The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, based on J.K. Rowling's magical creations, will open at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 7, 2016.
For Stuart Craig, production designer for each of the eight Harry Potter films as well as Wizarding World locations in Orlando, Florida and Osaka, Japan, the new Los Angeles location will push the theme park concept to new heights for muggles.
“Opening in Hollywood will be the Wizarding World’s ultimate test,” says Craig. “Hollywood is the home of movie magic. Hollywood understands what this takes and will be our most informed critic.”
It’s a challenge which Alan Gilmore, supervising art director for the Harry Potter series, is eager to take on after directly overseeing the Hollywood spectacle. Gilmore says the new world is in the final “dress-making details stage," four months away from opening.
The West Coast location will make for another major attraction for worldwide tourists traveling to the entertainment capital and serve as a Harry Potter mainstay for Los Angeles-area fans.
“With the Los Angeles people especially, it's important to make this the perfect rendition of Harry Potter, a facsimile of the story and films,” says Gilmore. “So when people are within the park, they will be immersed in the story.”
During a hardhat tour, Gilmore shows just how people can lose themselves in the new world, even near attractions such as Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and the nearby palm tree-lined Hollywood Hills.
It's a whole new Harry Potter world after entering the stone Scottish arch which leads to the quaint village of Hogsmeade, with rickety homes and stores featuring the jarring Southern California sight of (fake) snow.
There are eight retail locations lifted directly from the series including Honeydukes, Ollivanders Wand Shop, Owl Post (a working post office with life-like animatronic owls), Zonko’s Joke Shop, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, Dervish and Banges, Gladrags Wizardwear and Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods.
The Rowling-created drink Butterbeer will be available at Magic Neep and Butterbeer carts. Actual ale (for adults) and Pumpkin juice will be served at Hog's Head Pub.
The Hollywood location will feature the unique Town Wall which has a series of storefront windows that come to life with proper wizarding commands — including Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop and Ceridwen's Cauldrons.
This twisting journey through Hogsmeade leads to the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster, the first outdoor coaster at Universal Studios. The walk peaks with the looming view of gothic Hogwarts castle, atop a craggy hill made more impressive with architectural scale.
Hogwarts houses the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction, where visitors will sport Quidditch-inspired 3-D goggles for the elevated track screen ride. The Los Angeles attraction will be in 3D-HD for the first time.
Hogwarts is also the jewel in the "Wizarding World" crown.
“It’s a spectacle, iconic,” says Gilmore, boasting that "the main storytelling location in Harry Potter is now the most amazing castle in Los Angeles.”
Even for conjurers of movie magic, creating the entire permanent Hollywood attraction remains a thrill.
“Film sets are very temporary, especially in the European climate. There is no requirement for permanence,” says Craig. “This is as permanent as it gets for a plywood (film) architect. It’s very gratifying.”
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