The Ultimate Harry Potter Experience!

Hello everyone!

Once again, I have another little tribute to Harry Potter! My awesome friend, and fellow Harry Potter fan, TJ, got the chance to visit the Harry Potter theme park this summer! I asked him if he would write about his experience, so with no further ado, here's TJ Rigg's Ultimate Harry Potter Experience!

Walking through the streets of Universal Studios in Orlando, I made my way towards the Island of Adventure park where I had my eyes set on a certain castle that is familiar to any fan of the famous Harry Potter series. I walked through a part of the park that was for kids who enjoy Dr. Seuss and as I walked closer and closer to Hogwarts, the castle seemed to grow right before my eyes. Before I knew it, I had walked right past a ride that was for the god Poseidon and the gates to Harry Potter world stood in front of me.

I stood outside the entrance to the exhibit, taking it all in that after over ten years of being a fan of the famous Potter series, I was going to be stepping into that world. After a few moments, I walked through the gates and fell into the world of Harry Potter. To my right stood a model of the Hogwarts Express, looking as though it had parked in Hogsmeade station in order to allow the students to travel to Hogwarts. I made my way through Hogsmeade Village, taking in all of my surroundings. Before I knew it, I had almost walked by a familiar looking wand shop; Ollivanders. I stopped walking and made my way into the line for the shop. I had to wait about a half hour before being admitted, they only admit about twenty people or so for the show they have before you actually get to go purchase your wands.

Once inside, the crowd squeezed together in the room, myself included. The door behind us finally closed and I felt relief at the air conditioning that was blowing on me. Looking up, I saw a man dressed in wizard's robes walking down the steps from the top level of the shop. He slowly walked down the steps and introduced himself and the shop as “Ollivanders, makers of find wands......since 382 B.C.” As he said this, he was examining the crowd and had his eye set on a girl, a few years younger than myself. He pulled her away from the crowd and had her introduce herself to the small crowd; her name was Holly. Ollivander gave her one wand and had her use the lighting spell “Lumos” to test if the wand would suit her well or not. She said “Lumos” and with special effects in the room, lightning blasted. Ollivander shook his head no and selected another wand for Holly and had her point at potted flowers and use the watering spell “Aguamenti.” She used the spell and the flowers “died” so Ollivander waved his own wand and brought the flowers back to life and selected a third wand and after considering it for a moment, slowly took it out and brought it over to Holly. She took the wand and just like in the first film, wind started blowing and the iconic theme song first played in the movie was played overhead, the wand had selected Holly. Ollivander then beckoned all of us to move into the next room in order for all of us to purchase our own wands. The crowd then made their way through a door that had been opened by one of the employees and we stepped into the actual shop.

I spent about two minutes looking around for wands that I would want to purchase. After browsing through the various selections of wands, I found the two that I was looking for: Harry's wand and the Elder Wand (though it is labeled as Dumbledore's wand). I then continued walking around the shop, browsing at some of the other merchandise they had in addition to wands, which included broomstick replicas, clothes, copies of the books etc. Once I was done looking around, I purchased my two wands and made my way back outside. Turning to my right, I made my way closer and closer to the place I had been wanting to go since I was seven years old, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Once I reached the entrance to the ride that is in the replica of Hogwarts, I saw that the sign said the wait would be sixty-five minutes. Not feeling disgruntled at all at this news, I walked excitedly into the entrance of the ride. Because the ride does not allow outside material (backpacks etc.) I had to lock my recently purchased wands and my Union Jack mini back pack in a rented locker that would cost me nothing if I was back within two hours and had claimed my stuff, which I planned on doing. I then walked over to where I assumed the entrance was and I was directed another way since I was a single rider and was told that the wait for single riders was less than ten minutes. I made my way up the stairs and found myself in a line that seemed long, but that I thought would have a short wait because of what I was told by the employee below. As it turned out, the wait was about twenty-five minutes, but I wasn't disappointed by that. Unlike riders who were not riding alone, I basically skipped seeing most of the recreations of the school that are seen by multiple riders because the line for single riders goes past all of the recreations, which was slightly disappointing, but I was happy going on the ride nonetheless. While waiting in line, moving portraits as seen in the films spoke to riders about being safe on the ride and the sorting hat explained how the ride would work. Finally, I approached the end of the waiting line and waited about thirty seconds before being admitted into the riding area. I boarded my seat on the ride and was strapped in. We started edging slowly over to a screen where the beautiful Emma Watson waited for us playing her famous character Hermione Granger. Hermione asked us if we were ready and then waved her wand and sent us on our way through the ride.

The ride itself moved very quickly and actually causes confusion as to where you are going and what you are doing until Harry and Ron fly past you, guiding you through the fast tour of Hogwarts. Along the way, Aragog and his acromantulas attempt to attack you in the forbidden forest, a dragon flies after you and actually blows fake fire at you, Dementors glide after you and even attempt their Dementor's kiss before Harry curses them away, and the Whomping Willow even attempts a few swings at you. After about five minutes, though it somehow seems longer, the ride slows down and Harry and Ron direct you into the Great Hall where the whole school is cheering for you and Dumbledore himself reminds you to collect your items “lest you want them confiscated by Mr. Filch.” Once off the ride, I made my way into the gift shop for the ride and found most of the items to be similar or identical to those in Ollivander's so I didn't purchase anything and I collected the rest of my things in the locker and exited Hogwarts.

Next, I retraced my steps through Hogsmeade and found two of the most famous shops in the village, Honeydukes Sweet Shop and Zonko's Joke Shop. The two shops are actually in the same building, so you don't have to go outside to get from one shop to the other. Honeydukes is perfect for anybody who has a sweet tooth, just like Ron Weasley. It has a wide-variety of sweets, the majority of them familiar to those who have read the books and seen the movies several times. They have Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and various other sweets seen in the world of Harry Potter. Zonko's, on the other hand, is a heavenly place for jokesters such as Fred and George Weasley. They have products that would make even Fred and George's wildest dreams come true (which is exactly how the store is described in Prisoner of Azkaban). All sorts of joke-related products fill the shelves of Zonko's, including products seen in the Half Blood Prince film as being in Fred and George's shop.

All in all, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a dream come true for fans of the Potter franchise. Everything in the exhibit is exactly as you would imagine it to be in the books and looks virtually the same as seen in the movies. Walking through the Wizarding World is like stepping right into the novels themselves and you really feel like you have become a part of the world created by J.K. Rowling. So, if you are going to be taking a vacation soon and don't know where to go and you happen to be a fan of the Harry Potter series, travel to Orlando and go to Universal Studios and visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you will not be disappointed, I guarantee it.

Thank you, TJ! That sounds like an awesome experience! I'm hoping to go in the next couple of years! If you would like to view pictures or get more info on visiting the park, here is the official website: http://www.wizardingworldharrypotter.com/

Incendio!