Potter lingo and lore you'll want to know before visiting the Wizarding World

The Knight Bus featured in the movie has arrived at Universal Orlando and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will have its grand opening Friday. If you’ve been swept up in all the excitement but you don’t know your butterbeer from your bludger, we’re here to help.

Here are some key terms and facts you’ll discover in the new island of Islands of Adventure. Don’t worry if you don’t understand all the terms, check the definitions below.


Dervish and Banges


What is it?
Dervish and Banges is a magical supplies and equipment shop. Here, visitors can take home their own Triwizard apparel, Hogwarts student robes, Goblet of Fire and Triwizard Cup replicas, Quidditch equipment and even a Golden Snitch.

Look for…
A floating Nimbus Two Thousand. A window display featuring “Great Moments in Triwizard History.” A copy of The Monster Book of Monsters.

Book/Film Inspiration
Ron suggests that Harry should get his Sneakoscope checked at Dervish
and Banges in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book in the series.


Dragon Challenge

What is it?
On Dragon Challenge, guests may choose between the Hungarian Horntail and the Chinese Fireball dragons as they embark on one of two dueling roller coasters. The “dragons” twist, loop and narrowly miss each other in this epic adventure.

Look for…
Guests step through a gothic archway as they begin their journey. The queue, flanked by Triwizard Tournament flags and banners, fills with triumphant music as guests come through the champions tent and get a glimpse of the iconic Goblet of Fire and Triwizard Cup. Guests then proceed through dark corridors, tunnels and caves. Guests may even hear dragons in the distance in advance of the upcoming task.

Book/Film Inspiration
Inspired by the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, featured in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth film in the series.


Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods


What is it?
This shop includes an assortment of items for guests to purchase – from fiber optic brooms and house crest banners to Ministry of Magic mugs.

Look for…
The infamous Marauder’s Map, lying partially open so guests can see footsteps traveling in different directions along the castle corridors.
Up in the stone arched ceilings, guests can see confiscated objects from over the years.

Book/Film Inspiration
Argus Filch is the caretaker of Hogwarts. He and his cat, Mrs. Norris, patrol the castle corridors trying to catch students breaking the rules. He first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone, the first film in the series.


Flight of the Hippogriff


What is it?
As visitors pass his hut, Hagrid instructs them on how to properly approach a Hippogriff. Once Hagrid’s lesson is complete, guests climb into a wicker Hippogriff to go on a training flight and begin their ride on the family-friendly, whimsical roller coaster.

Look for…
Guests enter the Care of Magical Creatures grounds, where sounds of fantastic beasts can be heard in the distance. The winding path leads visitors through Hagrid’s pumpkin patch and past Hagrid’s Hut, where Fang’s booming barks and occasional wails emanate from within.

Book/Film Inspiration
Hogwarts students first learn about and meet a Hippogriff in Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class in Harry Potter in the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third film in the series.


Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey


What is it?
Guests travel through the Floo network on this new ride and begin the adventure as they soar over Hogwarts, narrowly escape a dragon attack, have a close encounter with the Whomping Willow, get pulled into a Quidditch match and more.

Look for…
Guests enter through the gates of Hogwarts, which are guarded by two winged boars. Inside the immense Hogwart’s castle are elaborate passageways and corridors. Within the hallways of Hogwarts, guests find enchanted wizard portraits hanging on the walls – including those of the four Hogwarts founders.
In Dumbledore’s office, the Headmaster welcomes guests and invites them to hear a lecture about the history of the school. However, once guests have moved on to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, Harry, Ron and Hermione entice the visitors to join them instead. Just past the Gryffindor common room, guests encounter the Sorting Hat, then enter the Room of Requirement to take their seats on enchanted benches and begin their Forbidden Journey.

Book/Film Inspiration
Many elements of this attraction, including the castle, are all featured throughout the Harry Potter books and films.


Honeydukes


What is it?
Guests are transported into a world of Candyfloss, Pepper Imps and Sugar Quills. Guests can fill up a bag with the unique-tasting Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans – from the pleasant Pear, Marshmallow and Watermelon flavours, to the unexpected Fish, Pepper and Sausage. Guests can also collect the exclusive wizard cards (all four of the Hogwarts founders), with the purchase of delectable Chocolate Frogs. The shop also features Fizzing Whizzbees to tickle the tongue and Tooth Splintering Strong Mints.

Look for…
The “Eyeball Bonanza” animated skeleton sweet machine and “Clippy’s Clip Joint” liquorice hair cutting machine.

Book/Film Inspiration
Fans will know Honeydukes Sweetshop from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third film in the series.


Ollivanders


What is it?
Ollivanders wand shop gives guests the opportunity to experience the wand choosing them during a show; however, visitors are also able to purchase Hero Wands (replica wands of those owned by Harry and his friends), collectible wand sets and “practice” wands for younger wizards.

Look for…
Asymmetrical shelves line the walls and wand boxes are stacked from floor to ceiling. Look for different happenings for different shows.

Book/Film Inspiration
Hagrid takes Harry to Ollivanders to get his very first wand, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone/Sorcerer’s Stone, the first film and book in the series.


Owl Post


What is it?
Guests can mail postcards or letters to friends and relatives from the Owl Post. This special mail receives the official Hogsmeade postmark, and visitors can even buy a unique Wizarding World licensed postage stamp.

Look for…
Guests can find some owls inside the Owl Post, and others outside in the adjacent Owlery. A display window just outside the Owl Post features a Howler, which guests can hear just before the magical letter shreds itself into tiny pieces.

Book/Film Inspiration
The Owl Post is referred to in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the third book in the series)


Owlery

What is it?
A place where guests can rest on shaded benches.

Look for…
Gaze up at the owls in the timber rafters above. Barn owls, majestic Great Horned owls and tiny Scops owls hoot and click, turn their heads, ruffle their feathers and flutter lazily as they rest between their postal deliveries.
The grand Owlery clock tower strikes the time every 15 minutes as a beautiful wooden owl flies out of the top of this impressive structure and hoots.

Book/Film Inspiration
The Owlery is first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone (the first book in the series).


Three Broomsticks


What is it?
An enticing menu in this restaurant includes shepherd’s pie, Cornish pasties and roasted potatoes. Families can share in the Great Feast – with an assortment of food for all to enjoy. And for dessert, guests can indulge on delightful treats including freshly baked apple pie, chocolate trifle and strawberry and peanut-butter ice-cream.

Look for...
It’s full of rustic wooden benches and tables situated below an impressive vaulted ceiling, featuring an elaborate lattice of heavy wooden beams. Guests can order butterbeer and pumpkin juice and if they glance around the restaurant, they may see signs of magical happenings.

Book/Film Inspiration
The Three Broomsticks was where Harry first learned that Sirius Black is his godfather.


Hog’s Head Pub


What is it?
Flickering lanterns and a long wooden bar where you can purchase Hog’s Head Brew, butterbeer and other spirits.

Look for…
A large hog’s head is mounted on the wall behind the bar and comes to life as it looks from side to side, blinks its eyes, puffs its jowls and growls at guests.

Book/Film Inspiration
Hermione Granger chose the Hog’s Head pub as the first meeting place of what was to become Dumbledore’s Army.


Zonko’s


What is it?
Zonko’s is a joke shop where guests can purchase novelty items, magical tricks, jokes and toys. They can find Sneakoscopes, Screaming Yo-yos, Extendable Ears, Pygmy Puffs, Shrunken Heads and Fanged Flyers.

Look for…
From the main entrance door through the shop itself, visitors should be aware because they never know what they’ll encounter.
One of the windows at Zonko’s features a magical wizard chess display, where the Queen swings her sword and the Knight collapses. Next to the chessboard, Dr. Filibuster’s Fabulous No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks are displayed.

Book/Film Inspiration
Ron Weasley first encounters Zonko’s on a Hogsmeade outing in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book in the series. Fred and George Weasley thought about buying the store and turning it into a Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes outlet in the fiction.


Key Terms

Bludger: A bewitched, round, black ball used in Quidditch that rockets around the pitch trying to knock players off their brooms. Each team’s Beaters try to defend their teammates from Bludgers with bats, and redirect the Bludgers toward the opposing side.

Butterbeer: A frothy drink, reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch, served in Hogsmeade.

Candyfloss: A form of spun sugar, in pink and green.

Cauldron Cake: A rich, moist, chocolate chip muffin baked in a half-dome shape, half- dipped in chocolate and topped with whipped topping; garnished with a handle of semi-sweet chocolate.

Chinese Fireball: One of four dragons guarding a golden egg in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Viktor Krum (from the Durmstrang Institute) had to retrieve his golden egg from a Chinese Fireball.

Chocolate Frogs: Wizard confectionary that contains collector’s cards of famous witches and wizards.

Cornish Pasties: Flaky pastry pies with minced beef, vegetables and potatoes.

Exploding Bonbons: Wizard sweets available from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.

Extendable Ear: Long flesh-colored strings with ears on the end that allow the user to eavesdrop on conversations from a distance; invented by Fred and George Weasley.

Fang: Rubeus Hagrid’s beloved pet boarhound.

Fizzing Whizzbees: Wizarding sweets; sherbet balls that make you levitate several feet in the air when you eat them.

Floo Network: A method of transportation in the Wizarding World, governed by the Department of Magical Transportation and overseen by the Floo Network Authority; to access the network, a person must toss a handful of Floo powder into a fireplace, walk into the green fire, and declare the desired destination.

Goblet of Fire: Large wooden cup full of flames, used as an impartial selector for the contenders in the Triwizard Tournament.

Golden Snitch: A small, enchanted golden ball with silver wings that flies around the Quidditch pitch during a match; the Seeker of either team tries to catch the Snitch (worth 150 points) to end the game.

Great Feast: A fresh garden salad and a combination of BBQ Chicken, BBQ Ribs, corn on the cob, and fresh seasonal vegetables or roasted potatoes for families to enjoy

Gryffindor Common Room: A circular room full of armchairs and tables where Gryffindor students study and relax.

Hippogriff: A magical creature that has the front legs, wings and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. Hippogriffs are proud creatures and an individual must bow to them and wait for them to bow in return before approaching.

Hogwarts Founders: The founders of each Hogwarts house – Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff.

Hungarian Horntail: Considered to be the most dangerous dragon breed; was one of four dragons guarding golden eggs in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Harry had to retrieve his golden egg from a Hungarian Horntail.

Marauder’s Map: A magical parchment that reveals all of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and identifies anyone in the castle grounds as they move around. To view the map, one must tap it with a wand and recite, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good;” to hide the contents of the map, one must again tap it and recite, “Mischief managed.”

Ministry of Magic: The governing body of the Wizarding World whose primary objective is to keep the Muggle world from learning about witches and wizards.

The Monster Book of Monsters: A large textbook used in the Care of Magical Creatures class (required reading for third years); the book tries to attack anyone who attempts to open it and the only way to subdue the book is to stroke its spine, upon which it opens gently.

Muggle: A non-magical person.

Knight Bus: The 21-foot, triple-decker that picks up stranded wizards.

Nimbus Two Thousand: Flying broom; Harry Potter received one from Professor McGonagall when he joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Seeker.

Pepper Imps: Wizarding sweets available from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade; make you smoke at the mouth.

Pygmy Puffs: A small, fluffy, magical creature; Fred and George Weasley breed and sell them in their joke shop.

Quaffle: A red ball used as the main object of play in Quidditch; each team’s Chasers try to pass the Quaffle through goal hoops to score points.

Room of Requirement: This room only appears when people need to use it and is always equipped for the seeker’s needs.

Sneakoscope: A spinning, glass top; it lights up, spins, and whistles if there is someone untrustworthy around.

Sorting Hat: The magical hat that decides which house students shall be in while at Hogwarts.

Spectrespecs: Large, colorful glasses that were given away free in issues of The Quibbler.

Sugar Quills: A lollipop in the shape of a feather quill

Treacle Fudge: Smooth, creamy light fudge made from white chocolate, laced with molasses and plump raisins.

Triwizard Cup: A trophy for the champion of the Triwizard Tournament.

Triwizard Tournament: A competition between the three largest European schools of witchcraft and wizardry: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute. Each school selects a champion, and the champions compete in three magical tasks; champions compete for the glory of their school and a thousand Galleons personal prize money

Whomping Willow: A large tree on the Hogwarts grounds that, when provoked, starts thrashing its long, willowy branches.

Wizard Chess: The magical variant of the classic board game in which the pieces move of their own accord when commanded by the player; when a piece is taken, it is destroyed by the attacking piece.

• To read more about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, get a copy of the Summer 2010 Orlando Attractions Magazine.

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