The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hollywood

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That new planter aligning with the center rail of the bridge tells me the Studio Tour or the arch isn't going anywhere.

 

[k_peek_2000]

Based on those pictures it looks like we may be getting the best (and possibly largest) Hogsmeade of the 3. This makes me happy. 

Is anyone else curious about that massive hole in the ground?

 

[...]

Ours is definitely going to be the most comprehensive of the three. I feel that the Shrek-neighboring structure might have interactive shop windows for the wands which I'm 99% sure we should be getting.

 

[William]

Great photos. A few things:

1) It seems they've got the area for Flight of the Hippogriff fenced off.

2) I wonder how they'll handle outdoor seating for The Three Broomsticks (if they even decide to do that). If they kept that element, it would normally be positioned just across from the new Studio Tour planter, but there's no room there. Maybe wedged in between Springfield and Hogsmeade, behind the kitchen?

3) From the looks of it, the structures toward the end of Hogsmeade seem to be in a different position than Japan and Orlando's. It looks like the path narrows down a bit.

4) Will they eventually fill in the Dragon Challenge "entrance" arch like they did in Japan? It looks like they've left more room for work there than needed, as if they have something planned there. Potter-related or Shrek-related?

 

[Imdbman]

Great photos by the way!

^...or will it fuel the fire for the rumors of the tour being moved downstairs?

Probably could. I bet the planter's really for the Jebediah Springfield statue, since the studio tour entrance is now squished right in between Springfield and WWOHP

 

[William]

I bet the planter's really for the Jebediah Springfield statue, since the studio tour entrance is now squished right in between Springfield and WWOHP

Well, not quite. The Studio Tour entrance is at the end of Springfield, which happens to be next to Hogsmeade.

While the planter offers more decor, it looks like it'll also be used for crowd flow. Guests going to the tour go to the right, guests exiting come from the left. I don't see them wedging a Jebediah statue in it, as its shaped abnormally like a crescent. It seems like it'll create a miniature hub for guests to plan their next step in the day, next to the new restrooms, with new seating built into the planter.

 

[Inspire2_Ride]

Hi. New to the forums, but been on the site for months now. I'm gonna try to jump in the conversation if I'm welcomed .

So, some of you guys are saying this maybe the largest Hogsmeade out of the three. But from what I can see in the pictures, it looks rather compact. There's no Dragon Challenge of course, so maybe in that area a open place for interactive wands? Or maybe something all new together that will make our Wizarding World unique.     

 

[k_peek_2000]

Hi. New to the forums, but been on the site for months now. I'm gonna try to jump in the conversation if I'm welcomed .

So, some of you guys are saying this maybe the largest Hogsmeade out of the three. But from what I can see in the pictures, it looks rather compact. There's no Dragon Challenge of course, so maybe in that area a open place for interactive wands? Or maybe something all new together that will make our Wizarding World unique.     

It just looks that way because of the angle of the photos and the fact that the scaffolding bulks all the buildings up. We're getting exactly what was build in Japan, only plussed. Believe me, the park already suffers from grid locking when it's not completely under construction, there is no way they would condense everything when they can fit it in full size. We lost a good portion of our park because of that fact, but in 2 years it'll be completely worth it.

It's anyone's guess what goes in the dragons challenge area, it's interesting that we're getting the entrance to DC when Japan didn't, something will definitely be put in that area. All the more reason to be excited!!!

 

[Inspire2_Ride]

It just looks that way because of the angle of the photos and the fact that the scaffolding bulks all the buildings up. We're getting exactly what was build in Japan, only plussed. Believe me, the park already suffers from grid locking when it's not completely under construction, there is no way they would condense everything when they can fit it in full size. We lost a good portion of our park because of that fact, but in 2 years it'll be completely worth it.

It's anyone's guess what goes in the dragons challenge area, it's interesting that we're getting the entrance to DC when Japan didn't, something will definitely be put in that area. All the more reason to be excited!!!

Your right. I went back to the pictures, and saw that it was the surrounding buildings of Shrek and Springfield that made it look small. I also got a really good look at the Dragon Challenge entrance. Surprisingly, there's a lot of room. It would be cool if they made the coaster or a one track version of DC.

 

[Aaron]

Japan has the Dragon Challenge arch as well, just boarded up. Ours will probably be used as a second exit. No way to bring DC here unless they remove another 5 acres of land. Our Hogsmead has two additional structures next to Shrek which Daniel mentioned above might be used for the interactive wands.

 

[JPLA]

Hi all, another newbie here but fan of the site.  Love the knowledgeable forum discussions.

I thought I should point out that the Dragon Challenge archway in Orlando is different from those in Osaka and Hollywood which are the same.  There are more notches or steps to the roofline in California and Japan.  My suspicion is that Hollywood's will be closed with trees on the Shrek side.  But who knows it could be for overflow crowd situations, a fire exit only, for crew only, etc. 

Also, Osaka's main entry has a center spire on their arch whereas Orlando does not.  It remains to be seen which version Hollywood will emulate but so far it seems to match Orlando's.  That's interesting given how much of the Hollywood layout seems to be following Osaka's plan particularly with regard to outdoor seating for Three Broomsticks. 

Thanks gang!

 

[William]

Welcome to the forums, guys.

I think it's fair to say that our Hogsmeade isn't exactly larger. It's evident that they haven't stretched out the site for heavier foot traffic, meaning it will mostly look identical to Japan and Orlando's from the inside. Technically speaking, it might be larger if guests are allowed into the two new cottages adjacent to Shrek, and the hub area containing the two rides and the Pep Rally stage might be less condensed, but everything else is the same (minus Dragon Challenge).

I think our best bet for what'll be placed behind the Dragon Challenge "entrance" is trees, as mentioned above. If you look at the second photo, you can clearly see two (new?) trees wedged into a crevice of Shrek's show building. It wouldn't be surprising to see similar trees pop up on the other side, especially considering their similarity to the Potter-esque trees in front of Production Central.

 

[techmaniac16]

I've looked at maps of Dragon's Challenge in Orlando. Their version is contained in the Wizarding World itself. Do you guys think that it might be possible to fit Dragon's Challenge in our park by modifying the track to travel around the park(preferably the upper lot) like most roller coasters do? In Knott's Berry Farm, the silver bullet does the same thing. 

 

[William]

I've looked at maps of Dragon's Challenge in Orlando. Their version is contained in the Wizarding World itself. Do you guys think that it might be possible to fit Dragon's Challenge in our park by modifying the track to travel around the park(preferably the upper lot) like most roller coasters do? In Knott's Berry Farm, the silver bullet does the same thing.

USH is on a hill surrounded by neighborhoods, meaning they must be very careful with noise pollution. Our park will most likely never be home to an outdoor thrill coaster since the sounds of guests screaming would travel for miles. This is why Revenge of the Mummy is entirely indoors. Even if they could somehow maneuver an outdoor coaster around the Upper Lot, it isn't a possibility. Beyond those logistics, it also wouldn't make sense thematically for the Dragon Challenge coasters to wind throughout the park.

When the Wizarding World was built in Orlando, the Dragon Challenge coasters were already existent under a different name (Dueling Dragons). The ride was simply rethemed and renamed, with a Hogsmeade arch placed at its entrance. My point being, it isn't an original Potter ride that's destined to come to our park.

Each iteration of WWoHP in the different Universal parks is slightly different, and each has its own unique element. Orlando's is the Dragon Challenge attraction, and Japan's is the addition of the Black Lake beside Hogwarts Castle. We have yet to find out what unique element our rendition will be home to.

 

[Park Man]

I've been looking at the aerial photos posted on Mice Chat, and I noticed one striking difference between Orlando and LA. In Orlando there is a "Hogsmede Train Station" that is actually the lockers for Dragon Challenge. Understandably, that structure does not appear to be going in the LA version. I'm also not sure there will be a Hogwarts Express photo op as there doesn't look like there's room between the main entrance and the pseudo Dragon Challenge Entrance. Does anyone know what they did in Japan?

Or is the pseduo Dragon Challenge Entrance just going to be the tunnel through which the Hogwarts Express protrudes.

 

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The station and Hogwarts Express photo op are both coming with the station most likely being a train compartment photo op like Japan.

 

[Park Man]

The station and Hogwarts Express photo op are both coming with the station most likely being a train compartment photo op like Japan.

Works for me. Do you know where it will be going?

 

[Allen The Actor]

^ Same location as in Orlando and Japan, on the right as you enter Hogsmeade.

 

[Park Man]

^ Same location as in Orlando and Japan, on the right as you enter Hogsmeade.

Ok, I see it now.

 

[transfo]

How tall is Hogwarts in the land?