Universal has released a new image of the Potter theme park with guests.  Also as a reminder, NBC will be airing a special on the park on June 6th.

The nation will get a special inside look at the making of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort – grand opening on June 18 – in a brand new NBC special airing on Sunday, June 6.

Viewers will tour the immersive new land inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters, explore the corridors inside the majestic Hogwarts castle and wander the cobbled streets of Hogsmeade. Viewers will also be treated to exclusive cast commentary and a sneak peek at the authentic detail woven through the entire environment, as well as the area’s new marquee attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, that will forever change the theme park attraction experience.

The special is set to air on NBC at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, June 6, 2010.

Thanks to Universal for mailing!

UPDATE: Would have been smart to post the photo…my brain is fried from babysitting all week.

WizardingWorldPark.com is holding a contest to give away a limited edition wand from the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter park!

To clarify further, this is a very limited edition wand that you cannot buy at Ollivander’s Wand Shop in the new park or on the WBStore (the official store for Harry Potter merchandise)….at least, not as of right now. [Note from Meg: Actually, it’s Hermione’s wand from the Noble Collection, it just has a special box] It was part of a special package sent to a very limited number of people and we were one of the lucky few!  This will be a truly unique collector’s item.

Well, there are several different ways to get “entries” into the contest.  With each entry, you increase your chances to be randomly selected to win the wand.  The contest will run from June 1 (today) through the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park on June 18th, 2010!

To learn how to get entries for the contest visit this page! Good luck!

Inside the Magic has posted a bunch of photos of merchandise that you can buy at Universal Orlando stores at Orlando International Airport and I assume The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  You can see the photos over at their site here!

The official Universal Orlando stores at Orlando International Airport have received Wizarding World makeovers and offer many of the same exclusive pieces of merchandise that are otherwise only available in the Islands of Adventure theme park.

There are two Universal Orlando stores within the airport and both have been almost completely taken over by the Wizarding World. Decorations include owl cages, stacked dusty books, and displays with brooms to pose for pictures with. Available merchandise ranges from character magic wands (including Harry Potter’s, Hermione Granger’s, Ron Weasley’s, Dumbledore’s, and even Voldemort’s) and Hogwarts shirts to Remembralls and Honeydukes lollipops.

These Universal Orlando airport stores are accessible without passing through any security checkpoints, so anyone interested in picking up some Wizarding World of Harry Potter merchandise before the grand opening can now head to Orlando International Airport to get it.

Parking is available in the main terminal garage parking at a rather reasonable price: The first 20 minutes are free, then it costs $2 for 21 to 40 minutes and $1 for each additional 20 minutes up to a $17 maximum. So if you spend an hour in the stores, parking will cost just $3. I’m sure the amount of Wizarding World merchandise you leave with will cost a whole lot more than that.

The lovely Melissa Aneli and John Noe from The Leaky Cauldron, along with some other staffers, are visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park right now!  They have posted up a video from their adventure that you can see below!  They will be showing more later I assume, so keep checking back there (And here because I will post it too)

Inside the Magic has a report, photos and videos from the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Unfortunately, the ride was only open for long enough for a handful of guests to enjoy it today before it shut down due to technical difficulties. This time, rather than closing off Hogwarts Castle completely, Universal left it open for guests to experience what they called a “castle tour.” So I was able to walk through the entire attraction’s queue and see all of the amazing scenes they have created. Even though I didn’t get to ride, I still feel reasonably fulfilled as the queue is like a walk-through attraction unto itself. Scene after scene offers so much entertainment that I didn’t even realize I had been in there for more than an hour this morning before finding out the ride was not running. The queue is definitely part of the experience.

Click here to read the full report and to see the photos.

Inside the Magic had an opportunity to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park today!

I am notoriously long-winded in my reviews of new attractions but I can easily sum of the entirety of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one word: Wow. There is really nothing more to say. There is “wow” everywhere you look.

In my 3-hour visit to the Wizarding World, I experienced all there is to see… except the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride which shut down just before I reached the entrance. But I will return soon enough to experience that. Surprisingly, despite the fact that I did not see the new multi-million dollar attraction, I am still blown away by the what I experienced throughout Hogsmeade Village. It’s the most detailed theme park environment I have ever stepped foot in.

The Orlando Sentinel is also reporting that fans who bought early packages to visit the park were able to enter!

She was among the first members of the public to experience the new attraction, which had a two-hour preview Friday morning for customers who purchased a special Harry Potter package at Universal Orlando Resort hotels. Kelley and other preview participants experienced the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride that’s housed in the signature Hogwarts castle. Once onboard, passengers virtually fly along with the Potter character through various adventures and encounters with Dementors, dragons and a Quidditch match.

For more details view the links above.  Inside the Magic has a bunch of photos and videos you can enjoy!