Originally, we were just going to do Disney World. Our plans were to just visit Disney World, explore Toy Story Land and experience all the new stuff at Walt Disney World, and stuff we hadn't had the chance to do yet. We had already visited Universal Orlando two years ago and pretty much did everything we could during that trip, thinking we wouldn't be returning for a good long while. We even splurged to "Stay Onsite for Maximum Universal Experience"! 

But, Universal Orlando is a totally and completely different experience in its own right that we couldn't stay away! It wasn't in our original plans, but it was something we could squeeze in! So we decided to do a quick Universal Studios with our initial three days to maximize our time at Universal Orlando. 

Because we stayed onsite last time, I opted to choose an offsite hotel this time, so that I could compare against the onsite experience. I know exactly how expensive an Orlando vacation can be for a family, and as much as many would like to choose the onsite experience, many times it might not be in the budget to do so. And the price and options of offsite hotels are very attractive so I wanted to evaluate the offsite hotel experience this time. 

We stayed at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando, the offsite hotel located closest to the entrance of Universal Orlando Resort, a large and comfortable hotel, that is within walking distance to the parks. Other hotels in the area would be the Holiday Inn Express and the Hyatt Place Orlando. 

So While the hotel itself is a lovely hotel, with large spacious rooms, restaurants and heated pools with extended hours, being so close to the parks but not being "onsite" was actually more of a detriment than I realized as we just wanted to be "onsite" the whole time we were there. 

And while it is within walking distance to the parks.....it's about a 20 minute walk to the entrance....in August....in Florida heat and humidity. So you must be prepared for that.

Offsite shuttles - yes there are complimentary shuttles that take you to the park and they run each hour throughout the day (each hotel will have their own shuttle schedule). But are they convenient?? Not so much. At our hotel, we had to pre-book and pre-register for a shuttle everyday, by 7pm the night before. No biggie. We registered for our shuttle on the day of arrival for the next day. We arrived 15 minutes before the shuttle time and stood in line to get onto the bus. As the shuttle bus started to fill up, the bus was considered "full" with another family ahead of us in line so we were not permitted on this bus (even though we had pre-registered for this time). We were advised we had to either wait for the next bus (in one hour), our we could make alternate arrangements to get to the parks (Uber, Lyft, taxi or walk). 

We ended up walking because we didn't want to wait until the next bus. The other family had a stroller and young kids so they chose to use a ride-sharing service instead. 

And then we didn't end up using the offsite shuttle service at all because we were in the parks all day, and didn't return before 7pm each night to reserve our pick up times for the next day. So for us, the complimentary shuttles from the offsite hotel did not offer us any value or use during our trip. 

What's New in CityWalk? 

Voodoo Doughnuts - nothing like a sugary sweet delectable treat to start your morning! Originally started in Portland, Oregon, the Voodoo Doughnut craze has been extended beyond to locations at Universal Studios Hollywood in California, and at Universal Orlando in Florida! We had walked by the California location last time so we decided to actually stop in this time to see what the craze was all about! 

​Verdict: Best Donut ever!! 

Toothsome's Chocolate Emporium 

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen is another cool experience to check out! It wasn't open yet when we were there last time so another "must do" on this trip, offering specialty milkshakes, sundaes and other savory feasts.​

And of course there's a back story to the Emporium! 

All the delectable treats inside! 

And of course, not to miss out on their signature milkshakes and sundaes! There are many to choose from and soooo hard to pick one! 

And if you're lucky enough, you may even get a chance to catch a glimpse of Ms Penelope herself managing all the chocolate production treats happening in the emporium.

It was nice to stop and enjoy some treats in City Walk outside of the parks. Sometimes we get so focused on all the fun inside the parks, we forget to check out all the food, entertainment and shopping opportunities outside of the parks! 

Whether you decide to stay onsite or offsite at Universal Orlando, it is definitely a destination in itself, and worth experiencing as its own destination over a day trip from Disney World. Though it may not require as much planning as a Walt Disney World Vacation, there are still lots of little tips and tricks to navigate the parks, especially if you are a Harry Potter fan! Let me know how I can help you book and plan your Universal Orlando Resorts Vacation! 
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Universal Studios Florida consists of two theme parks (soon to be three, with Volcano Bay, a new Universal waterpark expected to open in Spring 2017).

1. Universal Studios Florida
2. Universal’s Islands of Adventure

If you are planning on visiting Universal Studios JUST for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, there are two different areas, Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley, one located in each park and connected by the Hogwarts Express. 

If you only have one day to visit Universal Studios, you have the option to purchase a one day park ticket where you choose either park to visit for the day. You can also choose a 1 day park-to-park ticket, which would give you access to both parks on the same day. If you are looking to ride on the Hogwarts Express, you will need a park-to-park ticket to ride this attraction (and they check your admission tickets at the both King’s Cross Station, and Hogsmeade Station before you board.)

Other upgrades to your tickets include the Express Pass, which permits you Front of the Line Access to most of the attractions once. This is a great option if you are short on time and want to experience as much as you can during your visit. Skip to the front of the line and you don’t need to waste valuable time waiting in line. Or, if you want to experience an attraction more than once, you can upgrade to the Unlimited Express Pass which grants you Front of the Line Access to most of the attraction with unlimited access to skip to the front of the line! Ride each attraction over and over as many times as you like! 

Please note that the attractions in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter are not eligible for the Express Pass services. All guests must wait in regular lines to access the rides. If you stay onsite and book a Universal Studios Vacation Package, onsite guests receive Early Admission one hour before the park opens to the public so guests can visit the park early and experience the attractions with minimal wait times in the morning. 

Can’t decide which park to visit? They are both very good and you will be happy with either one! But here are a few highlights from each park to help you decide which one might be better for you! Please note that there are minimum height requirements for some rides so you want to make sure your kids will be tall enough to ride certain attractions. 

For the thrills, these are the rides you must do! 

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (minimum 42”)
Transformers: The Ride 3D (minimum 40”)
Terminator 2: 3D
Revenge of the Mummy (minimum 48”) - this was the fastest roller coaster I have ever been on and it’s all in the dark!! If I had known what the ride was going to be ahead of time, I probably would not have gone on it! 
Men in Black Alien Attack (minimum 42”)
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (minimum 51”) - too rich for my blood! But you have to watch Jimmy Fallon’s hilarious experience with this ride! 

On the other side of the park is Islands of Adventure, with an equal amount of must do attractions for your visit! 

For the thrills, you don’t want to miss the newest attraction.....
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Skull Island: Reign of Kong (just opened summer 2016) - this was an awesome ride! Even with Express Passes where we could skip to the Front of the Line, we still had a 20 minute wait before we boarded the ride but it was worth it! 
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (minimum 40”)
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall (minimum 52”)
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (minimum 44”, under 48” must be accompanied by an adult) - When we saw people loading into the logs with ponchos, we chuckled to ourselves. But….we later realized why. You will GET SOAKED. I have never been on any water ride where you get soaked. Not just wet. Not just a little wet. SOAKED. Through everything….puddles of water in your log…SOAKED. You have been warned. 
Jurassic Park River Adventure (minimum 42”) - you may get wet on this ride. But compared to Ripsaw Falls, it’s nothing. 
The Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster (minimum 54”)
Dragon Challenge (minimum 54”)
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Fun for the whole family:

Comic Strip Lane
Jurassic Park Discovery Adventure
Flight of the Hippogriff (minimum 36”)
Storm Force Acceleration
Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (minimum 42”, under 48” must be accompanied by adult)

Just for the little kids:​

Camp Jurassic
Caro -Seuss-el
The Cat in the Hat (Under 48” must be accompanied by adult)
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
If I Ran the Zoo
Me Ship, The Olive
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (Under 48” must be accompanied by adult)
Pteranodon Flyers (minimm 36”, under 56” must be accompanied by adult) 

Connecting the two parts of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter taking you from Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure is the Hogwarts Express. You must have a park-to-park admission ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express. I highly recommend getting the park-to-park ticket to be able to experience this unique attraction aboard the Hogwarts Express as it is a fully immersive experience and so much more than just a train ride! It takes you directly into the story and you experience the Hogwarts Express just like any other muggle or wizards heading from King’s Cross Station to Hogwarts Castle or heading to the bustling Diagon Alley for a break from your studies. See the beauty of London and meet characters and creatures from the stories as they join you on your ride. ​

​Download the Universal Studios app onto your phone for the most accurate and up to date wait times, as well as a map of the park so you know where everything is located and how to get there.  

I found the three days we spent at Universal were awesome, but exhausting. The rides are definitely more thrilling, more adventurous and exciting but I couldn’t wait to go back to Disney World for a more relaxing few days to wind down from Universal Studios! I know, right??!! Disney relaxing?? Yep. 

Taken in Comic Strip Lane in Universal's Islands of Adventure, this photo perfectly describes the Universal Studios Florida experience! 

But nonetheless, it was an incredibly amazing experience and definitely one worth checking out. If you have any questions about Universal Studios Orlando or Hollywood, please ask! I would definitely include them in your vacation plans if you are in the area! Contact me to book your next vacation as I would love the opportunity to help you maximize the most of your time and money for your trip!  

Ever since J.K Rowling came out with the Harry Potter books, our lives have never been the same. The success of the books and then the movies have catapulted Harry Potter being embedded in the fabric of our beings and one cannot ignore the impact Harry Potter has in our pop culture. Thus The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an inevitable destination for Harry Potter fans from all over the world! 

Universal Studios Florida currently consists of two parks (three after Spring 2017 when they open their third park, Volcano Bay). The Wizarding World of Harry Potter encompasses two parks, Hogsmeade, in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley, in Universal Studios Florida. Connecting the two lands is the Hogwarts Express, the train that provides transportation from Hogsmeade to King's Cross Station in Diagon Alley and back. 

The Hogwarts Express is more than simply a train ride! It recreates the same experience as if you were Harry, Ron and Hermione on the Hogwarts Express heading from London towards Hogwarts Castle, taking you through London, the lush countryside, the Forbidden Forest, and meeting familiar faces and magical creatures along the way. You'll never know who you may see on your ride! On your way back though, it is a completely different journey heading from King's Cross Station to Hogsmeade as you encounter Dementors and Death Eaters along the way. You also get to experience walking through King's Cross Station and Platform 9 3/4! 

HOGSMEADE
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter first opened in Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Orlando on June 18, 2010 and guests were immersed into the village of Hogsmeade, a perfect recreation of the village housing many of the stores, shops and restaurants where wizards frequent outside of Hogwarts. 

Ride the Dragon Challenge, a twist and loopy high speed roller coaster or the Flight of the Hippogriff, a family friendly roller coaster that takes you past Hagrid's Hut. Three Broomsticks is rustic tavern where you can take a break and dine on British food and Butterbeer. Cheer fellow wizards on in the Triwizard Spirit Rally as they lead their teams to the Triwizard Tournament! 

The flagship attraction is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey where you join Harry and his friends on an adventure through Hogwarts Castle, Quidditch match and fighting off Dementors! ​

DIAGON ALLEY
Fours years after Hogsmeade initially opened, Diagon Alley in Universal Studios opened on July 8, 2014 and gave fans even more reason to visit Universal Studios. Before you even head into Diagon Alley, parts of London come to life and you can see the Knight Bus full on display! 

Enter through the gates and stroll through to explore the shops and restaurants that make up the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Visit favourites like the Leaky Cauldron for hearty British fare, Florean Fortestescue's Ice-Cream Parlour and Ollivander's where you can choose your magical wand (or rather, the wand chooses you!) Turn down Knockturn Alley and discover the darker side of the Dark Arts and experience Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts!  ​

Meet the goblins that keep your gold safe in Gringotts Bank. 

To enhance your magical wizarding skills experience, purchase an interactive wand, with a full map of both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, which outlines the locations where you can use your wand and practice your spells. If the spell is enacted correctly, something magical will happen! There are 30 different locations to scout out, each with its own spell to unlock the magic. (To be honest, it looks easy but you really have get the correct wrist action to enact those spells. The kids make it look so easy!) 

​A stop at Universal Studios to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must for every Harry Potter fan. Even for those who have not read the books, or seen the movie or have no idea who or what Harry Potter is, the experience is still worth it. Fans young and old will be amazed at the level of detail and care that was put into the creation of bringing the vision of the fantasy world to life. Once you enter, you won't want to leave!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is NOT included in any of the Express Pass ticket options. The only way to experience the attractions is standing in the regular lines. There are no Express Pass options. All onsite resort guests staying at a Universal onsite hotel or those who book a vacation package with a Universal Partner Hotel receive Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter one hour before the theme park opens to the public. This is the perfect time experience the attractions with minimal wait times. For a summary of the Universal Resorts onsite, read the post here. 

Hogmeade in Universal Studios Orlando is almost identical to the experience of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Hollywood so I didn't include as much info about it here in this post. 

If you have any questions about Universal Studios in Florida or Hollywood, or about visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, please let me know!! I would love to help you plan your vacation!! 
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If you want to truly experience as much as Universal Studios Orlando can offer, staying onsite at one of their onsite resorts can give you the maximum benefits to experience as much as you can from Universal Studios! 

Universal Orlando provides five onsite resort hotels to choose from:
- Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort (prime value)
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort (preferred)
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort (preferred)
- Hard Rock Hotel (premier)
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel (premier)

The onsite hotels offer something for every vacation, budget and family size. From value resorts with pricing comparable to offsite hotels, there are so many reasons to stay closer to the action than offsite. 

Each hotel offers complimentary transportation from the resort to the parks (shuttle busses and water taxis for the preferred and premier resorts).
All guests staying onsite receive Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter one hour before the theme park opens. (valid theme park admission is required)
Resort wide charging privileges with room key
Complimentary access to select live entertainment venues at Universal CityWalk
Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased throughout the resort to your hotel room
Complimentary scheduled transportation to nearby attractions included Wet n Wild waterpark, SeaWorld and Aquatica. 

Guests staying at Loews Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay also receive priority seating at select restaurants and "Skip the Lines for Free" with Universal Express Unlimited ride access for each guest in the room!! This benefit provides a value of up to $89/per person per day to head straight to the front of the lines for most attractions (Harry Potter attractions are excluded) and the unlimited option provides unlimited access so you can skip the line and ride the attraction over and over again!  The Universal Express Unlimited pass is included with your hotel room valid for the duration of your stay but separate ticket admission is required to enter Universal Studios parks. 

​UNIVERSAL'S CABANA BAY BEACH RESORT

Stay onsite at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort for the most affordable option to enjoy and maximize your vacation time at Universal Studios! This resort features value pricing, family suites that can sleep up to six, including kitchenettes and plenty of bathroom space for everyone! Relive the good ol' days of the 1950's and 60's where things were fun and people enjoyed music, and simply enjoyed the beach life! With 2,200 guests rooms and two new towers to be opening in 2017, Cabana Bay will be the largest onsite Universal resort offering value, fun and the best views of the newest park, Universal's Volcano Bay Water Theme Park, opening 2017. Enjoy two massive pools and a lazy river to beat the heat, and go bowling at the Galaxy Bowl at your resort! 

LOEWS SAPPHIRE FALLS RESORT
The newest resort to join the Universal Studios Orlando family just opened in July 2016 and provides guests with a colourful and fun Caribbean adventure. Tropical, lush and relaxing, Sapphire Falls hands down has the best pool options for kids and families! Escape to a Caribbean paradise with 16,000 sq ft pool, water slide, interactive kids area, hot tub, fire pit and cabana rentals, guests may never want to leave! 

Once you enter the lobby your eyes are drawn immediately to the massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the wide open expansive lobby space. 

LOEWS ROYAL PACIFIC RESORT

Escape to the South Pacific when you visit Loews Royal Pacific Resort with a quiet and relaxing oasis of lush landscaping, tropical wonders and Asian-infused exotic culinary creations. At the resort for exclusive dining experiences include the Wantilan Luau for live music and authentic Polynesian cuisine, Emeril's Tchoup Chop (Emeril's take on Asian cuisine), and Character breakfasts with Universal's favourite characters on Sunday mornings. Reservations are highly recommended. A torch lighting ceremony by the pool is always a fun experience for the "old aloha" welcoming chant, fire dancer and other authentic Polynesian activities. 

​HARD ROCK HOTEL ORLANDO
​Party like a rock star at the Hard Rock Resort Orlando! Fun and funky, it's the coolest place to hang in town! The accommodations are top notch, laid back style and the whole vibe of the place is rock star royalty. The walls are adorned with classic rock icons and memorabilia and you feel "at home" with all these iconic stars. 

​LOEWS PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL
Escape to Italy and relax and rejuvenate in the recreated port town of Portofino, Italy. Experience "la dolce vida" - the sweet life - and feel the beauty and splendour of Italy and enjoy peace, quiet and relaxation. Cobblestone streets and side walk cafes provide an authentic European town feel.  

Rooms are elegant, spacious and luxurious with 750 rooms and 45 suites to choose from. Pamper yourself with a visit to Mandara Spa and enjoy romantic evenings strolling through the piazza after dining in Italian specialty restaurants including Trattoria del Porto, Mama Della's Ristorante and many others that take you though a culinary tour of Italy! 

Something for the kids! Also available are Despicable Me themed suites for the kids to enjoy! 

Wherever you choose to stay onsite, there is something for everyone, and something for all budgets! Take advantage of the onsite benefits to maximize your vacation time at Universal Studios!

- Early admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter one hour before the theme park opens (valid theme park admission is required).
- Complimentary water taxis, shuttle busses from the resorts to Universal theme parks and City Walk.
- Beautiful walkways to enjoy if you want to walk to the parks from your resort
- Complimentary access to live entertainment at Universal CityWalk
- Complimentary delivery of merchandise to your hotel
- Complementary scheduled transportation to Wet n' Wild, SeaWorld and Aquatica parks nearby.
- Resort-wide charging privileges with room key

Stay at Hard Rock Orlando, Loews Royal Pacific or Loews Portofino Bay and receive the extra benefit of Universal Express Unlimited ride access to skip the regular lines in both theme parks! This FREE benefit is available to all guests staying in the same room and is worth $89/person per day. 

If you need help narrowing down your choices for hotel, let me know how I can help! There is something for everyone and I would love the opportunity to see how I can help! Book your vacation with me at www.ReneeTsangTravel.com! 

Harry Potter has landed in California! His long awaited arrival is welcomed by Harry Potter fans who don't have to trek east to Orlando and can now visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood! The official Grand Opening is April 7, 2016 but the area has been open to visitors who want a sneak peek before big day and we were fortunate enough to check it all out on our recent visit! 

Walk through the entrance into Hogsmeade Village and you are instantly transported to the magical world of wizards, just as described in the books and movies. The Hogwarts Express has arrived and the lead conductor is available for photos. Take a peek into the train cabin, choose from Hogwarts robes and scarves so you can dress up and pose for photos from the train cabin. 

No visit to Hogsmeade Village is complete without Butterbeer! Available as a cold beverage or frozen slushy, it's the perfect beverage to enjoy as you immerse yourself into the world of Harry Potter!

Visit Ollivander's, Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. and peruse through the large selection of wands of your choosing (or rather, the wand chooses you!) and/or choose from a selection of character wand replicas. 

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is *THE* must do attraction! The ride is the same as the one in Orlando, however it is a 3D ride in Hollywood! Become a student of Hogwarts and join Harry and his friends on a thrilling and exciting ride through the familiar classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts, explore the castle grounds from high above and participate in an exciting round of Quidditch!

As you join the queue, you enter Hogwarts Castle and the attention to detail both inside and outside the castle is beyond breathtaking. There were times I wished the line moved slower so I could take the time to enjoy all the painstaking details that went into the design and creation of the attraction. 

To get an idea of the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, check out the video below. It's a thrilling adventure through Hogwarts full of twists and turns and the 3D effects make the ride come alive! 

Flight of the Hippogriff is an outdoor family friendly roller coaster that is enjoyable for the whole family. Learn how to approach a Hippogriff properly and enjoy twists and turns around the pumpkin patch and visit Hagrid's Hut. 

Cheer on the presentation of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students as they lead the excitement for the Triwizard Tournament in a Triwizard Spirit Rally and listen to a presentation of songs by a small choir of Hogwarts students accompanied by their large croaking frogs. 

SHOPPING

Hogsmeade Village is home to various specialty shops so everything you need for your visit to Hogwarts can be found here! Zonko's Joke Shop sells novelty items, jokes, toys and sweets, perfect for playing jokes on unsuspecting friends and family members. Honeydukes sells classic treats such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, exploding bonbons, Peppermint Toads, Fudge Flies, Chocolate Frogs and other delectable delights. Need school supplies and wizarding wares??? Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment is the place to find all your required House robes, Hogwarts Express items, crystal balls, binoculars, magnifying glasses and other equipment.  Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods is your source for Hogwarts clothing, movie prop replicas, chess sets, magical creature toys and Marauder's Maps. Find House robes, ties, scarves, jumpers and other wizard apparel, accessories and jewelry at Gladrags Wizardwear so your visit is memorable for years to come. Can't forget about your Quidditch equipment! Dervish and Banges is where you will find Quidditch equipment, apparel and house items. At The Owl Post, find Harry Potter-themed stationery, stamps, owl -related toys and gifts and send a letter from here with a Hogsmeade postmark! 

DINING

Enjoy dining at Three Broomsticks to grab lunch or dinner. Classic English fare such as fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and bangers and mash are popular favourites. For parties of 4, consider the Great Feast for to maximize variety and selection for the greatest value. Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice are popular beverage choices. Hog's Head Pub is the perfect place for families to enjoy Pumpkin Juice and Butterbeer for the kids, while adults can enjoy a selection of domestic and imported beer,s specialty beers such as Wizard's Brew and Dragon Scale, Fire Whiskey, wine, spirits and mixed drinks.

Your visit isn't complete until you obtain you a wand!

Choose a character wand replica or an interactive wand that can be used throughout the park in select locations where your wand can unlock magical spells!

​Need help?? Hogwarts prefects are available to assist and unlock your spell-making abilities! 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the ultimate destination for Harry Potter fans! We simply didn't want to leave! It was so hard to say good bye :( There are a lot of fun attractions to enjoy and do at Universal Studios Hollywood and Harry Potter fans will definitely not want to miss it! Now Harry Potter fans can visit California in addition to Florida for Harry Potter adventures! 

I encourage you to read the books and/or at least watch the movie(s) before visiting to really immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter and maximize your experience! We have become obsessed with Harry Potter since and will be watching the movies again and again! My daughter has taken to speaking with an English accent since watching the movies (#cutenotcute). 

I have yet to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando so I am not able to offer any comparison details, however I expect that the standards and attention to detail is just as stunning! We were lucky enough to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter during our visit and can't wait to share with you our experience! Let me know if you get to visit as I would love to hear your thoughts and chat Harry Potter with you!