# Harry Potter's Wizarding World Spring 2010



## mayson12 (Sep 16, 2009)

Here is a link to the updates for the new theme park.  What do Tugger's think?  Wait a year or so for crowds to thin or travel next year?  Will there be a huge draw in between movie release years?

http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/first_look_uo2.html


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## DebBrown (Sep 16, 2009)

I haven't made it through the whole video yet but it looks like a heck of alot of shopping!  Does it say when it is opening?  

Deb


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## mayson12 (Sep 16, 2009)

All they say is it will open Spring 2010.  I really like that they've consulted JK Rowling throughout building.


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## Steve (Sep 16, 2009)

*A pessimistic view...*

I've read that the new park is on shaky ground financially.  If you really want to go, it might be best to go when it first opens.  Otherwise, if it goes bankrupt like the Hard Rock Theme Park in Myrtle Beach, you might never get the chance.

Steve


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## brigechols (Sep 16, 2009)

Steve said:


> I've read that the new park is on shaky ground financially.  If you really want to go, it might be best to go when it first opens.  Otherwise, if it goes bankrupt like the Hard Rock Theme Park in Myrtle Beach, you might never get the chance.
> 
> Steve



Coincidentally, the Universal theme park has $1B long-term debt due spring 2010. Great motivation to announce a spring 2010 opening for the Wizarding World. I'm a huge HP fan   and will visit when it opens.


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## itradehilton (Sep 17, 2009)

The clip looks great, I can't wait to take the family.


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## Tacoma (Sep 19, 2009)

Is this a new theme park or just a new attraction at one of the Universal parks?  I thought it was a new attraction only.

Joan


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## itradehilton (Sep 20, 2009)

I was reading a few press releases and it is just a redo of an already existing area. It looks like Dualing dragons and other rides are being redone with a Harry Potter theme.


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## DebBrown (Sep 20, 2009)

itradehilton said:


> I was reading a few press releases and it is just a redo of an already existing area. It looks like Dualing dragons and other rides are being redone with a Harry Potter theme.



That sounds right to me too.

I wish I knew if it would be open in time for our spring break!  I still haven't planned anything.

Deb


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## Don (Sep 20, 2009)

We just wen to Universal Sat.  Hp is a new attraction which from the looks of it may be along the lines of Busch Gardens Williamsburg" "countries".  If they are going to change the looks of other rides to match the HP theme, they haven't started yet.
IMHO, they have to do something.  It is possible that they will lose their super heroes in Islands of Adventure since Disney acquired Marvel.


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## Sea Six (Sep 20, 2009)

Tacoma said:


> Is this a new theme park or just a new attraction at one of the Universal parks?  I thought it was a new attraction only.
> 
> Joan



It's just another island at the Islands of Adventure.


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## Vodo (Sep 23, 2009)

*Can't Wait!*

Me and mine are crazy about Harry Potter.  We're very excited at the prospect of a Harry Potter-themed attraction (of piece of an attraction) so close to home!


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## beanie (Sep 27, 2009)

according to this link it is going to be a part of islands of adventure.

http://guides.travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1090328&icid=msn1090328&gt1=41009


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## Rose Pink (Feb 10, 2010)

*Resurrecting this thread*

DH just called to tell me he bought three or four nights at a Hilton property in Orlando for a great price (he is HH member)  so we could go to the Harry Potter park.  He had promised DD he'd take her.  She is an adult so that makes three adults one of which, me, can't abide crowds.

The website still lists the opening vaguely as Spring 2010.  That makes it a bit difficult to plan unless we go in the summer.  I hate crowds.  I hate heat.  I especially hate humid heat.  Fall is too late as DD hopes to be in graduate school by then.

Have you Floridians heard any more about a specific opening date?


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## Twinkstarr (Feb 10, 2010)

Rose Pink said:


> DH just called to tell me he bought three or four nights at a Hilton property in Orlando for a great price (he is HH member)  so we could go to the Harry Potter park.  He had promised DD he'd take her.  She is an adult so that makes three adults one of which, me, can't abide crowds.
> 
> The website still lists the opening vaguely as Spring 2010.  That makes it a bit difficult to plan unless we go in the summer.  I hate crowds.  I hate heat.  I especially hate humid heat.  Fall is too late as DD hopes to be in graduate school by then.
> 
> Have you Floridians heard any more about a specific opening date?



The only thing I was able to find was by June 30, 2010.


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## bnoble (Feb 10, 2010)

I would be surprised if it was much before mid/late May, based on the rumblings I am hearing, and that puts you squarely in summer.  Personally, I wouldn't plan a trip right near the "opening date", seeing as how they were months late getting Rip Ride Rockit opened.


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## Rose Pink (Feb 11, 2010)

Looks like it's going to be hot, muggy summer crowds.  I shall try to endure it with a smile.


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## brigechols (Feb 11, 2010)

I have only seen references to spring 2010. Was there a commercial during the Super Bowl for Harry Potter's Wizarding World? I didn't watch the game but I saw a 30 second commercial posted on You Tube


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## DebBrown (Feb 11, 2010)

Officially they are still just saying spring which I take it to mean sometime before mid-June when summer begins.  I was hoping for spring break this year but it doesn't seem likely.

Deb


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 11, 2010)

We were at Islands of Adventure two weeks ago, and it sure looked a long way from being ready to us.  They were still laying rocks on the exterior of one of the largest buildings.  

Why would dueling dragons need to be re-themed? It seems perfect for Harry Potter, although I have never enjoyed those fantasy-type novels and movies.  It's my least favorite genre.  Saw the first movie, and I played Scrabble on my computer at the same time.


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## bnoble (Feb 11, 2010)

> Why would dueling dragons need to be re-themed?


Probably just the queue.  Not too difficult, really.


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## Rose Pink (Feb 12, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> ... although I have never enjoyed those fantasy-type novels and movies. It's my least favorite genre. Saw the first movie, and I played Scrabble on my computer at the same time.


 
The movies do not do justice to the books.  As the series progresses, the books become more and more intricate.  They are a brilliant re-telling of the monomyth.  Lots of people get sucked up into the fantasy aspect.  I think Rowling used that brilliantly to get people involved in the story, but once you strip that away (and I hope some day the young people can see past that) one finds an absolutely intellligent epic of what has happened in history over and over again.  And, for me, the entire message of the books is that one person can and does make a difference and our choices do count.


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## Rose Pink (Feb 13, 2010)

I called Univeral.  The agent that answered was very pleasant.  When I asked when HP was opening she said they all wondered the same thing.  She said the quickest way to find out was to sign up for their e-mails.  E-mail recipients will get the news and updates as soon as they are available.  I asked her how many times a day she has to answer this question and she replied, "hundreds."  Poor woman.  I feel for her.  We had a good laugh about it.


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## mecllap (Feb 13, 2010)

So, it's one new ride/attraction, two re-vamped ones, and a bunch of shops and eating places?  That's it?  It's almost sounding like a lot of hullabaloo over not much of anything (kind of like Poseidon's Fury -- looks great on the outside and pretty much worthless inside) -- altho the ride does sound interesting.


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## brigechols (Feb 14, 2010)

mecllap said:


> So, it's one new ride/attraction, two re-vamped ones, and a bunch of shops and eating places?  That's it?  It's almost sounding like a lot of hullabaloo over not much of anything (kind of like Poseidon's Fury -- looks great on the outside and pretty much worthless inside) -- altho the ride does sound interesting.



That is one way of looking at the following:

Attractions
* Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — An indoor attraction bringing the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life
* Dragon Challenge — A Triwizard Tournament-themed dueling roller coaster
* Flight of the Hippogriff — A family coaster simulating a Hippogriff training flight over the grounds of Hogwarts castle

Shops
* Ollivanders — An interactive wand shop where the wand chooses the wizard
* Zonko’s — A joke shop with a collection of tricks and jokes, including Extendable Ears, Boxing Telescopes and Sneakoscopes
* Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods — Ministry of Magic merchandise including Omnioculars and remote-control Golden Snitches
* Owl Post — The post office sends letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark and sells official Wizarding World of Harry Potter stamps
* The Owlery — A roost for mail-delivery owls

Food
* Three Broomsticks restaurant — Traditional British fare
* Hog’s Head pub — Drinks including Butterbeer and pumpkin juice
* Dervish and Banges — A magical instruments and equipment shop featuring Quidditch equipment, Spectrespecs and Remembralls
* Honeydukes — A sweet shop with treats such as Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans


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## bnoble (Feb 14, 2010)

From everything I'm hearing about Forbidden Journey, it's a game-changer; much like e.g. Spiderman and Tower of Terror were when they first debuted.  What's more, if done well, the ability to make guests feel as if they are in the time-and-place of the books will, alone, draw the crowds in.  Kids (and many of their parents) will eat this place up.

Anecdotally, we're a Disney-snob family, and our P-Week 2011 trip is not going to be Disney.  It's going to be Universal.

So, yes, it's "only one ride", but it still has the potential to make a big impact---and already we're seeing some evidence of that.  Universal jacked up the cost of their tickets across the board, including raising the 7-day ticket from $100 to $170-$180 or so.  Disney is expanding Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom with a several-hundred-million-dollar investment in a park that hasn't seen a significant addition since Splash Mountain opened in 1992---almost 20 years ago now---and in the meantime is bringing back the Main Street Electrical Parade and resurrecting the Princess & Pirate fireworks (which are awesome) to try to drum up the nostalgia visits this summer.


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## Bajanswife (Feb 15, 2010)

If you're not a Harry Potter fan, it won't seem like much. But if you ARE, all of those things listed will be amazing! It will be a total immersion into that world - I personally can't wait. Given how crowded it is going to be, and the rumors I am hearing about onsite guests only getting to use Express once per day, I am seriously considering adding a day to my October trip.


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 16, 2010)

Even though Universal has raised admission prices, I think it will be interesting to see if they raise the cost of the Preferred Pass, which is still at $229.  When our pass came up for renewal this year, we were deciding whether to renew or not, and when we were offered renewal of our preferred pass at less than the regular annual pass, we decided to get them again.  

They come up for renewal again in September.  We wil see if they offer a deal like that again.  For us, Universal is generally an option.  We sometimes go to Disney for 2 weeks and don't even go to Universal.  When we go for one week, we never go to Universal.  It's too much for us to do in a week.  

This time, we went to Universal twice during our two-week trip, and both times, we went to our favorite ride, Men In Black, early in the morning, and we were able to ride it over and over, no wait at all.


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## brigechols (Feb 19, 2010)

*Harry Potter World May 28!!!*

Just received an email offer from Universal to book a Harry Potter World vacation package with availability starting May 28.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Flo...otter.aspx?__source=email.hp.vacapkg.02222010


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## itradehilton (Feb 19, 2010)

I got an email today that included an early entry into Harry Potter area.  Maybe that would make it worth it to go during the summer.


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## Rose Pink (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks. I signed up for the e-mails but the link must not have worked because I have not received any at all.  Too bad they are waiting until Memorial weekend.  Would have liked to go before that time and before the school crowds.  Maybe the first week of June would still be okay.


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## Bajanswife (Feb 22, 2010)

FYI, there are posts on the DIS that claim onsite guests will get early entry, regardless of whether they are booked with the package or not. The posters claim to have gotten this info from Universal TMs when they called to book. If that's the case, then the package may not be of much benefit to those who were planning to stay onsite anyway. But since the package includes some offsite hotels as well, it could be a good deal if you were going to stay offsite .....


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## Rose Pink (Feb 22, 2010)

I still want to know when they are really going to open--official date or before.

And how crowded do you think it will be the first week of June--after Memorial Day but before most school districts let out.


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## beanie (Feb 23, 2010)

Rose Pink said:


> I still want to know when they are really going to open--official date or before.
> 
> And how crowded do you think it will be the first week of June--after Memorial Day but before most school districts let out.



We are planning on taking a ride up there the first week of june . hopefully it won't be too crowded .


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