Your broom just landed at the ultimate list of unexpected services available, commonly overlooked features, money saving tricks, and Harry Potter World tips for finding extra magic while visiting the Wizarding World.

Harry Potter World Tips

Seven Little Known Services

Interactive Wand Exchange

Wands are bound to be dropped, stuffed into lockers, or scraped along surfaces.

There are not any electronics inside the wand though so the only damage that will prevent spells from working is a scratch on the black reflective, dome like tip.

Not to worry though, if this happens, staff at any of the wand retailers in the park will be glad to offer a free wand in exchange. Based on the category of our original wand, my son chose a replacement from a wall of about 12 different options.

Height Certificates

We knew in advance it would be a long shot to gain admission to Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. The minimum height is 48″ and my 6 year old seems to have stalled out at 47.5″ for a few months now.

To his delight though, he was awarded with a Height Certificate. When he redeems this certificate on a later visit, he and his companions (up to 5) are able to skip the line!

Just ask the team member stationed outside the ride entrance and they will fill out a certificate for your child. (Most importantly, try your best not to lose it or forget it on your next trip!)

Wizard Money

I didn’t bother with a money exchange when I came without kids, but my oldest son really liked having tangible wizard money to shop at Honeyduke’s and Florian’s.

You can exchange “muggle money” for Gringotts Bank Notes in increments of $10 each. They each have a barcode and are redeemed like a gift certificate anywhere in Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and other locations around the theme park.

Head to the Gringott’s Money Exchange desk in Diagon Alley to get your hands on this fun form of currency!

Unused wizard money can be exchanged back to muggle money or kept as a souvenir.

Read on to learn about the talking goblin.

Secret Drink Menu

In addition to Butterbeer, you can find alcoholic beers at Hog’s Head, most noteworthy is the layered beer, called the “Triple” or formerly “Deathly Hallows.” It is part of the secret menu of drinks you can order in the Wizarding World.

Curious about the secret menu items? Here are some more to look for:

• Hog’s Tea – Long Island Iced Tea
• Hog’s Bite – Strongbow + Hog’s Head
• Triple/Deathly Hallows – Strongbow + Hog’s Head + Guinness
• Pumpkin Fizz – Carbonated Pumpkin Juice (non alcoholic)

Owl Post

Visit the Owl Post in either Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley to mail a card or package anywhere in the USA.

They have their own cancellation stamp too! We mailed ourselves a card to keep as a souvenir.

Wand Engraving

For $30, you can have your new wand engraved with whatever you’d like, up to 11 characters.

There are a few conditions though:

• The wand must be purchased the same day on which you request engraving, so you cannot bring in an old wand to have this customization added.
• The wand must be an interactive wand.
• You can usually choose up to 11 characters, unless you have a particular style wand that accommodates more characters.

Wand orders are picked up in Borgin and Burkes if you order in Diagon Alley or in Heraldry (in the Lost Continent) if you order personalization in Hogsmeade. They quote about a 45 minute wait from the time of the order.

Child Swap

If anyone in your party does not wish to ride, or is not tall enough for a certain attraction, there is a family room at the start of each ride. This is the “Child Swap” area.

One adult remains with the child(ren) staying back while the rest of the party enjoys the ride. Then when they return, the chaperoning adult gets a chance to ride without rejoining the line.

Bonus Magic & Often Overlooked Details

Anonymous Packages Delivered by Owl Post

I dug myself a little too deep with this magical surprise, but I still really loved the reaction it got and wanted to share my idea with you.

Prior to heading the theme park, I grabbed a few small bags and wrapped items in parchment and twine.

While perusing the Owl Post in Hogsmeade, I planted a package on a shelf, prominently displaying his name and waited for him to discover it. His eyes went wide and even wider when he found the chocolate frog in the first package.

He wanted to keep coming back to see if he got another package. The cashier even played along for one of them, saying she got a package a few moments ago from an owl, but wasn’t sure who “Liam” was until she’d overheard me speaking with him.

He’s convinced Harry Potter was his anonymous sender. I didn’t think the place could get any more magical, but there you have it.

Dial MAGIC

In the London area of the park, you’ll see an iconic red phonebooth. Lots of people take photographs outside, but be sure to step inside and call the Ministry of Magic. Dial 62442, or “MAGIC.”

It was also a unique opportunity to teach kids about what a rotary phone is.

Chat with the Goblin at the Gringotts’s Money Exchange Desk

I mentioned above that you can exchange your muggle money for wizard money. While you’re there, be sure to chat up the crotchety goblin behind the desk.

Here are some examples of things to ask:

• Do you have any sickles?
• How old are you?
• Where are we right now?
• What’s your name?

My six-year-old was pretty creeped out by his voice and insisted I didn’t talk to any goblins while we were in the main Gringotts Bank waiting for the Escape from Gringotts ride.

Talking Mirror

Find the mirror inside Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions that will comment on your attire.

She wasn’t particularly fond of mine, but my son was quite pleased with her compliments of him as a young wizard.

Giant, Moving Snake

I hadn’t noticed the snakes on my first three visits to Diagon Alley as they are tucked at the back of the Magical Menagerie store, adjacent to a small alleyway.

They’re massive and slither ever so slowly. Find out if you can understand Parseltongue and pay them a visit.

Monster Book of Monsters

A few spots to see the frightfully entertaining Monster Book of Monsters are:

1. Dervish & Banges – Caged inside to keep spectators safe. It will appear to be asleep, but patience will pay off.
2. Flourish & Blotts – In the window display with stacks of swaying books.
3. Wisacres – Where you can buy a copy to take home!

Wizard Chess

My son was always fascinated by the game of Wizard Chess so when he found the giant animated pieces in the Zonko’s Joke Shop window, he was thrilled and watched them for a good 10 minutes.

Zonko’s is adjacent to Honeyduke’s (Hogsmeade) and its facade is all there is, as it houses a section of Honeyduke’s behind the wall.

For Wizarding tricks, go to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley.

Sorting Hat

At the end of the queue for the Forbidden Journey ride inside Hogwarts Castle, you’ll find the sorting hat!

Even though we took the “chicken exit” (more on that later) because my son was afraid of the dementors on the ride, the team let us walk in a little farther to see the sorting hat. Make sure to ask!

Chat with the Universal Team Members

Many team members really get into character, plus they know the ins and outs of the park!

My personal favorite was the train station attendant at King’s Cross who sounded completely Clueless about any such Platform 9 ¾ nor a place called Hogsmeade. My son turned to me and whispered, “she must be a muggle.”

Lots of the ride operators working the Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey ride are serving their detentions from Filch. Ask them what they did to get detention.

Moaning Myrtle

Listen carefully for the droning of Myrtle while in the bathrooms in Hogsmeade.

Knockturn Alley

Unless you’re looking for it, you may miss the unassuming entrances to Knockturn Alley located next to the Leaky Cauldron or across from the restrooms in the back-left of Diagon Alley.

Inside the alley, you’ll find the seedy Dark Arts store, Borgin and Burkes.

The darkness and spooky window displays were enough to have my son pulling me out towards the sunshine quickly so this picture is from a previous visit.

The Shrunken Head

The shrunken head on the Knight Bus will talk to you.

Make sure to go around the back of the bus to get a better look inside.

The Kreacher at Grimmauld Place

The Black family’s house elf, Kreacher, can be seen peeking out the window every couple minutes at Grimmauld Place in London.

Live Shows

Check your Universal Orlando app for live shows like the Triwizard Spirit Rally, Tales of Beedle the Bard, the Frog Choir, and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees.

Seasonal Night Shows

At certain times of year, a dazzling light display illuminates Hogwarts Castle. Here are the three shows:

Hogwarts Always

Throughout the summer months, starting at dusk, a 7-8 minute narrated light show is put on. There are four variations of the show, as each night a different house is named the winner of the House Cup.

The show repeats every 20 minutes.

Tip: Flight of the Hippogriff remains open during the show, so since my son was more interested in that than the lights, I watched Hogwarts Always while we waited in light / rode the rollercoaster. (It has a great view, actually, and got us out of the swarms of people.)

Dark Arts Show

Catch this show during the Halloween season. It runs in tandem with Universal’s Halloween Horror nights.

Christmas Light Show

Runs Mid November to Early January.

Character Appearances

Check the Universal App for a schedule of live character appearances, including the Knight Bus driver and the Hogwarts Express conductor. We even saw a group from the Ministry of Magic, likely due to the grand opening in 2025 of the Ministry of Magic area coming to Universal’s newest park, Epic Universe.

The Best View of Hogwarts

You will find the best photo op on the bridge that leads to Jurassic World.

This is also a great spot to watch the night shows, but it fills up early and you can only access the bridge via Hogsmeade (they close the entrance from Jurassic World before dusk.)

Fire Breathing Dragon

This is almost impossible to miss, but I did hear a couple people ask “what’s everyone waiting for” so I wanted to be sure I inform you of what the fuss is about.

Every 10 minutes, the dragon atop Gringotts breathes fire. You can actually feel the heat and you’ll want to snap a photo, like all these people are waiting to do here.

Spot a Mandrake

You will walk through the Herbology greenhouse in the queue for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, however none of the plants are animated.

Find a squirming Mandrake inside the window of Dogweed & Deathcap in Hogsmeade.

Saving Money

I wrote a whole article about saving money on a Universal Studios trip, so I’ll focus here on just the wallet friendly Harry Potter World tips.

Buy Harry Potter Candy Outside the Park

The cheapest chocolate frog we found inside the park was $14 (or 3 for $35.) I paid $4.50 at Party City for them and about $2.50 for Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans ($11 in the park). Five Below carries a wider assortment of options too.

Pre-purchase Apparel

If you or your family wish to don a Hogwarts Robe, consider purchasing them outside the park where you’ll save at least 50% on the cost. Same goes for tee shirts, Spectrespecs, Harry Potter glasses, etc.

Consider a Second Hand Wand

This hack isn’t for everyone, but it saved us $45 per wand and choosing our own wand inside the park wasn’t a must do experience for us.

We found loads of Ollivanders Interactive wands around our hometown for just $15-20 on Facebook Marketplace. We were glad we didn’t pay full price, as the allure of spell casting wore off after about 20 minutes.

Make sure the wand has the dome like, black shiny tip before you buy it. It should also have an interactive map in the box.

For peace of mind, remember that if your wand doesn’t work, you can simply bring it to a wand retailer where they will test it and give you options for a free exchange. (See more on this above.)

Pickup a Free Harry Potter Souvenir

Any wand retailer inside the park will give you a free interactive wand map upon request. The maps are beautifully designed with Diagon Alley on one side and Hogsmeade on the other.

We framed two of ours and have them hanging as wall decor. (11×17 maps)

Purchase your Universal Tickets at a Discount

You can save money and receive digital passes instantly through Undercover Tourist. We saved about $16 per ticket.

Where to Eat

There are two restaurants in the Wizarding World.

The Leaky Cauldron

Located in Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron is a great spot to grab breakfast before their lunch rush! You can view their full menu here.

Three Broomsticks

The busiest time to grab a table at Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade is from 11:30-2pm. At 1:45pm we waited 25 minutes to be seated while we prepared our order in the app.

When you’re seated at the table, you enter your table number in the app and they’ll begin preparing it. From there, we waited another 35 minutes.

Bring activities to entertain the family while you wait for your food!

Here’s the full menu. The kids meals are the best value here, in my opinion.

Florean Fortescue’s

If you’re visiting Diagon Alley on a hot summer day, a stop here is a must.

They have loads of soft serve flavors, including the Butterbeer ice cream. They also have Hard Pack ice cream and sundaes too.

Butterbeer Vendors

There are a number of places to find Butterbeer in all its forms. Hogsmeade has two Butterbeer street carts, plus Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head. Diagon Alley sells it at the Leaky Cauldron, The Fountain of Fair Fortune (most charming establishment), and The Hopping Pot.

Be sure to try Frozen Butterbeer, Cold Butterbeer, Hot Butterbeer, or Butterbeer ice cream depending on the weather! (Butterbeer is non alcoholic and costs about $9.50 or $6.70 for ice cream.)

Harry Potter World Tips for Rides

Wait Time Alert Feature on the Universal App

If you’re tired of checking the app over and over again so you don’t miss a golden opportunity to breeze through a popular ride’s queue, then you’ve got to check out on of my favorite Harry Potter World tips.

The Universal App allows you to set a threshold to receive a notification if the ride’s wait time drops down below the number of minutes you selected.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use the Chicken Exit

Even if you know your kids are too short, or too scared, to ride a certain ride, you should still walk through the queue. They are an experience all of their own. When you reach the spot where you’d normally board the ride, a team member will point you toward the (“Chicken”) Exit.

In line for the Flight of the Hippogriff you can get up-close with Buckbeak and see Hagrid’s Hut.

At Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, you wind through Hogwarts Castle; the Herbology Classroom, Dark Arts Classroom, Gryffindor Classroom, Dumbledore’s Office, and even see the sorting hat!

At Escape from Gringotts you’ll walk through the monumental lobby of Gringotts bank where the goblins are diligently working on their ledgers. You’ll watch a brief show in Bill Weasley’s office before heading down deep into the vault via elevator.

The last two of these rides require that you use the locker for bags, but if you tell them you are just going to check out the line and not ride, they’ll let you carry them through.

Beware: It’s Dark

Sharing a lesson learned in case you find your little ones are more hesitant than you would’ve thought. Even though young kids are tall enough for many of the rides, they may not be ready for the content.

My 6 year old was very freaked out by the dark corridors of Hogwarts and even more so on The Escape from Gringotts. He buried his head in my shoulder for the whole ride. After that, I wasn’t going to take him on The Forbidden Journey ride (as it features spiders and dementors).

I warned him about the dementors on the train, but they still freaked him out so that was the only time we did the ride from Diagon to Hogsmeade. We rode three more times, but always Hogsmeade to Diagon.

I should note that he’d only read books 1-3 with me and has only seen the first movie and the rated-G parts of the 2nd and 3rd movie.

Hogwarts Express

Special Ticket Required

If you hope to ride the Hogwarts Express, be sure to purchase a park-to-park ticket which allows you to move between both parks on a single day. Your ticket will be scanned upon entering either the Hogsmeade or King’s Cross station.

Not sure what I mean? Hogsmeade is part of Universal’s Island of Adventure park whereas Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios. The train acts as a people mover & ride between the two parks.

Ride It Each Way

The experience is unique depending on which direction you are traveling.

Getting Selected at Ollivanders Wand Ceremony

One of the Harry Potter World tips I was given before we went was that if you want to be chosen for the ceremony, stand up tall and hold eye contact with Ollivander so that they get a sense you’re not too shy for the attention.

(They typically choose a child.)

My son had no interest in being selected so he wrapped his arm around my leg sending a clear signal he did not want the limelight.

Universal Express Passes

You should know that Universal Express Passes are currently not accepted at Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure.

If you’re trying to decide whether a Universal Express Pass is worth the splurge during your visit, here’s a rule of thumb.

Check the price calendar. The higher the price of the Express Pass, the busier Universal expects to be that day, therefore you’ll get more benefit from having one.

Closing Thoughts on Harry Potter World Tips

Harry Potter World remains one of the most magical places you can take your kids to watch their eyes light up with wonder. As an adult I felt it too!

With these Harry Potter World tips, you’ll save money and rest assured you experienced the park to its fullest.

Save these Harry Potter World tips for Later

Catherine – Savvy Family Travel

My favorite pastime is finding fun, interesting experiences to share with family and friends.

I’m a mom of two energetic and curious boys who have endless patience with my tendency to over plan activities on our family vacations. My tireless husband, Troy, provides comic relief, is our favorite photographer, and expert navigator.

I’m a firm believer that travel with kids doesn’t have to be intimidating or expensive. It can be affordable, epic, and, dare I say, even relaxing!

Are you a travel loving parent too? I’d love to meet you, please reach out via Messenger and say “hi!”

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