Surely the biggest and most anticipated theme park attraction in the world to open this century and back to at least the mid-1990s is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The folks at Universal Orlando Resort are keeping a tight lid on details about the roughly 20-acre section of Islands of Adventure reported to have a price tag of more than $200 million even as Hogwarts castle rises so high atop a faux mountain that it is visible from nearby freeways and even as park visitors can now easily watch workers on scaffolding laboring on Hogsmeade Village with its rooftops adorned with fake snow.
(Story continues following the 3-minute video below of my interview on Friday with WWHP producer Paul Daurio just a few yards from the soon-to-be-opened attraction.)
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An opening date hasn’t even been set — only spring 2010 (presumably prior to Memorial Day Weekend and the start of the summer season) — and save-the-date media invitations have yet to go out.
While some of the attraction’s elements will be re-purposed existing rides, such as the Dueling Dragons side-by-side rollercoasters that will be re-themed for Potter World, most of the land will feature new components. Specifics about these new features are scant but the biggest “ride” in the area is to be called “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.” It takes place within the halls of Hogswarts castle and is rumored to feature a 3D component, possibly involving Potter battling dragons, but UOR officials won’t confirm or deny anything in this regard.
They were kind enough, however, to allow me to videotape an interview last Friday just a few yards from WWHP with producer Paul Daurio.
Daurio reiterated much of what is included in the 12-minute preview and teaser on the latest Harry Potter Blu-ray and explained the reason for being coy about revealing the high-tech and cinematic elements of the attraction is that given the setting of the environment, producers are doing their best to keep any new technology hidden and seamless so as to maintain the integrity of the experience. (Emma Watson mentions on the Blu-ray teaser that they filmed new movie footage specifically for the attraction.)
Daurio did expound a little, however. Among the information Daurio provided that was new and interesting to me was that he and attraction designers used the interactive bonus features on Harry Potter DVDs to provide them with lengthier and full-dimensional detail of some of the environments being brought to life in WWHP, such as Honeyduke’s sweet shop.
For other nuggets as well as photos and video footage of WWHP, watch the 3-minute video above.
— By Scott Hettrick
Great article and video thank you. My kids has been on my back since last year when i first heard about the theme park.
We all cannot wait to go. By the way here is another great resource for harry potter theme park, with more photos and videos http://www.harrypotterworldorlando.com