Loading ...
Student experiences magic of Hogwarts
Photo Credit: Mike Whyte
.
November 30, 2011
Brandi Whyte
For me, a typical family vacation to Universal Studios inOrlando,Fla., consists of riding “The Incredible Hulk” roller coaster until dizzy, purchasing a magic wand from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, snacking on piping hot churros… and hugging “Harry Potter” star Rupert Grint.
In promotion of the blu-ray release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” Warner Brothers hosted “A Celebration of the Harry Potter Films” at Universal Orlando Resort on Nov. 11-13. With the purchase of a premier package, my parents and I had the opportunities of 6 a.m. admission into the Wizarding World, a question-and-answer and autograph session with members of the cast of Harry Potter and an exclusive after-hours gala event in Hogsmeade.
Early admission into the Wizarding World was an immense bonus of the celebration. By entering the park two hours before onsite hotel guests and three hours before the masses, my family and I were able to experience Hogsmeade without massive crowds of tourists pushing against us and spilling our butterbeers. While the park’s main attraction, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,” usually has an hour-long line spilling far past Hogwarts’ doors, it took us less than ten minutes to travel through the interior of the castle to the ride. The sweet shop Honeydukes and the jokes store Zonko’s, normally filled to capacity, were empty enough to notice all the quirky details that make them uniquely Potter-esque, such as the extendable ears hanging from Zonko’s ceiling or the magic, moving chess set in the window display.
The Q&A sessions, hosted in Toon Lagoon’s amphitheater, were hugely gratifying for any Potter fan. Each package, both the basic and premier, guaranteed the attendance of one Q&A, but guests could also earn tickets for other sessions by waiting in long and tedious standby lines. Through my ticketed session and three extras, I saw a variety of fifteen cast members, including many of my favorites: Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) and Alfie Enoch (Dean Thomas). The autograph sessions allowed for more interaction, with four cast members– Enoch, Devon Murray (Seamus Finnegan), Stan Ianevski (Viktor Krum) and Katie Leung (Cho Chang)– signing memorabilia and taking photos with every exuberant fan that came through.
The ultimate benefit of the Harry Potter celebration was the nighttime gala. Open only to premier package members with “special guest” passes, we had the choice of lining the red carpet or heading straight to Hogsmeade. Separated only by a barricade, I met nearly every member of the cast present at the event, who took the time to sign almost every paper thrust towards them and pose with almost every fan with an outstretched camera. Even the elusive Rupert Grint, whose attendance was required at press conferences instead of fan-friendly Q&As, graced the red carpet, stopping to sign body parts, shake hands and– if, like me, you were lucky enough– hug fans.
After the red carpet was rolled up, attendees were rewarded with complimentary dinner and dessert, including as much butterbeer and pumpkin juice as one could ever want, and access to any of the Wizarding World’s three rides. The cast members concluded the magical evening by thanking the guests and shooting off fireworks from their wands, leaving star struck fans like myself with an unforgettable experience that can never be replaced… unless Rupert Grint hugs me again someday.
