December 23, 2013 - On the Go in MCO

Harry Potter Stars James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, and Evanna Lynch

to Appear at A Celebration of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort

3-Day Event to Feature a Harry Potter Tribute, Cast Member Q&A’s,
Wand Combat Masterclass, Pottermore Demonstrations and More

Harry Potter film stars James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and Evanna Lynch are slated to appear at “A Celebration of Harry Potter” – a special event hosted by Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment that will celebrate all of Harry’s adventures, from the beloved books to the feature films. Creative talent also set to appear includes KazuKibuishi, the award-winning artist who recently re-imagined the Harry Potter book covers, and Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina ofMinaLima, who established the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter films.

From January 24 – 26, 2014 at Universal Orlando, fans will enjoy unforgettable experiences – including a Harry Potter Tribute on Friday night, a Harry Potter Expo, panel discussions with film talent and crew, and more. Additional details about “A Celebration of Harry Potter” will be released early next year.

Access to “A Celebration of Harry Potter” is included with regular theme park admission or with an annual pass. Those without an annual pass can experience the full offering with a 3-day park-to-park ticket. Admission into panel events will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

A Celebration of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Event Details

A CELEBRATION OF HARRY POTTER PANEL DISCUSSIONS

The panels will be held in a theater-style setting and will include discussions and Q&A’s with Harry Potter film talent and crew. Admission into the theaters will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Specific panel times will be released at a later date.

A Harry Potter Tribute

“A Celebration of Harry Potter” will kick off with a special evening event starring several cast members of the Harry Potter film series and award-winning artist Kazu Kibuishi, who recently re-imagined the Harry Potter book covers for Scholastic and beautifully captured pivotal scenes from the enchanting Harry Potter stories. Guests will enjoy film clips, Q&A sessions with cast members, and get a glimpse of new details about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, opening summer 2014.

My Life on the Harry Potter Film Set: Talent Q&A’s

Actors from the Harry Potter films share what it’s like to work on a major motion picture and be part of film history.

Duelling Demonstration & Wand Combat Masterclass with Paul Harris

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter will present a spellbinding masterclass with the world’s only Wand Combat Choreographer, Paul Harris. Paul choreographed the epic battle scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and will be on hand to teach you the technique behind wielding a wand.

Graphic Design for the Harry Potter Films with MinaLima

Graphic designers Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina from the studio MinaLima will discuss their ten-year involvement in establishing the visual graphic style on the film productions of Harry Potter and present some of the iconic props they created for the films, including the Marauder’s Map, the Daily Prophet and The Quibbler.

Bringing the Harry Potter Films to the Theme Park – Set and Prop Design of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter film and theme park Set Designer Alan Gilmore and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Prop Master Eric Baker will present a look at how ideas move from the books to screen, and then become real-life theme park experiences.

Go Behind the Scenes of Pottermore.com from J.K. Rowling

Pottermore’s Creative Director gives an exclusive insight into the creation of Moment artwork for Pottermore.com, and a look at the next installment of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Plus, get ready for an exclusive reveal as he shares his favorite upcoming new entry from J.K. Rowling.

A Celebration of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Expo Booths

The Harry Potter Expo will be held inside a Universal Orlando soundstage and will be open to guests throughout the weekend. The expo will include booths and exhibits that will give guests deeper insight into the various manifestations of the Harry Potter series.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Guests will get an up-close look at the artistry and craftsmanship that went into creating the iconic costumes that have appeared throughout the Harry Potter film series. They will also have the opportunity to get sorted into Hogwarts houses during a Sorting Hat experience.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

This interactive experience will feature a duelling presentation by the world’s only Wand Combat Choreographer, Paul Harris.

MinaLima

Limited edition artworks and reproductions based on original prop designs will be on display, including iconic pieces, such as the Marauder’s Map and the Daily Prophet. A selection of original graphic props from the films will also be on display, and on-hand to meet guests will be Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima.

Pottermore from J.K. Rowling

Go behind the scenes of Pottermore.com from J.K. Rowling. Find out how Moments from Harry’s story are created from the first sketch to the final splash of color, get an exclusive look at artwork that has not yet been released, and experience Pottermore.com for yourself – defeat your opponent in a wizard’s duel or try your hand at brewing magical draughts and potions.

Scholastic

Celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and share your message about what Harry Potter means to you. Award-winning artist Kazu Kibuishi, who recently reimagined the Harry Potter book covers, will be signing posters at limited times throughout the weekend.

United States Postal Service

Guests can check out the limited-edition Harry Potter collection of 20 new Forever stamps, featuring images of Harry Potter, the extraordinary boy wizard, and the adventures he encounters with the friends, heroes, villains and creatures that make up his world. Also, see collectible products featuring the stamps, meet the stamp art director, and get special cancellation postmarks commemorating this celebration.

For more information about the event and tickets, visit www.universalorlando.com/celebration.

Recently I participated in my second non-Disney race at SeaWorld with the Vanessa Welch Reindeer Run. This three mile fun run was a great Christmas themed race through SeaWorld Orlando. It was a nice morning to start the Reindeer Run at 7:15am with a temp in the low 60s and slightly overcast skies. Not really knowing how this was going to be organized in comparison to most of my other races, I decided to get to the race at 6:30 so I could find my way around and meet up with my friend Doug. We found each other about half an hour before start time and got in the corral for joggers. There was also a corral for walkers scheduled to start about 15 minutes after the jogging participants.

Tons of people dressed up for this race, possibly a greater percentage of runners than for any other race in which I’ve participated. There were especially a lot of reindeer antler headbands for the Reindeer Run. This made for a fun atmosphere at the start of the race, which was a bit quieter than I was used to without a DJ to warm up the crowd and play music.

The first mile of the Reindeer Run was in the SeaWorld parking lot, then the rest of the three mile run was almost entirely in the park itself. There were so many cool things to see throughout the park like the Sea of Tree lights and the fountains, Santa Claus was there for pictures and there were decorations and lights on the course.

Race registration is only $25 and a portion goes to charity. There is no medal for this race, but you do get a long sleeve shirt with the Reindeer Run logo. I would definitely do this race again. It was a lot of fun and there were a lot of great things to see along the way. This was a great way to see SeaWorld and to get in the holiday spirit while contributing to charity. There were also costume contests after the race as well as a free kids run. I highly recommend this race if you’re looking for something fun to do next December. Have you done the Reindeer Run before? What were your thoughts?