Universal Orlando announces grand opening of Wicked: The Experience

Universal Orlando Resort will take guests on a visit to Oz when Wicked: The Experience opens to the public on Saturday, November 16. The brand spanking new immersive experience promises to “thrillify” visitors just in time for the November 22 release of the highly anticipated film.

Wicked is based on the stage musical, which is based on the book by Gregory McGuire, which is based on the books (and world) created by L. Frank Baum…are you following along?

Everyone is of course familiar with the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, which nearly every child for the past 50 years or more adores. Watching The Wizard of Oz and following Dorothy’s often bumpy journey to Oz before realizing there’s no place like home is practically a rite of passage in one’s childhood.

The film (and Baum’s series of 14 books) are an unusual and thrilling mix of fantasy and some scary events (those flying monkeys are TERRIFYING) – which means they appeal to both children and adults. McGuire’s four books include Wicked (The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men and Out of Oz) are a more adult take on Baum’s tales.

Check out these photos of Wicked: The Experience:

Wicked hit the Broadway stage in 2003, with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth appearing as Elphaba (a play on the name of L. Frank Baum) and Galinda, and was a huge success. In the upcoming film version, the roles are played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Just inside the front gate at Universal Studios Florida lies a yellow brick road, and following it will take visitors on a trip to the locations contained in Wicked. There, you can experience Shiz University and the Emerald City and also see fantastic prop and costume replicas featured in the film.

While there, visitors can shop the wide variety of merchandise that includes apparel, accessories, toys, home goods and much, much more.

For more info about Wicked: The Experience, check out UniversalOrlando.com/Wicked. In the meantime, check out the photos and the film's trailer contained in this article.