Harry Potter gets a new nighttime light show at Universal

After the hugely success Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal announces a new Harry Potter nighttime light show.

Harry Potter fans are rejoicing with a recent Universal announcement. Starting on Jan. 31, Hogwarts Castle will transform into a huge nighttime light show. The new light show, The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle, follows the hugely successful holiday light show that debuted last year.

Universal announced that the Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle is scheduled for Jan. 31, Feb. 5 and Feb. 7-12. Additional dates are said to be added. Also, guests attending A Celebration of Harry Potter will get a special sneak preview.

The new nighttime show apparently focuses on the various houses in the Harry Potter series. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff will have their house colors projected on the famous Harry Potter landmark. Additionally, the lights will be set to music from the Harry Potter movies.

Similar to the Christmas show, this nighttime light show will use projection to captivate the audience. Having seen the Christmas show, this light evolution seemed highly likely. The technology allows for all types of imagery, designs and scenes to be used. It makes sense that Universal would add the new nighttime show.

Looking at the immense crowds over the holidays, Universal needs to do a better job at crowd control, though. The narrow passageway to the front of Hogwarts Castle isn’t conducive to large crowds. Fans had to get to the area early (by 5 p.m. for the dusk showing) to ensure a good view of the light show. Once in the area, you couldn’t move or you would lose your spot.

Harry Potter & Universal gets a new nighttime light show, photo by Cristine Struble

Granted, the view from the Three Broomsticks patio is nice. But that view doesn’t come with the music or a full view of the castle. Still, if you have seen the show once or don’t like crowds, this option is a good one.

Still, Universal needs to work out a better traffic flow. Even with a show that runs periodically in the evening, the first show is always crowded. Hopefully, the holiday experience will offer some improvements going into the new shows.

The Harry Potter nighttime show is a smart choice for Universal. Previously, Universal didn’t have a large scale, nighttime light show. While Disney has numerous nighttime productions, Universal always seemed lacking at night. Even with the Mardi Gras concerts and Halloween Horror Nights, the Universal theme parks could have done more.

Also, this particular nighttime light show allows for multiple showings per night. Unlike Disney shows that are a huge production, the holiday Harry Potter nighttime show was a mere seven minutes long. Even with a small fireworks display at the end, the production can be shown multiple times a night. The various showings helps to allow more people to see the show, preferable at a good vantage point.

Next: Celebration of Harry Potter at Universal Florida

While Universal only announced a handful of dates for this new nighttime show, it seems likely that the production’s timeline will expand. Going into spring break, the vacationing crowds are larger and would want to see the special production.