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Of all the memorable moments in the Harry Potter film series, the first visit young Harry takes to Ollivander’s Wand Shop is truly magical: from the bell ringing as he enters the dimly lit store to the moment the wand ‘chooses’ Harry, the scene draws the viewer into his new wizarding world. That experience will be had first hand by visitors to the upcoming amusement park at Universal Studio in Orlando, Florida. The ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ will have a unique and interactive attraction with the wand shop as part of the theme park opening this spring.

When the guest enters the wand shop to speak with the wand keeper, he or she will be asked a series of questions to start the matching process.

“The questions that will be asked from the wand keeper to the wizard are very individual, very tailored to each person based on their birth date and other questions which will determine the kind of wood and kind of narrow down the choices of wands,” [VP of Creative Development, Thierry] Coup shared.

From there, the wand keeper will offer the guest a series of wand options until the right match is found. Like in the “Harry Potter” story, a series of “magical mishaps” will occur before the right wand is found.

What more could you want from your immersion in the world of Harry Potter? Butter beer of course! That will be available too at a Hogsmeade tavern. Check out the vid with Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton giving you their impression on the park.

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[image: HollywoodCrush.MTV]

Earlier today I posted about the contest celebrating the DVD orders of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Actors Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) were on hand launching 1000 balloons from the Millenium Bridge in the UK. Here are some photos from the event. If you live in the UK and are 18 years or older, click here to find out how to enter and win a trip to the set of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and become a moving portrait in the film.

photo source: Vince Maher/WENN.com

Triwizard Tournament Dragon Challenges, Flight of the Hippogriff, Olivander’s Wand Shoppe, Quidditch gear and butterbeer from Hogsmead village - that and more will be new at Universal Studios Orlando adventure park opening in the spring of 2010. The Florida theme park will present The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as part of it’s Island of Adventure property and visitors will be allowed to tour Hogwarts, have fun on different roller coaster rides and purchase Harry Potter themed items based on author JK Rowling’s imaginative tale.

The estimated cost? $265 million dollars. Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmead Village will be recreated for fans and there will three rides central to the park. One ride is still super secret - “a high-tech experience inside the castle called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey that involves the likenesses of the heroes from the films.”

In between filming the final two installments of the Harry Potter movies, Tom Felton has peeked at the upcoming park. The Draco Malfoy actor told the NY Times how he felt about the future home of Hogwarts:

“We always say on set, ‘If this place was real, it would be absolutely fantastic,’ ” he said in a telephone interview. “To actually walk into this world and be able to touch it and taste it and smell it — well, it’s just going to be fantastic.”

Now fans worldwide will be able to interact with the beloved characters, long after the films have come and gone in theaters.

Harry Potter mania is in full swing once again as the sixth film, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince is finally headed to theaters after a very long wait between The Order Of The Phoenix and this one. Since this is the last film to take place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, the actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are glad to be done with the maroon and gold of Gryffindor House uniform:

“I was like ‘Burn it!’ Oh my god, to be done with those shoes and that uniform — that was an exciting day,” says Watson. Radcliffe adds, “When you’re 18, one of the worst things to be wearing while trying to chat up a girl on the set is a school uniform. You look like a kid! You’re not going to score dressed like that!”

Looking forward to the film - how about you?

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince opens in theaters on July 15th and the cast is doing lots and lots of interviews to promote the sixth installment of the series. Daniel Radcliffe recently did this interview with the Los Angeles Times and while taking the journalist on a walk thru the magnificent sets in England, he shared some interesting stories about the many talented actors he has been fortunate enough to work with thru the years:

Several generations of the best from British and Irish stage and cinema have passed through the franchise, such as Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson and the late Richard Harris, and Radcliffe tried to learn something from each of them.

Asked for an example, he points out that Richard Griffiths, who plays Harry’s sour uncle, was raised by deaf parents and, attuned to nonverbal expression, approaches his work with a more internal strategy than most actors. He first learns what his character is thinking in each scene as opposed to what he is saying.

Griffiths also once advised Radcliffe to never let the camera catch him when he wasn’t thinking because the void would be read in his eyes; the veteran prefaced that counsel by saying it was told to him by Lee Marvin, who heard it from Spencer Tracy.

“Just think,” Radcliffe said, “how many young people get access to that sort of advice and that sort of history?”

Gary Oldman is another legendary talent that Radcliffe has been fortunate enough to spend time with and learn from. The duo share a passion for music and Oldman helped Dan become a better bass guitar player. Radcliffe also mentioned some of his favorite bands: The Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines.

I really enjoy watching Daniel as he grows as an actor and look forward to what he will do after HP. It must be a huge challenge for him to walk away from the character that we have all come to know him as, and he identifies with a bit. Radcliffe along with his co-stars, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson will be everywhere in the next few weeks as the sixth movie opens and I for one, can’t wait to see more of them.