A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

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thunder
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A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by thunder » Thu Jan 19, 2017 4:18 pm

I got this via Google alert:
http://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potte ... er-106546/
Harry Potter actor Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) has been announced to attend next weekend's A Celebration of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort, joining Warwick Davis and Matthew Lewis, already previous announced. The full schedule of events, including the Q&A sessions with the three actors, (...) from January 27-29, 2017.
https://www.universalorlando.com/events ... rview.aspx

Not sure it's a regular "convention", but it felt right to post it here. :D

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Helen8 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 6:56 pm

Aargh! I'm moving that weekend.

Plus, it's too short notice for airfares. Sure would've been nice.

Thanks for the link, thunder.

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Marie
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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Marie » Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:40 pm

Apparently they talked Tom Felton into coming also! I'll be going but I dread how crowded it will be. I tried to resist..... but resistance is futile! It's been a while since I've had a butter beer. :yip

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Helen8 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:13 pm

Marie, we went to Universal Studios Hollywood last October. As soon as we finished the Wizarding World of HP ride, we bee-lined to the restaurant and ordered our butterbeers. Just as we remembered them. Yum! Jason and butterbeer. Worth putting up with the crowds. :D

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Marie
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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Marie » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:19 pm

I'm going to pass on the Turkey leg this time! But Butter Beer yum (do I even want to know how many calories are in one of those things?????)

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by thunder » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:53 pm

I think the name Butterbear speaks for itself... better not think about calories.

..and also: yeay, you are going! :wheee

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Marie
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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Marie » Wed Jan 25, 2017 8:26 am

I'm very excited!!!! I can't wait to go on the Escape from Gringots ride. I haven't been to Universal since it opened. Oh and I hope we can see that guy we all seem to like! :D

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by thunder » Wed Jan 25, 2017 11:38 am

I hope you'll see him too! But the rest will be great anyway. Looks like a great event (probably a lot of people). :D

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Helen8 » Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:01 pm

I'm excited for you, too! Enjoy yourself! :wheee

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by thunder » Mon Jan 30, 2017 1:40 pm

Did you go? How was it? :D

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Chari910 » Mon Jan 30, 2017 3:40 pm

Marie and I grabbed the last Celebration Package! We stayed at the Loews Portofino Hotel which happens to be the same hotel as all the talent.

Our package included an Exclusive Q&A session and express entrance to all exhibits.
On Friday we went to the Q&A at the Toon Lagoon Amphitheatre.
http://imageshack.com/a/img923/8554/ARC2CH.jpg

They took questions from the audience. Jason was funny, witty and eloquent as usual. Tom Felton blamed everything on Lucius. Matthew Lewis was shy and Warwick Davis was HILARIOUS!

There are several video posted on the net.


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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Chari910 » Mon Jan 30, 2017 3:54 pm

On Friday evening there was an Opening ceremony at the big Music Plaza Stage where they introduced all the HP partners like, Pottermore, MInaLima ( the HP graphic artists), Video from Eddie Redmayne talking about Fantastic Beasts. ( There will be 5 more movies!) then at the end they brought out the actors. Jason had Lucius cane with him the the crowd just loved it.
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/3237/aUKpNH.jpg

It was too short. They didn't do any interview then.

On Saturday, Marie and I rode several rides since we had the express pass. We also walked through the HP Expo which was interesting but so very crowded.

Later... flight taking off now.

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Chari910 » Mon Jan 30, 2017 4:26 pm

Jason was so kind and gave us tickets to the other 2 Exclusive Q&A's on Sat and Sun as well. The questions are repetitive at times
What would your Patronus be? Jason answered 'Donald Trump's hair once and 'bedbug' the second time. :brows

Then there was the Q&A on the big stage after which we got to see him. They had an hour break before the next event so the guys all wanted to go and ride roller-coasters. At first Jason balked at walking thru Potterland but he finally agreed to go with the group. It was a rather large entourage with maybe 15 people. Each celeb got a handler from Universal and from Warner Bros., security people clearing the way for them. Jason is a head taller than all except there was a guy who must be 6&1/2 feet tall so he kept walking behind him. LOL. Very few people recognized them and their jaws dropped. Few got them on camera. They took us thru the VIP entrance to the front of the line of Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley.
Jason got a tip that the best seats are the last row of each car so we got in the last row. He was sandwiched between Marie and myself. Tom Felton was also in the same car.
The ride ended too soon... :shock:
Still kicking myself for not getting a photo of the ride.
This was afterwards

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/8206/1Uwxla.jpg

Jason did say the The Forbidden Journey was his favorite ride but they were all ready for the REAL roller-coaster.
They picked Dragon Challenge much to my disappointment since I will never be able to ride that in a million years even
With the chance of riding it with Jason. ;-)
We had to go to the Island of Adventures part since the Dragons are in there so we rode the Hogwarts Express
They reserved the last caboose for the entourage and Marie and I rode with Jason.
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/5489/oAiOUn.jpg
We passed Malfoy Manor along the way but of course Lucius wasn't home, he was on the train with us
:cool:

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Re: A Celebration of Harry Potter Universal Orlando Resort

Post by Chari910 » Mon Jan 30, 2017 4:42 pm

Before the ride they 'searched' everyone and made sure there won't be any loose items falling from the pockets, etc.
Jason was very unwilling to let go of his glasses. :cool:
Marie had the guts to go and she got to ride in the front row of the Horntail with Jason and Tom.
She did get very dizzy afterwards!! But said it was worth it.

Then they all had to get back to the stage for the Living Tribute.

On Sunday, it was rainy and cold and ugly but we trekked to another. Exclusive Q&A. One woman wants Jason to run for our president. Many Brazilian girls are avid Tom Felton fans. Jason told stories about how he came up with Lucius look and the crowd just ate it up. He also talked about how David Yates consulted with him about how to end Lucius. They did shoot the scene where Lucius was trampled by the Deatheaters but the next day David called Jason and said it wouldn't work since the next scene Voldemort and Harry landed in that courtyard so they had to come up with another ending for Lucius. They had rainy and cold weather during that shoot for weeks and most of the time just sat around in a tent. Jason said he could listen to Julie Walters forever. Warwick said Michael Gambon told stories that he couldn't repeat, LOL.

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