Tag: Harry Potter
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Will Get a Hogwarts Express (and More)!
If you're a Harry Potter fan even in the slightest, you might want to sit down for this news.
Not only has Universal Studios Orlando today revealed the first image of planned additions to come at The WIzarding World of Harry Potter, but they've announced that the new zone will be connected to the original Wizarding World by a recreation of the Hogwarts Express train.
Here's the full details:
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What's (Maybe) in Store for the Massive Expansion of Universal Orlando's Harry Potter World
As if Universal Studios wasn't already double-downing on brand new Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks coming to their Hollywood and Japan locations, they've even announced a "significant expansion" going on at the Orlando original WWoHP.
That's about all we know for sure, but it's enough to get the rumor mills whirring.
Here's what's being said about the Orlando Wizarding World expansion right now:
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Get Out of Londontown: Check Off Stonehenge from the Bucket List
Heading to London this summer? Yeah, so is everyone else. This week, Jaunted's London embed, Lilit Marcus, will share some definite destinations for getting out of town and out of the crowds.
If you can make it through a visit to Stonehenge without making a Spinal Tap joke, you’re a better person than I am. The stone formation, built by Druids during the Bronze Age, is still one of the world’s great wonders as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. That said, it’s also kind of in the middle of nowhere. Though there are plans to build a more convenient rail route out to Stonehenge, currently the only way to get there is by car. There are several tour companies who will take you there and back from London and it’s also quite common to combine this with a trip to Bath, which is the route I took.
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Get Out of Londontown: The Harry Potter Studio Tour
Heading to London this summer? Yeah, so is everyone else. This week, Jaunted's London embed, Lilit Marcus, will share some definite destinations for getting out of town and out of the crowds.
Although you can’t get there from Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the newly opened Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden is an entertaining and easy daytrip from London. Despite the London address, it’s actually located in Hertfordshire, near St Albans.
The WB studio complex is home to many of the original HP sets, props, costumes and more, which makes it a worthy pilgrimage spot for a Potter nerd. If you don’t drive, the best way to get there is by taking a train from Euston Station to Watfordthere are plenty, and it’s only about 20 minutes’ rideand then taking the HP bus to the studio for an additional £2. (The bus is black and painted with Harry Potter characters, so it’s pretty hard to miss.)
Be sure that you book your tickets in advance (£28 per adult and available here) as no tickets are sold on site, and, if you try to go into the parking lot security guards will ask to see your printed-out confirmation notice. Additionally, you’ll need to arrive about 45-60 minutes before the time your tour is scheduled to start, just to make sure that you have enough time to wait in line and/or browse the gift shop.
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The UK's Harry Potter Studio Tour is Now Open for Business
It seems like a long time since we first heard about the plans to open up the real world of Harry Potter, but that day has finally arrived. Visitors have already begun to stream in at the Warner Bros. studio outside of London, as a behind-the-scenes look at the boy wizard’s world is now available to pretty much everyone. It’s pure movie magic at this tour, so just don’t expect any roller coasters or attractions like at the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter down in Florida.
The newest Harry Potter tourist trap provides visitors—and those making a Potter pilgrimage—with around three hours to check out sets, costumes, props, brooms, magic wands, and pretty much everything else involved with the movies. There’s exhibits revealing the secrets behind special effects too, so if you ever wondered how they did this or that—now you’ll know. For Harry Potter fans everything is probably a must-see, but we’d definitely ensure that we got a chance to see the 50-foot model of Hogwarts Castle.
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Wrapping up Winter Break with The Wizarding World?
Not only have we entered 2012 this week, but it's also the last few days of winter break for schoolchildren. If we're talking about college-age kids, then they've got a little longer. Regardless, this is the last dash time for family vacations at the theme parks in Orlando, FL...specifically at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
We've been a few times now since it opened 1.5 years ago, and each time we return with photo galleries and tips aplenty. If you're about to jet down to hit the park or are contemplating a last-minute mini-vacay, here's everything you need to know:
· Changes to ticket prices & ride seating
· Our complete, first-hand survival guide to the Potter park
· Photos from November 2011
· Photos of the all the FOOD
· Inside the Forbidden Journey castle & ride
· The souvenirs! Oh man, the souvenirs.
· Photos & video of the Hippogriff and Dragons roller coasters
· Even more photos (from the night before opening)
[Photo: Jaunted]
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BREAKING: Universal Studios Hollywood to Get Its Very Own Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Not gonna lieour June 2010 visit to the opening of Universal Studios Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter is definitely a highlight of our travels from the last few years. To some that might sound perfectly stupid since we're adults and can just as easily jet off to Phuket as to Orlando, but to those who've been and also found themselves similarly taken in, the sentiment is shared.
That's why today's news that Universal Studios Hollywood will get a Wizarding World of its own in 2014 or 2015 is so thrilling. That means, if all goes according to plan, that in a span of five years the United States will have become home to two Harry Potterlands selling chocolate frogs, running roller coasters and otherwise thumbing their nose at the UK, which doesn't even have one to call its own.
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Celebrate the Harry Potter Films One More Time at Universal Orlando's Wizarding World
As the final Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 makes its way to the DVD today, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando is hosting “A Celebration of the Harry Potter Films” this weekend.
Special vacation packages (which were sold out an hour after going on sale this summer) will give fans a chance to attend Q&A sessions and autograph signing events with Harry Potter cast members, including everyone's favorite ginger Rupert Grint. There will also be red carpet arrivals, galas and screenings of all eight movies at the AMC Universal Cineplex 20 at Universal CityWalk.
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Accio! Harry Potter Tour Tickets Go On Sale October 13
We know that the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is awesome, but if you need a little something extra to get your Harry Potter fix you might just need to cross the pond. We’d heard that Warner Brothers was working on some sort of Harry Potter museum, and it looks like there’s finally a tentative opening date—Spring 2012.
There’s no rides or attractions here, so it’s hardly a theme park; however, unlike the Potter fun in Florida this is where the movies were filmed—so it’s like the real deal.
Movie Set Travel / Harry Potter Travel / Harry Potter / Movie Travel / → All Tags
Where To Get Your Harry Potter Fix Now That All The Movies Have Been Released
The last Harry Potter film may be hitting the big screen today but there will still be plenty of ways for fans to get their fix. Harry Potter tourism is booming. Here in the U.S. we're lucky enough to have The Wizardly World of Harry Potter, which just celebrated it's one one year anniversary in Orlando.
In the UK, a huge Harry Potter Museum is in the works at the studio where the movies were made, along with an on site Harry Potter-themed hotel.
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What You Need to Know as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Celebrates One Year
Has it already been a year then? Universal Studios' The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park just celebrated its first anniversary, after opening last June to much fan fare and continuting right through the winter and spring with crazy crowds. We were there on opening day, and although we're adults who travel around the world all year, being in the midst of that excitement still counts as one of the coolest things we did in 2010. The Wizarding World absolutely has the Jaunted seal of approval.
So, if you're heading down this summer for an icey mug of Butterbeer, a ride on the Chinese Fireball Dragon and maybe even a chocolate frog, there's a few things you need to know one year in:
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Celebrates Its Millionth Mug of Butterbeer
Who would've guessed that, prior to the Harry Potter phenomenon, so many people would be willing to shell out $13 each for a frothy souvenir mug full of a sweet swill that tastes like a cross between butterscotch and shortbread cookies? Butterbeer, a favorite warming drink taken straight from the Harry Potter books, has been adapted as a cold and frozen drink at Universal Studios' The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and today they announced that they've now sold over 1 million Butterbeers to visitors since the theme park-within-a-theme park opened back in mid-June, 2010.
According to our friends at MuggleNet, the occasion is being celebrated today as the park staff hand out vouchers for free Butterbeer to Wizarding World visitors.
