Growing up, Universal Studios’ slogan “ride the movies” was so enticing. To have the opportunity to go and sit in a DeLorean for a few minutes like Marty and The Doc or ride on a boat through the waters of Amity Island as Jaws lurked below was pure magic. But there are some cinematic universes that you want to do more than just ride. You want to fully experience them, just as the characters that operate in their imaginary worlds do. Well, for all of us Muggles and wizards alike, it looks like we will finally be getting just that opportunity.

With the recent release of THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE on DVD, further details about the soon-to-be-revealed theme park The Wizarding World of Harry Potter have surfaced. The park will be a part of Universal Studio’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida and will open next spring. Check out some of the magical details about the park, as well as a special video preview, after the jump!

• From the Three Broomsticks restaurant you’ll be able to cross over into Hog’s Head pub where you’ll experience a hog’s head growling and sniffling.

• You’ll be able to buy a butterbeer, which looks just like a real beer with the froth on top, but it’ll be non-alcoholic. J.K. Rowling was at a butterbeer tasting and loved it. Steve Jayson, executive chef with Universal Parks and Resorts said, “The flavor of this is great, real comforting, nice and smooth going down – and you get a mustache.”

• In Honeyduke’s Sweetshop you’ll be able to buy Chocolate Frogs, Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes and Treacle Fudge.

• Ollivander’s Wand Shop will be an exact replica from the film.

• To get to the Dragon Challenge ride (high speed roller coaster), you’ll walk through Champion’s Tent and see various artifacts such as the Goblet of Fire.

• The Flight of the Hippogriff ride (family friendly coaster) will center around The Care of Magical Creatures Class. Hagrid will give instructions on how to properly behave and approach a hippogriff. You’ll need to keep eye contact, bow and it will bow back. Then you can get on the ride.

• Hogwart’s Castle will feature the queue to the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. The queue will feature a lot of moving portraits and will take you by or through the Defense of the Dark Arts room, the Common Room and the Great Hall.

• Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) described the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride as a condensed form of the chaos of Harry’s life. Emma Watson (Hermione) described it as the best moments from all the films.

• The actors filmed scenes specially for the new ride in the summer of 2008. A movie clapboard reveals the name of the filming as “Strongarm.” Some have speculated that refers to Universal’s partnership with RoboCoaster Ltd. and that Forbidden Journey guests will ride on some sort of robot arm, such as the one featured in the new Sum of All Thrills ride at Epcot.

• The ride will feature a life-size Whomping Willow tree and the large spiders from the movies will make an appearance.

Source Orlando Attractions Magazine via /Film