When I booked my first trip to Universal, it was because of the Harry Potter portion of the park. To be honest, I didn't even think of going on rides or other parts of the park, I was just going so I could go to Hogwarts. It wasn't until I was packing for the trip that I needed to think about the other parts of the park and what I was going to do. So this post, and the next one, will be all about the part of the park that drew me to the park in the first place. In my "Tips for Park Success" post, I said it didn't matter which park you did first, they are both great. However, if you are a Harry Potter fan and have never been to the parks, do Universal Studios first! This will bring you to Diagon Alley and you can walk through the journey of getting to Hogsmeade Station.
Getting to Diagon Alley
In the book, Hagrid takes Harry to Charing Cross Road to enter The Leaky Cauldron, which Harry wouldn't have even noticed was there unless Hagrid pointed it out, to get to Diagon Alley. Unfortunately, at Universal we don't have Hagrid to guide us, so we have to trek past E.T., Simpsonland, and Men in Black before we see the first signs of anything magical. The first things you will see are Number 12 Grimmauld Place and The Knight Bus. If you knock on the door of 12 Grimmauld Place, step back, and look up, you will see a familiar but not-so-friendly face peeking out at you. You can head to The Knight Bus and have a wonderful conversation with Stan and the shrunken head. These conversations are always entertaining. Before you leave, head to the back of The Knight Bus to grab a photo of you climbing onto the bus. As you walk back by Stan, I have heard (though I haven't tried it) that you can shout "Wha'chyoo fell over for?" and Stan will fall to the ground for a moment before getting back up.
Once you are ready to head into the Wizarding World, all you have to do is find the brick wall and tap the bricks "2 up and 3 across," 3 times (or walk around through the opening) and you will find yourself in Diagon Alley. Whether it is your first time or your hundredth time, stop and take in the magic, I promise you won't be alone. As you are admiring the scene in Diagon Alley, you may also be greeted with a breath of fire from the dragon on top of Gringotts Bank. If you miss the fire-breathing dragon now, you can catch it some other time while you are exploring Diagon Alley, since she breathes fire about every 10 minutes. When you are done admiring the scene, you can start making your way to Gringotts Bank to get your Galleons before school shopping.
Gringotts Bank
Before heading into the bank you will need to head to the lockers because vault security is very tight and the Bank is not responsible for lost or stolen items. As you head into the bank, be sure to look all around so you don't miss any details. Walking into the bank you will see goblins at work on either side of the immaculate lobby. Once you are through the lobby, you will head through the office area and see some of the "inner workings" of Gringotts Bank. Keep an eye out for newspapers that are left out to look at and an ear open to hear some conversations happening behind closed doors.
You will come to a room where Charlie Weasley and Griphook join you to help you on a tour of the vaults. After a brief explanation, you will move toward one of two lifts that will take you to the vaults. Friendly bank staff will get you situated in a cart for your trip to the vaults. I won't give away what you see when you're in the vaults, but I hope you are ready for an adventure - I hope you aren't afraid of trolls, snakes, dragons, or You-Know-Who! As you leave the Vaults make sure to stop back by the lockers to collect your belongings before you start your school shopping.
Shopping for School Supplies
Once you are done collecting your Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, you can head back into Diagon Alley to complete your required school shopping. The first place to stop is Olivander's to get your wand, which you can start practicing with while in Diagon Alley at several different spots. You can go the traditional route of having the wand choose the wizard if you want, but if you are in a hurry, Olivander has loosened the requirements of buying a wand and you can pick your own if you would like.
With your wand in hand, you can head out to get the rest of your wizarding necessities. In your wand box is a map of Diagon Alley (and Hogsmeade), showing spots where you can practice your magic a bit. There are many other witches and wizards wanting to practice as well, so please make sure you are courteous to those around you, especially the young ones. As you go through each shop, make sure you look everywhere in the shops. Of course, look at the items for sale, but also look at the props and decorations, and always make sure you look up. The shopkeepers pay so much attention to their shops, so don't let their hard work go to waste.
Across the alley and to the left you can stop into Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions to get your robes or other wizard attire. This shop has robes and sweaters that are customizable, dresses, and some trinkets for purchase. When you leave Madam Malkin's go left on Diagon Alley to head to the Magical Menagerie to find your favorite owl, cat, or toad (or dragon, pixie, niffler, or phoenix) for your very own. When leaving the Menagerie, you can walk past Gringotts and continue to Wiseacre's Wizard Equipment. Here you will find many options for clothing and trinket for your collection.
Connected to Wiseacre's is Scribbulus, where you can stock up on anything and everything related to letter writing to keep your friends and family up-to-date when you head to school. Immediately next door there you will find Gringotts Money Exchange to make quick bank transactions from Muggle to wizard money. Walking out of the Exchange, head almost directly across and you will find Globus Mundi, a small shop with wizarding wares from around the world (and unique items only sold in this shop).
You only have a few more stops to make before you finish your shopping. Make sure you stop at Sugarplum's Sweetshop to satisfy your sweet tooth and grab some chocolate frog cards to trade on the train on your way to Hogwarts. Right next door, stop at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to pick up some Canary Creams, Decoy Detonators, and other tricks and pranks for the school year. Finally, if you are planning on playing Quidditch, make sure you stop at Quality Quidditch Supplies to pick up a broomstick, Quidditch robes, or House sweaters.
When you are done shopping, you can head back out to Diagon Alley. When you do, you will see Knockturn Alley, which you would do well to avoid and not skulk around, because it's a dodgy place. In case you are just as rule-breaking as Harry himself, here are some tips to stay safe in this dark alley. Keep an eye on all the side passages and blocked stairwells, just to be safe. You can venture into Borgin and Burkes, if you dare - just be careful of the vanishing cabinet and the chest that has a boggart in it. You will find all sorts of dark objects here that you can buy but be warned, they are not welcome in Hogwarts. Since you are already exploring Knockturn Alley, make sure you see the shrunken heads and dance with the skeleton. When you find your way back out of Knockturn Alley, make sure you are curse free, I suggest you grab some food before you head back to the Muggle world and head to King's Cross Station.
Food First, Travel Second
As you leave Knockturn Alley, you can turn right and head into the Leaky Cauldron to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether you are in the mood for bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, or Irish stew, Tom the Barman and his staff have you covered. As with all of the shopkeepers, Tom the Barman also keeps a wonderfully decorated bar, so you should take a minute to see up to the second floor and the great detail that is in the bar.
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor is a great choice for a quick snack in Diagon Alley. This quaint shop is a a must-stop for ice cream lovers, from vanilla to Earl Grey and Lavender and chocolate to Butterbeer, Fortescue's has something for everyone. Just around the corner is The Fountain of Fair Fortune. This drink-only shop serves cold and frozen Butterbeer, Firewhiskey, and Fishy Green Ale (mint and cinnamon flavored ale). This is a great spot to pick up a quick Butterbeer as it is a little more out of the way and the line is typically shorter here. Tucked in the corner behind Sugarplums and next to the stage, The Hopping Pot is a great spot where you can get a refreshing drink in Diagon Alley. Another drink-only spot, this open-air stand is a great place to grab a Butterbeer on your way to the next shop.
King's Cross Station
As you leave Diagon Alley, turn right and you will come up to a red phone booth that might double as the visitor entrance to the Ministry of Magic. If you step inside and dial the "MAGIC" number, you will hear a special message on the phone. As you continue past the phone booth, you will see King's Cross Station on your right. Riding the Hogwarts Express requires a ticket (Park-to-Park Pass), so be sure you have that, if you don't you can upgrade your ticket at the front of King's Cross.
As you wind your way through King's Cross, keep your eye out for London-style posters, the "Magic" poster from the Half-Blood Prince movie, and watch out for luggage that might be lying about. You will wind around on the Muggle side of King's Cross and head up the stairs, as you turn the corner into the next hall, watch for a special luggage trolley set up and you may just see some magic at work for those in front of you as they "walk straight at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10." This is a great spot for a picture or video if you can get your Muggle technology to work near all of the magic. Going through to Platform 9 3/4 will lead you directly to the Hogwarts Express.
When it is time to board, a station attendant will assist you with the boarding process. You can have up to 8 people in your cabin and your attendant will give you a quick safety brief in case of emergency. Once the cabin door is closed, you will have a couple of minutes to get situated before the train departs. As you pull away from the station, make sure to look out the window to see London get left behind for the wild countryside. Out the compartment door, in the corridor, you will also hear other students walking by and talking with their friends. When the train arrives at Hogsmeade Station, the compartment door will open and you can head out to see the wonders that are in store for you.
Thanks for joining me on a Harry Potter adventure at Universal Studios. Be sure to come back next week for the rest of the Wizarding World at Islands of Adventure.
See you next time!
Sami
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