Universal debuts its new Harry Potter parade, in Japan

May 14, 2018, 9:46 AM · The Hogwarts Express has come to Universal Studios Japan, as Universal debuts its first-ever parade to feature icons from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The new Universal Spectacle Night Parade - The Best of Hollywood starts officially on May 17, but fans are already posting video of previews, including our first live look at the Harry Potter-themed unit in the parade, led by the Hogwarts Express.

And here's the Quidditch pitch:

Featuring parade units themed to Harry Potter, Transformers, Minions, and Jurassic World, the parade also features projection mapping on surrounding buildings and a new musical score. Here's a video of the full parade:

Replies (10)

May 14, 2018 at 9:53 AM

Holy Smokes! Can't wait to see this on a big screen with audio!

May 14, 2018 at 10:34 AM

Wow! They really went all-out on this -- it is top quality.

May 14, 2018 at 11:38 AM

Not a fan of the train wagon screens but the rest is awesome.

May 14, 2018 at 11:47 AM

This is amazing!

May 14, 2018 at 12:24 PM

Japan seems to be getting a lot of loving of late.

May 14, 2018 at 12:32 PM

Yeah but does anything catch on fire?

May 14, 2018 at 1:20 PM

UC did a GREAT job!

They’ve combined Disney’s projection mapping on buildings and the style of Disney’s Paint the Night parade!

Just wait until you see how Universal Orlando uses Disneyland’s World of Color style!!!

May 14, 2018 at 3:14 PM

Wow! well done!

May 16, 2018 at 12:18 PM

I don't know, for me the parade just seems awkward. most of the sequences depict fast paced action...while on a slow parade route. and some of the floats do almost nothing. they literally have a truck on a float. there's no nice lighting or anything to distract the eye, its just optimus prime in truck form...on a float.

during the harry potter segment they try to tell a story but I don't think a parade is the perfect place to do that seeing as people are on different parts of the parade route and only get part of the story.

to me parades (especially night parades) should just be pure eye candy/ear candy, just overflow the senses with lights spinning things and what-not. and a soundtrack that flows from one segment to the other without that awkard pause in-between.

May 18, 2018 at 4:42 PM

In response to 172.117.51.155 - The "truck on a float" mechanically transforms into Optimus Prime in robot form. But not everyone along the parade route gets to see it.

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