Wizarding World Theme Parks Update Hermione’s Voice on the Hogwarts Express and More
This month has seen updates to attractions at both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Following a successfully spooky season, both parks have been busy upgrading the fan experience in time for Christmas festivities.
Universal Orlando Resort is focusing on film accuracy. As of November 3, a new voice for Hermione could be heard on the Hogwarts Express. The new voice matches Emma Watson’s much more accurately than the deep voice that could previously be heard. Rupert Grint was the only one of the films’ golden trio to return to the Wizarding World to record elements for the Diagon Alley expansion of the park, and while the Harry voice on the ride was done reasonably well, fans disliked the obvious inaccuracy of the attraction’s version of Hermione.
It’s unclear how this voice was made, but the park may have used new AI technology that was not available when the ride debuted, or else hired an entirely new voice actress. The new voice is definitely a better match. Check it out below!
@universalparksnewstoday ♬ original sound – universalparksnewstoday
Universal Studios Hollywood is also adding upgrades, although it has required much more disruption to the park than the updates in Orlando. The extended queueing area of the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction was walled off earlier this month to allow for the park to build a new rental locker room and solve the current bottleneck issues.
Universal Orlando already took this step in 2020, converting the old locker space into an expansion of Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods and giving fans a safer, more spacious space to store their belongings in a different area of the ride. It’s not clear yet what the old locker room will be converted to in Hollywood, but given the expanded retail area in Orlando, it seems likely Hollywood will do the same.
Source: Inside Universal
Which of these updates are you most excited about, or are you still waiting for an update from your favorite attraction? Let us know in the comments below.
