“We could get it checked in Hogsmeade,” Ron Weasley suggests in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. “They have all sorts of things in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. But that’s not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes! It’s this sweetshop where they’ve got everything. Pepper Imps – they make you smoke at the mouth – and great Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you’re thinking what to write next.”
In 2016, Universal Studios brought the imaginary village of Hogsmeade to life within its Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction in Hollywood, allowing visitors to wander the streets and follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Hogwarts Castle, meanwhile, sits tall and proud on a small embankment in the background while the Hogwarts Express that brought students to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from Platforms 9 3/4 at King’s Cross Station in London resides near the entrance.
The stores and shops of the Hogsmeade from the Harry Potter series of books and films are well represented within the Wizarding World of Universal Studios, including Dervish and Banges, Zonko’s Joke Shop and yes, Honeydukes. Most of them are open for business and stocked with the types of wares that would be found in the originals, such as Chocolate Frogs, Hogwarts’ robes and Quidditch gear, as well as a slew of merchandise specially designed for muggle visitors.
While the Chocolate Frogs are edible, they are not magical, and the Quidditch brooms are mere toy replicas as opposed to actual flying devices. Such quibbles, however, do not take away from the thrill of visiting an actual Hogsmeade and all that it offers.
Within the castle of Hogwarts, meanwhile, is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. A “dark ride” as opposed to actual rollercoaster, the Forbidden Journey offers the same stimulation nonetheless as it spins, turns, twists, and descends using technology that suspends the seats high in the air and then pivots as opposed to travelling along a set of tracks. Immersive 4k images add to the experience, making one feel as though they are truly on an adventure with Harry Potter and his pals from Hogwarts.
After being splashed by an imaginary dash of “floo” powder – courtesy of Hermione Granger – Forbidden Journey riders quickly find themselves pursued by a Hungarian Horntail dragon, traveling through the Forbidden Forest, and escaping the wrath of the Whomping Willow. Although all of it is quite thrilling, it is when the ride makes its way to the Quidditch pitch that the Forbidden Journey is arguably at its most exciting.
During a Gryffindor/Slytherin match – replete with both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy flying around the field on their brooms – riders of the Forbidden Journey experience the thrill of flying and zooming, twisting and turning, and rapidly descending as they follow Harry and the Golden Snitch around the field. If anyone ever wondered what competing in a Quidditch match from the Harry Potter Universe would feel like, this is a close as it gets and just as fun.
Before being strapped into Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, visitors make their way through a maze of darkened corridors within Hogwarts Castle, passing iconic objects from the Harry Potter books and films that include the Sorting Hat, Mirror of Erised, Headmaster’s Office, and Gryffindor Common Room. For those seeking a more traditional rollercoaster ride, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter also contains the Flight of the Hippogriff to satisfy the urge.
In addition to Hogwarts Castle and the streets and shops of Hogsmeade, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter adds small details that likewise enhance the experience. Within the restrooms, for instance, the voice of Moaning Myrtle can be heard – although no ghostly apparitions make an appearance – while a nearby cash dispensing machine is branded as a branch of Gringotts Bank. The Three Broomsticks Pub, meanwhile, serves a traditional English breakfast and lunch, as well as non-alcoholic butterbeer and pumpkin juice.
Although not part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter created by Universal Studios, there is one other element to the attraction that is equally rewarding. Throughout the streets of Hogsmeade, young boys and girls donning their Hogwarts robes and brandishing wands can be seen walking along with their parents, who happily snap photos of their offspring in front of Ollivanders Wand Shop and the Owl Post Office. Born after the release of the final final Harry Potter novel in 2007, these young fans are a testament to the ongoing popularity of the books and films as much as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter itself and a delight to witness firsthand.
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter had to sneak out of Hogwarts Castle using underground tunnels and his Cloak of Invisibility to join friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in Hogsmeade. Visitors to Universal Studios, however, have no need for such drastic measures. The Hollywood Hills may not be located in England but they are arguably as close to visiting the world of Harry Potter as one will ever get – as well as equally enjoyable.
Anthony Letizia
