Wizzarding World of Harry Potter Is Here

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It's here....... That's right. You've been waiting for it. You've heard about it. You've read a little about it. You may have even seen a photo or two. But now you can see it in person for yourself. Yes, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is open!

And the verdict? Well it does not disappoint. People of all ages are raving about the details that the creators put into this new area of Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. It's being hailed as the best theme park addition in history. Many people thought Islands of Adventure needed some new life breathed into it. It was number 16, after all, on the list of most popular Orlando theme parks. Sixteen?! That is not something the folks at Universal can be proud of. But that is all about to change this year. Harry Potter fans are coming in droves to enter this new attraction. On opening day, crowds gathered outside for hours in advance just to be among the first to experience Harry Potter's world in person.

All of the buildings they put into this park are very good replicas of the ones you have seen in the movies. You really feel like you are in the wand store where Harry and his special wand found each other. What an experience! And a few lucky people got to enter the new area before the actual open date. All the theme parks do this. They are called "soft openings." It is a way for them to test out rides and give the cast members some practice with actual park guests before the masses come in. By then, it could be too late to change or fix things. Well, I imagine small tweaks are almost always needed, but no major issues could be seen by those lucky guests that I have heard from. As a matter of fact, it would be hard to think of how they could improve the experience. Everyone said the same things. "It was amazing! Unbelievable! Just like the movies!"

Lots of happy customers were the result of opening day. Even though the crowds were thick and it was hotter than anyone would have wanted, the park goers were smiling from ear to ear. Not in a long time has a theme park had the power to turn teenagers and adults into dreamy eyed little kids again. But you could feel the giddyness in the air. Since it was opening day, people expected long lines and lots of people. Realizing this helped everyone who did go to be patient and enjoy taking in all of the sights and sounds as they waited in lines. But don't expect that to change for quite some time. Long lines and crowds are going to be a permanent fixture for up to a year. It may slow down some during the off season, but this has been the most anticipated opening of a theme park addition in a very long time- possibly for ever.

But don't get discouraged. If you are a Harry Potter fan, even a casual fan, you will think it is worth the wait. And there are only three major rides in this section of Islands of Adventure, so if it makes you feel better, you only have to suffer the really long lines three times. The lines to pay inside the retail stores are also long, but not as bad. But Universal has done their best to make the waiting experience as entertaining as possible. There is really a lot to see while moving through the lines. And even if you missed opening day, there is a good chance that you will still be the first among your friends and family to say that you got to experience the long-awaited, much talked about Wizarding World of Harry Potter!