Diagon Alley reviews thread

[kap91]

You would need to create at least one Y that is actively monitored. With this also comes a need to designate and actively monitor a system of blocks. The current system has no blocks and no need to monitor the location of the ride vehicles. All of these variables then also mean you have to create a show control system that is able to properly edit the video so that it syncs with the now variable ride time. The video is also going to have to explain the change in relative direction unless you want to make people sick.


The Team Members can override the requirement to pay.

If gringotts, spidy, transformers, virtually any ride built since 1995, can all have guaranteed ride times and vehicle position so that they don't need special video editing then neither would this. And if you let people off at the stub you wouldn't have to deal with the change in direction and you'd have the added benefit of the train arriving empty.

All I'm saying is that it's very possible and not all that more complicated had they chosen to go that route. Clearly they didn't think the moment of walking in with the train waiting for you and/or arriving was that important.

And team members are not always (or even often) willing or available to unlock the lockers for you despite the fact they should be.

 

[lazyboy97o]

If gringotts, spidy, transformers, virtually any ride built since 1995, can all have guaranteed ride times and vehicle position so that they don't need special video editing then neither would this. And if you let people off at the stub you wouldn't have to deal with the change in direction and you'd have the added benefit of the train arriving empty.

All I'm saying is that it's very possible and not all that more complicated had they chosen to go that route. Clearly they didn't think the moment of walking in with the train waiting for you and/or arriving was that important.

And team members are not always (or even often) willing or available to unlock the lockers for you despite the fact they should be.

All of those rides are circuits, not shuttles that require coordination with another vehicle moving in the opposite direction. Separate load and unload dramatically increases the required square footage as well as reduces capacity. You are talking about a major complication of the size, layout, safety systems, ride controls and show controls because you're talking about more track, more switches, more staff and independent ride vehicles.

 

[kap91]

All of those rides are circuits, not shuttles that require coordination with another vehicle moving in the opposite direction. Separate load and unload dramatically increases the required square footage as well as reduces capacity. You are talking about a major complication of the size, layout, safety systems, ride controls and show controls because you're talking about more track, more switches, more staff and independent ride vehicles.

So we should settle for not as great show? Sorry, I don't see your argument as that an excuse. Especially when you could just hold the flow until the train arrives. And I think you're overcomplicating the necessities

 

[lazyboy97o]

So we should settle for not as great show? Sorry, I don't see your argument as that an excuse. Especially when you could just hold the flow until the train arrives. And I think you're overcomplicating the necessities

There is a great show. It is a train and it is acting like a train.

 

[seahawk7]

Some one previously posted that FJ had a 45 minute wait and it's relatively new yes? If you go into MK you will see that Splash Mountain, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, and BTMR all have at least a 60 min wait and have been open for more than 40 years. So do people get tired of Harry Potter fast or are they tired of having 3 rides in a land and only options to spend more money eating or shopping?

When I went to Hogsmeade two years ago, we rode FJ and I LOVED it. Everything was done so well and I am not a HP fan so I think I'm being objective. (Now when a Star Wars Land is built, forget it, I'm going to spend all my time in the Cantina and shopping.) But in Hogsmeade, I just stood there in Ollivander's and watched people shop, shop, and shop some more. But when you buy all the merchandise, why go back if you have everything this land has to offer when they only have three rides?

See not everyone is a Harry Potter fan and time will tell if Diagon Alley will keep bringing people in or end up with a 45 min wait for Gringotts. That is why I think that Universal INTENTIONALLY decided to make people pay admission to two parks to ride Hogwarts Express. They knew people wanted to see it and ride it. Making it a premium pass ride (and when it has character flying outside your window it is a ride not just transportation), ensured admission to Hogsmeade. If not, why not have an entrance to Hogsmeade when you get off the train where you have to show your ticket for IOA?

You can ride the monorail in DL at the DL Hotel where it goes into the DL park. If you don't admission, you just stay on the monorail. Why not do this for Hogsmeade? Maybe because FJ has a 45 minute wait.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Some one previously posted that FJ had a 45 minute wait and it's relatively new yes? If you go into MK you will see that Splash Mountain, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, and BTMR all have at least a 60 min wait and have been open for more than 40 years. So do people get tired of Harry Potter fast or are they tired of having 3 rides in a land and only options to spend more money eating or shopping?

When I went to Hogsmeade two years ago, we rode FJ and I LOVED it. Everything was done so well and I am not a HP fan so I think I'm being objective. (Now when a Star Wars Land is built, forget it, I'm going to spend all my time in the Cantina and shopping.) But in Hogsmeade, I just stood there in Ollivander's and watched people shop, shop, and shop some more. But when you buy all the merchandise, why go back if you have everything this land has to offer when they only have three rides?

See not everyone is a Harry Potter fan and time will tell if Diagon Alley will keep bringing people in or end up with a 45 min wait for Gringotts. That is why I think that Universal INTENTIONALLY decided to make people pay admission to two parks to ride Hogwarts Express. They knew people wanted to see it and ride it. Making it a premium pass ride (and when it has character flying outside your window it is a ride not just transportation), ensured admission to Hogsmeade. If not, why not have an entrance to Hogsmeade when you get off the train where you have to show your ticket for IOA?

You can ride the monorail in DL at the DL Hotel where it goes into the DL park. If you don't admission, you just stay on the monorail. Why not do this for Hogsmeade? Maybe because FJ has a 45 minute wait.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and one day Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, has a great capacity. Capacity is not even across all attractions. No line but getting 1500 people per hour is different than a 2 hour line that gets 150 people per hour.

There has yet to be a drop off in spending or attendance for Universal Orlando Resort.

One needs admission to Disneyland to enter the Downtown Disney Monorail Station.

 

[Mike S]

Some one previously posted that FJ had a 45 minute wait and it's relatively new yes? If you go into MK you will see that Splash Mountain, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, and BTMR all have at least a 60 min wait and have been open for more than 40 years. So do people get tired of Harry Potter fast or are they tired of having 3 rides in a land and only options to spend more money eating or shopping?

When I went to Hogsmeade two years ago, we rode FJ and I LOVED it. Everything was done so well and I am not a HP fan so I think I'm being objective. (Now when a Star Wars Land is built, forget it, I'm going to spend all my time in the Cantina and shopping.) But in Hogsmeade, I just stood there in Ollivander's and watched people shop, shop, and shop some more. But when you buy all the merchandise, why go back if you have everything this land has to offer when they only have three rides?

See not everyone is a Harry Potter fan and time will tell if Diagon Alley will keep bringing people in or end up with a 45 min wait for Gringotts. That is why I think that Universal INTENTIONALLY decided to make people pay admission to two parks to ride Hogwarts Express. They knew people wanted to see it and ride it. Making it a premium pass ride (and when it has character flying outside your window it is a ride not just transportation), ensured admission to Hogsmeade. If not, why not have an entrance to Hogsmeade when you get off the train where you have to show your ticket for IOA?

You can ride the monorail in DL at the DL Hotel where it goes into the DL park. If you don't admission, you just stay on the monorail. Why not do this for Hogsmeade? Maybe because FJ has a 45 minute wait.

Forbidden Journey is a high capacity ride with no Express Pass to artificially make the wait longer.

 

[Mike S]

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and one day Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, has a great capacity. Capacity is not even across all attractions. No line but getting 1500 people per hour is different than a 2 hour line that gets 150 people per hour.

There has yet to be a drop off in spending or attendance for Universal Orlando Resort.

One needs admission to Disneyland to enter the Downtown Disney Monorail Station.

Beat me to it.

 

[seahawk7]

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and one day Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, has a great capacity. Capacity is not even across all attractions. No line but getting 1500 people per hour is different than a 2 hour line that gets 150 people per hour.

There has yet to be a drop off in spending or attendance for Universal Orlando Resort.

One needs admission to Disneyland to enter the Downtown Disney Monorail Station.

You can board the monorail from the Disneyland hotel. To get off in the park, you need admission. Unless they changed it.
I am not comparing Disney with Universal as much as I'm questioning Universal being able to keep the public's interest in the HP lands. No one can answer this only time. Let's see in ten years.
I like Universal. I like the one in California better, but anyhoo. I hope it does well, I just don't want to have to pay for two parks to ride Hogwarts.

 

[seahawk7]

Forbidden Journey is a high capacity ride with no Express Pass to artificially make it longer.

express you need to pay extra for right?

 

[lazyboy97o]

You can board the monorail from the Disneyland hotel. To get off in the park, you need admission. Unless they changed it.
I am not comparing Disney with Universal as much as I'm questioning Universal being able to keep the public's interest in the HP lands. No one can answer this only time. Let's see in ten years.
I like Universal. I like the one in California better, but anyhoo. I hope it does well, I just don't want to have to pay for two parks to ride Hogwarts.

The Disneyland Monorail stopped having a station at the Disneyland Hotel in the late-1990s when the original portion of the hotel was demolished to build Downtown Disney. Admission is checked before entering the Downtown Disney station.

Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone was first published in 1997 and the steam at the theme parks has yet to die down.

 

[kap91]

You can board the monorail from the Disneyland hotel. To get off in the park, you need admission. Unless they changed it.
I am not comparing Disney with Universal as much as I'm questioning Universal being able to keep the public's interest in the HP lands. No one can answer this only time. Let's see in ten years.
I like Universal. I like the one in California better, but anyhoo. I hope it does well, I just don't want to have to pay for two parks to ride Hogwarts.

You have it reversed. Guests in the park don't need admission to ride. Guests need to show admission at the downtown Disney station to reboard. Still no extra payment in any form is required.

Edit: it does seem though that this debate might become moot soon. There's signs in place for "reride" and it would make sense to have this as an option. Then no ticket would be required. And if that's not what they have in mind I don't know what those signs are about.

 

[kap91]

There is a great show. It is a train and it is acting like a train.

Which I've said multiple times. But it's only great for the 25% of people who get their timing right. I'd like to see that closer to 100. It doesn't match the standards the rest of the expansion sets.

 

[seahawk7]

The Disneyland Monorail stopped having a station at the Disneyland Hotel in the late-1990s when the original portion of the hotel was demolished to build Downtown Disney. Admission is checked before entering the Downtown Disney station.
Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone was first published in 1997 and the steam at the theme parks has yet to die down.

Yea I just looked it up and called DL directly. My memories of it being at the DL Hotel were from the 70's. My mistake.
Like I said though, no disrespect to HP fans, time will tell if the HP lands are successful. But the way I see it is they are built so they become a part of history which I think is awesome. I just hope that they keep adding to them so HP fans can be awed time and time again. And I want to ride Hogwarts and not pay for IOA. But if I do, at least I have Spiderman to ride, which I was so impressed with. That and the Simpsons ride. (I know the Simpsons ride is not at IOA.)

 

[seahawk7]

You have it reversed. Guests in the park don't need admission to ride. Guests need to show admission at the downtown Disney station to reboard. Still no extra payment in any form is required.

Edit: it does seem though that this debate might become moot soon. There's signs in place for "reride" and it would make sense to have this as an option. Then no ticket would be required. And if that's not what they have in mind I don't know what those signs are about.

No ticket meaning for IOA?

 

[TalkingHead]

There is a great show. It is a train and it is acting like a train.

Gotta protect that Disney brand at all costs.

 

[TalkingHead]

Which I've said multiple times. But it's only great for the 25% of people who get their timing right. I'd like to see that closer to 100. It doesn't match the standards the rest of the expansion sets.

At least you found something to complain about. You must consider that a success.

 

[kap91]

No ticket meaning for IOA?

No two park ticket - at least I don't see how else it would work. That would make sense - don't have a two park ticket? You can still ride just can't enter Ioa and must take a trip back. Maybe not though - maybe it'll just be reride for the people who have two park tickets but don't want to wait in line to return.

 

[seahawk7]

At least you found something to complain about. You must consider that a success.

I don't he is complaining as much as wanting guests to have a better product.

 

[seahawk7]

No two park ticket - at least I don't see how else it would work. That would make sense - don't have a two park ticket? You can still ride just can't enter Ioa and must take a trip back. Maybe not though - maybe it'll just be reride for the people who have two park tickets but don't want to wait in line to return.

One can hope!