Gringotts

Oriolesmagic

Oriolesmagic

Well-Known Member
MichWolv said:
My only small quibble with DA is the choice to have a singing group as the "entertainment". While they were good, it just doesn't seem like it's what visitors would want to see. "Welcome to the Wizarding World -- we have singers just like you do, but they sing about Wizarding things!" Didn't do it for me. Some other kind of entertainment offering would be a nice addition.

I could also see, if they want a major expansion, a show set in the Ministry of Magic. Perhaps we could observe a meeting of, or become part of, the Wizengamot. But such a show would need a cast of live actors, and Uni doesn't do too many of those.
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Would it be painful, poetic justice or freaking awesome to see the World Showcase Players in the London/Diagon Alley area?
 
SJN1279

SJN1279

Well-Known Member
JoeCamel said:
I think the 400M is the NFL budget that has been quoted so many times. The DA budget was less and we got more. Can't resist the dig - sorry.
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You can spend a day with your kids in New Fantasyland experiencing the attractions. Diagon Alley has one ride and a lot of stores. Escape from Gringotts wasn't the game changing attraction promised either.
 
Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
SJN1279 said:
You can spend a day with your kids in New Fantasyland experiencing the attractions. Diagon Alley has one ride and a lot of stores. Escape from Gringotts wasn't the game changing attraction promised either.
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Please quote where Universal claimed that Gringott's was going to be anything other than what it is?

And Potter 2.0 is more than "one ride and a lot of stores". The Hogwarts Express is larger in scope, more immersive, and more technologically advanced than anything Disney has built at WDW since Epcot opened. Yet you Pixie Dusters pretend that it doesn't exist and you guys would be delirious with glee of TDO built something on the scale of The Hogwarts Express.

There are 3, count them, 3 original stage shows produced by Broadway professionals (Mike Curry did The Three Brothers and The Fountain of Fair Fortune and the guy behind Dreamgirls did the Celistina Worbeck show). 3 interactive experiences (Gringott's Bank, Ollivander's, and Madam Malkins Robes for all Occasions).

And if we had access to the numbers, I would bet BIG money that time spent, money spent, and guest satisfaction is higher for DA than NFL.

SJN9721, before you dog Diagon Alley anymore, why don't you go there and experience it for yourself? It really isn't the miserable failure Disney fans portray it as. You guys talk like it's Chester and Hester's. It is not.
 
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SJN1279

SJN1279

Well-Known Member
Disneyhead'71 said:
Please quote where Universal claimed that Gringott's was going to be anything other than what it is?

And Potter 2.0 is more than "one ride and a lot of stores". The Hogwarts Express is larger in scope, more immersive, and more technologically advanced than anything Disney has built at WDW since Epcot opened. Yet you Pixie Dusters pretend that it doesn't exist and you guys would be delirious with glee of TDO built something on the scale of The Hogwarts Express.

There are 3, count them, 3 original stage shows produced by Broadway professionals (Mike Curry did The Three Brothers and The Fountain of Fair Fortune and the guy behind Dreamgirls did the Celistina Worbeck show). 3 interactive experiences (Gringott's Bank, Ollivander's, and Madam Malkins Robes for all Occasions).

And if we had access to the numbers, I would bet BIG money that time spent, money spent, and guest satisfaction is higher for DA than NFL.

SJN9721, before you dog Diagon Alley anymore, why don't you go there and experience it for yourself? It really isn't the miserable failure Disney fans portray it as. You guys talk like it's Chester and Hester's. It is not.
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In December I am spending a weekend in Orlando. One day at Universal, one day at Mickey's Xmas Party. It may be the only time I ever experience the Hogwarts Express since I rarely ever buy a Hopper for Universal. I'm looking forward to experiencing Diagon, but my expectations are lowered for Gringotts. Certain fans built the ride up as the second coming, and most accounts say it is far from that.
 
J

JT3000

Well-Known Member
SJN1279 said:
You can spend a day with your kids in New Fantasyland experiencing the attractions.
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It kept you occupied for the whole day? Wow, that's great. But just out of curiosity, what did your parents think?

SJN1279 said:
In December I am spending a weekend in Orlando. One day at Universal, one day at Mickey's Xmas Party. It may be the only time I ever experience the Hogwarts Express since I rarely ever buy a Hopper for Universal. I'm looking forward to experiencing Diagon, but my expectations are lowered for Gringotts. Certain fans built the ride up as the second coming, and most accounts say it is far from that.
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I'm waiting on pins and needles for your insightful, unbiased trip report.
 
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misterID

misterID

Well-Known Member
SJN1279 said:
You can spend a day with your kids in New Fantasyland experiencing the attractions. Diagon Alley has one ride and a lot of stores. Escape from Gringotts wasn't the game changing attraction promised either.
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If I spent the entire day in Fantasyland, kids or no kids, I would look like one of those poor guys who you see at WDW sitting on a bench, completely psychologically cracked, with his face buried in his hands.

EFG was more hyped by fans than UNI (though I hate the Lightning Strikes Twice thing) and it's still a great ride, overhyped or not. The land was more about plussing the park and building a great E ride and shows geared at families and adults. FLE was about adding capacity and some D clones and Princess M&Gs specifically for kids in an already kid-centric area. That's not a slight, I just think you're intentionally comparing apples to oranges to unnecessarily slight UNI when you didn't need to.
 
dreynolds1982

dreynolds1982

Active Member
Disneyhead'71 said:
And Potter 2.0 is more than "one ride and a lot of stores". The Hogwarts Express is larger in scope, more immersive, and more technologically advanced than anything Disney has built at WDW since Epcot opened. Yet you Pixie Dusters pretend that it doesn't exist and you guys would be delirious with glee of TDO built something on the scale of The Hogwarts Express.
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My wife and I are doing a WDW trip starting this Thursday and are doing one day at UO (park hopping) mainly for DA. We were UO passholders back in the day (2005-06) and went in 2011 to do Hogwarts. Was blown away by it and from what I've seen, am expecting the same from DA.

I've done some spoiling and watched POVs for both Gringotts and HWE as well as complete walkthroughs of the entire park (mostly to psyche myself up). Honestly, I think I'm more excited about HWE than GG (though both look like a blast and i can't wait to experience them in person). IMO with both areas, UO has really upped their game, upped the standard and done an incredible job.

That being said, I don't see how you can say that HGE is larger in scope, more immersive and more technologically advanced than anything Disney has done since Epcot. More technologically advanced maybe, only b/c it is brand new. More immersive than most things they've done, sure. Scope, OK it connects to parks, but the ride itself, from what I've been told and seen, is pretty short and fun but not really e-ticket in scope.

But look at technology (relative to when they originally opened) on rides like Everest, TT, Mission Space, ToT, Dinosaur. Look at the immersive, detailed theming on Everest and ToT (both built after Epcot opened). Look at the incredibly detailed theming in New FL (the whole area).

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I'm not advocating one park over the other (I said how excited I am to visit DA and how blown away I was by Hogwarts), one ride over the other, etc. All I'm saying is, if you expect "pixie dusters" to give UO its due and give it a fair, objective assessment, you've gotta be willing to do the same for Disney.
 
Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
dreynolds1982 said:
My wife and I are doing a WDW trip starting this Thursday and are doing one day at UO (park hopping) mainly for DA. We were UO passholders back in the day (2005-06) and went in 2011 to do Hogwarts. Was blown away by it and from what I've seen, am expecting the same from DA.

I've done some spoiling and watched POVs for both Gringotts and HWE as well as complete walkthroughs of the entire park (mostly to psyche myself up). Honestly, I think I'm more excited about HWE than GG (though both look like a blast and i can't wait to experience them in person). IMO with both areas, UO has really upped their game, upped the standard and done an incredible job.

That being said, I don't see how you can say that HGE is larger in scope, more immersive and more technologically advanced than anything Disney has done since Epcot. More technologically advanced maybe, only b/c it is brand new. More immersive than most things they've done, sure. Scope, OK it connects to parks, but the ride itself, from what I've been told and seen, is pretty short and fun but not really e-ticket in scope.

But look at technology (relative to when they originally opened) on rides like Everest, TT, Mission Space, ToT, Dinosaur. Look at the immersive, detailed theming on Everest and ToT (both built after Epcot opened). Look at the incredibly detailed theming in New FL (the whole area).

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I'm not advocating one park over the other (I said how excited I am to visit DA and how blown away I was by Hogwarts), one ride over the other, etc. All I'm saying is, if you expect "pixie dusters" to give UO its due and give it a fair, objective assessment, you've gotta be willing to do the same for Disney.
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I stand by my assertion that The Hogwarts Express is a large scale attraction. And I think it is more immersive than Everest. But I forgot about Kilimanjaro Safari. Which still wins on scale and immersion.
 
dreynolds1982

dreynolds1982

Active Member
Disneyhead'71 said:
I stand by my assertion that The Hogwarts Express is a large scale attraction. And I think it is more immersive than Everest. But I forgot about Kilimanjaro Safari. Which still wins on scale and immersion.
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Ahh yes I forgot about KS too. Fair enough! Like I said, I haven't experienced DA in person yet, though I can honestly say I'm more excited about our day at UO than our 3 days at WDW (though I'm psyched about both). DA looks incredible, plus we haven't been to UO since they added Transformers and the new Simpsons area. Actually, come to think about it, I'm probably the most excited about grabbing a Duff Beer and/or a Flaming Moe at Moe's Tavern!!
 
Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
dreynolds1982 said:
Ahh yes I forgot about KS too. Fair enough! Like I said, I haven't experienced DA in person yet, though I can honestly say I'm more excited about our day at UO than our 3 days at WDW (though I'm psyched about both). DA looks incredible, plus we haven't been to UO since they added Transformers and the new Simpsons area. Actually, come to think about it, I'm probably the most excited about grabbing a Duff Beer and/or a Flaming Moe at Moe's Tavern!!
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As an older fellow, I have to admit that I quite enjoy having a Duff at Duff Gardens and just sitting and people watching.

I really like Transformers, and Despicable Me too. USF has changed a lot recently.
 
Oriolesmagic

Oriolesmagic

Well-Known Member
Disneyhead'71 said:
As an older fellow, I have to admit that I quite enjoy having a Duff at Duff Gardens and just sitting and people watching.

I really like Transformers, and Despicable Me too. USF has changed a lot recently.
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USF has changed considerably and for the better! Honestly, it's quite jarring to walk out of Diagon Alley and into something from long ago, like the Kidszone, Disaster or Twister. It's a testament to just how much Universal has evolved and grown and to see these older, disappointing rides slowly weeded out is only going to make the rest of the park feel more on par with DA/Springfield and the rest of the new era of Universal.

Don't get me wrong, I think Twister is a fun little attraction and it's departure will probably be received by the Universal faithful in a similar fashion to the Maelstrom upheaval over here. But Universal is changing and the difference is extremely noticeable, so noticeable that I think, after Kong, we will see a lot of the older attractions be replaced with something more immersive.
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Oriolesmagic said:
USF has changed considerably and for the better! Honestly, it's quite jarring to walk out of Diagon Alley and into something from long ago, like the Kidszone, Disaster or Twister. It's a testament to just how much Universal has evolved and grown and to see these older, disappointing rides slowly weeded out is only going to make the rest of the park feel more on par with DA/Springfield and the rest of the new era of Universal.

Don't get me wrong, I think Twister is a fun little attraction and it's departure will probably be received by the Universal faithful in a similar fashion to the Maelstrom upheaval over here. But Universal is changing and the difference is extremely noticeable, so noticeable that I think, after Kong, we will see a lot of the older attractions be replaced with something more immersive.
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Once Kong comes I have a feeling people wouldn't miss Twister that much if/when it goes ;)
 
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J

JT3000

Well-Known Member
Universal fans are used to losing much more beloved attractions than Twister. I doubt you'll hear much uproar, if any.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
SJN1279 said:
You can spend a day with your kids in New Fantasyland experiencing the attractions. Diagon Alley has one ride and a lot of stores. Escape from Gringotts wasn't the game changing attraction promised either.
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If you can get a whole day out of New Fantasyland then Diagon Alley will keep you busy for at least two days.
 

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