This past weekend, Cason and I, traveled to Orlando to spend the day in Universal Studios and Island of Adventure. We specifically went on this trip to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it was magical!
We left Friday afternoon and started our journey down to south Georgia. We drove because it was the cheapest form of transportation and we wanted to stop to see his family in south Georgia along the way. When we got to Blackshear we stopped and ate a Mexican restaurant called Loco Burrito. The food was really good and our service was great! The time spent with family was the best part!
After dinner we continued out journey to Deland, FL, which is where we stayed, thanks to my Uncle and Aunt. When we got to Deland, FL we stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites Deland. The staff was so friendly and the room was so nice! There was also a hot tub in our room! The room was clean and since we stayed on the first floor, getting our luggage in and out was easy! The hotel also offers a complimentary breakfast in the mornings but since we had to wake up super early Saturday to drive to Orlando we walked to Dunkin' Donuts which was right next door the next morning. My Dunkin' Donuts Order: Iced Vanilla Latte & a Plain Bagel Toasted with Cream Cheese!
Saturday morning came early (6:30am), but we were up and ready to go! We have been planning this trip for months and were looking forward to taking in all of the magic in London, Hogsmead and Diagon Alley. We arrived at the park around 8:30am and worked our way through security to get into Island of Adventures.
How We Planned Our Day:
Get to park around 8:30
Go straight to Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey
Hop on Hogwarts Express to London
Hopped over to Olivanders to experience the wand ceremony and chose our wands
Grab a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron
Started Shopping
We planned to do a lot of shopping on this trip. We also planned to ride the other three rides but the wait times for those rides were almost 2 hours long so we decided against it. Since it was a weekend the park was really crowded inside the Wizarding World. So, we started shopping in Diagon Alley after we bought our wands. We worked our way through all the shops: Madam Malikins, Weazley's Wizards Wheezes, Olivander's, Sugar Plums, and so many more places! We also journeyed down Knocturn Alley into Borgin and Burkes and it was so cool! (but literally it was a lot cooler in Knocturn Alley.)
We also tried to take time to appreciate the architecture and all the details of this park. It was so magical and I can't wait to go back already!
What To Do: There are two parts of the Wizarding World in Orlando, Diagon Alley/London and Hogsmead. Make sure that when you're purchasing your tickets you buy at least the 2-park pass to Universal Studios (Diagon Alley) and Island of Adventures (Hogsmead). There are so many stores, rides, shows and dining options!
Rides: Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (Hogsmead), Flight of the Hippogriff (Hogsmead), Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey (Hogsmead), Hogwarts Express (both parks, different experience each way), Escape From Gringotts (Diagon Alley).
Food: Hog's Head (Hogsmead), Three Broomsticks (Hogsmead), Neeps (Food cart, Hogsmead), Leaky Cauldron (Diagon Alley), Eternelle's Elixer of Refreshment (Diagon Alley), Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour (Diagon Alley), The Fountain of Fair Fortune (Diagon Alley), the Hopping Pot (Diagon Alley)
London (outside of Platform 9 3/4): The Night Bus (go to the back and peek into the inside of the night bus, and take a picture with Stan Shunpike), The Phone Booth (dial: MAGIC to hear from the Ministry of Magic, See 12 Grimmauld Place and Kreacher in the Window, Shop the Grimmauld Place cart and get a T-shirt, Check out the Fountain
Diagon Alley Shops: Gringotts Money Exchange, Ollivander's, Borgin and Burkes, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Magical Menagerie, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Scribbulus, Sugarplum's Sweetshop, Wands by Gregorovitch, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Wisaecre's Wizarding Equipment, Shutterbuttons
Other Things To See in Diagon Alley: Mulpepper, Museum of Muggle Curiosities, House of Elf Placement Buisness, Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees (Show), Tales of Beedle the Bard (Show)
Hogsmead Shops: Ollivander's, Dervish & Banges, Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods, Honeydukes, Owl Post, Zonko's, Neeps (drink cart)
Other Things To See in Hogsmead: Frog Choir (show), Triwizard Spirit Rally (show), The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle (show)
When To Go To Universal: I would suggest going during February-April. The weather is cooler but not cold and it was perfect for us. I would also HIGHLY suggest going during the week and not on a weekend. It would also be a better experience to go multiple days so you can fully appreciate all the parks have to offer.
Where To Stay: So there are many options for this. We stayed in Deland, FL and were blessed to have my Aunt and Uncle pay for our hotel since we couldn't stay with them. But, I highly recommend the Comfort Inn & Suites Deland! It's a lot cheaper to stay off of the Universal or Disney Resorts but there are benefits to staying on the resorts as well. Such as, getting to the parks an hour earlier and using a tram to get to and from the parks - this saves money on parking!
What To Pack: BRING A BOOK BAG! Preferably a light weight book bag that you can fit any merchandise in. We both brought book bags and they ended up filled because we planned to do a lot of shopping. My book bag was super light weight even though it was filled. Bring a water bottle. You can refill your bottle for free in the park and avoid paying for water. Although we bought some "Gilly" water so we could keep the bottle as a souvenir. Sunglasses, it gets sunny in many parts of the park. Sunscreen & a hat if you are prone to getting burned (like me). Sunscreen is always a good idea any time of the year in Florida! And the obvious, your wallet & tickets! I highly suggest comfortable clothes and shoes, bring an umbrella and/or ponchos (especially if you ride water rides), and snacks! Food in the park can be expensive so if you aren't wanting to splurge on food, bring snacks!
What to Wear: comfortable clothes and shoes that you're used to walking in! We walked 10 miles between parks and even though we were wearing our tennis shoes our feet still started to ache.
Booking Process & Money Saving Tips: Book in advance! You can only book about 3 months in advance but depending on the time of year you go, tickets will be cheaper (winter). Same with the hotel, book ahead of time and save money! If you decide to stay on the resorts you can bundle your hotel and park tickets and save some money! If you are a Florida resident or know a Florida resident they can get tickets for about $20-$40 cheaper then out of state guests! And the most obvious of money saving tips, SAVE UP YOUR MONEY! Make sure you save and plan for your spending.
My Shirt: seekerandslade.com
My Pins on my Book Bag: https://www.halthegal.art/
My Wizarding Tassels on my Book Bag: Tassel Amor
I hope you enjoyed diving into our experience into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this past weekend! Please subscribe to be notified when we post! Thank you for joining and for making it this far, I appreciate it! Be on the look out for more posts every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30am!
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