A Day in Diagon Alley (part 2)
Lisa Perna
9.7.21
After eating a delicious lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and trying out a few spells throughout the alley, I was ready to do some exploring. On top of Gringotts bank, a dragon (specifically a Ukranian Ironbelly) is perched on top of the bank. This is a reference to the Deathly Hallows Part Two. This dragon will randomly start breathing real fire and you can feel the heat from the crowd. The dragon breathes flames up to 3,560 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside of Gringott’s bank you can exchange real money for wizarding money. This is a really fun experience because you can interact with the animatronic goblin and you can keep the wizarding money as a souvenir or spend it throughout Diagon Alley. The thrilling roller coaster, Escape from Gringotts, is a ride I usually go on multiple times throughout my trip. This roller coaster only has one drop which is at the beginning of the ride making it a perfect first roller coaster for kids.
Another must-do is to look in the shops in Diagon Alley. In Sugar Plum’s Sweets Shop you can grab some delicious treats straight out of the Harry Potter books. When you purchase a chocolate frog, it comes with a holographic card featuring a famous witch or wizard just like it did in the movies. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes is by far my favorite shop in the alley. This store is run by the Weasley brothers and holds toys perfect for making mayhem. When looking around the shop you might notice the extendable ears you can purchase or the adorable little pygmy puff. However, one of the best parts of the store is that a toy version of Dolores Umbridge is pedaling a unicycle on a tightrope shouting “I will have order”. It is quite comical to watch. At Scribbulus you can find some cute Hogwarts stationery and notebooks. There are also other stores to buy merchandise at such as Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment or Quality Quidditch supplies where you can buy quidditch uniforms and brooms. Madam Malkin’s Robes for all occasions is where you can purchase the iconic Hogwarts robes and uniforms.
So far I have talked about the Leaky Cauldron and wands in my first part and Gringotts and the shops in this second post. However, there is still so much more to talk about so stay tuned for part three.
For more information on Universal Studios contact me at lperna@wishesfamilytravel.com Follow me on Facebook and Instagram