<P> The first phase was officially announced for Islands of Adventure on May 31, 2007, and after a two - and - a-half - year construction period, the area officially opened to the public on June 18, 2010 . The area's flagship attraction is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, which exists within a re-creation of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . It takes riders on a journey through Harry Potter's wizarding world . Other attractions include Dragon Challenge, a now - closed pair of inverted roller coasters, and Flight of the Hippogriff, a family roller coaster . The area also features a re-creation of Hogsmeade containing many gift shops and restaurants from the novels including Dervish and Banges, Honeydukes, Ollivanders, Zonko's Joke Shop (though it houses Honeydukes), the Three Broomsticks, and the Hog's Head . </P> <P> The second phase was initially announced on December 6, 2011, as a significant expansion of the existing Wizarding World of Harry Potter . On May 8, 2013, it was officially announced that a substantial portion of phase two would be constructed in the adjacent Universal Studios Florida theme park with a full scale working replica of the Hogwarts Express taking guests between the two lands . This phase's flagship attraction is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, a 3D dark ride / simulator based on Gringotts Bank, the wizarding bank that appears in the book and film series . The attraction's design is similar to Transformers: The Ride and the Amazing Adventures of Spider - Man rides but built on a roller coaster track . The remaining attractions are themed around London and Diagon Alley . Diagon Alley officially opened on July 8, 2014 . </P> <P> A Harry Potter themed attraction at a Universal Studios park or a Disney park was rumored in 2003 . However, the rights to the Harry Potter franchise had been acquired by Warner Bros., who denied all the rumors . In 2001, Time Warner used this license to construct and operate the Harry Potter Movie Magic Experience at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast, Australia . The attraction was a small indoor walkthrough featuring many re-creations of locations in the first two movies . After two years of operation this attraction was removed . </P> <P> The Walt Disney Company and Universal entered bidding negotiations with Warner Bros. and Rowling for the theme park rights to Harry Potter in the United States . In 2004, Rowling signed a letter - of - intent with Disney, with the company intending to develop a Harry Potter section within the Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World . Ultimately, Disney pulled out of negotiations, citing that Rowling's creative influence and the terms established by Warner Bros. was too stringent . </P>

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