals consisted of the traditional breakfast, and fish and chips. Oh, and I got the Hogsmeade brew and Butterbeer. Lots of Butterbeer. I got it frozen, hot and cold, and each tasted great! Probably the cold version is the best option, however. I also preferred the fish and chips over the breakfast. But that might just be me.

Buy Your Wands

Before you go to Harry Potter World Hollywood, you’re probably going to want to decide how much money you are going to spend on stuff in the park. Part of the fun of going to Hogsmeade (much like how it is for the students at Hogwarts in the books) is going shopping at the many shops available. We made a list of things we wanted before we went so we could say no to the things we wanted less, like those awesome Rememberalls.

You don’t have to buy a wand, but probably the most fun thing to do in Harry Potter World besides enjoying the atmosphere is casting spells. I only wish there were even more spells to cast. But what is available will suffice.

The wands are expensive! Just like everything else in Harry Potter World. If you want one for yourself, just budget accordingly. For our two wands, it was $120.

You can either buy an unmarked wand, meaning a wand that is not used by a character in the story, or you can buy a character’s wand. They have a much larger selection available than you’d think, with wands from relatively obscure characters.

I got Cedric’s wand. Poor bloke – bit the dust before his prime.

Cast Spells

Again, we had way too much fun with this, and probably cast every spell at least three times, if not more. There’s definitely a trick to casting spells. To do them, you have to go to specific locations. Some spell locations require very small hand movements. Others you need to make big ones. It really just depends on how far away you are from the sensor. The farther away, the bigger the spell you need to make.

Ride the Rides

There are two attractions at Harry Potter World Hollywood – Flight of the Hippogriff, and The Forbidden Journey. Flight of the Hippogriff is basically an intense kid-coaster. Forbidden Journey is actually inside the Hogwarts Castle, and it’s a combination of Flight Simulator with Dark Ride thrills. The scariest thing about this ride, however, are the creatures inside it.

Tour the Castle

The line to get into the rides at Harry Potter World Hollywood hardly feel like rides at all – there’s so much to see! While Flight of the Hippogriff will show you Hagrid’s hut, the line to get into the Forbidden Journey will actually take you through Hogwarts Castle, and some legendary locals therein. The line alone is an attraction all unto itself. You’ll see the defense against the dark arts classroom, Dumbledore’s office, and much more as you wind your way to the benches that will take you soaring around the grounds beyond.

Shop, Shop and Shop

If you like to shop for Harry Potter stuff then there are probably two places you’ll want to go in the world – England and Harry Potter World. There is an amazing selection of Harry Potter related merchandise to purchase at Harry Potter World. Some of my favorite shops include Honeyduke’s, Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, and the Owl Post shop. At Filch’s Emporium, you can get a Marauders Map, while at Honeyduke’s you can get entire chocolate frogs (these are much bigger and more robust than the ones you usually find around).

You can even send letters via the box near the Owl Post shop, and have them say “from Hogsmeade” upon arrival. NOTE: The Owl Post store is not currently selling stamps. If you want to send postcards, bring your own.

However long you spend in Harry Potter World is up to you. From what I noticed, it is certainly the highlight of Universal Studios Hollywood, and I easily spent the day there. And I know people who actually get season passes just to be able to visit the Harry Potter part. Certainly, it will make any fan of the series or movies happy with its intense attention to detail and startling architecture which really makes you feel immersed in the world.

After visiting the park in Hollywood, I can’t wait to see what Orlando’s version has in store.