So I just happened to stumble upon a VERY interesting article about the Interactive Wand Experience coming to the WWOHP. Now I will warn you that there a TONS OF SPOILERS and as always take it with a grain of salt.
Harry Potter and the Interactive Wands
"By far the most asked about topic was the interactive wands. Now we’re calling them interactive wands because the official named for the wand experience has yet to be announced, in fact rumors say that talks between Universal and WB are ongoing even as the opening looms.
The 13 new interactive wands won’t fully replace the non-interactive wands but the smaller shops, such as Owl Post, will sell the interactive wands exclusively. The non-interactive character wands and collectible wands will still be sold in the larger retail locations and in the non-theme park based Universal Studios retail outlets. Featuring a gyroscope similar to the MEMS found in iPhones the new interactive wands will allow guests to use actual spells directly from the books to have featured locations come alive. At least 19 different spells have already been fleshed out for the more than two dozen different wand experiences found throughout both Wizard World locations. Each of the wand experiences are marked with a small round medallion in the ground. Guests must stand directly on or just behind the medallion for the ‘magic’ to happen. The entire system uses a Kinect hybrid system that uses a number of monitoring tools. The wands themselves may also have RFID tags in them, guest tracking is a must in today’s theme park industry. To help cut the lines down guests will get one try at the experience, if they don’t do the right spell then no ‘magic’ will happen and they will have to go to the end of the line to try again or move on to a new window. Expect wand training classes to be offered in a future phase when a certain Ministry moves in.
Most of the spells can be used in multiple locations. The Wingardium Leviosa spell will be used in both Spintwitches, where the spell will have a quaffle ball float out of its box, and at Scribbulus, where a quill will rise from its display and hover in midair. Some of the shops, like Scribbulus, will host numerous wand experience locations. Along with the Wingardium Leviosa window Scribbulus will also feature a piece of paper that the Aparecuim spell can be used to reveal a special hidden message, similar to the effect installed in the new Haunted Mansion queue. Not all the wand experiences are in windows. The Carkitt Market wand experience is located near its restrooms. Guests will overhear WWN radio station from an open window nearby as they wait to make it rain from an umbrella-shaped light fixture. Another non-window based wand experience is the Mermaid Water Fountain which will shoot water out when guests use the Agumenti spell.
The two-story Bowman Blacksmith open façade includes two wand experiences. One will feature a self-setting house-elf armor set while the other is a much simpler effect in which coal near the hearth will glow when the correct spell is used. Diagon Alley will feature many interactive facades, most with small gags being revealed, as is the case with the trolls in tutus in the Pilliwinkle’s Playthings window. Other facades will even include features to be revealed with in-correct spells. The Trackleshanks door will chuckle at guests who use the wrong spell, the correct spell won’t open the door but at least those guests don’t get laughed at.
Knockturn Alley while small will feature plenty of interactive elements within it. One wand experience within KA will be above guests, like in all of Diagon Alley height is used to its utmost advantage throughout Knockturn Alley. Some facades in Knockturn Alley will feature animated windows but no wand experiences. Markus Scarr’s tattoo shop will feature animated tattoos but no way for guests to interact with them. A group of very rude little heads in the window of Noggin and Bonce will be silenced with the correct spell while a counter spell will release them from their silence. Dystyl Phaeleanges Purveyor of Fine Bones and Tusks window will feature a Victorian style slide projector, the correct spell will cause the troll skeleton being projected to mimic the movements of the guests. One of the most impressive wand experiences shared with us is that of Tallow & Hemp Toxic Tapers candle shop. Guests will be able to inflict one of three jinx on a canary in the window.
Hogsmeade is getting plenty new interactive elements itself. Pippin’s Potions will feature a water filled cauldron that guests will use the ‘Arresto Momento’ spell from stopping before it spills on them, much to the amusement of the pixies. The newly revealed Madam Puddifoot’s façade will feature cakes in the window that guests will be able to animate using the correct spell with yet another spell stopping the animation. While Tales of the Beedle the Bard will be a small show, similar to Enchanted Tales with Belle, over at Diagon Alley Tomes & Scrolls in Hogsmeade will feature the book in its window, guests will use a specific spell to reveal its never-ending page. At least 8 wand experiences will be installed in Hogsmeade, almost all being outside in the wider walkways of the cramped land. Diagon Alley will feature nearly one and half times as many, some being above guests and others being inside stores, though the majority are in public thoroughfares as well.
There have been some rumors of the wand experience coming online after the initial opening of Diagon Alley, latest I’ve heard is that Universal is planning on opening together though some of the experiences may open up afterwards.'
By Ken Storey
from centralfloridatop5.com/
