OI Share: Magic in the Wizarding World – a little girl’s dream of a Harry Potter proposal comes true

Since the age of ten years old, I’ve been a devoted Harry Potter fan. Any opportunity I get to head out of Brooklyn, New York and into my fantasyland of Hogwarts, I run for it! Walking with my boyfriend back into my favorite place of all time, the exciting town of Hogsmeade Village at Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I had a feeling this trip would be something a little more magical than the last.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter engagement.

A quick glance at the Hogwarts castle told us there was only a ten minute wait for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and any Islands of Adventure fan knows how great that is! After wiping my tears of joy, I hurried into the castle, stopping frequently for a picture to capture each memory. Forbidden Journey and the tour through the castle was nothing less than magical, as always.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter engagement.

All the excitement was making us hungry! We agreed it was time for lunch at the Three Broomsticks. Cornish pasties, a side salad and of course- BUTTERBEER was on my menu… and boy, was it delicious! We walked to sit outside, where the seating overlooks the Castle, Hogsmeade and bridge to Jurassic Park.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter engagement.

I noticed my boyfriend, Rich, looking a little zonked. I asked what was wrong and he answered with “oh, nothing.” A few seconds later he said, “This looks like a good spot to propose.” I responded with “Yes, it is I guess,” not knowing that was his plan the whole time. After a little conversation back and forth, he took a beautiful box out of his pocket (as I stare in utter disbelief) and asks me to be his bride. With the wizards in the Three Broomsticks as my witnesses, I said “Yes!”

As if a trip to Universal Orlando to see Hogwarts wasn’t amazing enough, I got the proposal I had only dreamed of since I was ten years old. What happened next? More Butterbeer for a toast, of course, but this time with a magical charm…

Wizarding World of Harry Potter engagement.

I cannot wait to get back to Universal! Now I have even more wonderful memories thanks to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

- Anna

Update: Quite a few people have asked if Universal did anything special for us because of our engagement. The answer is that, yes, they did. When my fiance called to see if they had any special things for proposals, they told him that the resort could set up Ollivander’s Wand Shop so I would be chosen from the group, then he could propose in during the wand experience — which is actually really cool for a proposal as well. Loews Royal Pacific Resort, where we have stayed the past four trips, were also very kind to us: free dessert, drinks, and plenty of attention. I’m waiting patiently for UOR to offer “Just married” and “just engaged” pins as Disney does.

About this post

The story you just read is part of the OI Share project. It was contributed by a fellow OrlandoInformer.com reader who wanted to share his or her experience visiting Central Florida. This is an awesome way to relive the magic of your vacation while helping others plan similar trips to the world's number one vacation destination. View more stories just like this or find out how you can be part of the project.