Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Construction Discussion

[Alicia]

Considering Universal clearly doesn’t want to release specifics until next year, I think this teaser image was just right.

If you read the Facebook comments on that Attractions Tickets post, most are folks saying they didn’t know it was a coaster, so I think the teaser image did exactly what it needed to. It’s telling people to expect a new Harry Potter Coaster next year, because the general public doesn’t know that yet like we do. (The only official announcement so far was buried in a blog post about another ride closing that was geared mostly to locals.)

And I think it’s important to focus on the coaster element first with this one, so people know what to expect. If you just go out and show a picture of Fluffy and say something magical is coming, you’re going to have a lot of folks that don’t/can’t ride coasters upset when it opens. They’re putting the emphasis on the right thing for now if you ask me.

Now, next piece of info or images has to really explain the scale, because some of the comments are wondering if it’s just like Flight of the Hippogriff.

 

[rhino4evr]

Considering Universal clearly doesn’t want to release specifics until next year, I think this teaser image was just right.

If you read the Facebook comments on that Attractions Tickets post, most are folks saying they didn’t know it was a coaster, so I think the teaser image did exactly what it needed to. It’s telling people to expect a new Harry Potter Coaster next year, because the general public doesn’t know that yet like we do. (The only official announcement so far was buried in a blog post about another ride closing that was geared mostly to locals.)

And I think it’s important to focus on the coaster element first with this one, so people know what to expect. If you just go out and show a picture of Fluffy and say something magical is coming, you’re going to have a lot of folks that don’t/can’t ride coasters upset when it opens. They’re putting the emphasis on the right thing for now if you ask me.

Now, next piece of info or images has to really explain the scale, because some of the comments are wondering if it’s just like Flight of the Hippogriff.

I still think the teaser was a little underwhelming. One piece of coaster track in the middle of the woods isn't all the exciting for the average joe. Especially the ones that know Dueling Dragons was torn down for this.

 

[Alicia]

I still think the teaser was a little underwhelming. One piece of coaster track in the middle of the woods isn't all the exciting for the average joe. Especially the ones that know Dueling Dragons was torn down for this.

The pixies are pretty exciting to me. Something even I had no idea about. And seeing what the look of the ruins is certainly got the conversation going yesterday. I think it was an effective piece of marketing, even if it is underwhelming.

 

[JungleSkip]

I think it's only underwhelming if you follow the progress religiously every single day*


*Can be applied to literally anything that happens in the theme park world

 

[Blaw923]

Do we know what is 'stopping' us at the top of the spike before falling backwards? Pixies at the top of the spike? Similar to the scarabs on The Mummy?

 

[DuelingDragonskid]

Do we know what is 'stopping' us at the top of the spike before falling backwards? Pixies at the top of the spike? Similar to the scarabs on The Mummy?

That’s not happening anymore, according to @Alicia

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Do we know what is 'stopping' us at the top of the spike before falling backwards? Pixies at the top of the spike? Similar to the scarabs on The Mummy?

I still don't think you'll be stopping on the spike. There is no evidence of a holding brake mechanism on that span of track.

It's more realistic that you will stop on ground level while the transfer track switches into place, launch forward into the spike, then free fall back down into the backwards launch.

 

[Alicia]

That’s not happening anymore, according to @Alicia

I still don't think you'll be stopping on the spike. There is no evidence of a holding brake mechanism on that span of track.

It's more realistic that you will stop on ground level while the transfer track switches into place, launch forward into the spike, then free fall back down into the backwards launch.

Yea, I have no confirmation from sources, but just looking at the construction, it looks like the brakes at top were never installed. They very well could be still, who knows? But as of now, my guess is we slow to a near stop and then roll back when we run out of momentum.

 

[JungleSkip]

Wonder if the motorbike will stall or something during the track switch while something attacks us, only for it to stall again after the launch

 

[DuelingDragonskid]

Wonder if the motorbike will stall or something during the track switch while something attacks us, only for it to stall again after the launch

With spiders coming down around us?

 

[JungleSkip]

With spiders coming down around us?

I doubt it'll be Spiders, as they're so prominent in FJ, but who knows.

 

[Mike S]

Maybe Universal gave Pottermore a 24 hour head start to get more clicks to their site?

Or Harry Potter as an IP is just having trouble with leaks. A video game also leaked recently.

 

[JungleSkip]

Or Harry Potter as an IP is just having trouble with leaks. A video game also leaked recently.

It's not a leak when it comes from the official site of the franchise.

The video game is a leak, but the two situations are no where near comparable.

 

[DragonSlayer]

My point was the caption, not the image. The image is great.

“Twisting roller coaster”? Kind of bland. “Exhilarating hi-tech roller coaster adventure” would be more of an initial attention grab imo.

 

[Legacy]

My point was the caption, not the image. The image is great.

“Twisting roller coaster”? Kind of bland. “Exhilarating hi-tech roller coaster adventure” would be more of an initial attention grab imo.

Except, it's not really "hi-tech." There's nothing on the ride itself that hasn't been done before. Gringotts is a more technologically advanced coaster than this is. This has a drop-track, but that's not really complicated. It's the combination of a backwards section AND drop track that makes this interesting. But again, not super complicated. Just unique.

They also don't want to oversell the thrill, or else they'll lose the "family coaster" aspect of the ride.

 

[tielo]

Yea, I have no confirmation from sources, but just looking at the construction, it looks like the brakes at top were never installed. They very well could be still, who knows? But as of now, my guess is we slow to a near stop and then roll back when we run out of momentum.

Isn't that a potential safety issue? If the mechanical switch faults during transition there is nothing to prevent a crash. I think the system needs a handshake when it's on the top and gets hold in place.
The ride goes up and it locks, it tell the switch to take place.
After the switch of the track the system tells the holding mechanism to release.
It's the only safe way to do that. They could use the propulsion system to stop the train when it falls backwards but I would rather see a extra safety build in (and it would give a bit more time to have something fun happening.

 

[Alicia]

Isn't that a potential safety issue? If the mechanical switch faults during transition there is nothing to prevent a crash. I think the system needs a handshake when it's on the top and gets hold in place.
The ride goes up and it locks, it tell the switch to take place.
After the switch of the track the system tells the holding mechanism to release.
It's the only safe way to do that. They could use the propulsion system to stop the train when it falls backwards but I would rather see a extra safety build in (and it would give a bit more time to have something fun happening.

I think @P@n!K_Sw1tC# 's post had a plausible way around that, copied below. I'm not an expert on these types of things, but I believe the original idea was to have it hold on the spike, but we're not seeing brakes, so drawing our own conclusions now.

I still don't think you'll be stopping on the spike. There is no evidence of a holding brake mechanism on that span of track.

It's more realistic that you will stop on ground level while the transfer track switches into place, launch forward into the spike, then free fall back down into the backwards launch.

 

[JungleSkip]

Isn't that a potential safety issue? If the mechanical switch faults during transition there is nothing to prevent a crash. I think the system needs a handshake when it's on the top and gets hold in place.
The ride goes up and it locks, it tell the switch to take place.
After the switch of the track the system tells the holding mechanism to release.
It's the only safe way to do that. They could use the propulsion system to stop the train when it falls backwards but I would rather see a extra safety build in (and it would give a bit more time to have something fun happening.

Nah, there are brakes/LIMs at the bottom that would stop you before you crashed.

 

[Teebin]

Isn't that a potential safety issue? If the mechanical switch faults during transition there is nothing to prevent a crash. I think the system needs a handshake when it's on the top and gets hold in place.
The ride goes up and it locks, it tell the switch to take place.
After the switch of the track the system tells the holding mechanism to release.
It's the only safe way to do that. They could use the propulsion system to stop the train when it falls backwards but I would rather see a extra safety build in (and it would give a bit more time to have something fun happening.

This track is riddled with break runs before and after everything. Too, not only is there programming code monitoring every move of the coaster but programming code monitoring every track switch. On top of all of that is additional programming code that monitors and second guesses all the other programs running. That code is called the system supervisor. The only thing that can’t be monitored real time is a wheel snapping off or an earthquake. Universal is really picky about all of this code and that all is triple checked.

 

[Junorhane]

funny, I was just talking to painters about dormers today. what does this mean?

Have you considered talking to them about audio-animatronic figures?