Let me start off by saying that I don’t like amusement parks. I think they’re cheesy and overpriced, and I’d rather spend my time and money elsewhere. However, I’m a big fan of the Harry Potter books.
At first, I didn’t think Harry Potter was for me. Wizards and magic? Totally not my thing. But, my husband fell in love with the Harry Potter books right from the beginning, so he insisted that I give them a try. Well, I blew through the first book in a few days and finished off the next five in a couple of months. (I still need to read the last one.) And, just like that, I became a Harry Potter fan.
Anyway, the point of tell you all of this is because I thought I would like visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but I didn’t think I would love it. Well, I LOVED it! 
In fact, I enjoyed the experience so much, my new goal is to take my husband there before this time next year. If I loved it so much, I can only imagine how much he would love it. I actually think he would geek-out! 
Walking around and seeing what I read in the books made me so excited. (I’m such a nerd!) I walked around with a goofy smile on my face all afternoon long.
Kisses for Hedwig! 
The paintings really talked!!! So cool!
The Harry Potter ride was incredible. IN.CRED.IBLE! Mal is going to lose his sh*t when he goes on it!
This is the actual car used in the movie!
Here are Carol, Audi, and me behind Hagrid’s house. You could even hear Fang inside barking!
Clearly, Butterbeer is part of the Orlando culinary experience!
I ordered the frozen Butterbeer, which tasted like a butterscotch + vanilla cookie milkshake. I slurped it right down! Delish!
And, while at Harry Potter, I crossed off another item from my Life’s To Do List!
With a little coxing from Carol, I rode my first-ever upside-down roller coaster!!! Cross #37 off the list! It actually wasn’t all that scary. It was more thrilling than anything! I’m so glad that I decided to do it.
After our adventures in Harry Potter land, we headed to Mythos for lunch.
For lunch, I ordered the Wild Mushroom Flatbread with mushrooms, mozzarella, and white truffle mushroom emulsion.
I’m always skeptical about theme park food, but this pizza was quite tasty.
We finished lunch with Caldron Cakes! Our host from the CVB, Denise, purchased them from Honey Dukes for all of us to share. These Cauldron Cakes were made of brownie-like chocolate cake with chocolate cream filling inside.
If you’re thinking about taking a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I highly recommend not going on a weekend. It was a complete madhouse at the park! Luckily, we had VIP access and a special tour guide, so we were able to whiz in and out of attractions and rides, but if we didn’t, it would have made for a long day of waiting in lines.
Visiting Harry Potter at Universal Studios was such an AWESOME experience. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to go. I can’t wait to take Mal now!
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I was the same way about Harry Potter and then loved it- although I never got past the 4th book cuz they got longer and more “magic” after that I guess. Still would love to go to the Harry Potter park, I didn’t even know it existed until now!
I am obsessed with Harry Potter- I’m so jealous right now!!
I LOVE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!!!
I’ve been with my family three times in the past nine years. Dueling Dragons is an awesome coaster…so is Hulk! I haven’t had a chance to visit Harry Potter…it was still under construction when we were there last summer. This REALLY makes me want to go back, like, now!!
ah so cool!! i need to go!!!
You are so lucky!! I’m such a potter fan, and I’m so jealous right now!!!!!!! Unfortunately, since I’ve been to Disney already, I don’t know if I would go back *just* for that
OMG, I never thought I’d want to go there, but after seeing the pics I REALLY REALLY want to go!! I love the HP books…same as you I thought it was dumb but a bunch of my friends in college were reading them and loved them so I jumped on and I was hooked. I actually JUST finished the last book a couple weeks ago and it was awesome…so sad that was the last one.
I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter and the whole park looks absolutely amazing! I’ve tried making butterbeer recipes at home and they’ve been soo good I can’t wait to try the real thing!
So much fun! This looks like a really cool theme park addition — have heard mostly positive things from people who’ve visited — and I would definitely geek out. Maybe it’s time to start checking fares to Orlando…
Oh my god I would totally geek out too! I love that you crossed something off your list – oh, and that butterbeer? Sounds ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
I have never read or watched the Harry Potter series — although I’ve heard wonderful things about them!
I did see The Apprentice episode when the contestants had to make a HP “Experience” — it was pretty funny!
You are no nerdier than the rest of us. And yes, nerdier is totally a word!
Looks like you’re having a blast!
@Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman: Those every flavour beans are disgusting. They really do taste like vomit and earwax and other gross things.
Okay, I actually had to stop reading this because it’s hurting me too much. I want to go so badly, but I can’t justify the $2000+ airfare to get to America and back..
Aaaahhhh so amazing that you went here! I’ve been so curious what it’s like! It looks like so much fun! So MAGICAL!
Great writeup, I love the pictures! I agree with everyone who said to Read Book Seven!!!!
omg, I must visit that magical world!
This post just gave me the biggest smile and totally made my day! I have been dreaming of what this park will look like and now I officially know that I HAVE TO GO! I’m not a big Disney/Orlando fan, but I’m thinking that if we get the chance, we are going to down to FL and checking this park out:) Thanks for the great Orlando posts!!
Omg, I HAVE to visit there!! That seems like it would be so awesome. I’m quite jealous, I must admit.
Sadly I am terrified of amusement parks
I got lost at six flags as a child!
Mummm butterbeer sounds awesomeee!
I never would have thought I’d be reading about Harry Potter on a foodie blog but I truly enjoyed this post! I rarely comment (although I do read daily) and your post made me want to visit HP Land sooooo bad! Your pictures were wonderful too. I wish I could taste that butterbeer!
SOOOOOO jealous! I’ve been wanting to go!
Looks like a super fun day! I think I would love that theme park!
Your Orlando trip looks like a foodie’s dream come true!
You’ve also inspired me to read Harry Potter. I never thought the day would come that I would say that lol.
i went to WWoHP the first month it was open and was completely floored at how amazing it is!!
I love Harry Potter too so I think I would definitely love that! I’m so glad you went and got to give us a little preview of it! I had heard of it before but now that I know more about it I would love to go! Now I just have to get my boyfriend to read the final couple of books and convince him to come with me!
Awesome! I’m not a HP fanatic, but I did read the first few books
Oh my!! By far the highlight of the trip!! I want to go even more now (mainly for the butterbeer!)
So super jealous you got to go to the Harry Potter park, I am dying to go!
Wow – I’ve never seen food that looks quite so nice at a theme park!
I am SO jealous! I have wanted to go to that theme park so bad. I’m such a Harry Potter nerd
That looks like so much fun! I hadn’t heard any reviews of the park before this- it makes me want to go…hmm, maybe I’ll have to start budgeting for a trip to FL…
Ohhhhhh JEALOUS…I am dying to go and check it out with my kiddos….
My son and I each read them at the same time (before we watch the movies of course) and just finished the last one this summer! It was soooo good! I didn’t think they were for me either, but thought it was something fun we could do together…a few chapters into the first book and I was hooked!
We’re hoping to save enough money over the next year or two to be able to make it there before he grows out of his Harry Potter phase!
So cool that you got to go!
It looks like a lot of fun!! You opened up my mind
What a fun time! Never read any of the books myself, but I would so go for the cauldron cakes!
I would love to visit that world!
And specially to try the beer, and those cute cakes!
Looks like so much fun, my hubby would love it!
Thanks for sharing!
I just got super happy reading this. I want to go there so badly! I am glad its worth the trip
I’m not into Harry Potter but that looks fun anyway.
I so wanna go! Plus I was wondering what was in “butter beer” too
My daugter is obsessed with Harry Potter so we went there for holidays this summer. I was really impressed with everything (except the crowds!) and it was better than my daughter ever imagined it to be! Glad you got a chance to check it out!
I am wondering the same as amanada above. Is butter beer actually beer?
Love the new site, but I’m worried that I may miss something. I’m an email subscriber and have not received an email from you since you made the switch. I’m a fan of Murphy. My pug Winston enjoys hearing about Murphy and his many adventures.
Although I’m not a fan of Harry Potter, I must admit that the Cauldron Cake alone could sell me on the theme park…chocolate cream and brownie combination? You can’t go wrong with this one
soooo jealous!!
I want to go to the Harry Potter park so much! I just know that I would love it so much! I’m very jealous.
I want to lose my sh*t on the ride!
p.s. F the haters. What’s their damage?
We’re headed to Orlando in less than a month–but unlike you, we LOVE theme parks and we go to Disney regularly. We’re hitting up Universal to see the Wizarding World–I can’t wait!
If you go back to Orlando, you should check out some of the restaurants at Disney. At Epcot, in particular, the restaurants (especially Le Cellier) are amazing. A total foodie dream. If you go in October or November, you can check out the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. That’s what we’re going for!
hi…i also love hp!!! i hope you can really take mal there in hp’s world
have you seen harry potter there? or ron? or hermione? hehe…:) what about hagrid? i love hagrid!
I’m so jealous! I want to throw a Harry Potter themed Halloween party this year, since the first installment of the last book comes out in theatres not long after Halloween! I just hope my guests will be able to handle my geekiness!
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