Some videos have the (outdoor) footage that some channels shared a few weeks ago and I stumbled upon a very dark Instagram story of someone riding it at night. So I’m also looking forward to a POV including the indoor sections.
Personally thought it was an outstanding ride and great experience. All this "GrEaTeSSST RiDEEE EVA" is getting a bit out hand though.
Awesome ride and it's the best to land at UOR since Forbidden Journey. I do think FJ is still the superior ride and Universal hasn't done anything as innovative and groundbreaking since, but nonetheless this was a ton of fun. Huge improvement on Escape from Gringotts.
Saw the video. Looks fun. Looks like a rollercoaster with some theming. Can’t wait to experience this.
I dare say that I’m slightly underwhelmed. It’s a rollercoaster.
Two standout moments for me based on the video are meeting Hagrid in the beginning and the Devils Snare.
Also, curious how the theming holds up during the day.
As I've said before, theming is of upmost importance to me. I thought that Universal had higher standards for the Wizarding World, but this is just a massive eyesore. The thrills seem to be getting high praise from those that have ridden it, although I'm not sure if that's because none of these people have ever experienced a drop track before. Nonetheless, as someone who puts theming above everything else, it's impossible for me to put this ride above Everest, Big Thunder, or Mummy. View attachment 380740
I agree, I put this more on par with Verbolten with better theming. I even think that seven dwarfs has much better theming. Although Hagrids is the superior rollercoaster. I also think this would have been a better indoor experience.
Saw the video. Looks fun. Looks like a rollercoaster with some theming. Can’t wait to experience this.
I dare say that I’m slightly underwhelmed. It’s a rollercoaster.
Two standout moments for me based on the video are meeting Hagrid in the beginning and the Devils Snare.
Also, curious how the theming holds up during the day.
To be fair, that video is filmed by a low quality camera with poor night vision. I couldn't even see the giant Fluffy animatronic in that or the Ford Anglia and pixies. And from the reviews I read, these are all details you can see even at night, so I don't think that vid is a good appromixation of what people are experiencing with their eyes. Eagerly awaiting a daytime POV here!
To be fair, that video is filmed by a low quality camera with poor night vision. I couldn't even see the giant Fluffy animatronic in that or the Ford Anglia and pixies. And from the reviews I read, these are all details you can see even at night, so I don't think that vid is a good appromixation of what people are experiencing with their eyes. Eagerly awaiting a daytime POV here!
After sunset might be the best time to experience this ride given its concept, but yeah indeed that also means chances of getting a representative POV are also very low.
To be fair, that video is filmed by a low quality camera with poor night vision. I couldn't even see the giant Fluffy animatronic in that or the Ford Anglia and pixies. And from the reviews I read, these are all details you can see even at night, so I don't think that vid is a good appromixation of what people are experiencing with their eyes. Eagerly awaiting a daytime POV here!
I agree, I put this more on par with Verbolten with better theming. I even think that seven dwarfs has much better theming. Although Hagrids is the superior rollercoaster. I also think this would have been a better indoor experience.
7D is themed MUCH better.... but it’s only one show scene.
If Disney didn’t cheap out and actually made 7D longer and added a few more show scenes then Hagrid’s would’ve looked like an ancient relic opening in 2019.
This might be the ride that finally gets me to fly to Florida again. Looks like just about everything I want in a fantasy coaster. Perfect ride length, great setting, thrill level's just right, fun AA's and effects. Based on my favorite HP character. I'm not usually a Universal fan, but I'm looking forward to seeing this more than Galaxy's Edge.
That’s hard, to be honest! The pace of the ride is lightning quick; you can tell they heard the stop and go complaints of Gringotts and Kong loud and clear, so the ride zips through everything at a nicely energetic pace. As a result, it’s hard to judge each vignette/section on its own, especially since I didn’t ride it very many times.
With that in mind, here’s some thoughts:
1) The beginning is strong. Once your restraints are locked in you travel behind another train or two (think omnimover style) down a long hallway that leads to the outdoors. There’s a slow U-Turn leading into a straightaway through some nice ruins/stables theming, and as you round the bend you can see the trains in front of you speed off into the rest of the ride. It’s a nice little excitement builder, and the lack of a stop sets the tone for the overall pace of the ride.
2) The scene in the hut with the Skrewt is really nice, and the whole animatronic is on a sort of rotating platform so that it can whip around. Both this and the Hagrid figure are very fluid, and Hagrid is positioned so that you only see him for a quick moment on the way out, which I felt was smart, since he’s the only human animatronic you see on the ride. I have a quibble, but I’ll wait to share until the ride is officially open, as it was something that struck me as unfinished rather than a flat out mistake.
3) The coaster sections are just so fun. There’s so many speed boosts, and there’s a ton of twists and turns at a solid speed. If you want a little more intensity, take the motorbike; it’s a little more exposed, and you really feel the bunny hop. The sidecar has better views of the show scenes, though, so it’s whichever you’re more into.
4) The spike element is PERFECTLY executed. If I had to pick any 30 seconds of the ride and get rid of everything else, it would be this. It’s just perfect.
5) The drop building is more of a mixed bag. The theming slips a bit when you look directly at the tree mural right before going in, and the centaur is the most fake looking of the creatures. Once you hit the Devil’s Snare, though, it picks right back up, and the tendril effects are excellent. The drop itself is fun, but not nearly as scary or intense as I anticipated. From there, there’s a fun pseudo-interactive element, and then it’s off to the end with a final boost and coaster section.
Overall, it’s in my Top 3 at the resort, and easily my favorite of the Potter rides. It’s just so much fun.
Will this open to the public tomorrow? I'm trying to figure out what I'm do on this. Hit the park early Friday morning or try and hit the ride late Thursday evening? I only have so much patience though. I figure Saturday will be a zoo.
Saw the video. Looks fun. Looks like a rollercoaster with some theming. Can’t wait to experience this.
I dare say that I’m slightly underwhelmed. It’s a rollercoaster.
So tomorrow is the grand opening and it looks like no soft openings today. Very odd. I can’t think of an attraction in recent memory that didn’t soft open to the public before the official opening date.
