Entertainment

See 21 Photos Of Diagon Alley Come to Life

by Christine DiStasio

June 19, 2014

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images News/Getty Images

If there were ever a time to wish that you could Apparate, it's this week, Potterheads. Universal Studios Orlando announced on Wednesday, June 18 — which happens to be the three year anniversary of the Hogsmede portion of the park's opening (!!!) — that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion, Diagon Alley, would open on July 8. And Potter fans around the world were almost as happy as Gryffindor when they won the Quidditch and House Cups during the same school year. Wednesday also marked the beginning of the Diagon Alley Preview and the resulting Instagram photos are worth at least three weeks of detention with Filch in the Forbidden Forest to any diehard fan.

There's been a slow trickling of concept art, menus, and general information involving the Wizarding World expansion at Universal Studios Orlando leading up to the official opening date announcement. And if we thought we couldn't get more excited about the fact that the Three Broomsticks restaurant will serve Guinness Stew, I, for one, was definitely wrong. Photos from lucky fans that made it to the preview are popping up on Instagram and not only is Butterbeer ice cream involved, but there are new interactive wands and a fire-breathing dragon.

Here are the 21 must-see Instagram photos and videos for every Potter fan that can't wait for July 8: