A new television commercial for the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is set to be aired during Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7 on CBS at 6:30pm EST.
The spot will also begin a brand campaign for the resort, carrying the theme “Be courageous. Be outrageous. Be extraordinary.” The idea is to highlight the new Harry Potter attraction, as well as mainstays that feature characters like Shrek and Spider-Man.
The spot is planned for the first half of the game. It was created internally with the help of Rosso Media in Surrey, England.
Thanks to SnitchSeeker we have some information about a press conference with Thierry Coup, vice president of creative development for Universal Creative:
• At Dervish and Banges, there will be wand accessories that can be bought (though sadly can’t be revealed now).
• The wand choosing process can take anywhere from two to five minutes at least to much more. Pricing range has not been determined; the wand choosing itself won’t be charged, just the wand itself.
• There will be wands from some of the main characters wands – hero wands – including in sets, which are made by Noble Collection; this is different to the personal wands that will be chosen for ‘wizard’ guests to the park.
• As for the shops in Hogsmeade, they are near completion (about 90 percent), but there are still “final touches” to be done to them.
• Hogwarts Castle, from the exterior, is “very large.” Iconic rooms, such as Dumbledore’s office, the Dark Arts classroom, the common room (presumably Gryffindor’s) and the Great Hall, amongst others, will be there and to scale.
• Many props will be displayed from the Harry Potter film sets, such as the Flying Ford Anglia (which sadly did not fly).
• The Owl Post and Dervish and Banges are the smallest shops, Ollivanders is slightly larger, and Zonko’s joke shop is the largest. There are no queues to get into the shops, despite being interactive experiences as well as shops.
• There are no plans yet for expansion within the park, but it is a possibility.
• The shops will be as close to the films’ version as possible (as shown by the early Ollivander’s shop photos). Coup and the rest of his creative team opted to make it as faithful to the original project as possible.
Today is sure to be filled with Wizarding World of Harry Potter news! First up, Universal Orlando released a new press release with some details on Ollivanders Wand shop! Click here to see a video about it and here to see a photo (well drawing)
When guests visit Ollivanders, they will instantly feel like they’re in the shop from the films. It’s an intimate, single-windowed building, with the same signs, colors and other details read about in the books and seen in the films,” said Alan Gilmore, art director of the Harry Potter films and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. “But more importantly, visitors to Ollivanders will experience for themselves the magical moment that forever changed Harry’s life.”
Inside Ollivanders, visitors will be surrounded by thousands of multi-colored dusty wand boxes stacked on shelves from floor to ceiling. They will be welcomed by an inquisitive Wandkeeper, who will guide them through an enchanting experience to find their very own wand. First the Wandkeeper will ask the guest a few special questions and then select the first wand for them to try. Just like Harry, the guest will be prompted by the Wandkeeper to give the wand a wave, and a series of magical mishaps will occur until the right fit is found.
In addition to the magic featured in Ollivanders, guests will experience many other magical happenings at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, including a Howler featured in the Owl Post shop front window whose ranting can be heard by guests as they pass by; The Monster Book of Monsters in Dervish and Banges that will snarl and growl at anyone who tries to get too close, and the Hog’s Head which can be seen puffing his jowls at visitors who visit the Hog’s Head pub.
Hey everyone! Just a reminder that if you know where to get a copy of USA Today, today is the day to do it! You can also do it by going to Universal’s Site!
With just a computer, webcam and the newspaper, you can make this one-of-a-kind theme park experience appear before your eyes.
Augmented Reality blends real-life environments with computer animation allowing you to explore things in a completely new way. For the first time, guests can explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in a unique way – before experiencing it firsthand.
By rotating the map, you can take a closer look at this 20-acre magnificently themed environment from all sides and angles. Hogwarts castle will appear before your eyes. Hold the map closer to your webcam and explore Hogsmeade and see the Hogwarts Express. Blow on your computer’s microphone and the banners on the map will wave.
Universal Orlando has released a high resolution image of Hogwarts castle at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park. You can see the photo by heading over to the gallery!
The magical transformation continues. Although still very much a work in progress, the magnificence of Hogwarts castle is beginning to take shape above Hogsmeade as work continues on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Hogwarts will be the home of a thrilling, new, state-of-the-art attraction – Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – that uses ground-breaking technology to bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in ways never before experienced. Set to open in Spring 2010 only at Universal Orlando Resort, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature multiple themed attractions, shops and a restaurant.
Univeral Studios Orlando and USA Today have announced that they have partnered to create a new augmented reality experience that you will be able to experience if you have a computer, webcam and the paper.
With just a computer, webcam and the newspaper, you can make this one-of-a-kind theme park experience appear before your eyes.
Augmented Reality blends real-life environments with computer animation allowing you to explore things in a completely new way. For the first time, guests can explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in a unique way – before experiencing it firsthand.
By rotating the map, you can take a closer look at this 20-acre magnificently themed environment from all sides and angles. Hogwarts castle will appear before your eyes. Hold the map closer to your webcam and explore Hogsmeade and see the Hogwarts Express. Blow on your computer’s microphone and the banners on the map will wave.
This will be available on Thursday, January 28th in the USA Today newspaper!
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