The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction opened at Universal Studios Hollywood sooner this calendar month , and that intend two thing : there ’ ’s now a legitimate rationality to brave Universal CityWalk beyond ironically drinking at a holidaymaker ambuscade , and man , are you exit to require a secret plan programme . The accession of Hogsmeade Village and Hogwarts and the Forbidden Journey dark ride to the park is really Universal ’s third – the other two muggle - friendly locations are in Orlando , Florida , and Osaka , Japan – but as Los Angeles is so damn handsome , endure the crew may be as torturous here as a Dementor ’s buss .
If the idea of spending three hours wait in the hot California sun for a four - minute of arc ride go like a dreaded Saturday to you , then good intelligence , you ’ll never have to . We visited ( multiple times ) and put together this ultimate no - nonsense listing of " Dos " and " Don’ts " so you’re able to get in , get the fullPotterexperience , and get out before a life - size of it Minion corner you for a exposure op .
Do: Buy tickets in advance
By picking the exact day you be after to visit Universal Studios Hollywood , you may hold open between $ 10 and $ 25 . Also , unless you ’re gung - ho on experiencing every single attraction in the park , skip the front - of - line passes , too – if you ’re there for the male child necromancer , you ’ll be fine without .
Do: Get there crazy early
The wait time for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey drive – the ground you ’re rolling in so early in the first place – can hover between one and two hours . At twelve noon . Onweekdays . So , being there right on when the green opens see you ’ll get in before a monolithic line starts to spring . Also , build an extra half - 60 minutes into your schedule from the time you enter the parking service department to the metre you hit the park ; between give for parking , walking to the gates , and hold out through protection , you ’ll need it .
Don’t: Plan to caffeinate on-site
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Universal CityWalk ( the glitzy three - block entertainment , dining , and shopping country site next to the parkland ) would be fine for perking up before slipping into a butterbeer kale comatoseness if it was n’t literally shoehorned inside a token workshop . It ’s lilliputian , it takes forever , and once you finally get your Venus’s curse of caff , you ca n’t even bring it inside the commons . Play it safe and grab that cupful of joe before you go .
Do: Proceed directly to the gigantic Hogwarts castle
From your first stride through the gate , you ’ll be enchant by the aureole that is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter . The railroad train conductor wave you in ! The snow - topped building pose the mood ! The Hogsmeade shop windowpane call your name!It’ll take your breath away and completely disquiet you from your master end : entering the queue for the Forbidden Journey benighted drive inside of Hogwarts . You ’ll have plenty of sentence to know the Scottish Ithiel Town once you toss your belonging into a locker and board the drive .
Don’t: Ignore your surroundings while standing in line
The team behind Wizarding World fundamentally build up the entire drawing card like a live - in film set , so if you feel like you ’re inside Hogwarts , you kind of are . The glasshouse share of the argumentation has a chain - off wall of devil’s apples , the statues you ’ll slip by symbolize Hogwarts ' storied past , and the portrait dormitory features the four founders of each house in magical conversation . Take it all in , because you wo n’t be coming back here – even when you twit it again .
Do: Prepare yourself – and your stomach – for one of the coolest dark rides around
citizenry are obsessed with the Forbidden Journey ride because it ’s a total - game changer . ( Seriously , it ’s so groundbreaking that it won the Golden Ticket award for Best Dark Ride FIVE years in a run-in . ) All you demand to screw before you slap on those Quidditch goggles is that some serving are kind of scary , some portion are in 3-D ( which is new to this parking lot ! ) , and yes , you may feel a little queasy afterwards , but you ’ll be fine . If Harry Potter could survive that last battle against Voldemort , surely you may make it through this , no ?
Don’t: Wait until later to ride Forbidden Journey again
Because one time is n’t locomote to be enough , plan on take another tailspin . If you are locomote with tiddler in tow , unfortunately , that means hop back in the ecumenical line and wait it out … again . But , if you ’re rolling with a group of Friend or anyone old enough to not need a sitter , skip the main waiting line this time and board the " exclusive passenger " line instead . It ’ll move much quicker , you ’ll still get to re - try out the coolest areas of the waiting line ( like the Defense Against the Dark Arts schoolroom ) , and – since you ’re wearing goggles inside a partitioned chair the total time anyway – you wo n’t miss out on any bonding experiences .
Do: Experience it differently the second time you ride
The best way to take in Forbidden Journey the second time is to slide your glasses down between the video scenes . That elbow room , you’re able to honour up close every eye - popping detail you miss the first go - around . The drive is done brilliantly , but those darkened lenses lean to mute the fantastic elaboration of the design and decor . relish the Seth over the plot line , and you ’ll be just as deeply immersed .
Don’t: Waste your time on the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster
The Wizarding World ’s other ride is a family coaster , and it is a massive letdown , even if you ’re a Hagrid stan . The roller coaster will entice you , sure – you ’ll see scream ! You ’ll see its wicker basket flying through the sky on exorbitant - seeming cut ! – but it ’s like the second time of year ofSerial : seems like it ’ll be big , but ends up disappointing . There ’s a Hippogriff animatronic that does n’t do much more than blink , and the entire ride feels like it ends about 30 seconds too before long . If you ’re traveling with kids or the posted hold time is under 10 minutes – which it wo n’t be – then do it , otherwise look up to it as you breeze good past tense .
Do: Grab a butterbeer and explore everything around Hogsmeade Village
The theming throughout the park is next storey , so do n’t write off Hogsmeade ’s pit - halt as regular souvenir shops . Each one stocks items that are altogether different from the others and feature sport joke , surprises , and objects from the movies . Send a stamp letter of the alphabet from the Owl Post , and it ’ll get a Hogsmeade sealskin ; or travel to the Monster Book of Monsters if it ’s acting up inside Dervish and Banges . Even Moaning Myrtle wails from within the bathrooms . need to try all the sweets at Honeydukes but do n’t desire to ball up all your money ? Opt for the self - serve candy instead . for sure , it lack the whimsical promotional material , but a handful of Bertie Bott ’s Every Flavour Beans from here cost pennies on the dollar compared to the full - sized box – and you definitely wo n’t require more than that .
Don’t: Get suckered into Ollivanders' interactive wand show
You ’ll see the famous wand shop class , spot a wait - time pump , and commence shuffling in line with the residue of the wannabe wizards , but block up yourself . Everyone require to be magically paired with the one wand that ’s right-hand for them , but the operation is misleading . The tight distance can only lodge one pocket-size group at a sentence – hence , the lengthy wait – and within that group , onlyoneperson gets fitted for a verge while the others watch enviously . The show is cute and whimsical in a trivial - kid style but is a total time - suck , so skip the whole thing . Instead , take the shortcut into Ollivanders through its side doorway , located just behind Wiseacre ’s Wizarding Equipment , to cull out and buy your own sceptre ASAP .
Do: Grab lunch at the Three Broomsticks
The level of detail inside Hogsmeade is completely ridiculous , and nowhere is its theme more authentic than inside this ancient public house . The intellectual nourishment , an array of British homestyle eats , is some of the good you ’ll chance in the park and feel all dependable to the dark , moist formation you ’re standing in . Wander over to the Hog ’s Head Pub in the back and regularise one of the exclusiveHarry ceramist - inspired beers if you ’d care – take how much you ’ve accomplished today , you ’ve earned it .
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Carlye Wisel is a Disney author who is so freshly obsessed with theme parks that her love ones are likely planning an interference . She does n’t update her web log , Awkward City , but somehow posts on Instagram@CarlyeWiselway too often .
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Courtesy of David Sprague/Universal Studios Hollywood
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Courtesy of David Sprague/Universal Studios Hollywood
Carlyle Wisel/Thrillist
