Hello, there. My name is Molly, and I am a HUGE Harry Potter dork.

I am always listening to one of the books in my car, have multiple wands, know all the movies by heart, and cry every time my favorite characters die. So it comes as no surprise that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of my favorite places!c

I’ve never been so excited to visit a theme park land! I delight in each sip of Butterbeer, each wave of my wand, and each spin on Sirius’ motorbike. I am giddy with every Hogwarts Express ride, every Chocolate Frog card, and every time the dragon breathes fire.

I say all this to establish my love for not only Harry Potter, but Universal‘s incredible lands. HOWEVER, amidst all the magic and detail, I do have three (small) gripes that I must get off my chest.

A Mega Harry Potter Fan’s Gripes with Universal’s Wizarding World

1. Not My Hermione

Okay, first and most notable is on the Hogwarts Express. As you sit in your cabin, taking in the outdoor scenery, memorable characters such as Harry, Ron, and Hermione walk through the hallway. You’ll see their shadows and hear them chat about the goings-on on the train…and by them, I mean Ron, a decent Harry impersonator, and some random woman who I assume has never done a British accent before this moment in her life.

I understand that Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe had moved on to bigger and better things, and didn’t want to be stuck playing the same roles for the rest of their lives. But, how is it possible to be THIS far off Hermione? Truly, it’s the female version of Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent in Mary Poppins.

It’s bad. And if you’ve never noticed before (HOW?), I guarantee you will now. I am sorry.

2. Shhh…It’s a Horcrux.

An absolute MUST ride when visiting is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. As the story goes, you’re touring the Wizarding bank at the EXACT moment Harry, Ron, and Hermione are breaking into Bellatrix’s vault to steal the Horcrux (Hufflepuff’s cup.) Fine, I’ll buy it.

As they escape on the dragon, Harry shouts to Bill “we’ve got the horcrux, we gotta go!”

UHHHHHHHH. As a reminder, Dumbledore swore Harry to secrecy (apart from Ron and Hermione), and he refused to tell Lupin, Molly, Arthur, and McGonagall but he just casually told BILL!?! No. I will not buy this.

3. DADA Mix-up

Like any good Potterhead, I love Defense Against the Dark Arts. It’s such a crucial storyline in the books and movies — we get to meet a new and intriguing professor each year, plus Harry learns some of his most important spells in this class. When strolling through Hogwarts in the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey queue, you get to walk through the DADA classroom. But this set up just doesn’t sit right:

On the desk, you’ll find one of my favorite details — the Dark Arts Defence – Basics for Beginners book. Movie fans may remember this is the book Professor Umbridge assigns to Harry and pals in their fifth year. (I say movie because in the book she assigns Defensive Magical Theory.)

However, on the board, you’ll see a lesson about Dementors and casting a Patronus Charm. This makes no sense. For starters, if this is Umbridge’s classroom, there is no way she is teaching the students how to cast a Patronus, considering she only taught theory and never action. Maybe it’s Lupin’s class you say? Lupin never taught the class how to cast a Patronus. He only taught Harry in his third year in one-on-one classes in his office. Maybe the board is Harry’s writing during his Dumbledore’s Army sessions?! Those were fifth year! Yes, they were, but they were also in the Room of Requirement, not the classroom.

CAN ANYONE ANSWER THIS!? Please, I can’t sleep at night.

Ultimately, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is incredible, and I am constantly delighted by the details and immersion. It’s overwhelmingly magical and amazing, and I’m thankful such a place exists where people like me can have their favorite story come to life around them! Just try to ignore Hermione.

Have you ever noticed these details in the Wizarding World? Let us know in the comments!

Comments (12)