Our anticipation for the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter grows every time we spot the spires of Hogwarts Castle off of the 101. While you'll still have to wait until April 7 to get inside, Universal has made securing a spot at the opening a little bit easier.
Starting today, you can reserve date-specific tickets (including the Harry Potter opening date) for Universal Studios Hollywood with the park's new EZ Rez site. Buy a ticket through the somewhat awkwardly named system and you'll even be able to enter the park one hour early, no Time-Turner needed.
Halloween Horror Nights attendees will find the new system pretty familiar; you can choose a specific day, the price of which fluctuates based on predicted demand. Tickets cost $95 at the front gate, but you can find days as low as $75 using the online reservation system. If you'd rather keep your options open, you can still do so with a $95 ticket that's good any day through the end of the year.
Universal bumped up its annual pass prices and date restrictions in late 2015, seemingly in preparation for the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. With that in mind, it's a relief to find out that single-day ticket prices haven't budged from $95.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will include "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," a 3-D thrill ride that pits would-be-wizards against dragons, dementors and some stiff quidditch competition, as well as the family coaster "Flight of the Hippogriff" and familiar Hogsmeade shops and restaurants like Ollivanders Wand Shop, candy boutique Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop and the Three Broomsticks—home of that sweet, sweet Butterbeer.