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Harry Potter Attraction at Universal Studios?
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Harry Potter logoRumor 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!!!

21 Comments »

  1. 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.

    Comment by live tv — April 14, 2007 @ 3:58 pm

  2. Talk about your “Magic” Kingdom concept…

    Comment by Cannibal — April 14, 2007 @ 4:08 pm

  3. 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

    Comment by Luke — April 14, 2007 @ 4:17 pm

  4. 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.

    Comment by Patrick — April 14, 2007 @ 4:24 pm

  5. 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.

    Comment by Nick — April 14, 2007 @ 4:28 pm

  6. 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.

    Comment by Jag — April 14, 2007 @ 5:03 pm

  7. 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.

    Comment by SailorJ — April 14, 2007 @ 8:06 pm

  8. 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!

    Comment by CADSumgi — April 14, 2007 @ 11:27 pm

  9. That is an awesome idea, well done! I would deffinatley fly over from London for that. Nice ideas as well!

    Comment by Han — April 15, 2007 @ 5:59 am

  10. 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!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Kira — April 15, 2007 @ 11:35 am

  11. Add on to my last comment- the Build-a-Bear should be called Build-an-Owl1!!

    Comment by Kira — April 15, 2007 @ 11:37 am

  12. oh this just sounds awesome! I can’t wait! I always wondered what butterbeer tasted like…

    Comment by Missy — April 15, 2007 @ 4:02 pm

  13. Now who didn’t see this one coming? It was only a matter of time.

    Comment by Jim — April 15, 2007 @ 11:39 pm

  14. I want to go ^______^
    I’m so excited!!!!

    Comment by Sara — April 17, 2007 @ 2:59 pm

  15. ITS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

    Comment by marre_wsl — April 24, 2007 @ 5:50 pm

  16. lol @ it being in magic kingdom. Otherwise it sounds sort of lame.

    Comment by Motorcycle Guy — April 27, 2007 @ 12:48 pm

  17. 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

    Comment by Nikki — July 6, 2007 @ 1:19 pm

  18. 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

    Comment by Ethan willey — July 12, 2007 @ 5:11 pm

  19. 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!”

    Comment by Yatrik — December 25, 2007 @ 11:48 am

  20. Great post thank you. I have found a lot of great videos and photos here: http://www.harrypotterworldorlando.com

    Comment by Zack Gol — February 23, 2010 @ 3:40 pm

  21. I’m actually torn between being excited about this new park section, and really disappointed. Hubs and I don’t do thrill rides, so we’re disappointed that there won’t be anything to actually do once we’re done feasting our eyes and shopping.

    On the other hand, they’re going to have butterbeer and treacle fudge (sadly, treacle tarts don’t seem to be on the menu). And, well, the feasting the eyes thing might actually be worth park admission.

    I wrote a bit about the new Harry Potter park here.

    Comment by Harry Potter Park Fan — March 10, 2010 @ 4:03 pm

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