Universal Orlando - Harry Potter World
Sammy Chandhok
Madison, WI
Bucket List and Adventure Travel Specialist
I am excited to plan a tailor-made vacation or find a tour or cruise that fits your vacation wants! I have personal domestic and international experience and training for multiple types of travel including but not limited to adventure, small group...
I am excited to plan a tailor-made vacation or find a tour or cruise that fits your vacation wants! I have personal domestic and international experience and training for multiple types of travel including but not limited to adventure, small group, and all-inclusive.
I have been fortunate to have been able to travel since I was a baby. I got bit by the travel bug early in life and have been hooked ever since! There are endless beautiful places to see within the United States and territories - so if you don't have a passport, don't worry, I can still plan an amazing vacation for you! Internationally, I have been to 4 of the 7 continents (see my additional bios for more information).
I love to travel because the world is full of beautiful landscapes, interesting nature and wildlife, different ways of life and cultures, exciting adventures, and more! I love to learn about the environment and natural history of the areas I visit as I studied wildlife biology and natural resources in college. Cultural immersion through experiences, food, and talking with locals makes travel even more special and interesting.
While at other jobs, before working here, I often found myself in the planning and organizing position for travel. For example, I took on the organization of travel for my ultimate Frisbee club team since I joined the team. I also have been the planner for all of the adventurous trips me and a group of friends take almost every year (from white-water rafting trips to backpacking/hiking trips). After the last un-fulfilling job, I finally decided to do something I enjoyed and become a travel agent. Now, I am trained and have resources to stay up-to-date with information and provide the best service for my clients.
If you are as big of a Harry Potter fan as I am, the Universal Parks in Orlando are a must! I listen to the audiobooks read by Jim Dale at least once a year. So, of course, visiting Harry Potter World was on my travel bucket list! In February 2022, my mom surprised me with a trip to Universal for my birthday - I was so excited!
We stayed in Universal Endless Summer Resort, Dockside Inn and Suites. It had everything we wanted: elevators, breakfast options, a coffee shop in the lobby, and – best of all – a swimming pool to relax in after walking around the parks all day. Our room was pretty high up, I remember staring out at Orlando from the hallway window.
We had the 2-Park passes so we could take the Hogwarts Express between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. I took it twice, once in each direction. Walking around Diagon Alley (Universal Studios) was an experience in itself. Visiting all the shops, experiencing the Ollivander’s Wand Shop, and sitting in the common area to listen to stories and concerts from the wizarding world was a magical highlight. Nocturne Alley was spooky to walk through, I felt like it was real! We made sure to watch the light show on Hogwarts (Islands of Adventure) one of the nights.
I love roller coasters, so the Express Pass was definitely worth it! Because of it, I was able to ride a couple of the rides multiple times. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorcycle Adventure was my favorite ride!! It is in my top 3 favorite rides of all time. It’s exhilarating and even waiting in line is interesting – it’s like traveling through the Hogwarts campus to Hagrid’s hut. Even the experiential 3D rides in both Universal Studio and Islands of Adventure were done very well!
Universal Studio is set up like you’re traveling city to city. Los Angeles, London, and more! There are shows and concerts, performances on the street and inside buildings, characters you can meet and take pictures with, and lots of yummy food options!! Islands of Adventure is like a big loop as you travel between movie settings. The Jurassic Park area was so cool! I loved the water ride with the Jurassic World theme.
It was a great two days and I was able to see plenty of both parks in the two days.