Remember that snow storm in Hogsmeade Village? It was brutal. Luckily, Honeydukes was still open and we were able to get some Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Whizzbees before ducking into the Hog's Head Tavern for a few pints to warm up.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
You need a wand? Then you'll want to head to Ollivanders. Conveniently located at both the original location in Diagon Alley and the new satellite store in Hogsmeade Village (pictured here).
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
Welcome to Hogsmeade Station, gateway to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry! The designers and engineers at Universal Studios did such a fantastic job in everything that they touched at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that you really feel like you're stepping into Harry's world. If they could just get rid of all of the fanny-pack and rain-poncho wearing muggles, the illusion would be complete! Seriously, though, if you haven't been to the WWoHP and you are a fan of the books, add it to your bucket list. It really is that great!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
This photograph is part of an architectural series at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. The painstaking effort that must have gone into making each of these buildings perfectly imperfect — both inside and out — is really astounding. Hats off to the engineers at Universal Studios!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
We had such a great time wandering around Hogsmeade Village at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Everywhere you turned, you would spot another detail recognizable from the series. This was shot with a 210mm zoom to bring the buildings into tighter formation. You can see the entrance to the Hog's Head in the foreground and the entrance to the Three Broomsticks in the background.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
I had great expectations of the Hog's Head at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it did not disappoint! They even had a house ale! Every once in a while, the head on the wall would start moving, bringing you deeper into the world of Harry Potter.
Despite the massive crowds outside, they did a good job of making it feel like a legit tavern. You could even stand at the bar and order a drink without waiting in a long queue or having to buy a ticket somewhere else.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited with Adobe Lightroom.
Like a scene from Harry Potter, these rickety-looking stairs lead to the upper levels of the Three Broomsticks. Unlike the movies, they're actually adjacent to the Hog's Head bar but I doubt many people complain about the accuracy. For all I know, Hog's Head probably had an upstairs as well but I don't think it did. Harry Potter experts, feel free to set me straight in the comments below!
Either way, the level of detail in creating imperfect, weathered buildings — both on the inside and outside — at Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter is really staggering. The whole time we were in the pub, I just kept dreaming of digging out a basement below our house and creating an authentic circa 1800's pub below grade.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
You can purchase a print of this photograph at Smugmug
I have been looking forward to visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando since I first heard whispered rumors that JK Rowling was in discussions with the theme park. After my first visit, I can say that it did not disappoint! So many details were really well thought out and you get the feeling that they are always going to be expanding and adding new shops and features to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
In conjunction with r/HarryPotter, I am going to be posting a new photo from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter every Wednesday for the next couple of months. If you're a Harry Potter fan, be sure to tune in each week — and if you're a Redditor, subscribe to r/HarryPotter!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
You can purchase a print of this photograph at Smugmug
We spent Spring Break last week in Florida and I finally got to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. What an amazing place for a Harry Potter fan! After trying butterbeer, it seems people are clearly in one of two camps: those who hate it and those who love it. I fall into the latter category!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.