I used to want to go USyd just for the sandstone buildings, but that really doesn't make sense, and the inside of the rooms are quite old. It has probably the best architecture in Aus for something that resembles Hogwarts, so made sense for them to use their old halls and make something different. There were so many people dressed in HP gear. Here are some pics from the day.
The Great Hall
Usyd but Hogwarts for the day
They had some characters dress up as wizards/witches from another wizarding world. I forgot what each house meant since didn't really read the info the sent before.
I love this shot of the staircase, feels like in the movie changing different floors on the moving stairs.
Pretty sure Usyd peeps fees go into maintaining these sandstone buildings and cleaning stainless windows
They were saying something about opening a portal
inside
I chose the red house cause I have a Gryffindor scarf lol
drink station
dining tables
stage
cauldron with occasional smoke machine stuff coming out
menu
table deco
Other parts of the table had cake pop in a snitch shape, jelly beans, apples, toffee apples. My section didn't only had an encyclopaedia (which are only useful as props these days), but luckily I took a photo of these cupcakes before other people had it. These are defs HP characters, but cause they actually didn't name them so they didn't technically break trademark rules.
props to them putting up candles in the ceiling
drinks
They put effort into the first batch, but then there were too many people and it was a bit of a mess.
Wizard's Buttered soda: mix of a toffee on ice base, melted ice cream in ginger ale, plus whipped cream on top. Depending if they put more of the liquid toffee, it tasted nice, or else just felt like you were drinking a spider drinks cause of the ice cream. They also gave up putting cream on top. Sort of tasted like Butterbeer, but the real thing is a whole lot nicer.
Liquid Luck cocktail: didn't taste any alcohol, and it reminded me of a lemony soft drink without the fizz.
They had these wire cubes to put food on top sort of like a banquet style, but the food didn't come out fast enough, and was like one dish shared between 12 people, so you couldn't really reach the other dishes and relied on people passing the food around. People were nice enough the pass the food around, but couldn't really take photos of everything. Food was average, and not really hot when it came out since I think they couldn't really cater for the amount of people in the small kitchen on the side.
They initially served this on top of a dish of liquid nitrogen to give a smoky/magical effect, but after the first 4 coming out of the kitchen, they ceebs.
tarts
veggie puffs
half dug in lamb
not enough guacamole
I couldn't really here what they were saying since we were seated in the middle but their PA system wasn't good, so I missed out on the whole storyline. There were some magic tricks which were fun
dessert
They said only one per person, and not gonna lie, I was disappointed. I pay over $200 and only get one tiny piece of cake? I trapped the scarf cake pop and the tart before other people could take it.
matches my scarf
chocolate mud cake plus fondant scarf
The ingredients are pretty cheap, but it takes skill/effort to make the scarf, hence why people feel these for over $5 each. I don't really like cake pop since it's essentially crumbled cake, then remixed with a load of icing to make it dense and shapeable. I just like looking at them more than eating them lol. The lemon/passion meringue tart was quite nice, but the pastry didn't hold itself together.
so cute!
I saw a table had people leaving so I grabbed one of their cakes. I like how they added some rose petals on top. It was a bit sweet with the cream cheese icing plus white choc. The owl is cute which I kept. I also took home 4 apples, yeah, making the most of my ticket price haha (and cause I'm Asian).
Jellybeans in the middle of the table.
caramel mud cake pop
Another table left so I also grabbed this and took this home to try. This one was nicer than the choc mud cake one.
The night event was inside a different hall, with no windows and more paintings on the side. Also they had bigger screens on the front and looked like they had more food. I like the natural lighting through the windows and easier to take photos as well. Alcohol was on the table since night was for 18+, where as for lunch waiters would come around with red or white wine, which was also average.
At $231pp it's definitely not cheap, I think even more expensive than my most expensive degustation meal at Quay for my 21st birthday (farewell Snow Egg). I wouldn't go again cause I don't think it's worth the price, and the food was below average for something which is a catered event. Maybe I'll go if it was $100, but not over $200 since I'd rather go fine dining. Like families with multiple kids coming here, I wouldn't pay to come here unless I was old enough to pay for myself cause it's so expensive, and I find when you're a kid, you aren't as appreciative of stuff. Like you'll take travel as granted whereas when you're older, you have a better memory and know stuff like that doesn't come without hard work.
I guess you pay for these things if you're like me to experience something unique, and probs won't come back again. It was an enjoyable day and loved the overall atmosphere there (just not the price lol).
