For avid Harry Potter fans like me, the news that we won’t have to go traipsing all over England, trying to make a pilgrimage to a non-existent (but highly believable!) world of magic, is great news indeed! As I reported in my last post, the Harry Potter-based theme park has finally been conceptualized.
Scheduled to open in late 2009, the Florida theme park has been given the go-ahead by J.K. Rowling, the series’ creator, who became the world’s first billion-dollar author due to Harry Potter’s success. “The plans I have seen look incredibly exciting and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed,” Rowling said of the Orlando park.
According to the press statement, the new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the wizarding world’s best known establishments. Also debuting will be a state-of-the-art attraction that will bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way that guests have never before experienced.
“Over the years we’ve received thousands of letters from fans around the world wishing they could visit Hogwarts and the wonderful locations described in each of J.K. Rowling’s beloved stories,” said Barry Meyer, chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Entertainment. “Working with Universal Orlando Resort, we are confident that we’ll be able to provide Harry Potter fans with an incredible experience that upholds the richness of J.K. Rowling’s books and delivers on the authentic detail portrayed in our films.”
I have high hopes that the park will capture the unique elements of the story. I can’t wait to visit the village of Hogsmeade,the creep around the mysterious Forbidden Forest, and learn the secrets of Hogwarts castle. My only concern now is if I’ll have the patience to wait till 2009 to experience all of it.
