the wizarding world of harry potter press kit

1000UniversalStudiosPlazaOrlando,FL32819(407)363‐8000

www.universalorlando.com

11/19/09

DearMr.JamesGray,editoroftheOrlandoTimes,

TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotteratUniversalOrlandoResortissettoopenSpring2010.TheparkwillbeapartofUniversalStudiosIslandofAdventureandwillfeatureseveralattractionsincludedintheHarryPotterbooksandfilms.

AttractionssuchasHogsmeadVillagewillbeoneoflargest.HogsmeadwillincludepopularshopsfromthestoriesincludingHoneydukessweetshopandThreeBroomstickssaloon.

TherewillalsobevariousridessuchasFlightoftheHippogriff,alessintenserollercoastergearedtowardsfamilies.ThelargestrollercoasterwillbeTheDragonChallenge;thiscoasterwillbeaduelbetweentwotrainsandwilltakeyouthroughsomeoftheelementsoftheTri‐Wizardtournament.

Iwouldappreciatetheopportunitytosharemoredetailsabouttheparkwithyou.Youcanreachmeat(678)642‐[email protected]

Sincerely,

DanielleSherman DirectorofCommunications UniversalStudios

[email protected]

678‐642‐9202

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UniversalStudiosOrlando:AtaGlance

TheHistory

TheideaofaUniversalStudiosthemeparkfirstoccurredinHollywoodandstartedasasimplebackstagetourthroughtheUniversallotin1962,theneventuallygrewandbecameafull‐grownthemepark.

UniversalStudiosOrlandofirstopenedin1990.

WithattractionsincludingJaws,KongfrontationandE.T.theOrlandothemeparkquicklybecameapopularplacetovisit.

In1999anewthemepark(IslandsofAdventure),anupscaleresorthotel(PortofinoBay)andadiningandnighttimeentertainmentdistrict(CityWalk)wereunveiled,makingUniversalStudiosatopcompetitorinthethemeparkindustry.

Tourism

AnaverageofeightmillionpeopleayearvisittheUniversalStudiosthemeparkinOrlando.

Youcanvisitforthreedays(withtwoadditionaldaysfree!)forapproximately$217peradult.ThisincludespassestoallthreeUniversalStudiosOrlandoparks.

UniversalStudiosOrlandohasthreeluxuryonsitehotels;theLoewsRoyalPacificResort,theHardRockHotelandtheLoewsPortofinoBayHotel.

TheFuture

InSpring2010UniversalStudiosOrlandoisopeninganotherexcitingadditiontoitsthemeparks,TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotter.

ThisparkwillincludeeverythingfansloveabouttheHarryPotterbooksandfilmsincludingHogwartsCastle,HogsmeadVillage.

Therewillbevariousattractions,ridesandshopsalldirectlycorrelatingwiththeHarryPotterbooksandfilms.

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Contact:

DanielleSherman

DirectorofCommunication

UniversalStudiosOrlando

[email protected]

678‐642‐9202

1000UniversalStudiosPlazaOrlando,FL32819

(407)363‐8000www.universalorlando.com

EXECUTIVEBIOGRAPHIES

ThomasL.Williams

ChairmanandCEOofUniversalParks&Resorts

ThomasL.WilliamshasbeentheChiefExecutiveOfficerofUniversalParks&ResortssinceSeptember1999.

Williams’responsibilitiesincludeoversightoveralltheUniversalStudiosParks&Resorts.ThisincludestheUniversalStudiosHollywoodthemeparkaswellastheUniversalStudiosOrlandoResort.

NotonlyisWilliamsinchargeoftheUniversalStudiosthemeparksintheUnitedStates,heoverseesinternationaloperationsofUniversalParks&ResortsinJapan.HeisinvolvedtheexcitingdevelopmentofUniversalthemeparksinDubai,SingaporeandSouthKorea.

WilliamshasoverseentheWizardingWorldofHarryPotterproject.“AlloftheactionandadventuresofHarryPotter’sworldwillcometolifehereatUniversalOrlandoResort,”saidWilliams.“TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotterwillbeunlikeanyotherexperienceonearthandwecan’twaittoseethelooksonourguests’facesastheyenterthisrichenvironment.”

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MarkWoodbury

President,UniversalCreativeUniversalParks&Resorts

WoodburyleadstheUniversalcreativeteamforboththeOrlandoandHollywoodthemeparklocationsaswellasthecreativedevelopmentwiththeinternationallicensingpartners.

Heandhisteamcanbeaccreditedwithaward‐winningaccomplishments,suchasthemeparkattractionsTheAmazingAdventuresofSpiderman,Shrek4‐DandRevengeoftheMummy.

WoodburyalsoleadsthecreativeteamforthecreationandconstructionfortheWizardingWorldofHarryPotter.

JKRowling

AuthoroftheHarryPotterSeries

JoanneKathleenRowlingwasbornonJuly31,1965,inChippingSodburyEngland.

Afterfinishingschoolandalotofmovingaround,Rowling,strugglingtosupportherdaughterJessicaandherselfworkedonabook,theideaforwhichhadcometoherwhileshewasonalongtrainridefromManchestertoLondonin1990.

Afternumerousattemptstogetherstorypublished,shefinallysoldthebook,HarryPotterandthePhilosopher'sStone(laterchangedtoHarryPotterandtheSorcerer’sStoneforitspublicationintheU.S.in1996).ThebookdepictedthelifeofHarryPotter,ayoungwizard,andhisfriendsattheHogwartsSchoolofWitchcraftandWizardry.

Theseriesbecameahugesuccess,takingthreeofthetopspotsontheNewYorkTimesbestsellerlistforthefirstthreebooks.Thebooksearnedapproximately$480millioninthreeyears,withover35millioncopiessoldandprintin35languages.

Theinfamousserieswastranslatedonthebigscreenbeginningin1999andthefinalmovieissettopremierFall2010.

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StuartCraig

ProductionDesigner

Craigisaproductiondesignerwhohasbecomefamousforhisvisuallystunningworkonvariousfilms.CraighaswontwoOscarsandfouradditionalnominationsforhisworkonfilmsincludingTheEnglishPatient,GandhiandHarryPotterandtheGobletofFire.

TheAcademyAward‐winningproductiondesignerhasworkedtobringtheworldofHarryPottertolifeinallofthefeaturefilms.Henowleadsthecreativedesignfortheparktoensureitremainsfaithfultothelookandfeelofthefilms.

"OurprimarygoalistomakesurethisexperienceisanauthenticextensionofHarryPotter'sworldasitisportrayedinthebooksandfilms,"saidCraig."IamveryexcitedtobeworkingcloselywiththeUniversalOrlandoteamtobringtheareatolife.”

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Contact:

DanielleSherman



[email protected]

678‐642‐9202



FORIMMEDIATERELASE

December1,2009

TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotteratUniversalStudiosOrlandoGrandOpeningsetforApril1,2010

ORLANDO,Fla.—UniversalStudiosOrlandoannouncedtodaythegrandopeningoftheirnewestadditiontotheirthemepark,TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotter,willbeonApril1st2010.

Themuchanticipatedthemeparkwillincludeattractionsfromthebooksandfilms.

“WehavebeenworkingcloselywithauthorJKRowlingandfilmproducersAlanGilmoreandStuartCraigtoensurethattheparkwillcloselyresemblethestory,”PresidentofUniversalCreativeMarkWoodburysays.

Guestswillbeabletowalkthroughsomeofthemostinfamoussettingsfromthestory,including,HogwartscastleandHogsmeadVillage.

HogsmeadVillagewillhavevariousshopsandeateriessimilartoonesfromthestory.Oneofthemosthighlyanticipatedshops,Honeydukes,thesweetshopthatisdescribednumeroustimesthroughoutthenovelsanddepictedinthemovies,willbelocatedhere.GuestwillbeabletopurchasecandiesandothertreatsrightoutofthestoriesatHoneydukes.

OtherattractionswillincluderollercoasterssuchastheDragonChallenge;thiscoasterwillbeaduelbetweentwotrainsandwilltakeyouthroughsomeoftheelementsoftheTri‐Wizardtournament.Anothercoaster,theFlightoftheHippogriff,isgearedtowardsayoungercrowdandwillbemilderthantheDragonChallenge.

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TheparkislocatedinthesamevicinityasUniversalStudios’IslandofAdventureandCityWalkandisapartoftheUniversalStudiosOrlandoResort.

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Contact:

DanielleSherman

DirectorofCommunications

UniversalStudios

[email protected]

678‐642‐9202

www.universalorlandoresort.com/harrypotter



FORIMMEDIATERELEASE

December1,2009

TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotteratUniversalStudiosOrlandoGrandOpeningsetforApril1,2010,employmentopportunitiesavailable

ORLANDO,Fla.—UniversalStudiosOrlandoannouncedtodaythegrandopeningoftheirnewestadditiontotheirthemepark,TheWizardingWorldofHarryPotterwillopenonApril1,2010.Hiringwillbeginimmediately.

TheparkislocatedinthesamevicinityasUniversalStudios’IslandofAdventureandCityWalkandisapartoftheUniversalStudiosOrlandoResort.

Themuchanticipatedthemeparkwillincludeattractionsfromthebooksandfilms.

“WehavebeenworkingcloselywithauthorJKRowlingandfilmproducersAlanGilmoreandStuartCraigtoensurethattheparkwillcloselyresemblethestory,”PresidentofUniversalCreativeMarkWoodburysays.

Guestswillbeabletowalkthroughsomeofthemostfamoussettingsfromthestory,including,HogwartscastleandHogsmeadVillage.

HogsmeadVillagewillhavevariousshopsandeateriessimilartoonesfromthestory.Oneofthemosthighlyanticipatedshops,Honeydukes,thesweetshopthatisdescribednumeroustimesthroughoutthenovelsanddepictedinthemovies,willbelocatedhere.GuestswillbeabletopurchasecandiesandothertreatsrightoutofthestoriesatHoneydukes.

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OtherattractionswillincluderollercoasterssuchastheDragonChallenge;thiscoasterwillbeaduelbetweentwotrainsandwilltakeridersthroughsomeoftheelementsoftheTri‐Wizardtournament.Anothercoaster,theFlightoftheHippogriff,isgearedtowardsayoungercrowdandwillbelessintensethantheDragonChallenge.

UniversalStudioswillbehiringemployeesforthenewthemeparkstartingJan.1,2010.

UniversalwillberecruitingemployeeslocallyaroundtheOrlandoareaandwillalsobetravelingtocollegecampusesacrosstheSoutheast.FormoreinformationonwhenUniversalwillberecruitingnearyoupleasevisitwww.universalorlandoresort.com/harrypotter/jobs.

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Contact:

DanielleSherman


UniversalStudios

[email protected]

678‐642‐9202

www.universalorlandoresort.com/harrypotter



THEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERSETTOOPENAPRIL1,2010

TIME:30

SPEAKER:MARKWOODBURY,PRESIDENTUNIVERSALCREATIVE

HI,IAMMARKWOODBURY,PRESIDENTOFUNIVERSALCREATIVEFORTHEUNIVERSALSTUDIOSORLANDO.

IAMVERYEXCITEDTOANNOUNCETHEGRANDOPENINGOFTHEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERTHEMEPARKONLYATUNIVERSALSTUDIOSORLANDO.

ONAPRIL1ST2010UNIVERSALSTUDIOSWILLOPENTHEGATESFORTHEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERFORTHEFIRSTTIME.

THEPARKWILLINCLUDEALLYOURFAVORITEASPECTSFROMTHEBOOKSANDMOVIES.HOGWARTSCASTLEANDHOGSMEADVILLAGEWILLBETWOOFTHEMAINSETTINGSFORTHEPARK.

FORMOREINFORMATIONABOUTTHEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERTHEMEPARKANDITSATTRACTIONSPLEASEVISITOURWEBSITEUNIVERSALORLANDORESORT.COM/HARRYPOTTER

WEHOPEYOUWILLJOINUSFORTHEEXCTINGGRANDOPENINGONAPRIL1ST.

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Contact:

DanielleSherman



[email protected]

678‐642‐9202



THEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERSETTOOPENAPRIL1,2010

TIME:60

SPEAKER:MARKWOODBURY,PRESIDENTUNIVERSALCREATIVE

HI,IAMMARKWOODBURY,PRESIDENTOFUNIVERSALCREATIVEFORUNIVERSALORLANDORESORT.

IAMVERYEXCITEDTOANNOUNCETHEGRANDOPENINGOFTHEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERTHEMEPARKONLYATUNIVERSALSTUDIOSORLANDO.

ONAPRIL1ST2010UNIVERSALSTUDIOSWILLOPENTHEGATESFORTHEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERFORTHEFIRSTTIME.

THEPARKWILLINCLUDEALLYOURFAVORITEASPECTSFROMTHEBOOKSANDMOVIES.HOGWARTSCASTLEANDHOGSMEADVILLAGEWILLBETWOOFTHEMAINSETTINGSFORTHEPARK.

THEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERISLOCATEDINSIDEUNIVERSAL’SISLANDOFADVENTURESANDWILLFEATURESHOPS,DININGEXPERIENCESANDMULTIPLEATTRACTIONSSTRAIGHTFROMTHEWORLDOFHARRYPOTTER.

THEPARKWILLBEFILLEDWITHAMAZINGDETAILFROMTHEBOOKSWHILESTAYINGFAITHFULTOTHEVISUALLANDSCAPESFROMTHEFILMS.

FORMOREINFORMATIONABOUTTHEWIZARDINGWORLDOFHARRYPOTTERTHEMEPARKANDITSATTRACTIONSPLEASEVISITOURWEBSITEUNIVERSALORLANDORESORT.COM/HARRYPOTTER

WEHOPEYOUWILLJOINUSFORTHEEXCTINGGRANDOPENINGONAPRIL1ST.

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Contact:

DanielleSherman



[email protected]

678‐642‐9202



FORIMMEDIATERELEASE

ORLANDO—UniversalStudioswillopentheWizardingWorldofHarryPotteraspartof

itsIslandofAdventuresthemepark.Theparkissettoopeninthespringof2010.

UniversalStudiosisworkingcloselywithauthorJ.KRowlingaswellasproduction

designerandartdirectorAlanGilmoretokeepthepark’sresemblanceasclosetothe

booksandfilmsaspossible.

UniversalStudioswantsitsgueststofeelliketheyarepartofthebooksandfilmswhen

visitingtheWizardingWorldofHarryPotter.Thethemeparksmainsettingswillinclude

theHogwartsCastleandHogsmeadeVillage.Inthesesettingsguestswillbeabletosee

someofyourfavoriteaspectsofthebooksandfilms.

HogwartsCastle,whereHarryattendsaboardingschoolforwitchesandwizardsinthe

booksandfilms,willbeafullsizeversionofthecastlewithvariousattractionsoutside

andinside.SaraSweetland,a10‐year‐oldgirlfromOpelika,Ala.,saidshe“hopestheywill

haveDumbledore’sofficeinthecastlebecausethereisalotofcoolstuffinthere.”

AlsoinsideHogwartsCastlewillbeHarryPotterandtheForbiddenJourneyride.This

attractionwilltakegueststhroughscenesandroomsfromtheblockbusterfilmsinsidea

richlydetailedremakeofHogwartsCastlemadetolook700feettall.

AnotheroneofthemainsettingsforthethemeparkwillbeHogsmeadeVillage.Hereyou

willbeabletofindanumberofshopsandattractionsfamiliarfromthebooksandfilms.

AmongthemostrecognizableisHoneydukes,thesweetshopthatisdescribednumerous

timesthroughoutthenovelsanddepictedinthemovies.Hereguestswillbeableto

purchasecandiesandothertreatsrightoutofthestories.TreatssuchasBertieBott's

EveryFlavorBeansandchocolatefrogswillbesoldattheHoneydukes.

TheThreeBroomstickssaloonwillalsobelocatedinsideHogsmeadeVillage.IntheThree

BroomstickssaloonguestswillbeabletoindulgeinaButterBeerjustlikethewizardsin

thebooksandfilms.

MostscenesfromthebooksandmovieswherethecharactersarevisitingHogsmeade

Villagethesceneissetinthewintersnow.AccordingtoaHarryPotterfanclubblogsite,

thewizardingworldofharrypotter.com,UniversalStudiosisworkingwithaspecialeffects

companytoproviderealsnowinHogsmeadeVillageallyearround.

NotonlywilltherebeshopsandattractionsattheWizardingWorldofHarryPotterthere

willbethrillingridestoo.ThelargestrollercoasterwillbeTheDragonChallenge;this

coasterwillbeaduelbetweentwotrainsandwilltakeyouthroughsomeoftheelements

oftheTri‐Wizardtournament.

KellyYoung,anAuburnUniversitysenior,hasreadalltheHarryPotterbooksandseenall

themoviesseveraltimes.Thefourthbookandmoviewasherfavoriteoftheseriesmainly

becauseoftheTri‐Wizardtournament.“Ihopetheyincludealotofridesbasedonthe

challengesoftheTri‐WizardTournament,especiallytheunderwaterchallenge.Itwould

bereallycoolandimpressiveiftheycouldincorporatethatsomehow,”Kellysays.

Anothercoaster,theFlightoftheHippogriff,isgearedtowardsayoungercrowdthis

coasterandwillbemoremildthantheDragonChallengecoaster.Sarahsaidshewasthe

mostexcitedaboutthisridebecause,“theHippogriffisareallymagicalcreaturesoI’m

suretheridewillbemagicaltoo,”shesays.

OneofthefavoriteattractionsofthebloggingHarryPotterfanclubsisOllivander’swand

shop.Theideabehindthisattractionisthatguestscanchooseawandspecificallyfor

themjustlikethecharactersinthebooksandmovies.

AmandaPinto,vicepresidentoftheAlabamachapteroftheHarryPotterFanClub,agrees

thishasbeenthemostinterestingattractionattheparkannouncedthusfar.“IlikewhatI

havereadandthepicturesIhaveseenofOllivander’s,itwillbeneatiftheycanreally

personalizewandslikeinthemovies,”Youngsays.

TherehasbeenalotofhypearoundtheWizardingWorldofHarryPotteropening.Decade

longHarryPotterfansandnewcomersalikecannothidetheirexcitementforthisnew

additiontoUniversalStudio’sIslandofAdventures.Universal’screativeteambehindthe

ideasandconstructionoftheWizardingWorldofHarryPotterpromises,“Theareawill

provideguestswithanotherwaytoexperiencetheworldbeyondthebooksandfilms.”

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Contact:

DanielleSherman


UniversalStudios

[email protected]

678‐642‐9202

AsyouwalkthroughthefrontgatesoftheWizardingWorldofHarryPotteryouwillenterHogsmeadVillage.Hereyouwillfindvariousshopsandeaterieslike

HoneydukesandTheThreeBroomsticks.

HogwartsCastleisthemostfamoussettingfromtheHarryPotterstories.Insideyouwillbeabletowalkthroughthecastleandseesomeofyourfavoritepartsincluding

Dumbledore’sofficeandtheGryffindorcommonroom.

Ollivander’swandshopisamongthemostanticipatedstoresattheWizardingWorldofHarryPotter.Hereyouwillbeabletopickawandcustomizedforonlyyou

justlikeinthestory.

the wizarding world of harry potter press kit

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