You will be given a map showing the Wand Magic locations in Hogsmeade. It is surprisingly fast, but lasts only around 20 seconds and doesn’t feel as special as the Forbidden Journey. Which is what I finally got the chance to do this Halloween. I would strongly advise pre-purchasing your Studio Passes through Klook. We have now seen the Frog Choir perform twice over our two visits but have managed to miss both Wand Studies and the Triwizard Spirit Rally on both occasions. Embracing a variety of areas with unique characteristics, wonderment and surprise, Universal Studios Japan covers a whole spectrum of world-class entertainment through thrilling rides and shows themed on blockbuster Hollywood movies, as well as seasonal events for all ages to enjoy. As a teacher, my classroom is filled with Harry Potter paraphernalia. You can use the Hyperdia website or Google Maps to work out train schedule and route options from each of these stations. Frozen butterbeer is available when the weather is warm. Store your things in an unused locker (lockers with hanging wristbands), then lock the locker and pull the wristband out. Theme … If you are obsessed with butterbeer, there have been some recent additions to the range of butterbeer goodness. My son is a slushie connoisseur and found it to be a tasty and refreshing way to cool down. It was tempting to wander around Hogsmeade Village to visit the shops, take photos and watch the street entertainment and this is exactly what many people do. You then hand the white card back to the attendant and rejoin the ride queue. Although we haven’t tried it, it may also be possible to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter twice if you have a Timed Entry Pass as part of an Express Pass. It has a maximum height of 13 metres (about 43 feet) and hits a top speed of 46 km/hr (about 28 miles/hr). For something a little more adult you can also buy the specially brewed signature Hog’s Head draft beer. Keep in mind that it moves around quite a lot so don’t eat too much before. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of those very rare situations where I am happy to spend time in a queue as you get to appreciate the many meticulously recreated areas within Hogwarts Castle. After evading the dragon, we were suddenly in the Forbidden Forest and in the middle of an up-close and personal encounter with Aragog and his children. On our first visit to USJ, we arrived early at the park (before 8:30 am) and went straight to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Japan. It opened to the public on July 15, 2014. We really enjoyed the Frog Choir on both occasions. Shortly after this, we were ambushed by the once shackled dragon, a massively oversized and scarily real Hungarian Horntail. Use coupon code MDE8G to get a $A5 discount off your first order! The ride occurs within Hogwarts Castle. Harry Potter and the Forbidden … If you are visiting Universal Studios Japan Harry Potter fans of all types (die-hard or casual) must visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 1. On my first visit, I picked up a beautiful Hedwig plush puppet which has been much loved by many of my students. The trip will take about 60 minutes and you will have to catch three different trains. Despite all the times this school has been proven to be unsafe for kids, from having trapdoors guarded by three-headed… This section explains how to get to USJ from Tokyo, Kyoto, Kansai Airport, and various Osaka train stations. Even with the 3-hour wait. From magical spells to magical creatures, from dark villains to daring heroes, it’s all here at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, now open at Universal Studios Hollywood™. If you are going directly to USJ from Kansai Airport, large-sized lockers are only available outside the park for storage of your luggage. After dodging and weaving through the buildings of Hogwarts, we suddenly saw Hagrid holding up an extremely large chain that was once attached to a dragon. Make sure you don’t visit Honeydukes on an empty stomach as you will end up spending far too much money. It’s slightly disconcerting to board a vehicle on a slowly moving track. Typical trip price from Tokyo to Universal City Station is about 14,500 to 15,500 yen, which includes a reserved seat on the bullet train. Pre Departure Planning for Your Japan Trip, Kansai Region, including Kyoto, Osaka and Nara, Nagano Region, including Nagano, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Takeyama, pre-purchase your train ticket from Kansai Airport-Namba, large-sized lockers are only available outside the park, How to Skip the Queue with a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass, How to Buy Universal Studios Japan USJ Osaka Online Tickets and Express Passes, How To Book Robot Restaurant Tokyo Tickets, The water spray, red lights and heat which really felt like we were being sprayed with fire from the dragon’s mouth; and. You can also use the map below to see other accommodation options near Universal Studios Japan and in Osaka. Nothing could wipe the smile off my face as I drank it. By using our services you agree to our use of cookies. A student from Hogwarts introduces the performance. This area includes two rides. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ Exclusive Vacation Package At Islands of Adventure, you can visit Hogwarts™ castle and explore Hogsmeade™ village. Before going on the Forbidden Journey, you need to store your bags and loose items in lockers. General admission began on June 19th but is limited to guests with an annual or studio pass and Kansai area residents. Otherwise, I would suggest giving this ride a miss so you can spend more time exploring the rest of what Harry Potter World has to offer. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a themed area at Universal Studios Hollywood theme park near Los Angeles. As the ride entered its final stage, we re-entered Hogwarts Castle to the cheers of dozens of on-screen characters which to me was a slightly abrupt and lame ending to an otherwise spectacular experience. Actually, its waiting line where you can see Hagrid’s hut and a Hippogriff’s nest was way more interesting than the actual ride. The lake was a major setting for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and home to Grindylows (aggressive little water demons), Selkies (Scottish merpeople), and a partially domesticated giant squid that doesn’t mind being tickled. ), Macy’s Balloon Walkthrough Experience Announced, VelociCoaster Testing, and Halloween at Universal Studios Japan On our first visit, we were given 3D glasses. Ensure you check the show and attraction schedule to confirm whether a night show is being held when you plan to visit. If you bought an interactive wand from Ollivanders, make sure you test out your spell-casting skills at eight different magic stations around Hogsmeade. Another option to consider, particularly if you can’t justify the expense of an Express Pass, is to pre-purchase a VIP Wristband through Klook which will give you 15-minute early entry to the park and advance notification of the exact park opening time the day before your visit. There is also a wide variety of wizarding equipment such as compasses, binoculars, magnifying glasses and compasses, robes and ties. I have now ridden this ride twice (the first time to test it out and the second because it was part of my Express Pass) but wouldn’t ride it again. Tips on visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios Japan The Universal Studios Japan ticket gets you an entrance ticket to the theme park. In summer 2014, Universal Studios Japan opened a Harry Potter area in their Osaka theme park. The sound effects and 4D effects used throughout the ride further heightened the experience. Use coupon code MDE8G to get a $A5 discount off your first order! Harry Potter is heading to Japan. The moment when we first saw Hogwart’s was pure magic, a moment I will never forget. Register now and start earning Japan Travel Points. Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal Studios Japan™ is a magnificent area reproducing the world from the Harry Potter™ stories on an overwhelming scale and with meticulous attention to detail. Universal Studios Japan is located on the outskirts of Osaka. Universal Studios Japan is about 500 km (315 miles) west of Tokyo and it takes 3 to 3:30 hours to get from Tokyo Station to Universal Station. Honeydukes. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Osaka, Japan) July 16, 2016. Universal Studios Japan, located in Osaka, plans to announce Thursday that it will open The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at its theme park by late 2014. Both types of Express Pass include timed entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as well as timed entry through a much faster Express Queue to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. First-time round, I couldn’t get enough butterbeer and it was one of the happiest memories from my first trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Sirius Black Poster which works great as a photo but even better as a GIF. 〒554-0031 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Konohana Ward, Sakurajima, 2−1−33 (Directions), Book the dream trip to Japan with our tailor-made booking service. USJ has a good graphic which shows the specific trains and travelling time required to get from the Osaka / Kyoto region to Universal City Station. The latter one is a small roller coaster while the first one possible is the best ride in the world (at least for me). Butterbeer ice-cream is available from the butterbeer carts, and butterbeer potted cream which sounds fantastic can be found at Three Broomsticks. We then passed through the archway to Hogsmeade and saw the Hogwart’s Express train on the right and the snow-covered village. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens at Universal Studios Japan. On our first visit, in particular, we ran a little amok and left with gowns, multiple wands, lollies and chocolates. Wizarding World of Harry Potter Food and Beverages, How to Get to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, How to Get from Osaka Station to Universal Studios Japan USJ Train Station. 2. Express Pass 7 tickets also include timed entry to Flight of the Hippogriff. My stomach lurched as we shot down towards the Black Lake. The mixture of incredibly detailed sets, sophisticated animatronics, video projections and the fantastically smooth motion simulation technology used all blends seamlessly to create a fantastically immersive ride. Regardless of whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not, you really cannot miss Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The other ride offered is The Flight of the Hippogriff, which is actually a normal family roller coaster with straw-covered cars shaped similarly to a Hippogriff. Butterbeer can be bought from Three Broomsticks, Hog’s Head or the two butterbeer carts and can be enjoyed in a number of different ways: Butterbeer can be bought in either a disposable plastic cup or a souvenir plastic mug if you want to up the authenticity a little. However, waiting to get Timed Entry Tickets at the park can not only waste time, particularly when queues are long, but there is also a chance you can miss out. Regular butterbeer costs 600 yen (US $5.50) in a disposable cup or 1 100 yen (US $10.20) in the souvenir mug. This is an impressive dark ride that will take you into the world of quidditch and dementors. FREE SHIPPING On Orders Over $125* Home > Harry Potter; Category Press enter to collapse or expand the menu. There are a limited number of choices for food and drinks at Harry Potter World Japan but they all help immerse you further in the world of Harry Potter. The two standout 4D experiences for me were: Between our two visits, the video imagery also received an upgrade. After a few mishaps along the way, eventually, the right wand is chosen. Half a decade has passed since Universal Studios Japan expanded its theme park to include the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, to the delight of bookworms visiting Osaka. Testing out his skills definitely added to the magic of our time spent in Hogsmeade Village. Click here to check out the Hotel Keihan Universal Studios on Booking.com. To be honest, unless you can’t live without trying everything, you can probably overlook this ride if the wait time is longer than 20 minutes. When you first get to the theme park in the morning, you might not be able to simply enter the Harry Potter area, you would first have to get a ticket (free) with a certain time on it at another location near the Jaws and Jurassic Park rides. We managed to walk out of the shop with just some Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans and a Chocolate Frog. If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Japan is the only version of the theme park where you can find a recreation of the Great Lake (or Black Lake) which is located in between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. At Filch’s Emporium, you’ll discover Hogwarts-themed clothing and stationery themed for each of the four houses. Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links. Click here to purchase your Universal Studios Japan VIP Wristband and Harukas 300 Observatory Entry Ticket through Klook. You exit into Filch’s Emporium from Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. So live your childhood dreams and go take a walk in Hogsmeade, visit Hogwarts and ride a broom in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The Triwizard Spirit Rally features students from Durmstrang, Beauxbaxtons and Hogwarts. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Osaka. The shop also sells stationery and writing implements, stamps, and owl-related toys and gifts. My friend and I decided to take the 2 days pass since the Harry Potter World is new and we thought the queuing time would be really long. I recommend that you either do the same (especially if you want to see the rest of USJ’s attractions as well) or that you go in a few years when, maybe, the hype will have calmed down a little and you won’t have to wait 3 hours for the main ride like we did (clearly not an option for most!). Main article: Japanese National Quidditch team Quidditch originally introduced to Japan by a few foolhardy students from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that were blown off course after attempting to circumnavigate the globe on inadequate broomsticks.Japan has become one of the few … Japan Travel is the leading resource for Japan travel information and the primary destination for visitors planning and traveling to Japan. You can buy tickets at the park itself but there really is no point. At Harry Potter Osaka, butterbeer is a non-alcoholic drink. We welcome any suggestions regarding this content. All the train stations have clear signage and are easy to navigate with the help of online tools like Google Maps. You certainly see quite a lot of unfinished cups scattered around Hogsmeade so I would suggest sharing a mug if you are unsure whether you’ll like it. Universal Studios Japan The Osaka version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has many of the same attractions found in its Orlando counterpart. The expansion of the park in Orlando, … This made for much sharper and more realistic video imagery. If you are a Harry Potter fan it’s almost impossible to leave the Wizarding World of Harry Potter without stocking up on some souvenirs. On May 5, 2012, the Los Angeles Times reported that Universal Studios Japan would also be receiving a The Wizarding World of Harry Potter by 2014. The main attraction at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Japan is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, found at the Hogwarts Castle, past Hogsmeade Village. This means you would only need to purchase the bullet train ticket. If you have a Japan Rail pass you may be able to use your JR Pass for all parts of the trip. You can eat at Three Broomsticks (a traditional English tavern), drink at Hog’s Head pub, or down a Butterbeer from the two barrel-shaped butterbeer stands in Hogsmeade Village. In order to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Japan, you will need to buy a Studio Pass which allows you to enter Universal Studios Japan. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a five-time winner (2011-2015) of the Golden Ticket Awards best dark ride and is most definitely one of our all-time favourite theme park rides. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter at Leavesden Studios, it is a collaboration of Universal Parks & Resorts and Warner Bros. Entertainment. Between the two shops, you will discover wands of all varieties including Ollivanders wands, replica Harry Potter character wands, collectable wand sets and much more. 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