The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of Fun, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

Instructions wors like a charme! Print the map on a A4, works much better than on A3

 

[Nicole786]

This bit of info just popped up from Attractions Magazine and all I can say is..WOW

Visitors to the Ollivanders wand shop at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will step into one of the iconic scenes from the Harry Potter books and movies. With the assistance of a live actor, along with some special effects, guests of Ollivanders will get to experience the same type of magical moment Harry had in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when a wand ”chooses them.”

Universal has worked closely with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and the Warner Bros. Harry Potter brand team to make this moment as authentic, magical and immersive as possible for guests.

“When guests visit Ollivanders, they will instantly feel like they’re in the shop from the films. It’s an intimate, single-windowed building, with the same signs, colors and other details read about in the books and seen in the films,” said Alan Gilmore, art director of the Harry Potter films and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. “But more importantly, visitors to Ollivanders will experience for themselves the magical moment that forever changed Harry’s life.”

Inside Ollivanders, visitors will be surrounded by thousands of multi-colored dusty wand boxes stacked on shelves from floor to ceiling. They will be welcomed by an inquisitive Wandkeeper, who will guide them through an enchanting experience to find their very own wand. First the Wandkeeper will ask the guest a few special questions and then select the first wand for them to try. Just like Harry, the guest will be prompted by the Wandkeeper to give the wand a wave, and a series of magical mishaps will occur until the right fit is found.

In addition to the magic featured in Ollivanders, guests will experience many other magical happenings at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, including a Howler featured in the Owl Post shop front window whose ranting can be heard by guests as they pass by; The Monster Book of Monsters in Dervish and Banges that will snarl and growl at anyone who tries to get too close, and the Hog’s Head which can be seen puffing his jowls at visitors who visit the Hog’s Head pub.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure will feature multiple themed attractions, shops and an eating establishment when it opens this spring.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Wow. These shops are going to be attractions unto themselves. How are they going to get people through them?

 

[ChrisFL]

Wow. These shops are going to be attractions unto themselves. How are they going to get people through them?

Thats what I keep wondering

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Thats what I keep wondering

Did you see the new concept art for Ollivander's?

It even has the crowd of people waiting outside in it. 180min wait!

 

[MadeToLove]

Wow. These shops are going to be attractions unto themselves. How are they going to get people through them?

The Leaky Cauldron was able to interview a Universal exec today and learned some interesting info about Olivanders and other parts of the park: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2...e-to-a-set-opening-date-more-details-revealed

Each wizard will enter the shop one at a time and will be spending 2-5 minutes having their wand chosen for them, and apparently they are trying to work out how to keep the lines moving for this.

•The wand-choosing experience will last from 2-5 minutes per person, and the team is currently working on how to handle what are expected to be long wait times.
•The inside of the castle includes rooms built to full scale from the films - Dumbledore's office, the Great Hall, the Gryffindor Common room, and more
•The previous reports of wands interacting with the environment of the park have not yet been realized, but there's "a lot going on" in each area of the amusement
•"Every Harry Potter fan is going to be very critical of this [park]: we want to make sure that it's going to be absolutely fantastic and perfect."
•The Ollivander's shop will include every detail from the books possible, down to the tinkling bell, the single window, and the sign that hearkens the shop back to 382 b.c.
•Ollivander's in this "Hogsmeade" is, with permission from J.K. Rowling, an annex, a satellite shop of the main Ollivander's (which is in Diagon Alley in London; Hogsmeade is in Scotland). The wandkeeper will not be Mr. Ollivander. There will be only one in the shop at any given time.
•The wands have all been designed by Stuart Craig and approved by J.K. Rowling.
•The experience of having your wand choose you is free, though the wand costs money to buy. Pricing is to be determined.
•Customers may buy wands without doing the choosing.
•Questions will be asked of the customers, including birthdate and other factual details, to determine the appropriate wandwood based on the Celtic calendar (as frequently is done in the Harry Potter books).
•The wands are made out of 13 different types of wood.
•Children will be able to build their own wand
•When trying out your wands, there may be mishaps in the shop - flowers wilting, thunder and lightning in the store, etc. - when you use the wrong one.
•There are no current plans for "dark" areas of Hogsmeade, a la Nocturne Alley, but Coup said to "stay tuned for that."
•You can follow Thierry Coup on Twitter for additional revelations (or just follow Leaky's Harry Potter list to get all HP related Twitterers at once.)

Leaky also had another article with this info: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2010/1/28/wwohp-ollivanders-details-and-pics

As mentioned in our previous post, visitors to Ollivander's will consult with a Wandkeeper to help choose their wand; the shop is and "intimate, single-windowed building, with the same signs, colors and othe rdetails read about in the books and seen in the films." Visitors will be surrounded by "thousands of multi-colored dusty wand boxes stacked on shelves from floor to ceiling."

Other revelations about the park include:



•The presence of a Howler in the Owl Post shop window that will rant loudly as guests pass
•The Monster Book of Monsters will snarl and growl in Dervish and Banges
•The Hog's Head will be seen puffing his jowls at visitors who visit.

(Sorry if it's not giving you the direct links, you may have to copy and paste them)

 

[PeterPan09]

Did you see the new concept art for Ollivander's?

It even has the crowd of people waiting outside in it. 180min wait!

I don't care how long I have to wait-I am SO doing this!!!

 

[SeeJackRunn]

So is the general consensus that it won't be open the first week of may? I have a trip to Orlando the last week of April/first week of May and wanted to stop by USF if Wizarding World of Harry Potter is open but if not i'll save USF till Halloween when I go to Horror Nights.

Thanks!

 

[ky07]

So is the general consensus that it won't be open the first week of may? I have a trip to Orlando the last week of April/first week of May and wanted to stop by USF if Wizarding World of Harry Potter is open but if not i'll save USF till Halloween when I go to Horror Nights.

Thanks!

Still no offical word when it will actually open

 

[Metro West]

So is the general consensus that it won't be open the first week of may? I have a trip to Orlando the last week of April/first week of May and wanted to stop by USF if Wizarding World of Harry Potter is open but if not i'll save USF till Halloween when I go to Horror Nights.

Thanks!

I think the end of April/beginning of May would be pushing it. But...who knows how close they really are to finishing. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[ky07]

I think the end of April/beginning of May would be pushing it. But...who knows how close they really are to finishing. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of Fun, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

All those new details are very nice!

Here's a nice video of the USA today promotion and online gimmick. Demo is at three minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tut7QQEDIpk



.

.

 

[DaddyDon]

I hope it opens by June 5th...I have ressies at pbr.....for that week...not going if harry not open....

 

[DaParkers]

That's a lot of hoopla for 1 ride and a bunch of shops.

 

[Timmy Boy]

^and there's even more hoopla for princess meet and greets and a slow moving dark ride.

 

[Rip]

^and there's even more hoopla for princess meet and greets and a slow moving dark ride.

And they should thank Universal for that, too.

 

[jessrose18]

Everyday, the more I hear from this thread, the more excited we get. Thanks everyone for posting the pictures and articles

 

[DISman13]

^and there's even more hoopla for princess meet and greets and a slow moving dark ride.

There's way less hoopla for that.

 

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of jubs, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

right place, right time:

thanks to sarah and valery for helping me get these photos, and i should probably have some more up tomorrow. better, more high-res stuff.

 

[diskids2]

I am sooooooooooo excited to go and see this. I hope it will be open by the end of July.