Through the monument is a wooded pathway that expands into the distance.
Where could this lead? It’s long. And dark!
Uh-oh! Looks like someone crashed their flying car!
Wow! Hogsmeade was hiding back here all along!
I don’t have any experience with the Orlando Wizarding World, but USJ’s feels a lot like Hollywood’s.
Lots of lovely detail throughout the village, as expected. And look! An authentic Vekoma Rollerskater!
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – a great experience, just like Hollywood’s!
Unique to USJ is Hogwarts’ Black Lake (w/ attached pier).
The lake is an amazing addition to the otherwise note-for-note copy of Hollywood’s Harry Potter area. Incorporating a water feature is always a good idea, after all!
Admiring of the reflection of Hogwarts is almost more enchanting that viewing the castle itself.
See what I mean?
And while this Wizarding World has better sightlines than its Hollywood counterpart, the immediate area around Hippogriff is exposed to the resort hotels.
The lead car on Hippogriff is a popular choice for us tall Americans – extra leg room!
Hollywood or Osaka? #tooclosetocall
3 Broomsticks for dinner! Cant beat the view!
So yeah, I’m a fan of the lake. 
Honeydukes! Lots of fun to browse through as long as its not shoulder-to-shoulder in there.
Alright! Time to leave Hogwarts and return to Japan!
We sorta blew past the entrance of the park this morning (time was of the essence!), but there on the left is entrance area. Like Tokyo Disney, it’s a giant glass ceiling!
It really took us all day to cover USJ – we didn’t make it to San Francisco until dusk!
San Francisco used to be home to Back to the Future, but ever since that corner was converted into “Super Silly Funland,” San Francisco’s attraction roster was reduced to Backdraft alone.
To the left: Super Silly Funland. To the right: Fisherman’s Wharf.
We went right. We can always backtrack. 🙂
This park is just pure eye candy, no matter what time of day.
DINOÂ HOW ARE YOU SO AMAZING?
The circular building engulfed by Dino is actually a pretty good restaurant.
I’m pretty excited to take pictures of all of this at night. 
Oh, “Minion Park.” Excuse me. I thought it was “Super Silly Funland.” I guess that’s just Hollywood.
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem is, of course, ultra popular in Japan. The Simpsons: The Ride was a great replacement for the stateside Back to the Futures, but out here The Simpsons aren’t particularly popular.
Minion Park is SUPER detailed. The midway games and shops were actually a lot more crowded than anything in Hogsmeade.
I know Minions are popular, but I don’t really “get” them. *shrug*.
Ok, back to important stuff.
We wound up with 4 total rides on Flying Dinosaur; two of those were made possible by the single rider line!
One thing that’s amazing about this resort is the nighttime entertainment and lights and sounds, including the infamous parade to feature lots of Harry Potter, this will be found on page 3!