It ’s contain several twelvemonth , but Hogwarts is last quick to open its threshold in California . The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parking area extension at Universal Studios Hollywood formally opens April 7 , but we were given an early tour of duty by Alan Gilmore , the supervise art director for both the Harry Potter celluloid and root word park .
California ’s Harry Potter park is is the fourth such green in the humans . The first , also called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , opened at Universal Orlando ’s Islands of Adventure in 2010 . Four year later , an annexe call Diagon Alley was added to the neighboring Orlando commons and presently after that , another Wizarding World opened at Universal Studios Japan .
This newest car park , an addition to Universal ’s survive Hollywood topic ballpark , is a very close approximation to the original in Orlando . Both let fans take the air through the wizarding Greenwich Village of Hogsmeade , double-dyed with all the shops , sight , sounds , nooks and cranny masses should recollect from the eight Harry Potter movies . “ you may watch the motion-picture show , then walk in here and it ’s the same , ” said Gilmore . “ Everything you see here was in the beginning plan for the motion-picture show , and we worked with Universal to make an absolutely double-dyed rendering of the celluloid sets into reality . ”
For someone who has n’t been to the Orlando park , walk into Hogsmeade is a jaw - dropping , immersive experience . If you have been to Orlando , the green experience quite similar , with changes here and there . “ It take a really keen centre to spot the difference , ” said Gilmore . “ It ’s generally the same , but there s a small more point in a few places . ”
really , he ’s being modest . There are major differences straight off upon entering the region . There ’s a full new street dub the Town Wall along one side . At the entering gate , there ’s a replica of the Hogwarts Express , which links to a train cabin where patrons can take a pic . What patrons might not realize though are the luggage rack on the train are the precise same ones that were used in the films . They ’re just a few of the many real film property scattered around the land . “ But you ’d never bonk , because the genuine movie props blend in perfectly with the recreated existence , ” Gilmore say . ( Gilmore divulge a few of the other filmdom - used props are Cho Chang ’s Yule Ball dress in a shop class call Gladrags , and the real desk and chalkboard from the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom inside Hogwarts . )
Most of the Potter - theme shops are the same as Orlando , just moved around and with some slight annex and tweaks . you could buy gags at Zonko ’s Joke Shop , get some confect at Honeydukes , get fit out for a wand at Olivanders , send at letter at the Owl Post , have a beer ( or non - alcoholic butterbeer ) at the Hog ’s Head , and eat up at The Three Broomsticks . There are a few new plus too , such as Gladrags Wizardware and Wiseacres Wizarding Equipment . And no matter which shop you walk into , they ’ve been contrive top to bottom with detail upon particular , anywhere you turn your headspring . Floor to cap , even area you are n’t able to explore , are in full immersive , just to give the whole Mungo Park an authentic smell and look .
“ Everything here is handwriting - done . Everything , ” Gilmore enjoin . “ You ca n’t buy any of this out of a catalog . It really is art . Every I. F. Stone , every patch of wood , everything you see was hand-crafted by very creative people . ”
The layout of the park is also cautiously designed to nurse its surprise until the last possible moment . So , for example , though you ’ll see a storm perspective view of Hogwarts on the horizon when you take the air in , you wo n’t get the full reveal until you walk up through the ballpark .
“ We treat it like a springy movie , ” Gilmore said . “ So we storyboard it , we make all the views . It ’s very important for us that it ’s not too convenient . When you take the air in we do n’t want you to see everything straight away . It ’s about the reveal . Lots of reveals . It ’s a storytelling journey . ”
Of course , though , the biggest part of the journeying are the ride . Hollywood ’s Wizarding World has two , Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey , which is an interactive , frisson ride inside Hogwarts Castle , and Flight of the Hippogriff , a family friendly outdoor roller coaster . Each has a counterpart in Orlando , so they are n’t exactly new , but there are some tweaks . ( Full revelation , when we visit , since the park was n’t yet officially open , we did n’t ride the rides . )
On the Forbidden Journey , the waiting line still the sound part . You line up outdoors next to Harry and Ron ’s flying car , take the air through the greenhouse on the manner into Hogwarts , which then is fill with recognizable artifacts , room and move depiction . Inside , you ’ll run across holograms of Dumbledore , Harry , Ron and Hermione that set up the story of the ride . Most of that is the same as Orlando , but the ride itself has been upgraded and is now in three-D , which is a vast change .
Here are just a few photos of what you ’ll see inside Hogwarts , while while waiting for the Forbidden Journey .
Across the way , Flight of the Hippogriff differ from its Orlando counterpart in that it ’s not just a refurbished old drive . This construction is totally new . On strain , you get to take the air by Hagrid ’s hut and , because it ’s outside , it ’s one of the best places to enjoy what Gilmore feel it the good attribute in the park : The light .
“ We plan [ the whole Mungo Park ] to light , ” he said . “ California has awful lighting . you may see for Roman mile . The colors are pictorial , it ’s basically the best place in the world for an art director to work . ”
And it ’s not a tough place to chit-chat for Harry Potter fans either .
Images : David Sprague / Universal Studios Hollywood .
get hold of the author at[email protect ] .
Harry Pottertheme parkland
Daily Newsletter
Get the right tech , skill , and cultivation news in your inbox daily .
News from the future tense , delivered to your present tense .
You May Also Like
