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[aparisi2274]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK ME!!!

I can not wait to get a ride on both of these attractions...

 

[The Xtortionist]

Incredible. The image quality and details in that train ride are going to be incredible considering the field of view and immersion they promised.

Because of the smaller screens, I'm wondering if they'll shoot for 4K resolution. And I'm guessing they'll stick with 60FPS? Their other screen-based rides seem to run at 60FPS or something close to it. Will also be interesting to see if motion sickness is an issue.

Also, just a heads up - Universal is set to unveil more Gringotts info on May 13th. All of Diagon Alley looks superb but I'm definitely most hyped for Gringotts. The available building space, budget, and technology should all be set to make this the most impressive themed attraction ever created. Universal just has to deliver the goods.

 

[aparisi2274]

Screamscape posted this news today from a Universal Q&A..

A few more details about the Gringotts ride and Diagon Alley ride came out last night during a team member Q&A session about the new Diagon Alley area. The ride experience itself on Gringotts is said to be approximately four minutes long and as expected, the entire main queue for the attraction will be indoors.
They would not confirm or deny the revived rumors (see this story…) that suggest interactive wands might be sold to cause certain magical things to happen around the Wizarding World, however there was also a mention about something called “dark corners” which they would not discuss.
We’ve already seen some minor changes made to the Hogsmeade side of things, with the closure of the old Zonko’s shop (and expansion of Honeydukes), and while no major details were mentioned, management did confirm that a few more changes would be made to Hogsmeade down the line.
A question also came up regarding the transportation of strollers on the Hogwarts Express ride when traveling between the parks. Only compact fold-up strollers will be allowed onto the Hogwarts Express, however guests who have rented ECVs will have to leave it at one station and pick up another one at the other station.
An exact opening date was not given at the presentation, though a Loews chairman slipped up in a presentation the other day and mentioned that Diagon Alley would have a “mid-June” opening. This falls in line with a rumored June 20th date that I’ve heard mentioned, but again… a lot can happen between now and then and Universal isn’t going to open anything until it is ready. With that in mind, if you are just dying to see Diagon Alley (and I know thousands of you are!) keep your travel plans flexible.

a 4 minute ride is a ok in my book.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Yeah, four minutes is Universal's sweet spot for themed rides. Mummy, Spidey, Transformers, and Forbidden Journey are all four minutes give or take a few seconds. And some of those rides can feel like an hour long because they're so densely packed.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Some Gringotts info came early! From Orlando Business Journal:

It just happens Muggle guests — that's you and me — are entering the marble halls of Gringotts at the same time looking to open new accounts when we are thrown into the mix of a magical battle between Harry and his friends and tons of dangers. That includes a 60-foot, fire-breathing Ukranian Ironbelly dragon atop the bank.

"You will run into some serious trouble because [Death Eater] Bellatrix Lestrange finds out there are imposters trying to impersonate her and trouble starts. That's when we are sent deeper into the lower parts of Gringotts under London, and we run into security trolls, dragons, Bellatrix and, eventually, the dark Lord Voldemort," Coup said.

HYPEHYPEHYPEHYPEHYPEHYPEHYPEHYPE

 

[Freyjadour]

Damn that's a ride vehicle. It's going to be hard not to take a taxi that way when we're in Orlando this July.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Damn that's a ride vehicle. It's going to be hard not to take a taxi that way when we're in Orlando this July.

Yeah. As long as they know what's being offered, I think it'll be tough for any Disney-goer to not spend a few days at Universal.

Some additional pics from Orlando Business Journal:

According to leaks, this scene takes place at the very beginning of the ride. The characters appear to be musion projections amidst a large physical set. The endless tunnel on the right is likely a screen.

This scene is baffling. I thought it was purely CG, but an Orlando United member pointed out that the dragon's "fire" resembles smoke. So maybe the head is physical? I don't know what to make of it.

Overall, this ride is going to be one hell of a magic trick to decipher.

 

[aparisi2274]

I just booked a ticket on the:

 

[LuuKyK]

Oh mah gawd. That looks amazing! Wasnt there supposed to be a video coverage from that tv channel ready for today? I am pretty sure they were promoting that in the Gringotts teaser video...

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Those photos look incredible. Im sad Im not going to visit in a long time

 

[Lee Chaolan]

I miss Disney World =(

Listening to my Magic Kingdom Special Events soundtrack.

Question for anyone that's been to Magic Kingdom in the past couple months: Are they still doing the "Dream along with Mickey" stage show at the Castle? Haven't they been doing that for like 8 years now?

 

[brerwolfe]

Those photos look incredible. Im sad Im not going to visit in a long time

Lines are gonna be incredibly long for the first few months, probably even for the first year. Don't be sad for not having to wait 90+ minutes for a 4-minute ride!

That being said, I plan to at least walk through the area, probably won't ride it for a while though.

 

[Jag]

I assume they will have 1 hour early access at Gringotts for people staying on Universal property. It's actually a pretty good deal for spending 1-2 days at Universal. Nice hotels and a short walk (or boat ride) to the park.

 

[thefro]

Harry Potter & the Escape from Gringotts Behind the Scenes

 

[aparisi2274]

Harry Potter & the Escape from Gringotts Behind the Scenes

Looks awesome!

 

[thefro]

A couple articles today giving some more details:

http://www.slashfilm.com/harry-potter-and-the-escape-from-gringotts-secrets/#more-232795
- Queue is awesome, full show experience like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- You ride an elevator down 30,000 feet to the bottom of the Gringotts vault which is practically another ride experience in itself

http://www.mtv.com/news/1823972/harry-potter-trio-to-reunite-for-gringotts-bank-ride/
- Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint have filmed all new scenes for the ride

On the ride system:

Its a new system, it replicates the tracks below Gringotts from the movie — you feel like you’re on those tracks spiraling around. Because the ride is fully 3D, the scenery is very big in this one, the 3D screens are much bigger than normal, so its a new way to pass through a ride. Its a whole new system. You can go very quickly. You go various speeds, and there are scenes and you pick up many moments from the story. When you’re going at high speeds it can be very exciting. The whole thing is quite new.

But what about the ride itself? “Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts” will include, “the full building on the exterior, we have a dragon on the outside, we have the bank, we have the goblins, and all the ancillary rooms to the back of the bank that nobody has ever seen before,” Gimore added.

Gilmore also lauded the scale and detail of the ride itself, which he said was like going from “TV to High Definition.” Part of that is probably due to the 4K screens that will be placed all over the ride, but it extends to the “layers upon layers” of Easter eggs fans will want to comb the ride and surrounding areas for.

 

[aparisi2274]

A couple articles today giving some more details:

http://www.slashfilm.com/harry-potter-and-the-escape-from-gringotts-secrets/#more-232795
- Queue is awesome, full show experience like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- You ride an elevator down 30,000 feet to the bottom of the Gringotts vault which is practically another ride experience in itself

http://www.mtv.com/news/1823972/harry-potter-trio-to-reunite-for-gringotts-bank-ride/
- Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint have filmed all new scenes for the ride

On the ride system:

I may have to take an extended weekend in October and get on this ride. It sounds amazing.

 

[SmithnCo]

I'm glad the queue is compared to Forbidden Journey. That is one ride where I don't mind waiting a bit in the queue to see the show scenes, and the line even goes too fast for my liking sometimes, which is weird to say. Definitely one of the best queues in Orlando, if not the best.

Will hopefully make waiting in a huge ass line in the first couple weeks a little less excruciating.

 

[brerwolfe]

My first couple times on Forbidden Journey I let people pass by do I could sit and watch the various scenes, or examine the set dressing. No one will be mad for letting them get ahead of you-- take your time.

 

[Freyjadour]

When Forbidden Journey opened, the bad part of the queue was the greenhouse. I'm not sure if the ride really uses it nowadays, but talk about switchback hell.

 

[aparisi2274]

When Forbidden Journey opened, the bad part of the queue was the greenhouse. I'm not sure if the ride really uses it nowadays, but talk about switchback hell.

oh they use it, and it is a switchback hell... to bad you cant mess around with mandrakes and pull them out of the dirt or something, while you are waiting.

 

[Nelo Ice]

I am so glad I'll be in Orlando this fall!. I already was thinking this but man I'm probably going to spend more time at Universal than I will Disney World even though Disney will be free for me. Of course this would be conditional if I can afford it.

 

[LuuKyK]

Uhm. And Switchback Hell means?

 

[The Xtortionist]

When Forbidden Journey opened, the bad part of the queue was the greenhouse. I'm not sure if the ride really uses it nowadays, but talk about switchback hell.

Greenhouse is always used and is still bad. Could be worse, though. MK's Space Mountain has the worst switchbacks I've experienced.

Uhm. And Switchback Hell means?

When the line keeps doubling back onto itself to hold more people while maximizing available space.

 

[SmithnCo]

Uhm. And Switchback Hell means?

Lines that go forward, then switch back the other way, so you go back and forth.

They still use the greenhouse in HP, luckily the rest of the line is great once you get past that.

Oh, and I gotta nominate Dudley-Do-Right for bad switchbacks too.

 

[LuuKyK]

Oh, ok. Yeah those suck. Lol

 

[Freyjadour]

Dudley Do Right's queue is literally hell. Claustrophobic, loud, hot.

I'd willingly ride Mission Space Orange before doing that again.

 

[BUNTING1243]

Dudley Do Right's queue is literally hell. Claustrophobic, loud, hot.

I'd willingly ride Mission Space Orange before doing that again.

Hey, Mission Space is great.

 

[SmithnCo]

Dudley Do Right's queue is literally hell. Claustrophobic, loud, hot.

I'd willingly ride Mission Space Orange before doing that again.

They at least need to put more damn fans in there. The wait for it has to be less than like 15 minutes for me to tolerate it though. It really is too claustrophobic.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

So, one thinh im questioning. Does the ride have music that go with it? I mean something like space mountain but with the added scenes. Does Forbidden Journey have harry potter music along the ride that goes with the action?

Lines are gonna be incredibly long for the first few months, probably even for the first year. Don't be sad for not having to wait 90+ minutes for a 4-minute ride!

That being said, I plan to at least walk through the area, probably won't ride it for a while though.

The thing is Im from europe, so I don't really know when I will have an oportunitty to go. Maybe next year, maybe in 5 years, maybe in so long I will cry... Thats why im sad.

 

[The Xtortionist]

So, one thinh im questioning. Does the ride have music that go with it? I mean something like space mountain but with the added scenes. Does Forbidden Journey have harry potter music along the ride that goes with the action?.

Gringotts will likely have music in some capacity.

Forbidden Journey simulates a realistic experience, so it doesn't have much music - just at the beginning and end of the ride. Transformers is the same way.

Hopefully you can make it to Orlando sooner rather than later

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Gringotts will likely have music in some capacity.

Forbidden Journey simulates a realistic experience, so it doesn't have much music - just at the beginning and end of the ride. Transformers is the same way.

Hopefully you can make it to Orlando sooner rather than later

Oh, I thought forbidden journey would have had music. I was asking becuase im a fan of rides with its own soundtrack that goes along, that's why I love so much California Screamin. I love the music on that coaster.

And lets hope i can go to orlando sooner than later. It's my dream (visiting original disneyland was my dream, but I already did that a few years ago).

 

[lush]

I wonder if they'll use london/diagon alley during hhn? That'd be amazing.

 

[LuuKyK]

I wonder if they'll use london/diagon alley during hhn? That'd be amazing.

hhn?

 

[aparisi2274]

hhn?

Halloween Horror Nights

 

[aparisi2274]

I wonder if they'll use london/diagon alley during hhn? That'd be amazing.

They might decorate the shops in Diagon Alley, but I doubt they will have anything extensive, since its probably going to be insanely crowded anyway, and I am sure the space in Diagon Alley is not big enough to accommodate super large crowds.

I think it will be treated like the other areas of the park. The rides will be open, and they will have performers walking around scaring people, but they will not have anything super big in that space.

 

[Freyjadour]

I wonder if they'll use london/diagon alley during hhn? That'd be amazing.

I doubt that Rowling would let them do anything more than very light Halloween decorations.

Hey, Mission Space is great.

Nope. I've never felt so awful after getting off a theme park ride.

 

[Jag]

Nope. I've never felt so awful after getting off a theme park ride.

Oh man yeah. Never again.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

I doubt that Rowling would let them do anything more than very light Halloween decorations.



Nope. I've never felt so awful after getting off a theme park ride.

They'll probably have the same type of theming as hogawarts have during halloween in the books. So basically pumpkins all over the place.

 

[lush]

Wondering if they'll use any of the new space for a scarezone/house. Should definitely help with the crowds.

I doubt that Rowling would let them do anything more than very light Halloween decorations.

If I recall correctly, this was the case with Seuss Landing back when IOA had HHN.

 

[brerwolfe]

I wonder if they'll use london/diagon alley during hhn? That'd be amazing.

They will not. The contract doesn't allow for any theming outside of the original concept.

Same with The Simpson's Springfield area and Seuss Landing the year IoA was included in hhn.

Edit: lush beat me to it. Should've kept reading.

 

[aparisi2274]

So screamscape posted a cool video today showing off the press invite for the Media days at Diagon Alley, which is June 17-20..

Unboxing Wizarding World Diagon Alley invitation

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

So screamscape posted a cool video today showing off the press invite for the Media days at Diagon Alley, which is June 17-20..

Unboxing Wizarding World Diagon Alley invitation

As a collector (not a big one, just like to keep this kind of collector editions in good condition) the treatment of the box was putting me nervous.

 

[aparisi2274]

As a collector (not a big one, just like to keep this kind of collector editions in good condition) the treatment of the box was putting me nervous.

ha ha ha. Yeah, he always unboxes these types of things with one hand, since he has to use the other hand to hold the camera... maybe he needs a go pro.

 

[LuuKyK]

Was this video posted? Its a POV of Falcon's Fury in Busch Gardens. Looks crazy. Can't wait to try it.

 

[zeemumu]

Disney's having its annual 24 hour day next week

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Was this video posted? Its a POV of Falcon's Fury in Busch Gardens. Looks crazy. Can't wait to try it.

lol, how long takes going up? becuase the video is speed up, you can see the cars in the parking lot going like micromachines.

Im going in 2 weeks to Port Aventura. They have Hurakan Condor there, that is a similar drop with the 90º thing going on (it's only 15º inclination in HC though). Seems to be the same height of drop form what im reading. Last year the shitty CM at the queue didn't let me go in those seats, even though we were all people in the same group, and some of them didn't want to go on those seats and were forced, instead of changing seats with people that wanted to go and get normal ones.
The park has go to the shitters since some italians bought it.

From what I see in the image is one big vehicle instead of 5 like HC, and all have the 90º inclination.

 

[zeemumu]

This is a longshot and I don't know if anyone can help me out on this but do any of you know when Disneyland stores restock?

 

[Jailer of Hope]

This is a longshot and I don't know if anyone can help me out on this but do any of you know when Disneyland stores restock?

Are you looking for an Elsa dress? lol

 

[zeemumu]

Olaf plushie for my friend. Specifically I'd like to know when the Emporium in Disneyland restocks.