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'Sup! Tad here, the family photographer and videographer and wicked Harry Potter fan. Our frog family gets pretty hopping excited when we visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We are such huge fans of the books and movies. We dress in our wizard robes and cast spells with our interactive wands. My little sister, Lily, is a little young for the series, but she’s all in for the chance to dress up, do magic and eat Chocolate Frogs and Fudge Flies. Mommy Frog, my dad, Leap, and I enjoy all of the toadally cool details and hidden gems of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood. Here are the deets on a few of our favorites.
Hidden Gems of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood
There are so many cool things to see and explore in Hogsmeade, but these hidden gems of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter are the little details that create an authentic and immersive experience. These details are fun for anyone to discover! But fans of the books and movies may especially get excited to find them.
Mandrake Sightings
You'll know when you've found a mandrake plant (in a shop window and in the garden in the queue for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey) because you'll see protective earmuffs nearby. The scream of a mature mandrake root is fatal to humans, you know.
Moaning Myrtle in the Restrooms
Hop into the Public Conveniences, otherwise known as restrooms. You’ll hear a girl’s voice — Moaning Myrtle. She's a ghost who haunts the bathroom. You can learn all about her and why she’s there in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” Just around the corner from the restrooms is Gringott’s Bank Automated Teller Machine.
Stamps from Hogsmeade
Let’s say you want to send postcards or letters to your friends and family back home via Owl Post. There's no text or email in the Wizarding World, BTW, so letters are important ways to communicate over distance. You can purchase postcards and stamps and get your letters stamped from Hogsmeade! Toadally cool! Now if you could just get an owl to actually deliver the mail...
Owl Poop
Yes, you read that right. When you walk under the covered area next to Owl Post, look up. You’ll see several owls waiting to be called to deliver mail and packages. (That’s how wizarding folk send things to each other.) Then, look at the ground under the owls. Yep. Owl poop. All over the place. It's not real, but those details, and the moss on the walls, really transport you to an old, magical English village.
Ford Anglia
The iconic enchanted flying car that Ron and Harry used to fly back to Hogwarts can be found stuck in some trees and bushes over by the castle. The replica of the blue Ford Anglia is so fun to see in Hogsmeade. But did you know you can see the real movie prop when you go on the Studio Tram Tour?
Magic Mirror in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions
If you're ever feeling very confident about yourself, go take a peek at your appearance in the mirror on the wall of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The mirror might just make a comment or two to bring you back down to Earth.
Props and Replicas of Items from the Movies
Inside Gladrags, you can find garments similar to those from the films. At one point, we saw actual dresses worn by characters Cho Chang, Ginny Weasley and Fleur Delacour at the Yule Ball in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” (The one above is Cho Chang's dress!).
You'll also find the Monster Book of Monsters sleeping. But it does wake up, so be careful!
Hagrid’s Hut and Motorbike
We know you are in a hurry to board the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster but slow down. The queue takes you past a motorcycle and sidecar that once belonged to Sirius Black before he gave it to Hagrid. It’s parked beside Hagrid’s hut. (Hagrid is the half-giant gamekeeper at Hogwarts.) If you stop and listen, you can hear his dog, Fang, barking and Hagrid’s voice calling out.
Hidden Gems in Shop Windows
Again, stop and take in the moving details in the shop windows, particularly in front of Zonko’s and Honeydukes. You need a little patience to see it all. You can catch wizard chess pieces moving if you wait long enough, a crow pecking an eye from a skeleton and puking pastilles.
My favorite store display is that of a small book shop on the corner. You'll see lots of books by the accredited author and five time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award, Gilderoy Lockhart, with moving portraits to match. And right next door you'll find some very agitated Quidditch gear locked into respective trunks.
Details Inside the Castle
As you approach the Forbidden Journey ride, keep an eye out for the Mirror of Erise, the statue of the One-Eyed Witch and Dumbledore’s Pensieve inside Hogwarts Castle. There are tons of amazing Easter eggs inside the castle queue, so we won't give them all away. These intricate details enrich the storytelling and reward attentive visitors.
Filch's Emporium
You might find some confiscated items up on the walls and behind the registers at Filch's. Our favorite hidden gem is the Marauders Map, where you can stop and watch the footsteps pass through the castle halls.
Be sure to look around inside The Three Broomsticks as well, and keep your eyes open when you wander through the castle and shops.
There are so many toadally cool details! Every time I visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood, I see something magical that I hadn’t noticed before!
Have you found any hidden gems of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that get you hopping with excitement? Share them in the comments below. I'll drop another hidden gem on you: You can save up to $50 when you purchase discount Universal Studios Hollywood tickets through Undercover Tourist! Woohoo!
Related: Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood
Related: Beyond Butterbeer: The Best Food & Drink at Wizarding World Hollywood
Stay cool!
