Spilling the (Bertie Botts) Beans

Sandy Klim, writer for "Going Places", AAA members' magazine, reveals some very cool secrets about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I guess you could say she spilled the (Bertie Botts Every Flavor) Beans!

In the village of Hogsmeade, be sure to check out Gringott's bank and its ATM. "No one protects money like a Goblin!"

You can buy a Firebolt at Dervish and Banges.
Also check out the 'Monster Book of Monsters' (grrrr) on display.

At Honeydukes, try the licorice clippings, a candy "dispensed in a very unique and unusual manner".


You can choose from 13 kinds of wands at Ollivander's shop.
But remember, the wand chooses the wizard.
"A mismatched wand creates havoc". and the right one ... you'll know".
(Hint: the wandkeeper will ask specific questions to determine the correctness of your wand).

While in the queue for the big ride, 'Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey', you'll meet the never-before-seen founders of Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw.

And ... something about Moaning Myrtle, but that's still a secret.

Wizarding World opens June 18th.

June 18, 2010

What: The Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Where: Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando

Click on the map to see full view:

Disney World what?

What in the (Wizarding) World ??

In case you've been unconscious, under a rock, or in outer space for the past year...

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando.
     JUNE 18, 2010

What you can expect to see:


The Hogwarts Express,
which whistles and billows steam to signal its arrival;

Hogsmeade Village 
    with Wizard shops....

Zonko's:
a joke shop where you can purchase Extendable Ears and Sneakoscopes;


Honeydukes:
which features treats like Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans  (take 'THAT' Ghirardellis);

The Three Broomsticks and the adjacent Hog's Head pub, offering traditional British food and drinks ... and the definitely non-traditional Butterbeer (non-alcoholic) and pumpkin juice;

The Owlery and The Owl Post:
where you can send letters with a  Hogsmeade postmark and buy official stamps from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter;

Ollivander's:
the wand shop where the 'wand chooses the wizard' in an interactive experience (I wonder if the Wand of Destiny will be available? );

Dervish and Banges:
the magical instruments shop selling Quidditch equipment, Triwizard apparel, Spectrespecs and Remembralls.

The attractions:

Dragon Challenge:
a twin high-speed roller coaster with many elements from the Triwizard Tournament (the former "Dueling Dragons");

Flight of the Hippogriff:
a family coaster simulating a Hippogriff training flight over the grounds of Hogwarts castle (the former "Flying Unicorn");


Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey:
the big, huge, new ride located in Hogwarts Castle: a state-of-the-art attraction that uses entirely new technology to bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in ways never before experienced;

Before exiting back into Hogsmeade:
Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods
(get your Omnioculars here!)

I'm saving my Galleons and Knuts for HarryPotterstuff and butterbeer!!

Update: WWoHP

Thanks to Ricky at Orlando Attractions Magazine:

Possible Names for WWoHP Rides, Restaurants & More:

A search on the website for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that back in May, Warner Bros. filed for several trademarks that are likely related to the new “theme park within a theme park”.

Some of the trademarked names are familiar: Three Broomsticks, Butterbeer, Ollivanders, Honeydukes, and Zonko’s.

Beyond those, six more trademarks may point to other areas of the Wizarding World and could even be the names of the attractions within it:

- Most notably, the name “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” is filed under “Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park ride.” It may be safe to assume that this will be the name of the large new ride that is being constructed in the back of the park.

- Likewise, listed under the same category are “Flight of the Hippogriff” and “Dragon Challenge,” which are likely going to be the new names for the existing Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons rides.

- Four other trademark names are also listed:

“Owl Post” and “Dervish and Banges” are categorized as retail stores.

“Hogsmeade Village” is listed as “Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park attraction, namely, a themed area.”

“Magic Neep” is categorized under “Restaurant services, namely, providing of food and beverages for consumption.”

- Finally, on the same day that all of these were filed, a mark intended for use on clothing was filed featuring an Harry Potter “HP” logo along with a “stylized wing ball” better known to Potter fans as a Golden Snitch. While “Golden Snitch” has had many trademarks filed for in the past few years, this is one appears to be related to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter simply because its filing date is the same as the rest of the words. Perhaps we’ll see this graphic appearing on apparel inside the theme park.

It must be noted that while all of these words have been filed as trademarks, it doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily going to be used inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There is no reason why further marks could not be filed for in the future. But it is certainly possible that next year we will have a chance to ride something called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

(Credit to Orlando United for first posting the word list)

Image: Universal Studios Orlando

Inside Hogwarts Castle

Who here is excited about Universal Orlando-Islands of Adventure's
Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

Me! Me! Me!

I've been watching that big building go up behind the fence for many, many months.

It's gotta be Hogwarts Castle!

But what will be inside?
Restaurants? Shops?

Bill Davis, Universal Orlando's president, may have given Orlando Sentinel writer Dwayne Bevil a big hint last October.

"When you get off that, you'll say 'Wow, how did they do that?' "

Whoa! A ride?!?

There are a couple of WWoHP rides rumored to be in the works: a Quidditch match (using the Dueling Dragons tracks) and a flying car (the Weasleys' Ford Anglia) through the Forbidden Forest.

Whatever it may be, I'm excited!

The Three Broomsticks

The Three Broomsticks is coming to Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

This will be a table service restaurant featuring regional Scottish and British-inspired cuisine.

Will there be butterbeer?

Steve Jayson, Universal Orlando's executive chef, who oversees all the resort's food operations:

"Pumpkin juice, butterbeer. All those great beverages, we are working on a lot of different things."

NOTE: In case you're not a Harry Potter fan, the Three Broomsticks, located in the wizards' village of Hogsmeade, is the favorite hangout of Hogwarts students.

If you don't know what Hogwarts and Hogsmeade are, Google will return 8,940,000 results for Hogwarts, and 1,010,000 results for Hogsmeade.

H/T: Theme Park Insider

In Hog(warts) Heaven

How exciting is THIS:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to the Islands of Adventure in late 2009-or early 2010.

For a theme park junkie and a Harry Potter fan this is no less than heaven on earth.

Hogwarts Castle

Hogwarts Castle, the village of Hogsmeade, and the Forbidden Forest have been announced as featured attractions.

Universal recently closed the Flying Unicorn ride, the Enchanted Oak Tavern, the Dragon's Keep store and the Alchemy Bar (all in the Lost Continent area). They will be re-themed for Harry and friends.

Hogsmeade Village

I can just imagine, as part of Hogsmeade: the Three Broomsticks, Madame Puddifoots, Zonko's Joke Shop, Honeyduke's, Gladrag's Wizardwear, maybe even the Shrieking Shack!

One rumor is that a flight through the Forbidden Forest in the Weasley's flying Ford Anglia will be one of the ride experiences!

Another rumor is that one of the big rides will involve a Quidditch match theme.

Hopefully the place will be filled with Blibbering Humdingers and a crumpled-horn snorkack or two.

Towers of Terror, Timber and Doom

I admit to not being a coaster fan, Expedition Everest excluded, but I love those Towers that thrill and chill.

Disney's Studios' Hollywood Tower of Terror is the BEST.


The best theming: from the entrance walkway, to the hotel's 'shabby' interior, back through the 'maintenance' area, 'til you reach the elevator shaft and load the ride.

The best ride: from the anticipation when the elevator doors close right up until the end, when the doors open again at the bottom of the shaft.

And the ride is never the same, thanks to the ride programming.

Ride at night, too, for a different feel!


Over at Universal Orlando-Islands of Adventure are the twin vertical towers of Dr. Doom's Fear Fall.

The Fear Fall differs greatly from T of T.
First it is outdoors. Pretty cool!

And you sit with legs dangling, facing away from the structure. Pretty cool!

And you zoom UP, rather than down.

And it's pretty much the same ride each time.

I haven't done this at night, but I bet that would be pretty cool!

What would be really cool is if Dr. Doom would spin you around as you sit at the top of the tower.

So that brings me to the Timber Tower at Dollywood.

I haven't ridden this one (yet), nor even been to Dollywood (yet), but you can bet the Timber Tower is at the top of the things-to-do-list.

While Timber Tower doesn't drop, you are lifted up and then you spin around while tilting from side -to- side.

Yowza!

And the folks at Dollywood don't consider this a Thrill Ride!