Is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Worth It?

If you’re visiting Universal Studios exclusively to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter then you may be wondering whether the experience is going to be worth the money and whether or not it will live up to your expectations.

The good news is, visiting The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter is very much worth it for fans of the Harry Potter books and films. That being said, even if you are not a fan of the Harry Potter franchise, you’ll still no doubt enjoy the rides, attractions and dining experiences during your visit.

However, you’ll want to make sure that there are other areas of the Universal Studios Resort you’re also likely to enjoy too.

Is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter The Same In Orlando & Hollywood?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is available at both Universal Studios in Orlando and Universal Studios in Hollywood.

In Orlando, the Wizarding World is split across the two theme parks; Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure.

While in Hollywood, the Wizarding World is set within the Universal Studios Hollywood park.

As a result, Universal Studios Orlando has a significantly larger Wizarding World of Harry Potter with more stores, rides and attractions.

However, that’s not to say that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood isn’t worth experiencing if you’re on vacation in LA or live relatively local to the theme park.

Is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter In Orlando Worth Visiting?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter inside the Universal Studios Orlando Resort is the largest Wizarding World of Harry Potter at any Universal Studios theme park and is very much worth visiting if you’re a fan of the Harry Potter franchise.

This Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split across the two Universal Orlando theme parks; Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

You’ll want to ensure you have a ticket to both theme parks so you’re able to experience both areas; Diagon Alley inside of Universal Studios and Hogsmeade inside of Islands of Adventure.

The two parks are connected by both the entertainment complex CityWalk and the Hogwarts Express.

To travel on the Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross Station just outside of Diagon Alley in Universal Studios to Hogsmeade Station at Islands of Adventure (or vice-versa) you will need a park-to-park ticket.

Without a park-to-park ticket not only will you be unable to ride the Hogwarts Express but you’ll also be unable to visit both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure on the same day.

If you only have the budget to visit one of the parks, and subsequently only one-half of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter then we’d recommend choosing Islands of Adventure.

Islands of Adventure is home to Hogsmeade, which is not only significantly more open plan but also home to the Hogwarts Castle and a number more rides and attractions when compared to Universal Studios.

Some of our favourite things to do at Hogsmeade include;

• Taking photos outside of the Hogwarts Castle
• Going on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride
• Watching the show inside Ollivanders
• Using an interactive wand to cast spells
• Dining at The Three Broomsticks
• Drinking Butterbeer
• Buying sweets from Honeydukes
• Going on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Watching The Frog Choir

Meanwhile, some of our favourite things to do in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida include;

• Shopping for a Hogwarts Robe at Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions
• Drinking Butterbeer
• Casting spells using an interactive wand
• Purchasing ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
• Getting money exchanged at Gringotts Bank
• Going on the Escape from Gringotts ride

Is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter At Universal Studios Hollywood Worth Visiting?

While the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood is significantly smaller when compared to that at Universal Orlando, it’s still worth visiting if you’re a fan of Harry Potter.

Unlike Universal Orlando, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood is set inside one park (since there is no second park) and therefore there is no Hogwarts Express.

This makes experiencing everything that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has to offer in Hollywood both significantly more affordable and quicker.

While the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando would take two days, you can often experience everything inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood in one.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Hollywood is based on Hogsmeade and therefore you’ll experience a similar setting as you would at Islands of Adventure at the Universal Studios in Orlando.

Some of our favourite things to do at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood include;

• Going on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride
• Taking photographs in front of the Hogwarts Castle
• Going on the Flight of the Hippogriff ride
• Casting spells with our interactive wand
• Watching the wand choose the wizard inside of Ollivanders
• Grabbing lunch at the Three Broomsticks
• Drinking Butterbeer
• Buying sweets from Honeydukes

Is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Worth Visiting If You Don’t Like Harry Potter?

If you don’t like Harry Potter (gasp!) or haven’t seen the Harry Potter films previously (double gasp!), then it’s unlikely the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is going to be the highlight of your trip to Universal Studios.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit altogether.

Both Universal Studios in Orlando and Universal Studios in Hollywood is made up of multiple areas (also known as lands) and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is just one of those areas.

As such provided you enjoy some of the other themed areas inside the park or are a fan of thrill rides you should still get value from visiting Universal Studios as a whole.

It doesn’t cost any extra money, nor do you need an additional ticket to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as such you can experience it for as long or as short amount of time as you want during your visit.

Is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Worth It For Families?

If you’re travelling with children under the age of five then it’s unlikely that they’ll have seen any of the Harry Potter films or read any of the books.

As such they are not going to get much value from experiencing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Instead, it’ll be up to the adults to decide whether it’s a worthwhile experience.

However, if you’re a family travelling with older children, tweens or teens then a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is likely going to be very worthwhile.

Of course, not all children’s interests are the same. However, provided your child has seen the films or watched the books then they are likely to enjoy this area of the Universal Studios parks.

Meanwhile, for those travelling with Harry Potter superfans, a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is likely to be the highlight of your trip.

Is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Worth It For Adults?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is worth visiting for adults who have seen the Harry Potter films or read the books.

Of course, if you are a big fan of the Harry Potter franchise then you’re no doubt going to enjoy the experience more than most.

Personally, I read the books over a decade ago now and as such I know none of the Harry Potter trivia. However, I still find value in visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I enjoy going on the thrill rides within this area of the park, basking in the attention to detail within the themed area and dining on some of the more unique foods on offer here.