‘Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie’ was released 17 years ago today. Director Lev L. Spiro brought 'Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie' to life as a Disney Channel Original Movie, filming primarily in San Juan, Puerto Rico between February and March 2009, with additional scenes shot in New York City and Los Angeles. Written by Dan Berendsen, the film reunited the full cast of the hit series, including Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. Austin, Maria Canals-Barrera, and David DeLuise, following the Russo family on what starts as a magic-free Caribbean vacation before the plot turns on the discovery of the Stone of Dreams, a powerful object capable of reversing any spell. Notable filming locations included the Caribe Hilton Hotel, the caves of Cueva Ventana in Arecibo, and the historic Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan. Gomez, who also contributed music tied to the project, described tracks like "Magic" as directly connected to the film's themes of spells and transforma...