On the Town - Orlando
On the Town Orlando
© JAMES LEMASS/PHOTOLIBRARY
Introducing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
THIS SPRING, MUGGLES WILL FLOCK TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT TO EXPERIENCE A LIFELIKE REPLICA OF J.K. ROWLING’S CREATION.
BY RONA GINDIN
MAN WITH THE PLAN
THIERRY COUP, VICE PRESIDENT OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR UNIVERSAL CREATIVE, SHARES SOME INSIGHT ABOUT THE ANTICIPATED ATTRACTION.
Why do you think people willbe drawn to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? “The Harry Potter books and movies have become the most powerful stories of our lifetime. Now guests will be able to come to live it. If you’ve read the books or seen the movies, you’ll feel, ‘I know this place.’”
How did you pull that off?“The environments, the buildings, the village—they are authentic and 360 degrees around you. With Extendable Ears, chocolate frogs and Sneakosocopes, we’ve created what our guests have seen in the movies and read about in the books. The people working in each shop and the villagers from Hogsmeade are dressed completely in context, and magic happens from the highest level into the little corners.”
How much time should visitors plan on spending at Wizarding World? “We plan on our guests spending a whole day; some fans will certainly spend multiple days. There is so much for everyone to discover in absolutely every area.”
It’s always snowy in Hogsmeade, which is located up in the mountains. How do you manage to make it look snowy in sunny Florida? “We have developed a whole new technology. All of the finishes we are doing are incredibly customized; it makes the snow look completely real, with the right translucency, sheen and sparkle. We’re setting a completely new standard in the theme park experience. I don’t think anyone will ever be able to match what we’re doing here.”
What’s in it for people who aren’t into Harry Potter? “It’s going to be an amazing experience just because of all the magic you’ll experience. Who hasn’t dreamed of going to a school for magic? Once you’re in that world, you’ll want to stay there and be a wizard. You might even think, ‘I should read the books.’”
A DAY IN HOGSMEADE
YOUR GUIDE TO MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT
START:
9AM
Enter Islands of Adventure and make a beeline for Wizarding World.
9:15AM
To visit Hogsmeade Village, walk through the arched entry and head to the train station.
9:30AM
Take in the view of the village, where the towering buildings’ slanted roofs are all topped with glittering piles of “snow.”
9:45AM
Enter Zonko’s joke shop and stock up on mystical gags. Extendable Ears, Sneakoscopes and Boxing Telescopes are among the treasures for sale.
10:15AM
Pick up a quick snack next door at Honeydukes, where the green shelves will be loaded with chocolate frogs and jars of Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, which come in flavors like sardines or rotten egg.
11AM
Head toward Dragon Challenge, which features elements from the Triwizard Tournament, and ride one of the two 125-foot-high roller coasters—either the Chinese Fireball or the Hungarian Horntailed dragon—that come within inches of each other.
12:30PM
Have lunch at Three Broomsticks. Rustic wood beams, a towering ceiling, catwalks, rickety staircases, gas-lit chandeliers and weathered floors set the tone for English fare.
1:30PM
Head to the Flight of the Hippogriff. This kid-friendly coaster takes you on a flight over the grounds of Hogwarts Castle.
2:30PM
Now it’s time for the pièce de résistance: Hogwarts Castle. Within the mountaintop mansion is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a thrilling ride that uses top-secret, first-of-its-kind technology. Movie scenes that include Harry Potter highlights were shot specifically for this ride, including one with a certain spider named Aragog who can communicate with humans.
3:30PM
On your way out, splurge on Potter-related items at Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, like Gryffindor sweaters and Ministry of Magic apparel.
3:45PM
Rather than emailing the folks back home, send them a message the Harry Potter way. Buy stationery and Wizarding World stamps at the Owl Post and send your sentiments with an official Hogsmeade postmark.
4:15PM
The park doesn’t close until 5pm or later (depending on the crowds), so finish up your day meandering through the village and doing a little more shopping at Ollivanders, where even Harry Potter neophytes will be tempted to buy a wand. Before settling on one from the Noble Collection, visit the wand keeper to get a personalized fitting just like Harry did. Once equipped, check out the other parts of Islands of Adventure—you’ll be prepared to cast a spell on anyone who tries to cut you in line.
Widgets for Wizards
TO FULLY REALIZE YOUR DREAM OF LIVING THE HARRY POTTER LIFE, YOU’LL NEED TO INVEST IN A FEW MAGICAL ESSENTIALS.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JACOB THOMAS
SNEAKOSCOPE
More than just a colorful top, this goody spins, emits a shrill whistle and flashes colorful lights whenever a nogoodnick is up to something evil.
SPECTRESPECS
These groovy glasses will help you find someone hiding beneath an invisibility cloak—plus, they’ll definitely make a statement.
REMOTE-CONTROLLED GOLDEN SNITCH
You’ll be able to practice your seeking skills with this small flying quidditch ball.
REMEMBRALL
A smoke-filled Remembrall turns red when something has slipped the mind of whoever’s holding it.
EXTENDABLE EAR
Snoop on friends and family members by sneaking an extendable ear near their conversations.
OMNIOCULAR
The mother of all binoculars, an omniocular’s special features make it perfect for watching Harry play in quidditch matches.
BY THE NUMBERS
12 “HERO” WANDS FOR SALE, INCLUDING ONE JUST LIKE HERMIONE’S • 20 FLAVORS OF BERTIE BOTT’S EVERY-FLAVOUR BEANS • 20 ACRES OF LAND ENCOMPASSING THE WIZARDING WORLD • 600 TO 700 PROJECTED HEIGHT (IN FEET) OF HOGWARTS CASTLE
DID YOU KNOW?
Author J.K. Rowling tasted the foods replicated from the books to make sure they’re like what she’d envisioned.
TASTE THE MAGIC
At Three Broomsticks and the adjoining Hog’s Head pub, the traditional English pub menu includes these wizard favorites:
Hog’s Head Butterbeer
IN THE BOOK
A beverage served hot or cold and a popular drink among young wizards.
WHAT YOU GET
A frosty, refreshing mug of a nonalcoholic drink that looks like lager with a foamy head.
Cauldron Cakes
IN THE BOOK
Individually sized chocolate cakes with a cracked top.
WHAT YOU GET
A rich, moist chocolate-chip muffin half dipped in chocolate, topped with whipped cream and garnished with a woven “handle” of semisweet chocolate.
Treacle Fudge
IN THE BOOK
A treat flavored with sweet, dark, molasses-like syrup. Made by both Hagrid and Mrs. Weasley, treacle fudge“gets rid o’ slugs in a jiffy.”
WHAT YOU GET
Smooth, creamy, light white-chocolate fudge laced with molasses.
Reader Comments
- There are no comments posted yet. Be the first one!
