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

S

SpacePirate Ridley

Member
Blink Me said:
Yeah I'm surprised its taken so long for anything Marvel to appear in Paris yet since Disney can build as many attractions as they like since its only Florida and maybe Tokyo where Universal still has the rights to Marvel attractions. I guess money is always an issue with Paris though.
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Yes, having it run by "another" company (Euro Disney S.C.A.) doesn't help the things out, as they are having always money problems. Strict architectural laws in France don't help either (makes things more costly).
There was a rumour of the walt disney company buying the whole of Euro Disney S.C.A. like a year ago, don't know if that would get somewhere though.
And I think next of Ratatouille is scrapping Discoveryland's backyard (original Star Tours, Captain EO and Pizza Planet) and converting it into Star Wars land.
 
B

Borman

Member
Ended up booking tickets to WDW for the 24 hours thing. That, plus Memorial Day and Star Wars Weekends means its going to be crowded as all hell. But we managed last year the week after, which was Gay Days along with SWW, and know our way around. Already building a solid plan of attack hah.
 
J

Jailer of Hope

Member
Borman said:
Ended up booking tickets to WDW for the 24 hours thing. That, plus Memorial Day and Star Wars Weekends means its going to be crowded as all hell. But we managed last year the week after, which was Gay Days along with SWW, and know our way around. Already building a solid plan of attack hah.
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I'll be missing that and won't be there until the 26th. I did go to the one at Disneyland two years ago though. NEVER AGAIN.
 
F

Freyjadour

Member
Borman said:
Ended up booking tickets to WDW for the 24 hours thing. That, plus Memorial Day and Star Wars Weekends means its going to be crowded as all hell. But we managed last year the week after, which was Gay Days along with SWW, and know our way around. Already building a solid plan of attack hah.
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www.easywdw.com

Survival of the fittest.
 
S

SpacePirate Ridley

Member
Goldrusher said:
Total retrack. Same ride type, same layout, but brand new track everywhere. And new trains.

(California)
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So the only change is that it will be more smooth?
I remember going on it 3 years ago and didn't find it too bumpy or anything. It's not like the problems Space Mountain in Paris has, that's for sure.
 
F

Freyjadour

Member
BUNTING1243 said:
I'd certainly hope so, it's been closed for more than a year.
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BhwsTn1CcAIdhUG.jpg
 
J

Jailer of Hope

Member
So it looks like Disney is now allowing annual passholders to book FP+ times 60 days in advance without a resort stay. My next resort stay is about 80 days away but now I'm able to select FP+ day of and as far out as 5/6. I'm not sure what the limits are.
 
aparisi2274

aparisi2274

Member
Goldrusher said:
Total retrack. Same ride type, same layout, but brand new track everywhere. And new trains.

(California)
Click to expand...

SpacePirate Ridley said:
So the only change is that it will be more smooth?
I remember going on it 3 years ago and didn't find it too bumpy or anything. It's not like the problems Space Mountain in Paris has, that's for sure.
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Jailer of Hope said:
All of the walls are supposedly down so soft openings could be happening soon.
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Disneyland has officially announced March 17th as the reopening of Big Thunder Mtn Railroad.
 
aparisi2274

aparisi2274

Member
muteki said:
I'd start begging for WDW's BTM to get this, but I know it will be turned off in 6 months because they can't maintain it.
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Plus the fact that they just did a big refurb on it and what we got was an interactive queue and all the ride effects fixed and turned back on...
 
Z

zeemumu

Member
aparisi2274 said:
very cool. Let us know what you think of the final lift hill effects...
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Sure thing. I went to one of these when they finished the new Mara projection for Temple of the Forbidden Eye, except that one was done after regular hours, so they ended it at midnight. I gotta tell you, it's kind of creepy seeing Disneyland basically empty. We were one of the last people out, and Main Street had maybe 20 people on it, and a few feral cats.
 
L

LuuKyK

Member
So apparently these leaked from an MTV article just posted:

03_Hagrid-at-Hogsmeade-Station.jpg
02_Fred-Weasley.jpg
01_Buckbeak.jpg
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From screamscape:

An article just posted to MTV about the new Hogwars Express experience coming to bridge the gap between the two Universal Orlando parks also contains a few new tidbits about the experience as well as three still images that may have been captured from the window-view ride footage you’ll see on your journey from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley. It also clarifies the multi-ride experience concept as just being two separate experiences... one seen in each direction. More details are expected to be released later today so stay tuned!
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Some other details from the same article:

About the platform 9 3/4:

"I don't want to give it away, you have to experience it. But you'll see people... Transition through the wall, and you'll transition through the wall as you go to the platform," Schroder said.
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About the Hogwarts Express:

The train itself sits about 200 guests at a time, and is made to the exact size of the cabins and hallways of the train in the movies. The paint, materials and even the whistle are all movie accurate.
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About the ride:

Once on board, the execs were careful to emphasize repeatedly: It is just like the experience of actually riding a train, albeit a magical one. So unlike Universal's King Kong ride which depends on 3-D imagery and glasses, guests will be able to look out the windows and see an actual Harry Potter scene play out; and depending on where they're seated on the train, and what angle they're looking out the window, the scene will look different.
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About the Candy Trolley (!!!!):

Yeah, but what about snacks? In the movies and books, the candy trolley is an essential part of any Hogwarts Express journey. So will we have a chance to buy Chocolate Frogs during our train ride? Schroder wasn't allowed to say specifically, but did add, "You may see something like that. All I can say is that it's true to the experience in the movies." Pumpkin Pasties, here we come.
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Sounds amazing! More info coming today.
 
T

thefro

Member
LuuKyK said:
Looks like we will get more news on Potter's Diagon Alley and London on this friday (14).

Here is the teaser. Can't wait.
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Different ride each way
https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Parks/Wizarding-World-of-Harry-Potter-Hogwarts-Express.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gmSf4R2Ac4

To board the Hogwarts™ Express at King's Cross Station, you'll walk straight through a solid brick wall onto Platform 9 ¾™ where a Hogwarts™ Prefect will be waiting to lead you to your passenger compartment.

As you wind your way through the British countryside, keep watch outside your window. You never know who — or what — you might see flying, swooping or lurking just outside the train. You might encounter an adventure or two along the way as well, before alighting at Hogsmeade™ Station in Islands of Adventure.
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Departing Hogsmeade™ village in Islands of Adventure, a Hogwarts™ Prefect will guide you to your seating compartment aboard the Hogwarts™ Express.

Once on your way, get ready to encounter familiar characters and creatures from the Harry Potter™ books and films. But be sure to keep your wits about you — because mischief could materialize at any moment!

You'll enjoy scenic views of the British countryside from the train window before arriving at your destination: King's Cross Station in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ — Diagon Alley™, located inside Universal Studios Florida®
Click to expand...
 
L

LuuKyK

Member
Official PR just came out:

ALL ABOARD!

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT REVEALS NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED DETAILS ABOUT THE MAGICAL JOURNEY GUESTS WILL EXPERIENCE ABOARD THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS

Universal Creating First-Ever Experience that Will Allow Guests to Actually Ride the Iconic Train Between London and Hogsmeade – Just Like in the Books and Films

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 14, 2014) – One of the most memorable and exciting experiences from the Harry Potter series will come to life at Universal Orlando Resort this summer. Imagine:

· Being transported from the Muggle world to the wizarding world as you pass through the brick wall at King’s Cross Station to arrive at Platform 9 ¾

· Watching in amazement as the Hogwarts Express pulls into the station – its billowing steam and authentic whistle beckoning you to hop aboard

· Sitting in one of the train’s cabins with your family and friends and actually riding the Hogwarts Express – just as your favorite characters did in the Harry Potter films

· Looking outside your cabin window and enjoying a scenic, breathtaking journey through the British countryside as you encounter magical creatures, some of your favorite Harry Potter characters…and even Dementors…

Since the very first Harry Potter film, every fan has dreamed of taking the same classic journey Harry Potter did aboard the Hogwarts Express. And this summer – they will get to live it.

Today, Universal Orlando revealed never-before-released details about the Hogwarts Express experience that will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley – the all-new, magnificently themed land opening this summer. The train will connect the new land in Universal Studios Florida with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure – allowing guests with park-to-park admission to enjoy a real journey aboard the iconic locomotive.

Never before has this been done – creating an actual train ride experience to connect two spectacularly themed environments. The Hogwarts Express experience combines powerful storytelling, live special effects, lifelike animation and state-of-the-art technology to take riders on the journey of a lifetime. Guests will enjoy two completely different experiences depending on whether they’re traveling to Hogsmeade or London.

Once seated in the cabin, guests will be able to look out their windows as an incredibly authentic and magical adventure unfolds before them. They’ll see Hagrid come alongside the train on his flying motorbike, Buckbeak the Hippogriff swoop gracefully over the black lake, the Weasley twins on brooms and up to their usual antics, the Knight Bus swerving through London traffic – and other special moments and surprises.

Universal’s Creative team has been working closely with Warner Bros., Stuart Craig and the production team from the Harry Potter films to create a sensational Hogwarts Express experience that the entire family can enjoy. The Creative team has gone to great lengths to ensure the experience is true to the books and films. Everything about the train is authentic – from the paint and the materials used to build it….all the way down to the whistle.

Park-to-park admission is required to experience the Hogwarts Express journey from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley (located in Universal Studios Florida) to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade (located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure). For more information about the Hogwarts Express – including a new video that features a first-look at the ride experience – and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, visit http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.

About the Harry Potter Series
Harry Potter continues to be a global phenomenon. Each of the seven books by author J.K. Rowling has broken sales records, with the series to date having sold over 450 million copies worldwide and translated into 77 languages. The Harry Potter films, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, have grossed more than $7.7 billion to date worldwide at the box office, making Harry Potter the largest-grossing film franchise in history.

About Universal Orlando Resort
Vacation like you mean it at Universal Orlando Resort – where every heart pounding, jaw-dropping, goose-bumping second counts. It is the only place where you can turn spending time with your family into spending time as a family. Together, you can soar above Hogwarts with Harry Potter, swing above the streets with Spider-Man, become a Minion in the hilarious and heartwarming Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride, and join Optimus Prime in the fight to save mankind on the new mega-attraction, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride – 3D. And, coming this summer, you can step into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.
Click to expand...

Here is the first look at the Hogwarts Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gmSf4R2Ac4
 
S

SpacePirate Ridley

Member
Holy mother of god, all of the Hogwarts Express ride is absolutely nuts.
Strange system to let people pass through walls.
Window system that will show scenes at different angles upping the technology seen in King Kong.
Ride changes depending you go one way or the other.
And even hints of the trolley!

This is how you do a land based on a famous franchise. Im going to laugh when Disney fails to do the same thing with Avatar land, and the thing is, is not even the fault of the Imagineers that they are not going to accomplish the same thing, but that nobody will give a fuck, at least not on the same level, to be as amazed with what they see in the Avatar thingy. "oh, it looks pretty" its the only thing they are going to accomplish, because nobody gives a fuck about the mythos in Avatar, while people love the mythos in Harry Potter.
The land itself doenst even look anything remarkable, a boat ride and something 3D riding dragons. WOW, like i've never seen something similar! smh... It's sad becuase they did amazing things with Star Wars and Twilight Zone, even though they were only rides and not whole lands.
Good job Disney, I don't even know what you were thinking when you decided to let James Cameron convince you in making Pocahontas land.

The worse thing of all, all what's happening hurts, because I love Disney theme parks. :(
Hope a good competition makes them think better in a few years at least.
 
G

Gunstarheroes

Member
SpacePirate Ridley said:
Holy mother of god, all of the Hogwarts Express ride is absolutely nuts.
Strange system to let people pass through walls.
Window system that will show scenes at different angles upping the technology seen in King Kong.
Ride changes depending you go one way or the other.
And even hints of the trolley!

This is how you do a land based on a famous franchise. Im going to laugh when Disney fails to do the same thing with Avatar land, and the thing is, is not even the fault of the Imagineers that they are not going to accomplish the same thing, but that nobody will give a fuck, at least not on the same level, to be as amazed with what they see in the Avatar thingy. "oh, it looks pretty" its the only thing they are going to accomplish, because nobody gives a fuck about the mythos in Avatar, while people love the mythos in Harry Potter.
The land itself doenst even look anything remarkable, a boat ride and something 3D riding dragons. WOW, like i've never seen something similar! smh... It's sad becuase they did amazing things with Star Wars and Twilight Zone, even though they were only rides and not whole lands.
Good job Disney, I don't even know what you were thinking when you decided to let James Cameron convince you in making Pocahontas land.

The worse thing of all, all what's happening hurts, because I love Disney theme parks. :(
Hope a good competition makes them think better in a few years at least.
Click to expand...

Sadly, every other Disney park is pumping out quality stuff. They realized that Disney World can just coast, and the average park-goer just won't care. Its a real bummer, but it is how it is right now.
 
O

overcast

Member
zeemumu said:
Big Thunder was having problems. Didn't get to ride it today :/
Click to expand...
Terrible.
Gunstarheroes said:
Sadly, every other Disney park is pumping out quality stuff. They realized that Disney World can just coast, and the average park-goer just won't care. Its a real bummer, but it is how it is right now.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I hope we don't get Avatar anything in California. Just want new rides, maybe Star Wars can be the next substantial bit in Disneyland.
 
F

Freyjadour

Member
TheBatman said:
Disney World got new Fantasyland, Elsa and Anna are on their way permanent now, so yeah, full coasting mode for half a decade after this.
Click to expand...

Magic Kingdom? Oh yeah. Nothing but the least maintenance possible will happen for a veritable eon now. It would have been sort of okay if Space Mountain had gotten the Disneyland treatment and Snow White / Mr. Toad hadn't been lost.

Every other park is in dire straights as far as rides go though. AK might be fine in 2020 as a half day park once Avatar is done. Epcot is a mess when there isn't a Festival going on. HS has exactly 6 rides and that's including the shit show that is the current Backlot Tour.
 
T

The Xtortionist

Member
Freyjadour said:
Magic Kingdom? Oh yeah. Nothing but the least maintenance possible will happen for a veritable eon now. It would have been sort of okay if Space Mountain had gotten the Disneyland treatment and Snow White / Mr. Toad hadn't been lost.

Every other park is in dire straights as far as rides go though. AK might be fine in 2020 as a half day park once Avatar is done. Epcot is a mess when there isn't a Festival going on. HS has exactly 6 rides and that's including the shit show that is the current Backlot Tour.
Click to expand...

Shhhh, no tears, only Gringotts now
 
S

SpacePirate Ridley

Member
Gunstarheroes said:
Sadly, every other Disney park is pumping out quality stuff. They realized that Disney World can just coast, and the average park-goer just won't care. Its a real bummer, but it is how it is right now.
Click to expand...

Still that quality stuff is coming slowly. Pumping is what Universal is doing. Its incredible the rate they are working to get things done.
4 years to open ratatouille ride in Paris, that's incredibly slow, and let's see if the continue with something fast when they finish in august.
The best expansion was done in California Adventure.
 
Z

zeemumu

Member
overcast said:
Terrible.
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I'm going to try again maybe sometime this week or next week since I'll have most of both off due to finals.

I don't think the California Disneyland and Universal Studios are in as much competition with each other as the Florida parks. They're both limited by space so putting something new in usually requires taking out something. It's mostly been modifications of old rides like mansion, space mountain, indiana jones, and big thunder. California Adventure has a couple of "meh" attractions that could be scrapped and replaced though. The Muppets show has been fading into obscurity for a while.
 
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