Jaws closing?

[maxairmike]

I will say, the (very rough) Universal Creative POV rendering of Forbidden Journey definitely didn't ruin the experience for me, and it was surprisingly close to the actual ride experience. I believe the dementor sequence was a bit different, but otherwise, very much the ride as it ended up. The amusement industry is very "small" for as large and spread out as it is. whylightbulb (if I got that wrong, I apologize) seems to be about the most reliable Universal source here, and he seems to be pointing to the conclusion many of us are arriving at, or at least a very similar one. Some things on other boards are lining up that way as well.

 

[TP2000]

Until a family gets there and doesn't have the right media and it results in a lot of unhappiness. Let alone when one of the many foreign tour groups comes and a language barrier holds things up. Thematically it would be fine when it works, however I feel like it could be a mess logistically.

And how is that different from any scenario that plays out daily at WDW, Universal Orlando, Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, or any other large theme park property with multiple ticketing options?

I think this inter-park train idea is a stroke of genius on Universal's part! To say it can't be done because there's an employee parking lot in the way or a foreign tourist might be confused about which ticket they need for the experience seems rather silly.

If those types of minor logistical issues were really a huge concern, Pirates of the Caribbean would have never been built in 1966 because no one could figure out how to get the boats down to the basement and out of the park to the show building, and Reflections of Earth would never have been greenlit because Epcot management would be too scared to raise the bridge over the canal near China.

It's just a train connecting two neighboring theme parks, it's not a rocket to the moon. Although we did send a rocket to the moon a few times, and there were plenty of logistical problems to overcome on that project too.

 

[Timekeeper]

I think this inter-park train idea is a stroke of genius on Universal's part! To say it can't be done because there's an employee parking lot in the way or a foreign tourist might be confused about which ticket they need for the experience seems rather silly.

If the train was tunneled (indoors), I think that there could be some neat dark ride-style effects along the way. Placing it above or below roadways would eliminate traffic interruption.

My reservation with this idea is that incorporating a theme into a mode of transportation, essentially turning it into a "ride" unto itself, means that demand will always outweigh capacity, and so there will always be a wait time extending well beyond the usual time it takes to, for example, wait to board a monorail. Well, by "always" I mean "so long as the attraction maintains popularity."

While I do like the idea of transportation from the "back" of IOA to the "back" of Universal, which is quite a long distance to walk, I don't necessarily like the idea of having to wait in line for a long time simply because that transportation is themed instead of efficient. During bad Florida weather, those with 2-park tickets/passes would love the idea of traveling from HP to MIB without having to walk that distance.

One idea that I like would be an omni-mover-styled train, like the TTA People Mover at the Magic Kingdom, that is constantly running, with a constantly moving queue, instead of the start-stop associated with traditional train transportation :sohappy:

 

[Pioneer Hall]

And how is that different from any scenario that plays out daily at WDW, Universal Orlando, Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, or any other large theme park property with multiple ticketing options?

I think this inter-park train idea is a stroke of genius on Universal's part! To say it can't be done because there's an employee parking lot in the way or a foreign tourist might be confused about which ticket they need for the experience seems rather silly.

If those types of minor logistical issues were really a huge concern, Pirates of the Caribbean would have never been built in 1966 because no one could figure out how to get the boats down to the basement and out of the park to the show building, and Reflections of Earth would never have been greenlit because Epcot management would be too scared to raise the bridge over the canal near China.

It's just a train connecting two neighboring theme parks, it's not a rocket to the moon. Although we did send a rocket to the moon a few times, and there were plenty of logistical problems to overcome on that project too.

Thanks for trying to twist what I said to prove your point. Thematically I like the train idea, but let's not call it just merely a transport system between two parks. It will not be advertised as such and will be called an attraction all to itself should it be built. This would not be something like the buses or friendship boats that are built solely to get you from one place to another. People are likely to be somewhat confused why they can't see all of Harry Potter land. Not saying it won't happen, and that they won't be willing to do with those problems in the name of making it happen. However, comparing it to a small logistical issue like raising a draw bridge for a fireworks barge is not a realistic comparison.

 

[SyracuseOrange]

If the train was tunneled (indoors), I think that there could be some neat dark ride-style effects along the way. Placing it above or below roadways would eliminate traffic interruption.

My reservation with this idea is that incorporating a theme into a mode of transportation, essentially turning it into a "ride" unto itself, means that demand will always outweigh capacity, and so there will always be a wait time extending well beyond the usual time it takes to, for example, wait to board a monorail. Well, by "always" I mean "so long as the attraction maintains popularity."

While I do like the idea of transportation from the "back" of IOA to the "back" of Universal, which is quite a long distance to walk, I don't necessarily like the idea of having to wait in line for a long time simply because that transportation is themed instead of efficient. During bad Florida weather, those with 2-park tickets/passes would love the idea of traveling from HP to MIB without having to walk that distance.

One idea that I like would be an omni-mover-styled train, like the TTA People Mover at the Magic Kingdom, that is constantly running, with a constantly moving queue, instead of the start-stop associated with traditional train transportation :sohappy:

I'm not mad about the prospect of having to wait for said train if there was theming. Kinda like how sometimes you have to wait for the train in the MK...

 

[pumpkin7]

what?? so the plan (or so it seems) is to not only expand potter in IoA but also leak it over to US?! jeeze. they might as well close all the other attractions and call themselves harry potter studios. talk about too much.

 

[Timekeeper]

what?? so the plan (or so it seems) is to not only expand potter in IoA but also leak it over to US?! jeeze. they might as well close all the other attractions and call themselves harry potter studios. talk about too much.

At least then the WWoHP would be consistent with the "theme park unto itself" advertising. :ROFLOL:

 

[pumpkin7]

at least then everywhere else will be quiet and have no queues because everyones in harry potter world. i just wish they weren't sacrificing jaws for the pleasure of expanding it. jaws needed some love, sure, but its still a very popular attraction. but then again, like someone else has said. doesn't matter how popular it is. if it's costing to much to run, it's going to get axed.

 

[c-one]

Here's a question... if the guests are boarding the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross, how are they going to get the Muggles onto Platform 9 3/4? I'm not gonna be the first one running into that wall...

 

[novawildcat18]

Here's a question... if the guests are boarding the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross, how are they going to get the Muggles onto Platform 9 3/4? I'm not gonna be the first one running into that wall...

I thought of this too and I thought it would be really cool if they had some sort of a projection but I'm not sure how they could make it realistic enough to not see the person as they make it to the other side.

 

[fotofx]

I thought of this too and I thought it would be really cool if they had some sort of a projection but I'm not sure how they could make it realistic enough to not see the person as they make it to the other side.

It could easily be done with a water screen similar to the one on Pirates at MK. You could project a wall onto the fog and easily have large groups walk through.

You could also have multiple "trains".. Not really trains but ride vehicle that only need to be themed on the area visible as you board. You then use video screens for windows and you could simulate anything you want as you are driven through the back lots from park to park.

The only real problem I see is you split the capacity of the "trains" because many people will be in a park, ride to the other and immediately return so they can exit the same park they entered or to join back up with other members of their group.

 

[ChrisFL]

New post on my blog about Harry Potter:

http://imagineeringmind.wordpress.c...universal-orlando-the-blessing-and-the-curse/

 

[MickeyMind]

Here's a question... if the guests are boarding the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross, how are they going to get the Muggles onto Platform 9 3/4? I'm not gonna be the first one running into that wall...

lol I was just thinking the same thing. I can agree with both sides of this issue, on one hand it sucks for uni to be taking out another classic and replacing it with more harry, on the other hand it would be like the REAL hp experience and give more credence to the whole theme park unto itself.

Uni needs nostalgia though, thats one of the main things wdw has over uni, Wdw has rides that have been there since the 70s, rides that your father rode with his father, and the more of these classics they get rid of the less nostalgic and emotionally invested people will be to those parks.

Sure maybe in another generation or 2 people might be nostalgic for harry like people now are for pirates or small world, but I doubt it, the rides in hp arent rides you can take the little ones on and experience with the whole family and create those memories like you can with pirates or small world.

Sadly, as scary as jaws might have been to the little ones, it was still one of those rides you can experience as a family , and it was a ride that was there since the park opening, already creating that loyal fan base, and already making those nostalgic ties with the people who experienced it when they were young (myself included).

I know uni barely has land available, but I do wish there were other options instead of ripping out another classic attraction, I mean after they rip out jaws, what other opening day attraction still remains e.t? (NOW THAT IS ONE I WOULD SERIOUSLY BE ED ABOUT IF THEY REMOVED)

Jaws wasnt the best ride in the world, out of the big classic attractions (king kong, bttf and et) I liked jaws the least and wouldve cut it before any of the other 3, but still its tough to see them cut another classic.

Adding more hp, might be a good decision, might be a bad decision and might be oversaturation, only time will tell. If I had it my way I wouldve expanded harry into the expansion pad behind the simpsons, and turned the jaws area into a lotr/ the hobbit section or something else where a family dark ride can be created. They really need to create "nice" rides like et. or mk classics, to keep the families coming back.

 

[Bairstow]

Here's a question... if the guests are boarding the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross, how are they going to get the Muggles onto Platform 9 3/4? I'm not gonna be the first one running into that wall...

Fogscreen?

If the Jaws-to-Diagon Alley rumor is correct, the whole area will already be in the "magical" world, so there wouldn't really need to be a real-world-to-magical world transition communicated to the guests, particularly one that would require an especially expensive, and potentially bottlenecking effect.

 

[Bairstow]

Uni needs nostalgia though, thats one of the main things wdw has over uni, Wdw has rides that have been there since the 70s, rides that your father rode with his father, and the more of these classics they get rid of the less nostalgic and emotionally invested people will be to those parks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqMV90pnsZ4#t=0m43s

 

[novawildcat18]

Fogscreen?

If the Jaws-to-Diagon Alley rumor is correct, the whole area will already be in the "magical" world, so there wouldn't really need to be a real-world-to-magical world transition communicated to the guests, particularly one that would require an especially expensive, and potentially bottlenecking effect.

As an avid HP fan, this theory wouldn't make any sense. King's Cross is a "muggle" train station with a secret platform for wizards. There is no Platform 9 3/4 at Diagon Alley. Of course, they kind of changed up some of the locations in the original WWoHP so I guess making a Hogwarts Express stop in Diagon Alley wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[Bairstow]

As an avid HP fan, this theory wouldn't make any sense. King's Cross is a "muggle" train station with a secret platform for wizards. There is no Platform 9 3/4 at Diagon Alley. Of course, they kind of changed up some of the locations in the original WWoHP so I guess making a Hogwarts Express stop in Diagon Alley wouldn't be the end of the world.

I also don't recall there being a footbridge from Hogwart's Castle to Isla Nublar.

 

[novawildcat18]

Regardless, Screamscape is now reporting that WWoHP Phase 2 will most likely be taking over the Fear Factor show theater also. This is a move that will probably be welcomed by all. I wonder if they will use the show theater for an HP show or if it will be demolished and the land used for "London". Personally, I think a show building would absolutely kill the environment. The only live show that I can see happening would be something like Sinbad's theater where it is kind of tucked away and not in the middle of the world. That would kill the realism of the atmosphere.

On another personal note, I don't think that a Harry Potter live show is the best idea. The characters are way too identifiable to have a live actor accurately portray the character. Of course, the same could be said for a show like Indiana Jones, but I just don't like the idea of a live HP show.

 

[Timekeeper]

I wonder if the company is having any regrets about the apartments constructed just a few feet behind Jaws. :brick:

 

[BigThunderMatt]

I also don't recall there being a footbridge from Hogwart's Castle to Isla Nublar.

That's different. It's one thing in the bridge because they had to create connections to the rest of the park. I highly doubt J.K. Rowling would allow them to make such a glaring error as to have a train station in Diagon Alley. If they do wind up building this I'm sure Diagon Alley will be its own separate section, and guests would board a train from King's Cross. As long as they're separate it doesn't matter how geographically close they are, considering Diagon Alley doesn't even exist in real life and no one could really say Kings Cross Station couldn't be right around the corner from the Leaky Cauldron (the pub that has the entrance to Diagon Alley behind it).