Universal has released a schedule of webcasts that will take place during this week’s Diagon Alley press event.
Wednesday, June 18 at 8 p.m. ~ The Diagon Alley Red Carpet Event [LIVE]
Enjoy interviews with some of your favorite Harry Potter film stars as they arrive for the exclusive red carpet preview event for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.
Thursday, June 19 at 12 p.m. ~ All Aboard: A Journey on the Hogwarts Express with Oliver and James Phelps
Join James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films) as they take you on a journey aboard the Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade station to King’s Cross Station.
Friday, June 20 at 12 p.m. ~ Behind the Bricks: A Tour of Diagon Alley with Tom Felton and Matthew Lewis [LIVE]
Get a virtual tour of some of the most iconic places within The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley with your hosts, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films) and Alan Gilmore (Art Director for the Harry Potter films and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter).
Universal Orlando has released a new video showing Bonnie, James and Oliver exploring Diagon Alley. Thierry Coup and Alan Gilmore gave them a tour of the new expansion and they loved it!
“I was amazed when I walked into Diagon Alley,” Bonnie said. “The attention to detail is just above and beyond. It’s [Diagon Alley] even more real and immersive than it was on the set…It’s what we had and more,” Bonnie said.
“My favorite food from the Leaky Cauldron…can I say all of it?” James asked.
Oliver said: “The guests, especially the guys who know their stuff, are absolutely going to be blown away.”
James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and Bonnie Wright are taking over Universal Orlando’s Instagram account today to give fans a tour of Diagon Alley! They have just posted their first photo, in front of the Hogwarts Express. Make sure to follow along for more photos throughout the day!
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 Warbeckand 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.
TheTales 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.
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!
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
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.
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