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Exclusive audio: SnitchSeeker in Wizarding World of Harry Potter conference call
As announced earlier, SnitchSeeker and various other Harry Potter fansites are participating in a press conference with Thierry Coup, vice president of creative development for Universal Creative. We discussed various developments with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter throughout and updated this story periodically.
UPDATE: Several interesting details were discussed about Ollivander's Wand Shop.
It is set up so that it has an air of being around forever; you will be greeted by the wandmaker (not Ollivander, but someone working for him at Hogsmeade); you'll walk in the shop, see stacks and shelves of wand boxes at numerous levels. It's very intimate inside the shop, and very tall, according to Coup, about 30 feet high.
Potter film set designer Stuart Craig will be creating some of the wands, approved by J.K. Rowling. The wand will choose the wizard who owns it, which will be done by special and unique processes (though no detail yet). There will be a wand fitting, and if it doesn't work out, there will be interesting effects, including flowers wilting and lightning and thunder outside the windows of the shop itself. If the right wand does choose you, more effects will occur, such as the lamp lighting up just like in the first movie, and you will have the option to buy it or not. T
here are 13 different types of wand wood for the choosing, which are unique to the shop, and visitors' wood type will be determined according to their birthdate on the Celtic calendar; children will have their own special wands, too, through a 'build-a-wand' feature.
• At Dervish and Banges, there will be wand accessories that can be bought (though sadly can't be revealed now).
• The wand choosing process can take anywhere from two to five minutes at least to much more. Pricing range has not been determined; the wand choosing itself won't be charged, just the wand itself.
• There will be wands from some of the main characters wands - hero wands - including in sets, which are made by Noble Collection; this is different to the personal wands that will be chosen for 'wizard' guests to the park.
• As for the shops in Hogsmeade, they are near completion (about 90 percent), but there are still "final touches" to be done to them.
• Hogwarts Castle, from the exterior, is "very large." Iconic rooms, such as Dumbledore's office, the Dark Arts classroom, the common room (presumably Gryffindor's) and the Great Hall, amongst others, will be there and to scale.
• Many props will be displayed from the Harry Potter film sets, such as the Flying Ford Anglia (which sadly did not fly).
• The Owl Post and Dervish and Banges are the smallest shops, Ollivanders is slightly larger, and Zonko's joke shop is the largest. There are no queues to get into the shops, despite being interactive experiences as well as shops.
• There are no plans yet for expansion within the park, but it is a possibility.
• The shops will be as close to the films' version as possible (as shown by the early Ollivander's shop photos). Coup and the rest of his creative team opted to make it as faithful to the original project as possible.
That's it for now! We'll have much more on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the coming months!
UPDATE: We have a couple audio clips from this morning's conference, including Coup describing Ollivander's shop, and some of the questions he answered in regards to the theme park's current construction. We've included a transcription of some of the more interesting bits below the clips.
Quote:
There's a lot going on in every shop, whether it's outside through the windows or inside where you're having magical moments throughout – completely unexpected things in every shop.
Quote:
We had a great chance from the Harry Potter production, Warner Bros., let us use a lot of the props, take a lot of the props, and the ones we could not obtain we actually had the propmasters replicate exactly the way they were made the first time. But we got a lot of authentic props.
Quote:
Which shop is the largest? I think Zonko's and Honeydukes – it's kind of intertwined a bit so you can go from one to the other so it feels like a larger shop. The Owl Post and Ollivanders are the smallest, and Dervish and Banges is a little larger than that, but they all have the right feel, the right scale. We didn't want to make them super large shops just to sell merchandise. It's all about being true and authentic to the books … it's still Hogsmeade Village, it's not a mall.
Quote:
We've made sure that there is enough access to flow through. Each [shop] is an experience. I wouldn't say an 'attraction' but each one of them is going to be an experience for all the guests, for all of you guys who come through. But I don't foresee any lines. Maybe opening day …
Quote:
We're trying to create an exact replica as much as possible, whether it's the shops' décor or all the props, all the things you'll be able to buy there. Whether it's sneakoscopes, boxing telescopes, extendable ears, chocolate frogs – I mean, you name it – you're going to find a lot of nice fun things to look at or purchase.
Brilliant! They're definitely putting an immense amount of effort into this.
However, I do have one concern: no queues. If this applies to Ollivander's, how will they maintain order to keep the interactive experience running smoothly? They can't simply have guests pouring in without any lines, particularly during the crowded first few weeks.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SwedishSkinJer
However, I do have one concern: no queues. If this applies to Ollivander's, how will they maintain order to keep the interactive experience running smoothly? They can't simply have guests pouring in without any lines, particularly during the crowded first few weeks.
I was wondering that myself. It seems like there will be a ton of people, so it seems impossible that there would be no queue's especially for the wand choosing...
But, I CAN'T FREAKING WAIT! I am OBSESSED with wands, so I am going to have a fan attack when I go in there! Dervish and Banges sounds pretty awesome. I personally can't wait for the Three Broomsticks. I want to see what butterbeer tastes like. Oh and Zonko's.... Too bad they didn't make it Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes since they were looking at buying it out... Still though, I am most definitely excited!!! Wish they would tell us when it opens!!! Even though I'm going during Infinitus.
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OMG it sounds freakin awesome!!!
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Brilliant! They're definitely putting an immense amount of effort into this.
However, I do have one concern: no queues. If this applies to Ollivander's, how will they maintain order to keep the interactive experience running smoothly? They can't simply have guests pouring in without any lines, particularly during the crowded first few weeks.
LOL...ask my husband this question...I am quite good at getting people to move on....especially when they hog a feature too long!!
Brilliant! They're definitely putting an immense amount of effort into this.
However, I do have one concern: no queues. If this applies to Ollivander's, how will they maintain order to keep the interactive experience running smoothly? They can't simply have guests pouring in without any lines, particularly during the crowded first few weeks.
Maybe they're being ambitious and hoping people will adopt the British attitude towards queuing; i.e. do it yourself?
I don't care how long I will have to wait to get a wand, as long as I get one. This sounds SO amazing! The wand chooses the wizard. I really love how they are sticking to that. I love love love how they will have effects too. I think I'll cry when I'm in there. They really are bringing the world of HP to life. I love it... My gosh, I'm so excited. Now all I need is the opening date and I can start planning
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I've had chocolate frogs before, along with various other HP candies. Some company manufactures them. But I bet the ones from the theme park should be much tastier and have a more authentic look.
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I HAVE TO GO NOW, I MUST! I already own a wand, except it is one of the ones from Noble Collection; Hermione's, to be exact. But one of your own, that actually chooses you...oh my...and dear me, the whole entire park sounds magnificent; brilliant! I want to go sooooooo bad now!
Exclusive audio: SnitchSeeker in Wizarding World of Harry Potter conference call 
hope i could go someday 
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