Like gazillions of others on the planet, I can't wait for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open. I stopped by Universal Orlando on Friday to get a sneak peak. You can already see the snow-capped castle and the tippy-tops of some of the other cool buildings in this magical village based on J.K. Rowling's compelling and hugely-popular Harry Potter books and movies.
While details are as closely guarded as Kirstie Allie's actual weight, I was let in on a few surprises...which I'll (shhhhh...no telling!) share with you. By the way, that's me, shamelessly holding up a Going Places cover to win a free t-shirt. Learn how you can win one too.
The Wizardly World brings you Ollivanders wand shop where Harry selected his first wand (or perhaps more aptly, where his wand selected him.) Just like the movie, the shop features thousands of dusty wand boxes stacked floor to ceiling. An inquisitive Wandkeeper will greet guests and give them a chance to select their own wand. Pick the wrong one and magical mishaps occur. When you hit upon the perfect wand, you'll instantly know it's a match.
There's a family roller coast called "Flight of the Hippogriff" that will guide you through some of the secret areas of Hogwarts. You'll also find Honeydukes which sells the famous chocolate frogs and "Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans".
One of the coolest areas will be the Owlery where birds
roost and a magical postal service let's you mail actual
letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark.
And don't forget to have a pint of butter beer (non-alcoholic so even kids can enjoy) while your stroll through the shops. The merchandise is said to be amazing, with the majority of items unavailable anywhere else in the world. Have you always wanted some of that cool magical stuff, like Quidditch gear or musical instruments that Harry and gang used? Much of it can be found in the many shops that line the streets.
More secrets to come...keep checking back!
Photo credit: © 2010 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.
HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR.
SandyK
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