It’s Already Christmas at Hogwarts

The holiday decorations at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Orlando are up, perhaps a little early for the purists amongst us who think their debut should be post-Thanksgiving in the U.S., but, hey, if you are lucky enough to visit Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure in the run-up to the holiday season, why not get the full effect.

That effect is augmented this year with a new projection mapping show on Hogwarts Castle each evening.  In addition to the usual festive trappings that adorn Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, this new feature, called “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts,” projects a 3-dimensional light show onto the castle, viewable from Hogsmeade.  It starts off with the ghosts flying in and out of the castle softly singing the “Christmas at Hogwarts” carol that they sang in the first film:

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Ring the Hogwarts bell
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Cast a Christmas spell
Have a wondrous wizard Christmas
Have a merry Christmas day
Hover around the sparkling fire
Have a merry Christmas day

Find a broomstick in your stocking
See the magic on display
Join the owls joyous flocking
On this merry Christmas day

Ding dong, ding dong
Ring the Hogwarts bell
(Ring the Hogwarts bell)
Ding dong, ding dong
Cast a Christmas spell
Ding dong, ding dong
Make the Christmas morning bright
Fly high across the sky
Light the Christmas night 

Then it starts to snow, and Hedwig flies around the castle as her theme plays.

This is followed by warm golden lanterns at every window, more owls, and then wizards and/or witches—they are not identifiable on the video—on broomsticks conjuring up four giant snowmen, one representing each house, that are immediately destroyed by the Weasley family’s errant flying car.  (To be honest, that scene has a bit of a cheesy video game look to it—how many points for the snowman?)  Gold fairy lights then dance up the castle from the rocky precipice on which it perches and create the illusion of a star-topped Christmas tree in front of the biggest tower.  The whole scene then changes to an icy blue, as if Jack Frost (or, perhaps, Elsa) had touched it.

At this point, it becomes a psychedelic light show, with pinks and oranges appearing on the rocks underneath the castle, followed by the Triward Champions dancing over the scene as far-larger-than-life projections, Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger in front where the tree had been.

The Weasley twins then reappear with some of their signature fireworks and some quite creative advertising for Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.  This has a grand finale air to it but there is more as racing garlands of gold and white light encircle the castle and dissipate to reveal beautiful Christmas decorations, with traditional greenery garlands and red bows festooning the walls and windows, the return of the tree, more gold lights, and, oddly, the search lights that direct you to a used car lot.

The show ends with more snow and fireworks. Aside from the aforementioned cheesy bits, it’s beautiful and festive and I’d love to see it in person.

The new light show is not the only holiday addition to the Wizarding World.  The Hogwarts Frog Choir in Hogsmeade has a new act, and Celestina Warbeck is back in Diagon Alley with a new cauldron full of hot, strong love to warm up your holidays, including her new hit, “My Baby Gave Me A Hippogriff For Christmas.”

Better hurry and book your tickets.  The holiday season at Universal Orlando runs from November 18-January 6.  Take some photos of yourselves enjoying the magic of Christmas in the wizarding world and post them to social media with the hashtag #Leakyholidays.

Accio Christmas!