Seth Kubersky - An Utterly Unauthorized Guide To Harry Potter at Universal Orlando

An Utterly Unauthorized Guide To

Harry Potter
at Universal Orlando

by Seth Kubersky with Kelly Monaghan

An Utterly Unauthorized Guide To Harry Potter at Universal Orlando

by Seth Kubersky with Kelly Monaghan

Third Edition

Published by The Intrepid Traveler

P.O. Box 531

Branford, CT 06405

Copyright 2011 by The Intrepid Traveler

Cover design: Jana Rade

Disclaimer

THIS BOOK IS UNOFFICIAL AND UNAUTHORIZED. IT IS NOT AUTHORIZED, APPROVED, LICENSED, OR ENDORSED BY J.K. ROWLING OR WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT. INC.

Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Liability

The contents of this book are presented on an as is basis. While every effort was made to assure the accuracy of this book, neither the authors nor the publisher shall be liable for any harm caused or alleged to be caused by the information in this book.

Trademarks

This book mentions many attractions, fictional characters, product names, entities, and works that are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their various creators and owners. They are used in this book solely for editorial purposes. Neither the authors nor the publisher makes any commercial claim to their use.

ISBN: 978-1-937011-07-9

I n 2007, Universal Orlando rocked the attraction industry by announcing a partnership with Warner Brothers and author J.K. Rowling to bring her mega-selling series about a United Kingdom conjuring academy into three-dimensional reality. Insiders speculated that securing the notoriously reticent Rowlings cooperation (in a deal that granted her unprecedented levels of artistic control over the project) could be the kind of coup that might finally allow Universal to beat Disney at its own game.

After three years of eagerly observed construction, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter premiered to the public on June 18, 2010, in a star-studded opening ceremony that was broadcast globally. Millions of Potter-maniacs, whose money helped make the books and films into a $15 billion dollar franchise, held their breaths in anticipation. Could this new section of Islands of Adventure possibly live up to the wonders they experienced on page and screen? Well, the verdict is in, and it is a resounding Yeeesss!

From the moment you step under the stone archway into Hogsmeade Village (beneath a sign reading Please Respect the Spell Limits), you will be completely enveloped in this enchanted universe. The word immersive is ubiquitous in the themed-entertainment business, but nowhere else on earth is its application more apt. When you walk into the Wizarding World, you dont feel like youve just entered another area in an amusement park; youve seemingly been transported into the charmingly archaic Scottish hamlet where Harry and his friends relax on winter holidays, down to the worn cobblestone streets and sparkling snow-capped eaves. Everywhere you look, from the Hogwarts Express train belching steam to the exquisitely detailed storefront windows, youll find an overabundance of exacting detail that makes this area which was carved from the former Merlinwood section of Lost Continent, as well as some previously unused nearby acreage seem far richer than its 20-acre size might suggest. Simply put, this is the most visually dense attraction in any park, Mouse-made or otherwise, with the possible exception of Tokyo DisneySea in Japan.

Universal may have somewhat oversold the scope of the expansion by initially referring to it as a park within a park. The area is similar in size to the other islands, and no separate admission is required. And return visitors to IOA will remember the areas re-purposed roller coasters, which may explain why they always have less of a wait than the other Potter attractions. Still, the area is enormously popular. Dedicated Potter devotees have waited hours in the hot sun just to enter their heros home.

However, the Wizarding Worlds greatest asset is also its Achilles heel: the authentically intimate scale of the streets and stores. Unlike many other oversized epic fantasies, the Potter books and films depict a more human-scaled world of congested markets and narrow alleyways. Confines here are just as cramped as Rowling imagined, which is great for preserving the illusion but poor for pedestrian management.

On busy days, in order to keep this compact area from being overwhelmed by eager visitors, Universal distributes free timed entry tickets from electronic kiosks located in Lost Continent and Jurassic Park (consult the 2-Park Map for details). Use the kiosk touchscreen to select the number of guests in your party, then return later with the resulting ticket during your assigned entry time. There may be a line for the ticket kiosks, but it typically moves swiftly. Alternatively, except on the most crowded days, you should be able to enter without a timed ticket by early evening, when crowds are thinner and nighttime illumination makes the area even more entrancing.

If you arent already a Potter-head, youll want to pick up at least the first few novels or films to better appreciate the area, which is currently focused on the first four years in the seven-book series. Even if youre merely a Muggle with no prior Potter interest, the beauty and wit youll find here may inspire you to start reading once you return home.

Rating: * * * * *

Type: Next-generation dark thrill ride

Time: About 30 minutes for the tour, 4 minutes for the ride

Short Take: The best theme-park ride in the Western Hemisphere

As you emerge from Hogsmeade and round the corner, youll catch sight of an awe-inspiring vision: the majestic spires of Hogwarts Castle, home to the ancient school where Harry and his schoolmates learn the ways of wizardry. Perched high atop a craggy cliff face, the edifice is actually an empty shell perched atop a massive camouflaged show building, but thanks to clever use of forced perspective it appears even larger and more imposing, if less colorful, than Cinderellas digs down the road. Pass between the schools stone gates (which mystically glow with the attractions name at night) and enter the castle dungeon to begin your adventure.

Tip: Duck into the first left-hand cliff crevice for a glimpse behind the scenes.

Forbidden Journey is actually comprised of two attractions in one. The first is the queue, cleverly disguised as an elaborate walking tour of Hogwarts, which has opened its doors to non-magical Muggles like yourself for the first time in its ten-century history. (For serious continuity nerds, your visit occurs on a day frozen in time outside of the Potter canon, sometime between the events of Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince .) Waiting in line is rarely considered entertainment, but here is the exception; with more details and effects than most entire attractions, this surpasses Disneylands Indiana Jones Adventure as Americas most impressive holding pen. If you were to walk slowly through the queue with no one ahead of you, examining the artifacts and watching all the effects, it would take almost 30 minutes. The production values are high enough that even those uninterested in the ride should still experience the castle tour.