The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hollywood

[William]

Can't wait for tomorrow! I forget, do we know what exact time this announcement will be made at?

The announcement will be made live on the USH YouTube channel at 7:00 AM PST.

 

[Ryan]

Looks like: 4/6 media day, 4/7 grand opening, MLK weekend softs.

Man I was only off by one week! Grrr

 

[Allen The Actor]

Today (the 8th) is exactly 4 years and 2 days since the Phelps twins helped announce that "Harry Potter is coming to Hollywood" in front of the Globe theatre & T23D, butterbeer in hand! I have massive chills just thinking about it! I mean, it has felt like forever at times, but also feels like it went by in a flash. That's life for ya! We're so close, guys....my childhood dreams are so close to becoming a reality at long last. Never thought this would be possible.

 

[Ryan]

Heh and to think they only did it because the plans leaked to the LA Times.

Edit: actually I'm starting to think 4/7 is media and 4/8 is grand opening. That would make the opening four months out from today.

 

[Wesker69]

Oh of course, I pass out early last night and miss out on all the spotlight excitement. <_<  At least GoHawks was able to get a few pics! Yay. I would've had the same view as HereWeGo since I also live right next to the Warner Bros Ranch (its a small world afterall :wacko: )

Its good to hear the announcement will be around 7am because I was worried I'd be at work not being able to get to my laptop until after 3pm!

And wow... happy birthday to me... So WWOHP is apparently going to open the weekend of my birthday (April 9th)... welp, if there was ever a day to splurge for the VIP tour with its unlimited FOTL.... that would be the day since my bday falls on a Saturday .......yay crowds :angry:  haha

 

[Ryan]

April 7th confirmed: http://insideuniversal.net/2015/12/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-to-open-on-april-7-2016-at-universal-studios-hollywood/

Here's the video announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PwCF-MD351k?feature=oembed
(Allen we got your tissue box ready for you, don't worry  )

 

[12th Man]

Yup, here is the TV commercial.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_dFf9mWxPI?feature=oembed

 

[raven24]

YYAAAASSSSSS!!!!! I'm ready for April (my birthday month as well)!

 

[Ryan]

Man, that commercial was pretty chilling even for a non-Potter fan like me. Universal is already nailing it.

Regardless, bring on the butterbeer!   

 

[Wesker69]

I'd just like to point out that the Star Wars FB page literally just posted a "in 10 days" video with some new dialogue/footage for the new movie on facebook... it may or may not have momentarily swayed my "OMG WE HAVE AN OPENING DATE" attention... Well played Disney, well played..

Now... where is my damn butterbeer?

 

[Ryan]

Now... where is my damn butterbeer?

Florida, Japan and in a kitchen backstage at USH.

 

[Wesker69]

Brover....

 

[Allen The Actor]

(Allen we got your tissue box ready for you, don't worry )

I'll take an entire Costco sized pack, thankyouverymuch.

Both of those videos made me super emotional right now. I've been waiting such a damn long time for my Hogwarts acceptance letter, which unfortunately for all 90s muggle-borns was lost during the Battle of Hogwarts. Come April 7th, and maybe even sooner, I'll finally be going home To be able to do so with my close friends and fellow fans will be beyond incredible.

Universal absolutely nailed the videos, so beautiful and poignant, especially that commercial. Reminded me of Disney's Year of a Million Dreams commercials! I'm honestly so proud that they didn't just completely recycle footage from Orlando. The grand opening date announcement was a bit short, but I'm so happy they got Evanna to do it! Hogwarts looked gorgeous.

Gahhhhh......someone hold me...

...and get me butterbeer....

And a new wand...

...and robes....

....and emotional therapy.

 

[Wesker69]

Okay after comparing the announcement video with the commercial... I'm still trying to figure out if they filmed the commercial footage of Hogsmeade with people in our version or if its just really good CGI footage until the little girl whips out her wand to illuminate Hogwarts...

 

[12th Man]

It would be awesome if they randomly chose someone in the land and let them use the Lumos Maxima spell on the castle. It would be really awesome and make someone's day. It kind of makes me think they will do that because they showed someone doing it in BOTH videos.

 

[k_peek_2000]

It's CGI (in the commercial with the fast camera sweep), probably the same model they used for the interactive tour. Very impressive work! Too bad they couldn't use whoever did that work on Supercharge haha.

 

[Ryan]

It would be awesome if they randomly chose someone in the land and let them use the Lumos Maxima spell on the castle. It would be really awesome and make someone's day. It kind of makes me think they will do that because they showed someone doing it in BOTH videos.

I don't believe they do this in Orlando... or well, I didn't see it. 

It would be cool but possibly the crowd-volume may make it difficult.

 

[Wesker69]

Thanks TheTFReview... I just nearly spit Mtn Dew Game Fuel all over my laptop

And yea Brover, they don't do anything special in regards to illuminating Hogwarts at night in Orlando. Hell, they don't even use the same lighting scheme we have seen. It will be interesting to find out if this is the way it will always bit lit up at night.

 

[Ryan]

It'd require a small stage next to Hogwarts which is doable. I think that'd be a nice, unique plus to our Hogsmeade.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Too bad they couldn't use whoever did that work on Supercharge haha.

YOU SAVAGE!!! [HASHTAG]#rekt[/HASHTAG]

It would be awesome if they randomly chose someone in the land and let them use the Lumos Maxima spell on the castle. It would be really awesome and make someone's day. It kind of makes me think they will do that because they showed someone doing it in BOTH videos.

OMG stop...gonna lose sleep over the thought of that! That'd be brilliant, although there are some logistics to jump through...one of them being that it won't be fair for me to get to do it every night.