The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park in Universal Studios

Harry Potter fans have been waiting for over a year for the grand opening of the new Wizarding World Of Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios. Well on June 18th they finally opened the doors to Hogsmeade village and showed the world what they have.

I visited the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter a few days ago and was impressed by the detail that Universal Studios put into making Harry Potter land. Located in the Islands of Adventure park next to Jurassic park, it had a three hour wait line!

However I was told to come back later in the afternoon and there would be no line. Sure enough I came back around 2:00 PM and was able to walk right into Wizarding World Of Harry Potter.

So if you go, be prepared for a long line in the morning just to get into Harry Potter land. Waiting until mid-afternoon will be much better. I predict it will stay like this until fall.

Even once I got in however it was still very crowded with long lines to all the shops, eateries and rides. Hogsmeade village is very detailed, making it look like your really there just like in the Harry Potter movies.

The buildings and walls around the whole Harry Potter park block out the rest of Universal Studios so it feels like your in Hogsmeade. In the center of the village is a big butterbeer cart.

Everyone wanted a butterbeer of course! So it had a long line; they really need to add a few more butterbeer carts. It's non alcoholic and comes frozen or regular. The taste is a mix of cream soda and butterscotch with a thick head of foam.

The shops at Hogsmeade village sells hundreds of Harry Potter merchandise, from chocolate frogs, magic potions and even flying broomsticks. There is around 700 Harry Potter items you can buy.

The most popular item was at Ollivanders magic wand shop, where you could buy a magic wand. All the shops are small and they can't hold many people. So they all had long lines, especially Ollivanders.

They did add another wand cart outside, so hopefully they will make a few more places to buy them. Once you walk down Hogsmeade village to the back you come to the great Hogswart castle.

Hogswart castle is very detailed and really looks just like the one in the Harry Potter movies. Inside the castle is the new Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. I rode it and it's fantastic!

The line was very long but it moves fast. You can see many things from the Harry Potter movies in the queue line, so it really does not seem like your waiting. You even see Dumbledore, Harry Potter and friends.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride is dark and a bit creepy, as you seem to fly through the air and encounter many of the evil creatures from the Harry Potter movies. You watch a 3D screen as your moving so it looks very real.

There are two other rides you can go on too. One is a family friendly roller coaster, the other a more extreme one with two coasters side by side. The wait time for those is a lot less than the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride.

But for most people it's the sights of hogswart castle and Hogsmeade village that is the big draw, as you can pretend your right there with Harry Potter. Universal Studios did a great job and it will be popular for a long time.

If you go it will be crowded until the fall. So prepare to stand in line a lot, even for the shops. Go later in the day to avoid the biggest lines. Right now they are extending their hours until 9:00 PM at night.

However that can change at any time, so check the Universal Studios website for the latest park times. I hope you check out the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios if your a Harry Potter fan!