The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hollywood

[Chris]

I could especially see KK 360 leave (Good thing there isn't another K in that name) if Florida's new Kong ride does well and they will want to clone it over here for the tour.

If Kong does well in Orlando and they want to close it...it won't be on the tour.  Watching Kong closely after Fast&Furious opens will be a high priority.

 

[Imdbman]

I reply to Chris' second-to-previous post about the expansion, I foresee that as a big possibility. I think when Disney finally gets off of their lazy rear and starts working on Star Wars land, I think it will be a matter of when Diagon Alley opens. The abandoned tram spot/hillside and even King Kong 360 included is what I could see as a potential expansion for Diagon. I could especially see KK 360 leave (Good thing there isn't another K in that name) if Florida's new Kong ride does well and they will want to clone it over here for the tour.

Kong just opened 4 years ago, so it's definitely not leaving anytime soon.  But what I bet they could do is refurbish the current one in Hollywood to make it more like Florida's and add the animatronic Kong.  Although I do agree that the old Kong was more fun than the current one, since it felt more realistic and there was a gigantic animatronic versus the new one where its just screens.  While the 3-D is good in the new one, it's certainly not the same.  

 

[Allen The Actor]

^ Never say never. If Universal feels they can improve on their concept, nothing will stop them. The new Kong is gonna be a mega hit in Orlando, bigger and better than the Avatar expansion. And if Universal makes room here, I wouldn't be surprised even 1% if they decided to bring new Kong here. Fast and Furious Supercharged is essentially an improvement of our current Kong. If Universal makes room for Orlando's Kong somewhere over here, be it the lower lot, Studio Tour garage space or elsewhere, I can definitely see it coming here. It would be like how Orlando got Transformers. The development and design costs are done, and cloning the ride would just be the expense of construction. I think it'd be amazing if we got it. Kong definitely deserves a better experience than our current Kong, and I honestly always thought it was inferior compared to the original. Let's see what happens

I know one thing: Universal/Comcast will do everything possible to build up USH and add as many new additions as possible, and cloning hit attractions from Orlando, such as Diagon Alley and/or New Kong, would be amazing and very smart.

So I'm with Chris. With the way the park is right now, it's pretty much full of surprises. This is just the beginning my friends.

 

[k_peek_2000]

I personally would like to see the old Fast and Furious location be retooled into another short studio tour special effects demonstration before we see any sort of Kong-related development. The tour needs all it can get and that location is just sitting there.

 

[Allen The Actor]

With its proximity to the Lost World set pieces and props, it'd be interesting to see if they can incorporate that space into a Jurassic World mini experience of some kind.

Or Back to the Future. Use one of the kuka arms with a fiberglass flying DeLorean on it for a mini back to the future experience.

 

[Chris]

I have no doubt that all the production cars are going to move to the Fast & Furious area for the end of the tour.  This will leave Extreme Close Up location very ripe and open for something new.  EP does show that possibility.

 

[JaySalahi]

Kong would not leave. The Orlando attraction is MASSIVE. They supposedly will utilize Kong 360 3D in the ride, but its only 1/3 of the attraction. They have an outdoor show scene plus another indoor scene with an animatronic. 

Plus Orlando is getting it because ours was such a hit and a new Kong movie comes out in 2016. 

 

[Allen The Actor]

More the reason for us to get it here!

1. New movie coming out 2. Was a hit over here already in the current version. 3. F&F Supercharged is gonna be essentially a new version of Kong on the tour. 4. The new Orlando version is gonna be a guaranteed hit as well. 5. Development and design costs are already paid and finished for the attraction, they'd just have to find space here, which isn't impossible...trust me. Universal are willing to do crazy things with USH. Look around. We blink and there's something new. I'm well aware how big the new Kong ride is in Orlando.

People laughed and never imagined Forbidden Journey would EVER make its way over here. And yet it's a few years away

So...again...never say never, bud

I'm very curious as to how the abandoned F&F space will be utilized. It's not huge but I'm sure it can be utilized in SOME nice way to take advantage of the existing space. Maybe combine it with the picture cars land since the picture cars will probably be moving?

Anyway, back to Potter:

I really hope that since our FJ opens in a few years that they'll hold back on using current models of projectors and maybe wait until some new technology and versions come out late next year before installing it.

 

[k_peek_2000]

Kong would not leave. The Orlando attraction is MASSIVE. They supposedly will utilize Kong 360 3D in the ride, but its only 1/3 of the attraction. They have an outdoor show scene plus another indoor scene with an animatronic. 

Plus Orlando is getting it because ours was such a hit and a new Kong movie comes out in 2016. 

Technically. It's Kong, but with an additional scene afterwards. It'll be fun but I cannot see them cloning it for any reason here. It would be an awefully big waste of money on something that can be done completely on the studio tour. If they wanted to they could build onto the existing Kong building to receive a slim down version of what is coming to Orlando.

 

[William]

Yes, back to Potter!

Keep in mind that these buildings may look complete from the outside, but there's still a lot of work to do inside. Once Hogsmeade and FJ's exterior is done, it'll be a seemingly slow wait.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Technically. It's Kong, but with an additional scene afterwards. It'll be fun but I cannot see them cloning it for any reason here. It would be an awefully big waste of money on something that can be done completely on the studio tour. If they wanted to they could build onto the existing Kong building to receive a slim down version of what is coming to Orlando.

Not true at all. You're underestimating the Orlando Kong ride. Trust me. It's not that simple far from it. It wouldn't be able to be incorporated into the studio tour, and would not be a waste of money. Trust me on this.

And it's not an "additional scene afterwards". The 360 3D scene is the final scene, and there's multiple other scenes in the ride. I'm jealous of their incredible experience and will cross my fingers that we somehow get it

BACK TO POTTER:

What will be amazing about Wizarding World in Hollywood will be that the land as a whole will be an attraction! Just walking through the land is an experience.

Which leads to me to this question: I wonder if our Forbidden Journey will use GATE A right from the opening or wait for a while? They'll probably reserve it for a while for just guests with a VIP Pass or guests with an Up Charged Front of the Line pass that includes Wizarding World (there will be FOTL that won't include Potter).

I just also hope they allow guests who want to take the castle tour to be able to do so like in Orlando.

 

[William]

This was mentioned in the most recent IU podcast regarding USJ's rendition of FJ; Orlando did begin with a castle tour, but this feature was eventually scrapped. Japan, as Chris G. explained on the podcast, hosts a tour as well. The only issue is that Japan's tour switchbacks, if I understand correctly, are more apparent than the attraction queue's.

I'm not really a fan of the whole castle tour idea, but this could be due to the fact that it hasn't been executed correctly. Too much going on in the narrow hallways that house the queue for Forbidden Journey, and guests clog up those switchbacks like there's no tomorrow. Just a bother, in my opinion.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Yeah, esthetically the Castle Tour doesn't seem like the nicest thing but I think it'll be important to have it in USH more than USJ and IOA. Because it can basically be an additional attraction without a height limit that they can advertise, and lord knows USH needs it!

 

[William]

As many of you are now aware, the area in front of Production Central has been completely walled off. In fact, the construction walls are placed so far out that the walkway between Production Central and Potter is quite narrow.

While at the park yesterday, I noticed something very interesting. Just behind the walls in front of Production Central (to the right of its entrance, to be specific) are a few newly planted fir trees that are extremely similar to the ones found in the entry plazas to the WWoHP in both Orlando and Japan. They happen to be placed conveniently across from the future entrance of Hogsmeade...

Just a highly interesting and exciting tidbit I thought I'd post!

 

[William]

Crummy lighting, but it was the best photo I had. This was taken just next to SES facing Pinks, which is now hidden behind these trees.

 

[k_peek_2000]

Oh wow, I love that they're theming both sides of the pathway. This will also be useful for hiding Springfield.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Oh my gosh....my landscaping at Universal has been sorely needed! Super excited about this!

 

[JaySalahi]

Did not expect trees there but YES. Very needed. 

 

[Imdbman]

That's awesome!  Landscaping already is a very pleasant sight

 

[William]

Don't think for a minute that I was calm about this. I frightened the guests next to me upon first glance of those trees.

I wonder why they've placed them so early on, though. Are they going to be used to hide the view of Production Central when exiting Hogsmeade through the main arch, or do they have something bigger planned behind those walls?