Harry Potter theme park.
Today is the grand opening of Universal's Harry Potter theme park.
Today is the grand opening of Universal's Harry Potter theme park.
Harry Potter films star Daniel Radcliffe cheers with the crowd, with co-star Rupert Grint (left) during the official grand opening moment at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, Friday, June 18, 2010.
Thousands of guests streamed into Universal Orlando's newest attraction, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, this morning on its much-anticipated opening day.
Beginning at 10 a.m., wait times of 90 minutes were posted at its signature Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, leading some to speculate that this could be one of the the rare times Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park reaches capacity and closes its gates.
As the morning lingered, long, long lines also formed for Three Broomsticks restaurant, Ollivanders' wand shop and the butterbeer cart.
By noon, the line for Three Broomsticks extended back to the entrance arch of Wizarding World, and more than 150 customers stood in the heat to buy butterbeer. The public line continued to snake through the park.
Weather conditions prompted many fans to shed their trademark robes and change into new, cooler merchandise purchased in Hogsmeade.
The full queue for Forbidden Journey, including the entire greenhouse, was being used, although a 90-minute wait was still posted. Waits for the rethemed roller coasters were substantially shorter: Five minutes for Dragon Challenge, 10 minutes for Flight of the Hippogriff.
"Thousands" were lined up outside the park before the gates opened at 6, a Universal spokesman said.
"We were pleasantly surprised," said Bill Davis, president of Universal Orlando. "It was a little more than we expected."
To help control the flow, anxious Potter fans were admitted to Wizarding World in spaced-out phases starting about 9:30 a.m., when the Hogwarts conductor announced: "Head on in and have fun!"
And with that, Wizarding World of Harry Potter was open. The first crowds crossed the threshhold into Wizarding World amidst confetti falling like fake snow.
Moments before it opened to the public this morning, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter in the movies, said: "We're all grateful that the next part of the Harry Potter legacy has been so well protected."
Potter fans arrived before dawn for the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure.
Gates to the theme park were opened at 6 a.m., as a line of faithful fans snaked as far back as the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal CityWalk.
Many had spent the night on the area, saying officials had asked them to leave at 2 a.m. The Universal parking garage re-opened at 5:30 a.m.
"We sprinted from the parking lot," said 18-year-old Zach Foster of Clermont. He said he and his three friends from high school were the first at the turnstiles Friday morning. They spent the night at IHOP and survived on iced coffee and iPods, they said.
In the darkness, with news helicopters circling, six teenagers from Fort Lauderdale in Hogwarts robes walked from the Portofino Bay resort to the front of IOA.
"Mine is from when I was 9 years old," said Lia Terta, now 17. "I'll endure the heat."
Also queued up were Adrienne Isgrigg of Athens, Ohio, with her friend Kjersti Stenehjem of Klamath Falls, Ore. They both have master's degrees and Isgriss is a PhD student in clinical psychology.
"We're top of the line nerds," Stenehjem said. "This is where we belong."
Beginning at 10 a.m., wait times of 90 minutes were posted at its signature Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, leading some to speculate that this could be one of the the rare times Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park reaches capacity and closes its gates.
As the morning lingered, long, long lines also formed for Three Broomsticks restaurant, Ollivanders' wand shop and the butterbeer cart.
By noon, the line for Three Broomsticks extended back to the entrance arch of Wizarding World, and more than 150 customers stood in the heat to buy butterbeer. The public line continued to snake through the park.
Weather conditions prompted many fans to shed their trademark robes and change into new, cooler merchandise purchased in Hogsmeade.
The full queue for Forbidden Journey, including the entire greenhouse, was being used, although a 90-minute wait was still posted. Waits for the rethemed roller coasters were substantially shorter: Five minutes for Dragon Challenge, 10 minutes for Flight of the Hippogriff.
"Thousands" were lined up outside the park before the gates opened at 6, a Universal spokesman said.
"We were pleasantly surprised," said Bill Davis, president of Universal Orlando. "It was a little more than we expected."
To help control the flow, anxious Potter fans were admitted to Wizarding World in spaced-out phases starting about 9:30 a.m., when the Hogwarts conductor announced: "Head on in and have fun!"
And with that, Wizarding World of Harry Potter was open. The first crowds crossed the threshhold into Wizarding World amidst confetti falling like fake snow.
Moments before it opened to the public this morning, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter in the movies, said: "We're all grateful that the next part of the Harry Potter legacy has been so well protected."
Potter fans arrived before dawn for the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure.
Gates to the theme park were opened at 6 a.m., as a line of faithful fans snaked as far back as the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal CityWalk.
Many had spent the night on the area, saying officials had asked them to leave at 2 a.m. The Universal parking garage re-opened at 5:30 a.m.
"We sprinted from the parking lot," said 18-year-old Zach Foster of Clermont. He said he and his three friends from high school were the first at the turnstiles Friday morning. They spent the night at IHOP and survived on iced coffee and iPods, they said.
In the darkness, with news helicopters circling, six teenagers from Fort Lauderdale in Hogwarts robes walked from the Portofino Bay resort to the front of IOA.
"Mine is from when I was 9 years old," said Lia Terta, now 17. "I'll endure the heat."
Also queued up were Adrienne Isgrigg of Athens, Ohio, with her friend Kjersti Stenehjem of Klamath Falls, Ore. They both have master's degrees and Isgriss is a PhD student in clinical psychology.
"We're top of the line nerds," Stenehjem said. "This is where we belong."