Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 2

[mbrou24]

:thumbs: Dragon Challenge totally clashes with the immersion of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley/London. Not only that, but it gives the park THREE naked to near-naked steel coasters with a 54" height requirement. Hulk is the first thing people notice coming into IOA. The launch is iconic. Plus, it suits the high energy vibe of MSHI. DC looks terrible in the background of the Hogsmeade station for HE. It's becoming an eyesore for one of the most lavish areas ever built in a theme park.

J.K. Rowling might ask Universal to remove DC later on once Fantastic Beasts is released November 2016. I don't get how Universal finally getting a well-themed, mid-level (Everest/Big Thunder, 40"-46") coaster would be perceived as bad. Give DC to Busch Gardens to perhaps replace Gwazi.

I'd take an Everest/Big Thunder-sized coaster, Ford Anglia flat ride, relocated Hippogriff, Great Hall where Hippogriff used to be, and a Shrieking Shack show over a coaster with a great queue, but unthemed ride experience.

Phase 3/4 should go here... not Fear Factor (use for World Expo/MIB-Springfield mystery plot expansion), or Lost Continent (Wonka, Whoville mini-land, or a retooling of the island - pick any one of those).

While I like dc and would hate to see it go, I've been campaigning for a ford anglia flat ride along the lines of Peter Pan/et for a while now.

 

[Nitro_230]

All I can say is that I've ridden several coasters in my lifetime, and DC is an excellent coaster on both sides. Removing it would be a great loss for coaster fans in Orlando and Florida. I could care less what the themeing purists think. You don't remove a great ride just because folks are sad they are reminded they are actually in a theme park and not in the middle of the London countryside. The tri-wiazrd cup fits just fine into the "overall" Potter universe.

More like: You don't remove a great ride just because about 20 people on twitter/fan sites are sad they are reminded they are actually in a theme park and not in the middle of the London countryside when the majority of the guests (who typically have higher per cap spending rates then AP holders) don't care.

 

[DragonSlayer]

I wouldn't call for DC's removal just on the strength of ruining the station. However, ruining the station is unfortunately just one on a long list of things now wrong with it. It impacts on Hogsmeade itself because it is visible from inside, it impacts on the train station visually and aurally, it no longer delivers the experiece it used to in theming or ride terms, and it takes up a huge amount of space which could be better utilised. Don't get me wrong, I love both of them as coasters - I was a coaster fan before a general theme park fan - but it is unfortunately now an anomaly at Universal given the market they now occupy. It makes me cringe when they use DC in posts on Facebook when they have so much better to advertise with. And I'm sorry, but @rhino4evr: to say you'd take DC in preference to FJ is madness in the context of a resort like this.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

All, can we remove the discussion of Dragons Challenge from the Diagon Alley thread to the Hogsmeade thread? Thanks!

 

[TylerDurden]

When is there ever a wait longer than 30 minutes for DC? Does it matter if its a high capacity ride if they aren't filling the seats? Tear it down, we could have something soooooo much better.

Like Nitro said, if there is a wait at all, whether it be 10 minutes or 4 hours, the trains are being filled...otherwise it would constantly be a walk-on.

Dragon Challenge is a great roller coaster and is something that separates Universal from Disney. Its also tucked away in its own area so I dont see really how it clashes with the theming. At the end of the day youre still in a theme park. Also, if you compare it to other B&M inverted coasters, it definitely ranks as one of the best, even without the dueling aspect; its a ride Universal should be proud of.

 

[DragonSlayer]

Also, if you compare it to other B&M inverted coasters, it definitely ranks as one of the best, even without the dueling aspect; its a ride Universal should be proud of.

Neither are anywhere close to Nemesis, Montu, Katun, Oziris, or any other invert at the top of the list of B&Ms; the pacing and element flow is destroyed by the need to tie to the duel points. But this is really getting off the point.

I wonder why the gap in the wall is shaped as it is? If they were going for the static approach I'm surprised they didn't just open it up roughly symmetrically rather than having this weird angled thing. Kind of cool though I suppose, and the execution of the brickwork is fantastic.

 

[mahnamahna]

Like Nitro said, if there is a wait at all, whether it be 10 minutes or 4 hours, the trains are being filled...otherwise it would constantly be a walk-on.

Dragon Challenge is a great roller coaster and is something that separates Universal from Disney. Its also tucked away in its own area so I dont see really how it clashes with the theming. At the end of the day youre still in a theme park. Also, if you compare it to other B&M inverted coasters, it definitely ranks as one of the best, even without the dueling aspect; its a ride Universal should be proud of.

Because it's poorly themed aside from the queue. And the ride takes up a sizable amount of real estate. A lavishly themed family coaster is what IOA needs, moreso than two naked steel coasters that clash with the rest of Hogsmeade.

I'm not saying it's a priority, but later in the decade, early 2020s... DC's spot might be the next place for expansion in IOA

 

[richjagr]

Wow, I came on thinking all the updates were because we had another dragon wing or something about Diagon Alley, maybe I just can't read what thread I am in.

 

[Quint]

All, can we remove the discussion of Dragons Challenge from the Diagon Alley thread to the Hogsmeade thread? Thanks!

+1
All due respect this is not relevant to Diagon.

 

[TylerDurden]

Because it's poorly themed aside from the queue. And the ride takes up a sizable amount of real estate. A lavishly themed family coaster is what IOA needs, moreso than two naked steel coasters that clash with the rest of Hogsmeade.

I'm not saying it's a priority, but later in the decade, early 2020s... DC's spot might be the next place for expansion in IOA

So is the Hulk. So is the area by Pizza Predatoria where the FJ showbuilding is visible. So is the extended queue for Gringotts. So is the Transformers showbuilding. A theme park is going to be full of inconsistencies. Id say a top tier roller coaster is worth a little break in immersion. Nobody actually believes they are in Hogsmeade until they see DC.

EDIT: yeah, this is in the wrong thread, but if the mods wanna move it to the Hogsmeade thread Id love to keep defending it

 

[Gambit]

Has there been any recent news on when the dragon's wing will be going up? I know it's now on site so I'm thinking it shouldn't be much longer.

I wouldn't call for DC's removal just on the strength of ruining the station. However, ruining the station is unfortunately just one on a long list of things now wrong with it. It impacts on Hogsmeade itself because it is visible from inside, it impacts on the train station visually and aurally, it no longer delivers the experience it used to in theming or ride terms, and it takes up a huge amount of space which could be better utilized. Don't get me wrong, I love both of them as coasters - I was a coaster fan before a general theme park fan - but it is unfortunately now an anomaly at Universal given the market they now occupy.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Dueling Dragons was a great ride, Dragon Challenge is a good ride. Unfortunately it takes up a LOT of space and is now ruining even more sight lines. It's days might finally be numbered soon.

 

[mbrou24]

Has there been any recent news on when the dragon's wing will be going up? I know it's now on site so I'm thinking it shouldn't be much longer.



You took the words right out of my mouth. Dueling Dragons was a great ride, Dragon Challenge is a good ride. Unfortunately it takes up a LOT of space and is now ruining even more sight lines. It's days might finally be numbered soon.

Wing is being lifted as we speak I believe.

 

[Teebin]

From Amusement Buzz

From @cryxwolf

 

[graspthesun]

Wing is being lifted as we speak I believe.

Nice! Any day now...

 

[mahnamahna]

So is the Hulk. So is the area by Pizza Predatoria where the FJ showbuilding is visible. So is the extended queue for Gringotts. So is the Transformers showbuilding. A theme park is going to be full of inconsistencies. Id say a top tier roller coaster is worth a little break in immersion. Nobody actually believes they are in Hogsmeade until they see DC.

EDIT: yeah, this is in the wrong thread, but if the mods wanna move it to the Hogsmeade thread Id love to keep defending it

Hulk fits the high-energy vibe of MSHI, and takes up little real estate. I also point out the mistake with the FJ show building and feel more trees and a Phase 3 reworking that finishes the castle walls by the greenhouse would solve it. The extended queue also needs to be fixed. The Transformers show building fits the industrial theming. All of those take up little space as well.

DC takes up a sizable plot. The actual ride experience has been so-so since dueling went away. The queue has been neutered from the eerie castle of old. The paint looks old. It is distracting looking at the station and seeing a naked steel coaster in the background. I'll take an immersive coaster that trumps the Disney Mountains in terms of theming over DC any day. Plus, IOA doesn't have much real estate as is, so after TL, Kong, JP, Seuss and LC, Phase 3 could easily fit into DC's plot

But back on topic!!

 

[freediverdude]

There better not be softs next week now that I gave up and changed my reservation! Wow that wing is huge. Too bad the Weasley actors didn't get to see the dragon fully assembled.

 

[JungleSkip]

There better not be softs next week now that I gave up and changed my reservation! Wow that wing is huge. Too bad the Weasley actors didn't get to see the dragon fully assembled.

There won't be softs this coming week

 

[Nitro_230]

Has there been any recent news on when the dragon's wing will be going up? I know it's now on site so I'm thinking it shouldn't be much longer.



You took the words right out of my mouth. Dueling Dragons was a great ride, Dragon Challenge is a good ride. Unfortunately it takes up a LOT of space and is now ruining even more sight lines. It's days might finally be numbered soon.

Wing is in place. Was being moved through this whole Dragon Challenge fight

 

[Skubersky]

On the TP blog, Seth Kubersky posted the following:

"Though we can’t reveal how it will work, every guest entering Diagon Alley will pass through the moving brick wall behind The Leaky Cauldron, just as Harry did in the first book."

I still believe some of the bricks around the opening are mechanical and will rotate as you pass through, but were not active for that video. I am shocked that they gave away such a clear look at the setpiece, though...

 

[columbus]

Thrillgeek posted a HQ still of the brick wall, along with some other place, but Just curious does anyone know what the rest of that sign says above them
http://thrillgeek.com/harry-potter-...otter-diagon-alley-universal-orlando-resort/#