Harry Potter, the Movie and the Theme Park

One of the coolest things about living in Orlando is being able to enjoy the oh-so-popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Since its opening one year ago, this addition to the theme park has been one of the most talked-about attractions and has enchanted visitors from all over the world (including the stars of the Harry Potter movies themselves). Click here to visit my first blog post about the Wizarding World, and here to see my videos of the Frog Choir and Beauxbatons and Durmstrangs. You can also find more photos on Facebook.

So, what better way to commemorate the end of the Harry Potter movie franchise than with a visit to Universal's Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! First, of course, I had to watch the movie. It was early in the afternoon when I arrived at the AMC Universal Cineplex at Universal's CityWalk. Even though it was opening weekend, the afternoon shows were still available (I noticed that the 7pm show was already sold out). The movie was great! Everything I was hoping for, and more. Adventure, excitement, love, tragedy, heroism, good vs. evil, and a happy ending.

Hog's Head

After the movie, it was time to head straight to the Wizarding World. Our first stop was the Hog's Head Pub for a nice cool mug of frozen butterbeer. After that, we strolled the shops of Hogsmeade and stopped to listen to the Frog Choir. There was a 90-minute wait for the Forbidden Journey, so we decided to skip it today and just meander through the rest of the Wizarding World. I know that there are thousands of people all over the world who are dying to visit this theme park, and I know how lucky I am that I get to visit almost whenever I want. A great benefit of living in Orlando!



All in all, it was a lovely Harry Potter-filled afternoon. I got to watch the final movie and visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter all in one day. Although the movies are over, the experience lives on through the theme park. Thanks J.K. Rowling, and thanks Universal Studios!