The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

[Don Pacho]

Latest Pictures - 07/23/2009
Posted by WizardingWorldHarryPotter.com
at July 23, 2009

Hello wizards all!
We’re all very excited especially with the release of the Half Blood Prince, and we’ve got some shots to continue your excitement.
These get really awesome towards the end, check them out!

Construction on the entrance area.

The sign, and then the roof area construction behind it.

Another angle of the above.

Shot from by the dueling dragons

A coaster on the left!

Renovation of the coaster, it seems.

Think about how this will look like when its done! A scene, if anything.

Another view on the construction area.

Different angle of above.

And yet another angle; the coaster on the right!

…my goodness! It’s coming together! Look at Hogsmeade!

Beautiful turrets! And large!

Now this looks like progress!! Substantial progress!

So there you have it! Perhaps one of the most exciting updates we’ve put up in a while…just look at Hogsmeade!



.

 

[donaldduck352]

This is gonna be awesome.Buy tics now,I'm sure when it opens the price and bargains are gonna be gon.It will draw so many people!!

Great pics,thank you!!

 

[JackandSally79]

Thanks for the update...I can't wait!

 

[Tinks1984]

Wow...fantastic pictures, thanks for posting!

Looks like it's coming along nicely. I like how there's a rollercoaster in there already! And the buildings with the snow are looking tip-top! Fingers crossed for May 2010!

 

[czycropper]

Thanks so much for the photos!!!!

Can't wait to see the finished product and actually be there

 

[PalmettoPrincess]

I too have been a HP fan for years and just recently got the DBF involved! We're both so excited about the opening of this park! We're planning another trip to Disney in August 2010 and it would be great if the WWOHP opened in May! (fingers crossed!) BTW, I love all these pics!

 

[natalielongstaff]

wow !!! those pics look amazing

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

I haven't been to US Florida in forever but we have a trip planned for next June and I am hoping this will be open!

 

[mvansear]

I sort of disagree in a way.
1st I think this will not be considered the "official opening" of Wizarding World. I think that will be when everything is done. But it will be a soft opening of sorts. *for me*, like many visitors, I will be down when my vacation allows, and in my case, that's March 2010. I would rather be able to see SOME of the progress than none at all.

As long as people know IN ADVANCE that not everything is open, then there should be no dissapointment.

I was so excited when I saw this post!!! I am going in January 2010. I plan to go back when the whole thing is open but so excited that I may get to see some of it while I am there. Do you think the new flying unicorn and dueling dragons will be done. Hopefully they are part of that soft opening for Christmas 2009 that that article talks about. Would rather see a little bit than nothing. I too share Harry Potter's birthday.
Marci

 

[Don Pacho]

WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER NAME RELEASE

Courtesy of Dr. Emmett Brown, Orlando United

Basically there's gonna be a couple new stores and eateries, and one new ride to accompany the retheming of Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons.

The official name of the new ride is HARRY POTTER AND THE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY. While I don't know the locations of the stores and ride, I can provide you guys with the names.

CREDIT to IOAFREAK13 over at IOACentral.

Word Mark: THREE BROOMSTICKS
Goods and Services: Restaurant services, namely, providing of food and beverages for consumption

Word Mark: MAGIC NEEP
Goods and Services: Restaurant services, namely, providing of food and beverages for consumption

Word Mark: BUTTERBEER
Goods and Services: Restaurant services, namely, providing of food and beverages for consumption

Word Mark: ZONKO'S
Goods and Services: Retail store services featuring a variety of goods, namely, general merchandise, gift items, souvenir items, novelty items, motion picture related goods, clothing, hats, bags, books, stationery, pens, pencils, toys, games, sporting goods, cds, dvds, videos, cameras, music, computer games, artwork, figurines, frames, paper party decorations, consumer electronics, watches, jewelry, pins, collectibles, costumes, Christmas tree ornaments, sunglasses, snow globes, candy, beverages and ready to eat food

Word Mark: OWL POST
Goods and Services: Retail store services featuring a variety of goods, namely, general merchandise, gift items, souvenir items, novelty items, motion picture related goods, clothing, hats, bags, books, stationery, pens, pencils, toys, games, sporting goods, cds, dvds, videos, cameras, music, computer games, artwork, figurines, frames, paper party decorations, consumer electronics, watches, jewelry, pins, collectibles, costumes, Christmas tree ornaments, sunglasses, snow globes, candy, beverages and ready to eat food

Word Mark: OLLIVANDERS
Goods and Services: Retail store services featuring a variety of goods, namely, general merchandise, gift items, souvenir items, novelty items, motion picture related goods, clothing, hats, bags, books, stationery, pens, pencils, toys, games, sporting goods, cds, dvds, videos, cameras, music, computer games, artwork, figurines, frames, paper party decorations, consumer electronics, watches, jewelry, pins, collectibles, costumes, Christmas tree ornaments, sunglasses, snow globes, candy, beverages and ready to eat food

Word Mark: HONEYDUKES
Goods and Services: Retail store services featuring a variety of goods, namely, general merchandise, gift items, souvenir items, novelty items, motion picture related goods, clothing, hats, bags, books, stationery, pens, pencils, toys, games, sporting goods, cds, dvds, videos, cameras, music, computer games, artwork, figurines, frames, paper party decorations, consumer electronics, watches, jewelry, pins, collectibles, costumes, Christmas tree ornaments, sunglasses, snow globes, candy, beverages and ready to eat food

Word Mark: DERVISH AND BANGES
Goods and Services: Retail store services featuring a variety of goods, namely, general merchandise, gift items, souvenir items, novelty items, motion picture related goods, clothing, hats, bags, books, stationery, pens, pencils, toys, games, sporting goods, cds, dvds, videos, cameras, music, computer games, artwork, figurines, frames, paper party decorations, consumer electronics, watches, jewelry, pins, collectibles, costumes, Christmas tree ornaments, sunglasses, snow globes, candy, beverages and ready to eat food

Word Mark: HOGSMEADE VILLAGE
Goods and Services: Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park attraction, namely, a themed area

Word Mark: HARRY POTTER AND THE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY
Goods and Services: Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park ride

Word Mark: FLIGHT OF THE HIPPOGRIFF
Goods and Services: Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park ride

Word Mark: DRAGON CHALLENGE
Goods and Services: Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park ride

 

[Howellsy]

Wow great information, thanks so much for posting!! The attractions are pretty much what people guessed them to be then I suppose, Still pretty exciting though

 

[melly]

WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER NAME RELEASE

Basically there's gonna be a couple new stores and eateries, and one new ride to accompany the retheming of Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons.

The official name of the new ride is HARRY POTTER AND THE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY. While I don't know the locations of the stores and ride, I can provide you guys with the names

Courtesy of Dr. Emmett Brown, Orlando United

So in short after much critisism directed at me earlier in the thread it turns out that I was right.

I stand by my opinion that unless this new ride is a mega attraction and unique that this Harry Potter land will be seen a nothing more than a gimmick and a collection of shops with a few re-hashed rides that are essentially the same. This ride for me will determin if this construction is a flop or not.

 

[czycropper]

Melly - why can't you just let those of us who are looking forward to something new at Universal enjoy it without any sarcasm or criticism.....both Universal and WDW can coexist and have been coexisting together in the Orlando area for quite a few years and both have fans.

I think that it's time for you to let it go! Disney had their chance of having a Harry Potter ride and they passed on it, so be it........................

 

[melly]

Melly - why can't you just let those of us who are looking forward to something new at Universal enjoy it without any sarcasm or criticism.....both Universal and WDW can coexist and have been coexisting together in the Orlando area for quite a few years and both have fans.

I think that it's time for you to let it go! Disney had their chance of having a Harry Potter ride and they passed on it, so be it........................

I have no beef with Universal, love the place.

I have however offered a perfectly valid opinion on this project. May I suggest that if you cant handle other people having an opinion then a message board probably isnt the best place for you to be.

Again, my opinion is straightforward and valid. There is a LOT of hype over this project but when you scratch the surface it is a few restraunts and shops, a couple of re-painted rides which we have all been on before and just ONE new ride.

If this ride is awesome, and Im talking Spiderman or Revenge of the mummy awesome then Universal will pull this off. If it isnt then I think it will be a flop.

 

[Don Pacho]

From Screamscape:

2010 - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - (7/27/09) Orlando United has posted some new information about the names of the various attractions, stores, items and eateries in the Wizarding World. For starters the they claim that the new ride will be called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The search through the trademark database also confirmed Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge as the new names for Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons.
Meanwhile a great bit of coverage of the entire Harry Potter project at Islands of Adventure has been put up as an on-demand video on the local Brighthouse cable network. The videos have also been uploaded to YouTube (in 2 parts) for everyone to enjoy as they document the past, present and what we may see over the next year at the Wizarding World.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter [Part 1]



Wizarding World of Harry Potter [Part 2]
​

.​

 

[Caribbeanprincess]

I have no beef with Universal, love the place.

I have however offered a perfectly valid opinion on this project. May I suggest that if you cant handle other people having an opinion then a message board probably isnt the best place for you to be.

Again, my opinion is straightforward and valid. There is a LOT of hype over this project but when you scratch the surface it is a few restraunts and shops, a couple of re-painted rides which we have all been on before and just ONE new ride.

If this ride is awesome, and Im talking Spiderman or Revenge of the mummy awesome then Universal will pull this off. If it isnt then I think it will be a flop.

I think you underestimate the HP fans. Even if this would be just shops and the chance to step into Hogwarts, we would flock to it like bees to honey. I don't see any reason why this would flop, I would say more than the rides the fans are waiting for the experience to step into the world of HP and the places mentioned in the book.

 

[damo]

I think you underestimate the HP fans. Even if this would be just shops and the chance to step into Hogwarts, we would flock to it like bees to honey. I don't see any reason why this would flop, I would say more than the rides the fans are waiting for the experience to step into the world of HP and the places mentioned in the book.

I agree. My daughter informed me that she thinks she will cry when she steps foot into Hogsmeade and she is a 23 year old non-fanatic fan.

Just looking at the stuff built so far, there is no way this is going to be a flop.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Joining this thread to get the latest updates. We are visiting Universal for the 1st time in August 2010. DS10 and I are huge Harry Potter fans and are so hoping it is open!

 

[enchantingodin]

HP fans are kinda like LOTR and SWs fans, at least in there intensity to LOVE the brand. However I think Universal would've been smarter to develop this idea when the first few movies came out (and then expanding as they progressed) then waiting until the end of them to start. And personally I would like to see another ORIGINAL ride or 2. Not just the one. I think they are leaving too much to decor and fluff to carry this "new" island. But - I don't think there's any real way for it to be a flop either. The fan base is just too big.

 

[melly]

I've probably not worded my post that well. When I mean flop I dont mean in popularity or financially. It will be a huge draw for all the reasons the last few posters said.

What I do mean is a let down. You have to remember when this project was first publicised it was billed as a "Harry Potter Theme park"...you practically had to read the small print to see it was a land within an existing park. Then, with a bit more reading its not an actual new land, its nicking a bit of this and a bit of that so in reality its a marginal expansion. Then you find that in the new bits of land there is 1 new ride. I just think that although the rest of it will be cool with the theming and people will want to see that a lot still rests on this ride which will either make people think WOW or that they were expecting more. What you also have to remember is us lot on here are well read at what is going to be there and will most probably like it but there will be many people going who dont search the web for full details. They could be walking in thinking this will be some massive new expansion and looking forward to all the rides and end up doing 2 rides they have already done plus 1 new one. They may feel underwhelmed even if the theming is great. Thats just my opinion.