No trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be complete without sitting down for a show from Tales of Beedle the Bard. In this case, we watched "The Tale of the Three Brothers." Pictured here is the third brother revealing himself from underneath his invisibility cloak.
Here's a video from the series if you have no idea what I'm talking about!
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
The fire-breathing dragon that guards Gringott's Bank in Diagon Alley actually breathes fire! I'm sure it took a lot of convincing to get sign-off on giant balls of fire being sprayed out above the crowd but the end result is spectacular.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
We went back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for our second visit and had even more fun than we did the first time. Rather than trying to do all of Universal Studios in a day, we just stayed in the the Wizarding World. The first time we visited, it was — in a very good way — a sensory overload. But this time, we knew what to look for and noticed many more details that have been secreted throughout the park.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
This is what you see the moment you enter Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando. The books and world of Harry Potter instantly come alive all around you. For a fan of the series, it doesn't get any better! Pictured on the right is Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop founded by Fred and George Weasely, located at Number 93 Diagon Alley.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
Flourish & Blotts is one of many detailed storefronts at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. The dragon in the background is perched atop Gringott's Bank, keeping an eye over all of the treasures inside. From time-to-time, he breathes fire towards the muggles and wizards below. It's a bit of a shock the first time you experience it — especially if you are standing directly below it, like I was!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
I have only one complaint about Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village at Universal Orlando: Muggles. I'm pretty sure real wizards don't wear baseball hats and fanny packs. Everything else was perfect and blew away my lofty expectations! If you even remotely enjoyed the Harry Potter books, you can't go wrong with a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
Diagon Alley at Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter is so awesome! I just wish you could go into even more of the stores. Just look at all of the possibilities — I'd pay good money for an invisibility cloak!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.