Universal Studios to open Harry Potter theme park!
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Hogwarts | Hogsmeade | Owl's View of Park | Logo
Latest Developments (10 AM EST):
- Official park website now open; visitors can sign up for e-mail updates.
- JK Rowling: "The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting, and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed."
Universal Studios and Warner Brothers made a joint announcement this evening from Leavesden Studios on the set of Dumbledore's Office to reveal that a Harry Potter theme park is currently in development. The image to the left is the first piece of concept art for the park: Hogsmeade Village.
Here's what we learned from Potter set designer Stuart Craig and a representative from Universal Studios (both of them hosted the big reveal):
- "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort"
- Announcement was made live via internet at 12:01 AM EST today to select media, including MuggleNet.
- Areas of park to include Hogsmeade, Hogwarts Castle, and the Forbidden Forest.
- 20 engineers working on project.
- Universal came to WB looking for authenticity.
- Potter park to be built in "Islands of Adventure" area of Universal.
- Stuart wants to "take his grandchildren" to the park.
- Opening early 2010.
- Universal's Potter website to be available at this link.
- JK Rowling has been involved "since the very beginning" of the project. Also "supportive and encouraging."
- Stuart thinks that the park will be better off in the United States.
- Have been in design "for at least a year and a half."
- "Important that the theme park represents the entire saga from Book 1 to Book 7"
In a rather cute way to end the announcement, the Universal representative asks Stuart Craig, "Now where's Dumbledore?" Stuart paused for a moment, looked around the office, and replied, "He was just here."
We'll be discussing these developments on this week's episode of MuggleCast (due out over the weekend). This post will be updated frequently as we learn more!
Posted by Andrew on May 30th |
513 Comments
Visitor Comments
OMG!!! I will be there when it opens. Mickey Mouse will have some stiff competition. Thank you Universal, Thank You, Thank you, Thanks you Do you think Laura Mallory will visit?
Wow, that's so cool! I know where I'm going for spring break 2010!
OH MY GOD, this is freaking genius! I can't wait to see this in person...and 2009 is pretty close! Woooooooooooo
Does nobody else think this is a terrible idea? The Harry Potter books are great, why do they have to spoil them by making it into a ridiculous theme park?
OMG,OMG, OMG! I love Florida! Wooohooo! That's sooooo cool!!!! WWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAA! That'll be so awshome. 2010, I'm comming. Wooooohooooooooooooooooo!
I would really like to go!! I was always hoping to ride in one of those boats up to Hogwarts or ride on the Hogwarts Express! And I think since it's still being made that they should let Harry Potter fans be able to suggest what they would like to see most.
omg. yes. that is amazing.
awsome, hope they would make one in L.A. too =[ but sounds cool all the same
yes!!!! im soooooooooo there.... and i only live 3 1/2 hours away!! yay for living in Miami, FL!!!! =)
Thank goodness Disney didn't get the contract, that's all I have to say. :-D
AHHHH! I'm going there in a week! Too bad it won't open for another 2 1/2 years...
WOW!!!! It was obvious this was going to happen, can't wait!
I was just reading CBBC's Harry Potter section (in the chatroom) and everyone was mad because it's going to be in the U.S.. I'm REALLY excited that it's going to be in the U.S.. Who says Europe can't make their OWN theme park?!?!? I'm pumped! YEAH!!!
I seriosuyl cried tears of happiness. This is a frickin dream come true.
That. Is. So. Freaking. Awesome. !!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW HOGWARTS LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I saw this reported on the Today show this morning, and I am so excited. I think it is truly amazing that a theme park will be based on a book series. I am pretty sure that is a first. I could have sworn they said it would open n 2009 though? Anyways, I think many a muggle will be moving to Florids within the next few years.
do you think they will serve butterbeer????? cause I'd go there just for that!
Has anyone visited the site and listened to the music? I haven't seen the movies over and over, but the music on the Universal site sounds LIKE the John Williams main theme, even to the use of minor key, bell xylophones, etc., but it isn't the melody. Is it a less-known melody used in the films, or did they not purchase any rights from John Williams who did the 1st 3 films' music?
=O Those pictures look so awesome! Exactly as the movies! Oh, wow, I'm so excited -- too bad I went to Disney World six years ago and probably can't convince my parents to take me again. *lesigh* But it looks so, so awesome! I'm so jealous of anyone who gets to go.
I think BigThunderMatt hit it on the head. Its just going to be an section of IOA. The educated guesses out there are saying that Lost Continent will be going bye bye. So my guess is that Dueling Dragons and the Unicorn coasters will be renamed something harry potterish. Dueling Dragons is just too popular of a ride for them to take it down. They may get one new ride in there, but I highly doubt there will be broomstick rides and stuff like that. (I could totally be wrong though). Will it be cool as hell? OHHH YEAH! I cant wait!!! The reason its in FL and not CA is there is no room in CA at Universal (same reason they put IOA in FL). And the reason it's in America and not Britian is because Americans arent generally world travelers. I met many Britons in Australia and New Zealand who had been all over the world and it's hard to find Americans who have been all over the world. We just dont travel like the rest of the world does. And when the world travels they hit California, Florida and New York (again, this is a generalization) Could Universal build a Harry Potter theme park in middle of Kansas and get millions of people to come? SURE, but why do that when they already have millions of people coming to Orlando? It makes sense to put it where Americans spend their money at and so does the rest of the world. I absolutely cant wait for this. I think Universal will make it SOOOOOO freaking awesome and for us Americans it will be the closest we get to the real thing unless we go to England and Scotland.
YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
OMG OMG OMG!!! I cant believe it!! This looks amazing. I will be there when it opens!!
whoa tats so cool. ahhhh ill be 18 by the time they finish :-( scarey!!! but ill still go. I'll have to fly to america with my mates.
NO FREAKIN' WAY! I THOUGHT WE ALREADY SAID THAT WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR HARRY POTTER. I MEAN I CAN UNDERSTAND A PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN THEME PARK OR SOMETHING SIMILAR ( I DO LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!) , BUT HARRY POTTER?!?!?! OH WELL, I HOPE IT'S GOOD... WE DON'T WANT TO BE HARRY POTTER FANS FOR NOTHING DO WE? I WONDER WHAT KINDA RIDES THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE, LIKE BROOMSTICKS AND HIPPOGRIFFS? WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE FOR THE GLORIOUS EFFECT! BY THE WAY, I WONDER WHAT JKR IS SAYING ABOUT THIS WHOLE THEME PARK IDEA... DID ANYONE HAPPEN TO MENTION?
They definitely need some sort of Hogsmeade... Maybe a horcrux hunt ride...? I dunno, but it's gonna be sweet!
It is correct that they are going to rework Dueling Dragons and the Unicorn roller coasters into Harry Potter. THis is the area that I thought it would take over. They are also taking over some of the other parking lot area. Folks go to www.orlandosentinel.com for what the local paper has to say about this. I understand that the theme park seems tacky especially if you've never been to DIsney or Universal. But think about this, how else do you build everthing Harry Potter and not call it a theme park? You could make up another name but that is what it is. This is only one part of IOA. It will be between Dr. Seuss and Jurassic Park. If you only had a Harry Potter park, it would only attract HP fans. Now it will pick up more fans for HP by being at Universal. The US is really not that expensive. There will be packages involved I am sure. Airfare is not that bad, find a house swap, rent a house, timeshare or condo with a bunch of others. The best part about that is you can prepare meals there - what breaks the budget is food and drinks. Heck, Disney has a program at EPCOT - all the countries in EPCOT can only have people of that nationality working those countries. Thus you could be from England, Canada, Norway, Moracco, France, China, Mexico etc. and time yourselves to do their program and work for Disney when HP starts. Many of you are young enough to do that sort of thing. If there is a will there is a way....
Supposedly the early 2010 date was given at this press conference so I think the 2009 may be off but we'll see. Hope they have the 3 broomsticks that would be cool wish there was going to be TLC but apparently they aren’t going to do Diagon Alley at least not as this point.
i live in Birmingham. its no where near Florida. Its not even in America, its in dull little England. but i dont care im still going... even though my parents will never let me! i will be there on the opening day :)
I think that this is the Hogwarts letter we never got!!! I cant wait it is simply amazing!!!!
Wow, this sounds cool! I heard rumours about it b4, but i didnt think it would happen... Darn, i live in England.... All well. Sounds very good!!! I wonder what it will be like, and what the rides will be like....lol, they'll be a broomstick ride....If only it was in the UK! I bet when it first cums out, it will be very popular!
Well, I have informed my husband that we are selling the house and moving up state to Orlando in a few years. He can come with me or not! LOL We will find plenty of work in Hogsmede. I am too old to play Hermione, but would make a fair Prof. McGonigal! I will be there opening day. and may never leave! I be Mugglenet has an absolutely incredible party that night right in the Great Hall. I will be so nice to have something to look forward to after Book 7, this might help with the bittersweet effects of having finally learning the whole story but at the cost on no more.
Um, I think I might die from shock! this is like a dream come true!!! I can't wait!!! This is great cuz now we have somethin' to look forward to after the books are over!
OMG I WORK AT DISNEY BUT I DON'T CARE THEIR COMPETITOR IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND HAS HP WOOOO YAY FOR LIVING IN ORLANDO!
me and my bff a couple of years ago were tryin 2 plan one of these omg this is almost as good as the books HOLY CRAP OMG!!!
that. is. the. best. news. ever. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! OK I NEED TO TAKE A RELAXER PILL BECAUSE I ALMOST PISSED MYSLEF. LOL . im just kidding. but wow. this is awesome. im the first one there. oh man, adrenaline rush! HP RULES
OMG THIS IS GONNA BE TEH BEST THING EVAH!!!! NOT AS AWESOME AS DH BUT STILL ITS GONNA BE AWESOME!!!! OMG I AM SO EXCITED!!!! DANIEL RADCLIFFE, TIME TO MAKE LOVE!!! WOOOTT!!!! AW YEAH THIS FEELS GOOD!! AWWW YEAH!!! YEAH! OO!! YEAH!!!
THIS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO TOTALLY FRICKIN' AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! I BET U ANYTHING IT WILL BE FANTABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HARRY POTTER WILL STAY A LEGEND EVEN AFTER BOOK 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
You know what? I think it's a decent idea, and I'll go if I can convince my mom to go with me but it's just more $ for Universal. They're not doing it because they think Harry Potter truly deserves a theme park - they're doing it for the money. Don't mistake these cool amusement park designers for good people who want to make HP fanns happy; they're really doing it because HP is a huge franchise with a lot of fans and, based on the comments I read so far, everyone's going to go. It's not gonna be great, it's going to be just a rollercoaster going through Hogsmeade or something dumb like that -- no real quality. Yes, I know I'm negative, but I have to be to make up for all your excitement. -The Negative One
I hope there will be a hippogriff ride, and a roller coaster with brooms! And a quidditch simulator! Oh, and autographs from Jo and Dan and Emma and Rupert and David Yates and Alfonso Cuaron and Chris Columbus and Arthur A Levine and Mike Newell and Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane and Evanna Lynch and everybody who ever was in a HP movie.......
We know they're in it for the money, but I think that it's more than that for JK. Jo wouldn't let it be tacky, i'm sure. Based on the pictures, it looks amazing =D
OMFG!!! YAY!!! This is soooo freaking awesome!! For once, I'm sooo happy to live in Orlando!!! I'm totally going to be getting season passes and camping out. Woot!!! ^_____^
I hope they have butterbeer! That would be awesome to walk in one of the hogsmeade bars like hogs head, or leaky caulderon. I hope they have borgins and burkes, gringots, and olivanders. This going to be fun and authentic!
I'm not too thrilled. I hope they won't screw it up. *sigh* They better not. But at the same time, I'm probably going to go.
YAHOO! I'm so happy!!!! I never thought they would actually do this! And best of all, every year my cousins take me and my sister to Orlando, Florida (across seas :p) to go to Disney and everything. Maybe (probably) they'll take us here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We go every summer, I'll be looking forward to the opening!
Oh yeah, and it's announced just a couple of days after Mallory's trial....SWEET!
I live in Orlando, Florida... have season pass to Universal Orlando... maybe I can get some shots of it being built when they break ground out there and post up here on Mugglenet!
OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.O MG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OM G.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG .OMG.OMG.OMG.OMG. That about sums it up. I want to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!! I had to read this a hundred times to BELIEVE IT! this is so cool!!!! I'm already planning everything, I'll be sure to have my american visa by then and...plane tickets and I already signed up at the website! I already told my best friend we will go toghether (we will be graduated by then) oh I soo hope I'm able to go this is my dream come true! I already told my mom and everything! IM SO HAPPY!
I'm glad Universal Orlando got the contract. If Disney would have, I think it would be sissy. There are some 'scary' parts in HP that "make" the story come to life. Disney, I think, would chintz out on the darker side HP. Universal will do a much better job.... no doubt about it!
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