Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 2

[ReelJustice]

Thanks for the screen caps. The gates and fence also suggest that they'll be closed during HHN, and we'll have to walk along the embankment.

 

[Skubersky]

I've posted summaries of the webcast to the blogs on Touringplans.com and orlandoweekly.com

 

[badlactose]

Thanks for the screen caps Gambit. I hadn't thought to do that, probably because of Woodbury stating that it would open in 2010 among other gaffs. Get that man a teleprompter and lock him down.

On that note... apparently, they are going to completely reproduce the Eros statue in Piccadilly... to 100% scale no less! I'm impossibly impressed.

A reminder of what that scale it is:

I'd missed that in my excitement. That is very ambitious and awesome of them. I hope they import some English pigeons for us to feed while sitting on those steps.

 

[wizwit]

Thanks for the screen caps Gambit. I hadn't thought to do that, probably because of Woodbury stating that it would open in 2010 among other gaffs. Get that man a teleprompter and lock him down.

Amen! Live presentations/broadcasts are always risky. My guess is they are right now editing out the flubs (especially the Summer 2010 gaff) before they make the video available. Actually, I'm suprised they didn't just skip the whole "live webcast" idea and create a more polished recorded/edited piece and broadcast that "live" instead. Did today's presentation really need to be "live"?

Anyway, exciting stuff! Can't wait for this place to open! I'll be there in August.

 

[pinkfrost]

I'm in absolute awe of the details and concept art released today. This is the most excited I've been for a Universal expansion in, well, forever, and I'm a Universal fanatic!

I loved the webcast in spite of those gaffes :rofl:, and Evanna Lynch is adorable.

 

[maxairmike]

I'm not sure I'd be so happy about a full size fountain and all the grass represented in the art. Don't expect those large grassy areas especially, though the fountain may indeed be full size. That plaza will more than likely act as the queueing area to enter DA on busy days (and it will likely be "busy days" for most of the first year or more it is open), so I'd temper your expectations with more planters and concrete walkway in a very organized fashion to create walkways. Of course, that's just me going on what I still have in my mind from seeing those early site plans way back when that showed us the embankment, so the memory could be a bit foggy, or even changed completely since.

 

[Teebin]

^ I do expect those grassy areas... they will be fenced in like multiple parts of Central Park across the lagoon. And if parts are open and people get out of hand crushing the grass underfoot... the whole thing will be fenced in.

 

[Miketheboss]

I dont like the dragon on top of the bank!!!

Did they say anything about how the train ride will be. To the average person, the Hogwarts express is just a train. So unless its more than that, this area will only have one ride.

 

[Gambit]

^ I do expect those grassy areas... they will be fenced in like multiple parts of Central Park across the lagoon. And if parts are open and people get out of hand crushing the grass underfoot... the whole thing will be fenced in.

Not to mention probably fake just like in Springfield and the Music Plaza.

Also, does anyone know where Scribulus might be?

 

[fryoj]

I'm not sure I'd be so happy about a full size fountain and all the grass represented in the art. Don't expect those large grassy areas especially, though the fountain may indeed be full size. That plaza will more than likely act as the queueing area to enter DA on busy days (and it will likely be "busy days" for most of the first year or more it is open), so I'd temper your expectations with more planters and concrete walkway in a very organized fashion to create walkways. Of course, that's just me going on what I still have in my mind from seeing those early site plans way back when that showed us the embankment, so the memory could be a bit foggy, or even changed completely since.

And as the concept art below shows, they are already planning on a massive crush of people at the entrance to DA. Even the artists couldn't hide that. lol

 

[maxairmike]

Like I said, I'm not sure I'd be so sure. They will need line area somewhere, and they'll prefer to keep it on stage as much as possible. They will inevitably use that alley between Diagon and Fear Factor for overflow, but the primary lineup will be in that plaza, no doubt about it. Function over form, and that much grass doesn't provide as much function, unless they use the stuff they use in the concert plaza.

EDIT: Does someone have those early site plans handy? I'd really like another look at them and didn't think to save them.

 

[GGGhost]

There are two of those small structures in front of the London facades. What could they be? Ticket upgrade counters?

Or maybe F&B stands with Coke products since there won't be any inside Diagon.

 

[TheLastAshen]

There will be trees in front of london facades, you happy now teebin?!!!

 

[pinkfrost]

Did they say anything about how the train ride will be. To the average person, the Hogwarts express is just a train. So unless its more than that, this area will only have one ride.

From what I understand, there will be all sorts of audio and visual effects to complete the experience - it definitely won't be an average train ride.

 

[Jolber]

Additional (low resolution) Gringotts screen capture...

 

[mbrou24]

Here's my question.... Given the fact there was no official date announced, can we expect that at the Super Bowl now?

 

[Miketheboss]

In the Hogsmead virtual tour, Zonkos name doesn't even appear.

 

[fryoj]

In the Hogsmead virtual tour, Zonkos name doesn't even appear.

Because it's being removed.

 

[maxairmike]

Looking at the visual scale in that piece of art above and comparing to what I'm seeing on Google Maps in terms of the space between the facades and the embankment walkway, I think those grass areas are going to be smaller than they appear in the art. You may get the full scale actual fountain center, but the full steps won't be coming, as that covers roughly 30-40ft. of space in diameter, and there's roughly 60ft. between Wyndham's facade and the wall against the embankment path. I'd expect a path just as wide as the embankment path the full length of the facades, so just a bit more than 20ft. across, at least.

Anyone have any recent ariels, because I bet they're laying out the plaza area right now, or already have it laid out.

 

[Miketheboss]

Because it's being removed.

I was expecting them to at least take out the red paint and color it all green for the virtual tour.