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Universal Orlando Announces Wizarding World Expansion Is a Reality and Will Open in 2014

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After months and months of waiting and speculating, the time has come: Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment have officially announced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley expansion and added that the park will in fact open in 2014. We were anxiously awaiting for this breaking news. As we reported weeks ago, we had inside information that the news was coming soon. So without further ado, here are the details:

Building on the global phenomenon that is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment today announced an expansion of historic proportions with the entirely new themed environment, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

Scheduled to open in 2014, the world’s first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands the Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal’s creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering brand-new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world.

Both Diagon Alley and Muggle London will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. The new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive, and authentic as the existing themed environment.

And – just like in the books and films – guests will be able to travel between Muggle London and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express.

Work on the new area is already underway. When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant, and an innovative marquee attraction based on Gringotts Bank – all directly inspired by the fiction and films.

More details on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will be released over time.

To bring Diagon Alley and Muggle London to life, Universal’s creative team is working closely with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films – just as it did for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

“I’m so pleased that [t]he Wizarding World of Harry Potter has proved so popular to date, and I’m sure that the attention to detail in creating the new Diagon Alley area will make this an even better experience,” said J.K. Rowling.

“We are continuing the journey and adding an entirely new level of adventure,” said Tom Williams, Chairman of Universal Parks & Resorts. “And we are bringing the same drive, commitment, enthusiasm and innovation to this project as we did to the first.”

“We are thrilled to offer the legions of fans the opportunity to embark on this new journey and experience Diagon Alley as it was brought to life in the books and films,” said Brad Globe, president, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

“Our vision is to create two amazing theme park experiences that combine into one, complete, magical journey,” said Alice Norsworthy, executive vice president, marketing and sales for Universal Orlando Resort.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade opened at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in June 2010 as a fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment – bringing to life the best-selling books by J.K. Rowling and the blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros. Since that time, it has become a global phenomenon, entertaining millions of people from around the world.

Visitors to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter are swept into the adventures of Harry Potter. They can tour Hogwarts Castle, shop in Hogsmeade, and dine at the Three Broomsticks. They can soar above Hogwarts with Harry, be chosen by a wand at Ollivanders, sample butterbeer, and much more.