The buzz began with an announcement in the spring of 2007: Warner Bros. Entertainment and Universal Orlando Resort would be partnering to create The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the world’s first “fully immersive” theme park based on J.K. Rowling’s bestselling books and the enormously popular feature films from Warner Bros.
According to Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios, “The Harry Potter stories are among the most compelling of our time. The millions of people who have read the books and seen the movies will now be able to experience the world of Harry Potter in person.”
“We have a profound sense of responsibility for the Harry Potter franchise at Warner Bros.,” said Alan Horn, president and COO of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. “Bringing the magic of J. K. Rowling’s written word to the motion picture screen was the first step in expanding this amazing and imaginative world.
“Working with Universal Orlando Resort to bring it to live in a physical environment that you can walk through, relax in and ride on is the natural next step for fans to experience and enjoy.”
Still, die-hard fans may be skeptical of just how successful builders will be in pulling off such a daunting recreation.
Time will tell. J. K. Rowling seems pleased, even enthusiastic. One would expect so, since the new theme park will add more steam to the world-wide runaway phenomenon that is Harry Potter.
To date, the series by Rowling has been translated into 67 languages and has sold more than 400 million copies around the world. The films produced by Warner Bros. Pictures have grossed more than $3.5 billion worldwide, making Harry Potter the largest-grossing film franchise in history.
“The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting,” says Rowling, “and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed.”
The World is to be unveiled this spring, and expectations are incredibly high. “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,” says creative lead designer Stuart Craig.
The new World is expected to feature immersive rides and interactive attractions as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the most famous landmarks from the world of Harry and his friends.
Also debuting will be a state-of-the-art attraction that will bring the magic, the characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting new way. The promise to guests: There will be things you’ve never experienced before.
“All of the action and adventures of Harry Potter’s world will come to life here at Universal Orlando Resort,” promises Tom Williams, chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts. “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be unlike any other experience on earth and we can’t wait to see the looks on the guests’ faces as they enter this rich environment.”
Brad Globe, head of Warner Bros. Consumer Products, says there is a groundswell of enthusiasm. “Harry Potter continues to spark the imagination of fans of all ages and we really have seen the anticipation continue to build . . . We are excited to share with fans a first glimpse into the truly enchanted world we are bringing to life.”
So while no one really knows all that the folks at Universal have up their sleeve, we do have a few details. Here are some of the landmarks you can look forward to experiencing when you visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
Rides will include:
Not familiar with Harry and his fictional world? No matter. It just means you’ll have even more to discover. For the latest about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, including a fly-through tour, details of vacation packages and ticketing information, just wave your wand.
Editor’s Note: As official photography of the still-under-construction park is hard to come by, sneaky fans with cameras have been hard at work. Unofficial websites have sprung up to show off these photos (and detail the other minutiae you can find only on fan sites).
The two best websites are The Ultimate Harry Potter Theme Park Fansite (good pics here) and MuggleNet (good details here).
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Article Comments
Family Travel Links 2010.03.26 « SixSuitcaseTravel says:
[...] Wizarding World about ready to cast its spell - Trips with a Twist [...]
March 26th, 2010 at 2:16 am ::
Bill says:
Thanks for the mention. This promises to be a great attraction for HP fans of every age.
March 26th, 2010 at 12:38 pm ::
Katie says:
I can’t wait to go! I got the Harry Potter wand that controls the TV for my birthday, so this is definitely the next step.
March 27th, 2010 at 2:27 pm ::
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