I just got done visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Island of Adventure. I had a great time, but let’s explain what this is. This is a small section inside of Island of Adventure like Jurassic Park or the Marvel Comic section.

Inside the section there are five things to get in line for. One is an old roller coaster, that was here before Harry Potter, called Dueling Dragons. Another is a kids roller coaster where you ride a hippogryph.

Then there is Hogwarts. This ride is like the old Back to the Future ride or the Spiderman ride. You get in a thing of seats that look like four confessionals lined up side by side and ride off to see the gang from Harry Potter. You are pulled in front of a curved projection screen that is around your cart as you are moving through the land of Hogwarts. The curved screen mixed with the quality of the video being shown on the screen will make you insanely motion sick.

The next two things you can wait in line for are a capitalists wet dream. Sheer genius. I don’t know how they pull this off, but they do and it works. Gift shops. Let me type this again in italics. Gift shops. Wait 30 minutes in line to go in a gift shop. Sure, they are small gift shops, but it’s not about fire hazards or preventing overcrowding. Once inside you are told you are seeing unique items that you cannot find anywhere else inside or outside the park. This is a lie to trick you into thinking you have to buy something right away. You don’t. You can buy all the things at other gift shops in the park without waiting in line. You can buy almost everything in there outside of the park. Once you are inside one kf these two gift shops you can stay as long as you want, just know they will put around 20 more people in every 10 minutes even if it’s too full.

The place is great, don’t get me wrong. I had a great time. I ate breakfast at The Three Broomsticks and I loved the Butterbeer. The town of Hogsmead is amazing.