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'Harry Potter' celebration at Universal Orlando will include cast Q&As, wand lessons

'A Celebration of Harry Potter' is scheduled for this January. Will it include a look at the new portion of the 'Wizarding World' park?

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Scott Audette/Reuters
A replica of Hogwarts Castle (a ride is located within) stands in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Fla.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

An event titled “A Celebration of Harry Potter” will be held for the first time at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park in Orlando, Fla. this January.

The celebration, which will be held from Jan. 24 to 26, will include question-and-answer sessions with the actors from the movies (no mentions as to which specifically), a tribute to the movies with some of the filmmakers and cast members, lessons in wand dueling from the choreographer from the movies, and the usual opportunities to take part in the park rides.

“From interactive experiences to a private evening reception and more, this exciting event will be three days of unforgettable fun for all ages,” the website reads.

One package for attending the event includes hotel stays, park tickets, and entrance to the reserved areas for the tribute, question-and-answer sessions, wand class, and other perks. One of Universal’s standard park-to-park tickets, meanwhile, will allow visitors to attend the celebration, though many of the events will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Telegraph writer Alice Vincent wondered if the celebration would also include a “soft launch” for a new part of the park, which will be based on the Diagon Alley shopping area of the books. The area will include a new ride based on the Gringotts bank found in the “Potter” series (readers will remember the heroes of the books had to escape it on a dragon at one point) as well as a new restaurant and stores.

It’s been rumored that the new portion of the park will open sometime next summer. So far, Universal has only listed 2014 as an opening date.

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