Butterbeer
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Butterbeer is the drink from the Harry Potter books, turned into a real, non-alcoholic product by Universal's chefs for the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure on June 18, 2010. J.K. Rowling tasted and approved the recipe. It tastes like cream soda under a thick, sweet foam with a butterscotch flavor.
Two 2026 guides put the price at $9.49 for cold, frozen or hot. In 2010 it cost about $3 in a disposable cup, and about $10 in a souvenir stein. Universal does not publish food prices online, so check the board when you order.
At a glance
- What it is
- A non-alcoholic cream-soda drink with a sweet butterscotch-style foam, served cold, frozen or hot
- Price in 2026
- About $9.49 for cold, frozen or hot in a disposable cup; souvenir mug versions cost more
- Where
- Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure), Diagon Alley (Universal Studios Florida), the Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe, and the Universal Studios Store at CityWalk
- Other forms
- Ice cream and potted cream about $6.99; fudge about $5.50
- Dietary
- Non-alcoholic and gluten-free; dairy-free foam available for cold and frozen at three locations; hot contains dairy
In this guide
Cold, frozen or hot: which to order
- Frozen: a slush with the foam on top. The best version on a hot day, and the one most people should get first.
- Cold: a carbonated cream soda with foam, a little less sweet than frozen.
- Hot: now sold year-round. It contains dairy, and it makes the most sense on the few cool evenings Orlando gets in winter.
One guide that ranks the sweetness puts fudge first, then frozen, cold and hot, with the ice cream and potted cream least sweet. If you find the drink cloying, the potted cream at about $6.99 is the better way to taste it.
Where to get it
Most Butterbeer is sold inside the parks, which need a ticket; see our Universal tickets guide. The exception is Universal CityWalk, where the Universal Studios Store sells cold and frozen Butterbeer with no park ticket needed.
- Hogsmeade, Islands of Adventure: Three Broomsticks, among other counters in the village.
- Diagon Alley, Universal Studios Florida: the Leaky Cauldron, among other counters on the street.
- Ministry of Magic, Epic Universe: Cafe L'air de la Sirene and a cart serving it under its French name, Bieraubeurre.
Three Broomsticks and the Leaky Cauldron have the widest range, including ice cream and potted cream. Fudge is sold in the candy shops. Our Harry Potter in Orlando guide covers the three lands.
How big a deal it is
Universal said it sold one million Butterbeers in the first six months after the 2010 opening. Early reports found about half of all Wizarding World visitors tried it. The drink now has its own spring promotion: Butterbeer Season ran from March 1 to May 31 in 2026, with limited items such as a Butterbeer waffle, which cost $19.99 in Orlando.
That waffle price is the warning. Butterbeer spin-offs are priced as souvenirs. The drink itself, frozen and shared, is where the value is.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Butterbeer at Universal Orlando?
About $9.49 for cold, frozen or hot in a regular cup, based on 2026 guides checked September 22, 2026. Souvenir mug versions cost more. Universal does not publish prices online.
Does Butterbeer have alcohol?
No. Universal's Butterbeer is non-alcoholic in every form.
Can you get Butterbeer without a park ticket?
Yes. The Universal Studios Store at Universal CityWalk sells cold and frozen Butterbeer, and CityWalk has no admission charge. Everything else is inside the Wizarding World areas of the three parks.
Is Butterbeer dairy-free?
Cold and frozen Butterbeer can be ordered with a dairy-free foam at Three Broomsticks, the Leaky Cauldron and Cafe L'air de la Sirene. Hot Butterbeer contains dairy.
Which Butterbeer is best?
Frozen, for most people on a hot day. If sweetness bothers you, hot is the least sweet of the three drinks, and the potted cream is the least sweet Butterbeer item overall.
Further reading
Official sources
- The Park Prodigy - Complete guide to Butterbeer at Universal – Hot, cold and frozen $9.49; ice cream and potted cream $6.99; fudge $5.50; souvenir versions; Butterbeer Season March 1 to May 31, 2026; checked September 22, 2026
- Orlando Informer - Butterbeer guide – $9.49 cold, frozen and hot; locations incl. Ministry of Magic and Bieraubeurre cart; dairy-free foam at three locations; sweetness ranking; checked September 22, 2026
- Undercover Tourist - Butterbeer at Universal Orlando – Cold and frozen Butterbeer at the Universal Studios Store in CityWalk (no park ticket); hot Butterbeer year-round and contains dairy; lists $8.49, which conflicts with 2026 guides; checked September 22, 2026
- NBC News / AP - Got Butterbeer? (2010) – June 18, 2010 opening; Rowling approved recipe; about $3 per cup, $10 souvenir stein; about half of visitors tried it; checked September 22, 2026
- Fox News / AP - One million Butterbeers sold in six months – One million sold by December 2010, per Universal officials; checked September 22, 2026
- Inside the Magic - Butterbeer waffle pricing (March 2026) – Butterbeer Waffle $19.99 at Universal Orlando; checked September 22, 2026
