Universal reveals details of new Harry Potter park

[snopes]

It sounds like a new book in the Harry Potter series, but "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" will be a high-tech ride and the marquee attraction at the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter," a new theme park area opening in spring 2010 at Universal Orlando Resort.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...Iw5igD9ANU43O0

[Syllavus]

Every shop and eatery is Potter-themed. Honeydukes sells chocolate frogs and "Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans," Ollivander's peddles magic wands, Zonko's joke shop has Sneakoscopes, and the British restaurant Three Broomsticks pours Butterbeer.

This is what I was hoping for! It sounds like this area of the park is going to be fantastic! So want to go when it's open.

[AliBaba]

There's some interesting concept art over at Muggle Net. Elsewhere on that site are some photos taken at the construction.

Looks pretty impressive so far.

AliBaba

[CSGirl]

Woohoo! We already have a trip planned to go with my sisters and BIL, all big HP fans. Can't wait!

[Beejtronic]

This is going to be wicked cool. I've been dying to go to Orlando since the BF has never been, but I think we'll wait till this park opens. (Of course, the fact that I'm completely poor right now has nothing to do with it :P) I wonder if it'll be included in the price for Universal, like Islands of Adventure is?

[Not_Done_Living]

Beejtronic;

Harry Potter World is PART of Worlds of Adventure.. it's just a new world there

We can get Berty-Bots every flavor beans here now (including vomit, ear wax, snot, and garlic flavors), as well as Chocolate Frogs and many other HP branded candy.. is that not available in your area?

[lyra_silvertongue]

Magical instruments and equipment are available at Dervish and Banges, including everything needed to play Quidditch — a game like soccer played on flying broomsticks.

Except for, you know, broomsticks that fly.

[Syllavus]

Originally Posted by lyra_silvertongue

Except for, you know, broomsticks that fly.

I'm guessing they'll probably sell broomsticks, they just won't fly.

Since reading HP I always thought that an amusement park ride in the style of the swings but with broomsticks with seats instead of the standard chairs attached by chains would be absolutely awesome. Probably a safety nightmare, but dang would it be fun.

[1958Fury]

Other rides include the "Dragon Challenge," a twin high-speed roller coaster

Oh. I got the impression they were building a new section, but I guess they're just converting the "Lost Continent" area. Dueling Dragons is a killer coaster, I'm glad it's staying in some form. But yeah, the rest of that section was fairly bland; a Harry Potter makeover won't hurt.

[E. Q. Taft]

Originally Posted by Syllavus

I'm guessing they'll probably sell broomsticks, they just won't fly.

But will they vibrate?

[Astra]

Originally Posted by 1958Fury

Oh. I got the impression they were building a new section, but I guess they're just converting the "Lost Continent" area. Dueling Dragons is a killer coaster, I'm glad it's staying in some form. But yeah, the rest of that section was fairly bland; a Harry Potter makeover won't hurt.

I think Dueling Dragons and the kiddie coaster are the only things really being converted, maybe some shelters, but there was a LOT of dead space in the area.

Dueling Dragons is awesome. I was lucky enough to go there on a day where my family was able to ride one, then run back down the ramp to hop back in line, then ride the other with virtually no wait. Later in the afternoon the line was well back into the castle.

The day we visited also happened to be within 48 hours of Universal announcing the Harry Potter expansion. Some of the audio within the castle had already been changed to mention "Gryffindor" and "Slytherin." It's already one of the best themed queue areas I've ever seen, adding a little more HP polish to it is going to be phenomenal.

[Menolly]

Aw, I hope they open a Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. That place was so cool, book and movie versions!

[Insensible Crier]

I wonder if they'll have virtual Quidditch games. Like the Back to the Future or Spider-Man motion base rides. Of course there's no real interaction but it would be fun to zoom around on brooms.

[pob14]

Reads to me like it's one new ride (the Forbidden Journey), two rebranded roller coasters (Dueling Dragons -> Dragon Challenge, Flying Unicorn -> Flight of the Hippogriff), and a heck of a lot of gift shops. We will probably go to it when the kids are older and want to go on the coasters.