The newest park at Universal Studios is Diagon Alley. Diagon Alley is Harry Potter's first glimpse into the Wizarding World. It is where Hagrid brings him to buy his school books and where he finally deposits Harry at King's Cross Station.
The entrance to Diagon Alley isn't exactly visible from the road, but if you see the purple Knight Bus and look to the left you should see the entrance - or at least park of it. We can't let the Muggles in! And when you do and you walk through the brick entrance ... be prepared to be amazed! My breath caught in my throat and I barely held myself together as I felt as if I was truly walking into the magical marketplace where you can find your share of cauldrons, wands, robes, and other magical menageries.
The entrance to Diagon Alley isn't exactly visible from the road, but if you see the purple Knight Bus and look to the left you should see the entrance - or at least park of it. We can't let the Muggles in! And when you do and you walk through the brick entrance ... be prepared to be amazed! My breath caught in my throat and I barely held myself together as I felt as if I was truly walking into the magical marketplace where you can find your share of cauldrons, wands, robes, and other magical menageries.
The first thing you should do is high tail it back to Gringotts and hop in line for this ride. We got lucky and only had to wait about 45 minutes but the wait can be up to several hours. If you ride in the afternoon (think nap time) that is your best bet for short lines. They do a good job keeping you entertained in line with Gringott's advertisements and signs. Once you enter the bank itself, there is plenty to see. You will feel as if you are actually entering the Wizarding bank. The goblins are exceptionally real and look you in the eye as you walk deeper and deeper into the vault. The ride itself is amazing. (We did ride it twice since the first time it broke down on us. But they gave us a free express ticket to return.) It is 3D (4D maybe? You can feel the wind and the heat as you ride) and truly makes you feel as if you are on a cart escaping from Gringotts.
After this, make sure to grab a Butterbeer (frozen or regular) and explore the many shops of Diagon Alley. Hop in line at Ollivander's and watch the Wand Chooses the Wizard ceremony. Then BUY YOUR WAND.
I don't care how old you are. BUY A WAND. It is worth the money. The wands are interactive and all over both parks you can cast a spell and watch magic happen. Embrace your inner child and let the magic come alive. Trust me, you'll be glad that you did it. Plus - you have a really cool souvenir to bring home with you!
End your day by eating at the Leaky Cauldron. The british pub fare is incredible. I enjoyed the Fish and Chips and they were probably the best french fries I've ever had. My mom had the pie sampler (cottage pie and meat pie I believe) and she said that was really good as well. The food is well worth the money and the atmosphere is spot on. It looks just like the Leaky Cauldron as described in the book and depicted in the movie.
Tomorrow we explore the world of Hogsmeade! Potter on!
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