Harry Potter's ‘Wizarding World' attraction opens at Universal Studios

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - Muggles galore will descend on Universal Studios Hollywood Thursday to celebrate the grand opening of the much-anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction, which will sink park visitors into the theatrical world of the boy wizard.

Excitement for the attraction's opening hit a fever pitch this week, with park officials announcing Tuesday that advance online tickets were already sold out for today, along with VIP and front-of-line passes for Friday and
Saturday.

It's the first time the park has had to cut off online ticket sales.

A limited number of admission tickets are expected to be available for purchase at the Universal Studios gates today. Lines at the park are expected to form early as Potter fanatics try to be among the first to explore the
immersive land.

Traffic around Universal City could also be unusually heavy. Metro officials are encouraging people to take public transit, notably the Red Line subway, which has a stop in Universal City.

And just in time for the Harry Potter crowds, Metro today will debut a 400-foot, L-shaped pedestrian bridge that will take people from the Red Line stop across Lankershim Boulevard and Universal Hollywood Drive, where patrons can catch a free park shuttle up the hill to Universal Studios.

The much-anticipated attraction includes a meticulous recreation of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with features such as Professor Dumbledore's office, the Portrait Gallery and the Defence Against the Dark Arts
classroom.

The surrounding Hogsmeade village includes shops such as Honeydukes, Owl Post, Wiseacres Wizarding Equipment, Dervish and Banges, Gladrags Wizardwear and Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods.

Also included in the attraction are two rides -- the 3-D "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" and Universal Studios Hollywood's first outdoor roller coaster, "Flight of the Hippogriff."

A virtual tour is available online at www.universalstudioshollywood.com/wizardingworld.

Copyright 2016 FOX 11 Los Angeles : Download our mobile app for breaking news alerts or to watch FOX 11 News | Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . Be a citizen journalist for FOX 11 and get paid - download the Fresco News App today.