Confirming the slow and steady stream of rumors, Universal Studios announced that they had won the theme park licensing rights to the Harry Potter properties. In Florida, the land will be called "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" and will be located in the Islands of Adventure theme park.
Universal plans a 20-acre "Wizarding World," a little bigger than the
average size of its themed "islands" at Islands of Adventure. Part would be
carved away from what is now "The Lost Continent" island, and the rest would
be land now used for employee parking and park support, outside the back
fence.The new, "seventh island" would feature reconstructed and rethemed
attractions, and all-new ones, Scott Trowbridge, vice president of Universal’s
Creative Studios, said in an interview. The Hogwarts castle and locations from
Rowling’s Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade village will be created as backdrops
to attractions, shops and restaurants.
This move is important to the prospects of Universal Studios which has been maintaining profitability, but losing audience members since 2004. "Wizarding World" should open sometime in 2009. (Link via Orlando Sentinel)
This is going to be the making of IoA – the best franchise available this decade. If it’s done properly – and I think it will be – Disney will be watching this one with envious eyes.
Where did I put my broomstick?
I’m a big Harry Potter fan and would love nothing more than to visit a well-planned theme park with my family. But, I’ve also seen the stated $250-million price tag, as well as Universal brass admitting they’ll shoehorn this into another existing Island while also retheming a couple nearby rides. Let’s do the math. The last few major WDW attractions have been in the $100 million price range. Each. I have seen nothing that leads me to think anything else except they’re already going to do this on the cheap, and that is just so disappointing.
Imagine what Disney’s Imagineers could have done with the right budget and the fabled 5th gate at WDW. (I say the 5th gate, because Harry Potter simply doesn’t fit into anything WDW is currently doing.) I think, and you may quote me and make me eat crow if I am wrong in 2010 when it’s finally built, but I think it is really going to be a major disappointment. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
The sad thing is, Disney had their chance – many times over. Recently, Disney had a chance to get the theme park rights. Before that, Disney had the chance to get the film rights. And of course, Disney probably had the chance for the book rights, too. The entertainment industry is full of stories like this. Everyone remembers “the ones that got away”. The public never remembers the stinkers that were wisely passed up.
hi my name is robert i am wtiting to say i am a huge fan of harry potter and i will be coming when it comes out and i cannot wait to go. i have wacthed all the films that have come and will wacth the rest and my favurite is the prisoner of askerban and i love magic and all of the things are great. i cannot wait to meet the person who plays harry potter and all the stars of harry potter. i like Harry, Hermione, hagrid, buckbeak, ron,professer mcgonagall, dumbledore,sirius,hegwig and madeye moody
I just hope that the World of Harry Potter is open on schedule as we have planned our tip in late October 2009 specially to catch the new attraction! “Come on WDW”, don’t let us down!!
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