If you are a Harry Potter fanatic, odds are you are dreaming about visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Florida. Nowhere else does the wizarding world come to life in such a huge way. Inside Universal Studios, you can find two major Harry Potter parks – Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

 

 

These two magical places have a lot of similarities but also many differences. They both offer a variety of spellbinding shops where you can purchase wizarding goodies and trinkets, from Butterbeer to Nimbus 2000 brooms to wands.

Both locations feature locations that are central to the Harry Potter books and movies, and both are worth visiting together.

 

However, Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios, and Hogsmead is located in Islands of Adventure. Both are Universal Parks, but you need a ticket for each one. If you want to visit both parks, you need to buy a special park-to-park ticket.

At the time of this writing, the average price of a 1-park ticket on a weekday in June is $139. The price to do a park-to-park ticket is $194.

 

If you can afford to visit both, go to both, they are amazing, but if you can only swing one, which one should you visit?

 Overview of Hogsmeade vs. Diagon Alley

Hogsmeade is the wizarding village in the Harry Potter series and is located at Islands of Adventure. This park has a magical atmosphere with its cobblestone pathways, snow-covered rooftops, and towering castle. Inside Hogsmeade, you will find some iconic locations from the books and movies, such as Hogwarts Castle, The Three Broomsticks pub, Honeydukes sweet shop, and Zonko’s joke shop.

The rides in this park are some of the most exciting, giving you an unforgettable experience in the wizarding world. The Flight of the Hippogriff coaster and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride take you through Hogsmeade, while Dragon Challenge lets you choose one of two roller coasters for a thrilling ride.

On the other hand, Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios and is home to the shopping area where Harry Potter goes to buy his school supplies. At Diagon Alley, you can find Olivander’s wand shop, Gringott’s-Bank, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and the Leaky Cauldron pub. This park also has one ride, Escape from Gringotts, which is a 3D roller coaster ride that takes you into the vaults of Gringott’s-Bank.

 

Does Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade have the Best Rides?

Diagon Alley at Universal Studios has one ride

• Escape from Gringotts

Escape from Gringotts takes you on a thrilling ride through the vaults of Gringotts- Bank. The ride’s visuals and special effects make this the most immersive Harry Potter experience in Universal Studios.

While the ride isn’t a traditional roller coaster, instead featuring 3-D screens to simulate drops and turns, even the most die-hard roller coaster enthusiast will enjoy this ride. You will feel like you are really escaping from Gringotts with Harry.

Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure has three awesome rides

• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Flight of the Hippogriff

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is a crowd favorite and normally has the longest wait time for any attractions in Islands of Adventure.

The ride takes you on a thrilling motorbike adventure into the Forbidden Forest, where you get to encounter some amazing magical creatures. This is a fast and slightly jerky roller coaster that has you sitting in the sidecar of Hagrids Motorbike.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a unique dark ride through Hogwarts castle that gives you an experience like no other. You “ride” throughout Hogwarts and experience the castle both in the line to get to the ride and on the ride itself.

The combination of animatronics, projections, and physical sets makes this one of the most exciting attractions in either park.

I personally think this is the best ride for Harry Potter fans!

Flight of the Hippogriff is a milder wooden coaster that takes you on tour around Hogwarts castle. This ride has some small hills and turns, but nothing too intense. It’s perfect for younger kids or those who are afraid of more intense coasters.

The ride between the 2 Parks

There is a ride that you can only go on if you have the park-to-park pass. Hogwarts Express is a ride and a way from one park to the other without the long walk.

Hogwarts Express takes you on a train journey from Kings Cross station in Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure or vice versa.

This ride provides views of London and the countryside before arriving at Hogwarts. Plus, you will see Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s shadows as they roam the halls!

 

So which Harry Potter park has the best rides?

Overall, Hogsmeade has much better rides and three times as many of them! If you are going for the rides and the rides alone, Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure is the place to go!

 

Which Universal Park has better shopping?

Harry Potter shopping is what both parks have in common. There are plenty of opportunities to buy Harry Potter merchandise, no matter which park you choose. Here are the notable places to shop when you visit.

Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure

• Honeydukes– This charming candy shop sells sweet treats such as Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Whizbees.
• Olivanders– Get your very own wizarding wand that can perform spells throughout both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
• Owl Post– You can send a postcard home with your Hogwarts stamp here. Plus, you can buy a cuddly stuffed owl of your own.
• Dervish & Banges– You can get all your quidditch needs here, such as specialty broomsticks and a set of golden snitches. Or buy your school robes and other house clothing.
• Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods– Buy your very own Marauder’s Map and other mischievous items.

Diagon Alley at Universal Studios

• Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes– Joke products you can buy in Fred and George Weasley’s store. This is one of my kids’ favorites at Universal.
• Olivanders– Get your very own wizarding wand that can perform spells throughout both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
• Borgin & Burkes– You can buy all kinds of Dark Arts items, such as Death Eater masks and other sinister souvenirs.
• Gringotts Exchange– Exchange your muggle money for Gringotts coins that can be used in the stores in both parks.
• Magical Menagerie– This one-stop shop for magical creatures has everything from owls to snakes.
• Quality Quidditch Supplies– Buy a broomstick and quidditch accessories here, along with team sweaters.
• Globus Mundi– Maps, luggage tags, and other globetrotting items.
• Madame Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions– Get your Hogwarts uniforms and other wizarding apparel here.
• Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment– Get an assortment of Harry Potter t-shirts, bags, hats, and more in this shop.

So which Harry Potter Park has the Best Shopping?

Diagon Alley wins this one. There are far more shopping options in Diagon Alley than in Hogsmeade. Plus, the stores offer a wider variety of items and beautifully decorated interiors.

Does Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade have better food?

Both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade have some of the best foods in the park, but one is slightly better than the other. Read on to find out.

Diagon Alley Food

• Leaky Cauldron- The Leaky Cauldron is a pub and inn in the Harry Potter books. It is also the main restaurant in Diagon Alley. It serves food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It offers a wide selection of food and drinks. The Leaky Cauldron has English food like Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash, Cottage Pie, Fisherman’s Pie, Toad in the Hole, and delicious desserts.

• The Fountain of Fair Fortune- Want to try all the drinks mentioned in Harry Potter? You can at the Fountain of Fair Fortune, with drinks like pumpkin juice, gilly water, and butterbeer.

• Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor- This ice cream is way better than it needs to be!! Super creamy and in basic and unusual flavors, your whole family will love it!

• The Hopping Pot- another outdoor location to grab a quick drink like butterbeer, water, and more.

Hogsmeades Food

• The Three Broomsticks– The Three Broomsticks is a bar in the Harry Potter Book. It is also the main restaurant in Hogsmeade. You will find some British favorites like Shepherd’s Pie but also more American offerings like Roast Chicken, Turkey leg, and Spare ribs.

• Hogs Head– a pub where you can grab some drinks like Butterbeer, Gillywater, and more. The ambiance here is so very Harry Potter, with a large stuffed Hog’s Head as the centerpiece.

• Honeydukes– If you have read the Harry Potter Books, I’m sure you dreamed of visiting a Honeydukes. This sweet shop has all the treats mentioned in the books, like Chocolate Frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees, Jelly Slugs, and more.

• Butterbeer Kiosks– Outdoor kiosks sell the frozen butterbeer and cold butterbeer.

Which Harry Potter Park has the best food?

For me, this one also goes to Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. There are more options for magical treats, including Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream.

Which Harry Potter Park has Better Shows?

Honestly, the two parks both have good shows, and I would be hard-pressed to pick one over the other.

Shows at Hogsmeade

One of the best things to see at Hogsmeade is the frog choir! A small group of singers and a few animated frogs sing popular songs from the movies.

Also, at Hogsmeade, you can see the Triwizard Tournament! It’s a contest between the biggest wizarding schools in Europe. During the show, students of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang compete. Complete with dancing and acrobatics; you will love this show!

 

At Diagon Alley, there are two exciting shows:

You can watch two puppet shows every day at the outdoor stage in Diagon Alley. The shows are called “The Fountain of Fair Fortune” and “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” They are both based on stories by Beedle the Bard, an author well-known to the magical community!

Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees perform three times a day at the outdoor stage in Diagon Alley. They sing “popular wizarding songs” and are thoroughly entertaining to watch.

In Conclusion, which park should you visit?

It really depends on what type of experience you are looking for. If you want to shop around, Diagon Alley offers more options than Hogsmeade. If you are really into thrill rides, I would recommend Hogsmeade.

But for my family and me, Diagon Alley is the clear winner! If you can only visit one park and want to feel immersed in the world of Harry Potter, you must visit Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida.