Universal Studios Opens Harry Potter Diagon Alley
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Today is the grand opening of Universal Studios Orlando’s newest attraction, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley. The highly anticipated event is another major milestone for Universal Studios and Orlando tourism.
The new attraction opens four years after the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure. After the success of the first Wizarding World, Universal decided to expand the popular attraction with an addition in the Universal Studios half of the park.
Like the original Hogsmeade theme park, Diagon Alley features rides and attractions straight out of the Harry Potter books. While Hogsmeade set the scene for Hogwarts castle and its nearby village, Diagon Alley offers shops from the underground wizarding village in London. You can easily travel back and forth between the two parks on the Hogwarts Express train. To ride the Hogwarts Express, guests must purchase a two-park ticket.
The most anticipated ride at Diagon Alley is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The thrilling new ride allows visitors to travel through the vaults of Gringotts Wizarding Bank to escape goblins and a fire breathing dragon. The ride also features commentary from the character Bellatrix Lestrange, played by Helena Bonham Carter.
As you walk through the alley you can visit the same shops where Harry, Ron, and Hermione bought their school supplies and treats. The park will also debut a new restaurant, the Leaky Cauldron. Here, old favorites like Butterbeer will be joined by new items such as bangers and mash and “Toad in the Hole”.
The park opened from at 9a.m. and will be open until 10p.m. this evening. Two-park tickets for adults are $136 per day and $130 for children. Guest can also choose to visit Diagon Alley and Universal Studios theme parks separately for a lower price.
Since the tickets are a bit pricey, a great way to save money on your trip is through your accommodations. Many travelers have found that renting a timeshare in Orlando will allow you to save a great deal. If you plan to visit Universal and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter every year, you may also want to look into buying a timeshare in Orlando.
For information about Orlando timeshare resales and rentals, check out SellMyTimeshareNow.com.
