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Theme Parks & Roller Coasters |OT| The Happiest Place on GAF

aparisi2274

aparisi2274

Member
Well, I was hoping for a walk through of some kind, but I have a feeling that it probably doesnt look like much right now, so they did not want to show it.

I am glad they discussed the shops going in and confirmed the rumor that Zonko's was closing...

I hope they do another webcast in like April or something and have a walk through then.
 
L

Linkified

Member
Zebra said:
I watched all of that awkward, well paid, adjective pile-up for nothing.
Click to expand...

You got clarification of shops/dining/concept art - that is all that anybody was expecting, more concept art for three shops they announced but didn't have concept art for will drop with the announcement of opening date, and Knockturn won't have anything until opening.
 
L

LuuKyK

Member
Shit, I missed the potter webcast. Is there a place to rewatch it? Even if its just concept arts, I really wanted to see it.

Also, I am bad at this time of the year you americans use. What does summer 2014 means? July?
 
aparisi2274

aparisi2274

Member
Looking at the renders again for the Gringotts ride, I wonder if the ride will be on an actual vehicle, or if the vehicle is attached to a Kukla arm like over at Forbidden Journey....
 
aparisi2274

aparisi2274

Member
The Xtortionist said:
It's a coaster ride system. Think two well-themed Mummy cars attached to each other, with stadium seating.
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I have all the faith in the world that they'll deliver an awesome experience, but if they can recreate the huge underground cavern that houses the vaults, I will shit myself with excitement... :)
 
T

The Xtortionist

Member
aparisi2274 said:
I have all the faith in the world that they'll deliver an awesome experience, but if they can recreate the huge underground cavern that houses the vaults, I will shit myself with excitement... :)
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They will. Expect huge sets and enormous screens that will exist purely to sell the environment. Also expect a Simpsons-size 3d IMAX dome :)
 
T

The Xtortionist

Member
Here's an old Gringotts RV concept that was leaked by Theme Park Insider. The actual RVs are said to be extremely similar.

potter-usf-car-front.jpg
 
T

The Xtortionist

Member
Listening to the Orlando United Radio podcast where Hatetofly is divulging some rumored Kong details

-Two RVs dispatched in tandem. Front RV has 5-6 rows of guests with a live actor playing a driver. Previous intel from Hatetofly implied the driver will be killed or otherwise removed from the equation at a certain scene.

-Second RV has 7-8 rows of seats, no driver. Attraction aiming for very high capacity.

-Entrance will be where the JP T-Rex photo op is now. Guests will make their way underground in a highly-themed queue. Load outside.

-Scenes 1, 2, 3, all outdoors

-Transition from scene 3 (outdoors) to 4 (indoors) by passing through "the great wall", as in Jackson's film.

-Eventually transition back outside

-Epilogue-style scene after unload

-Scene 4A, many AAs attack vehicle from both sides, insect projections. After escaping, vehicle may lose control/traction, arrive in cave (bat cave). Said to be visually fucking amazing. Compares with Gringotts.

-Scene 5, arrival of Kong, immense number of projectors, far more than Transformers, comparable to Gringotts

-Impressive physical element in later scene that fans will appreciate
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Next podcast will go in-depth on Gringotts now that Universal has begun the flow of info.

edit - more info:

-Universal still kicking around removal of Monsters Cafe. Probable replacement will be NEST-themed Transformers restaurant with Energon. Energon said to have been very successful in USH.

-Universal wants to continue improving counter-service options, following in footsteps of Fast Food Boulevard

-Interactive Transformers meet and greet at USF cancelled for unknown reasons, speculating that amount of non-English speakers devalues interactivity
Click to expand...
 
T

truly101

I got grudge sucked!
SpacePirate Ridley said:
Holy shit Universal, nothing stops this train it seems.
Disney am cry, or so I hope.
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I actually just came back from Disney World, haven't been to Universal yet (my girls aren't old enough yet)
If Disney wants, and they probably will, after seeing how HP does, they can, and should use the Star Wars license they now own, and make a park out of it. Or, have it half Marvel, half Star Wars. Put it on the same campus as the other 4 and they will be rolling in the cash
 
S

SpacePirate Ridley

Member
truly101 said:
I actually just came back from Disney World, haven't been to Universal yet (my girls aren't old enough yet)
If Disney wants, and they probably will, after seeing how HP does, they can, and should use the Star Wars license they now own, and make a park out of it. Or, have it half Marvel, half Star Wars. Put it on the same campus as the other 4 and they will be rolling in the cash
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Of couse they can, the problem is, they are not.

Im sure the imagineers have plenty of amazing ideas much better than avatar land, but the big heads are just doing nothing. Im a big fan of Disney themeparks but I want Universal to take a lot of the audience of Disney world so they wake the fuck up.
 
L

Lee Chaolan

Member
SpacePirate Ridley said:
Of couse they can, the problem is, they are not.

Im sure the imagineers have plenty of amazing ideas much better than avatar land, but the big heads are just doing nothing. Im a big fan of Disney themeparks but I want Universal to take a lot of the audience of Disney world so they wake the fuck up.
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Totally agree with this post. The MyFastpass+ seems to be a disaster so far (see all the comments on facebook, etc), and the whole nonsense with the refillable mugs was laughable.
 
T

truly101

I got grudge sucked!
TheBatman said:
Totally agree with this post. The MyFastpass+ seems to be a disaster so far (see all the comments on facebook, etc), and the whole nonsense with the refillable mugs was laughable.
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We didn't really have a problem with it but that was mainly because the most popular rides at each park we didn't really want to ride again, except Toy Story Mania. We also found that the best time to hit a lot of the rides is during the fireworks and other end of the day festivities.

Supposedly they are working on the fastpass thing since so many people are unhappy with it.

Now, the whole Frozen character meet & greet in Epcot, that was a pretty big fuck up on Disney's part. And they were sold out of pretty much everything that had to do with the movie (which I still can't believe).
 
L

Lee Chaolan

Member
truly101 said:
We didn't really have a problem with it but that was mainly because the most popular rides at each park we didn't really want to ride again, except Toy Story Mania. We also found that the best time to hit a lot of the rides is during the fireworks and other end of the day festivities.
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It depends on when you go for FastPass+ Gonna be hell during the busier months for that service if they don't change something.

TSM is crazy all day even during shows, but with as much as I like it, I'll never pass a Fantasmic showing for it.

Did you use the Magic Bands? How did you like them if so?

truly101 said:
Now, the whole Frozen character meet & greet in Epcot, that was a pretty big fuck up on Disney's part. And they were sold out of pretty much everything that had to do with the movie (which I still can't believe).
Click to expand...

What were the waiting times to see Elsa and Anna? I imagine they have to be insane. Disney must not have anticipated Frozen doing as well as it did with the lack of Merch at the parks. Even Disney Stores (mine at least) had just a small little section.
 
Z

zeemumu

Member
First Disneyland trip of the year today. I'm going by myself but that's okay. I have to say, I loved Haunted Mansion Holiday and all of the renovations that they did to it since last year, but it'll be nice to go through the classic mansion again for the first time since September.
 
L

Linkified

Member
truly101 said:
I actually just came back from Disney World, haven't been to Universal yet (my girls aren't old enough yet)
If Disney wants, and they probably will, after seeing how HP does, they can, and should use the Star Wars license they now own, and make a park out of it. Or, have it half Marvel, half Star Wars. Put it on the same campus as the other 4 and they will be rolling in the cash
Click to expand...

They can't use Marvel in the Orlando resort though. Perpetuity contracts and all that jazz.
 
M

muteki

Member
The next trip down to WDW will be the first we have done with MDE, and I had the pleasure of linking my reservation and setting it up the other day. Apparently I have two wives with the same name and all our tickets/cards/bands are distributed among our group in a nonsensical fashion.

It looks like I will be on the phone with Disney's IT department soon, the very idea of such a thing is hilarious.
 
J

Jailer of Hope

Member
TheBatman said:
What were the waiting times to see Elsa and Anna? I imagine they have to be insane. Disney must not have anticipated Frozen doing as well as it did with the lack of Merch at the parks. Even Disney Stores (mine at least) had just a small little section.
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After the release of the film, waits jumped anywhere from 2 to 5 hours depending on the day. Reports were saying about 5 hours during the second half of Dec.
 
T

truly101

I got grudge sucked!
Gunstarheroes said:
Holy shit, that is unreal to me. No wonder there are early talks of a re-theme to Malestrom.
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Well they might as well do a Frozen theme for it. Another crazy thing is, one of the part time employees said the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique was going to stop the Frozen makeovers in December, but they had such an outcry from parents that booked their trips for the next couple of months that they extended it through February. The only place that had any of the dolls was Animal Kingdom, and they sold out while we were there. We didn't realize that while we were there so we found out the hard way. I've thought about emailing Disney about it because we had promised our eldest daughter that she could use her money to buy the Elsa doll during the trip, thats why she didn't get one for Christmas. That was not a fun moment.
 
M

muteki

Member
SmithnCo said:
And if anything could use an overhaul, it's Maelstrom. Definitely showing its age.
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Disappear! Disappear!

Hopefully the work they did on the waves after the second drop will still be working next time I'm down there. Their track record for effects involving water is not so good.

Recently saw promo footage of the ride shortly after/before opening and the amount of smoke/waves/tesla coil amazed me.
 
aparisi2274

aparisi2274

Member
Hasn't Disney been toying with the idea of converting Malestrom into some sort of Frozen attraction?

I remember reading something about how they were so taken aback by the success of the movie, that they immediately wanted to capitalize on its success by converting the ride to something from the movie...
 
L

Lee Chaolan

Member
The Disney purists seems to be in full revolt against the idea of rethemeing Malestrom. Then again, those are purists. If something like Mr. Toad's ride can be turned into the Pooh Bear ride, with the huge success Frozen is. I think it'd be a waste to not add some sort of Frozen themeing to the attraction.

I've been on Malestrom probably about a dozen times and definitely enjoy it. I can imagine a Frozen makeover making it even more special.
 
X

Xun

Member
Freyjadour said:
Creepy kid gutting the fish is the best.
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SmithnCo said:
jlTebrNIMEfxg.jpg
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Haha, brilliant.

I've never actually noticed him before.

TheBatman said:
The Disney purists seems to be in full revolt against the idea of rethemeing Malestrom. Then again, those are purists. If something like Mr. Toad's ride can be turned into the Pooh Bear ride, with the huge success Frozen is. I think it'd be a waste to not add some sort of Frozen themeing to the attraction.

I've been on Malestrom probably about a dozen times and definitely enjoy it. I can imagine a Frozen makeover making it even more special.
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Frozen is an absolutely fantastic film, but what made Epcot special was the lack of Disney IP in the park.

I don't mind having characters from Frozen in the Norway Pavilion, but a ride? No thanks.
 
L

Lee Chaolan

Member
Xun said:
Frozen is an absolutely fantastic film, but what made Epcot special was the lack of Disney IP in the park.

I don't mind having characters from Frozen in the Norway Pavilion, but a ride? No thanks.
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True, pure Disney character themed rides end up in Magic Kingdom. and while Epcot does have a splash of the Disney IPs around world showcase (Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, Alice in England, etc.) I could see some slight Frozen festives thrown around the queue or towards the end but not a total rethemeing, seems to go against what's been done before.
 
J

Jailer of Hope

Member
So I'm thinking about a trip to either DLR or WDW in April. The week I'm planning isn't the most ideal because WDW doesn't have passholder rates for that week in particular and DLR will have Soarin', Space, and Indy shut down. Its the only week my cousin can go I can't decide. D:
 
L

Linkified

Member
TheBatman said:
The Disney purists seems to be in full revolt against the idea of rethemeing Malestrom. Then again, those are purists. If something like Mr. Toad's ride can be turned into the Pooh Bear ride, with the huge success Frozen is. I think it'd be a waste to not add some sort of Frozen themeing to the attraction.

I've been on Malestrom probably about a dozen times and definitely enjoy it. I can imagine a Frozen makeover making it even more special.
Click to expand...


Nope its because Epcot should be a 100% Toon free zone. A new LPS ride over the Norwegian Fjords sure ... Frozen characters nope get them out. Add a new ride to MK or DHS.
 
S

SmithnCo

Member
TheBatman said:
True, pure Disney character themed rides end up in Magic Kingdom. and while Epcot does have a splash of the Disney IPs around world showcase (Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, Alice in England, etc.) I could see some slight Frozen festives thrown around the queue or towards the end but not a total rethemeing, seems to go against what's been done before.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't rule it out after Nemo being put over Living Seas and Donald Duck in Rio Del Tiempo. I'd prefer a refurb of Norway without any animation IPs though.
 
T

truly101

I got grudge sucked!
Linkified said:
Nope its because Epcot should be a 100% Toon free zone. A new LPS ride over the Norwegian Fjords sure ... Frozen characters nope get them out. Add a new ride to MK or DHS.
Click to expand...

Problem there is no toons, no kids at Epcot. The Frozen characters weren't at Epcot because thats the only place they could put them. They were there to get families of young children to Epcot, thats it.
 
L

Lee Chaolan

Member
SmithnCo said:
I wouldn't rule it out after Nemo being put over Living Seas and Donald Duck in Rio Del Tiempo. I'd prefer a refurb of Norway without any animation IPs though.
Click to expand...

truly101 said:
Problem there is no toons, no kids at Epcot. The Frozen characters weren't at Epcot because thats the only place they could put them. They were there to get families of young children to Epcot, thats it.
Click to expand...

Indeed. You have the toon greeting area too in Future World. Having just a sprinkling of characters across world showcase helps gets the kids interested in touring the long circle of World Showcase.
 
L

Linkified

Member
truly101 said:
Problem there is no toons, no kids at Epcot. The Frozen characters weren't at Epcot because thats the only place they could put them. They were there to get families of young children to Epcot, thats it.
Click to expand...

So ... have something educational, if parents can't deal with it tell them to go to the Magic Kingdom. Epcot needs less young families though, the fools of TDO have destroyed Epcot over the years
 
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