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Wizarding World's wand shop to offer an interactive experience

Visitors to the Ollivanders wand shop at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will step into one of the iconic scenes from the Harry Potter books and movies. With the assistance of a live actor, along with some special effects, guests of Ollivanders will get to experience the same type of magical moment Harry had…

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Printable map lets you take a 3D look at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Today’s “USA Today” features a story on Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure and a map of the land. When you visit harrypotter3d.com and hold the map up to your webcam, it will appear 3D using a process called augmented reality. But you don’t need to run out and buy the…

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Large photo released of Hogwarts Castle at Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Click on the photo to see it full size. The magical transformation continues. Although still very much a work in progress, the magnificence of Hogwarts castle is beginning to take shape above Hogsmeade as work continues on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Hogwarts will be the home of a…

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Augmented reality map of Wizarding World of Harry Potter available in 'USA Today'

Harry Potter fans will want to buy the “USA Today” newspaper next Thursday, Jan. 28. An ad in the newspaper will seemingly come to life on your computer screen when you hold it up to a webcam. The first-ever augmented reality map of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will allow you to rotate the…

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Photos/video: Details emerging onsite at Wizarding World of Harry Potter

As you’ll see in the video and photos below, most of the scaffolding has come down in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and many of the small details are starting to appear. First let’s take a video tour, then we’ll get into some detailed photos. Wizarding World of Harry…

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Dates and concerts for Mardi Gras 2010 at Universal Studios announced

On Feb. 6, Universal Orlando Resort will kick off its 15th year of Mardi Gras – the biggest and most authentic Mardi Gras celebration outside of New Orleans. Guests will experience the spirit of Bourbon St. in the heart of Universal Studios, with festivities including live concerts, authentic Cajun cuisine, a parade and tons of…

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Hulk Hogan to appear at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville this Sunday

Wrestling fans will be able to be part of a rally/party celebrating wrestling legend Hulk Hogan’s new partnership with TNA Wrestling. Starting at 5 p.m. this Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010, the Hulkster, along with syndicated radio talk show host Bubba the Love Sponge, will be meeting fans at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Universal CityWalk. Hulk…

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American Idol stars dominate Top 10 Theme Park Photos of 2009

Everyone can give a thumbs up or down to any photo in our gallery. As you’ll see below, our American Idol pictures were very popular by visitors to our online gallery. Here are the top 10 photos from 2009 that received the most thumbs up (and least thumbs down). Click on any of the photos…

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Top 10 theme park videos of 2009

Our YouTube channel was a popular place in 2009. We reached more than a million views for a couple of our older videos, while others lay dormant for reasons unknown to us. Sometimes we think a video is going to be a huge hit and it flops, and sometimes we wonder why we’re bothering to…

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Top 10 theme park blog posts of 2009

A lot has happened in the Orlando area theme parks in 2009. Some new attractions were announced, some have closed down and some have opened up. One both opened and closed in 2009 (we’re talking about you Stitch.) Below are the top 10 most read blog posts on our site during 2009. Below the top…