Diagon Alley is now open!
Universal Studios Orlando opened the highly anticipated The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley on July 8, 2014. Opening day hosted thousands of guests and the wait time for the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride was seven (7) hours!
Diagon Alley is a must see for Harry Potter fans. When you first enter the area you’ll see the Knight Bus and Grimmauld Place. (Tip: Be sure to pay attention to the windows of number 12.) Entering Diagon Alley looks like it did in the movie after Hagrid “knocked on the bricks” showing the entrance to the alley. Once inside, you’ll feel like you stepped into the pages of the books.
There is so much to see in this 20-acre alley!
Need a new broom, check out Quidditch Supplies.
Maybe you need your first wand, go visit Ollivanders, where Mr. Ollivander himself may pick a wand for you.
Need to change your Muggle money for Wizarding Bank Notes, visit the goblins at the Gringott’s Money Exchange.
Don’t forget food and drink! You’ll find two stand-alone Butter Beer stands while going though Diagon Alley. Here’s the Hopping Pot.
Hungry, check out the British fair at The Leaky Cauldron. Cottage Pie or Bangers and Mash anyone?
Maybe the Dark Arts are a little more your style. If that’s the case, you won’t want to miss Borkin and Burkes in Kockturn Alley.
There’s a lot more to see and experience in Diagon Alley, this is but a glimpse. I was like a kid in a candy store, exploring Diagon Alley. Being able to go into many of the stores I saw/read about was just amazing! (My poor cousin, she hasn’t read the books or seen the movies; I had so much fun explaining all of it to her.) To see all my pictures from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, visit my Pinterest page. No, we didn’t ride the Harry Potter Escape From Gringotts ride…we didn’t want to wait in line for three hours. My advice, purchase a Harry Potter vacation package so you can enter the park an hour early and experience the ride before the crowds.
Want to visit Universal Studios Orlando or Islands of Adventure and experience Diagon Alley and the other attractions for yourself? Contact us to help you make that a reality.