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Universal Orlando announces special 'Harry Potter' event for November

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Published: July 25, 2011 at 9:45 AM
Universal Orlando's gone ahead and done something many of us have predicted or wished for: It's planning a Harry Potter weekend at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Veteran's Day weekend in November.

Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe, answering my question during a press Q&A at the Wizarding World last year. Will he be among the cast members at the November event?

As of now, the only way in is to buy a combo hotel/ticket package through the Universal Orlando website. Packages start at $369 and includes four nights' hotel plus a three-day ticket to the Universal Orlando theme parks, admission to an in-park Q&A session with a Harry Potter cast member, a pin and a Blu-Ray set of the Harry Potter films.

The weekend will also include screenings of all eight Harry Potter films at the CityWalk theaters, as well as a party on November 13, with food, Butterbeer, live entertainment, as well as cast member appearances.

Packages go on sale Sunday, July 31. You in?

Update: I've got some thoughts on the annual passholder issue.

Readers' Opinions

From Doug Jenkins on July 25, 2011 at 9:55 AM
I guess yearly passholders are boxed out?
From Robert Niles on July 25, 2011 at 10:06 AM
In the fine print on the Universal page, it says that a "limited number" of additional admissions to the events might be made available. So if Universal doesn't sell out the hotel packages, I suspect that individual event tickets will be sold, which passholders could get without having to book the hotel or buy the park tickets.

It'd have to have a lot of open spaces for discounted day tickets to go to passholders, though, I suspect.

From Mark Migliaccio on July 25, 2011 at 10:08 AM
How fast do you think these will sell out? If it could last until the 5th, I'd have the money... :(
From 83.134.51.47 on July 25, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Just fine, and for the european fans ?
From Tracy Bates on July 25, 2011 at 10:59 AM
It's pretty rude of them to leave out passholders for stuff like this. I mean, they already let hotel people into the park early for Harry Potter, why not throw a bone to people who have bought season passes.
From Hermione Potter on July 25, 2011 at 11:59 AM
...and for those of us who don't need a hotel room OR a ticket? Nothing? So annoying!

Whatever, at least July 31 (Harry's and JK Rowling's birthday) is the day Pottermore Beta opens. :)

From Mark Migliaccio on July 25, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Also it is $699 to get into the package with the Sunday night party, breakfast, and an autograph session. I'll keep my $330.
From Tony Duda on July 25, 2011 at 2:06 PM
The price is also per person based on double-occupancy so a single traveler has to pay double?

Last year's Annual Passholder events at WWOHP in December were rife with registration problems and web site computer crashes. I don't think they will try that method again for the extra tickets they hinted at. Maybe they will have a blind lottery for APs who don't want to buy hotel rooms or tickets. Whatever they decide upon, the demand will surely be 1000 times the availability. So, APs will have to suck it up and fork it out to get in.

From Anthony Murphy on July 25, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Interesting.


I would think they should have done it for Harry Potter's Birthday or Haloween.

What the heck? I mean this is Universal's "Star Wars Weekend" right?

From N B on July 28, 2011 at 7:34 PM
I seemed like Potter weekend when I was just there as the movie was released right in the middle of our trip... The craziness ensued unti the day we left (July 20th).

If the rumors are true and they decide to extend WWOHP into the Lost Continent, it will just get crazier...

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