Get ready. Visiting Universal Studios isn’t just about epic rides – it’s about stepping into movie-perfect sets, live performances and shows, huge souvenir shops, themed cafés (ever wanted to visit the Three Broomsticks?), Butterbeer and Firewhisky, talented actors… and most importantly, the magical atmosphere that takes you back to childhood.

In this longread, I’ll cover when to go, how much it costs, which rides and shows you can see, and share what to expect and what to watch out for. Most importantly, I’ll show you how to plan your day so you can see everything and miss nothing. Trust me, it’s not easy.

Universal Studios Orlando or Hollywood?

So, you’re in the US and faced with the choice – should you go to Universal Studios in Orlando or Los Angeles, Hollywood? My answer: if you can, go to Orlando. In LA, you can do the Warner Bros tour instead – the studio behind Harry Potter and many more films and TV shows. (I wrote about it here).

The main reason to pick Orlando over LA is the sheer number of Harry Potter locations. In LA, you only get Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle. But Orlando also has Diagon Alley, Gringotts Bank, and, more recently, the Ministry of Magic! I can’t describe that one though, since it opened after my visit.

How much does it cost and when should you go?

Ticket prices depend on the season. The cheapest option is obviously to go off-peak – not just because of the price, but also because of the crowds and queues (which are much smaller). Universal has a tricky system: there are several themed parks, and of course, the Harry Potter locations are split between them. To see everything, you’ll need to buy a combo ticket for all Universal parks, which is much more expensive than just a single-park ticket.

Peak seasons are holidays and school breaks. I strongly don’t recommend going in summer – Florida is extremely hot and humid, and it’s tough to be outdoors during the day. Christmas is also peak season, but the craziest time is Halloween. Throughout October, there are themed performances – like Death Eaters shows – but that means huge crowds. Maybe you don’t mind that, but for me “the fewer people, the better” is a key point. That’s why we went on a Monday in mid-November – it was warm but not too hot, the crowds were still there but manageable, and I was comforted by the thought that it could’ve been much worse.

You can check ticket prices on the official website – don’t bother with resellers, it’s more expensive and makes no sense. During peak season, tickets go for around $300, but we got ours for $200. The price covers entry to the park for the whole day and all attractions. Food, drinks, and souvenirs aren’t included, so make sure to bring extra cash – because honestly, leaving without souvenirs is almost impossible.

Tips & Warnings

КWhen I said the park is crowded, I wasn’t exaggerating. There are lines for everything – rides, food at lunchtime, butterbeer, even the Hogwarts Express. We waited nearly two hours for the most popular ride, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – and that still wasn’t the worst-case scenario.

There are two ways to save yourself:

Free option: download the Universal Studios Orlando app. It has a handy map of all the rides, shops, and cafés, plus show schedules. But the real lifesaver is that it shows the current wait times for all attractions, so you can spot where the lines are shorter.

Paid option: buy an Express Pass to skip the queues. Prices start at about $100, but it saves you hours of standing in line and gives you time to explore other parts of Universal, too. If you stay in one of Universal’s hotels, the pass is included for free. One of the best perks: you get into the park an hour before it officially opens – meaning you can stroll through an empty Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, snap some photos, and ride the attractions before the crowds arrive. The passes are limited, so get them in advance.

We were broke students, so in this article you’ll only find the free option.

But – if you happen to have an extra $70 lying around, you can buy an interactive wand. With it, you can make it rain, move objects in shop windows, and do other cool tricks. If not, well… you can always just watch other people do the magic.

The park opens at 9 AM and closes around 7 PM (hours vary by season). Almost all Orlando hotels offer free shuttles to and from the park, but double-check beforehand. By 8 AM, there’s already a massive line at the entrance – so get there early if you want to catch the locations before they’re packed.

Universal Orlando is huge, but don’t worry: between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley runs a real Hogwarts Express! The train itself is an attraction (more on that later).

And one last tip: definitely check out the bathrooms if you want to hear Moaning Myrtle.

Hogsmeade

When you enter the park through the main gates, chances are you’ll first find yourself in Hogsmeade. Here you’ll find three rides: Flight of the Hippogriff, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and the Forbidden Journey.

I’d recommend going for Hagrid’s ride and the Forbidden Journey first, and only hopping on the Hippogriff if you’ve got extra time..

Besides that, Hogsmeade has a big barrel serving different kinds of Butterbeer (sadly, all non-alcoholic), the Three Broomsticks café, the Hog’s Head bar, and plenty of souvenir shops styled just like the ones in the books. There’s also a viewing spot overlooking Hogwarts, where you can snap some amazing photos without huge crowds in the background.

You can pop into the Owl Post and actually send a postcard (for a fee), or join the Ollivanders wand shop experience. It’s not just a tour – it’s a full-on immersive show, and you might even get chosen to be part of it! There’s another Ollivanders in Diagon Alley too – I’ll share my experience there later on.

Adding even more magic, there are two live shows (check the app for schedule): the Hogwarts Choir and the Beauxbatons & Durmstrang performance. The choir sings Double Trouble from Prisoner of Azkaban – with frogs as backup singers! The second one features the graceful Beauxbatons girls and the fierce Durmstrang guys, straight out of Goblet of Fire. Definitely worth watching.

As for the Forbidden Journey ride – we actually managed to go twice. The queue itself is part of the adventure: you’ll walk through the castle corridors with talking portraits, the Gryffindor common room, classrooms, and even Dumbledore’s office. Waiting in line has never been so entertaining – we were blown away.

As I mentioned earlier, Hagrid’s ride is the most popular attraction in the park – which means the queues are always long. If you see the app showing a wait time of an hour or less, jump in line immediately. The entrance looks like Hagrid’s hut and underground tunnels, and the ride itself is basically an epic rollercoaster through the Forbidden Forest – complete with giant spiders, unicorns, and Hippogriffs. It’s equal parts terrifying and fun.

Hogwarts Express

Once you’re done exploring Hogsmeade, it’s time to head to Diagon Alley – and of course, the way to get there is by hopping on the Hogwarts Express. The queue at Platform 9¾ isn’t too bad, and you’ll have time to snap photos with the conductor and the luggage trolley. You’ll be seated in film-like compartments, with animated scenes playing out in the windows, and even shadows and voices in the corridor – including the Golden Trio’s little run-in with a Dementor. It feels straight out of the movies.

I recommend riding the train twice, because the animations are different each way. On your return trip from Diagon Alley back to Hogsmeade, you even get the chance to “run through the wall” onto Platform 9¾ – thanks to a very cool bit of special effects magic.

As you exit the station, you’ll see sets from other Universal universes – but your real goal is to find Diagon Alley. On the way, you’ll pass the triple-decker Knight Bus. Don’t miss the chance to chat with the conductor and the shrunken heads – I was convinced someone was live-voicing them! They even complimented my costume 🙂

A little further along, you’ll spot a red phone booth – and it’s not just a prop. Dial the secret number, and you’ll actually get through to the Ministry of Magic!

Nearby, you’ll also see 12 Grimmauld Place. Watch the windows carefully, and you might just catch old Kreacher peeking out.

Diagon Alley

Right at the entrance to Diagon Alley, you’ll find Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes with its mind-blowing details, a Quidditch shop, Madam Malkin’s robe shop with its talking mirror, an astronomy store, a magical creatures shop – and of course, Ollivanders wand shop.

If there’s a short queue, I definitely recommend joining it. About 20 people go in at a time, and the wand shop owner will choose one lucky visitor to find their wand. Knowing this, I put on my Gryffindor costume – and luck was on my side, I got picked for the show! It was one of the most magical moments of my life (check it out here).

During the show, the shop owner gives you a few wands that “don’t quite work,” and in the end, with the right music, wind, and light, you discover your wand. The show finishes, and you’re led to the section where you can buy your wand (the one you found costs $50) or choose wands from other Harry Potter characters for around $25.

There’s only one ride in Diagon Alley – and it’s right inside Gringotts Bank. The entrance takes you through a stunning lobby, complete with working goblins behind the counters.

The ride takes you on thrilling rollercoaster twists through the Gringotts vaults, where you’ll see Harry, Hermione, and Ron helping an old dragon make its escape. Speaking of the dragon – it sits atop the bank tower, and every 20 minutes, real flames shoot out of its mouth!

If you didn’t get enough goblins in the bank lobby, you can visit the magical “currency exchange” – the goblins will swap your dollars for wizarding money, which you can actually spend in any café or shop in the park. Grab a bite at the Leaky Cauldron or treat yourself to ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s.

Diagon Alley also has its “dark side” – look for Knockturn Alley, where the sun never shines and the Dark Mark looms in the sky. In these shadowy shops, you can pick up Death Eater merch.

Don’t miss the two shows – The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Celestina Warbeck’s performance. I highly recommend seeing them, especially the Beedle story, which is brought to life with puppets… and of course, a little magic.

What else is at Universal Studios?

So much! After finishing the Harry Potter areas, we managed to ride Minions, the Jimmy Fallon ride, and The Mummy – I highly recommend it; it’s intense, scary, and full of adrenaline. There’s also Transformers, Jurassic Park, and a ton of other attractions.

Since we planned everything in advance, we were able to see at least part of this massive park. Wondering how to fit it all in? Check out my plan below.

How to Plan Your Day

• Arrive by 8 a.m. to get in line. The park opens at 9 a.m. – head straight to Hogsmeade!
• Snap photos of the castle and the village before the crowds arrive.
• Check the wait time for Hagrid’s ride; if it’s already too long, go for the Forbidden Journey first.
• Around 11 a.m., head to Diagon Alley – queues for the train are shorter at this time.
• Spend a couple of hours there: ride the Gringotts attraction, explore the shops, and catch both shows.
• Return to Hogsmeade by train around lunchtime.
• Queue for Hagrid’s ride if you didn’t get a chance earlier, wander the shops, and visit Ollivanders.
• Have lunch at the Three Broomsticks after 2 p.m., when the main crowd has eased.
• Watch any shows you missed and grab souvenirs.
• If all goes according to plan, you’ll have a couple of hours before the park closes to enjoy other attractions!

That’s it! The park is easy to get lost in, and you could spend time in the wrong places. To make sure you don’t leave regretting what you missed, it’s best to plan ahead!

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