Thursday, January 2, 2014

Honeydukes at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando


In the Harry Potter books Honeydukes sweet shop is mentioned from the third book onward when Hogwarts 3rd year students are allowed to visit the Hogsmeade village. I remember how bad I wanted to visit Honeydukes for real when I was reading the books in 8th grade. It sounded like Willy Wonka land.

At The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, Honeydukes cannot be missed. It is the second shop to your left when you enter from the main entrance. Located next to Zonko's Joke Shop, the shop is marked by a bubblegum pink, horizontal kite-shaped hanging sign at the door. It reads HONEYDUKES in green. You look at the colors and you think candy!

Before you enter the shop, look at the window displays. There are about 3 bird-cage like windows, painted a cheerful aquamarine, that show you Candy Floss, Chocolate Frogs, and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. My favorite window is the one with the giant Chocolate Frog. Its pyramid shaped box opens up and a giant chocolate frog comes out to 'Ribbit' at me each time.

On the inside, Honeydukes is connected to Zonko's Joke Shop. If you enter one shop, you will find yourself looking at the other shop at the opposite end inside. They share a common check out counter. The floor is a black and white checkerboard. There are aquamarine colored shelves central to the shop and around the walls with displays of exotic candies and chocolate on top of them. The central shelves have giant, colorful lollipops, licorices, toffees, jellies, and clear candies on display. A bubblegum pink spiral staircase ascends upwards to a fake floor above in one corner. This, too, is stacked with jars of colorful candy. Standing between stacks of Fudge Flies, Peppermint Toads, Chocolate Frogs, Chocolate Wands, and countless candy-filled glass jars with the Honeydukes logo, I begin feeling like the five-year-old again who craved for colored candy!

The back wall of the shop has candy dispensers, loaded with candy and Bertie Botts, running up to the ceiling. You can grab a plastic bag and do a mix and match of the candies and purchase by weight. There is a giant refrigerator there as well which carries pumpkin juice in souvenir bottles selling of $6. There is the mini bakery too at the check out counter.

The hottest seller is the Chocolate Frog! Sherris got TWO! She got a Helga Hufflepuff 3D card in her first and she was looking for either Dumbledore or Gryffindor so she purchased another. I get to keep the second one because HAHA it was Helga again!

Don't forget to watch my video!

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