Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

[awhen]

Just got off. Only one loading platform in use.

 

[rozfan]

they only had one side running yesterday as well. we broke down right at the beginning in the worst possible position, i won't spoil it, but those who have ridden know what i am talking about and the auto spiel kept repeating 'ride vehicles will begin to move momentarily' so for someone who doesn't enjoy heights[this guy] it was a bit harrowing.

 

[April]

First time ride, I'd say first row of the first car if possible. MUCH better view of everything, and no heads in the way. But I don't think you can request it (although I haven't tried asking).

But the last row of last car is worth it just for the opening scene with the tilting. I swear, the reviewers who wrote that this is a much tamer ride than FJ did not sit back there. There is nothing on FJ that makes you panicked with anticipation like you get in Gringotts in that back row during that opening scene. I mean it's nothing super crazy, but I wouldn't take grandpa on it (which is what some of the early reviews made it seem by calling it a "family ride").

You can request it. My boyfriend and I requested front row for my first ride. This holds true for just about every ride - front row: the view and back row: the thrills.

 

[retroeric]

This holds true for just about every ride - front row: the view and back row: the thrills.

Not really for Universal dark rides. There are only very subtle differences between front row and back row with rides like Spidey, Mummy, Transformers, etc due to the small size and compact shape of the vehicles. But with Gringotts, due to it having two cars (with some distance in between them), you're getting two very different experiences sitting in the front row of the front car vs the back row of the back car. I was rather surprised at how much of your view is obstructed when sitting in the back row of the back car. Well maybe obstructed is not the right word. More like, "interfered with". That pole that sticks up high out of the tail of the car ends up right smack in the middle of the screen for a few scenes. That pole, combined with the sight of peoples' heads takes away some of the immersion, at least compared to the realism you get sitting in the front car/front row.

 

[freediverdude]

I had a hard time hearing all of the dialogue. The dialogue posted above was the first time I found out what Bellatrix actually said, and I've ridden it 3 times. Maybe I'm just getting hard of hearing or was in the back.

 

[retroeric]

I had a hard time hearing all of the dialogue. The dialogue posted above was the first time I found out what Bellatrix actually said, and I've ridden it 3 times. Maybe I'm just getting hard of hearing or was in the back.

Yes I think it was because you were in the back. I noticed it too, and found it easier to hear in the front row.

 

[GGGhost]

Hopefully someone can help me out here... I've been on the ride now 6 times.. I just spent a week at the parks on vacation but I'm unfortunately now back in LA (Best trip ever tho and can't wait to go back) anyways, can someone please, and I apologize if this has been addressed before, explain the appearance of the trio in the ride.. It seems so real to me and the voices seem pretty good (unlike the Hogwarts Express) ..... I heard that they filmed extra scenes for this but I also heard Daniel deny it. I can see how they may be animated or something, as they are generally off in the distance on screen, but if that is the case, they sure do look great and the voices are spectacular!! Could someone please shed some light on this for me... Thanks

Rupert Grint filmed new content for the rides, but Dan and Emma did not. Their part in Gringotts is CGI, or I believe more specifically, digital face replacement.

If you look closely at the right edge of the clip at the 7:30 mark in the "Making of Diagon Alley" special, you can see that Dan's stand-in has motion-capture dots on his face for the face replacement.

[video=youtube;vR99z4VwxZc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR99z4VwxZc[/video]

 

[Whootman]

It's interesting that in that NBC special Ron's like is "Trolls. They're thick but they're brutal," but in the actual ride he says "they're dumb but they're brutal." Looks like maybe they decided to go with the more Americanized phrase to appeal to the American audience?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It's interesting that in that NBC special Ron's like is "Trolls. They're thick but they're brutal," but in the actual ride he says "they're dumb but they're brutal." Looks like maybe they decided to go with the more Americanized phrase to appeal to the American audience?

Possibly. I imagine they recorded that like 20 times and maybe with different phrases. I like him using 'thick' honestly.

 

[obesekitten]

Someone help me out here. Are we ever given an explanation for why the cars turn/spin but are aesthetically made to look like they cannot? Can we presume that after the first Bellatrix scene and the drop track that the cars are not actually supposed to be on the Gringotts rails (which is why they turn during the next scene where we pull up next to Bill)? The way the trolls pick us up and spin the car leads me to think were not actually on the rails, and we don't seem to get pulled off the tracks before the big drop. Then again, we clearly land on the tracks when we stop in front of Bill and the dragon, but are sent away with Wingardium Leviosa, which would again imply we are not on the tracks if the car is spinning but looks like it cannot. After this scene we stop in front of the vaults, but that would mean we are on the Gringotts rails. So who can help me out here? When and when aren't we actually supposed to be on the Gringotts rails? Besides the drop and the dragon pulling us out of the finale it's not very clear, whereas with Spiderman its clear when we are roaming the street and when we are flying via levitation.

 

[sjago13]

I think the spinning is more a necessity to view screens on the side of the track and it adds a level of thrill. They dont look like the nornal mine carts anyways so I just assume a level of suspenion of disbelief is required anyway to the logic of if we are on a track or not.

 

[Dustin]

I obviously felt this way in regards to the Hogwarts Express but I didn't think her voice was that bad on the ride. Maybe I was just so excited on the ride that I didn't notice as much as I did on the Hogwarts Express. And yes, the Hogwarts Express is a BIG issue right now in regards to the voice..

I can tell that Rupert definitely did work for the land because his stuff seems really good. As for the CGI, that was also what I expected but quite honestly didn't want to believe.. Thanks again for clearing it up for me

- - - Updated - - -

Oh wow thanks for this! Much appreciated...

 

[Miketheboss]

I haven't looked at any POVs but I've been seeing reviews. Many are saying that they were underwhelmed. Should I be worried? Why was it underwhelming?

 

[rhino4evr]

when there is a lot of hype behind a ride, people are bound to be underwhelmed. Personally my own hype was deflated when I read that the ride was tamer, not a rollercoaster, and all screens. I guess I was personally expecting something else when I envisioned this ride in my head.

That being said, Im sure the ride is great, just don't let the hype take over your expectations.

 

[DanB89]

I haven't looked at any POVs but I've been seeing reviews. Many are saying that they were underwhelmed. Should I be worried? Why was it underwhelming?

It's ultimately a matter of personal opinion, but I can see where people would be underwhelmed if they wanted another FJ style experience. I admittedly didn't have the same "Mind. Blown." reaction to EFG that I did after my first ride on FJ, and it really does have a lot of elements borrowed from other attractions as has already been pointed out.

BUT...

I really, really enjoyed the ride for what it is. As a Potter fan it was very rewarding to be integrated into the story from the films/books. The ride really makes a lot more sense story-wise than Forbidden Journey, and I almost find it easier to keep my head clear and really get into the story the ride is trying to tell. As for the ride dynamics, while they aren't as thrilling as FJ, I still found the combination of spinning, motion-base, and coaster elements to be surprising and enjoyable.

 

[Mad Dog]

I haven't looked at any POVs but I've been seeing reviews. Many are saying that they were underwhelmed. Should I be worried? Why was it underwhelming?

I just can't see where the expectations of a thrilling roller coaster ride came from for people following OU. HTF and the other insiders on OU have, from the beginning, emphasized that Gringotts
attraction was going to be an amazing "family ride", not at the Forbidden Journey thrill level, and not a traditional coaster experience. It is what it was intended to be, an attraction filling the void at Universal for family attractions. Judge it on those merits. There's plenty of coasters at the concrete coaster parks. I, for one, am glad they did the ride as they did. It will have more long term "universal" appeal than a thrill coaster.

 

[rhino4evr]

Well when the ride was first hyped on this board, the early early rumors involved a free fall track, also a real AA dragon. It was also hyped that the ride would have HUGE physical set pieces.

I'm glad that Universal is trying to add more "family" rides, but considering I usually go to IOA for Thrills, something a little more exciting would have suited MY interests more.

 

[Frogki]

Well you've still got enormous physical sets integrated with amazing coaster elements as far as I'm aware - everyone's said the launch at the end is pretty amazing, and the tipping track is pretty thrilling. But it's still low enough on the thrills so that families can ride together...

 

[rhino4evr]

yeah..like I said, Im sure the ride is great. Just going to keep expectations in check, and avoid going when there is 3 hour waits.

 

[Skubersky]

Someone help me out here. Are we ever given an explanation for why the cars turn/spin but are aesthetically made to look like they cannot? Can we presume that after the first Bellatrix scene and the drop track that the cars are not actually supposed to be on the Gringotts rails (which is why they turn during the next scene where we pull up next to Bill)? The way the trolls pick us up and spin the car leads me to think were not actually on the rails, and we don't seem to get pulled off the tracks before the big drop. Then again, we clearly land on the tracks when we stop in front of Bill and the dragon, but are sent away with Wingardium Leviosa, which would again imply we are not on the tracks if the car is spinning but looks like it cannot. After this scene we stop in front of the vaults, but that would mean we are on the Gringotts rails. So who can help me out here? When and when aren't we actually supposed to be on the Gringotts rails? Besides the drop and the dragon pulling us out of the finale it's not very clear, whereas with Spiderman its clear when we are roaming the street and when we are flying via levitation.

I interpret the spinning as a reasonable substitute for the way the film's rails rotate around the cars' heartline axis, which wouldn't be practical in a real ride like this.