Wizarding World of Harry Potter News...

[aimster]

Yeah some of this is old news but...

Universal Orlando to reveal 'Harry Potter' details - Bay News 9

ORLANDO -- Officials from Universal Orlando Resort are expected to release details Tuesday about a Harry Potter attraction under development.

According to a poster on the Web Site, there have been three trademark applications made for ride names:


The large ride under construction will be called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

The ride will be built in what is now The Lost Continent, where the Dueling Dragons roller coaster is located.

The twin-tracked Dueling Dragons steel coaster is believed to be turned into the Dragon Challenge.

The Flying Unicorn kiddies coaster is expected to become the Flight of the Hippogriff.

[ZeekSlider]

YouTube - Wizarding World of Harry Potter...

And here's what I think is a TV Commercial for it...

YouTube - Wizarding World of Harry Potter...

[kristibaer]

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Details Revealed! - ComingSoon.net

Here's a link for the entire statement...this looks crazy!!

[ZeekSlider]

"Remote controlled Golden Snitch?!" How much!?! How much!?!

[OC2Epcot]

Looks like it could be pretty good, at least a reason to go back to Universal Orlando other than to just ride Spider-Man again.

[themur]

Only three attractions one of which already exists.....?

[aimster]

Originally Posted by themur

Only three attractions one of which already exists.....?

Two.

[Dustysage]

One new attraction and two slightly rethemed attractions some shopping and restaurants. Big deal. I'm less and less impressed all the time with the Potter expansion.

That new attraction had better be awesome for all the hype they are giving to Harry Potter being its own park within a park.

[ZeekSlider]

Originally Posted by themur

Only three attractions one of which already exists.....?

Yeah. If anything, the area is all about atmosphere and the shopping experiance than it is about attractions. It sounds like they are taking the Epcot approach to it where they are spending most of their money on the little construction details.

Still, I'm looking forward to the wand shop and the owl post and the experiance it will offer guests. I'm also curious as to the plot of Forbidden Journey.

[Baloo]

I really do not understand this "Park within a park" hype. Isn't it the same thing as every other land in the park? They are all themed to specific themes.

I am impressed by one thing though.

"The $200 million project, billed as a theme park within a theme park at Universal's Islands of Adventure, includes a 15-story replica of Hogwarts Castle from the popular book and film series."

Universal is able to build a 15 story replica of a castle with an attraction inside as well as build several new small shops and new retheming of existing attractions for only 200 million?

[RandySavage]

^ Yes. Theme park marketers need to learn to stop overselling and underwhelming (like HKDL claiming 130 new "attractions" are coming by 2014). If they keep the "Harry Potter Theme Park" talk up, Universal's only going to disappoint people who come expecting a Magic Kingdom-sized park dedicated to Potter.

But from the looks of it, Harry Potter could be the game changer IOA has needed since its opening. I hope it is. Potter fans in my family are excited. Many of the Potter fans that get wind of this (if its properly marketed - not like the 1999 Universal Escape fiasco) will be first-time IOA visitors (and not theme park enthusiasts) and have no idea that Dueling Dragons and Unicorn have only had light makeovers. The land could impress enough to draw a lot of families away from WDW for 1-2 days.

Regarding the budget... analysts place the cost of Potterland at $265mm, but rumors are that the Hogwarts attraction alone is costing around $300mm.

Knocking on wood that Potterland is big success and let the oneupmanship begin.

[Melonballer]

I have talked to more than one person who will be making their first trip to Florida after the Potter section of IOA opens. That's right, they have never been to Orlando or WDW and they are Disney geeks. It took the Harry Potter attractions to get them there. Of course they will visit WDW too, but Potter is the reason they are going. I have been waiting to return to WDW for Potter too. I have not been in 5 years.

[ZeekSlider]

It's kind of upsetting that the only thing Disney has the rights to use as of right now is the music of John Williams from the films since, well, they are already playing the rest of Williams's movie compositions.

Oh well, can't own everything.

[NeverNeverland]

Well, I am excited! It will make IOA a park actually worth going to.

[naumoney]

Does this mean they will actually run more than one train on each side of Dragons now?

BTW: Is Dueling Dragons still open? How long will it be open? The website just says "A portion of the Lost Continent is closed," but not which portion.