# Harry Potter Theme Park **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820 "2008-02-08T17:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/1 "2008-02-08T17:23:57Z")
Universal Studios will be opening a [theme park based on the Harry Potter books and movies](http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/) in 2009. They say that they will have Hogwarts Castle, Hogsmeade Village, and all sorts of other Harry Potter related goodness. I am quite excited about the prospect of being able to visit the wonderful world of Harry Potter but I am dissapointed that they are giving no clues as to what kinds of rides and attractions there might be. Since they aren’t being very forthcoming with rides and attractions I figure that the next best thing would be to ask you all to help me design some instead. What kinds of rides would you create if you were designing a Harry Potter theme park? What kinds of attractions would you have? Would you want to be able to visit The Three Broomsticks and Zonkos? Would you be able to tour the Ministry of Magic? I personally would want to be able to conjure a patronus and play quiddich in one of those 3D interactive movies (similar to the 3D movie from A Bugs Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom) and have some sort of ride based on the flying car. I would want to be able to get something to eat at The Three Broomsticks and buy chocolate frogs at Honeydukes. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/2 "2008-02-08T17:28:33Z")
Slight nitpick: looks like it will just be another Island (of Adventure) rather than a whole park. I’m thinking it might be somethin akin to DisneyQuet, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/3 "2008-02-08T17:28:46Z")
I think Quidditch would be some sort of coaster or sim motion ride like the Star Wars ride at Disney. There will probably a Gringots mine train ride perhaps with the dragon escape and all. It would be really cool if they made some ride where you went through a part, and they taped that, then you time travel back and go through the ‘same area’ of the ride but you can see yourself from your first time through. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/4 "2008-02-08T17:32:11Z")
I’m guessing Dumbledore’s Tunnel of Love is going to be a big hit. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/5 "2008-02-08T17:32:38Z")
I’d be happy to wander through a Hogwarts with moving staircases and the rest of the effects. What I definitely do now want is any ride that makes me sit on a broomstick. There is no way they could make that comfortable, short of actual magic. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/6 "2008-02-08T17:50:22Z")
See, I am thinking the broomstick thing should be virtual while you sit in a chair that moves around and wear 3D glasses. Actually sitting on a broomstick should not be a part of anything, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/7 "2008-02-08T19:34:30Z")
BUt what if thye are vibrating broomsticks. I could get behind that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/8 "2008-02-08T20:01:16Z")
[QUOTE=Tahssa] I could get behind that. [/QUOTE] Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose? ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/9 "2008-02-08T20:16:30Z")
Vibrating broomsticks sound like they belong at a more adult oriented theme park. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/10 "2008-02-08T20:57:12Z")
[QUOTE=pbbth] Vibrating broomsticks sound like they belong at a more adult oriented theme park. 😛 [/QUOTE] The Witches of Orgaswick. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/11 "2008-02-08T21:00:41Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Slight nitpick: looks like it will just be another Island (of Adventure) rather than a whole park. [/QUOTE] Yes, I believe the plan is for The Wizarding World to replace part of what is now The Lost Continent. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/12 "2008-02-08T22:08:52Z")
[QUOTE=Tahssa] BUt what if thye are vibrating broomsticks. I could get behind that. [/QUOTE] There is no way my behind is getting near any kind of a broomstick for a ride, vibrating or not. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/13 "2008-02-08T22:12:53Z")
[QUOTE=Yllaria] There is no way my behind is getting near any kind of a broomstick for a ride, vibrating or not. [/QUOTE] It’s not your behind that gets on the vibrating broomstick. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/14 "2008-02-09T00:31:47Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] The Witches of Orgaswick. [/QUOTE] Or like the movie I saw on HBO late one night: _The Witches of Breastwick_ ---
**Author:** ![tesseract](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@tesseract](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseract)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-theme-park/436820/15 "2008-02-09T04:09:25Z")
I’m excited! I think there should be a Room of Requirements. But that might be kind of tricky.