Wizarding World of Harry Potter Blog

Construction on Hogwarts Castle Has Begun

Jim Hill at Jim Hill Media has just posted that construction on Hogwarts Castle has begun!!

Bits of steel structure are beginning to appear above the green fence of annoyance, as I like to call it.

If you want to see the very beginning of Hogwarts and are in the Universal area, you'll find it just beside the Flying Unicorn ride (soon to be the Flying Hippogriff). And if you ride the Flying Unicorn, you can actually get a bit of a bird's eye view of the construction site. Good luck!

Imagine: A Harry Potter Holiday at Universal's Islands of Adventure

Take a look at this photo:

Remember what a big deal Christmas was at Hogwarts?

Now imagine getting to experience it first hand. A Christmas feast at the great hall. Carolers in the streets of Hogsmeade. Wizardly decorations light up the Wizarding World as you get to take part of it.

What could Universal possibly have up its sleeve for Christmas? For years, Universal has tried to compete with Disney as Disney's Christmas season eclipses all. And while I highly suspect that Disney will remain tops for some years to come, I do think that Christmas at Hogwarts will at least provide enough reason for some to leave the Mouse House for a bit and visit Universal.

Could there possibly be a ticketed event in this? Time will tell, but I for one would love to be able to truly experience Christmas at Hogwarts, wouldn't you?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Open on December 1st, 2009?

Apparently, the new word on the "street" is that Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be opening on December 1st, 2009.

While this may excite Potter fans, as usual, Jim Hill Media has given us a clue about why it might not be THAT exciting.

According to Jim's sources, the Harry Potter aspect of Islands of Adventure does appear to be opening to the public on December 1st of 2009. However, only Hogwarts and Hogsmeade Village will open with this Phase One opening. Phase Two will open in 2010 with the Forbidden Forest and the much talked about Flying Car attraction make its debut.

Personally, I'd like to see an all-inclusive opening since we all know this is such a big deal to Potter fans. I suspect that many fans will make a show at the opening and it will be a disappointment to some of those fans to learn that they won't be able to see the entire Wizarding World of Harry Potter.