Travel: Orlando

However, with the opening of Diagon Alley as part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the aforementioned Universal Studios Florida, fans of JK Rowling's creation now have the opportunity to enter Harry's world and partake in some of his remarkable adventures.

Already the most popular attraction in either of Universal's two parks, Diagon Alley complements and enhances the existing Potter feature, which is situated in Islands of Adventure. Aficionados of the film series will be impressed by the attention to detail as they meander through the meticulously recreated streets where Harry and his chums battled to help good triumph over evil, while the rest of us mere muggles simply enjoy the fantasy experience and the dramatic ride at the centre of it all.

The chance to advance through a wall in Kings Cross station and travel on the Hogwarts Express between the two parks, with scenes from the Highlands - where Harry and co learned their wizardry - flickering outside the old Pullman carriage, is a pleasant bit of whimsy.

Sitting in an open chariot for the Escape from Gringotts ride, being tossed around in the middle of a frantic game of quidditch, then joining the gang as they embark on their latest adventure is much more thrilling thanks to the very latest 3D effects.

Across at Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle, the original Potter ride, The Forbidden Journey, allows the young wizard's fans to live the dream, or, at least, the movie. Little wonder the queues are so long on the way in, and the smiles so wide on the way out.

It is testimony to the appeal of Potter and the quality of the multi-million-dollar attraction itself that Diagon Alley is the most popular area of the vast Universal parks, which set the benchmark in what is a mecca for park enthusiasts.

The downside is this means the wait for each ride can be long, though the wonderfully-crafted animatronics along the way work well to distract you from looking at your watch too often.

There are many ways to reduce the waiting time for most of the rides, though not the new Potter one, with upgrading to fast-track tickets proving increasingly popular with families intent on making every moment count.

Staying at one of the four onsite Universal hotels is another good option as this allows early access to the parks, and with it the chance to get to the front of those queues before they inevitably lengthen.

The Portofino Bay Hotel is the pick of the quartet Loews has surrounding the Universal parks, and the free water taxi from its dock to the gates of Universal Studios runs from 7.30am until 2.15am, which makes it not only very convenient for visiting the rides by day, but also for enjoying the night-time eating and entertainment facilities at CityWalk after the sun goes down.

Universal is the new kid on the Orlando block when it comes to theme parks, Disney World and SeaWorld having been long-established when the newcomer laid foundations for its very first roller-coaster. Like Universal, however, they continue to evolve and improve, with new attractions muscling in for attention alongside shows and rides which have stood the test of time.

SeaWorld now boasts a get-up-close-and-personal experience with its colony of penguins in Antartica, courtesy of the behind-the-scenes ticket which is available. This maintains the park's strong link with understanding the animals with which we share the planet; saving injured or endangered dolphins, turtles, manatees and birds before returning them to their natural environment remains a chief objective of its four parks across the States.

But, like everything at SeaWorld, the learning part is done in a fun way which allows the more serious element to be subliminal. Meeting Pearl, a three-year-old king penguin, was a real highlight, even if the freezing conditions in the vast enclosure built for him and his friends was a shock to a system which was only just getting used to the 35C heat and high humidity outside. That said, a quick dash down to help feed Flipper and his friends at Dolphin Cove soon got the core temperature back up.

Bolting on enhanced experiences like these is very much a trend at all parks and can see costs rise considerably, but the option does allow each visiting family to get exactly what they want out of a visit and make an already great day out even more memorable.

It would be wrong, though, to portray Orlando as theme parks and nothing else, though it's easy to do when they are of such a high quality. Visit Orlando, the major player in showcasing all the area has to offer, is quick to point out the alternative attractions which, though not as brash or in your face, offer a deeper insight into the area, not to mention the opportunity to reduce the often frantic pace a holiday to this part of the world can create.

Not that there is any slowing down involved with a visit to the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway. After just one meeting the local residents found the noise from the concrete oval too much, and the stop signs were put out. Now the facility is used as a boy (and girl) racer's dream, with exotic cars including Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches waiting to hurtle you around the track at speeds touching 120mph, which leaves your pulse racing and your breakfast back at the start line. The good news is the brakes more than match the power. A new set costs around $16,000, which, if they stop cars costing up to $295,000 from high-speed crashes, is money well spent.

According to my instructor Tony, women make better drivers than men when they come for a day's tuition, simply because they listen to what they are being told. He smiles when he recalls one teenage boy who, when shown the controls of his 570bhp Ferrari, assured him he was used to driving this particular model.

Wondering aloud if the youngster was lucky enough to have a millionaire father who had gifted him such a high-powered machine, the unabashed lad went on to explain he drove it for four hours every day - on his PlayStation. A sobering experience for Tony, which is not what is on offer at a clutch of other little-known attractions in the Orlando area.

Having spent a very pleasant morning aboard one of Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour's small craft cruising around Lake Osceola, admiring the beautiful campus of Rollins College and the high-end private real estate which sits alongside it overlooking the lakes, lunch was taken at the Ravenous Pig in laidback Winter Park.

The quality of food and service provided by owners and chefs, James and Julie Petrakis, and their staff was an unexpected highlight. The house Old Fashioned, which incorporates bacon-infused bourbon with a candied twist of maple bacon garnish, was as novel as it was delicious, and went down exceptionally well with a gourmet meal which was a pork-lover's utopia.

It may be off the beaten track for most Orlando visitors, but, like so many other things in life, the effort of finding it is well rewarded. Likewise, Quantum Leap Winery, an oasis of calm and good wine in a desert of bedlam and mixology.

Florida's climate does not lend itself to grape growing, so Quantum Leap decided to import carefully sourced and selected wine in huge containers from, among other places, Italy; age it in their own barrels; blend it and allow it to become a tipple of genuine quality which is now attracting a rapidly-growing clientele. It's just another example of what you can find if you go to the trouble of looking beyond the obvious in Orlando.

Sure, the theme parks will always be the main attraction, but there is so much more beyond this.

That includes the regeneration of the Church Street area of the city, where the new Emway Centre, which hosts Orlando Magic basketball besides concerts, will soon be joined by a stadium which will be home to an Orlando franchise in Major League Soccer from 2016, helping to make this small area a magnet for sports, dining, shows and myriad other activities when the magic of Harry Potter and co starts to wear off.