Abbie Visits Diagon Alley

[Photos by Sara]

There is not a single Harry Potter fanatic who does not wish to see Diagon Alley for real. The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter expanded last year in summer (2014) to incorporate Diagon Alley and me and my sister were going crazy to go see it!

We were finally at Diagon Alley at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It is located in Universal Studios Florida. The photo above was taken on the last day when we were bidding farewell to the beautiful place. We placed our hands on the wall of the entrance and took a shot.

The entrance! It's made to look like what it looks like when Hagrid taps the wall open and the bricks slide away! I can't help but notice that gentleman in the shorts, touching the bricks. I don't blame him, it is unbelievable.

In the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when Hagrid taps open the entrance to Diagon Alley, Harry Potter's expression is exactly what ours was when we entered the place. 

"Harry wished he had eight more eyes... There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon [...] "

Gringotts Bank, run by goblins, is at the far end of Diagon Alley but we got to see the majestic dragon perched on top of Gringotts Bank building right away. It was breathing fire every twenty minutes or so. The crowd always stands in waiting, ready with cameras. The dragon growls a bit to let people know that a fierce fire is coming.

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Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is a magical jokes and novelty items shop that caught the eye immediately as we entered. One of the Weasley brother's animated head with a hat is the prime feature of the exterior of the shop.  

The residence inn of The Leaky Cauldron stands in the backdrop of the brick wall entrance. Clothes of the residents are hanging overhead on the clothesline. 

As soon as we entered Diagon Alley, Quality Quidditch Supplies was on the right. It is all about Quidditch - the most popular sport of the wizarding world. Inside, the shop is a museum of Quidditch. International Quidditch teams gear and sport accessories are on display, and you can buy Quidditch apparel and equipment such as Golden Snitches, Bludgers, Bludger bats, Quaffles, and etc. Stay tuned for an exclusive post.

Flourish & Blotts was next.

A couple of shops were simply exterior displays. House-Elf Placement Agency is like a maid provider service of the Muggle world.

A compound in Diagon Alley looks like this. This building is supposed to be a manufacturing house of metal works.

The Hopping Pot sells Butterbeer and other drinks. I mean I could see people forming lines there and getting drinks. I believe they were selling alcoholic beverage there as well. All the malts, beers, and whiskys were advertised afterall.

I wonder what "The King Of Whiskies - Fire Whisky" does to the drinker? I cannot read the number of years the sign says the whisky has been aged. I am guessing it is either 89 or 39 years. Fire Whisky was surely not on any of the menus though.

"Specialist Tackle For Magical Creatures" - now that is one heck of an awesome job for Hagrid in case he plans to leave his Hogwarts job as a Care Of Magical Creatures teacher. "Accomplished Wizarding Smith" - I wonder what that is?

Harry Potter mermaids are not even close to friendly-looking. This one quite freakishly represents the Merpeople. 

More advertising signs from Diagon Alley.

We had a DVD made at Shutterbutton's. They put us before a green screen and made us do wild things in the air. After a half hour processing time we became an eternal part of Harry Potter magic scenes.

This display was in the metal works building. Stuff was moving when people cast spells with their interactive wands.

We purchased a Hippogriff from the Magical Menagerie for Sara. I need to do an entire entry with a video on the inside of this shop. 

That's it for now from The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter. But, I am not done. There are o many exclusive entries to write! Stay tuned. And, leave me comments!