TRAVEL – Page 7

With such close proximity to the Harry Potter Studio Tour at Warner Bros, I never understood why Londoners were so eager to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the Universal Orlando Resort…until I went.

As a devout Harry Potter fan, I can’t declare one a clear winner, but I can give you a solid comparison of the experiences. (For an in-depth London look, see my previous post)

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: LOCATION AND PRICE

– The Warner Bros facility stands alone, far outside Central London. An Adult Ticket General is £29, (~$46) for a tour that could take around 3 hours.

– The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of six areas of the Islands of Adventure (IOA) theme park in Orlando. The other five are: Jurassic Park, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, The Lost Continent and Seuss Landing.

An Adult ticket price is $92 (~£58), and it includes all day admission to everything. (Note: Universal Studios is a separate theme park)

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: IF YOU ARE DRIVING A CAR

– London, parking is free. Yes. it’s free.

– IOA, parking is a flat rate of $16 (~£10)

(The process is exceptionally organised at both)

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: EXPERIENCE

– In London, the experience is entirely visual and educational. You can stand in the Great Hall and see costumes, props and set interiors. The information exhibited about the film making process is rich, plentiful and intriguing.

– If you are seeking to feel like Harry Potter, Orlando probably is your best bet.

It’s understandable why Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the most popular ride and racks up the longest wait-time each day.

The ride is located within the Hogwarts castle. It’s so intense, you are required to put all loose belongings, including your Harry Potter spectacles, in a locker prior to boarding. (Notice the WARNING sign in the picture below?)

With a small group of people, you ride through corridors of Hogwarts and “above” the castle grounds as if you were experiencing Harry’s adventures on a broomstick. The virtual experience requires a strong stomach. You get tossed around quite a bit. I loved it.

I was disappointed with the Flight of the Hippograff, which is appropriately billed as a family roller-coaster. BORRRRRING!

Also, there’s the Dragon Challenge roller coaster. For those who had been to IOA prior to the Harry Potter addition, this coaster was called the Dueling Dragons.

I wouldn’t suggest going on that ride on a full stomach.

In London, you can ride a broomstick in front of green screen technology and take home the DVD of your journey. I suppose for a more physical ride experience, you could always try your luck at platform 9 ¾ later in the day…

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: DIAGON ALLEY

– At Warner Bros, Diagon Alley is a small stretch in a sound stage and basically just features dressed facades.

– At IOA there’s an entire Hogsmeade area.

You can step inside Olivanders and buy a wand, purchase sweets at Honeydukes, and pick up novelty joke items at Zonkos.

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: FOOD

– At Warner Bros, there’s a small café in the entrance.

– In Orlando, you could go to the Hog’s Head Pub and Three Broomsticks. I ate there. It was edible, not impressive.

I’d suggest going to Seuss Landing for Moose Juice with green eggs and ham.

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: BEER

– I thought for sure Brits would have alcohol in their Butterbeer, but neither location has it. In fact, I learned that both London and IOA use the same recipe.

Harry Potter, London vs Orlando: WEATHER

– If it’s raining in London, you could get wet at the half way point of the tour when you go outside to view props and sets.

– However, at IOA you will get SOAKED. (Not joking. Bring a change of clothes for this theme park. Most rides take place in water.)

And it’s a bit odd seeing snow on rooftops when everyone is walking around in t-shirts.

If I absolutely haaaaaad to declare a winner, one small detail might tip the scale. While I was washing my hands in the restroom (AKA “toilet”) at IOA, I was distracted by the most annoying female voice. As I was really bothered by it, I looked around to assess from whom the noise was coming but couldn’t pick one clear location. Suddenly, I realized. I was in the presence of Moaning Myrtle!

So there you have it! For a more detailed look at what’s available in Orlando, you might want to visit the virtual tour of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’ll give you a nice idea of the layout. Aside from the Harry Potter area, there’s easily a full day of fun at the IOA theme park.

Finally, if you’ll have wifi access, the free Universal Studio app is very useful for up to date ride wait times. Oh yeah, if you’re British, do yourself a favor and wear waterproof sunscreen. You’ll thank me later.

As a Florida native and someone who worked at Universal Studios years ago, I’d be happy to answer any of your questions about either experience. I’ve also made a video to help people who aren’t sure if they should put the attraction on their list of things to do in London if they’re visiting for the first time. These are some questions to ask that will help your decision making…

If you’ve been to one or both, please leave your suggestions for others below. All ABOARD!!!

Want a Food Freebie in London?

Subscribe to the Sunny in London weekly email and immediately get the ‘Local’s Pocket Restaurant Guide to London.’ It’s the ultimate free travel accessory for your London trip. The Guide has top recommended restaurants from a local, organised by neighbourhood. With it you can easily find a place to eat when you’re on a London street. Downloading the file to your phone means skipping Wi-fi and finding a fab foodie place- fast!

As part of the welcome, you will also receive several other free downloads that will guide you through trip planning, plus a weekly edition of the hottest happenings in London.

Flying internationally between the US and UK can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a novice flying alone. Having made the trip many times by myself, I know I can eliminate potential headaches by booking my flight correctly. If you’re a first timer, or just need some advice, here’s my checklist to make booking a flight between the US and London easier!

– Make sure your PASSPORT is valid. If it’s expired, stop reading NOW and start the renewal process.

– Choose your AIRPORT in LONDON. I’m often asked the difference between Heathrow and Gatwick.

HEATHROW (LHR)- Southwest of Central London. A one way trip on the Underground (AKA Tube) to Central London is no more than $5-$7. Consider the time of day you are arriving. You don’t want to drag your luggage up and down escalators during rush hour, and there won’t be room on the carriage for it. Heathrow to Knightsbridge is roughly a one hour ride on the Piccadilly Line.
GATWICK (LGW)- South of Central London. You will need to take an Overground train to Central London, Victoria Station. On the Gatwick Express it will take around 30 minutes and cost approximately $30 one way. Roundtrip tickets are slightly cheaper than two singles.

– Do some RESEARCH and try NOT to be on the LAST FLIGHT of the day.

– Book flights that have a minimum of a TWO HOUR LAYOVER both directions, if you can’t get a direct one. This table indicates the steps you have to take at each airport on a multi-stop trip.

Flight Pattern	Orlando	Atlanta	Heathrow
Orlando–>Atlanta–>Heathrow	Arrive early for 1^st flight; Check in; Clear security	SHOP in Duty Free; Be at international gate 45 minutes early for boarding process	Land; Gain Entry Clearance; Retrieve checked luggage

Flight Pattern	Heathrow	Atlanta	Orlando
Heathrow–>Atlanta–>Orlando	Arrive early for 1^st flight; Submit receipts to receive VAT refund (optional); Check in; Clear security; SHOP duty free	Land; Gain Entry Clearance; Retrieve luggage from international carousel; Recheck luggage (put all liquids purchased at Heathrow duty free in checked luggage not carry on); Clear Customs; Go through security again; Go to connecting flight’s gate	Land through same process as you would for any flight within the US

If you plan on spending significant time in DUTY FREE before a connecting international flight, you will need to calculate that as well. Entry Clearance in to a country can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the time of year and day. Always remember- as soon as your feet stand in a new country, you must go through the Entry Clearance process.
Avoid JFK. Unfortunately, my experience there has always been difficult. I’ve found their Entry Clearance process unorganized, the VIP Lounges sub-par, and the methods for changing terminals archaic.

– Choose your SEAT. You have a bit more space with a window, but if you are like me, you may have anxiety about bothering your flight mate to move if you need to stretch or use the loo. Watch the seats as your flight gets closer. Many times I’ve changed my seat a day before the trip because I spotted a better seat that opened on the airline’s website. Avoid a middle seat at all costs.

– Make any special meal accommodations. Often, they are delivered well before other passengers’ meals.

– Review the DUTY FREE RULES for each country, as they are different. Before you promise to purchase and bring liquor, cigarettes, perfume or other items to family and friends in the other country, make sure you know the allotment. Pretending like you didn’t know anything and batting your eyelashes to the customs agent who confronts you won’t allow you to break the rules and keep your purchases.

Best of luck booking your international flight. Look for future posts about what to pack, weather expectations, language translations and more travel tips!

As someone who has lived in both countries, I’m eager to make your trip fun and stress free. If you have any suggestions or questions, please leave a comment and I’ll reply quickly.