What We Can Learn From Harry And His Wizarding World
The seamless integration of technology and entertainment is the future.
“Remember, you can use your muggle cameras!”
As we wait to enter the door before us — I hear laughter and a loud series of screams from a crowd gathered down the street from us. I feel the heat. Must be the dragon breathing fire at Gringots, I think to myself.
I look up above my head and a sign hanging sways subtly outside the building. It says “Olivanders” in a script-like font with what looks like a wand making the “O” and then jutting out over the rest of the words. Underneath is written: “Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.”
“Again, you can use your muggle cameras,” the man says to the group this time louder to try and be heard over the gasps and screams from down the street. Then he looks and me and says, “… muggle cameras that take pictures that don’t even move…” smiling and rolling his eyes slightly.
“Be respectful to the wand master,” he continues looking directly at the group of four first-graders dressed in black robes each bearing matching patches with a Lion that read ‘Gryffindor.’ “Please no flash,” he says this time directing his gaze at the two middle aged women holding their Iphones poised for the next photo opportunity.
I’m nervous — my palms are sweaty. Its a feeling unlike anything I feel in my normal Muggle life. My heart is starting to race a bit and I smile to myself and think, “This is okay right? I’m not too old for this right?”
In the book, I share my experience in the wand choosing ceremony and as you can read below, I wasn’t the only person who was blown away (and mind you I wasn’t even selected for the wand choosing ceremony).
What is so incredible about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter?
It’s the seamless blend of technology that enhances the in-person, entertainment experience unlike nearly anything you’ve seen before. And as a fan of experiences, it offers a powerful glimpse into the future (and if it’s a predictor… we should all be psyched).
All of us have our own inner child — the little girl or boy who, like Peter Pan, never wants to grow up. If I had a terrible day as a child, be it that the kids at school were mean or I got into a fight with my parents, I would always turn to books or movies. Being able to dive into someone else’s life who had way bigger problems than I did, helped to put my life into perspective and most of the time made me forget all the bad things that had happened that day. When I was reading Harry Potter I would imagine myself as part of Harry’s friend group.
Even as I’ve become an adult, I’ve never quite lost that wide-eyed curiosity. I waited for my Hogwarts letter to arrive until I was accepted to college. The magic these stories brought to my boring life made me believe that anything was possible. When I first visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and I looked up, saw Hogwarts castle and said to myself “I’ve finally made it.” I didn’t need my acceptance letter anymore because for that day I was Hermione Granger (and I had the wand to prove it.)
And please do buy the book at Amazon.com and if you’d like a signed copy, simply message me at mkelley2@wellesley.edu and I’d be happy to sign and mail the first fifty people who ask a signed copy.
