Harry Potter-ing Around at Universal’s Islands of Adventure!

Hogwarts Castle is not only the centerpiece and symbol of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but it’s just the the venue for its signature ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

Central Florida has something to offer for everyone – the quartet of fine theme parks at Walt Disney World, the dinner shows, the luxurious hotels just minutes from the attractions, the aquatic wonders of SeaWorld, and the magic of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure…

Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort – isn’t he supposed to be in any given Six Flags instead? Years before the land opened, the resort secured the rights from Warner Brothers and the novel franchise author J. K. Rowling to create an idea to boost attendance and revenue to the theme park as well as be a shrine to Harry Potter fans.

The themed area, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, rethemes and replaces most of the Lost Continent (with the stunt show The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad and the indoor walk-through attraction Poseidon’s Fury intact) with attractions based on the escapades and adventures of the young wizard. Oh, and those who love the old Lost Continent, be disappointed as Dueling Dragons and the Flying Unicorn become things of the past.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Be prepared for long lines in this attraction (The queue is worth taking pictures of, but you won’t see as much on the single rider queue, despite the fact that it allows you to eliminate most of  the waiting time there.) – it’s the signature one in the themed area. Enter Hogwarts Castle, the centerpiece of the themed land, and meet up with Harry Potter and his friends, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, for an adventure. (Oh, and if you love safety spiels that are very interesting, listen to and see the Sorting Hat!)

Board a Magical Bench (Spoiler: it’s a robotic arm dark ride that tilts and twists, but not turns you upside down.), encounter a Qudditch match, dodge the Whopping Willow, come face to face with spiders, and fly around the magical castle. Lovers of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man down on Comic Strip Lane will bowl over this! (You must be at least 48 inches tall to ride.)

Dragon Challenge

It may have been a Harry Potter rehab of the aforementioned Dueling Dragons. But it’s the same dueling inverted roller coaster themed to one of the games of the Triwizard Cup in the novel, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Each dragon, either a Hungarian Horntail or a Chinese Fireball, offers a different experience you’ll be begging for more. Both have 5 inversions that will delight the coaster-lover! The queue of the ride is mostly indoors, so you won’t have to stand under the scorching, Florida sun for minutes! (You must be at least 54 inches tall to ride.)