Diagon Alley details revealed - spoiler alert

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I will also say that I wouldn't mind the amount of attractions relying heavily on screen technology if they were *also* installing attractions that used more physical effects... Disney actually does a decent job at this. For every Soarin' there's a Little Mermaid, for every Mission: Space there's a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The mix is paramount - but all of the new additions have been all-screens, all the time.

There's also just something very psychological and subterranean about this - it's incredibly difficult to explain - but threats and immersion in worlds are always going to feel more genuine, real, and exciting when you're part of a physical space with physical effects and creatures. There's less hoops for your mind to jump through - oh look, there's a physical dinosaur in front of me, well it isn't real, obviously, it's an animatronic, but I'll believe it's real - versus oh look, there's a screen with a dinosaur being projected onto it, huh, I guess I can believe it's real.

 

[alissafalco]

Sorry if this has been asked already but how many people to a car? Are there seat belts or any kind of restraint?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Appears to be a Pepper's ghost trick.
The thing is, the "trick" is only visible to guests watching other guests go through the wall.
When you walk through the wall it doesn't seem like anything special is happening, at least, not in the sense that you run through a wall.

Yeah, some complaints I could throw out there (and did in the WDW1974 thread) are below... things I was expecting:

• Motion on the dragon... a head swivel, a wave of the wings, something
• Tapping on the bricks to mean something. Think D23 Expo reveal into Carousel of Projects. I get that they don't have a direct view into Diagon Alley so there's a reveal, but having bricks hinge out for groups of 50 at a time would be pretty epic.
• The 9 3/4 platform effect. At the right angle you can get video of it, that's pretty much it. I have no idea how they could have made it work better, but it doesn't seem all that good.

Also, regarding the Hogwarts Express, it looks like a fun ride, it looks like it has a higher capacity than expected (probably in the 1500-1700 range), but I'm not sure it's an E-ticket. It doesn't have to be, but that's a little disappointing.

 

[Bairstow]

Yeah, some complaints I could throw out there (and did in the WDW1974 thread) are below... things I was expecting:

• Motion on the dragon... a head swivel, a wave of the wings, something

Are we 100% sure at this point that the dragon is and will be completely stationary?

• The 9 3/4 platform effect. At the right angle you can get video of it, that's pretty much it. I have no idea how they could have made it work better, but it doesn't seem all that good.

I don't know what else they could have done here either. I was thinking possibly a mist screen and a projection but that would probably look crummy. A trick like the magical window at the Beauty and the Beast thing in Fantasyland would only be viable for large groups of people, which would necessitate an additional choke/release point in the queue and multiple employee positions to man it. Plus, it's supposed to be done one-at-a-time, like in the books.

On the bright side, it seems to show up great on camera, so parents are going to love it.

My main concern is that a lot of the queue space for that one appears really dull, and maybe even intentionally dull.
Part of me kind of likes the idea of building a really long, intentionally drab and monotonous "real world" queue that gives way to the dynamic magic world within, but on the other hand... good thing I still have Super Hexagon on my phone.

 

[Clamman73]

That's a pretty big wing to be flapping around though

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I will also say that I wouldn't mind the amount of attractions relying heavily on screen technology if they were *also* installing attractions that used more physical effects... Disney actually does a decent job at this. For every Soarin' there's a Little Mermaid, for every Mission: Space there's a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The mix is paramount - but all of the new additions have been all-screens, all the time.

There's also just something very psychological and subterranean about this - it's incredibly difficult to explain - but threats and immersion in worlds are always going to feel more genuine, real, and exciting when you're part of a physical space with physical effects and creatures. There's less hoops for your mind to jump through - oh look, there's a physical dinosaur in front of me, well it isn't real, obviously, it's an animatronic, but I'll believe it's real - versus oh look, there's a screen with a dinosaur being projected onto it, huh, I guess I can believe it's real.

Disney has more rides so of course they have more variety... Universal is just starting to really grow and expand...
Disney has just as many screen based attractions as Universal.
Universal has 8 screen based rides & attractions.
WDW has over 13 screen based rides & attractions.

 

[RandomPrincess]

The dragon not moving doesn't bother me. Many people said having a real dragon would ruin the story line as if it was a real dragon everyone would be running away in terror. I choose to think of it as a Dragon statue with a fire effect.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

About the dragon moving, I don't think people realize how big it is. This thing is 2 city busses long. And each wing is almost a city bus long. It's head is roughly the size of a PT Cruiser. Moving, in that location, just isn't an option.

 

[Mike S]

About the dragon moving, I don't think people realize how big it is. This thing is 2 city busses long. And each wing is almost a city bus long. It's head is roughly the size of a PT Cruiser. Moving, in that location, just isn't an option.

Now I really can't wait to see this thing in person, that's huge!!!

 

[Voice of Disney sanity]

I have to say, I often hate 3D screens myself but I have found that at Universal on Spiderman, Forbidden Journey, & Transformers, that the screens are such good quality that I have no issue with them. They appear so life like that the 3d effect isn't too bad.
FB does have physical interactions... as someone who is terrified of spiders... I had a mild panic attack on FB... the employee who pull up our picture was in tears that how funny I looked.
I think that as long as I feel truly immersed and that it is well executed that screens are okay with me.
Soarin is 100% screens LOL... Okay not the same..
I also think that screens extend the life of an attraction... just a bit... animatronics do eventually get dated..
while imagine being able to add new scenes to current rides. I can appreciate your desire for the physical... at least the rock work inside Gringotts is pretty impressive.

I think you're safe here, in the Universal forum section... most pixie dusters don't even come here LOL

Besides there is a huge difference with what disney does with screens and what UOR does with them. At universal the rides actually MOVE forward with the screens in front of you....at disney the rides stay in place and only bounce around. The diference is ridiculously huge! Kind of like the difference in the original yeti and the disco one.

 

[Bairstow]

Besides there is a huge difference with what disney does with screens and what UOR does with them. At universal the rides actually MOVE forward with the screens in front of you....at disney the rides stay in place and only bounce around. The diference is ridiculously huge! Kind of like the difference in the original yeti and the disco one.

Which rides are you referring to?
Disney's The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Test Track 2 have several screens that you move past.
At Universal, you "stay in place and only bounce around" on The Simpsons Ride, Despicable Me, and the Shrek thing.

 

[bhg469]

Which rides are you referring to?
Disney's The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Test Track 2 have several screens that you move forward.
At Universal, you "stay in place and only bounce around" on The Simpsons Ride, Despicable Me, and the Shrek thing.

I don't know the answer but the animated section of EE is probably the worst use of screens in wdw.. it's 1930s animation and is a pretty awful attempt. The rest of the screens I don't think I mind... except spaceship earth.

 

[Voice of Disney sanity]

Concerning the screen vs AA discussion I see it as Disney's thing is AAs and Universal's is projection technology. Universal is creating some of the most amazing attractions on the planet so I'll let them do what they do best.

I don't know if agree with that. Disney has used more screen based attractions than all other theme parks combined. Mission to mars, TSMM, circlevision 360, impressions de France, oh Canada, soarin, star tours, bugs life, the theatre that used to be on main st, monsters inc laugh floor, turtle talk, mickeys pilharmagic, muppet vision, universe of energy, that simulator currently in innoventions, don't even get me started on all the crap in disneyquest. I can go on and on. People need to quit bashing universal for using screens DISNEY IS THE KING OF SCREENS! I know people will try to rebut what I'm saying by stating that those are movies not rides but I submitt that UNI is one upping Disney's 3d movie tech by making 3d movies with rides in them. We are witnessing the demise of the inventors of the theme park business! Yes it will be a very long and drawn out demise but this is the beginning of the end for disney being the kings of the theme park business.

 

[Voice of Disney sanity]

Which rides are you referring to?
Disney's The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Test Track 2 have several screens that you move past.
At Universal, you "stay in place and only bounce around" on The Simpsons Ride, Despicable Me, and the Shrek thing.

Even though it uses screens Test track 2 isn't a screen based ride IMO. Try making real comparisons... Like star tours to Spider-Man or Fj to TSMM or transformers to soarin

 

[Tom Morrow]

I had my doubts about the Hogwarts Express after seeing a lackluster looking video preview a few weeks ago with the HP actors previewing it. But these new POV videos make it look significantly better. I for one am actually glad that the trip both ways is rather subdued. It's just a train ride, and I think some of these early complaints forget that its primary purpose was to be transportation between the two parks. The screens are really only there so you aren't looking backstage. It didn't need to be a full of action and narrative and I'm happy that it isn't.

 

[marni1971]

Also, regarding the Hogwarts Express, it looks like a fun ride, it looks like it has a higher capacity than expected (probably in the 1500-1700 range), but I'm not sure it's an E-ticket. It doesn't have to be, but that's a little disappointing.

When running fully it'll be over 3000 an hour max, both trains included.

 

[pumpkin7]

I never noticed their reliance on screens but come to think of it, they are everywhere. Once upon a time, the only screened ride was BTTF.
I think it's easier to name the rides that don't have screens in now...

 

[RandomPrincess]

I never noticed their reliance on screens but come to think of it, they are everywhere. Once upon a time, the only screened ride was BTTF.
I think it's easier to name the rides that don't have screens in now...

I think a lot of theme parks are relying more on screens. Avatar will have two rides one of them is a screen ride with 3D glasses for sure. We don't know if the second will include screens along with the live components yet.

 

[jdmdisney99]

I never noticed their reliance on screens but come to think of it, they are everywhere. Once upon a time, the only screened ride was BTTF.
I think it's easier to name the rides that don't have screens in now...

That's the thing. I honestly don't care HOW the rides are built as long as they are fun, convincing, and breathtakingly detailed. I loved the rides at UNI. However, some people, like my mother, never do well with screens, roller coasters, motion simulators or 3-D. Sickness follows, and it just so happens that nearly every ride in UNI applies to that (besides a few dark rides). Some people can handle it and some can't. UNI should really try a physical effects ride soon, though, for the people who can't handle screens.

 

[coogsrockets]

I think a lot of theme parks are relying more on screens. Avatar will have two ride one of them is a screen ride with 3D glasses for sure. We don't know if the second will include screens along with the live components yet.

Exactly. There are a lot of people saying they like Disney's approach to rides better, but I would bet a lot of money that Avatar's big attraction will be largely screen based and have a lot of the same ride components as Spiderman and Forbidden Journey. There are certain elements that just don't translate as well from movie screen to physical presence, and that's why I personally have no issues with it.