Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It just so happened that a substantial chunk of turf at the Studios was occupied by
the aging JAWS ride and its contiguous Amity themed area. The space would allow
for substantial development; plus, its isolated location—in the most remote corner of
the park—was conducive to creating a totally self-contained area where Potter themes
could be executed absent any distraction from neighboring attractions. In short, it was
perfect.
So how would the new Potter area tie in to the original at IOA? And what Harry
Potter literary icons could be exploited? It was pretty clear that a new suburb of Hogs-
meade wasn't going to cut it. Turns out the answer was virtually shouting from the
pages of the Harry Potter novels, which observe a clear dichotomy of place—plots
originate in London and then unfold at distant Hogwarts.
Three London sites figure prominently in the Potter saga: the house where Harry
once lived with his adoptive family; Diagon Alley, a secret part of London that is a
sort of sorcerers' shopping mall; and the King's Cross railroad station, where wizard-
ing students embark for the train trip to Hogwarts. There wasn't much to milk from
Harry's house, but Diagon Alley and the train station brimmed with possibilities.
Following much deliberation and consultation with Warner Bros. and author J. K.
Rowling,thefinaldesigncalledforaLondon-waterfrontstreetsceneflankingUniver-
sal Studios Lagoon. The detailed facades, anchored by the
King's Cross
railroad sta-
tion on the left and including
Grimmauld Place
and
Wyndham's Theatre,
recall
West London scenes from the books and movies.
Diagon Alley,
secreted behind the
London street scene, is accessed through a secluded entrance in the middle of the
facade. Like Hogsmeade at IOA, Diagon Alley features shops and restaurants in ad-
dition to three attractions and live entertainment.
Diagon Alley covers 20 acres—about the same area as the Hogsmeade origin-
al—but offers about two-and-a-half times the pedestrian space, since it doesn't have
space- (and people-) eating outdoor roller-coasters. With only one high-capacity ride
(Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts),
along with an enlarged version of
the
Ollivanders
wand-shop experience in Hogsmeade and the
Hogwarts Express
train connecting the two Wizarding Worlds, the new area's increased elbowroom is
canceled out by a relatively reduced hourly attraction capacity, making the maximum
comfortable occupancy more or less a wash.
