Immersive Harry Potter Theme Park Brings Wizardry to Orlando

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort’s theme park dedicated to the world-famous boy magician, is opening in spring 2010. The highly anticipated immersive environment, originally scheduled to open this year, includes faithful re-creations of the film’s memorable haunts like Hogsmeade, Hogwart’s Castle and more, according to new details revealed this week on […]

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort's theme park dedicated to the world-famous boy magician, is opening in spring 2010.

The highly anticipated immersive environment, originally scheduled to open this year, includes faithful re-creations of the film's memorable haunts like Hogsmeade, Hogwart's Castle and more, according to new details revealed this week on Universal's site.

"It's fantastic that people get to realize everything they have seen on screen," Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Potter in the film series, explains in the promo video above. They're going to be "walking into the films," agrees Rupert Grint, who plays Potter's pal Ron.

Attractions for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter are weighted nicely between shops and rides. Zonko's joke store sells Potter-themed tricks and gadgets, while Honeyduke's hawks treats and sweets, and so on. On the coaster front, Dragon Challenge offers a high-speed approximation of the Triwizard Tournament, while the more family-friendly Flight of the Hippogriff gives fans small and large a ticket to ride.

There's more, but probably not enough for Potter loyalists, whose captured imaginations have made author J.K. Rowling's repurposed myths a brand worth $15 billion and counting. Are you one of them? Let us know if you're itching to visit Florida next year, or if you're holding out for the Lord of the Rings theme park yet to come.

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