I waited 10 hours to ride on opening day, and boy was it a long one. My boyfriend and I both agree: it was worth it for the ride, but we will never do an opening like that again lol.
I enjoyed the waiting in line originally despite the heat and sun, as I was prepared to wait and broke out my sketchbook. Once we reached the entrance, I was getting antsy a bit, but seeing the archway in person was worth the money shot. Hearing the motorbikes buzz distantly from Sinbad was exhilarating, but seeing them fly by was downright jaw-dropping.
The line was creeping along once we were inside, and we kept getting delay after delay, feeling delirious and hungry. Everyone in the queue was handling it well. I cannot imagine what it must have been like going through the outdoor queue in the storm, though. I wanted to ask for some sort of meal voucher as we were in line and starving, but ended up deciding against it.
The queue itself is meticulously designed when there are hero spots, but the buffer spots are unfortunately long and winding. I really loved the empty hallway scene with the eggs, as it gives the whole impression that this building has been abandoned for centuries, and the lighting shifts subtly so as to give the illusion of clouds passing by. The graffiti is cute - I saw one that reads “Celestina is brilliant” which was cute! I also appreciate the preshow for its story, the first roundabout in the tower for its glorious chandelier, and the final scene under the loose planks. I did not appreciate getting stuck in those caves though lol.
Finally, after the final hooray from the crowd (I’ve never been more happy to hear a british lady’s voice announcing “good news” before) we were allowed onto load. I snapped a quick pic, sat in the penultimate row, and let out a squeal. I got motorbike - my boyfriend was lovely enough to allow me the throne after raving about this attraction to him for months lol. And we were off! Ten hours for 3 minutes of glee.
The motorbikes roared to life with that first launch, offering us a unique view of the ride. It really feels like a flying motorbike (as though I know exactly what one feels like), and the feeling is magical. With the deep, brassy rumble, deep slaloms, and dips, it’s one hell of a multisensory experience. The next launch shows off the bikes to the queue, and lands in the outhut with Hagrid, whose articulations are impressive and whose eyes and face look warmly familiar.
I’m not fazed by the lack of realism with the skrewt as I love theatre and suspend my disbelief when I’m having fun. I feel as though some people should learn this lesson from theme parks - the puppet is as important as the stage, proscenium, and puppeteer. It was fun! The movements are showy and it’s a great comedic break. The mise en scéne is also gorgeously decorated.
Nothing is more amazing than the view of going through the abbey. It’s timed so that you’re flying over people landing in the final scene. Amazing! And then the swoops and slaloms that follow are so tight and intense. After the next little booster launch, the right turns dig deep and whip you around.
Fluffy is great from the rear seats, but as soon as we rounded the corner, the spike scene was whipping us really quickly into the cave, and before we knew it, we were rushing backwards into the main caves. I think the mural is great, but needs to bring the trees up and avoid the whole sky treatment. There should be a cutout flat like above Skull Island. But that’s a nitpick, and as a muralist I still enjoy seeing it for what it is.
The indoor scene was everything I’d hoped it would be. The pacing was amazing, and even though I was the only one to say it, the spell casting of lumos solem was a super awesome flashback to Sorcerer’s Stone. But oh man, the drop and go sequence is iconic. Once you start making your way out, that last launch with button press scene is akin to what Flight of Passage makes you feel at the end. Pure, unadultered, youthful bliss. The ending is a great epilogue and the unicorns are such a beautiful treat. I love them so f****n much. I miss them. Also, there is an official unicorn mane comber. Amazing.
All in all, the ride was a pure ecstasy trip for me and my boyfriend. We were giddy and jittery and teary at the end, and he’s only a novice fan! I am enamored with the magic and hope that everyone is able to experience it when it’s running 100%. To those whose experiences were far less rewarding than mine, I am truly sorry. But I know that operations appreciates everyone’s ride experience and try their absolute hardest to create a worthy experience for everyone. This ride is a complex show machine with serious safety guidelines, and you need to luck out to get a good ride. At least until the TMs are able to get a good grip on their handlebars and learn the ride’s language.
Overall “I just died” score: 999/10
Overall realistic score: 9.6/10
Thanks for reading! And for those who are interested, I’m working a painting to commemorate the opening and hope to have it on sale as a print in the near future.