Universal Studios Hollywood invites Visitors to Preview “Wizarding World” with Interactive Website

Universal Studios Hollywood has launched an interactive website that gives global visitors a virtual tour of California’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, opening Spring 2016. The website allows visitors to walk through Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, read descriptions of shops, and videos featuring members of the Harry Potter cast and the President of Universal Creative for Universal Parks & Resorts, Mark Woodbury. It is very similar to the interactive website that was set up for the Orlando park.

Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park very closely resembles Hogsmeade in Orlando, Florida. However, Universal has said that they are adding a few special technological advancements to the Forbidden Journey ride, and putting their own spin on shops in Hogsmeade.

Fans will notice that there are only two rides in Hollywood’s theme park: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and The Flight of the Hippogriff. Universal Studios Hollywood has elected to not include The Dragon Challenge. Though fans will miss the Triwizard Tournament set and props, this is not surprising as the rollercoaster itself was refurbished from a ride that occupied the Universal “Island” before the Wizarding World.

Of the two rides that will be present within the park, Universal Studios states:

And finally, guests will have a chance to explore the multidimensional thrill ride, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,” which will make its U.S. debut in hyper-realistic 3D-HD to further immerse guests in the already captivating storyline, and “Flight of the Hippogriff,” which will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor rollercoaster.

As the technology used in Forbidden Journey is making its “U.S. debut,” we can be sure that this ride will be a bit different than Forbidden Journey in Orlando. It is truly quite mysterious, but we cannot wait for riders to tell us about their experiences and share the new magic.

The Hollywood theme park also includes shops in Hogsmeade that are not present in Florida. As guests may have noticed, Zonko’s Joke Shop was taken out of Hogsmeade in Florida, when Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes moved into Diagon Alley and took Zonko’s inventroy. In Hollywood, Zonko’s is alive and thriving next door to Honeydukes.

New, never-befor-seen shops in Hollywood’s Hogsmeade include Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment and Gladrags Wizardwear. The site offers descriptions of both specialty stores, saying:

The descriptions of these stores sound very similar to Madam Malkin’s, and the identical Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment in Orlando’s Diagon Alley theme park. This begs the question: does this mean Universal Studios Hollywood has no plans to expand and build a Diagon Alley?

As Hogsmeade doesn’t even open for another 6-8 months, perhaps that question is getting ahead of ourselves. Please visit Universal Studios Hollywood’s new Harry Potter interactive website to learn more,  join the countdown celebrations, and sign up for email updates.