35 Harry Potter World Secrets

Don't you just love that word "secrets"? Say it with a nice He Who Must Not Be Named whispy whisper. Seeeeeeeecrets.

Ok, I don't know if these are secrets or not, but in November 2014 my family went to Harry Potter World at Universal in Florida and being the geek I am I scoured the interwebs for all the secret things to see and do. Then I saw them and did them!

Then I came home and forgot to save the links I found.

Then my friend on just asked on Facebook for tips because she is going to Harry Potter World.

Then I wrote a zillion posts on her thread today as I remembered secret things to see and do at Harry Potter World.

Then I decided to write cut and paste that stuff I wrote here for future reference for me and for all of my geeky friends.

Here they are:

• Get an interactive wand. Even if you all share one.
• Look for the skeleton of the troll and the skeleton of the mermaid in Knockturn Alley.
• Open up your map in Knockturn Alley.
• Listen at the disappearing cabinet. 
• Make sure you look at the snake at the animal shop from the outside as well. 
• Look for the crumbled horn snorkack in the animal shop.
• Pick up the phone in the phone booth outside of London.
• Watch the window at the Order of the Phoenix house.
• Make sure you enter Diagon alley from the London side through the main entrance where it's the most spectacular.
• Check for Dolores Umbridge riding a bicycle on the ceiling of Weasley wizard wheezes shop.
• If you buy a pygmy puff they will do a naming ceremony for it at Weasley Wizard Wheezes if you ask them.
• Visit the girls bathroom and Hogsmeade for fun.
• Take the train both ways.
• You can easily tour the castle multiple times by telling them you just going to take the tour and you don't want to ride the ride.
• Even if you don't ride the big roller coaster go through the line because there is some great stuff inside there to see. Like the tri-Wizard cup. (Unless the line is really long I guess. Or you can scoot by and tell them you just want to see the stuff.)
• Look closely into the mirror in the cloak shop. 
• Watch for the floating book in Dumbledore's office in Hogwarts. 
• Look for Hagrid's hut near the small roller coaster. 
• Make sure you cross the bridge near Hogwarts castle because the view is spectacular. In fact, make sure you go into Hogsmeade from both entrances just to check it out.
• Watch the leaky cauldron sign. It really leaks. 
• There are two secret window things to use your interactive wand with. They're both in Diagon Alley. Some website say there are three but there are only two.
• Find the bogart chest in Borgan and Berks and the hand of glory.
• There are three different wanted posters in Nocturn Alley. 
• Open the door in Nocturn Alley.
• Look at the ceiling in Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.
• There are two Ollavander shops. One in Hogsmeade and one in Diagon Alley. I loved seeing them both.
• Look for the marauders map and Filches files in the shop under Hogwarts 'Filches Emporium".
• Read the howler letters in a shop window in Hogsmeade.
• You're allowed to look in the pubs even if you don't want to eat there. Look in them.
• Look for the magical dress in the cloak shop.
• Go in the coin changing shop in Diagon Alley even if you don't buy anything or change coins and ask the goblin anything. I mean anything.
• Meet Stan Shunpike in front of the night bus.
• Make sure you go through the line under Gringotts even if you don't want to ride the ride – it's fantastic down there.
• Keep trying the spell at the Fountain in Diagon Alley and don't stand on the wet spot. LOL! 
• Try to stand under the umbrella at the spell in Diagon alley.

Bonus 10 More Things
And stuff I just saw from an article that wasn't on my list and seven of these things I didn't see when I was there. It's settled. I HAVE TO GO BACK.

• Look up at the windows of Dominic Maestro’s Music Shop and you’ll see a cello playing itself.
• When you stop by Gladrags Wizardwear, you'll see a cat made out of measuring tape. Its tail also moves!
• When in line for the Forbidden Journey ride, you can hear a teacher lecturing bend the Potions classroom door.
• See the Sword of Gryffindor and other "easer eggs" in Filch's Emporium – the store under Hogwarts.
• At the Hog's Head pub (inside Three Broomsticks), you can see the talking heads from Prisoner of Azkaban. The hog also snarls at guests!
• If you look at the top of the Owlery in Hogmeade an owl will pop out every now and then like a cuckoo clock.
• When you're on the Hogwarts Express going to Diagon Alley, you can catch a quick glimpse of Voldemort in front of Malfoy Manor.
• If you stop by the Knight Bus, make sure to go around the back and take a peek inside.
• If you look in the windows of the record shop on Charing Cross Road and Mr. Mullpepper's Apothecary in Diagon Alley, you'll see a tribute to the Jaws ride which was removed so that Diagon Alley could be built.
• ​When waiting in line for the Hogwarts Express at King’s Cross, look out for the Divine Magic ad from Half-Blood Prince.

In dreams, we enter a world that’s entirely our own.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Alkaban
- Quote by Albus Dumbledore

Have a fantastic time!