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Ollivanders Wand Shop

September 17, 2011 By Alison 1 Comment

Ollivanders Wand Shop is one of the most exciting places to visit in Universal Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This is a must see attraction at Wizarding World where guests can participate and watch the Wand choosing the Wizard – just like in the Harry Potter Sorcerer’s Stone movie.

Here is a video which shows some of the starts of the Harry Potter movies visiting Wizarding World and even includes some footage of Emma Watson, who played Hermione visiting Ollivanders Wand Shop and experiencing the wand choosing selection process. This doesn’t give too much way about the experience as in my opinion the truly magical process is best experienced if you don’t know everything about what is likely to happen!

What will you find inside Ollivanders Wand Shop? You will feel as though you have stepped right into the real wand ship of the Harry Potter movie. Like everything in Wizarding World the attention to detail is amazing. Ollivanders is a very small space and they only let 25 guests in at one time. The line can get pretty long it does move pretty quickly, and the experience is certainly worth the wait.

The first time I visited with my family I had already watched a video which showed the whole Ollivanders Shop experience. But I made sure that my family did not find out any details prior to our first visit shortly after it opened. I did not want to spoil the surprise for them. So if you don’t want to know more details stop reading now – SPOILER ALERT!

When you enter the room the first thing you realize is just how very small the space is! It looks exactly as you would expect Ollivanders to be. There is a desk in front of you and of course Ollivander himself. Having experienced this many times there are definitely some Ollivander Cast Members who are better than others – but all do an amazing job of playing the part.

The ceiling is very high in the room, the lighting dimmed and the walls are crammed with wands and magical items. Everyone is encouraged to come forward and then one person is chosen to be the subject of the wand choosing process. How do you get picked? I have observed this many times and there are some ways you can increase your chances of being picked. Obviously being nearer the front where Ollivander can see you is a must. Very young children are never picked. Older children have the best chance of all, and of course anyone wearing Harry Potter themed clothes has a better chance. Having said that it took 7 attempts, yes 7, for my 9 year old son to be picked. During all those attempts his 13 year old sister was picked three times! In fact it does seem that girls may have the edge when it comes to selection.

The ‘Chosen One’ is invited to step forward and is taken through the wand selection process by Ollivander. Of course as we know from the Harry Potter Sorcerer’s Stone movie and book this is not a straight forward process and Ollivander does need to take some time to get the right one. The guest is asked a number of questions to find out the best choice of wand for them. There are lots of different consequences of choosing the wrong wand but eventually the ‘right one’ is found for the guest.

Of course the next stage is to move out of one of the two exits from the Ollivander Wand Shop experience and you’ve guessed it, into the store selling wands. The person who was selected, and all the other guests can buy their wand of choice. This is the difficult bit. This section is incredibly crowded. The wands are of very good quality and are priced at $29.95 plus tax each. I consider myself pretty good at avoiding the ‘store after the experience’ but this one is very very tempting. You can select from all the main characters wands. Would you prefer Harry Potter, Hermione, Ron Weasley, Snape, Dumbledore, or even Lord Voldemort.

Ollivanders Wand Shop is another must see attraction at Universal Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The only disadvantage is of course the wait. If you can arrive very early in the morning then of course most guests head to The Forbidden Journey first so if you have already ridden this you can go to Olivanders whilst everyone else is heading to the other attractions.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride

August 11, 2011 By Alison 1 Comment

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of the best theme park attractions in Orlando. This is a bold statement from someone who confesses they are a little obsessed with Disney. But the Forbidden Journey is such an amazing experience that it deserves a very special mention as a definite must see if you are visiting the Orlando theme parks. It is thrilling, very unique, and certainly a one of a kind.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a collection of rides, shops and attractions at Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando. It has proved to be an enormous success and has increased revenue for Universal Resorts by almost magical amounts. For one reason. It is very very good. It is an amazing interactive experience and The Forbidden Journey is it’s innovative ride which is housed inside Hogwarts Castle.

Photo by Jeff Kern

Hogwarts Castle in Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The first thing which you will notice is that Hogwarts looks huge. Of course there is the now much used design innovation of forced perspective – in other words making structures look larger than they really are. Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom is of course the classic example of this.

Now if you do not want spoilers then stop reading and looking right now. Be warned here follows a description of the line and the ride itself!

The Forbidden Journey Line Experience

We all know that standing in line is not the most entertaining thing to do. But in Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal has done a huge amount to make the experience something that you enjoy rather than endure. True, sometimes nothing is going to help when the lines are 2 hours long, but the line for Forbidden Journey is magical experience for anyone who has read the J.K Rowling books or seen the movies (isn’t that most people)?

You enter the imposing Hogwarts Castle doors and step inside a darkened stone corridor. On your right are the lockers. Not that interesting but if you do have any bags to stow you can’t take them on the ride so you need to leave them here!

One huge tip as to how to save time waiting in line for Forbidden Journey is to skip the locker line. The long line you see outside the castle is for the lockers. This is rather confusing but if you do not have a bag (or if you have stowed it in a locker near the Hogwart’s Express as you enter Wizarding World) you can take a different entrance by going through to the locker area via Filch’s Emporium. Then go straight into Hogwarts and join the line for the ride. This works well at the moment, but not sure how long it will as more and more people become aware of this!

Another tip? There is a Single Rider line. You will find out when you get on the ride that it really is not a shared experience anyway. You cannot see or interact with the person next to you – so the single rider option is a good one for those who do not have younger children.

Photo by Jeff Kern

Once you enter Hogwarts you are soon out in the open air again – in Madame Sprout’s greenhouses. This is probably the most frustrating parts of the line as it snakes around and around and has little of interest compared to the interior of the Castle.

Once you get back inside again there are lots of things that Harry Potter fans are going to be very excited to see. It is dark inside which all adds to the atmosphere but makes it very difficult to get good photos! But there are many treasures inside which will delight Harry Potter fans. The talking portraits are wonderfully real. You even get to see inside Dumbledore’s office where the headmaster of Hogwarts will welcome you to the castle. Winding a little further around the line you will enter the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Harry Potter, Ron Weasly and Hermione Grainger all appear by the magic of holograms to talk to you. The effect is amazingly realistic. You may not realize that there are 3 different versions of the interaction between the characters – all are entertaining to watch and if the line is slow you will get to experience each of them.

As you are getting closer to the actual ride loading area you will encouter the Daily Prophet which will explain the safety instructions. Then finally you will see the Sorting Hat who will give you your final instructions.

You are almost there. The end of the line shows a glimpse of The Room of Requirement which is the ride loading area. By this point the anticipation is very high as you see the ride vehicles in front of you. The vehicles are benches which each seat 4 guests. There is a pull over harness which keeps you very securely in place. If you are wearing flip flop type shoes put them in the baskets on the vehicle or you may spend the ride worrying that you will never see them again when they drop off in the middle of the ride! The loading system is a continous one (like The Haunted Mansion for instance). You step onto the moving platform and board your bench and pull down the harness. If you are concerned that your body size is going to make this ride uncomfortable for you then you can check what the seats are like with the example seats outisde the Hogwarts Castle entrance.

There is a height requirement of 48" for Forbidden Journey. If a member of your party is too small (or too scared) to ride you can wait in the waiting area to the left of the loading platform. One of you can stay with the non rider whilst the other rides and they you swap over. There are some seats and a video screen shows clips of the Harry Potter movies. I did feel that after the amazing theming of the ride a little more could have been done with this area.

The actual ride vehicle is a robotic arm of the type which was pioneered at Legoland in their Knight's Tornament Ride. When you first see the benches it is difficult to imagine that the vehicle is capable of endless twists, spins and drops. Although you do get tipped up onto your back you do not ever go upside down - even though some riders swear that they do, this is the magic of their imagination not the reality of the ride!

Harry Potter Universal Forbidden Journey Ride

Once you are safely boarded on your bench the ride begins. At first the bench moves slowly sideways. And it seems to take an age to start the ride properly as at this point you are wondering what is in store for you – that secure harness must mean you are in for an exciting ride!

Soon you see Hermione and you will be transported in a very quick puff of green smoke by the floo network to the observatory. It is at this point that you begin to feel as though you are flying through the air. This is the pleasant bit! You fly over Hogwart’s looking down – so this is what it must feel like to fly on a broomstick!

Suddenly Ron and Harry appear and they want you to join them for a Quidditch match. Hagrid appears on the ground and you slow down near to the groun to hear him ask if you have seen a dragon. Guess what. Of course a huge dragon appears next. A fire breakthing dragon. Well sometimes it breathes fire but a number of times I have experienced the ride the fire effect is not working so this rather spoils the moment!

After escaping the dragon and dodging the burning bridge there is worse to come – if you don’t like spiders (I don’t) then this is the difficult bit of the ride. I can now just about get through it with open eyes for the whole sequence. Perhaps this is extreme aversion therapy. The Acromantulas are big. Then they get bigger. Then they start launching venom at you. Then of course Aragog the very very big spider is right in front of you! Your ride vehilce seems to be moving at a fast twisting pace at this point. The first time I rode this it was definitely the point where I thought I didn’t want to do this again. Then of course I got straight back on again and rode around again. And again. And many times since!

Thank goodness Hermione appears in time to save you from the spiders. She tells you to watch out for the Whomping Willow so of course you know that is somewhere not too far ahead. This is one of the best bits of the ride for me. This is where the technology of the ride vehicle really shines and you are moved on to your back and the Whomping Willow appears over head. A bit of a bumpy ride! Soon you are flung back on to the Qudditch pitch where you are joined once again by Harry who has been wondering where you got to. Flying through the Quidditch match is a lot of fun, and for the moment you feel safe as you are not being chased by anything, having fire breathed on you, or venom spat at you. But just don’t get too comfortable as things are about to turn dark again. Encountering Draco Malfoy on the Quidditch pitch is the least of your worries.

The Dementors arrive. Yes I know they aren’t really real, but in that moment you are flying through them your brain is not being very rational. They seem real. Whatever the technicalities of the effect you are not aware of how this is being done. You feel as though you are in the middle of the Chambers of Secrets with the Dementors. This is the point in the ride when I realized that my 8 year old boy who was waiting for my verdict on whether he would enjoy the ride, would be terrified beyond belief. He is a huge Harry Potter fan but this was just going to be way too realistic for him.

When you have experienced the ride for the second time the effect of the Dementors does diminish quite a bit. Not sure why this should be so, as that first encounter is so scary. One of the better effects, if it is working, is the Dementors Kiss. You should see your own image being sucked out by the Dementor. An amazing effect but unfortunately it doesn’t quite work every time. Another reason to experience the ride many times. You notice many more details and effects. And if you are like me you may even graduate to having your eyes open for most of the ride!

Of course Harry Potter is there to save you with a well timed Expecto Patronum. The Chamber of Secrets begins to crumble and you are reassured by Harry telling you ‘We’ve made it’. Then comes a relatively relaxing flight above the beautiful landscape surrounding Hogwarts. The end of the ride is a slow return to the back of the loading platform when ou travel through the Great Hall at Hogwarts and see lots of your favorite Harry Potter characters. There is a huge sense of relief that nothing scary is going to come back at you. And then of course you wonder how long the line is so that you can get straight back onto the ride.

How To Spend Less Time in Line for Harry Potter Forbidden Journey

Even though the line for Forbidden Journey is the most innovative in theme park history, you really don't want to spend any more time in it than you have to. So follow the advice about the entry from Flich's Emporium rather than wait for the lockers if you can. The Single Rider line is also a huge time saver. Particularly if you are experiencing the ride for the second time there really is no need to ride with members of your party unless you need to accompany a child.

What time of day should you ride Forbidden Journey? Unless you are a Universal Resort hotel guest with early entry privileges then you should avoid what everyone else does. Don't go in the morning. Most guests tend to assume that if you get there early this is the best idea. In practice this just doesn't seem to work. Everyone else seems to have the same idea so they make a dash for Wizarding World as soon as the park opens, and this, added to the early entry guests, makes for a crowded land. Going later in the afternoon, after about 3pm seems to be a better tactic at the moment.

Is Harry Potter Forbidden Journey your favorite theme park ride? Any tips for saving time in the line? Best buys in Filch's Emporium? Let us know what you think.

Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Huge Success

August 8, 2011 By Alison 1 Comment

Wizarding World of Harry Potter which opened in June 2010 has proved to be an amazing success for Universal Studios resorts. Universal Studios Resort has reported that attendance has leapt a staggering 41 percent from last year.

The increase in visitors is exceptional with nearly 3.6 million people visiting Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in the second quarter of 2011. This is up more than 1 million on the previous years figures. It seems that the $265 million spent on Wizarding World of Harry Potter was a very wise investment. J.K. Rowlings amazing series of books was truly brought to life in what is the most captivating immersive experience of any of the Orlando theme parks.

Whether you want to sample butter beer, Ride with a Hippogriff or experience The Forbidden Journey, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the most magical of theme park experiences. Of course my allegience to Disney is very clear but Wizarding World captivates me way more than I thought it would. It is a true theme park immersive experience.

Universal Resort is seeing it’s best attendence for 7 years. The last time it broke it’s own attendence records was in 2004 with 12.1 million guests. But in the past 12 months it has shattered that record with almost 13.4 million guests attending. The only problem for guests is that sometimes it feels that all of those people are in the land of Harry Potter with you – at busy times it is very very crowded.

There is another benefit of the Harry Potter phemomena. Not only are ticket sales up 57 per cent, but of course all those people spend money on food and merchandise. Look at all the people walking out of the parks at the end of the evening and most of them are carrying a big bag of Harry Potter goods. From wands to robes, scarves to souvenier mugs everyone is buying them. No doubt butter beer helped increase food and beverage sales by 53 per cent, whilst sales of merchandise increased by an amazing 82 per cent. That is a lot of Harry Potter wands.

Universal also continued to ring up record sales during the second quarter, as travelers paid higher prices to get into its parks and bought magic wands, mugs of butter beer and other Harry Potter paraphernalia. Resort revenue jumped 61 percent for the quarter, from $243.5 million to $392.2 million.

Universal gained in every category of spending, regulatory filings show. Ticket revenue rose 57.5 percent, food and beverage sales jumped 53 percent, and merchandise revenue soared 82 percent.

Universal must be jumping with joy about the revenue increases. The profit for the second quarter of 2011 was $97.8 million, up from just $2.8 million a year ago.

Of course Disney does have something to learn from all of this. What really makes the Wizarding World of Harry Potter experience so unique is that it so completely amazes you in it’s detail and capacity to truly entertain you at every turn. Disney is the master of this too but in recent years it has lacked something with that, and I hesitate to use this phrase, but ‘wow factor’. Let us hope that the investment that Disney is putting into the new Fantasyland project will make us feel as captivated as were are in the Wizarding World.

Filed Under: Universal Studios Tagged With: wizarding world of harry potter

Universal Studios Orlando Hotels

April 21, 2011 By Alison Leave a Comment

What are the choices of Universal Studios Orlando Hotels and which ones offer the best rooms and choice for your family? If you want to combine all the fun and thrills of Universal Orlando with a great hotel then you need look no further than the Universal Studios resort hotels. You can stay right in the heart of Universal Orlando in one of three magnificent resort hotels.

There are 3 hotels to choose from. The Portofino Bay Hotel,Hard Rock Hotel, and the Royal Pacific Resort. Each has their very own unique theme and all are of an excellent standard. They are all part of the Loews Hotel Group and offer some of the very best accommodation in the area. And of course the perks of staying onsite.

If you stay in a Universal Studios Orlando hotel you will also have some very valuable extra benefits including Universal Express Priority Access. So let us take a tour of the hotels and find out more about the extra perks. And even find out some ways that you can make big savings on the cost of a Universal Studios hotel room.

There are some excellent discounts on Universal hotels at the moment so now is a great time to think about a visit.

Advantages of Being a Universal Studios Orlando Hotel Guest

Early Entry To Wizarding World of Harry Potter

This is one of the biggest advantages for a Universal Studios hotel guest.
Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter one hour before the theme park opens. This is a huge benefit. Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the best theme park experiences in Orlando and you know what that means? It can get crowded. So to get a head start on entry is a huge benefit.

Close to Universal Studios Orlando

You are within very easy reach of both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You can drive if you want to but there are much easier and definitely more fun ways. You can walk to both parks. It is only a 6 minute pleasant walk from The Hard Rock hotel to Universal Studios Orlando. CityWalk is around 10 minutes walk from The Royal Pacific.

By far my preferred way to arrive at the parks from the resort hotels is to take the boat. There are free buses but it is so much more fun and relaxing to hop on board a boat and take the short journey from the hotels to CityWalk. From there you can easily walk to either park.

Universal Orlando Express Priority Access

This is an excellent perk for Universal Studios hotel guests. Guests have free priority access to most of the attractions at both Universal Orlando parks. Others pay up to $60 a day for this perk – so if you have a family of 4 staying at the hotel these savings can add up almost to the cost of the hotel room itself.

So what is Universal Express Plus. It is often called “front of line access”. This term can be a bit confusing. You aren’t guaranteed to get to the front of the line. But what you do get is access to the Express Line – so you are going to cut down your waiting time at all the attractions considerably.

Priority Seating

Another valuable resort guest benefit. This gets you priority seating at the shows at the parks as well as access to the best seating in some restaurants at CityWalk Sunday through Monday.

Universal Studios Orlando Tickets

Look out for offers which may be available for reduced ticket prices for hotel resort guests.

Charging Privileges and Package Delivery

You can charge all Universal park and resort purchases to your room. There is also free package delivery right to your room. These perks aren’t a reason to stay at a Universal Studios hotel but they are a nice add on.

Universal Studios Orlando Portofino Bay

Photo by jlbruno

You could be forgiven for thinking that you have traveled to a different continent when you arrive at this hotel. Welcome to Portofino Italy. Well not quite but this hotel does do a great job making you fell as though you have just arrived on the Italian Riviera.

One of the best ways to arrive is by boat. Travel in style to arrive at Universal Portofino Bay and you will be struck by how good a reproduction it is of the look of the real Italian town. Beautifully themed and with a very laid back atmosphere, even if you are not staying here it is a great idea to explore and perhaps enjoy an al fresco cup of cappuccino.

The Universal Portofino hotel has several different room types ranging from the standard 450 square rooms to huge suites. Room rates range from around $200 a night and upwards.

The hotel has 3 beautiful swimming pools which range from the relaxing to all out family fun. You have a great choice of restaurants too. All serve Italian cuisine and range from the find dining Bice to the casual Mama Della’s Ristorante.

Universal Studios Hard Rock Hotel

Photo by monkeyworlduk

If you are looking for lavish luxury,plenty of rock memorabilia,distinctive but surprisingly tasteful accommodation right next to Universal Studios then the Hard Rock Hotel may be the one for you. I always tell visitors to the parks to check out the Hard Rock if only to see some of the most extravagantly decorated restrooms I have ever seen in my travel!

The emphasis is on over the top fun. You may not actually see Steven Tyler there but you can imagine that he would certainly enjoy staying there.

This is the smallest of the Universal Studios Orlando hotels with 650 hotel rooms and suites. Rooms are smaller than the Portofino at just 375 to 400 square feet. But the prices are generally lower too. You may be disappointed to hear that there is no rock memorabilia in the rooms but you do have some black and white pictures of rock history on your hotel room wall.

If you want to splurge on one of the best rooms available at the Hard Rock there is a Graceland Suite. This 2,000 square foot suite has a grand piano and surprisingly tasteful decoration – but be prepared to pay upwards of $2,000 a night. Fortunately the rest of the rooms are rather more affordable starting at around $170 a night.

The Hard Rock only has one swimming pool but it is 12,000 square feet. And as you would expect it has a 30 foot high guitar at one end.

Dining here is a little limited with just 2 full service restaurants available. But all of the restaurants of the other Universal resort hotels and of course Universal Orlando CityWalk are within very easy reach.

Universal Royal Pacific Hotel

Step back in time to the 1930′s South Pacific. The theme of the hotel is designed to invoke the grandeur of a bygone Golden Age of travel – and take you to a paradise somewhere in the South Pacific. The overall effect is a tasteful and relaxing hotel which is of course within very easy reach of Universal Studios.

The Universal Royal Pacific was built to be a convention hotel. The result of this is that the rooms are rather on the small side (some also describe them as rather dark). There are no deluxe rooms. If you want an upgrade from a standard then it is straight to a suite (with the resulting price upgrade too). The Jurassic Park Suites are an affordable alternative for families with children. At 650 square feet with a separate bedroom for the children you will have room to spread out.

The Royal Pacific, like the Hard Rock, has only one swimming pool. But what a swimming pool. The Lagoon Pool has a wonderful tropical theme and of course just what you would expect in the South Seas – a sandy beach.

The restaurants are worth checking out at the Royal Pacific. One of my favorites is the Orchid Court Lounge. And of course there is Emeril’s excellent Tchoup Chop.

Is a Universal Studios Orlando Hotel Really Worth It?

Photo by StuckinCustoms

Most definitely if you want very high standard hotels at a reasonable price, offering a lot of perks then consider the Universal Studios Hotels for your next stay in Orlando. There is something to suit everyone and for many the Express Pass and the early entry to Wizarding World of Harry Potter may just turn that vacation from just great to the most memorable experience you have had in a very long time.

Filed Under: Disney Tips, Hotels, Universal Studios Tagged With: universal orlando hotels, universal studios, universal studios hotels, universal studios orlando hotels

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Ollivanders Wand Shop

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride

Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Huge Success

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