Dark Arts Light Up the Wizarding World To Kick Off Spring

By: Sabina Graves

A new light spectacular evilly electrifies the Hogwarts Castle in Hogsmeade to favor Death Eaters and rebellious Wizards and Witches alike at Universal Studios Hollywood. Runners prepare for a Minion Run, "Jurassic World-The Ride" opening is announced and Halloween Horror Nights reveals a new "Stranger Things" maze.

The Darks Arts

For Spring Break the Wizarding World kicked off the season with the premiere of the Dark Arts light show on Hogwarts castle. Witches, Wizards and Muggles alike took part in a spellbinding premiere event before the spectacular debuted during regular operating hours.

The premiere party invited guests to attend a special feast filled with dining options that included something for the whole family and was super diet-restrictions friendly. Options like grilled salmon, chicken with veggies and salad were fantastic options for those with gluten sensitivities. There was also an array of veggie sides and options. Once inside the land you were also greeted by dessert tables filled with Wizarding world treats like Butterbeer Pot de Creme and Jaffa cakes! Our favorite part was that Butterbeers were limitless! That’s right--regular, frozen, and hot butterbeer were offered all night for as long as you could handle the Harry Potter favorite drink! Honestly we tried to have at least one of each kind including the desert and the sugar was too much but SO GOOD! Overall the dining party aspect of the event is definitely Universal bringing their themed A-game to attract theme park foodies! Everything was tasty and foodstagrammable!

For the rest of the evening you got access to all of Wizarding World with no lines to the attractions like the Flight of the Hippogriff, Ollivanders and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. These were so much fun to do with friends dressed up as characters from the films. The Death Eater vibe was so present during the event and Universal did such a good job at creating an event that felt very intimate and special for Harry Potter fans. And the event also included early access to new commemorative wands before their release to the public.

 

The total immersion into the atmosphere of the Wizarding World didn’t stop there. The magic of the Dark Arts on Hogwarts Castle is such a game changer for the light shows we’ve seen so far. The creative team goes to ingenuitive places with the use of new technology like drones and practical effects like fog to expand their canvas on the castle. In the show we see the dark imagery of the Harry Potter stories like the bold iconography of Borgin and Burkes, the creatures who we fear and the legends of the Deathly Hallows all before the light comes in to restore the balance in the world. The show itself isn’t just exclusive to an event like this. Visitors can see it on select nights this spring and in the summer and it’s a not to be missed event for any Harry Potter fan.

Minion Run

We’re also really excited about the upcoming 5K marathon happening at Universal. With the Minion Run marathon enthusiasts have a new destination to bring their community to. And honestly, I’m not much of a runner but the idea that you can work out through a real life studio with friends and family sounds like a blast. You can run through real life sets like the War of the World set and Bates Motel. The event will take place May 11^th (Sold Out) and May12^th and runners 5 years and older can sign up here: runninguniversal.com

 

New Rides

"Jurassic World-The Ride" will be opening this summer! The classic ride at Universal Studios is now re-imagined with an original new storyline that takes place within the universe of the films. This time, riders will experience the park like in the Jurassic World films on the day that the Indominus Rex escapes. The ride will include not only the Indo-Rex but also the Mosassaurus and others while on the water raft ride with a treacherous 84-foot waterfall as the sole means of escape.

Halloween Horror Nights

Also recently announced is the return of the "Stranger Things" maze to Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights. The all-new maze for the 2019 haunt season will feature storylines inspired by season 2 and 3 of the hit Netflix show. So be sure to catch up with Straner Things season 3 this July before the maze opens in the fall on both coasts! This maze will also be featured at Universal Studios Orlando!

Tell Us What You Think

We’re so excited about all the new things happening all year long at Universal Studios Hollywood! Are you excited to visit during the Dark Arts at the Wizarding World? Or planning to make it to this summer’s opening of the new "Jurassic World" ride? Maybe looking forward to the thrills at Halloween Horror Nights with a trip to the Upside Down? Let us know in the comments below!!