Can You Do Harry Potter World in One Day?
Can you do Harry Potter World in One Day? YES.
I’m taking a quick break from my usual outdoor posts to talk about spending 1 day at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which technically is mostly outside.
I’ll share what rides should be on your must do list, when to get in line for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure, what to eat, and what not to miss.
My husband and I spent one day at Harry Potter World for our 1st day of our honeymoon. While this post isn’t about honeymooning, I would definitely recommend going to Universal Studios for the start of your honeymoon. Your energy is super high from your amazing wedding, and you literally get to let all that excitement out while screaming on rides.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (formerly known as Harry Potter World) is amazing. I think it is extra magical if you’ve read the books and watched the movies, but it can be enjoyed by everyone. I remember reading the books as a 12 year old, wishing I could go to Hogwarts. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is as close as you can get. The sounds, the details, the rides… it’s a magical place.
Word on the street is that JK Rowling had a say in ALL the planning of the park, so you know it has to be brilliant.
Can you do Harry Potter World in one day? YES. Jump to:
If you’re like me and like to have a list ready for what you can’t miss, we’ll start with that…
The Best Things to do if you have one day in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
As a bartender in the park said, “the ride is a masterpiece.” It truly is. The wait will be long, but it is one of the best rides you will ever enjoy. It’s a roller coaster combined with beloved Harry Potter creatures and multiple surprises along the way. It is the longest coaster in Florida and a complete thrill. I recommend riding it twice – once in the daytime and once at night.
Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
This is a motion-based ride that makes you feel like you are adventuring at Hogwarts. I don’t understand how a ride like this works – you feel like you’re flying but are barely moving. How? I guess that’s part of the magic. You are taken through scenes from the books/movies and even encounter a few dementors. We rode this 3 times because we loved it so much.
Ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
This one is an indoor steel coaster with 3D scenes. As you can guess from the name, you are escaping from Gringotts, and the whole experience is (once again) magical. Even the start of the ride is awesome when you feel like you’re dropping down into the deep caves of Gringotts.
Eat at The Three Broomsticks or The Leaky Cauldron.
The food is very much London-themed with fish & chips, meat pies, and bangers & mash. You can also get chicken sandwiches and other options. The atmosphere at the restaurants make it worth it because you can pretend you are spending time in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley.
Drink Butter Beer.
Maybe just one. You can get it as a slushy, regular, or hot. If you are into sugary drinks, you’ll love it. If you’re not into drinking pure sugar, you might want to split one with someone to get the experience.
Ride the Hogwarts Express Train BOTH ways.
The Hogwarts Express Train is a prime example of how much thought was put into this park. You can walk from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley in about 15 minutes OR you can ride the train both ways. Each way is different as you approach either London or Hogwarts. Trust me, you want to experience this.
Visit the Shops.
Even if you aren’t interested in buying anything, you still need to wander through some of the shops. If you are interested in purchasing things, you’ll find cloaks, candy, dark magic items, and wands. Speaking of wands…
You can buy a Wand.
The wands are one of the coolest features of the park. For $48+ you can buy your own wand and cast real spells. You are given a map with the places to use your wand. There must be magnets or real magic in it because if you move your wand the right way, you can do anything from make it rain to make little trolls sing.
If you plan on spending your day riding the rides and don’t bring a backpack to the park, you may not want to buy a wand. If you do, you’ll have to store it in a locker when you go on rides. Sometimes the lines for lockers can be a pain. If you don’t buy a wand, just watch the little kids cast their spells instead.
See the Dragon Breathe Fire.
There is an unmissable dragon on the top of Gringott’s Bank in Diagon Alley. You can’t really take your eyes off it as you wander through this area of the park, but make sure you’re nearby when it breathes fire. It only does it every 20-30 minutes, so make sure you’re in the street when it does. It makes a grumbling noise right before and then lets out a huge breath of fire. Ahh if only dragons were real.
Look and Listen.
Immerse yourself. The main thing to do while you’re in the park is to take time to pretend Harry Potter’s world truly exists. Look at the store fronts, imagine what Harry felt the first time he discovered this secret world, feel the joy of being a part of it, and listen to all the noises of this special place.
Watch the Lights Show at Hogwarts Castle.
If you’re at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on a night when the lights show at Hogwarts Castle is happening, definitely plan to stay until after dark to see it. The castle is lit up, and it was (I’ll say it one more time) pure magic. The show happens every 20-25 minutes starting at dusk/when their online calendar says.
Buying Tickets
I had to google this multiple times to make sure I didn’t mess it up. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is in BOTH Islands of Adventure AND Universal Studios. You must buy the Park-to-Park 1 Day Ticket to see it all. You’ll miss out on too much if you choose to buy a ticket for only one park.
Can you do Harry Potter World in One Day? Yes, if you follow these tips:
- All the other blogs say to ride Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure first. Don’t. That’s what everyone does. We met a guy who got in line first and waited over 3 hours. We rode it twice later in the day and waited 60-90 minutes each time. I recommend riding The Forbidden Journey first – we walked right on.
- Download the Universal Orlando Mobile App. It lets you see wait times around the park, look at maps, and will let you know if a ride is experiencing technical difficulties.
- Bring hand sanitizer. I’m a nurse, and I was kind of disgusted by the lack of places to wash your hands after having just touched the rides. They would have snack stands and no hand sanitizer or hand washing stations. Stash a little personal one in your fanny pack.
- Avoid bringing a bag. If you can fit everything in pockets or a fanny pack, it’ll save you the hassle of putting stuff in lockers every time you want to ride something.
- Arrive right when the park opens. If you’re doing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 1 day, you need to plan on being there from open-close.
Express Pass or No?
For around $100 per ticket, you can add on a fast pass for the day that will let you ride each ride one time in the fast lane. There is an option for unlimited rides with the express pass, but I don’t think that one is necessary. It was our honeymoon, so we did splurge on the fast pass for the first time in our lives.
If you are only doing the Harry Potter part of Universal Studios, an express pass isn’t necessary to see and do everything in 1 day. Sure, you’ll wait in line, but there are really only 4 Harry Potter rides that you can even use the fast pass on right now (currently can’t use it on Hagrid’s ride). Also, part of waiting in line is seeing all the talking paintings and goblins that they have put in place.
If you want to do all of Universal Studios in 1 day then yes, I think you need the fast pass. We did everything we wanted in HP World pretty quickly because of the fast pass, so we had time to explore other rides in the park using the fast pass. We wouldn’t have been able to do as much in 1 day without it.
Also, if you hate lines and this is a once in a lifetime trip, buy it if you can afford it.
Ideal Itinerary for One Day in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
Arrive when the park opens.
Head straight to Harry’s Forbidden Journey in Islands of Adventure/Hogsmeade. Ride it twice in a row if there is no line.
Ride Flight of the Hippogriff.
Explore Hogsmeade a bit.
Take the train to Diagon Alley.
Drink butterbeer, wander around, and grab lunch at The Leaky Cauldron. See the dragon breathe fire.
Ride Escape from Gringotts.
Take the train back to Hogsmeade.
Ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
Grab a snack.
Watch the Light Show.
Get in line for Hagrid’s ride for an in the dark thrill.
Grab a beer at Hogs Head to end your perfect day in the park.
And then go home and re-read all 7 books 🙂
Our day in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was perfect. It’s such a thrill to be there, and I hope this guide helps you prep to have a perfect day too. Can you do Harry Potter World in One Day? Yes. Enjoy!!
When you are ready for some real outdoor adventures, ponder whether you’re brave enough to Volcano Board down a volcano in Nicaragua or backpack The W Trek in Patagonia.
Can you do Harry Potter World in one day? YES. Pin this for later 🙂
Comments? Ideas? Advice? Leave some!