Universal Orlando Announces 'Diagon Alley' Opening Date
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
By: Amy Kiley & Nicole Creston

June 18, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - The new Harry Potter-themed Diagon Alley section of Universal Studios Orlando will officially open July 8th.

[Image: Preview area of the vault inside Gringotts Wizarding Bank at Diagon Alley. The "bank" will house a new thrill ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.]

Stars from the Harry Potter movies were on hand as Universal Orlando President Bill Davis made the announcement.

"When you folks see this place, you're going to fall in love with it,” Davis told the audience at Wednesday's VIP and media preview event. “As much as you fell in love the first time, you're going to fall in love again."

Universal is betting a lot that Davis is right. Published reports say Diagon Alley has already cost about $400 million. That was Universal Orlando's entire cash flow in 2009, the year before the Wizarding World of Harry Potter debuted. Its first section, based on the wizarding town Hogsmeade from the book series and featuring a thrill ride inside a small-scale replica of Hogwarts Castle, remains an immensely popular attraction to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park. 

The addition of Diagon Alley in the Universal Studios park means guests looking for the full Wizarding World experience will have to spring for a “park to park” ticket that covers admission to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. A standard one-day, two-park ticket costs $136 for ages ten and up, and $130 for kids under ten.

July 8th is later than the projected opening date - the new section was originally slated to open during the end of June. But Universal officials say vacation packages including a “Diagon Alley experience” go on sale June 29th.