When we read that Warner Brothers was considering building a Harry Potter theme park, we couldn’t help but dream of all the thrilling rides and games, imaginative shops and restaurants, and enchanting shows and events they might have there. In fact, we had so many ideas, we decided to draw up our own theme park map and guide detailing all the attractions. Then we realized that if other Harry Potter fans loved the concept of an HP theme park as much as we do, we should put our guide online. If enough fans were interested in it, we might even be able to convince Warner Brothers that a topnotch Harry Potter theme park would be a great investment for them, and a dream come true for us.

    But this wouldn’t be just any old theme park; it would combine elements from lots of different sources. It would have fantastic rides and spectacular shows like those you find at Disney World, Six Flags, and other big theme parks. It would also borrow role-playing, artisanship and period references from renaissance festivals, medieval faires, and places like Colonial Williamsburg. Like Epcot’s World Pavilions, it would simulate the experience of international travel by including architecture, entertainment, dining and shops reminiscent of another culture (the United Kingdom, in this case). Dining would be a delight not only because of the variety of foods, but also because of the unique potteresque ambiance each restaurant offers. And shopping would be an adventure in and of itself, with over three dozen shops offering souvenirs, gifts and specialties straight out of the pages of the Harry Potter series.

    All of this would exist within a beautifully landscaped park divided into six neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character : Diagon Alley with its old English atmosphere and famous magic shops, Muggle Land with its British monuments, Hogsmeade with its rowdy village pubs, Godric’s Hollow with its quaint homes and stormy past, the Forbidden Forest with its magical creatures and dense woods, and finally, the heart of the park, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with long corridors and immense towers that exude secrecy and magic. 

    But the magic isn’t limited to Hogwarts, it’s there from the moment you enter. As you emerge from the shadowy stone corridors where you purchase your ticket and pass the park's immense ivy-covered gates, you encounter three magic paths emanating from an enchanted star-shaped fountain. One path leads you first to Muggle Land, then on to Godric’s Hollow. Another leads to Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest. A third path begins at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, then leads through a brick wall into Diagon Alley, cutting through the park at an angle. Ultimately, all three paths lead to Hogwarts. But perhaps the most direct route to and from that famed school of wizardry is aboard the Hogwarts Express, whose track encircles the more magical regions of the park.

    The most important element of the park, however, is not the park itself. It's the people. Actors would be needed to play the roles of professors and students, and even the shopkeepers, waitresses and street cleaners would have to be in on the game. Apart from selling gifts, serving food and sweeping up litter, they would have a very important role to play. Every park employee would be familiar with his HP facts. In fact, we think that a simple trivia test should be required for all employees. And no one outside the CEO, Dumbledore, Harry, and You-Know-Who himself should ever be allowed to utter the dark wizard’s name.

    Anyway, we hope you enjoy touring our little theme park as much as we've enjoyed building it. To learn more about the details behind the attractions, don't forget to take a look at our Creators' Secrets after viewing the Attractions in order to find out more the secrets to blending magical fantasy with theme park reality. But most of all, if you’re as excited about the idea of a Harry Potter theme park as we are, we hope you’ll sign our Guest Book to let us know how you feel.