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Old 05-31-2007, 08:54 AM   #1
RogerRabbit
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Harry Potter Theme Park news!!

I just seen this!

Potter buffs may soon be able to visit Hogwarts - CNN.com

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Old 05-31-2007, 09:38 AM   #2
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Harry Potter Theme Park - at IOA

I saw an article at CNN.com about a new theme park that's been OKed by JK Rowling to be built in Orlando. Partners are Warner Bros and Universal. Slated to open in 2008!!!


My coworker and I were speculating.....
A Hogwart's express train ride?
A virtural Quiddich match?
Dark ride though the forest with Unicorns and spiders?
Walk-through the Weasley's house?
a ride in the flying car (like Star Tours)?

Any other ideas?
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Old 05-31-2007, 10:02 AM   #3
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Sounds very cool!!
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Old 05-31-2007, 10:04 AM   #4
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I'm a little scared to see how they'll incorporate the Whomping Willow.

Some sort of dueling dragons coaster maybe...Hungarian Horntail being one, of course.

A carousel of magical creatures - Aragogs, unicorns, centaurs, Buckbeak, Professor Lupin (as the werewolf, people! )

You'll enter the park on Diagon Alley right through the bricks. And you'll take sidetrips onto Knockturn Alley for those 'other' souvenirs.

Restaurants and shops will include those in Hogsmeade. I'm dying to see the little tea shop from Valentine's Day.

And the Shrieking Shack will be the scariest walk-through in Orlando.
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Old 05-31-2007, 10:32 AM   #5
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Talking Harry Potter Theme Park!!!

Check out the news bullets on yahoo.com! Apparently, JK has approved an HP theme park in Orlando! Woohooo!! Complete with a Hogwarts, it seems!
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Old 05-31-2007, 10:43 AM   #6
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According to this article I found:

Harry Potter Coming To Islands Of Adventure - Yahoo! News

The long rumor of a Harry Potter themed island at Universal's Islands of Adventure has been confirmed.

You can read more at screamscape.com:

Islands of Adventure

Scroll down to "the wizarding world of Harry Potter"
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Old 05-31-2007, 12:15 PM   #7
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Here's the official annoucement from Universal:

Universal Orlando Resort Media Site - Press Release - Harry Potter
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Old 05-31-2007, 12:20 PM   #8
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They talked about it on the Today show this morning Very interesting
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Old 05-31-2007, 12:22 PM   #9
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Hm.. part of me is going WOOHOO! , but another part of me is thinking they're going to have a lot of work to do to convert the Dueling Dragons to something that is on par with what it is right now. Not so much the ride itself because I am sure that will be relatively simple, but the queue...I the queue through the castle as it is currently. I hope that "red and white tent looking structure" (Screamscape) will be ok. I guess if they retheme the whole area from mythological to Harry Potter, it'll likely work. I like the Hogsmeade shopping area!

It's interesting to see in the press release illustrations, that some of the buildings are snow-covered. I wonder if that will make it through the construction phase.
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Old 05-31-2007, 01:11 PM   #10
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This may be enough to make me leave Disney property! (for a day...maybe)
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Old 05-31-2007, 06:06 PM   #11
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WE got the official word at work today! Very exciting news!!!! 2009 can't come fast enough!
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Old 05-31-2007, 07:16 PM   #12
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I received the email this morning from Universal of Orlando Resorts. It's slated to open 2009. I signed up for the email updates.
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Old 05-31-2007, 08:44 PM   #13
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waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay cool!
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Old 05-31-2007, 08:54 PM   #14
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I just saw this and was coming to post the same thing! Very exciting!
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Old 06-01-2007, 01:30 PM   #15
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From the Leaky Cauldron.com : The Leaky Cauldron: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (book 7), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (movie 5) news, images, videos, podcast and more

There is also links to concept art. The article says 2010 is the slated opening but refers to "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" as a theme park, it was my understanding that it would be a themed land in IOA but now I'm thinking this may be a separate ticketed area to enter?
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