Move over John Travolta and all you one-eyed monsters, Harry Potter’s in town. It’s the next big thing since Star Wars, and it’s been long awaited.

Ever since J.K. Rowling introduced Harry Potter to the world, people have been wizard crazy. More than 460 people swarmed Border’s when the fourth book, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” was released at 12:01 a.m. on June 8, 2000. So that is a good indication of what the opening of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is going to be like across the nation.

Outside Hoyt’s Cinema at the Bangor Mall Friday morning around 11, some 20 minutes before the first showing of Harry Potter on four of the theater’s 10 screens, cars were scarce. But it wasn’t long before cars began pulling in and business started to pick up.

Young and old turned out for Harry Potter, and expectations were high. Kids had finally gotten a chance to miss school, and parents had an excuse to skip out of work.

Eddie Wilshusen, 10, and Joshua Savageau, 8, both of Hartland, were really excited about this movie, as well as the fact that they got to miss school to see it. “I am excited and I think the movie will be better than the books,” said Wilshusen, who has finished all four of the Harry Potter books.

Sarah Dougherty, 10, of Bangor and her mother Ann claimed they thought the movie would be really good. Sarah even brought her Harry Potter robe to the show.

Then along came a hardcore Harry Potter fan, 21-year-old Misty Forst of Ellsworth who has read all the Harry Potter books, not once, but twice. “I have high expectations of this movie,” she said. “The previews looked phenomenal, and so do the special effects.” She brought along a friend, Pam Frye, 17, also of Ellsworth, who had never read the books and was just going to see what it was all about.

And then there was a group of ladies in their 40s, claiming the movie looked really good and that the boy playing Harry Potter looked just like they thought he would.

Later, a sea of vehicles flooded the lot for the 1:30 p.m. showing. As the movie ended, people streamed out the doors, smiles plastered across their faces. Wizards and robed children flocked out, raving about the awesome movie they had just seen.

“It was really good. I read all the books and it was what I expected,” said Tiffany Cobb of Bangor. Sarah and Ann Dougherty thought it was really good. “It made me laugh and cry,” said Ann. Betsy McLellan, who missed school for the show, thought that it was pretty cool, and the best part was that she was first in line. Eddie Wilhausen and Joshua Savegeau were impressed with the movie and said it was as good as the book. When people were asked what their favorite part was, everyone said, “I couldn’t pick if I had to, it was all so good.”

So popular is the movie that by midafternoon the early evening shows had been sold out. More than 28 million Harry Potter books have been sold over the past few years, and the movie is expected to be a blockbuster success.

The Harry Potter series became popular with children and adults who were captivated by the adventures of the young wizard. Movie theater managers in Maine say the opening of the movie has generated more advance ticket sales than any movie in the past two years.

Earlier in the day in Saco, Harry Potter fans got their first glimpse of the new movie one minute into Friday on the movie’s first day.

Peter Coutu, an 11-year-old from Old Orchard Beach, was among the 75 or so people who attended the 12:01 a.m. showing of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” at Saco’s Cinemagic theater.

Peter wasn’t the only youngster who dragged parents to the movie, swearing on a stack of Harry Potter books that they’d get up for school and not be cranky if only they got to see Harry, Hogwarts and Quidditch.

At Saco’s Cinemagic, the movie is showing on three screens. Theater manager Robert Collins said he got about 500 phone calls Thursday asking if tickets were still available.

Aaron Stewart, 24, of Kennebunk, came to the first showing with a group of friends to avoid the hordes who were expected later in the day.

“It’s escapism,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.