The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade (Orlando): Part 2

[violarum]

Wait, guys... What warehouse building? It's just inside that huge facade! xD

 

[BJCool]

I don't think anyone's referenced this yet so I'll just go ahead....

The news outlets have been VERY adamant to say that Universal is strictly monitoring what the press who attended lets out, but the Orlando Sentinel's Theme Park Ranger blog has blabbed on aspects(Hogsmeade) one only assumes were meant to be released in the future by Universal's consent. Some is just newsworthy that I don't believe other reports have said.

+ That bridge that helps IOA guests bypass the WizWaHaPo construction? It’s staying. Now it will help bypass the logjam. (Plus it gives a nice view of the rooftops of Hogsmeade and the Islands lagoon, when looking the other way.)

+ The architecture, as many of you will know is Scottish — and gothic — in design … the whole very vertical, pointed arches thing. “It’s not a menacing design; it’s a strong medieval design,” Gilmore says.

+ We briefly stood under the Owlery, with dozens of mechanical birds flapping in the rafters. It’s very mechanical under/up there, and you can see the clockworks from that side.

+ One last surreal moment from the walking tour: The piped-in music was cranked up amid all the scurrying construction workers. I’m assuming that’s not an everyday occurrence. And for the record, the music was existing works from the Potter soundtracks.

 

[ScottInNY]

From what we've learned today, I believe the queue is a series of interactive holding rooms and preshows. I suspect that while in a holding room you are able to explore and even remain in the room when the doors open into the next preshow area. I suspect that crowd control will be based on having enough people in each holding room that when the doors open into a preshow "theater" that enough people will enter moving the queue along. I don't think we will be allowed to remain in preshow theater spaces.

Basically, the holding rooms will be larger than the following preshow theater. I suspect that the greenhouse was added early in the queue process to regulate just this phenomenon. If you are finished in a room and wish to move forward, you just wait by the doors for the next show. If you are unable to fit into the next show, than you will most certainly be able to move much closer to the doors and make the next showing. I also believe that the final queue area, The Room of Requirement, will have an ample area of switchbacks to accommodate the ebb and flow of this type of line system.

On another note...

I suspect that some of you who have been following this forum have realized that StephenLandsman and I are old friends. I type this because years ago - hundreds (I think it was 1986) - Stephen and I traveled to Disneyland on an adventure we took together. When we planned our vacation, we were very disappointed that the timing would put us at the park a few weeks before the announced and schedule opening of their new attraction, Captain EO. There was nothing we could do to change our dates.

Anyway, much to our surprise we were very excited to find out that the announced opening was actually when it would air on TV, but the actual event was happening a few weeks early and while we were there. We had a choice, we could explore the parts of the park not effected by the celebrity festivities and enjoy shorter lines, or we could commit to sitting on Main Street or the hub near Tomorrowland and watch the red carpet arrival of the stars. As Stephen and I were avid Disney fans and had been to the park many times, we chose to commit to sitting for hours during the star-studded filming.

In addition, Tomorrowland was closed to the stars who after the parade were led into a roped off Tomorrowland, fed and given the opportunity to ride Space Mountain and of course, the first performances of Captain EO. Rumor had it that although Tomorrowland was closed off to the general public, that after the stars rode Captain EO, that they might open it up to the general public for the final few hours of the evening. There was no guarantee and standing by the ropes meant that we wouldn't be taking in any of the rides, but could get a glimpse at the stars as they passed by on their way to queue for Captain EO.

Again, we chose to wait and pray that we would "ride". It was actually a really cool time. A lot of the stars did walk by and some of them even came up to talk with us: Elliot Gould was a total gentleman and very kind; Molly Ringwald was an obnoxious, full-of-herself snob. There were many many celebrities and it was fun watching them.

Of course, we were tense and hopeful that they would let down the dividing rope and open the area to the public when the stars cleared out.

They did. Stephen and I were among the first audience who experienced, Captain EO.

One other quick note about this story... When we entered the theater, they had a camera set up facing the audience. Before they turned off the lights and started the film, the director of the upcoming commercial came out and explained that we were going to be extras in the commercial. He gave us a few directions and explained that at key moments en masse we would be asked to quickly lean left, then right, forward and back. We shot this sequence, they removed the camera and we got to see Captain EO. It was well worth the wait.

A few weeks later, when we were back home, they aired the Captain EO Grand Opening - parade and all. They also showed the commercial during the breaks and sure enough, there we were. Stephen and I still talk about this to this very day.

Stephen? Any comments?

 

[TheDecemberists]

That's awesome, Scott! I wouldn't have had the patience for that. I'm not sure if I want to be there on the 18th or not (If Alan Rickman shows up, though, I might just have to go!)

 

[ScottInNY]

I forgot to write what the point of my long story was... I don't think June 18 is the date that the stars will be present. I think June 18 is the date that it will be aired on TV and the various media outlets. I think a few days - as much as a week or two before - they will have their invited V.I.P.s. I suspect they will do this because crowd control would be a nightmare otherwise. In fact, it will be anyway, but imagine what would happen if June 18 The Wizard World was closed to the public to accommodate the V.I.P.s. On-the-other-hand if people arrive on the 18 they may be disappointed to find out that the event had already been filmed, but they will find The Wizarding World open to be experienced and enjoyed.

 

[Felipe]

I must see all of the queues too! I cannot wait. I hope I get a chance to see the Express queue. We are suppose to be buying Express passes buy I'm not sure if we will end up getting them. *crosses fingers*

You can always get it too by staying at an on-site hotel! One night will give you Express for two days ;-) You can actually get there long before the parks open, leave any luggage, get your express passes and head to the parks. Then when you check out the next day you also have the pass all day long (even after you check out). And you get early admission both days too! I'm definitelly gonna do that once it's officially grand opened and I can make sure I hit up the WWoHP with everything open for sure. Till then I still have the annual pass to go during regular hours on regular lines, which is fine as well

When I heard floo powder, i nearly did a backflip and then splashed into a pool of my own tears. For some reason i wanted that so bad. This ride sounds like what i imagined when people described Disney before i went...except it will truly BE ,if you catch my drift. (not dogging Disney I admire both companies for their different takes on immersive theming)

I'm really excited for floo network (and all other effects ) too. The only thing I'm dubious about is that for it to be true floo network travel, we have to go in one fireplace and then come out another, and from what I understood Hermione was enchanting our benches and we travel through floo network to the Quidditch pitch... where there's no fireplace... Unless maybe we go into the fireplaces in the RoR, come out the fireplaces in the great hall, exit through the front hall and the courtyard and then fly to the Quidditch pitch.

i thought this quote was funny for those wanting the building covered up more. the creative president is either delusional or in denial lol

Just wow... I am actually really scared that it might have to stay like that. I'd like them to create the illusion that there's an evergreen forest going unphill and away on the right of Hogwarts. It's the only way I can think of that would cover the building and keep the forced perspective. If they just put tall trees it kills the forced perspective because you see the tree tops reaching the supoosed heights of 700'

About the queue... Are we going to be able to walk around freely in each room? I think one of the fan site reports said so, but it sounds like it'll make keeping everyone in order of arrival super confusing. I guess they'll let in small groups of people at a time, who will then all start the ride at the same time so it won't matter if people get out of order? idk

One of the videos also said that you'd be able to stay behind if you weren't ready to move on to the next room, but won't that mean the people in the room before you will have to wait as well, to avoid them getting too full? I'm really confused on how exactly the queue will work. But at least we know it won't be boring having to wait

I think the queue being wider allows people to stay behind to take pics and gawk at the theming, while people in more of a rush to get to the ride can keep walking.


:rofl: HUGE post Scott! Very interesting perspective. Whatever they'll do, I don't know, but they can't fit as many people as would show up to see the Potter stars on a grand opening event.

PS: Do you have a copy or have you found a copy of that commercial online? I'd keep a copy if it was myself on a commerical So cool!

 

[ScottInNY]

PS: Do you have a copy or have you found a copy of that commercial online? I'd keep a copy if it was myself on a commerical So cool!

I have it on tape (remember this was the olden days). Stephen's mom was an avid "taper". She's great that way and has always thought about her son's interests and tried to support him by helping him collect tapes, posters, recordings, STUFF, etc. She has always made sure to capture important stuff like that. Of course, she made a copy for me, too. So, among my VHS collection, I have a copy of the Captain EO Grand Opening AND the commercial. I really appreciate her for all she's done for Stephen and his friends over the years. She's a real character.

Unfortunately, I don't have a VHS player hooked up at the moment. It's long been collecting dust. So, I haven't seen it in years.

 

[SL_ZER0]

wow i leave for a while to go to open skate and when i get back the page# has doubled! too bad i was locked out again and couldnt read the original six before i left. ;p
all caught up now though.

i love how the news teased that they were going to tell how the show building will be further hidden and then they didnt at all. stupid news teasers.

somewhere at universal someone is clawing their hair out. crazy fans, nothing is ever good enough for them! haha. give them an inch and they want a mile. give pics and they want video, give grand open date and they want soft open date. too funny!

im still wondering if this counts as two things and the third will come later or if today is one and there are two things left to reveal. alo eagerly awaiting mugglenet/leaky (i forget who) ensuing articles on broomsticks and whatever else.

im betting we get something more on ellen.
oh did anyone watch the today show? was there anything good there? i know they got the first hogsmeade video in front of the train a litle while back so i was hoping they would have something exclusive.
as far as news crews i think everyone just got to film dumbledore's office and that's it. for now anyway.

 

[TheDecemberists]

I forgot to write what the point of my long story was... I don't think June 18 is the date that the stars will be present. I think June 18 is the date that it will be aired on TV and the various media outlets. I think a few days - as much as a week or two before - they will have their invited V.I.P.s. I suspect they will do this because crowd control would be a nightmare otherwise. In fact, it will be anyway, but imagine what would happen if June 18 The Wizard World was closed to the public to accommodate the V.I.P.s. On-the-other-hand if people arrive on the 18 they may be disappointed to find out that the event had already been filmed, but they will find The Wizarding World open to be experienced and enjoyed.

hmmm... That's a good point. That could possibly explain the supposed exclusive access to the WWoHP with those packages. I think it's going to be a mystery for quite a while, though. We'll find out eventually about the when's and what's.

 

[HHN_dollfie]

A lot of training has already been done. More than likely enough to start a soft while training other TMs during the soft & around it.

Actually I know several people who are Team Members for several spots through out WWoHP and they have no knowledge of when they are to be pulled for training. The only ones I know of that are trained are just enough for testing and generally that is usually only a small number and not enough for even a "skeleton" crew


EDIT: Finally caught up and now I'll have less reading in the morning......wow:skellington:

 

[kitfisto92]

Just finished my contest entry for the Today Show contest! w00t! I'm hand delivering at 30 Rock tomorrow, lol. talk about down to the wire, I'm getting to the city around 4, taking a cab to 30 Rock and the contest ends at 5. Wish me luck

 

[Felipe]

Good luck Dan!!!

Interesting and nice to know that from June 18th on (well, until mid August) closing time for IoA is 10PM
(While the Studios will only remain open till 9PM, AND that's starting June 19th. The 18th they close at 8PM...)

 

[kitfisto92]

Good luck Dan!!!

Interesting and nice to know that from June 18th on (well, until mid August) closing time for IoA is 10PM
(While the Studios will only remain open till 9PM, AND that's starting June 19th. The 18th they close at 8PM...)

Thank you!!

It is indeed interesting, thank you for the update. Luckily I'll be there in early August so I'll be able to spend a night at the Wizarding World. Then off to CityWalk!

 

[Descendo]

Wow, there may have been a FEW posts since last night... I feel it would be amazing if they had one REALLY long soundtrack of all the Harry Potter movie music AND video game music tied seamlessly together. Even though it would run for hours, it would be better than Hedwigs Theme for hours on end.

The more popular tunes could be played twice for every video game tune is played for example. The only time the loop would stop is when you actually enter the ride, good idea? (This COULD work for it sounds as though Universal has purchased the copyright to the songs, PLUS John Williams is “re-composing the original theme!) There are ALOT of speakers plotted around this park! (Like the speakers disguised as bricks in Hogsmeade!)

And are there any NUMBERS released about the amount of rooms in Hogwarts yet? Not just the pictures with; "plus more to be announced" or “several more are also present” kind of thing. Is there any more news apart from the leaked photos last night? (I want to know about the Three Broomsticks etc)…

Does anyone else feel that Universal is telling Fibs to often? They are doing a TREMENDOUS job with the theme-ing (don’t get me wrong) and everything else, it is just the facts that keep on changing; fly-through videos’ architecture, the DATES, rumours etc. I know, RUMOURS, but so many things were “announced”, then not mentioned again.

I was sure I heard that all the “creatures that would scare you most” mentioned in Universals’ poll would be in the Forbidden Journey, but apart from Rupert Grint a while ago, not too much more has been mentioned about the Spiders or the Basilisk. (I have a bad feeling that the chess scene may have been cut…) I just want to know some things; they are doing a pretty good job on confusing us! Agree?

P.S. Where is the video of the queue showing the four Houses’ Hourglasses?
Is there going to be a photo update anytime soon?
Sorry for the long post, please don’t ignore it if you can…

 

[Bryan]

Yes there have been several descriptions of the rooms and queue

go to the first page and read that MTV article or from the top of my head I can do my best to describe it

for the regular line:
u enter the dungeons of hogwarts castle
then u go outside to the greenhouse (as we saw in pics this has a lot of turn backs, it is here I suspect u do the most waiting then the rest of the queue is a stead flow dispersed in groups)
okay continuing - ur back inside touring what's called oxford corridor
at the end if this is the griffin statue
then there's the gallery
next is dumbledores office (this is a preshow room)
next is the defense against dark arts classroom (another preshow)
then the fat lady and gryffindor common room (ride details are given in this room)
then you see the sorting hat and are in the room of requirement

 

[Felipe]

And are there any NUMBERS released about the amount of rooms in Hogwarts yet?

Does anyone else feel that Universal is telling Fibs to often? They are doing a TREMENDOUS job with the theme-ing (don’t get me wrong) and everything else, it is just the facts that keep on changing; fly-through videos’ architecture, the DATES, rumours etc. I know, RUMOURS, but so many things were “announced”, then not mentioned again.

P.S. Where is the video of the queue showing the four Houses’ Hourglasses?

Press release says "Number of scenes in the attraction: 12" but that's probably in the "ride." For the queue I think Bryan^ described it pretty accurately according to what we've heard.

The facts haven't really changed... Everything before was speculation and now we're getting the facts for the first time.

Video w/ House Hourglasses: http://www.news4jax.com/video/22952060/index.html

 

[kitfisto92]

Can someone clarify, regarding the "12 scenes," are they referring to just the queue, just the kuka experience, or both combined?

 

[Felipe]

Can someone clarify, regarding the "12 scenes," are they referring to just the queue, just the kuka experience, or both combined?

I think it might refer to the actual ride. From what we've seen of the queue there's like 8 or 9 rooms there alone, and I don't think the ride will have only 5 scenes

 

[Bryan]

Yeah the 12 scenes are the ride

some of them mentioned were

flying over hogwarts
quiddich match
whomping willow
dementors
dragons

and I guess anyother flying or moving gimics they can pull from the story lol

 

[Felipe]

Don't forget the basilisk scene. We saw the snake head "statues" from the Chamber of Secrets, so that's gotta be in.
(Aragog the acromantula and the forbidden forest spiders aren't confirmed, but also most likely there)