It’s being billed as the “most anticipated theme park attraction in history.”
The “Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” is on track to open in the spring of 2010 at Universal Orlando Resort, and the buzz surrounding its debut is deafening.
I blogged about the new theme park area a couple of years ago, but now the final pieces of the (estimated) $300 million Potter playground puzzle are finally coming together, and soon fans of the boy wizard will be able to board high tech rides, such as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.”
The futuristic ride was named by author J.K. Rowling and its rendering was recently released to various media outlets. According to Universal officials, the “Forbidden Journey” ride will take guests through scenes and rooms from all of the Harry Potter movies. The ride is housed in a highly detailed remake of Hogwarts Castle, which is made to look 700 feet tall.
Universal also unveiled a few of the park’s other stand-out rides, including the “Dragon Challenge,” a dual high-speed roller coaster themed after the “Triwizard Tournament,” and a tamer coaster called “Flight of the Hippogriff,” named for a creature with an eagle’s head and a horse’s body. Universal officials say each ride will sweep guests into the greatest parts of the Potter books and movies.
“We’ve pushed every technology available to us to give guests a theme park experience unlike any they’ve had before,” said Paul Daurio, producer of the Potter area.
The “Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” will be part of Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and you can expect big surprises from the moment you enter. The area’s entrance features a station archway named for Hogsmeade, the magical village near Hogwarts, and a plume of steam and a train whistle will sound the arrival of the Hogwarts Express. Park designers say the goal of the Potter play area is to make the experience immersive, so nothing outside is visible after guests pass the Hogsmeade station archway.
In addition, every shop and restaurant in the “Wizarding World” is Potter-themed. Honeydukes sells chocolate frogs and “Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans.” Meanwhile, Ollivander’s carries magic wands, Zonko’s Joke Shop has Sneakoscopes, and Dervish and Banges features magical instruments, plus everything you need to play Quidditch. Finally, serious Potter fans shouldn’t leave the park without visiting The Owl Post. The mock mailroom allows guests to send letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark.
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