One lucky winner is being offered the chance to go on a magical journey to embrace the wonders of Harry Potter experiences across the globe in the Ultimate Harry Potter Trip Around the World sweepstakes. The contest is celebrating the opening of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 7.
The winner and three guests will get to visit the Grand Opening at Universal Studios Hollywood. They’ll then continue their voyage to Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Japan. The winner and their guests will also visit The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, where they can discover behind-the-scenes filmmaking secrets at the home of all eight ‘Harry Potter’ blockbuster films.
Universal Studios is partnering with TripAdvisor to launch the sweepstakes. Fans can enter to win on the travel website until February 24. The winner will receive a trip for four people, including airfare, four night accommodations at each location, ground transportation, 2-day theme park tickets for each theme park and tickets for Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. U.S. citizens, 18 years of age and older, are eligible to enter.
More than five years in the making, and inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters that were brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” is being masterfully recreated at Universal Studios Hollywood. It will be faithful to the visual landscape of the fiction and films, including Hogwarts castle, which will serve as its iconic focal point. From its snow-capped roofs and cobblestone streets to the historic British sensibilities that characterize the whimsical look and feel of the land, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will transport guests of all ages to the very places they read about in the stories or watched on the silver screen.
Upon entering the land through the archway, Hogsmeade will bustle to life with the same vitality of a quaint local village: merchants hard at work, a train conductor welcoming new arrivals and a pub packed to the gills with hungry patrons. It will include the added element of enthusiastic guests intent on experiencing them all, including the land’s signature ride, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,” and the family outdoor coaster, “Flight of the Hippogriff.” Also within “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” the enchanting family coaster, “Flight of the Hippogriff,” will open as Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor roller coaster.
An achievement in pioneering theme park ride technology, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” will make its U.S. debut at Universal Studios Hollywood in hyper-realistic 3D-HD designed to further immerse guests in an already engaging storyline. The multidimensional thrill ride features a groundbreaking robotics ride system, fused with elaborate filmed action sequences and immersive visceral effects. In this updated adaptation of the ride, guests will sport Quidditch-inspired 3D goggles as they venture through journeys experienced by Harry and his friends, spiraling and pivoting 360-degrees along an elevated ride track on a whirlwind adventure of a lifetime.
“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will resonate with immense detail, inviting guests to revel in Harry Potter’s world. They’ll have the opportunity to enjoy authentic food and beverage at multiple locations, including Three Broomsticks, and Hog’s Head pub, as well as the Magic Neep and Butterbeer carts. A foray through the shops will add to the authenticity of the land with eight retail venues and locations, including Honeydukes, Ollivanders, Owl Post, Zonko’s Joke Shop, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, Dervish and Banges, Gladrags Wizardwear and Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods.
As the countdown to the April 7 opening date continues, Universal Studios invites guests to learn more by signing up for the latest news and information at its “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” page on its website. Fans can also find more information on Universal Studios Hollywood’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.
Written by: Karen Benardello