Rumor has it that Universal Studios Florida is in final negotiations to bring a Harry Potter section to their Orlando theme park.
Please say it IS so.
[UPDATE 5/31/07: IT'S OFFICIAL!]
Universal Studios Florida is finalizing terms to bring a type of “Harry Potter World” to its Orlando resort, according to Deadline Hollywood Daily, which states that the entire themed area would be at a previously unused portion of the amusement park.
There’s been no official world from Universal or from Warner Brothers, which holds the film rights to the franchise, but if the deal goes through it would be the first Harry Potter theme park attraction.
Ooh, what would be in Harry Potter World? Not much if it’s only a portion of the park, because let’s face it, the Harry Potter universe could be an entire theme park by itself. Maybe even more than one park.
Here’s some of my ideas (Universal, feel free to send me a big, fat check for these brilliant concepts):
– Buckbeak’s Flying Adventure: Soar through the air on your very own hippogriff. (Picture something like the Flying Dumbo ride at Disney World).
– Hogwart’s Express: Wait on Platform 9 3/4, then board the magical railroad car roller coaster that journeys to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (Similar to Disney’s Thunder Mountain Railroad.)
– Harry’s Great Dementor Escape: Hang on to your wizard hat as you ride this super-fast coaster that takes you from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds - the only way to escape the dreaded Dementors!
– The Golden Snitch: A host of HP merchandise including Quidditch equipment, cloaks, wands, and clothing.
– The Three Broomsticks: Counter service restaurant serving burgers, fries, and butterbeer.
– Honeydukes Sweetshop: For all your favorite candies like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Sugar Quills, and Chocolate Frogs.
– Muggle Sundries: A variety of mundane items to choose from like mints, sunscreen, aspirin, and batteries.
– Nearly Headless Nick’s Portraits: This is where you’d pick up pictures you took when entered the Park.
– The Leaky Cauldron Inn: No HP theme park experience would be complete without a night’s stay at this on-site resort within walking distance of the park.
I imagine there’d be areas named for different HP locations, like a Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and Azkaban. And the areas would have street names that would include Diagon Alley, Charing Cross Road, and Privet Drive.
I could go on and on with this, but it’s late and I need to snooze and I doubt I’ll be seeing that check in the mail anytime soon anyway.
Go, go Harry Potter World!!!
for those concert or “venues” that most attractions usually have, you could have one where people get to “sit in” on a class..perhaps Snape’s Dark Arts class, complete with animatronics and s/fx.
Talk about your “Magic” Kingdom concept…
I like the idea. I like the park as it is but a few new rides would be good. I think Disney can still pull scenery off much better than any one else though.
Luke Gillam,
http://www.untoldmedia.net
It’s being colloquially discussed here in Orlando. The word that is circulating is that it will replace largely the “Lost Continent” in Islands of Adventure. The main attraction in Lost Continent is the Dueling Dragons roller coasters. Otherwise though the section of the park has the least excitement and also it is the island which would require the least work to redo.
This isn’t fully confirmed, it’s just what has been passed down from Universal employee to employee.
Disclosure: I used to work for Universal Studios but no longer do, none of this is official Universal Studios announcement or news.
Something Harry Potter like would definitely fit the bill for an area of the park that they’ve recently cleared. The area they’ve cleared is actually quite large and used to contain a number of movie props. This in addition to the Back to the Future ride being closed near by the cleared area would certainly make for a pretty sizable area to put this Harry Potter area.
[...] this story about a new Harry Potter-Land at Universal is a great sign for the park. It might actually make me renew my annual [...]
A) Dueling Dragons f*ing rules.
B) I also like the Back To The Future ride, though I’ll admit it may be just a bit outdated by now.
C) Harry Potter World really sounds like a lame idea. I mean I don’t want to sound all “Harry Potter Sucks” - but it does. Harry Potter has already sucked billions of dollars out of people’s wallets, for almost no return, and now we want to spend more money to “really experience” the boring world of HP? I for one am not interested.
[...] park. Here’s a look at some ideas for ‘Harry Potter World’. [...]
As a frequent theme park goer in Central Florida, you can be sure that HP rates one attraction with a food venue at best. The Homage to Dr. Suess is quite different than any other element within the Universal parks, since the theme is basically a license. My bottomline thought is that because we will certainly know the end of the “franchise” long before this ride comes to fruition, the chances of it having staying power will be interesting to say the least.
[...] Orlando park. Here’s a look at some ideas for ‘Harry Potter World’. [...]
Some additional thoughts on HP attractions..
1. Laser Tag w/ Wands(laser pens w/ cool wand effects), DA/Order vs. Death Eaters
2. Quidditch, Hard but not impossible. Use tech similar to Back To The Future Ride but each person gets their own little broom simulator.
3. Trolleys with candy on them like the one on the Hogwarts Express.
4. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes will also be a good stop.
5. Hogwarts of course!, Or a smaller version, lots of places to get lost in there with crazy portals and what not, maybe they can even get the pictures moving and the staircases rearranging themselves.
5a. Whomping Willow
5b. Hagrids Care of Magical Creatures Class(Keep your distance from the blast ended skrewts)
5c. The Great Hall(Roof mimics outside weather)
5d. The Owlery, send a message by owl(Internet)
5e. Magic classes? Reparo!
5fghijk… Random hidden or changing rooms.
5z. Triwizard Cup final challenge, Maze!
6. Gringots Bank, where you exchange your muggle money for galleons, sickles & knuts!
[...] Attraction — Some planning ideas Filed under: Uncategorized — recar @ 7:40 am Harry Potter Theme Park Attraction — Some planning ideas Rumor has it that Universal Studios Florida will add a Harry Potter area to their Orlando park. [...]
[...] park. Here’s a look at some ideas for ‘Harry Potter World’. [...]
That is an awesome idea, well done! I would deffinatley fly over from London for that. Nice ideas as well!
[...] Here’s a look at some ideas for ‘Harry Potter World’. [...]
I LOVE THE IDEA OF A HARRY POTTER LAND!!! I could come up with sooooooo many ideas if I wanted to, but here are my best 3:
1. Olivander’s Wand Shop: Buy any wand in the store- Harry Potter themed Build-a-Bear attached to the shop
2. Werewolf Attack: A great way to use psychological special effects. You are trapped in your common room (Gryffindor of course) and Lupin is loose in the halls on a full moon when he hasn’t taken his potion. You can almost feel the doors pounding and you can hear him howling like crazy!!!
3. This is my favorite, Whomping Willow: A ride that is perfectly suited to replace Back to the Future. You are in the Weasley’s enchanted car on your way to Hogwarts and you get caught in the Whomping Willow in this high-thrill motion simulator ride!!!!!!!!!
Add on to my last comment- the Build-a-Bear should be called Build-an-Owl1!!
[...] Here’s a look at some ideas for ‘Harry Potter World’. [...]
oh this just sounds awesome! I can’t wait! I always wondered what butterbeer tasted like…
Now who didn’t see this one coming? It was only a matter of time.
I want to go ^______^
I’m so excited!!!!
ITS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D
lol @ it being in magic kingdom. Otherwise it sounds sort of lame.
[...] 31st, 2007 at 1:30 am | Trackback Back in April, it was rumored that a Harry Potter attraction might be coming to Universal [...]
Muggles to be able to Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando…
Muggle fans of Harry Potter will be excited to know that Universal Studios has announced that they will be building a Harry Potter Theme Park in Orlando! Universal plans to open the park in 2009! According to the Today Show:Warner…
This is the best thing i have ever heard of! I love Harry Potter and would want nothing more to just feel like i’m living in the same world!!!! This is sooooooooooo COOL!!!! There should definitely be a huge roller coster, like better then Dueling Dragons and the Hulk!
****One idea for a ride could be the flying car? But i do love the idea that are out there already!!!! I can’t wait i will be the first inline to go
I gotta kool idea to send them a letter for a wand ride u can get out a wand and somehow with studio elcetronic stuff and do spells like scare away dementors or do the scene in the end of of the 5th movie wich i thought wazz friggen sweet
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Nice post, man!
Love your attraction ideas…definitely worth checking out http://www.wizardingworldharrypotter.com - we have an entire 5 pages dedicated to attractions similar to what you have…
Like you said, “Go, go Harry Potter World!”