Under its spell

Simon Veness reports on a new Harry Potter theme park in Florida that's taking ingenuity to magical heights

Harry Potter may have ridden off into the sunset on his magical broom, but his legend has been given new life at a theme park.

"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley" is an extensive expansion inside the Universal Studios park in Orlando, Florida, which takes theme-park creativity to almost stratospheric levels.

Diagon Alley not only features the kind of innovative rides and experiences Universal introduced in the original Wizarding World in its Islands of Adventure park in 2010, it goes even deeper into author JK Rowling's imaginative realm, providing a total immersion in her version of London. Put simply, you feel as if you have walked through the screen and are wandering, awestruck, around a film world brought to vivid life.

There are two rides and they are both hi-tech, first-of-a-kind marvels that extend the story and add eye-opening special effects.

The Hogwarts Express, a train ride between the Diagon Alley area and the Hogsmeade section in Islands of Adventure, will be the highlight for many. The trick here is that, while the engine and its carefully recreated carriages chug the 1km between the parks, the "windows" are film screens depicting scenes of Harry's passage between London and Scotland.

Conversely, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts provides pure thrills with a journey into the depths of the wizardly bank. Animatronic goblins populate the bank's marbled halls from where visitors take a simulated lift underground to the cavernous vaults, where they embark on a wild ride in 12-person cars.

Will non-Potter fans enjoy it, too? Those who follow Rowling's books are guaranteed to be riveted by the complex detail, but there is just as much to captivate those who can't tell a Nimbus 2000 broomstick from a jumbo jet. The lively entertainment, great food (including specially created ice creams, original ales and "pub grub") and the rides themselves require no specialist knowledge and can be enjoyed by everyone.

Walt Disney World is traditionally the big family draw in this part of Florida. But there is definitely a new kid on the block - and this one casts a very convincing spell indeed. - © The Daily Telegraph