From Tracie: Your Wizard Wand Really Works In Diagon Alley (Plus The Grand Opening Date!)

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Your Wizard Wand Really Works In Diagon Alley (Plus The Grand Opening Date!)

It is time to seriously talk about opening dates for Diagon Alley and wizard wands that really work.

What? Wands that really work?

Yes! (I'm excited, too.)

But first, the opening day for Diagon Alley has finally been announced!

Diagon Alley Opening Day

July 8, 2014 is the official grand opening day for Diagon Alley!

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor Diagon Alley

On July 8th, you will be able to ride on the Hogwarts Express, eat strawberry and peanut-butter ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour, visit (and escape from) Gringotts Wizarding Bank, eat traditional British food at the Leaky Cauldron (there is a lot of eating in the Wizarding World), and visit all your favorite Diagon Alley shops, and enjoy live entertainment like the preformance of stories from The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

Tale Of The Three Brothers - The First Brother

There will also be interactive experiences in Diagon Alley. Including one involving wands that I have been geeking out over since I read about it.


Ollivanders wand shop will offer interactive wands that really work throughout the Wizarding World. When you buy one of these wands, you will get a map that marks all the places your wand will work. There are also bronze medallions marking the shop windows where you can cast spells.

Here is a video of George, Fred, and Ginny Weasley working some magic with one of these wands.


Isn't that awesome?

I love all the small details Universal includes in the Wizarding World.

One last thing I found while I was stalking reading the Universal Orlando Blog. Universal has released a new app for iOS and Android as well as free, park-wide wifi. The app will help you monitor wait times for rides and show times, as well as helping you find your way around the park. More functions are expected to be added in future. I haven't tried it yet, but I definitely plan on giving it a go the next time I visit Universal.

This has been your Diagon Alley update for the week. Not to say there won't be more updates, because there can never be too much talk about Harry Potter and Diagon Alley.

And, just because it never gets old, I am going to leave you with one more picture of the Ukranian Ironbelly dragon sitting on top of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. This time at night, with a great view of a row of shops on Diagon Alley. If you look closely, you can see The Daily Prophet!

Diagon Alley at night with The Daily Prophet

What are you most excited to see or do in Diagon Alley?

*This post is in no way sponsored. I just love Harry Potter, and am super excited about Diagon Alley and the chance to swish and flick my way to feather levitation!

21 comments:

  1. My kids would love to visit Universal and see Dragon Alley. Both are harry Potter fans!

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  2. i'm sure Harry Potter fans can't wait for the opening of Diagon Alley! If we're ever at Universal I'm going to add this to my wish list of places to visit!

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  3. I seriously so want to go, but not sure when we will get there anytime soon just getting our puppy, but still maybe sometime next year. So excited to hear all about Diagon Alley now :)

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  4. I Can't Wait To Take The Kids To This They Love Harry Potter, Great Review!!

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  5. I'm having a major geek out session. It opens on the same day as my Aunt's birthday and she was the one who got us the free trip there because she's been a longtime employee.
    If I come, you come too. Deal?

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  6. wow this would be so fun to visit! I didn't even know they were making this! Thanks for sharing!

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  7. My kids have not read Harry Potter yet, but I WANT TO GO!

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  8. I am seriously going to try to get there. We are big HP fans and how cool is that?

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  9. Wow ... looks like they put so much into this. It is going to be exciting.

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  10. Wow! That is really cool! I love Harry Potter movies! I would LOVE to go to this!

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  11. OMG, this is my DREAM! I cannot wait to get there.

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  12. Interesting, sounds like something my husband would definitely enjoy.

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  13. I would love to go there! Looks like so much fun!

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  14. Oh my kids would so love to do that. They are big Harry Potter fans.

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  15. at home not only my kids are harry potters fans but so my husband and I we are already planning vacations to diagon alley

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  16. I can say I never read Harry Potter but my kids would love to go to this part of Universal.

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  17. I'm an adult and I'm excited about this new part of Orlando Universal Studios! It looks so much like how I imagined when reading the books - such a great experience for kids and adults, alike!

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  18. I so want to go to Wizarding World. Kids and I are reading through the Harry Potter series for our IRL book club. We are almost done with the Order of the Phoenix. Thanks for stopping by my blog for my book giveaway!

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    1. Awesome!! This would be the perfect wrap up for your book club! :)

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