Hogwarts now open to Muggles

Imagine trying to use the restroom and suddenly having Moaning Myrtle wailing at you. Although this experience may not seem highly coveted, add in a fresh mug of foamy butterbeer and the situation should improve. Couple that with a visit to Ollivander’s, a conversation with the Sorting Hat, a trip through Diagon Alley and the magnificent, towering castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and resist the urge to pinch yourself. Or, go ahead and try it. This is no dream.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Harry Potter-based theme park at Universal Studios opened in June 2010. My sister and I begged our parents to fly us to Orlando, Fla., in time for the grand opening, but they refused point-blank. The nearest possible opportunity to visit the theme park was in December, so my family arrived the day before Christmas in a state of jittery exhilaration.
Before you start having delusions of grandeur, keep in mind that Harry Potter World is not its own amusement park. The Islands of Adventure theme park within Universal Studios contains a small Potter-themed section. There are only three rides: Dragon Challenge, Flight of the Hippogriff, and The Forbidden Journey.

Once you make it past the never-ending queue and through the gates of Potterland, the Hogwarts Express looms before you. The path ahead is lined with various shops and pubs that appear to be a mishmash of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Fans can visit the Hog’s Head, sip some pumpkin juice in the Three Broomsticks pub, or head straight up to the rides. We took our sweet time, ambling through the town and trying to soak in as much as we could in one day.

The attention to detail in the park is stunning. Diehard Potterheads will not be disappointed. In addition to hearing Moaning Myrtle’s voice floating through bathroom stalls and seeing holograms (using state-of-the-art laser techonology) of characters situated throughout the castle, fans will get the chance to witness a wand ceremony in Ollivander’s.

The simulation stars a young child (ours bore a striking resemblance to the 11-year-old Daniel Radcliffe) hand-picked from the winding queue by park employees to be “chosen” by a wand in front of the rest of the crowd. The most popular stores, Zonko’s Joke Shop and Honeydukes’ Sweet Shop, were definitely worth seeing. They sell everything from punching telescopes and pygmy puffs to chocolate frogs (complete with the cards) and sugar-spun quills.

The screams echoing from Dragon Challenge were a little unnerving, so I opted for the more family-friendly roller coaster, Flight of the Hippogriff, instead. Though the ride lasts less than a minute, it swoops around Hagrid’s hut and gives visitors a chance to see his recognizable pumpkin patch and the Weasleys’ decrepit Ford Anglia.

The main attraction, however, was yet to come. The Forbidden Journey, the heart and soul of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, had a daunting four-hour queue. Guests initially have the chance to explore the Hogwarts greenhouses during the wait, but the real entertainment starts once you enter the castle.

As we meandered through the poorly lit maze of Hogwarts corridors, I was fascinated with how much of the storyline was included in the architecture. The set-designer for the movie adaptations was consulted during the construction of the park, resulting in a recreation of the atmosphere that fans have become familiar with through the series.

Visitors are rewarded for their patience with a peek into Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor common room, the Pensieve, the mirror of Erised, a hallway of moving portraits and finally, the trio themselves. Harry, Ron, and Hermione appear in holographic form and tell you that they want to take you on a tour of Hogwarts to escape their monotonous History of Magic lecture. (If you stick around long enough, Ron accidentally makes it snow.)

Once the premise of the ride is set up, the kids disappear under the invisibility cloak and the guests encounter an equally realistic version of Dumbledore while they are reminded to be safe by the sorting hat.

The journey begins in the Room of Requirement, uses Floo powder to get to the Quidditch grounds and swoops all around the castle. There were points during the ride where I couldn’t tell if I was outside or not.

The technology is incredible and the mechanics are unbelievably smooth. The ride spins, drops, twists, and swirls you around, but never too harshly. The Forbidden Journey was easily the best theme park ride that I’ve ever experienced (and trust me, I have plenty of experience). My family and I were so impressed with the ride that we actually went back to it two more times.

Surprisingly, Harry Potter World is a Voldemort-free environment. There are no Death Eaters or evil wizards lurking around street corners, and Dumbledore is (spoiler alert!) alive and well. The aura of the park is one of delightful, cheery anticipation. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter aims to capture the spirit of Rowling’s books and bring them to life—and it certainly did for me.

Top 5 reasons to visit Harry Potter World:
1. Never got your Hogwarts letter? This is the next best thing.
2. The food is incredible. Remember to thank the House Elves.
3. Finally, a place to flaunt your best fake British accent—it can’t be worse than the employees’.
4. Tom Felton visits frequently—you could be, like, inhaling some of the same molecules that he did.
5. If you really need five reasons to convince you, you should probably get back to reading Twilight.