Where we are in the world
Since the 1960s, Orlando, Florida has been one of the largest tourist destinations in the world, primarily because Walt Disney chose the then-small city to host Disney World, the second major theme park after Disneyland located in Anaheim, California. After this came an influx of additional theme parks operated by other major media & entertainment companies conglomerates, notably Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Legoland.
In 2007, it was announced that Universal Studios had signed a contract with J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros to create “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in its major Orlando, Florida group of theme parks collectively known as Universal Orlando Resort.
For more maps in the US, see Rose Park (Missoula, MT) and the Winter Park Express!
See the interactive Google Map at the bottom of the post!
Three key facts about this map
The theme park rights to Harry Potter almost went to Disney
J.K. Rowling originally had planned to work with Disney to bring Harry Potter World to life at a theme park. However, talks soured when allegedly Disney’s plans were small and they heavily insisted on including many “outside brands” like Coca-Cola within the attraction area. Talks soured and eventually terminated, where Universal swooped in to sign the deal with the author and Warner Bros. while concurrently agreeing to many of the grandiose plans envisioned by Rowling.
“Harry Potter World” spans 2 separate Universal theme parks
Universal Orlando Resort comprises 3 separate theme parks – Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay – and a connecting area called CityWalk. The Harry Potter-themed areas are actually located in two separate areas:
- Diagon Alley – located in Universal Studios Florida
- Hogsmeade – located in Islands of Adventure
Each area has a unique set of attractions, and collectively are known as “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter”.
The two areas of Harry Potter World are connected by the Hogwarts Express ride
In order to connect the two areas of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter”, Universal built a a real-size replica of the Hogwarts Express. On one end, there is the Kings Cross station with Platform 9¾, while the Hogsmeade Station is on the other end of the line. Passengers riding the attraction need to have multi-park tickets to ride the 4-minute journey between the two parks.
Additional links and sources
- Universal Orlando Resort non-interactive official map (link, accessed in 2022)
- Information about the potential Disney-Harry Potter deal (link, accessed in 2022)
- Official Visit Orlando tourism website (link, accessed in 2022)
Have you ever visited Harry Potter World at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida?
See other places around the world Globe Charting has featured!
