The Big Universal Day — Jurassic World + Harry Potter

This is a park-to-park day. The biggest day of the trip in terms of content, but the HP areas are unmissable for Robert & Rachel, and the Jurassic area is the boys' dream.

Morning — Jurassic World Area

1. Raptor Encounter — meet Blue face-to-face! Go early, queue builds fast. Watch a couple of encounters from the queue first so the boys know what to expect (Blue is VERY realistic — lunges and snaps). The boys know Blue from Camp Cretaceous and their toys — this will be a highlight of the trip
2. Pteranodon Flyers (36", max 56") — gentle suspended ride over Camp Jurassic. VERY low capacity, so ride it early before the queue hits 60-90 mins. Both boys and Ada can ride. Ella is too tall (max 56")
3. Camp Jurassic — let the boys loose. Multi-level playground with caves, rope bridges, water cannons, dinosaur bones. They could easily spend an hour here. Some dark caves with dinosaur sounds — thrilling, not terrifying for most kids
4. Jurassic Park Discovery Center — hatch a baby dinosaur egg, DNA sequencing games, skeleton displays. Indoor, air-conditioned. Great heat escape

Late Morning — Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade

5. Flight of the Hippogriff (36") — all kids can ride. Family coaster, short and mild. Great views of Hogwarts Castle. Good "second coaster" experience after The Barnstormer
6. Walk through the Hogwarts Castle queue — stunning even if the kids can't ride the Forbidden Journey ride itself. Dumbledore's office, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, the portrait gallery
7. Forbidden Journey via Rider Switch (48") — Robert rides while Rachel waits with the boys doing wand spells (see below), then swap. Dark ride through Hogwarts grounds — Dementors, Aragog, Quidditch. Incredible for HP fans
8. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure via Rider Switch (48") — launched coaster through the Forbidden Forest. One of the best rides in all of Universal. Now accepts Express Pass (since May 2025), which could save 60-90 mins of queuing. One parent rides, swap, other rides
9. Ollivander's Wand Experience — intimate show where a wand "chooses" a guest. Try to get one of the boys selected. ~5 min sessions, ~15-20 people per group
10. Buy interactive wands (~$65-85 each depending on generation) — brass medallions throughout Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley mark spell locations. Stand on the spot, perform the wand movement, and magic happens (water fountains, objects moving in shop windows, chimneys lighting). ~14-16 spell locations per area. The boys will be obsessed. Comes with a map
11. Lunch at Three Broomsticks — fish & chips, shepherd's pie. Order frozen Butterbeer for the whole family (butterscotch cream soda slushie — the boys will love it). Mobile order to skip the queue
12. Browse Honeydukes (Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans)

Afternoon — Hogwarts Express to Universal Studios Florida

13. Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade to King's Cross — requires park-to-park ticket. Walk through the Platform 9¾ wall for photos. The train journey is a themed experience with window effects showing scenes from the films. Ride it both directions — different experience each way

Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley

14. Escape from Gringotts (42") — dark ride/coaster hybrid through the Gringotts vaults. 3D effects, a short drop, fire effects (you feel the heat from the dragon). Oisin and Ada can likely ride. Miles if he's 42"+, otherwise Rider Switch. The queue through Gringotts bank is phenomenal (goblin animatronics)
15. More interactive wand spells around Diagon Alley — different locations from Hogsmeade
16. Explore Knockturn Alley — small, atmospheric dark side street
17. Browse Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes (colourful joke shop — Pygmy Puffs, extendable ears)
18. Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream — get the Butterbeer flavour. Also: Sticky Toffee Pudding, Earl Grey & Lavender
19. Watch the fire-breathing dragon atop Gringotts (goes off every 10-15 mins)

If Energy Remains

20. E.T. Adventure (34" min) — gentle classic dark ride on flying bicycles. Charming. All kids meet the height
21. Ride Hogwarts Express back to IoA (different experience in the return direction)
22. Butterbeer potted cream dessert at the Leaky Cauldron — a hidden gem for HP fans