Today sees the release of the new trailer for the first installment of the 7th Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. If this isn’t enough reason for a blog-post, then The Wizarding World of Harry Potter also opened 11 days ago at Orlando, Florida.
It seems Harry Potter muggle mania is about to kick off again.
The 20-acre theme park, which has taken six years to complete, is part of Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure, costing around $200m (about £134m) to build.
Speaking to Sky News Online, actor Rupert Grint, who plays Ronald Weasley, spoke about his favourite part of the park.
“It’s definitely Hogwarts Castle – I can’t stop staring at it. The first time I saw it, it gave me a big chill.”
Although the park is not to everybody’s tastes, at least it is a faithful recreation of JK Rowlings films (if not the books) and this means good things for the level of catering.
Imagine, if you will, that next to the beautifully built Hogsmeade Village complete with real snow glistening in 80 degree Florida heat, there stood the standard dodgy fast-food franchises, selling soft drinks which rot your teeth and burgers that swell your belly. How much of the magic would have been lost?
Amazingly, the theme park is complete with snow glistening in the 80 degree Florida heat.
Instead, guests are treated to authentic Harry Potter food and drinks, including fish and chips, beef and Yorkshire puddings, butterbeer and pumpkin juice and, of course, Cornish Pasties.
The bad news is prices are not cheap – $49.99 (£34) for a Great Platter to feed four. Non-alcoholic Butterbeer costs $2.99 (£2). Hog’s Head ale starts at $6.50 (£4.50).
With this in mind I would love to hear reviews from the Harry Potter fans on what the park is like and how the pasties match-up with Crantock Bakery’s? Are theirs made with local ingredients and cooked from fresh? I have my doubts, although priced at $7.99 (£5.50) a pop, surely magic isn’t too much to expect.
For pasty lovers it’s fantastic that more people from all over the globe will get to enjoy them. However, if your love of Potter and Pasties doesn’t quite warrant the $50 dollar entry fee and flights to Orlando, I have the answer.
Why not throw you own Harry Potter Party?
Invite your fellow wizards and witches round, wave a magic wand over your venue to re-create the Griffindor common room, put your favourite Harry Potter film on in the background and use my recipe for the perfect Cornish Pasties to create a truly magical snack.
