Posted on Wed, Nov 18, 2009 @ 07:19 AM
Win a Trip to Grand Opening of Harry Potter & The Wizarding World
The following article courtesy of Orlando Attractions Magazine
The Universal Orlando Resort is running a contest in which you can win a trip to the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure.
The grand prize is a trip for four to Orlando to participate in the grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter sometime in Spring 2010. The official rules state that the specific grand opening dates are not yet determined. Trip package includes roundtrip plane tickets, three nights at a Universal Partner Hotel, and four 2-park Unlimited tickets.
Beyond the grand opening trip, other Potter-related prizes include magic wands, video games, DVDs, and other collectibles.
To enter, visit www.theroadtohogwarts.com and follow the instructions to fill out the registration form. In addition to the basic entry, completing various activities, like watching video clips or downloading wallpaper, will earn you additional entries into the contest.
Each participant can earn up to twenty-three entries throughout the course of the contest. The sweepstakes ends on Dec. 18, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. ET. with winners selected by the end of the year.
Remember, If you don't win, you can still be there for all the exciting action. Just check out all our Universal Studios Orlando Vacation Packages at www.orlandodiscountticketsusa.com for all your Harry Potter needs.
Posted on Wed, Oct 28, 2009 @ 06:31 AM
Open casting calls for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando
The following article courtesy of Orlando Attractions Magazine
If you're looking forward to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opening at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure theme park in 2010 and wish you could conjure up a way to be part of the magic, you will soon have your chance.
Thanks to a post on Orlando United, we've learned that Universal Orlando is holding open casting calls for atmosphere roles as part of the Wizarding World. They're looking for male and female actors who can speak with a British accent. More specifically, Universal is holding calls for male actors with strong improv and interaction skills who are able to portray an age range of mid-thiries to mid-forties. In addition, they're casting male and female actors who are youthful in appearance.
Casting is being held on Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. in the Universal Orlando Human Resources Lobby at 1000 Universal Studios Plaza, Orlando, FL 32819.
Full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions are available. All actors should prepare a one-minute monologue for audition and candidates must be available for callbacks on Monday, Nov. 16 and rehearsals beginning in January.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been announced to be opening in Spring 2010 so it's good news that Universal has finally begun its casting process.
Still haven't got tickets or your Universal Orlando Vacation Package yet? Then check out our website for all your Universal needs at www.orlandodiscountticketsusa.com
Posted on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 @ 07:03 AM
Can't wait for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Open? Visit Harry Potter Landmarks
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure next spring. But if you just can't wait that long to see a bit of the Wizarding World in person, travel Web sites Skyscanner & Orlando Attractions Magazine has released these top 12 real life locations for experiencing a bit of the Wizarding World.
1. Kings Cross Station (London, England, UK)
Wizarding World: The famed Platform 9 ¾ is where Harry and his wizarding pals hop aboard the steaming Hogwarts Express at the start of each term on their way to their magical school.
Muggle World: The actual platform used for filming was Platform 4 in London Kings Cross station, but Network Rail have erected a Platform 9 ¾ sign and a luggage trolley magically disappearing into the wall to honour the story, which has made Kings Cross station a must see for fans on the Potter circuit.
2. Goathland, North Yorkshire, (England, UK)
Wizarding World: Hogsmeade Station is the place where Harry and friends disembark the Hogwarts Express before making the onward journey to Hogwarts School.
Muggle World: Goathland station is a real station in North Yorkshire, England, that was used as the film set for Hogsmeade and Potter fans still flock to get their pictures taken at this now famous landmark. Unfortunately you won't see Hogwarts in the distance - it was created using special effects.
3. Alnwick Castle (England, UK)
Wizarding World: The grounds outside Hogwarts where Harry and his classmates have their first ever broomstick flying lesson.
Muggle World: The second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor Castle, it was used in the filming of the exterior of Hogwarts for the flying lesson scene as well as when Harry crash lands the flying car. Several other locations were also used to film parts of Hogwarts including: Christ Church, Oxford, Durham Cathedral, Gloucester Cathedral and Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire.
4. London Zoo (England, UK)
Wizarding World: The place where Harry realizes he is a Parselmouth - i.e. fluent in snake speak - during "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone."
Muggle World: The reptile house in the London Zoo was used to film this slithery scene. Why not see if you can discuss the latest in reptilian fashion with a boa constrictor too?
5. Scotland (UK)
Wizarding World: Though never specifically mentioned in the books, JK Rowling has remarked in interviews that Scotland was the logical setting for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the place where the vast majority of Harry and company's adventures take place.
Muggle World: Scotland is well known for its castles, mansions and noble houses, all of which may have provided Rowling with inspiration for Hogwarts. Glen Nevis was used for some of the Quidditch scenes, and the West Highland Railway was used to film the journey of the Hogwarts Express which also takes in the incredible Glenfinnan Viaduct.
6. Bulgaria
Wizarding World: Bulgaria is home to Durmstrang Institute's wizarding student and international Quidditch champion, Viktor Krum.
Muggle World: Bulgaria's White Brotherhood - a group who believe in supernatural beings of great power, collect in the Seven Lakes region of the Rila Mountains to perform a spiritual dance every year. Here, over a thousand people dressed in white robes move slowly around in huge concentric circles. The spectacle is so impressive that Monty Python star and world traveler, Michael Palin, visited to area to film it for his BBC documentary series, New Europe.
7. Ireland
Wizarding World: The Emerald Isle is home to many magical creatures in the Potter Universe including Imps, (small mischievous creatures), Porlocks, (horse guardians from southern Ireland) and Kelpies (water demons). Ireland is also well known in the wizarding world for being the proud winners of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup.
Muggle World: Catch a hurling match, which is about as close as a Muggles can get to the sport of Quidditch. A hugely popular sport in Ireland, most towns have a hurling field and team.
8. Wales (UK)
Wizarding World: Home to the "Welsh Green" dragon, this species prefers to nest in high mountain regions. It mainly hunts sheep and small mammals but tends to avoid human contact.
Muggle World: Climb Wales' highest and most famous mountain, Snowdon. A typical climbing party takes around five to six hours to reach the summit and come down again, and if you keep your eyes peeled, you may just catch a glance of a Welsh Green. Pembrokeshire in Wales is also the film location for Shell Cottage, home of married couple Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour which will be featured in the "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows" film.
9. Norway
Wizarding World: Home to the native Norwegian Ridgeback dragon which inhabits the northern mountains, this beast has venomous fangs and feeds on large animals and sometimes aquatic mammals. Hagrid succeeds in hatching a Norwegian Ridgeback egg but eventually gives it to Charlie Weasley who takes the dragon to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary.
Muggle World: Norway's mountains and fjords are a paradise for wildlife; we don't know about dragons, but trolls are a strong part of Norse mythology, said to be devious and fearsome creatures living underground in hills, caves or mountains.
10. Romania
Wizarding World: this eastern European country is home to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, a preservation area created for the protection and study of dragons. The largest dragon sanctuary in the Potter universe, it was the preferred supplier of dragons for the Triwizard Tournament.
Muggle World: Transylvania in Romania is well known for its spooky, reputedly haunted castles. Ever since Bram Stoker used it as the setting for his Dracula novel, the region has been shrouded in supernatural folklore and associated with vampires, who also form part of the wizarding world in the Potter series.
11. Wollongong (Australia)
Wizarding World: Home to the Woollongong Warriors, one of the strongest Quidditch teams in the Harry Potter Universe and dominators of the Australian Quidditch league, their rivalry with the Thundelarra Thunderers is legendary amongst the Australian magical community as documented in JK's book: Quidditch Through the Ages.
Muggle World: Woollongong is an obvious reference to very similar sounding Wollongong, a city in New South Wales, Australia, noted for its numerous surfing beaches, scenery and botanic gardens, so no doubt an ideal place for wizards to obtain essential ingredients for their potions.
12. Edinburgh (Scotland, UK)
No Harry Potter fan can omit Edinburgh as part of their tour. It was in this fine city (which is also home of Skyscanner) that JK Rowling completed the first book in her series - "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" - reputedly doing much of the writing in cafes around the city. To the dismay of Potter fans, one of her favourite spots, Nicolson's Café, has since turned into an all-you-can eat Chinese restaurant. However, another one of JK's haunts, The Elephant House still stands and a coffee with a bagel here is a must for any Potter Fan.
Other Venues in the Potter Universe
Numerous other buildings were used for film locations including Bodleian Library, Oxford (Hogwarts interiors), Australia House, The Strand London (Gringott's Bank), Martins Heron, Berkshire (Privet Drive) and Leadenhall Market, London (Diagon Alley).
Still haven't got tickets yet to visit Harry Potter and the Wizarding World or your Vacation Package for next year? Visit our website at www.orlandodiscountticketsusa.com to book your Universal Orlando Vacation Package.
Posted on Wed, Oct 14, 2009 @ 08:16 AM
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Video and Photos
The following article courtesy of Orlando Attractions Magazine
It's time again for an update on the construction of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. There's a lot more to see since our last update as Hogwart's Castle is starting to really look like a castle. The new area of the park is set to open next spring.
Let's start with our first video update, then some photos for a more detailed look, then we'll end with a video from the land's designers walking us through the whole area.
This building, seen from the bridge from The Lost Continent to Jurassic Park, will be the Three Broomsticks restaurant. To the right is Zonko's joke shop, which will be on your left as you enter the Wizarding World.
The best view of the castle is as you're leaving Dueling Dragons. But this view will eventually be going away when they close the ride to start converting it to Dragon Challenge.
You can also see the queue area for the already closed Flying Unicorn ride from the Dueling Dragons queue. Flying Unicorn will become Flight of the Hippogriff.
So, there you have it...The latest update for Harry Potter and the Wizarding World at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure set to open next year....
Still haven't got tickets yet or a vacation package to Universal Studios? Then check out our web site for all your Universal Studios Orlando needs at www.orlandodiscountticketsusa.com
Posted on Mon, Jul 27, 2009 @ 08:31 AM
Vote For Your Favorite Scene at Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios
After watching Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince movie this past week, many people are looking forward to the next installment in the Harry Potter universe: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure.
Here's what we know about the main attraction in the new land, which will open early in 2010: It will take place inside Hogwarts Castle. You will board after queueing through the Great Hall. The ride vehicles will be four-person seats on Kuka robot arms, mounted from an overhead track. And there will be about 10 scenes in the ride.
But what do you want those 10 scenes to be? Let's vote!
Several potential scenes from the first three Harry Potter books have been selected. They are all scenes from inside Hogwarts Castle and do not include the Great Hall or the entry, which will be part of the queue. Nor do they include the common rooms, well, 'cause you're not supposed to be in common rooms outside your house. ;-) And they do not include any scenes that take place outside the castle, since that's where the ride will be set.
Pick the one you most want to see, from these options, then discuss in the comments.