Photo courtesy of Paste Magazine
Universal Studios brings Wizarding World of Harry Potter to life
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Inspired by the fictional books and characters created by J.K. Rowling, the highly anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter officially opened at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 7, selling out on its first day. As if stepping into the pages of the Harry Potter series, visitors can fully immerse themselves into the newly built town of Hogsmeade, with snow-capped peaked roofs, tilted chimneys, and cobbled streets. With many great attractions, visitors can shop at Honeydukes, eat at Three Broomsticks, find a wand at Ollivanders, and fly with a Hippogriff.
The Wizarding World includes the opening of two new rides, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and the Flight of the Hippogriff. The Forbidden Journey ride uses 3D-HD hyper-realistic technology, which allows riders wearing Quidditch-inspired 3D goggles to spin and pivot 360 degrees along an elevated track. A dark and exciting ride, it enables riders to evade an attacking dragon, spar with the Whomping Willow, get tossed into a Quidditch match, and fight off Dementors. As for the Flight of the Hippogriff, which is the first outdoor roller coaster at Universal Studios Hollywood, it spirals and dives around a pumpkin patch and swoops past Hagrid’s hut.
Aside from thrilling rides, visitors can also try authentic food and beverages and purchase wizardly items at various locations, including Three Broomsticks, Butterbeer carts, Ollivanders wand shop, Honeydukes, Owl Post, Zonko’s Joke Shop, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, and many more. Ollivanders wand shop sells collectible wands, character wands, interactive wands, and customizable wands that comes along with an accompanying map of Hogsmeade, showing where to recite specific spells for an interactive experience at 11 magic windows. At Honeydukes, they offer authentic candy featured in the movies, a perfect blend of what can be found in England and Scotland. The Owl Post has its own postmark and stamps, where people can send a special letter from Hogsmeade to anywhere in the world. A restaurant with food personally delivered to the table, the Three Broomsticks features high vaulted ceilings groomed to look like the two-story inn, along with stone floors and huge fireplaces giving way to the Hogsmeade Pub next door.
A world that remains as alluring as it was about 20 years ago when the first book was published, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter captures the true aspects of the book and brings the stories to life.
