The village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden
Forest and Hogwarts castle will come to life as part of a new
themed environment planned for the Universal Orlando Resort that
will be based on the movies inspired by author J.K. Rowling's
bestselling "Harry Potter" books.
Slated to debut
in late 2009, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature
rides and interactive attractions; retail shops and restaurants; as
well as a "state-of-the-art attraction" that will bring "the
characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way
that guests have never before
experienced," according to Universal Orlando. The resort is working
with Warner Brothers Entertainment, producer of the popular "Harry
Potter" feature films, to develop the environment.
"Over the years
we've received thousands of letters from fans around the world
wishing they could visit Hogwarts and the wonderful locations
described in each of J.K. Rowling's beloved stories," said Barry
Meyer, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment, in a
statement. "Working with Universal Orlando Resort, we are confident
that we'll be able to provide Harry Potter fans with an incredible
experience that upholds the richness of J.K. Rowling's books and
delivers on the authentic detail portrayed in our
films."
Stuart Craig, the
Academy Award-winning production designer who has worked on all of
the Harry Potter films, is leading the design team for the
Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
"We are going to
devote more time, more money, more expertise and more executive
talent from throughout our entire organization and creative team --
as well as from Warner Bros., our partners -- to ensure that this
entire environment is second-to-none," added Tom Williams, chairman
and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts.
To contact the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail
to Michael Milligan at [email protected].