Instead of giving you a walk-through of Universal Studios Hollywood as a whole, I decided instead to focus on my favourite, and their newest attraction- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now I wont claim to be the ‘biggest’ Potter fan. I probably don’t even get close to being at the top rung of that ladder. I’ve seen and come into contact with some pretty intense ‘Potterheads’ in my time. But I’d be lying if I said that every time something Potter related surfaces, whether it’s a book or a play or any kind of attraction, I didn’t feel that sense of childish excitement. And boy did I feel loads of that here!
First things first, take the time to look around you and admire the dedication of your fellow visitors. I enjoyed just watching people walking in, dressed in a range of fabulous costumes. Once you enter, you’re transported to another world. They’ve done an amazing job in bringing the books to life, or looking at it from the other angle, its pretty damn close to the movies. While the rides are amazing, I’ll get to that in a second, here its also about the attention to detail, making sure every fan gets an experience that’s as close to what they would have imagined, as possible.
Hogwarts itself houses the fantastic 3D ride which I loved, and I’ll add, it’s not for the faint of heart. In which case you can opt for the tamer ‘Flight of the Hippogriff’, which is a family friendly roller coaster out in the open, over the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid’s Hut.
Spend time wandering around Hogsmeade, take in the Hogwarts Frog Choir performance or visit Ollivander’s wand shop, complete with the pairing experience (if you’re ok with a minimum half hour long wait to get in). What doesn’t take too much time is to grab a Chocolate Frog or a frozen Butter Beer, if you’re a fan of cream soda. I will confess I’m not, and am guilty of holding an Iced Starbucks coffee in the pic. Not in the picture right here, that’s the TriWizards cup, in case you’re confused, but the picture of me outside the stall a little later on.
As far as trinkets and accessories go, there are loads on offer. But I will warn you to set aside a separate budget for these. All the more if you’re Team Gryffindor. Everything from house flags, to uniforms, to Wizarding and Quidditch equipment, you name it, they’ve got it. I felt sorry for parents whose little ones looked at them with beseeching eyes, pointing from this to that. The wands are especially tempting and recreated in excruciating detail. Even my not-so-professional photographs show you just how beautiful they look up close. And how does one choose their favourites! One of the many conundrums you will be faced with as you brave your way through the Wizarding world. They also have the option of interactive wands that come with maps, leading you to fun finds and allowing you to cast spells along the way. And on a separate note this was one of the rare occasions where I didn’t pay a visit to the restroom but later found out that, for those who did, they were able to hear Moaning Myrtle. I consoled myself with the fact that she wasn’t one of my favourite characters and I’ve always found her a little annoying anyways.
So I suppose the big challenge is in rationing your time between this specific attraction and the rest of Universal Studios. It was interesting for me to have my husband Paul along for the ride, pun intended, to offer an outsider’s point of view. Was he impressed? Sure. Did he want to indulge in a few cool selfies? Sure. Did he enjoy the rides? Most definitely. Was he happy and willing to spend hours taking in all of the majesty and wonder? Not so much. So the tough call is one that only you can make.
My advice, get there early and spend a chunk of time here. Go enjoy the rest of Universal and come back on your way out. What can I say, if you’re a fan, it’s worth it. 
