Construction has begun on building Hogwarts Castle for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park at Universal Orlando, Florida. Longtime theme park blogger Jim Hill reports today that work is underway on the castle that will serve as the centerpiece of the Harry Potter attraction, and has photos of the steel beams that are forming the base of the castle. He writes “According to Universal insiders, this bare framework is just the start. In the weeks and months ahead, literally thousands of pieces of metal will be hoisted up & then bolted into place. As a full-sized recreation of Harry Potter’s alma mater is built at the southwestern border of IOA’s “Jurassic Park” section.”
Also, Mr. Hill gives some reported background on how Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was persuaded to go with Universal for the theme park, as well as one amusing story involving Harry Potter film production designer Stuart Craig, who is overseeing things for the Harry Potter theme park as well.
“Mind you, that’s not to say that there weren’t a few bumps in the road before Rowling finally agreed to sign that contract. Like that time that Universal Security had to be told NOT to arrest the man who was climbing the hill behind IOA’s “Flying Unicorn” ride. You see, that man was Stuart Craig. The three-time Academy Award winner who has designed all of the sets for the “Harry Potter” films. And Stuart was just climbing that hill to see if he could find the proper spot to build Hagrid’s cottage.
Speaking of which … “The Flying Unicorn” is expected to shut down sometime in September of this year. So that this IOA attraction can then be transformed into “The Flying Hippogriff.” More to the point, so that work can finally begin on Hagrid’s cottage.”
At last word, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was set to open in December 1 of 2009, but that remains still in a state of flux, given the early stages of construction for the theme park.
to michele; so does that mean they took down the island of adventure part of the park?
Posted by emily on February 11, 2008 @ 03:27 PM
No Island of Adventure is the name of the park that they are building the Harry Potter World in. Universal studios is made up of the two parks-Universal Studios is the first park they built(Hollywood lot tours etc) and then Universal Studios Islands of Adventure (more of an amusement park with roller coasters and those types of rides) came about 10 or so years later but when we in Florida refer to either park we usually just refer to both parks as Universal.
Any Florida resident knows that Universal City Walk has a movie theatre so woud’nt it be cool if they have the premier at Universal City Walk and as an added bonus get to see the Harry Potter theme park early, I mean it’s publicity for both park and and movie and what could be better than that.
Ohhhh this is so exciting!!!!!!
It would have been cooler if they could have managed to build a whole new park in England though, Harry Potter stuff only. But still this is awesome!!!!
Potterlover1992 I bet they’ll have some discouts and stuff, and I’ve driven from further north to Orlando it’s not that bad if you reall want it. I mean come on it’s Harry Potter.
my God, they are actually building Hogwarts Castle? if they build it to scale, that would be worth the price of admission alone. i wonder if it will have moving staircases?
Can’t wait. Unfortunately for me, my son will only be 3 at the time the park opens. I guess we’ll have to wait a couple of years for our visit. I think this will be a great thing for the states. I also think that Dan, Emma and Rupert could make a visit or two a year so we here in the states could have a chonce to meet them. Would be great. The flying Unicorn to the Hippogrif? What about the Dueling Dragons. Is it going to be part of HP World?
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i CAN’T WAIT TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be there for xmas hopefully….and i want to go to honeydukes and ride on buckbeak and everything….cya there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay so i live like one hour from Orlando. It’s gonna be like so cool! Stuart Craig is so funny (: LOL. Wait a sec….so does that mean that there are only gonna be kiddie rides there? It would be cool if they made Hogsmeade as like shops. When can we buy tickets??!
<3 I LUUUUURRRRRRVVVVEEEEEEE HARRY POTTER!!!!
Posted by BattlestarGalactica Lee+Kara <3 on February 15, 2008, 02:34 AM
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OMG OMG, i am in love with everything harry potter, i cant wait for the park to open, t’s gunna be REALLY expensive to get there though, i’m from all the way over in AUSTRALIA!! Why couldn’t it be here instead. oh well, i’ll see some of my felow harry potter die-hard fans one day when i get there, eventually.
Keep an eye out for me wen your there< i’ll be the one in the t-shirt that says ‘I LOVE HARRY POTTER!’.
Im with you happy fan!!! I am so excited for the opening it’s not even funny!! I have always wanted to be apart of the wizarding world and soon i can be! YAYY.. maybe ron will be there?!
We went on our first trip to Florida last November, to visit Disney & Universal & Sea World…my kids loved the trip so much, they used to ask “Mom, when can we go again?” But they have stopped asking…they KNOW it will be sometime in late 2009, early 2010…hopefully when Leaky and the rest of HP fandom descend on the park…they are checking weekly for details of the construction…LOL
"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black... pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay..."
OMG! I can not wait to go. I am already pack to go.