Harry Potter to cast spell on Universal Orlando Resort

Hogwarts Castle Harry Potter “Theme Park within a Theme Park” will be revealed in 2010. Fans to be immersed in the Adventures of the World’s Most Popular Wizard.

Warner Bros. Entertainment and Universal Orlando Resort are partnering to create the world’s first fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment based on the bestselling books by JK Rowling and blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros.

Envisioned as a “theme park within a theme park” and titled “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” the new environment will become part of the experience within Universal’s Islands of Adventures theme park at Universal Orlando Resort.

Inspired by JK Rowling’s compelling stories and characters – and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films – “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will provide a “one-of-a-kind” opportunity to experience the magical world of Harry and his friends. The fully immersive, themed land will enable guests to visit some of the most iconic locations found in the books and the films including the village of Hogsmeade, the mysterious Forbidden Forest, and even Hogwarts castle itself.

“The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting, and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed,” said JK Rowling.

Expected to be revealed in 2010, the new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the wizarding world’s best-known establishments. Also debuting will be a state-of-the-art attraction that will bring magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way that guests have never before experienced.

The Academy Award-winning production designer Stuart Craig, who has worked to bring the world of Harry Potter to life in all of the feature films to date, leads the creative design for the area to ensure it remains faithful to the look and feel of the films.

“Our primary goal is to make sure this experience is an authentic extension of Harry Potter’s world as it is portrayed in the books and films,” said Craig. “I am very excited to be working closely with the Universal Orlando team to bring the area to life.”

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Orlando Resort – the official site featuring announcements, gallery and FAQs.

FAQs

When will the Wizarding World of Harry Potter open?
2010

Where exactly will it be located?
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be located at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme parks in Orlando, Florida. A portion of what is currently the Lost Continent will be devoted to the new environment, as well as an undeveloped area that is currently not in use.

How big will it be?
The new environment will be comparable in size to other islands within Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Will the new environment be based on a specific book or film?
Inspired by JK Rowling’s compelling stories and characters – and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be a fully immersive experience that will draw from all of the books and movies.

What are the key elements to the new area?
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not just a single attraction. This new themed environment will provide fans with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the magical world of Harry Potter and his friends, and to see some of their favourite locations from the books and films such as the village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and even Hogwarts itself. The area will feature attractions, experiential shops and restaurants.

Will I be able to go inside Hogwarts castle?
The new land will be anchored by the most recognizable landmark in Harry Potter’s world: Hogwarts castle. Fans will get to experience some of their favourite locations both within Hogwarts and around the castle grounds.

Read the complete list of frequently asked questions here – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Related posts

Posted: August 10th, 2008
Author: Lee
Categories: JK Rowling

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