Diagon Alley details revealed - spoiler alert

[marni1971]

But besides a handful of fast-paced moments, don’t expect this to feel like a coaster..

No one claimed it was a rollercoaster. It was posted several times by those in the know that it wasn't. That would have been foolish given they already have several world class coasters on property and the IP demanded - and got - something far more sophisticated.

But keep going. Please.

 

[danlb_2000]

http://www.hypable.com/2014/06/19/wizarding-world-diagon-alley-expansion-review/

But besides a handful of fast-paced moments, don’t expect this to feel like a coaster.

The ride requires 3D glasses (though the 3D effects weren’t intense) and there are several 4D effects like water, fire, and wind. It was really fun, but we have to admit that we were expecting something more intense.

Any one who has been following the rumors of what this ride would be like from the very beginning would have known these things. No surprise here.

Not to mention you cherry picked parts of that review that supported your agenda, you left out...

"The iconic wizarding bank is the one and only ride in Diagon Alley (besides the Hogwarts Express). It’s really impressive."

 

[draybook]

Ok, I got to page 8 before I had to say this; for you Pixie Dust Crusaders, why are you here? If you're just going to complain, condemn, or criticize these new items that you haven't even seen then why do you come to the Universal section? Good grief!

We get it, you're forever trapped in the Disney bubble and everything that Universal does will never live up to your expectations. I'm not a Harry Potter fan and I won't be able to ride Gringott's but to say that this new expansion is anything less than stellar is foolish and worthy of a flogging (oh no!).

I can't wait to see this stuff first hand in September!

 

[draybook]

I agree it's amazing, but disappointed they got away with a dragon statue that roars and breathes fire but can't seem to move at all.. Perhaps a spell was placed on him to freeze him??

Read the last 3-4 pages. Your inquiry has already been explained.

 

[The Mom]

Once again, people are straying into the WDW vs US/IOA argument. Most people have opened this thread purposely looking for spoilers about Diagon Alley.

 

[marni1971]

Once again, people are straying into the WDW vs US/IOA argument. Most people have opened this thread purposely looking for spoilers about Diagon Alley.

We are trying. One individual In particular has his own agenda it seems.

 

[flynnibus]

Here is another video review... this one shows some more clips of the Gringott's queue preshow

It's presented like a guided tour... not sure Niles should give up his blogging role

 

[flynnibus]

Here is a view of the Gringott's ID and photo you have the option of buying...

https://twitter.com/themeparkwriter/status/480019921108082688/photo/1

 

[flynnibus]

Examples of the emblems for the interactive wands
https://twitter.com/MickeyXtreme/status/478643929949417472/photo/1

 

[flynnibus]

Storytime with Belle in the garden... or this kind of storytime

https://twitter.com/hatetofly/status/480407591642611713/photo/1

 

[flynnibus]

Here is ITM's walking tour... it's long (20mins) but is notable for...

Seeing more of the covered area of Diagon Alley... I must say, I'm not really thrilled with those green and purple columns.

Pretty good video from backturn alley... where most people have seemed to struggle to get good video due to the low light

 

[flynnibus]

A clean photo of hogsmeade station ...

https://twitter.com/Orlando_United/status/480035326388207616/photo/1

 

[flynnibus]

Pretty...
https://flic.kr/p/nZU2Gj

 

[flynnibus]

That's a lot of coin...

http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showphoto.php/photo/87499/title/wdwinfo-universal-diag/cat/1653

 

[danlb_2000]

Has there been any video of the new Olivanders wand shop? I am wondering if it's the same as the one in Hogsmede or did they enhance it?

 

[flynnibus]

Has there been any video of the new Olivanders wand shop? I am wondering if it's the same as the one in Hogsmede or did they enhance it?

There is gregorivch's shop.. but that might be the pure retail location? I'm not sure. I haven't seen any videos of a wand performance yet.

 

[Disneybear]

A family attraction where Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix try to kill you at every turn. Sounds fun for the whole family.

If you look at the sequence from the movie the ride was based on, you would expect a somewhat intense coaster. The family ride should have been through Hogwarts, not Gringotts.

As opposed to a family ride where at the end, a narcissistic queen has transformed herself into an old hag and turned up at the door of a cottage with a poisoned apple in an attempt to murder a young girl because she is jealous of her beauty.

If you break it down that's hardly kid friendly material there, but as someone once said 'kids love being scared' especially when its in a controlled environment like a theme park.

 

[JT3000]

Has there been any video of the new Olivanders wand shop? I am wondering if it's the same as the one in Hogsmede or did they enhance it?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

A clean photo of hogsmeade station ...

https://twitter.com/Orlando_United/status/480035326388207616/photo/1

The more I look at it, the more I want Dragon Challange to go away.

To be replaced with nothing? No, but it looks bad when you consider how much effort has gone into making Wizarding World as believable as possible.

Hippogriph is at least smaller and not painted in primary colours.

 

[Bairstow]

First, No one stood under the Gundum statue.. compared to Gringott's fascade

You may know more about this than I do, but is there some kind of legal impediment to having guests walk underneath an animated display?
Just because something swivels doesn't necessarily mean it's going to fall over.

Two, I hope you can understand the difference between something turning on a axis in line with the body and above it... vs something hanging out on the side

I do, but looking at the Dragon's structure as they installed it was what lead me to anticipate that it was going to have some kind of limited animated function. The angle of the top of the neck led me to believe that the body would contain the cantilever support for the head/neck which could move side to side without displaying any working parts.

Three, why would taking something that is supposed to be natural and only articulating one element going to make it look better? In instead it will make it look more contrived

A lot of resting animals only move their heads. It's a small motion that would indicate that the creature is somehow alive and alert.

The only thing I'd argue for is the mouth and eyes could be animated... and would be a cool tease to the effect coming.

Yeah, something, anything besides being a stone, still statue would be preferable.

What really bugs me is that the Dragon is quite clearly painted to be as "real" and show-accurate as possible.
Contrast this with the awesome and much-missed Dueling Dragons entrance sculptures, which were highly detailed but painted in solid colors, so as to communicate that they were merely statues, and 100% fake and not real/fake in a way that would disappoint guest expectations or defeat immersion.