Planning a family vacation to Universal Orlando Resort? While there’s something for everyone, these tips for Harry Potter Fans visiting Hogsmeade will help make it an experience to remember. From catching a ride on board the Hogwart’s Express to enjoying a cup of Butterbeer, you’ll feel like you’ve just been transported into a Harry Potter book or movie. Don’t forget to stop and peek in the windows along the way…you may just happen upon some fun surprises.

8 Tips For Harry Potter Fans Visiting Hogsmeade

1. Watch A Wand Pick Its Owner At Ollivander’s Wand Shop
2. Cast Spells With An Interactive Harry Potter Wand
3. Enjoy A Cup Of Butterbeer
4. Find Fun Surprises In The Windows
5. Eat Harry Potter’s Favorite Candies
6. Ride the Hogwarts Express
7. Catch A Demonstration By The Beauxbatons Academy of Magic Students
8. See Hogwart’s Castle

My daughter had been begging to visit The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter ever since she read all seven books in a matter of three months. She’s a huge Harry Potter fan as a kid can be and couldn’t have been more excited when I told her we’d be going to Universal Orlando Resort for her 10th birthday. I  looked forward to it too. I’d become a fan after taking the Harry Potter tour in London, and we’d spent many family movie nights watching the Harry Potter movies. Even my five-year-old was excited!

We had multi-park tickets and decided to spend the first day at Hogsmeade in Universal’s Islands Of Adventure. As we entered the park, we spotted almost as many adults as kids walking around in Hogwarts robes.

While wanted to see all the attractions in the two theme parks, we wanted to see as much as we spent the first day in Hogsmeade and the second in Diagon Alley. There was so much to see and do that we often felt like we’d been transported right into the movies.

These were just a few of our favorite tips for Universal Orlando Resort and a visit to Hogsmeade.

1. Watch A Wand Pick Its Owner At Ollivander’s Wand Shop

Head to Ollivander’s Wand Shop, where the children of Hogwarts are matched with the perfect wand. Groups of 15-20 enter to find a dark shop filled to the ceiling with wands. Once inside, one lucky child will be selected for the experience of being chosen by a wand. Once it’s over, you can head next door and buy a magical wand of your own.

2. Cast Spells With An Interactive Harry Potter Wand

These wands aren’t cheap, but we thought they were totally worth the money. If you’re going to buy one, you’ll want to pay the extra $5 for the interactive wands. My girls had a blast casting spells throughout both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

The wands come with a map showing where to go to cast your spells and which spell to use for each location. Sometimes it took a few tries, but there was usually somebody nearby to help when the spells didn’t work right away. It was entertaining to watch the different objects come to life and exciting for the kids when it was their spell that made it happen!

3. Enjoy A Cup Of Butterbeer

You can’t possibly visit The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter without trying a cup of Butterbeer. We split one between the four of use because it was so so sweet, none of us could drink a full cup. That being said, it had a yummy butterscotch flavor that tasted nothing like actual beer. If it’s a hot day in the park, you can cool off with frozen Butterbeer too.

TravelingMom Tip: We spent our first day in Hogsmeade and waited in a long line to buy our Butterbeer. What we didn’t know was that if we’d gone just a little further (closer to Hogwart’s Castle), there was another Butterbeer stand around the corner to the left, with a much shorter line.

4. Find Fun Surprises In The Windows

Look in the windows as you walk through Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade and you’ll come across some fun surprises. From pictures that talk to plants that come to life, we had fun discovering magic at every turn. You never know what you’re going to find so take a peek into each one and see what you can find.

5. Eat Harry Potter’s Favorite Candies

Head to Honeydukes in Hogsmeade to pick up a package of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans. While you’re there, you can also check out the Chocolate Frogs, Fudge Flies and other favorite candies from the books and movies.

6. Ride the Hogwarts Express

If you have a multi-park pass, you don’t want to miss riding on the Hogwarts Express! Depending on which station you walk through, you’ll see Hedwig (my 5-year-old was convinced she was real) or walk through the wall at Platform 9 3/4.

This isn’t just an ordinary train ride. You’ll be able to eavesdrop on a conversation between Harry, Ron, and Hermione and see chocolate frogs crawling on the door and windows. My girls loved looking out the window to see the Knight Bus, the English countryside and even a glimpse of Voldemort. You’ll want to ride both ways because the experience is different in each direction.

7. Catch A Demonstration By The Beauxbatons Academy of Magic Students

Take a break from walking and watch the students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic put on a demonstration. You may want to get there ahead of time so your little ones can get a good spot. Otherwise, you may have to hold them so that they can see past the crowd.

8. See Hogwart’s Castle

Walk to the end of Hogsmeade to see what is arguably one of the biggest draws, Hogwart’s Castle. You can get a look at the inside while in line for Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey. You’ll see the sorting hat, Dumbledore’s office, live portraits peering at you from the wall and other magical things to entertain you as you wait to board the ride.

While Hogwarts Castle is a sight to see any time of year, you’ll get a special treat if you visit during the Christmas season. The Magic Of Christmas At Hogwarts is a spectacular light show set against the backdrop of Hogwarts. We were completely enthralled.

It was crowded while we were there so we had to wait about 1/2 hour to get in. Since we were there opening weekend, the wait may have been longer than usual. However, everyone in my family agreed that it was totally worth it. Though the holiday celebration ends January 6th, it was so successful that I’d expect to see it again next year.

These were just a few of our tips for The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter. It’s a unique and magical place that should be on every Harry Potter fan’s bucket list.