Diagon Alley Soft Opening Watch

[CPTree]

Teebin do you have any more information if they are still thinking of letting people in tonight or is it looking like a bust now?

 

[neoshinok]

Biggest crowd I've seen gathered yet. Photo from AllAroundOrlando

Also they've sent out a violinist who apparently played 'Don't Stop Believin'

Photo from Andrew Kuzmicki

 

[Teebin]

Teebin do you have any more information if they are still thinking of letting people in tonight or is it looking like a bust now?

No, I haven't received any more info. Keep in mind, I rarely search info out... it is just offered to me out of the blue by those in the biz in high places. I will try to find out why tonight's scheduled party was cancelled however. There must be a juicy story there. :look:

 

[Trinitys Ghost]

I left around 5pm after the torrential rain let up. After getting caught in that, standing in front of the station soaked to the bone in squishy shoes didn't sound like a pleasant idea.
Meh, if we get a soft tomorrow evening, I'll be there. I'm a stones throw from the parks.

 

[Miketheboss]

Biggest crowd I've seen gathered yet. Photo from AllAroundOrlando
Also they've sent out a violinist who apparently played 'Don't Stop Believin'

Photo from Andrew Kuzmicki

It would've been cool for those performers to have a suitcase or something next to them.

 

[mebweb]

Seems like they legitimately tried to do a soft opening tonight. Lots of higher ups around between 5 - 6:30, constantly on their phones and huddling. Security was pointing at the gates as if they were trying to determine how they were going to move them. The Knights Bus conductor came out and a violin player performed in front of Kings Cross. You could feel the excitement building. Then there was final management huddle inside Kings Cross, which was followed by a march towards the crowd to advise it wasn't happening. I'm placing my bets on Gringotts being the culprit of course.

 

[kimlovesfl]

I am so glad I wasn't working tonight.

 

[Teebin]

Seems like they legitimately tried to do a soft opening tonight. Lots of higher ups around between 5 - 6:30, constantly on their phones and huddling. Security was pointing at the gates as if they were trying to determine how they were going to move them. The Knights Bus conductor came out and a violin player performed in front of Kings Cross. You could feel the excitement building. Then there was final management huddle inside Kings Cross, which was followed by a march towards the crowd to advise it wasn't happening. I'm placing my bets on Gringotts being the culprit of course.

^ Yep... I only know that it was seriously considered and can only hypothesize why it didn't. Anyone saying, "I told you so" at this point should be shot after having their fingernails ripped out.

Meanwhile, can you imagine just standing around in costume cleaning a grill or ice cream scoop that already is clean and hasn't been used? How friggin tedious can it get, just standing there and talking about your current girlfriend/boyfriend?

Reason: Friggin ride not reliable... still... unreliable... still. Can you people believe it? WB must be slamming their foot down and saying no. Goodness knows what they will do on the 8th.

 

[maxairmike]

^ Yep... I only know that it was seriously considered and can only hypothesize why it didn't. Anyone saying, "I told you so" at this point should be shot after having their fingernails ripped out.

Meanwhile, can you imagine just standing around in costume cleaning a grill or ice cream scoop that already is clean and hasn't been used? How friggin tedious can it get, just standing there and talking about your current girlfriend/boyfriend?

Reason: Friggin ride not reliable... still... unreliable... still. Can you people believe it? WB must be slamming their foot down and saying no. Goodness knows what they will do on the 8th.

Indeed. I'm really curious what's going to happen with the package previews. I'm leaning towards running it in its limited capacity with 2-4 vehicles (had heard they got a 3rd and possibly 4th RV sorted out and logged all the needed cycles) since they'll know how many people will be there. I wonder if they would push WB to allow softs and then use the convenient "unforeseen technical breakdown" once they let the public in and after the preview guests have ridden so that they can continue with a soft opening tomorrow? This could be very interesting.

 

[Teebin]

Indeed. I'm really curious what's going to happen with the package previews. I'm leaning towards running it in its limited capacity with 2-4 vehicles (had heard they got a 3rd and possibly 4th RV sorted out and logged all the needed cycles) since they'll know how many people will be there. I wonder if they would push WB to allow softs and then use the convenient "unforeseen technical breakdown" once they let the public in and after the preview guests have ridden so that they can continue with a soft opening tomorrow? This could be very interesting.

And unlike a bunch of you here, if I were a major vendor, I would have pissed my pants to see this project... without the grand attraction. I think the attraction is the biggest yawn of the whole thing. I could spend the next 8 days on Diagon and Carkitt alone. Monster Book of Monsters hiding under my bed would have done me fine.

 

[maxairmike]

Yep, I'm oddly not as excited to ride Gringotts as I am to finally see and soak in the area. I just want to get in with my camera and go crazy. I'll ride the ride at some point, since I'm a local. I've been waiting to experience the land and see all of these awesome locations and details, and that's what I'm most excited about. Oh, and that dragon.

 

[rhino4evr]

It's true the theme park enthusiasts just want to soak in the details, a lot of "normal" folks will be rather upset if the "centerpiece" attraction is not open on grand opening day

 

[Milla4Prez66]

It's true the theme park enthusiasts just want to soak in the details, a lot of "normal" folks will be rather upset if the "centerpiece" attraction is not open on grand opening day

This, the amount of people who want to walk around look at buildings and little details are incredibly small. Details don't keep guests off the streets so the hardcores can walk around looking at this stuff either.

 

[freediverdude]

If the ride really is going to be unreliable on both the package guest days and grand opening day, they need to just go ahead and open it to both. At least then we will know what to expect on grand opening, and expectations can come down.

 

[rhino4evr]

If I recall, we had similar discussions when FJ opened. A lot of people thought it wouldn't open or would have tons of breakdowns, but obviously that didn't happen. I wonder if all this pre-opening doom and gloom talk is mostly spawned from fan panic and speculation.

 

[Teebin]

This, the amount of people who want to walk around look at buildings and little details are incredibly small. Details don't keep guests off the streets so the hardcores can walk around looking at this stuff either.

This is true as well. There are quite a few members on this website that judge a park by its mechanical transport attractions only. I see the Potter lands, and many other areas in the parks to be a bigger walk through attraction. POE is equally as dazzling to me as anything created for the WW. It is what it is a guess.

 

[Skipper Justin]

I'll be heading to the parks for a bit tomorrow. Participate in a little bit of the potter watch.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

My understanding is that Gringotts has one specific issue still: vehicle 'check in' with ride control. They're using a newer system that is causing issues. It's a fixable problem, so it's not like prior rumors that vehicles were jumping off the track, 'just' had people riding, and has to cycle xxxx amount of times.

Also, WB does not want guests into the land without everything. They understand ride breakdowns, but will not put up with phased openings.

 

[kimlovesfl]

This is true as well. There are quite a few members on this website that judge a park by its mechanical transport attractions only. I see the Potter lands, and many other areas in the parks to be a bigger walk through attraction. POE is equally as dazzling to me as anything created for the WW. It is what it is a guess.

POE is amazingly detailed, and I wish more people noticed all that, but still not like DA.

 

[TylerDurden]

My understanding is that Gringotts has one specific issue still: vehicle 'check in' with ride control. They're using a newer system that is causing issues. It's a fixable problem, so it's not like prior rumors that vehicles were jumping off the track, 'just' had people riding, and has to cycle xxxx amount of times.

Also, WB does not want guests into the land without everything. They understand ride breakdowns, but will not put up with phased openings.

What will WB say in the case that its not ready on the 8th?