Wizarding World of Harry Potter Will Bring Books to Life

The millions of fans who were saddened when J.K. Rowling came to the end of of her fabulous seven-book saga in 2007 can take heart: the books might be over, but the magic is far from gone. If proof of this was needed before, it isn’t anymore. Universal Studios in Orlando is currently at work on a “theme park in a theme park” called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Scheduled to *open in May, Hogwarts Castle is reportedly already rising to dominate the site. From The New York Daily News:

The venue will pack 20 acres of attractions, shops and eateries within Universal’s Islands of Adventure park.

Wizarding World’s creators worked closely with Rowling and film artists to keep the venue true to the story.

Towering over everything else, Hogwarts castle can already be seen beyond Universal’s gates. Fans know it as the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Harry and his friends learn to perfect their magic.

The castle will host an attraction called Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey, which creators promise “will use brand-new technology to bring the magic stories and characters of the film to life in ways you’ve never experienced before.”

Universal offers a sneak peek here.

* Correction 2:15 pm, PST: We were overly optimistic when we wrote that the park-within-a-park would be open in May. As it turns out, Universal continues to be cagey with dates. However travel packages including the attraction indicate an availability date of May 28th. (Maybe they’re being optimistic, too?)