The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
An inquiry of the latest addition to Universal Studios Hollywood and the scores of visitors who have already fallen in love
“The stories we love do live in us forever, so whether you come back by the page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” -J.K. Rowling
Many of us millennials grew up reading Harry Potter, watching the movies, or doing a mixture of both. Some of us have done neither, but still know about the plots or characters of the franchise because of close friends’ or family members’ interests. There was a time when it was a challenge to escape the seemingly constant talk of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
On April 7, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — one of the themed lands in Universal Studios Hollywood— opened to the public. Like the land in Orlando, Los Angeles’ Wizarding World features its own Hogwarts castle, Hogsmeade village, well-known shops, and exciting rides. Visitors can sample a trademarked butterbeer from the cart, purchase their own wands at Ollivanders, and have some family fun on the Flight of the Hippogriff.
It appears that SoCal heat aside, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the perfect place for a muggle to express their love for the franchise through media pilgrimage. But what created a such an insatiable hunger for magic? Why are there two of the same park?
Logistically speaking, of course there is a need for one type of park to be on both ends of the country. People like things that are convenient. There is an Universal studios in Orlando, and there is an Universal Studios in Los Angeles, so why not try to fill them with the same attractions?
All that being said, the answer goes deeper than simply convenience. The answer, perhaps like the reason Harry is protected from Voldemort, is love.
Fandom. Community. Sharing. Love. Together, these words are what it means to have grown up loving Harry Potter. Someone who has read Rowling’s books, seen every movie, and dressed as their favorite character for Halloween is someone who has fallen in love with Harry Potter and takes pride in their love: a fan.
Abercrombie and Longhurst’s continuum of fandom defines fans based on intensity of interest, casual consumers being the least intense and producers being the most. In between are enthusiasts and fans, the target market of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
An enthusiast shows just enough interest in the material in question to be set apart from ordinary people, but not enough to, say, spend hundreds of dollars on materials for a Comic-Con costume. A fan’s dedication is much stronger. A fan is willing to seek out forums and communities to share their excitement (the social aspect of fandom), but also delights in giving their own meanings to media texts (the interpretive side). Being a fan is more than getting excited about a new movie. Being a fan is developing a personal relationship with what you find interesting.
However, life in the fandom isn’t always peachy keen. Fans are often pushed to the outskirts of society, especially when they are not sports fans, and labeled as geeky, nerdy, weird, or obsessive. This leads many fandoms to find solace in joining online communities (Tumblr being an excellent example of where to find fans) and at events where the purpose of attending is to nerd out (conventions).
In everyday culture, publicly expressing love for something that isn’t a player or team is frowned upon. For example, students don’t go shouting about Harry Potter or The Hunger Games or Doctor Who in the middle of Dillin, but everybody yells SeeeeeaaaaHAWKS during football season. There is a mixed message being sent: you can acceptably be a fan, you just have to be a fan of the right thing.
Hopefully, the existence of two Harry Potter theme parks will change the situation. After all, it is more than okay to be a part of a fandom and publicly show your appreciation for whatever it is you love.
