Universal’s Wizarding World is now offering vegan Butterbeer, and the Harry Potter studio tour in London will soon feature more than 400 floating candles.
Available at both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, the vegan version of the Butterbeer beverage comes in cold and frozen.
The drink has the same butterscotch and shortbread taste as the non-vegan Butterbeer, and is topped with a vegan-friendly froth.
At Universal Orlando, the non-dairy Butterbeer is available at the Three Broomsticks restaurant in Hogsmeade and the Leaky Cauldron restaurant in Diagon Alley.
At Universal Studios Hollywood, vegan Butterbeer can be purchased at the Hog’s Head pub and the Three Broomsticks restaurant.
In response to Universal’s decision, PETA’s executive VP, Tracy Reiman, said: “There’s magic in the air at Universal, now that vegan visitors and everyone else can enjoy frothy, non-dairy mugs of iconic Butterbeer.
“PETA is hopping to it to send Universal Studios a box of vegan chocolate frogs in thanks, and we encourage all Harry Potter fans to give the cruel dairy industry a dark mark by saying, ‘Accio vegan Butterbeer!’ every time they head to the park.”
The Protego Foundation, an animal rights organisation inspired by the Wizarding World, has been fighting for vegan Butterbeer since 2018.
Kathryn Henzler, the executive director of the Protego Foundation, said guests can now enjoy “the most iconic Wizarding World treat without contributing to the cruelty that mother cows and their calves face in the dairy industry”.
Elsewhere, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is adding more than 400 floating candles to the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall set for the first time since filming.
New magical experiences
The magical experience is part of a new display called ‘Discovering Hogwarts’, which will unveil behind-the-scenes secrets about how the castle came to life on screen.
For the candles feature, the special effects department will use a lighting effect to make the candles seem like they have real flickering flames. To give the illusion of floating, they will be hung with more than three miles of wire.
Discovering Hogwarts will also reveal how Professor Flitwick’s ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ scene was created for the film franchise.
In addition, the display offers a live demonstration of how the special effects team handled Hagrid’s height. As teased in a news release, it involved the help of 6’10” rugby player Martin Bayfield and a prosthetic head.
Elsewhere, Universal Studios Japan’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter will soon be home to a host of new magical creatures.
Images: Wizarding World
