On the Road to the Wizarding World Hollywood: Universal's First Video Look
November 19, 2015, 3:18 PM ·
Universal Studios Hollywood today uploaded a video overview of its Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opens officially next spring.
The video features the Hogwarts Express conductor briefly describing the shops and restaurants in Hollywood's version of the village of Hogsmeade. In case you can't watch the video, or haven't memorized this already, the line-up includes:
The Three Broomsticks ("Keep your eyes peeled for the house elves darting about." Whaaa?)
Hog's Head Pub
Honeyduke's
Owl Post
Dervish and Banges
Zonko's Joke Shop
Ollivander's
The video also mentions the Tri-Wizard Spirit Rally and Flight of the Hippogriff, but makes no mention of the land's centerpiece attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, which will be housed in Hogwarts Castle.
Based on the blackout date calendar that Universal released with its recent annual pass program changes, we are looking at a mid-March opening for the Wizarding World Hollywood. All Universal has said officially so far is "Spring."
November 19, 2015 at 3:42 PM ·
Because that's the only park where the coaster was already there. Universal just rethemed it from the old Dueling Dragons. It hasn't proven popular enough in Orlando for Universal to incur the expense of hassle of building it in the other WWoHP lands.
November 19, 2015 at 5:00 PM ·
I was honestly fooled and thought this was Orlando's at first until I realized that our Hogsmeade train station is somewhat different from Orlando's. I'm slightly curious as to how they already got people to walk through when the construction walls are still up and not all the interiors are done yet. Maybe they used some footage from Orlando too?
November 20, 2015 at 12:16 AM ·
We are having interactive wands
149.39.250.11
November 20, 2015 at 7:18 AM ·
"and even where Harry Potter's wand chose him" -- think this video is great and gets me in the mood to visit, but any kid will know that line is not true. Harry Potter was in Diagon Alley's Ollivander's when he got his wand, not in the Hogsmeade outpost.
November 20, 2015 at 3:24 PM ·
Just like most successful business, Ollivander's has several locations to serve his customers. Harry got his wand in Diagon Alley, but what's a young Hogswart's student or staff member to do if their wand goes missing or gets damaged during the school year? Easy, just visit his Hogsmead location.
November 22, 2015 at 1:49 PM ·
Max, the shoot was at night after the park closed. The construction walls were taken down for the shoot. Extras were hired through one of the Los Angeles acting agencies. the interiors that weren't finished weren't used but those that are finished enough to be photographed were dressed up and used for this promo video.
November 22, 2015 at 2:19 PM ·
Oh that's interesting. Thanks Parker! Robert, I've heard rumors supposedly confirmed by Universal that they are pushing for a December soft-opening date for Potter. Have you heard if that's true or not?
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
