|
The Universal Blog has been updated to share entertainment and interactive experiences you will be able to take part in when the Diagon Alley expansion opens this Summer. The article opens up with this teaser:
Imagine catching a live performance by a popular singing sorceress; seeing The Tales of Beedle the Bard come to life with a goose bump-inducing show performed by a troupe of four from the Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts; seeing the banter between the Knight Bus Conductor and a shrunken head; and exchanging your Muggle currency for Wizarding Bank Notes while meeting a Gringotts goblin. If all of that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will!
Some details from the article may be read below, but check out the full blog post for all the details!
Gringotts Money Exchange: Here you’ll be able to exchange your Muggle currency for Wizarding Bank Notes, which can be used within both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade (as well as the rest of our two theme parks) to purchase snacks and items from the shops. And there will be a Gringotts goblin who will be overseeing your transaction…
Knight Bus: and its two permanent occupants: a shrunken head and the Knight Bus Conductor, who will be more than happy to chat, joke around and take photos with you before you begin your journey into Diagon Alley.
Two Shows:
The Singing Sorceress: Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees: With a whole lot of soul, this swinging show will feature never-before heard songs including “A Cauldron Full Of Hot, Strong Love,” “You Stole My Cauldron But You Can’t Have My Heart” and “You Charmed The Heart Right Out Of Me” – all titles created by J.K. Rowling.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard: “The Fountain of Fair Fortune” and “The Tale of the Three Brothers” (which was featured in the seventh film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1”). Performed by a troupe of four from the Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts, this trunk show uses scenic pieces, props and puppetry fabricated by Emmy-award-winning designer Michael Curry.
Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, Wizarding World of Harry Potter |
|
Universal Orlando has launched a new contest called The Search for Diagon Alley Supplies. Each day fans are told to visit a website and find the Harry Potter item on the page. After finding an item fans are automatically entered to win the Grand Prize and can also be one of the two instant winners of the day! More details are below:
Join The Search For Diagon Alley™ Supplies!
Find each of the wizarding supplies on a participating website and check it off your list for a chance to win great prizes!
For each wizarding supply you find, you’ll be entered for a chance to win:
The Grand Prize
A VIP trip for 4 to Universal Orlando® Resort in Florida
Daily Instant Wins
Harry Potter™ Collectible Hero Wands – two winners daily!
For complete sweepstakes details, see Official Rules.
Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, Wizarding World of Harry Potter |
|
The Universal Orlando blog has shared the food choices visitors can enjoy in the Diagon Alley expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! For full details visit the post, meanwhile we’ve shared the most exciting pieces below.
Leaky Cauldron
- Bangers and Mash (traditional roasted sausages with creamy mashed potatoes)
- Toad in the Hole (traditional sausage baked into a Yorkshire pudding and served with onion gravy)
- Cottage Pie (a savory combination of meat and vegetables in a potato crust)
- Fisherman’s Pie (salmon, shrimp and cod baked together under a potato crust)
- Beef, Lamb & Guinness Stew (served in a bread bowl)
- Ploughman’s (a feast of English cheeses, crusty bread, cornichon pickles, apple beet salad, Branston pickle and a Scotch egg)
- Split Pea Soup
- Banger Pub Style Sandwich
- Fish and Chips
- Desserts like Chocolate Potted Cream, Cranachan and Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Breakfasts: an Apple Oatmeal Flan with Yogurt and Fruit and an Egg, Leek and Mushroom Pasty
Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
- Earl Grey and Lavender
- Chocolate Chili
- Clotted Cream
- Apple Crumble
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Salted Caramel Blondie
- Chocolate and Raspberry
- Strawberry and Peanut-Butter
- Orange Marmalade
- Butterbeer (that’s right, Butterbeer-flavored ice cream!)
- and more!
Beverages:
- Fishy Green Ale (it’s Fishy Green Ale, use your imagination!)
- Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice
- Tongue Tying Lemon Squash
- Peachtree Fizzing Tea
- Wizard’s Brew (draught beer)
- Dragon Scale (draught beer)
- Gillywater
- Pumpkin Juice
- Butterbeer (of course!)
They also shared an interview with Ric Florell, the Senior Vice President of Revenue Operations and Executive Chef Steve Jayson.
Deni: How did you approach developing food or beverage that has only existed in the Harry Potter books and films and people’s imaginations?
Ric: The first thing we did was research. We took a look at the Harry Potter books and the films and determined which foods and beverages we wanted to concoct for our guests. Of course, we had to have the Leaky Cauldron. The tricky part was creating a menu when there was no mention of any of the food items in the books and only one mention in the films to Split Pea Soup. So, we devised a menu with delicious dishes you would find in a British pub.
We also took into consideration what our guests wanted. For example, we received a lot of interest in having a larger beer selection in the Hog’s Head pub in Hogsmeade. We took that feedback and decided to offer more options in the Leaky Cauldron.
Our goal is to give our guests a culinary experience that immerses them in the fun, excitement and wonder of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Deni: How have you continued the culinary progression from Hogsmeade into Diagon Alley?
Chef Jayson: We wanted to expand the dining from Hogsmeade into Diagon Alley by re-creating another beloved restaurant found in the Harry Potter books and films that delivers a completely different experience than the Three Broomsticks – yet, has the same magical feel. In the Leaky Cauldron, you actually feel as if you’re walking into a pub with dishes that are true to the British culture. We even imported certain ingredients like English cheeses to add to our dishes.
With Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour, you can order flavors of ice-cream that were inspired by flavors associated with England, like Clotted Cream and Earl Grey and Lavender. You will also encounter fun flavors you would expect to only find in the wizarding world like Butterbeer.
Plus, there are a few surprises we’re leaving for our guests to discover. We challenged ourselves to bring the food and drink of Harry Potter’s world to life, and I feel our guests will leave here saying we were successful.
Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, Wizarding World of Harry Potter |
|
In a new video released today by Universal, we get to see some more details from the Diagon Alley expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Diagon Alley still has no set release date, but it is expected to be sometime in June or July. In the video, Universal Creative President Mark Woodbury takes you behind the scenes and talks about the vision behind the all-new Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Diagon Alley.
Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, Wizarding World of Harry Potter |
|
We don’t usually post photos from Diagon Alley construction as we prefer to wait for official photos, but these are just too fun not to share. Yesterday the dragon was installed atop of Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios in Orlando. Amusement Buzz was on the scene and posted a myriad of photos that you can see at their site, here. He still needs some finishing touches, like arms, but the photos are definitely giving us a taste of what to expect when we visit Diagon Alley. A few photos may be seen below from Amusement Buzz and other Twitter accounts:
Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, Wizarding World of Harry Potter |
|
Universal’s blog posted about their new Wizarding World of Harry Potter Vacation Package today. The most exciting piece of news we get in the article is that you can travel with the packages starting June 29th, which should mean that Diagon Alley will be open by that date (this is still just speculation, because things are always subject to change until an official announcement is made.)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter vacation package will provide you with the most memorable four-night getaway you could possibly imagine. The fun begins when you receive a special Welcome Parcel delivered straight to your doorstep. Your package will contain your welcome letter, park tickets and your very own owl plush.
After you arrive in Orlando, you’ll have a great time with your family in both theme parks and enjoy:
- 4-Night Hotel Accommodations
- 3-Day Park-to-Park Ticket^ to Universal Studios Florida® & Universal’s Islands of Adventure®
- Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron™ in Universal Studios Florida – one per person
- Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks™ in Universal’s Islands of Adventure – one per person
- Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World Harry Potter™ one hour before the theme parks open
- Special Themed Welcome Parcel§
- Convenient at-home delivery of your theme park tickets
- Souvenir owl plush
- Welcome Lette
This vacation package starts at $135 (including tax) per adult, per night for accommodations at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, our fourth and newest on-site hotel. You can also upgrade this package to stay at one of our three deluxe on-site hotels and enjoy additional benefits.
You can book this package today and start traveling on June 29. To get started, visit UniversalOrlando.com.
Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, Wizarding World of Harry Potter |
— 