ENTERTAINMENT NEWS …
WIZARDING WORLD OF
HARRY POTTER
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a ride created by the fusion of thrill-ride technologies, officially opened last weekend as the centrepiece of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the newest zone at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure.The ride brings together one of the most popular figures in pop culture - 400 million Harry Potter books sold, $US5.4 billion at the box office for Harry Potter movies - and a groundbreaking combination of technologies.
But there are plenty of other attractions at Wizarding World.
Ollivander's Wand Shop
In this cramped and dusty shop where boxes of wands are stacked to the ceiling, a clerk helps customers find the correct wand. There is much music, ringing of bells, flashing of lights and other special effects before the correct wand - Birch, ash or hazel? Phoenix feather, unicorn tail hair or dragon heartstring? - is found. Sometimes, only one customer is helped at a time and this bit of magical theatre takes five minutes or longer, so the line moves slowly. Regardless of whether a customer goes through the wand-choosing ceremony, the wand (about $US30) is purchased next door at the Owlery.
Butterbeer and pumpkin juice
Butterbeer is a sweet non-alcoholic drink that tastes like lightly carbonated cream soda with a thick foam head and a hint of butterscotch. You can order it in one of two ways. The frozen version is better than the liquid. Pumpkin juice is tasty and not as sweet; it is predominately apple juice with pumpkin and apricot purees and a little spice.
Dragon Challenge
These two repurposed Islands of Adventure coasters have new names, music and theme tied to the Triwizard Tournament from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." The ride itself is unchanged. The two coasters, renamed the Hungarian Horntail and the Chinese Fireball, ride up the lift hill in tandem, then take off on separate tracks that seemingly bring them within inches of colliding three times. It's still one of the best coasters in Orlando.
Flight of the Hippogriff
Formerly the Flight of the Unicorn, this junior coaster has new cars in the shape of rattan hippogriffs - part horse, part eagle. The track has gentle loops and drops and moves at a sedate speed. Near the beginning of the ride is a baby hippogriff in its nest. Don't forget that the etiquette of magical creatures calls for you to bow to the hippogriff.
Hogsmeade Village - the rest and retail areas
The shops sell hundreds of products from the Harry Potter books that were created just for Wizarding World. Quidditch broomsticks are $250 to $300 and sold out even before the official opening. Also for sale are wizards' robes, golden snitches, sneakoscopes, chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans, collectible pins, and the usual hats, T-shirt, mugs and picture frames.
In the restrooms, Moaning Myrtle, through hiccupping sobs, whines about her plight - until she is drowned out by the roar of a hand dryer.
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