Here’s the situation: you’re a dyed-in-the-wool fan of Harry Potter. You’ve edited your diploma to say you graduated from Hogwarts, and you’ve eaten even the grossest of Bertie Bott’s beans. You tried to play Quidditch once, but the only thing you got out of the attempt was a terrible reputation at your insurance company. You want to visit Universal’s new Wizarding World adventure, but because of the hospital stays, you don’t have the money (or time). What do you do?
You read up on the experiences of Meggysmum, our Traveler of the Week. Her journal about Wizarding World is so comprehensive, so straightforward and interesting, that Ms. Rowling herself might want to send her a “thank you.”
Every bit of the attraction gets a detailed blurb in her journal. In Diagon Alley, the Oxford native paid a visit to Dervish and Banges, where pricey robes and Quidditch accessories vied for spots in her wardrobe. The neighboring Owl Post, true to its name, let visitors use “owl service” to deliver letters and packages. In the Weasley-run Zonkos Joke Shop, she checked out the aisles -- and discovered, much to our disappointment, that invisibility cloaks were on backorder.
The centerpiece of the whole experience is a tour of Hogwarts itself. Called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, the ride ferries visitors underneath a replica of the castle. In our Traveler’s words:
"First of all you walk through the herbology area, past the greenhouses and then into the castle. The portraits move and talk as you walk along the corridors, clever projection filming means that you are greeted by Dumbledore as you enter his office, you see the Gryffindor Common Room and you meet Hermione and Ron in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. The attention to detail is amazing and would certainly make queuing a little less of an ordeal.”
Thanks for a magical glimpse of the world of…magic, Meggysmum. We’re keeping tabs on your great reports for the future.
More Adventures in Amusement Parks
Things to Do in the Hello Kitty Theme Park
Things to Do in Disneyland Paris
Other Amusement Parks in Orlando
Posted by tdbeckwith (Thomas Beckwith)