The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Themed entertainment zone at Universal Studios Hollywood, California.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a themed area inside the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in California, recreating settings from the book series. The centerpiece shows a multi-story castle on a raised rocky outcrop, surrounded by timber-framed houses with snow-covered roofs and narrow lanes.
The area opened in April 2016 and replaced an amphitheater that previously hosted concerts. The installation followed a similar themed area that had opened in the Florida sister park in 2010.
The name comes from the novels and films that follow young wizards at a Scottish boarding school. Visitors buy butterbeer from carts and wear robes while walking through the recreated village streets.
The themed area sits near the park entrance and is directly accessible from the main promenade. Queues for the main ride can exceed an hour on weekends and holidays, so visiting early in the morning or late afternoon works better.
Several shop windows in the village respond to movements from special wands sold in the store. Bronze plaques on the ground mark the exact spots where you must stand to make lights flicker or mechanical figures move.
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