Today was the last day for a classic Universal Studios Florida attraction. JAWS has now seen its last guest and officially closed its queue for good. With the live skipper, pyrotechnics and flesh-hungry shark, this attraction had plenty of thrills and excitement to offer guests. However, it seems Universal has decided the Amity area will be better suited for another purpose.
The rumor of choice for the replacement of JAWS is another Harry Potter expansion. This has been picked up and reported by several blogs and Orlando news stations, but Universal has yet to confirm. The rumored plans for the expansion would turn what was once Amity into a recreation of London. This would undeniably fit with the other themed areas of USF which include New York, San Francisco, and Hollywood. The main attractions would include a Gringotts Bank roller coaster, Leaky Cauldron restaurant and Hogwart's Express train connecting USF to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Islands of Adventure. The positioning of Amity in relation to the Wizarding World would make this no small feat and the train would have to pass through several back-of-house areas. However, a raised monorail system and faux windows in the train could create an illusion of traveling from London to Hogwarts with no real idea of the dumpsters and parking lots that are actually outside.
To get an idea of what connecting the two parks like this would entail, you can check out the screenshot below with both JAWS and WWoHP identified.
Personally, we had the (guests have) Lost (interest in this) Continent pegged for the expansion first. The loss of an icon like JAWS is something many Universal fans are taking seriously. In a final tribute to this attraction, you can check out the video below:
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