DHS CARS LAND

[AmongMadPeople]

We did backlot tour last week. The line was SO SHORT that they couldn't do the real pre-show stuff with the special effects and guest interaction. They had a cast member hurriedly run through "if we were shooting a scene we would..." and in a very fragmented and confusing manner launch all of the special effects before hurrying us on. It was very awkward and if I didn't already know what that was supposed to be, I'd have been very confused.

That's funny cause I was there today and they did the same thing cause nobody wanted to participate.

The week after Thanksgiving they didn't have participants, but the line was long enough that we had to wait for a full group before us to go. When we've been with the weather in the 30s-40s they didn't have participants, but the weather was pretty nice a few weeks ago. It sounds like they've decided to nix that, and will hobble along with the awkward rush of effects and no context for what you're seeing. I'll be interested to hear if/when they do bring back guest actors.

 

[Bolt]

I don't understand why DHS built roads all around the park making expansion that much harder. You think on their 3rd park they would have learned that growth is good.

 

[Timothy_Q]

I don't understand why DHS built roads all around the park making expansion that much harder. You think on their 3rd park they would have learned that growth is good.

There's still PLENTY of space for expansion inside the park's perimeter.

 

[Master Yoda]

I don't understand why DHS built roads all around the park making expansion that much harder. You think on their 3rd park they would have learned that growth is good.

Moving a road is not all that hard. Sure it is work, but I can not see a project getting held up because of it.

 

[Patricia Melton]

Moving a road is not all that hard. Sure it is work, but I can not see a project getting held up because of it.

If I'm not mistaken, Disney owns and maintains all those roads around its own parks. I think this is true because the signage on Disney property is purple when the signage on roads maintained by government is green.

So, Disney could move its roads whenever it wants if it wants to build onto DHS and other parks.

Look at Universal and the Hogwart's Express attraction that is going to link Universal to Islands of Adventure. That is being build on what used to be a service road that ran between the two parks. But Universal is getting rid of it or moving it somewhere, not sure which.

Disney has even more flexibility to do this because of the massive amount of land it owns in the WDW resort area. If these were government-controlled highways then it would be a problem, but moving a road that's Disney owned and maintained on Disney property would not have a lot of red tape at all.

 

[Timothy_Q]

If I'm not mistaken, Disney owns and maintains all those roads around its own parks. I think this is true because the signage on Disney property is purple when the signage on roads maintained by government is green.

So, Disney could move its roads whenever it wants if it wants to build onto DHS and other parks.

Look at Universal and the Hogwart's Express attraction that is going to link Universal to Islands of Adventure. That is being build on what used to be a service road that ran between the two parks. But Universal is getting rid of it or moving it somewhere, not sure which.

Disney has even more flexibility to do this because of the massive amount of land it owns in the WDW resort area. If these were government-controlled highways then it would be a problem, but moving a road that's Disney owned and maintained on Disney property would not have a lot of red tape at all.

So... basically what he said

 

[Patricia Melton]

So... basically what he said

I didn't see him get into the issues of Disney owning the land and having the flexibility to do what it wants with it.

Where was that discussed?

 

[EOD K9]

Us grownups know that (sadly) wishing upon stars doesn't work ... and that Pixie Dust is a gateway drug!

In my line of work, if you are on the Pixie Dust, you are waaaay past gateway drugs!

 

[celluloid]

If I'm not mistaken, Disney owns and maintains all those roads around its own parks. I think this is true because the signage on Disney property is purple when the signage on roads maintained by government is green.

So, Disney could move its roads whenever it wants if it wants to build onto DHS and other parks.

Look at Universal and the Hogwart's Express attraction that is going to link Universal to Islands of Adventure. That is being build on what used to be a service road that ran between the two parks. But Universal is getting rid of it or moving it somewhere, not sure which.

Neither, what they are actually doing is an elevated train system that will still allow clearance height beneath it for service vehicles.


As for land with DHS. Forget land as an issue, there are so many dead areas and attractions that need work in that park we are far from looking for expansions and so is Disney.

 

[Patricia Melton]

Neither, what they are actually doing is an elevated train system that will still allow clearance height beneath it for service vehicles.

Have you seen any concept images or other details for the Hogwart's train?

I'm wondering if it will be a "real" attraction in itself or just a train that will take guests from point A to point B.

What I imagine is the train moving through some kind of tunnel that will have all kinds of effects in it to make it feel like you are really traveling from London to Hogsmeade and back again (for people going from Islands to Universal). This can be accomplished in either a tunnel or by having the windows in the train be video screens that show a movie instead of the real world outside.

I hope they build the tunnel with animatronics and effects inside.

Does anyone know how the illusion of traveling to Hogsmeade will be accomplished?

If this is really going to be elevated then I think they're going to go with the windows on the train being video screens as it seems that would be less money to build than a tunnel suspended in the air so that vehicles and people can move below.

 

[Patricia Melton]

I heartily agree. I am still bothered a bit with the generic studio facades in Hollywoodland in DCA, I never really cared for them. On the other hand I miss the Golden Girls house at DHS.
Supposedly when Carsland opened, a young boy exclaimed to his parents that this is where Cars was filmed. I think DHS needs more of that type of attraction, (although I'd rather that RSR stay in CA.) which is why I love the Great Movie Ride.

I am not a big fan of Cars (my son was already an adult when that came out but I bet if he had been a kid we'd have a house full of Cars merchandise today, though) but I do think the Carsland in DCA is gorgeous from the pictures I have seen. We're making a rare trip to Disneyland next month so I will see it in person and report back.

I think Disney hit a home run grand slam with Carsland at DCA.

I would 100% support bringing Cars 2 to DHS or EPCOT in the form of some kind of international grand prix attraction. It would work at either EPCOT (because of the country pavilions) or DHS (as part of Pixar Land). You could even demolish the Tomorrowland Speedway and have this Cars 2 grand prix as its replacement in one of the other parks.

The more I think about it the more I'd like this project at EPCOT. What a fun way to incorporate a lot of the countries that will never get pavilions of their own...by way of having them be part of the scenery in the around-the-world race that happened in Cars 2. Kids could pretend they were driving the Cars cars and everyone who thinks these go-carts are the best part of a Disney vacation could have a version of the Speedway that is more colorful and interesting...with better scenery and a cooler theme.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Have you seen any concept images or other details for the Hogwart's train?

I'm wondering if it will be a "real" attraction in itself or just a train that will take guests from point A to point B.

What I imagine is the train moving through some kind of tunnel that will have all kinds of effects in it to make it feel like you are really traveling from London to Hogsmeade and back again (for people going from Islands to Universal). This can be accomplished in either a tunnel or by having the windows in the train be video screens that show a movie instead of the real world outside.

I hope they build the tunnel with animatronics and effects inside.

Does anyone know how the illusion of traveling to Hogsmeade will be accomplished?

If this is really going to be elevated then I think they're going to go with the windows on the train being video screens as it seems that would be less money to build than a tunnel suspended in the air so that vehicles and people can move below.

It will be elevated using cutting edge screen technology and in-cabin effects.

 

[Patricia Melton]

It will be elevated using cutting edge screen technology and in-cabin effects.

Do you know how long of a ride it will be?

2 minutes?

It sounds like it will kind of be like a dark ride as I imagine it could not go very fast.

 

[celluloid]

I am not a big fan of Cars (my son was already an adult when that came out but I bet if he had been a kid we'd have a house full of Cars merchandise today, though) but I do think the Carsland in DCA is gorgeous from the pictures I have seen. We're making a rare trip to Disneyland next month so I will see it in person and report back.

Have you seen any concept images or other details for the Hogwart's train?

I'm wondering if it will be a "real" attraction in itself or just a train that will take guests from point A to point B.

What I imagine is the train moving through some kind of tunnel that will have all kinds of effects in it to make it feel like you are really traveling from London to Hogsmeade and back again (for people going from Islands to Universal). This can be accomplished in either a tunnel or by having the windows in the train be video screens that show a movie instead of the real world outside.

I hope they build the tunnel with animatronics and effects inside.

Does anyone know how the illusion of traveling to Hogsmeade will be accomplished?

If this is really going to be elevated then I think they're going to go with the windows on the train being video screens as it seems that would be less money to build than a tunnel suspended in the air so that vehicles and people can move below.

Yep, there will be video screens inside each cabin that help sell the illusion but will not be the sole one. Think like Mission Space's main ports times a thousand. The effect of depth will be very convincing to most. Then you will also have in cabin effects such as temperature changes and some other surprises. Some motion too.

Also, the journey will be different in each direction from Platform 9 and 3/4 or coming from Hogsmeade Station to Platform 9 and 3/4.

Ride time total should be about 3-4 minutes in each direciton.

 

[G00fyDad]

I don't understand why DHS built roads all around the park making expansion that much harder. You think on their 3rd park they would have learned that growth is good.

Roads can be re-routed.

 

[Patricia Melton]

Yep, there will be video screens inside each cabin that help sell the illusion but will not be the sole one. Think like Mission Space's main ports times a thousand. The effect of depth will be very convincing to most. Then you will also have in cabin effects such as temperature changes and some other surprises. Some motion too.

Also, the journey will be different in each direction from Platform 9 and 3/4 or coming from Hogsmeade Station to Platform 9 and 3/4.

Ride time total should be about 3-4 minutes in each direciton.

WOW!!!!!

This sounds even cooler than I expected!

 

[BryceM]

WOW!!!!!

This sounds even cooler than I expected!

I know right?!

I'm just worried about how they will handle the guests... Do you have to have 2-park admission tickets to be able to ride? That is my main question.

 

[celluloid]

Latest rumors is nope. They have it figured out to where you can actually ride it on loop from either park. Crazy I know and I had my doubts on that being a good idea as I figured it would be an incentive to visit the other park no matter which park you were at. But in fact this is how it will work. It sounds more complicated than it is:

So let's say you are riding from the newly built area and you exit at the IOA side. You come down an exit ramp and you have two options. Enter Hogsmeade through the turnstyles there if you have a valid ticket that allows you to do so and leave the station, or take the other path to re-ride back to the station you just came from.
The same would work going the other way. Same concept.

This seems to be the latest talk over at Orlandounited's forums.

 

[Patricia Melton]

I know right?!

I'm just worried about how they will handle the guests... Do you have to have 2-park admission tickets to be able to ride? That is my main question.

They'd have to do something like that because otherwise they'd never be able to control the people who'd "sneak" from one park to the other then.

Probably to get on this ride you'd need to have a park-hopper (not sure what they call it at Universal).

I'm guessing if you only bought a single park ticket that you could upgrade at a ticket window at either end of the ride (since there will be train stations at either end of the ride, this works great if it ends up being how I imagined it). Also it adds some streetmosphere to have a ticket agent working in a ticket booth at a train station themed ride.

I bet you ride from one station to the next and then you must disembark...and then new people will get on to ride from that station back to the other one. They will probably have two trains so that one is always going in one direction and the other always going in the other direction all day.

I wonder if they will sell all the candies from the books on the train platform (can't imagine them having time in 3 minutes to have a cart go through the actual train). Chocolate frogs, every flavor beans, etc.

I'm really excited about this ride. My husband is a big train buff with a giant model train setup in our basement that he's been working on for many years now. I have NOT told him about the Hogwarts Express yet. I want it to be a surprise.

Do you think this will be open by summer 2014? If so, then we're definitely going to have to add an extra day to our Orlando trip to fit in a whole day for Harry Potter. We normally go down for 5 days and 6 nights and spend it all at Disney...but if there's a whole day's worth of Potter stuff to do at Universal then we might take one of those Disney days and do a Potter full day instead. Probably we will sacrifice the water parks at Disney or maybe make DHS a half day from now on and do water park the rest of the day to carve out a full day at Uni.

There's something about 5 days and 6 nights that works out best for my family in terms of the length we like being away from home. 6 days feels too long for us.

 

[Patricia Melton]

Latest rumors is nope. They have it figured out to where you can actually ride it on loop from either park. Crazy I know and I had my doubts on that being a good idea as I figured it would be an incentive to visit the other park no matter which park you were at. But in fact this is how it will work. It sounds more complicated than it is:

So let's say you are riding from the newly built area and you exit at the IOA side. You come down an exit ramp and you have two options. Enter Hogsmeade through the turnstyles there if you have a valid ticket that allows you to do so and leave the station, or take the other path to re-ride back to the station you just came from.
The same would work going the other way. Same concept.

This seems to be the latest talk over at Orlandounited's forums.

THANK YOU!!!

I still wonder if they will have a ticket agent at the entrance to Hogsmeade so you can upgrade to a park hopper in case you do want to upgrade and go into Hogsmeade. Some people might decide to go for it once they are on the train. They could get caught up in the excitement and decide it's worth the extra money for the upgrade.

Nice to know that you might not even have to do that upgrade to get on the train.

I honestly don't think I've ever even heard of an attraction like this. It's so remarkable they are doing this. What a genius way to build a very complete version of the potterworld that's spread over two parks. Whoever thought this up is going to earn a place in the history books for it when it comes to theme park design and ingenuity.

TDO will never be able to top something like this unless they build a ride that can take guests from one land to another. I just don't see it happening.