Okay where to start?
I have rode the attraction twice, my first time being on June 17th in which I waited 3 hours and the second time on June 30th which I waited 5 hours. I would normally not wait that long for a ride especially having ridden it before, but I did. I hope this stands as a testament to the awesomeness of this attraction. Both times I have exited the ride with the same amount of adrenaline and excitement, on a high of endorphins. Everyone exiting cheering. A friend nervous about riding due to motion sickness said it was worth the queasiness she experienced. On the second time round, international tourists I had chatted with before riding got off with the biggest smiles on their faces exclaiming how great the ride was. I apologize for what could be seen as cringey gushing, now time for a review.
The Queue:
To put an e-stop to the gushing, in my opinion, the queue to the ride is somewhat weak. However, like a coaster, it has peaks and valleys. Walking up to the ruins is gorgeous the detail of the building is fantastic as well as the the adorable details of Hagrids pumpkin patch. One of my favorite being the crudely drawn arrows pointing the way to class. The real showstopper is the gorgeous view of the coaster crashing through the ruins. The expanse and scale is only partially captured in pictures. This excitement continues into the preshow. The pre-show has a very convincing musion effect as well as many 4D elements (including Universal's signature squirt of water). The pre-show does a great job of hyping up riders and got a round of applause from the group. However the excitement comes to a crashing halt once it ends. The remainder of the queue is well themed, yet lacks identity. The ruins are unique new location unlike Hogwarts or Gringotts. Those queues play off their recognizability and go a step beyond by adding animatronics, moving paintings, etc. Hagrid's has no recognizability to play off of and does not take that extra step. A queue does not have to be based off a recognizable location to be entertaining an example being Kong's mix of theming, animatronics, and scare actors. The majority of Hagrid's interior queue time is spent waiting in well sculpted, but underwhelming caverns. We get well themed locations like Hagrid's workshop, yet it lacks recognizability and excitement to the point where I found entertainment in trying to figure out if the light coming from the windows was natural(the lighting is really good). However the final room does have an awesome effect simulating motorbikes and various creatures running amok on the boardwalk ceiling. This illusion is simple but actually quite convincing and entertaining, plus also gives tribute to Dragon's. I think the disappointment in the queue comes from the high expectations inherited from the other Potter rides.
The Ride:
This ride is spectacular and has already become my favorite. Minus the theming the coaster would stand well enough on its own. The coaster is smooth and fast with surprising force especially in the final "Dragon Fire" launch. The layout gives an appropriate flying-type feeling with twists and turns. However the excellent coaster is plussed by its theming creating a true home-run. The bikes themselves are very authentic and the sounds of acceleration really help add to the thrill. Twisting through the trees and rock work is amazing, as well as the brief views of the creatures. Its amazing that us fans knew all the tricks that this ride was going to pull, yet they still seemed to be a surprise. A great example would be the well hidden backwards spike. On my first ride I knew the spike was coming, yet didn't see it coming with how well it was hidden. The fact that the spike does not hold the bikes really adds to the effect of them stalling and falling backwards making the ride ever the more thrilling. I love the fact that Hagrid hosts the ride. He really puts a twist on the "you barely escape with your life" trope that is seen in many of Universal's rides. Hagrid accidentally puts you in nonstop danger throughout the whole ride, yet always remains so calm about it. You never feel truly in danger because it always feels as if Hagrid is in control of the situation(even when he isn't). In order to not sound like a total fan boy I do have some minor nitpicks. The audio on the ride is a little quiet and it is often hard to make out what is being said( or I could just have bad hearing.) The Hagrid animatronic is well sculpted but seems to have limited movement. Plus the obvious Skrewt on a stick which has been brought up many times.
Conclusion:
This ride is a smile machine that brings joy and adrenaline to its riders leaving one with a high as soon as they exit. While the high may be temporary the astonishment from the ride will make you instantly fall in love with the attraction and rush out to ride it again. This ride is worth the extended waits, even a second, or third, or fourth time around. If you have not rode this attraction do yourself a favor and get out to the park as soon as possible. Honestly no amount of words, videos, or photos can do this ride justice. I promise you the hype is real,as many others have found out regardless of high expectations or low expectations it will surpass them. While overall the technology of the ride may not be a game changer for the industry, that doesn't determine a rides worth, this is a new chapter and a game changer for Universal and all of Orlando.