1-Day Itinerary for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️

Fans of The Boy Who Lived will want much more than a day at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ at Universal Orlando Resort, but if you’ve got limited time, you can still fit all the highlights into a one-day itinerary.

Walk down the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley, explore the village of Hogsmeade, and ride the Hogwarts Express. There’s so much fun to be had in Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Here’s a perfect itinerary for exploring all the Harry Potter highlights in one day.

1-day Wizarding World of Harry Potter itinerary

Before you visit:

• Make sure you have a ticket to both Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida so you can travel between them - our Universal tickets include access to both

• Check the opening times for the Universal parks – these change depending on the season

   

Morning: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ - Diagon Alley™️ at Universal Studios Florida

8.45am: We’re starting this one-day itinerary at Universal Studios Florida. Arrive before the park opens. This gives you enough time to get to the park entrance, ready to discover the magic as soon as the gates open. The parks usually open around 9am, so try to get there just before.

9am: Make your way to the back of the park to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️. Although there are lots of exciting things at Universal Studios that catch your eye as you walk in, head straight to the back to beat the crowds.

9.15am: We think it’s best to start your adventures at Diagon Alley, just like Harry did when he first became a wizard. Before you get there, you’ll walk through the familiar streets of London, where you’ll spot the enormous Knight Bus and the ancestral home of the Black family – Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

9.30am: Prepare to be transported to somewhere truly magical as you step onto the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. You’ll be surrounded by an assortment of shops, but the thing that grabs every muggle’s attention is the huge fire-breathing dragon that guards Gringotts Bank!

9.45am: Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is one of the park’s most popular attractions, so it’s best to get here as early as possible for a shorter wait time. You won’t want to miss this – although be prepared for an up-close encounter with He Who Must Not Be Named!

10.30am: Next, it’s time to get yourself the ultimate accessory for witches and wizards – a wand! The best place to go for this is, of course, Ollivanders. When you step inside, you’ll see thousands of boxes of wands stacked right up to the ceiling.

As you know, the wand chooses the witch or wizard, so prepare for a surprise. If you purchase an interactive wand, you’ll be able to create your very own magic as you cast spells throughout The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️.

11am: Spend some time exploring the many shops along Diagon Alley. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes is the colourful emporium owned by the Weasley twins, Fred and George, and it’s filled with jokes and mysterious objects.

You can also pick up writing supplies for your next term at Hogwarts from Scribbulus, wizard robes from Madam Malkin’s, and quidditch gear from Quality Quidditch Supplies. Slytherins will love Borgin and Burkes for their dark arts objects.

11.40am: After all that souvenir shopping, you’ll have worked up an appetite, so head to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. This is one of our favourite places to go for a refreshing treat, and it’s a great way to cool down from the Floridian sunshine. They even have Butterbeer-flavoured ice cream!

Enjoy one of the impressive stage shows while you eat your ice cream. Depending on what time you arrive, you’ll be able to hear Mrs Weasley’s favourite singer, Celestina Warbeck, perform, or you’ll discover the fascinating tales of Beedle the Bard.

12 noon: Make your way to Kings Cross station for a journey on the Hogwarts Express. Head through the solid brick wall onto Platform 9 ¾ and then onto this gleaming steam train which will take you straight to Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure. You’ll need to have a ticket with park-to-park access to be able to do this.

Look out for your favourite characters along the way, as there’s lots of action going on through those train windows.

Afternoon: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ - Hogsmeade™️ at Universal Islands of Adventure

12.45pm: When you leave the station and step into the village of Hogsmeade, the stunning surroundings will take your breath away. The shops have snow-covered roofs and magical window displays. You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped straight into the movies.

12.55pm: Head to The Three Broomsticks to refuel. The rustic tavern from the books and movies is the perfect place for a spot of lunch. Indulge in hearty dishes like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and spare ribs, and quench your thirst with an ice-cold glass of the famous Butterbeer. Fans will love this sweet caramel-flavoured drink!

1.55pm: Spend some time looking around the shops. Be sure to visit Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, and Dervish and Banges. Send a postcard home with an official Hogsmeade stamp at Owl Post and get a sweet treat at Honeydukes sweet shop. We love the cauldron cupcakes, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and Butterbeer-flavoured fudge.

2.55pm: If you’re a Harry Potter fan (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), you’ve probably imagined what it would be like to get your owl and go to Hogwarts. Well, now’s your chance! At the end of the street, you’ll see the towering castle – a truly spectacular moment and a fantastic photo opportunity.

3.20pm: Hogsmeade has two fantastic shows to enjoy during your visit. The Frog Choir features talented Hogwarts students performing magical hits, while the Triwizard Spirit Rally sees students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang make an appearance. Both performances are near the Hogwarts castle.

3.50pm: Now that you’ve seen the castle from the outside, it’s time to go in! On Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, you’ll walk through the Hogwarts corridors before flying through the castle and soaring high above the grounds.

4.30pm: Next to Hogwarts, you’ll find the Flight of the Hippogriff attraction. This family-friendly roller coaster twists and turns around a pumpkin patch before it swoops past Hagrid’s hut.

5.30pm: Join Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class and learn more about the rare fantastic beasts that call the Forbidden Forest home on the fun, family-friendly roller coaster Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Sit on a motorbike or in the sidecar and surge over multiple dips and drops, reaching speeds of up to 50mph.

Evening: Hogwarts Always at Hogwarts Castle

When it goes dark, enjoy the spectacular night-time performance of The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle. This stunning show sees Hogwarts illuminated with the vibrant colours of the four school houses. This show runs on select dates throughout the year, so double-check this before your visit. When it is on, the Hogwarts Always shows continuously from dawn to park close, so you’ll have plenty of time to catch the projections and fireworks.

End the evening by boarding the Hogwarts Express. You may think you’ve already ticked this off your list, but the journey is completely different each way, so it’s well worth experiencing it twice. As you pull up at King’s Cross station and leave the train, you’ll know you’re leaving the park with plenty of magical memories.

Where is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ is at Universal Orlando Resort. It is spread over two (soon to be three – see below!) of the Universal parks. With a Universal 3-Park Explorer Ticket, you’ll have 14 days to visit the incredible theme parks and spend some time in the Wizarding World.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ is located towards the back of Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure.

Here’s what you’ll find at each park:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ locations

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ rides and attractions

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ food and drink

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ shops

How many hours should you spend at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

We recommend spending a whole day exploring the two Wizarding Worlds. When Universal Epic Universe opens, you’ll need even more time to experience the Ministry of Magic, too. Big fans of the franchise therefore might want to spend more time here.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ Ministry of Magic™️ at Universal Epic Universe

So, we said you could fit all the highlights of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ into one day of your Florida holiday, but that might not be the case soon! Universal Epic Universe, a brand-new Universal theme park, will open on 22nd May 2025, and guests can discover a new era of magic here.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️ Ministry of Magic™️ will blend 1920s wizarding Paris, as seen in Warner Bros. Pictures Fantastic Beasts films, with the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series.

There will be live shows, street entertainment, dining experiences, wands, and fantastic beasts. Universal Epic Universe tickets are on sale now, so if you’ve got your 2025 Orlando holiday booked, you can be amongst the first to visit the park.

As we mentioned before, if you’re a big Harry Potter fan, you’ll want to spend more than a day here as there really is so much to see. Our Universal 3-Park Explorer Ticket gives you admission to all 3 Universal parks for 14 days and lets you ride the Hogwarts Express! Or, if you’re visiting after May 22nd 2025, our Universal 3-Park Explorer PLUS 1-Day Universal Epic Universe Ticket will also give you 1 day’s access to Universal Epic Universe and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic.

Ready to start planning your vacation? Have a look at our great value Universal Orlando Resort tickets.