Harry Potter Attraction Heading To Universal Hollywood

LOS ANGELES — Comcast Corp. is in the final stages of a deal to bring Harry Potter's magic to life in Hollywood.

The owner of Universal Studios will announce before year's end that it will build a version of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at its Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. That's according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly about it.

The first Harry Potter attraction opened in Orlando, Fla., in June 2010. Since then, attendance at Universal Orlando has jumped by 40 percent to 50 percent, Comcast executive vice president Steve Burke said in September. He said the attraction caused "a gigantic sea change in the profitability."

A Universal spokeswoman declined to comment Thursday. The development was earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Comcast, the cable TV giant that bought a majority stake in NBCUniversal in January in a $13.5 billion deal, also bought out its 50 percent partner in the Universal Orlando theme park, The Blackstone Group, for $1.03 billion in June.

Burke told analysts in September that the theme parks business was the "last thing on our list" when acquiring NBCUniversal, but the company is now "delighted" to own more of it.

In the nine months through September, its theme-park revenue rose 33 percent from a year ago to $1.49 billion, while operating cash flow jumped 61 percent to $644 million.

That makes it the company's second-most profitable division behind pay TV channels, accounting for just under a quarter of the operating cash flow overall.

RATE IT!   |  

VOTE

CURRENT TOP 5 PICK YOUR OWN TOP 5

USERS WHO VOTED

NEW! CREATE YOUR OWN SLIDESHOW

Comments

[Al Schrader]

05:34 AM on 12/03/2011

I was born in Florida. This is an amazing place. Harry Potter is just a tiny feature of Florida.
There is so much to do and see in Florida. Just to see the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the rest of Disney takes two weeks. Then there is Key West, the East coast beaches which are incredible, and of course the secret places, where, well most of us don't menting. Some developer found one of them and paid 500 million dollars for trailer lots, but Briny Breeses is an unbelievable place. I couldn't put a price on the things I've done and seen here, especially the Everglades National Forrest...Alfred-

[sacmom3]

05:31 AM on 12/03/2011

That's where it should have been in the first dang place.

[JP1493]

03:57 AM on 12/03/2011

I was there in October. It's an awesome setup, but I wish all the village stores were real and part of the show like the Wand Store..

[3daywkend]

01:33 PM on 12/04/2011

I would think the stores would have souvenirs in them, sort of like Disneyland's "Main Street".

[JP1493]

07:18 PM on 12/04/2011

A couple stores did, but most of the others are just facades for the restaurant and bathrooms. The wand store was pretty cool because it has a live performance, but the lines to get in it are long (45 min +)

[Js420]

07:06 PM on 12/02/2011

Woohoo!! I didnt want to go to Florida anyways..

[camanokat]

04:07 PM on 12/03/2011

Too many big ugly bugs there.

[Wingsweaver]

04:56 PM on 12/02/2011

It's an amazing place, even with the loads of people. If anyone is thinking of going - the early entry perk from staying on-site is a must for the best experience. Either that or take your chances a couple hours before closing, in the middle of the day the area is just too packed with people to stop and take in the sights.

On my last day there, was "lucky" enough to be on the Forbidden Journey ride when it broke down a little before closing. Spent around 45 minuted suspended in midair, but when we were finally rescued it was after closing and we got to experience something not many people get to do - walk around a Wizarding World was that was nearly empty. Absolutely beautiful, and I cant wait to go back.

[JP1493]

04:00 AM on 12/03/2011

I tried to get up there near closing time that day (6pm) but got caught and they made me turn around. Was it lit up?

[Wingsweaver]

04:09 PM on 12/03/2011

All the lights in the Hogmeade area were on and the shops were open for purchases (albeit with the workers shuffling around preparing to close). Not sure if they were keeping it open as a consolation for those of us who got stuck on the ride as it was like a half hour after the park closed.

Either way, I was very appreciative as it was the only time the whole trip we actually got to go in to the Owl Post without meeting an impenetrable wall of human flesh.