Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Expanding To Japan In 2014

[NelsonG]

[img]http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/h/harry_potter_wizarding_100617/10.jpg[/img]
"Harry Potter" fans aren't going to have to come solely to the United States to visit Hogwarts at Universal Studios anymore.

Universal Studios Japan has unveiled plans to open a[url="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/tag/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter"] Wizarding World of Harry Potter[/url] in Osaka by 2014. This is the third announced Wizarding World park, and will likely be the second one to open. Universal Orlando opened theirs in 2010, and [url="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/12/06/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-hollywood-announcement/"]Universal Hollywood[/url] announced late last year that they'll also be bringing Hogwarts to their theme park at some point in the future.

[url="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/05/harry-potter-heads-to-universal-studios-japan.html"][i]The Los Angeles Times[/i][/url] has the news, and says the expansion will probably cost Universal Japan a hefty $500 million. That will cover building Hogwarts and the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride on the park property, plus whatever other additions they plan to include. Construction is expected to begin within the next few weeks.



Apparently the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has driven a 68 percent increase in attendance to Universal Orlando over the past two years, and the other parks are seeking to emulate that result. In addition to these two new "Harry Potter" parks, Orlando's Wizarding World is set to expand over the next few years.

The reason Universal Japan's Wizarding World will open sooner than Universal Hollywood's is because the Japanese location has more room to add attractions, according to the [i]LA Times[/i]. The Hollywood location has limited space, and will have to demolish existing rides in order to make way for the castle, Hogsmeade, and everything else the Wizarding World has to offer.

The [i]LA Times[/i] says Wizarding World likely won't open in Hollywood until 2016. Universal Hollywood confirmed to MTV News that an official release date has not been announced, and that "that announcement is probably not imminent." It sounds like 2016 might actually be the soonest we'll see their park.

For "Harry Potter" fans craving an even more involved Hogwarts experience, [url="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/03/07/harry-potter-leavesden-studios-museum-behind-the-scenes-first-look/"]Leavesden Studios[/url] opened its "Potter" tour on March 31. Warner Bros has transformed the sets built for "Potter" on the Leavesden lot into an expansive museum that commemorates more than a decade of "Harry Potter" movies.

[i]Are you excited that the Wizarding World is headed to Japan? Tell us in the comments section below or on [url="http://twitter.com/mtvmoviesblog"]Twitter[/url]![/i]



[url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/05/10/wizarding-world-harry-potter-japan/]View the full article[/url]