The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Adults - Five Reasons to Visit

The new Harry Potter-themed section of Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando seems perfectly geared toward kids. But there's no age limit on fun, especially not when it comes to movie themes and advanced theme park technology. And I promise you that the technology at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter matches, and in some cases surpasses the Disney magic you probably know and love if you enjoy theme parks on vacation.

Hogsmeade, the shorthand term many people use for the new section of the park, is named after the recreational village that appears in the Harry Potter books. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has a lot to offer for adults as well as kids, which surprises most people. I know firsthand because we visited recently as part of filming with our theme park webisode series (Park Geeks) without any kids in tow and the experience was a blast. If you don't think that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is for you, read on to discover why you should reconsider visiting. Here are five things to do that will be fun whether you're visiting with children or not.

1. Shop for Candy at Honeydukes. You read me right. Make sure to carve out some time to visit Honeydukes, the legendary candy store in Hogsmeade known for its magical treats and designed to look identical to the store that appears in the books and films. Even if you're not a fan of candy, spending a few minutes in the store can ensure that you're supplied with unique birthday and Christmas gifts for an entire year that you won't be able to find anywhere else. (I recommend the Chocolate Frogs for their lavish packaging.) On top of that, Honeydukes is beautiful on its own. Painted and decorated in that signature colorful and whimsical Harry Potter style, architecture and design lovers will appreciate the views and photographers will want to snap away. Though I was partial to the visual beauty of the candy store, I should also note that fans of the Harry Potter books and movies will positively drool over the gift-shop known as Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods. The shop is loaded with movie-accurate merchandise like Quidditch uniforms and the Marauder's Map.

(A sidenote about the stores, there are often lines to get into these stores because they are typically filled to capacity and cannot allow more people in due to fire and safety regulations. Don't let this dissuade you from getting in line though, they usually move quickly with the exception of Ollivanders. That's because Ollivanders provides a theatrical experience for kids where a wand chooses them. You should see the kids lined up and waiting, most of them looked even more excited than they do when waiting for Santa Claus! But if you're visiting the park without kids, you won't need to go to Ollivanders, so no worries. We only waited in line for Honeydukes for a few minutes, and we had our first Butterbeer while we waited!)

2. Eat at The Three Broomsticks. This restaurant has a spacious dark wooden interior that feels less like your standard theme park cafeteria and more like a European experience you might see on Rick Steves Europe or one of Samantha Brown's travel guides. If the weather is cooperating, get a seat on the balcony for a nice relaxing view of the landscaping that borders the Hogsmeade and Jurassic Park sections of Islands of Adventure. It's surprisingly lovely and peaceful. Also, the food is good and served in very large portions. I recommend participating in the illusion of England and having the fish and chips. It's good and the fish isn't greasy! If you're not super hungry, split a portion. My husband and I did and it was more than enough food for both of us, especially after the Butterbeer.

Ride the Forbidden Journey. (minor ride spoilers) This ride lives up to all the hype. For starters, the line is highly entertaining. It takes you around and through Hogwarts Castle as it is featured in the films. The line is full of effective illusions. I don't even want to share with you what they are, because that might spoil some of the surprises. But they aren't all visual, some practical effects are thrown in from time to time. I was able to reach out and touch one of them which I thought was a projection. The line moves quickly because the ride loads constantly. Unlike roller coasters which start and stop, Forbidden Journey works more like The Haunted Mansion with ride vehicles moving on a conveyor belt in the load area.

This ride feels like it's in four dimensions and once it takes off you'll experience all of them. You'll feel the elation of flight, the fear of interacting with dragons and spiders and the challenge of fighting off Dementors. I'll be writing a more in-depth review of the ride soon for those who want more information before deciding whether or not to give it a try, but I will say this, it's absolutely not for the faint of heart. Not for those sensitive to motion or light and certainly not for anyone who has a genuine phobia of spiders. In fact, this ride is almost better suited for adults. If you have even a passing interest in theme park rides, do not miss this ride. If you are a fan of dark rides, be prepared, this may very well be your new favorite ride. (For me, it's tied with the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland...but it's completely different than anything you've ever experienced before.)

4. Drink some frozen Butterbeer. This is the iconic drink of the park offered in restaurants and from a street vendor, frozen and on tap. We tried it both ways and found that the on-tap version was far too thick and sweet. But the frozen version was just right. In fact, it's down-right delightful and can help you cool down after a hot and muggy Florida day. Like all of the other recommendations on this list, the best reason to do it is because it's something one-of-a-kind offered at the park that you can't get anywhere else.

5. Appreciate the thorough Harry Potter themingand design. Even if you're not a fan of the books or the movies, you'll be able to enjoy the design of Hogsmeade, Hogwarts Castle, The Three Broomsticks and all of the stores. The textures, special emphasis on forced perspective, beautiful graphic design, artistic lighting, English rooftops and the large scale replica of the Hogwarts Express can make anyone feel completely immersed in this fictional world. There are several photo opportunities and street performers to keep you occupied and entertained, but for us, the visual details and flourishes were both astounding and romantic. We found that we just wanted to hang out in Hogsmeade all day and actually had to tear ourselves away to get to other sections of the park. This makes a great couples destination for an anniversary, birthday or a group outing with friends for a special occasion.