Chandeliers made from 26,000 crystals and a 60ft fire-breathing Ukranian dragon: Orlando goes Harry Potter crazy as brand new Diagon Alley opens in Florida
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Where London leads, Florida follows as the stars of the Harry Potter films Helena Bonham Carter, Warwick Davis and Evanna Lynch arrive on the red carpet at Universal Studios Florida for the forthcoming opening of Diagon Alley.
The alley is an assortment of shops, restaurants and other sights just like its London counterpart and more than doubles the size of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando.
The teenage wizard's creator J.K. Rowling said: 'I'm so pleased that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has proved so popular to date, and I'm sure that the attention to detail in creating the new Diagon Alley area will make this an even better experience.'
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter's Diagon Alley will officially open on July 8, allowing guests to experience even more of Harry Potters adventures in an all-new, magnificently-themed environment
You can even buy a magic wand, which can alter shop displays, to use in the attraction.
A small army of production staff has been working up to 100 hours a week to painstakingly recreate the alley from Fred and George Weasley's joke shop through to the eerie Knockturn Alley.
The chandeliers are made with more than 26,000 crystals. There is even a 60-foot, fire-breathing Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon, which as fans of the series know was used to guard several high-security vaults, including the Lestrange Vault, at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Located in the Universal Studios Florida theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley will feature shops, dining experiences and the next generation thrill ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
The bank is decorated in marble with animatronic goblins grumbling either side of the hall.
Take the Gringotts ride and you will come face to face with trolls, dragons and even the dark lord himself – Voldemort so you can imagine yourself alongside Harry in this pivotal scene from the final book and film.
Mark Woodbury, the president of Universal Creative, said: 'Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts will change the way you think about theme park attractions.
'We've created an entirely new type of ride that propels guests into the story like never before, and guests will remember it long after their visit to Diagon Alley.'
Harry Potter continues to be a global phenomenon, each of the seven books by author J.K. Rowling has broken sales records, with the series to date having sold over 450 million copies worldwide.
Escape from Gringotts: Tthe new attraction found withinThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a multi-dimensional thrill ride that will place riders in the middle of an incredible adventure as they navigate their way through the Gringotts vaults
The Harry Potter films, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, have grossed more than $7.7 billion to date worldwide at the box office, making Harry Potter the largest-grossing film franchise in history.
Diagon Alley isn't the only new attraction, Universal have also finished building a replica of the Hogwarts Express, which will shuttle guests between the two parks.
While riding the train, passengers are shown an amusing video that reflects the journey they are taking, depending on the direction they are travelling.
The scale of the attraction combined with the unbelievable attention to detail makes Diagon Alley one of the most immersive experiences on the planet.
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