Steve Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer of NBC Universal, recently
chatted about upcoming projects for the company at the Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference on Wednesday, and dropped a little tidbit about the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley.
Burke confirmed that the new expansion to the park at Universal Orlando Resort will open in spring 2014. Do note that the first park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade, opened in spring 2010 - specifically June 18, 2010, so the new park will open sometime between after March and late June of next year. Burke mentioned that the new
Cabana Bay Beach Resort hotel at Universal Orlando will open prior to Diagon Alley; the hotel is scheduled to take in guests starting March 31, 2014.
Quote:
Steve Burke: The thing that we’re most excited about, what really transformed our park in Orlando was opening Harry Potter which happened a few years ago. We’re opening a second Harry Potter attraction in Orlando which I think is one of the most creative ideas I’ve ever seen in the theme park business but first attraction is in the one of our gates it’s called Islands of Adventure.
The second attraction is in the other gate and the way you get from one gate to the second gate as you take a train and the train is the Hogwarts Express. And so, the actual transition or the movement from one gate to another gate is part of the attraction which is never been done before and it’s a wonderful creative idea, that opens next spring. We think that’s going to be a very big draw. And then we’re opening Harry Potter in Hollywood in Japan.