Wizarding World West : The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Comes to Universal Studios Hollywood

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park experience opens officially on April 7th at Universal Studios Hollywood. However, since Valentine’s day they have slowly been training their Hogsmede staff by letting in guests to sample all the rides, shops, and restaurants have to offer. I have been lucky enough to be invited twice in the last week to enjoy what Universal has to offer before the big crowds take over this fantasy land that brings the books to life.

I have been to Universal Orlando twice in the last 2 years to get my Harry Potter on so I was expecting to be kinda underwhelmed by what the California version would offer but I found it just as exciting and charming as my first trip to my surprise.

I wore my Ravenclaw robes and school uniform and it truly did feel like the very first time I walked into Hogsmede all over again. It was evening at Hogwarts and the castle was all lit up with a beautiful lumos charm.

My first experience at Wizarding World West was for a 2 hour employee preview night (I highly suggest making a best friend that works for Universal – it’s kinda the bees knees) – We rode the rides, sipped a butterbeer, attended a wand ceremony (where I was chosen to get fitted for my wand… for my first time…let me tell you – the wand that chose me was a huge hideous thing – it’s like when a boy is crushing on you that you have no interest in – I don’t care how much you like me – I am not taking you home… ever). We learned some new spells with the interactive wands….

and mostly I just wandered around the shops trying to see if there was any new merchandise I had never seen before (because I am obsessed with the clothes… duh…)

Then… like no time had passed at all, our 2 hours were up.

Luckily another friend that works at Universal invited myself and some friends to come a couple days later and we got a full day and a chance to eat at the 3 Broomsticks (which was only serving butterbeer on preview night)

We tried the Fish ‘n Chips and the Bangers & Mash and the food at The 3 Broomsticks is so much better than any theme park food should ever be. I highly recommend eating there if you are going to be in the park. I also sipped on a Pumpkin Juice (not my first time having one of these delicious beverages – made of apple juice and pumpkin spices… I drank my drink much quicker than the Dragonscale Lager my companions had)

The Big Ride – Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey has a lot of rumors floating around regarding making people motion sick – I will let you know my thoughts – I get motion sick on everything – I rode this ride 2 years ago in Orlando and I was fine – partially because i don’t want anything to come between me and Harry Potter Fun – when I was in Orlando this past December they had changed the ride to make it less jerky and I got super sick – I was expecting the same changes to have happened with this ride in Los Angeles – however, I was delightfully surprised to find that the ride here was very similar to the original ride and made me very minimally motion sick… even though this ride has been upgraded and is in 3D.

What did I wear the 2nd trip to WWW (Wizarding World West) Why my Quidditch Dress that was custom made for me from Harry Potter Bedsheets by Camille Falciola at Frakkin Frocks.