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USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
For Harry Potter fans, the Wizarding World is as close as Orlando
I never got that letter from Hogwarts – or Ilvermorny, the wizarding school in the United States. But I still get to visit the Wizarding World whenever I go to Orlando. Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan and Universal Beijing Resort all bring the magic of Harry Potter to life, but only the Florida resort expands the Wizarding World beyond Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Here's what Harry Potter fans can expect at Universal Orlando and how much time and money it takes to visit. Which Universal park is Harry Potter in? All three of Universal Orlando's theme parks have their own corner of the Wizarding World. Universal Islands of Adventure is home to Hogsmeade. Universal Studios Florida invites guests into Diagon Alley. Universal Epic Universe transports guests to both the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter's time and 1920s wizarding Paris. Universal also calls its Volcano Bay water park a theme park, but it's not a traditional theme park and has no Harry Potter presence. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade This was the first Wizarding World of Harry Potter across Universal's resorts, and it remains a fan favorite. Fans will immediately recognize places like Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks in the snow-capped wizarding village, where Hogwarts Castle looms in the distance. Honeydukes sells all sorts of sweets like Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Whizzbees, while the Three Broomsticks serves up British comfort food like Shepherd's Pie and wizarding drinks like Pumpkin Juice and Butterbeer. Peering in the shop windows, guests will spot Hermione's gown from the Yule Ball and magical sights that engage when guests cast spells with interactive wands. (Additional wand experiences are available in the other parks.) The most popular attraction here is Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motobike Adventure, a coaster whose vehicles resemble the motorcycle Sirius Black gave Hagrid, with a sidecar. Younger or more timid guests, like my youngest, may prefer Flight of the Hippogriff, a family coaster alongside Hagrid's hut with terrific views of the park. Can you go into Hogwarts at Universal Orlando? Yes. Hogwarts Castle houses Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, which hurls guests through the castle's grounds and into the path of a dragon, acromantula (giant spiders like Aragog) and dementors. Guests prone to motion sickness may want to avoid this ride, but fans should still walk through the queue filled with familiar scenes from the books and films, like Professor Dumbledore's office, walls of talking portraits, the Sorting Hat and the Mirror of Erised. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley Despite its name, there's more to this corner of the Wizarding World than Diagon Alley. Outside, guests can visit King's Cross Station, where they can catch the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9¾ to Hogsmeade, if they have park-to-park tickets. Guests can also see the Knight Bus, and if they stand outside Sirius Black's family home at the right time, they can spot faithful house elf Kreacher. Passing through the brick entrance to Diagon Alley feels like stepping into the films, where Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the Leaky Cauldron, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and more await. Gringotts is topped with a dragon that breathes fire at regular intervals, as weather permits. Inside the bank, guests can ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, the main ride besides the Hogwarts Express. Don't leave without wandering through Knockturn Alley, one of the coolest places in the park, in every sense of the word. Many guests also like to cool off with treats from Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, which serves Butterbeer soft-serve and hard-pack flavors, including Clotted Cream and Sticky Toffee Pudding. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic Unlike Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, most of this world is set in 1920s Paris during the time of the 'Fantastic Beasts' films. The wizarding neighborhood of Place Cachée feels both familiar and foreign with full-scale Haussmann-style buildings. Easter eggs include the statue that came to life in the 'Fantastic Beasts' films and myriad magical creatures adorning places like Café L'air De La Sirène, the only place to find Bieraubeurre (Butterbeer) crepes. There are two major attractions here: the live Le Cirque Arcanus show and Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, the most popular ride at Epic Universe and a jaw-dropping recreation of the Ministry itself. From nifflers to demiguises: These magical creatures make Epic Universe's Wizarding World Which Universal Orlando Park is better for Harry Potter? Better is subjective. My favorite is probably still Diagon Alley, because it's where Harry Potter first stepped into the Wizarding World after finding out he was a wizard, and Universal's version stays true to the films. However, my daughters both favor Hogsmeade, and the Ministry of Magic is dazzling in its own right. How much does it cost to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando? Ticket prices vary by date and park at Universal Orlando. For Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, single-park tickets start at $119 for guests ages 10 and over but do not include access to the Hogwarts Express. Park-to-park tickets for those same parks start at $174. Universal Epic Universe tickets start at $139 a day. Fans will want to budget extra for dining and possibly souvenirs. Tip: Breakfast is the best deal at Three Broomsticks and the Leaky Cauldron; it includes a choice of drink, such as Butterbeer. Also, not everyone needs to buy an interactive wand. Friends or family can take turns using one, then reuse it on future trips. How long does it take to do 'Harry Potter World' Orlando? Guests should plan for at least two days to explore all three Wizarding World areas across Universal Orlando, but they'll need longer to fully experience the larger resort, which includes many other themed areas featuring beloved franchises like Jurassic World, Minions, Nintendo and How to Train Your Dragon.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Universal Studios fans call for 'lifetime ban' for guest after risky act on children's ride caught on camera
A guest at Universal Orlando Resort stunned onlookers when he jumped off a moving ride, prompting an emergency stop. The incident happened on the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction at Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida, a 2D motion simulator ride based on the hit animated franchise. The attraction sees guests transformed into minions using Dr. Gru's technology and going on a wild adventure through his lab. It has parkgoers sitting in vehicles that move around in sync with footage showing on a big screen. In a now-viral TikTok video posted by one of his children, named Naiyah, a man was seen removing his seatbelt mid-ride and jumping down from the ride platform. She said she was filming her sister, who was scared of the ride, when she captured the moment her father got up from his seat. As he started to walk off the ride, which rises up to eight feet off the ground, the vehicles suddenly stopped, and people began looking around, confused as the lights turned back on. The video has amassed 46,400 likes and over 454,500 views. Many fans in the comments were concerned about the man, but also wondered what consequences he faced. 'And that's how you get a lifetime ban!' one user wrote. 'This was so dangerous,' another said. 'That's an easy way to get a ban girl,' someone else reflected. 'Those cars lift off the ground with huge pneumatics, leaving giant holes in the ground that he could fall in and get crushed. Y'all got really lucky.' Another comment read: 'Yeah, don't do that. If you step off that ride wrong, you will drop like eight feet.' Others said: 'Oh, I would've been furious,' 'I would be so annoyed if you stopped a whole ride because you can't handle it when there are literally warnings,' and 'Who just gets off?' In a follow-up video on the incident, the daughter said her dad was having a medical emergency. 'No, he wasn't scared of the ride. He was literally having a medical emergency,' Naiyah detailed. 'If he hadn't gotten off the ride, he probably would've had a stroke or heart attack.' She added that her family was annual pass holders and they did not get banned from the park. The daughter said Universal Orlando Resort actually compensated the family with new tickets to come back when they wanted. 'That was actually our first ride of the day. We had just gotten to the park,' she continued. 'He didn't think nothing of it. He was already feeling a little bad. 'He was saying that he was already feeling a little bad, but he was just thinking because he didn't have his caffeine, that it was just a caffeine headache.' She said her dad wasn't aware the ride was going to have so much movement. After the incident, her father was checked out by a medical team, and they found out his blood sugar and blood pressure were very high, so they left the park to see other doctors. It is unclear whether any further medical treatment was required.
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Unlocked Magic Emerges as the Lowest-Priced Source for Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Tickets
Families can now access discount Disney World tickets and Universal Orlando ticket deals through Unlocked Magic, backed by top-rated Disney travel experts. ORLANDO, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / July 15, 2025 / As families look for smart ways to stretch their budgets in today's economy, Unlocked Magic is reshaping how travelers purchase theme park tickets - offering up to 10% off standard gate prices for Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, with no subscriptions or hidden fees. Powered by two of the most trusted brands in Disney travel - DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market - Unlocked Magic combines unbeatable pricing with a reputation for reliability built over more than a decade serving Disney vacationers. "We saw the need for a simplified, trustworthy platform that helps guests save on one of the biggest expenses of their trip: tickets," said Nick Cotton, CEO of Keyholder Vacations, the parent company of Unlocked Magic. "We've brought together the trusted backing of DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market to offer the best prices on park admission - without requiring guests to jump through hoops." Unlocked Magic is also receiving widespread recognition from top voices in the Disney community, including: the leading trip-planning resource used by millions of Disney guests annuallyMolly McCormack of Mammoth Club, known for her honest, in-park reviews and planning adviceWDWNT (Walt Disney World News Today), one of the most-followed independent Disney news platformsWDW Magic, a long-standing and trusted source for Disney news and park updates In addition to standard theme park admission, Unlocked Magic offers discounted tickets for a variety of experiences, including: Walt Disney World - One Park Per Day, Park Hopper, and Park Hopper Plus optionsUniversal Orlando - Base and Park-to-Park ticket options, including Epic UniverseSeasonal and After-Hours Events - including Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, and Jollywood Nights, all available with limited-time savings With a growing base of 5-star reviews and repeat customers, Unlocked Magic is quickly becoming a go-to resource for travelers seeking both value and peace of mind - especially as demand for fall and holiday travel to Orlando continues to rise. For families looking to book smart and save more, Unlocked Magic delivers trusted savings without compromise. To learn more or explore ticket options, visit: About Unlocked MagicUnlocked Magic is a trusted ticketing platform offering up to 10% off Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando theme park tickets. Powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market - two leaders in Disney vacation planning - the platform delivers verified savings, exceptional customer service, and a simple, transparent ticket-buying experience. Endorsed by top voices in the industry, Unlocked Magic is helping families travel smarter. Related Video SOURCE: Unlocked Magic press release
Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Universal Horror Unleashed picks Chicago for second site
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Universal Horror Unleashed attraction will open in Chicago, the company announced Thursday, although its first foray into year-round horror isn't scheduled to open in Las Vegas until August. "We're bringing the full force of horror and thrills to a whole new audience in a whole new place," Universal Orlando posted on social media. Unleashed is a product of Orlando-based Universal Destinations & Experiences, a division of Comcast NBCUniversal. It will be Universal's first location in the Midwest. The company has been exploring new markets. Beyond Las Vegas, Universal is building a kids-oriented theme park near Dallas, which is set to open in 2026, and is planning a theme park in England. The Chicago expansion also is an extension of Universal's long-running horror brand. Universal Studios invented the film genre in the 1930s with movies based on Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and other creatures. Universal Studios Florida theme park is preparing its 34th edition of Halloween Horror Nights, an after-hours fright fest that has grown to include Universal Studios Hollywood park in California as well as theme parks in Singapore and Japan. The monsters roam their own land called Dark Universe in the Epic Universe theme park, which opened in Orlando in May. The Chicago venue will be on Chicago Avenue at the former Tribune Distribution Center near Bally's Casino. "We're excited to bring this bold concept to life in Chicago, a city known for its vibrant culture," Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences, said in a news release. "We're grateful for the city's support as we convert this dormant site into a unique attraction that showcases our storytelling expertise and ability to deliver mind-blowing experiences that shatter guest expectations." Themes for the new Unleashed mazes, expected to debut in 2027, were not announced. The Las Vegas location will open with four haunted mazes. ____________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
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Travel + Leisure
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
Epic Universe Has a Restaurant Honoring Pan-Asian Cuisine With Food, Decor, and Hidden Motifs
There's one lone dragon making a huge roar at Universal Orlando Resort's new theme park Epic Universe, the first American theme park to open in 24 years on May 22. While there's an entire world dedicated to the mythical creature at How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, across the in Celestial Park section is a mega-sized statue of another dragon, greeting visitors into the pan-Asian restaurant The Blue Dragon. 'We definitely wanted to pay respect to the cultures,' Robert Martinez, Jr., Universal Orlando Resort's director of culinary and executive chef told Travel + Leisure about the full-service restaurant located near the park's Universal Helio Grand Hotel, A Loews Hotel. 'We didn't want to recreate our own twist, but have pan-Asian influence, touching on different areas of Asia.' To do so, the menu includes chicken khao soi and peanut shrimp noodles inspired by Thailand, tonkotsu ramen by Japan, double fried chicken wings by Korea. There are even more nuanced Chinese dishes, like dan dan noodles and wonton in chili oil highlighting southwestern flavors of Sichuan, beef noodles from the western province of Xi'an, and dim sum from the Guangdong region. Also on tap are snowflake potstickers, fused together with a lace crust just like I'd seen in Taiwan. Adding even more inclusion, the traditional mapu tofu recipe with pork was instead switched out for tofu to provide a vegan option, the chef explained. 'What's great about Universal and our culinary team is that we're so diverse,' he said, noting that many of the team's chefs are of Asian heritage. 'A lot of us working out the recipes was asking them, 'Does this bring you home? Is this how your mother or grandmother would make it?'" To double down on the authenticity, the food was tested in team member dining locations with an even broader audience. 'More team members that are more diverse and absolutely have their own twist and would say, 'You know, and my family does it this way,' as they made adjustments to get the flavors just right. 'The only dish that we did put our own little twist on it was the moon cakes,' he said, referring to the Chinese sweet treat traditionally filled with red bean paste. "In our case, we have delicious passionfruit cheesecake, with a little mango jelly in the middle.' The change, he said, comes from a place of love and kept guest preferences in mind. On top of the food itself, the serving style is also thoughtfully executed. 'We have a special place in our heart when it comes to Asian cuisine—it's how we like to eat,' he said, explaining that it's not just about the dishes, but about the communal style of dining too. 'Things come out as they get made, allowing for the cultural environment of sharing and eating with your family at the table, which is very much associated with Asian culture. So it's not just the flavors, it's the experience.' Indeed, from the moment I stepped into the restaurant, I squealed with delights seeing the neon street signs, so reminiscent of my Asian travels, with one of too-cute cartoons of soup dumplings getting snatched up by chopsticks and another featuring shapes of foods I recognized from Taiwanese night markets. My favorite piece of decor—perhaps in all of Epic Universe—was the happy noodle cat over in the restaurant's Tiger Bar. It's a combination of two Asian traditions: a beckoning cat, believed to usher in good luck and fortune, and the slurping of noodles, which is considered a polite way to show you're enjoying your food. The main dining room stunned with a traditional red pagoda under a faux night sky that Rodriguez described as a 'golden garden with lanterns moving up and down, so that you're literally dining under the stars with music that has an upbeat kick.' To the left was a separate room, with place settings and tableware that gave me an instant nostalgic feel of the Asian restaurants I grew up going to both in California and Taiwan. The room had traditional screen doors and it wasn't until Rodriguez clued me in that I noticed art was of Celestial Park's skyline but in the style of traditional Asian illustrations—a little Easter egg hidden for those in the know. Another unique aspect Adam Rivest, Universal Creative vice president of creative management and branding, told T+L is The Blue Dragon's full tea service. 'It's nothing normally offered in a theme park,' he said. 'But it's so awesome in the middle of the day to go sit and have a relaxing Asian-inspired tea.' After all, Epic Universe's dedication to offering a diverse range of true dining experience can be proven in pure numbers: it has just 11 rides but 30 dining establishments, which show a 'crossroads for all cultures,' Rivest said. Whether that's French-inspired fare at Café L'air De La Sirène, Nordic eats at Mead Hall, or barbecue at The Oak & Star Tavern, it's all about getting the dishes just right. 'We didn't want to make it anything that was going to disrespect the cultures,' Rodriguez said. 'We want to hit you in the heart with authenticity in a way that show we're really trying to pay respect.'
