Hogwarts is the most accurate building possible

Muggles lack the ability to apparate structures, and even if they could, we wizards have need of Hogwarts on a daily basis. You’ve likely noticed that our educational facility seems to have a crisis every few months.

Since you Yanks couldn’t have our Hogwarts, you built your own. It is the most realistic version of the real thing that a non-magical being could construct. The engineers thought of everyone. They use forced perspective to narrow the view at the top of the castle. You can’t see the rest of the Universal or Orlando skyline, only what a wizard could see from the top of the castle.

Other touches permeate the inside and outside of Hogwarts. You’ll hear sage advice as you pass by the famous Sorting Hat. Animated newspapers tell fascinating stories about the happenings at Hogwarts. When you stand in line at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, spend part of your time reading these headlines for a special bit of entertainment.

Perhaps the best aspect of the castle interior is the talking pictures. An idea taken directly from the stories, the subject of each painting has a special personality. Some of them are still obsessed with their houses. You’ll even hear them recite how many points that their group has during the current semester! As a filthy Muggle, you should understand that some of the paintings, especially the Slytherin ones, will dislike you and hurl a few epithets your way.

The Wizarding World is like living in a world filled with magic

J.K. Rowling, the most gifted of all No-Majs, consulted on countless details at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. She stressed a desire to build a believable, immersive substitute for the magical portion of London. Several of her requests are an everyday part of the themed land.

For example, you don’t have to use Muggle money. You can (and should) exchange your useless American dollars for the much more valuable Gringotts bills. For some reason, the enterprising gnomes at the Gringotts Money Exchange desire human money and will trade some Gringotts capital in exchange for it. You can then wander around the Wizarding World, using the true currency of the land to pay for your meals and merchandise.

To perfect the illusion that you’re in the greater London area, Universal even went to the trouble of importing Brits to Orlando. Yes, those accents that you hear from the employees are legitimate. It’s akin to Disney’s practice of hiring residents of their native countries to work at the various World Showcase pavilions. Since these people are from England, however, you shouldn’t mention Voldemort’s name to them. They remember the unexplainable horrors that took place during his ascension and will have no part of any conversation involving that name!

The food at the Wizarding World is the real deal, too. Universal selected a chef who would respect the origins of the cuisine. This person spent roughly three years mastering the dishes mentioned in the Harry Potter books and movies. When you eat any food here, its roots trace back to Rowling! Why, Universal even gave the author the final say on the version of Butterbeer that you drink.

Perhaps the ultimate sign of respect at this themed land is the Hogwarts Express. Since our kind has used this magical train for many generations now, it’s well-worn. The version that you’ll ride at Universal Studios is only a few years old. To avoid it looking too new, engineers added a weathered look to the Hogwarts Express to reflect that it has transported wizards for many decades. It’s respectful touches like this that cause those of us in the Ministry of Magic to appreciate that you Muggles aren’t all bad.