Universal Studios is confident its new Diagon Alley attraction will continue to benefit from Harry Potter fever, despite the lack of any future additions to the series of books and movies.
Universal Orlando first opened its The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade attraction at its Islands of Adventure theme park in 2010. It features Hogwarts castle and the village of Hogsmeade.
The new Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will be located within Universal Orlando’s second theme park, Universal Studios. It will create new experiences based on the signature areas of London, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. It will also feature a new ride – Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
“It will be a multidimensional experience unlike anything else we have ever created,” Universal Orlando president Bill Davis said. “Our goal with this attraction is to build the greatest ride ever built, anywhere.”
The “huge” investment will double the Harry Potter-dedicated area at the park when it opens this summer.
Meanwhile, Universal Studios Hollywood will introduce a Harry Potter attraction in 2016 which will be modelled on its Orlando counterpart.
Senior vice president for marketing and sales Xiomara Wiley anticipated the new addition would boost the park’s appeal for international markets visiting California and predicted it would see similar success to that seen in Florida.
“We are very fortunate that the fanbase has gone beyond our expectations and we expect that to continue,” she said.
“Our park has the benefit of attracting a high level of international visitation. All of those markets are very important to us so it’s great for us to have this Harry Potter attraction to offer all of them on the west coast.”
Davis expected the Potter legacy would endure, despite the book series and subsequent movie adaptations having come to an end.
“We expect parents who were teenagers when the stories first came out will be sharing them with their children,” he said.
